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BERLIN: ASHER & CO., 53 MOHRENSTRASSE.

NEW YORK: C. SCRIBNER & CO.; LEYPOLDT & HOLT.

PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

of

AN ALLITERATIVE ROMANCE

TRANSLATED FROM

GUIDO DE COLONNA'S

NOW FIRST EDITED

FROM THE UNIQUE MS. IN THE HUNTERIAN MUSEUM,
UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW,

THE LATE REV, GEO, A, PANTOS,

AND

DAVID DONALDSON, ESQ.

LONDON:

PUBLISHED FOR THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY,
BY N. TRUBNEK & CO., 57 & 59, LUDGATE HILL.

MDCCCLXIX & MDCCCLXXIV.

PR

II 13

A^

39 & 66

JOHN CHILDS AND SON, PRINTERS.

CONTENTS,

PREFACE :

i. INTRODUCTION: BY THE REV. GEO. A. PANTON ... vii

II. THE DIALECT AND AUTHORSHIP : BY D. DONALDSON, ESQ. Hi!

INDEX OF BOOKS AND SUBJECTS (FROM THE MS.) Ixix

THE DESTRUCTION OF TROY (THE ALLITERATIVE POEM) 1

NOTES 461

GLOSSARIAL INDEX 511

PREFACE.

IN the year 1865 I was requested by Mr F. J. Furnivall to go
over the Catalogue of the Hunterian Museum, University of Glas
gow, to ascertain if there were any works there, in manuscript,
which might be suitable for reproduction by the Early English Text
Society.1 Among other entries, I sent him the following : — •

" A Stately Poem called the Destruction of Troy, wrote by Joseph of
Exceter, who lived in the reign of King Henry the Second, from 1154
to 1189. In Old English verse. Folio (on paper), written in a small
cramp hand."

Several extracts from the manuscript itself were subsequently for
warded, and determined the Committee of the Society to print it.
My professional engagements, occupying me weekly during nearly
the whole of the hours at which the Museum was open, did not
admit of my copying the poem, even if its size and formidable
appearance had not deterred me from attempting it. The work of
transcription was undertaken by Mr David Donaldson, who had
more time at his disposal and much greater experience in such work
than I had, and it was completed after no small amount of difficulty
and labour, which the mistake as to the author very materially
increased. While the greater portion of the manuscript is certainly
written in a provokingly " cramp " hand, yet at various parts the
writing is very beautiful and easily read, having been executed
apparently with great care. The reason of this remarkable differ
ence did not at first occur to the transcriber. The evident mistakes,
or say the curious combinations of letters employed in the spelling
of the proper names especially, and the peculiarity of these on being
pronounced, at last suggested to him, when he was far advanced,

' " You could help us, too, by looking into the MSS. at the Library at the
Hunterian Museum. There must be some worth printing there. They have a
unique copy of Chaucer's Romaunt of the Rose; and, I am told," [by the Rev.
Joseph Stevenson] "a unique Poem on the Destruction of Troy in 12 or more
thousand lines. But it may turn out to be Lydgate's Troy Hook" 8 Dec., 1865.

PREFACE.

that the carefully executed portions were copied at leisure from per
haps the original, while the rest was less carefully taken down from
dictation by the copyist, who seemingly did not know the words he
wrote down, and spelt from the sound. Further examination, and
the marked difference in the character and formation of the letters
iu the " cramp " and the more carefully written portions, served to
prove that this conjecture was the right one, and fully accounted for
the differences in the spelling, otherwise inexplicable.

Much time would have been saved not only in the work of
transcription, but in the preparation for the press, had means been
taken at an early period to test the correctness of the entry in the
catalogue. No suspicion of this, however, having been entertained,
it was only when the first sheet was in type, that a careful com
parison of it was made with the Bellum Trojanum of Joseph of
Exeter to ascertain with what fidelity the translation had been
executed, and it was found that the MS. poem was not a translation
from that work at all. A similar examination of the Histories, said
to be by Dares and Dictys, showed that, although they had much
in common, the poem was not translated ^from them either. Thus
baffled, it occurred to me that a comparison might be tried with our
MS. and a very fine one of Guido de Colonna's Historia Trojana,
in the Hunterian Museum. This comparison, at first, was not much
more promising than the others had been. The great difference in
the writing and in the arrangement of the two MSS., the fuller text
of Guido at the commencement, and the very considerable gap
between the first and second Books of our MS., the extent of which
was then unsuspected, prevented us from noticing the connection
between Guido de Colonna and the Stately Poem. Though the
result was unsatisfactory, I was unwilling to give up the matter
altogether without one more trial, and requested Mr Donaldson to
suggest some testing passage at the end of our Troy Book, with
numerous proper names in it, or several well-marked paragraphs, in
order to institute a further and closer examination. First one and
then another such passage was turned up and tried, and it soon be
came quite manifest that the MS. poem was a translation, though
not a close and continuous one, of Guide's Historia Trojana.

.PREFACE. IX

But whence was the work of Guido derived ] was the next
question. A few months ago1 the writer would have "been con
strained to leave this matter in the doubt and uncertainty in which
it was left by Warton and his annotators, simply from the difficulty,
if not impossibility, of getting a copy or transcript of a sufficiently
large portion of the Roman de Troie to compare with Guide's Bellum
Trojanum. That difficulty, or impossibility, exists no longer.
Thanks to the admirable edition of Monsieur A. Joly, Doyen de la
Faculte des Lettres, of Caen, we have now a complete text of the
Roman accessible, from which it is evident that Benoit de Sainte-
Maure is the originator of that great mass of romantic literature
respecting the siege and destruction of Troy, so widely diffused,
and so popular during the Middle Ages. •

From the exhaustive reasonings and proofs of Mons. Joly as to
the person and age and country of his author, it is sufficiently mani
fest that the Roman de Troie appeared between the years 1175 and
1185. The translation, or version, of the Roman by Guido de
Colonna was finished, as he tells us at the end of his Historia
Troiana, in 1287. From one or other, or both, of these works the
various Histories, Chronicles, Eomances, Gestes, and Plays of The
Destruction of Troy, The Prowess and Death of Hector, The Treason
of the Greelcs, &c., were translated, adapted, or amplified, in almost
every language of Europe.

The Stately Poem now printed is, in all probability, the very
first or earliest version of' Benoit and Guido in our language. The
poet Barbour executed perhaps the second, of which the fragments
only are now extant in two MS. copies of the more modern version
of Lydgate — his well-known Troy Book. The MS. Folio, or " Pro
digious Folio" (Laud K. 76) in the Bodleian Library, Oxford,
described by Warton, and erroneously ascribed to Lydgate, is a
fourth version. Another Oxford MS. (RaAvl. MS. Misc. 82) com
mencing, » Here fcegynneth the Sege of Troye,"

is a prose adaptation from the same sources. The best-known prose
version, however, of the story of old Troy is that of Caxton. His

1 Written in 1870.

X PREFACE.

Destruction of Troy, -which has been often reprinted, is partly
derived and translated from the Recueil of Histories "by Lefevre, but
the Third Book is a very close translation of the corresponding por
tion of Guido de Colonna. There are other more modern poetical
versions, more or less condensed, such as " The Life and Death of
Hector, One and the First of the most puissant, Valiant, and
Eenowned Monarches of the World called the Nyne "Worthies," by
Thomas Heywood, a copy of which I possess, as also another work
of his, TJie Iron Age, from the same prolific materials. This last is
a drama in two parts — the first " Containing the Rape of Hellen :
The Siege of Troy : The Coinbate betwixt Hector and Ajax : Hector
and Troilus Slayne," &c. The second part " Contayneth the Death
of Penthesilea, Paris, Priam, and Hecuba : The Burning of Troy :
Tlie Deaths of Agamemnon, Menelaus," &c.

From the pages of Brunet we may see how often and how
variously it was reproduced in the different countries throughout
Europe; and yet his enumeration by no means exhausts all the
versions of the Fall of Troy. I possess, or I have examined, copies
of several others in English, French, Spanish, and Italian, of which
he has taken no notice.

The old story, as elsewhere, appears to have been very popular
in Scotland, and for a long period too. The MS. (MSS. Cat., vol.
v. 600, Kk. 5. 30) in Cambridge University Library, which is a copy
principally of Lydgate's Troy Boole, was written in Scotland, pro
bably by the same copyist who executed the Douce MS. 148 in the
Bodleian, Oxford, at the end of which we are told

"Here endis ye Sege of Troye written and mendit at ye Instance of
ane honorable chaplane Ser Thomas ewyn in Edinburgh."

In the first of these MSS., a Scotch one, formerly in the Duke of
Lauderdale's collection, when examined by Mr Bradshaw, Librarian
of the University, to ascertain the changes made in the author's
language by the Scottish copyist, were discovered the remarkable
remains of Barbour's version. Mr Bradshaw thus describes his
interesting and most valuable discovery :

r' It was on the llth of this month (April, 1866) that I took down
from the shelf in the University Library a copy of Lydgate's Tr< y

PREFACE. xi

Boole. I only knew that it was a Scotch manuscript, formerly in the
Duke of Lauderdale's collection, which was sold by auction in 1692
and that it had been bought with several others from the same library
by Bishop Moore, and transferred with the rest of his books to the
University by the munificence of King George in 1715. My immediate
object was to see how far Lydgate's southern English had been modi
fied in the process of transcription by a Scottish scribe. The original
volume was mutilated both at beginning and end, and the missing
parts had been supplied in writing, from the printed edition of 1555, by
one Sir James Murray of Tibbermure, who owned the book in 1612.
However, on turning over a few leaves near the end of the original
scribe's work, I was struck with a line in larger handwriting (that
used throughout the volume for rubrics), running as follows :

' Her endis the monk ande begynnis barbour ; '
and on turning back, I found a similar rubric near the beginning :
' Her endis barbour and begynnis the monk.'

It was further apparent that the lines before this note at the beginning,
as far as they were preserved (about 600), and after the note at the end
(about 1500 or 1600), were not Lydgate couplets of verses of five
accents, but Romance couplets of verses of four accents. A few lines
were enough to shew me that the language was anything but southern
English ; and I had little doubt that I had stumbled upon some frag
ments of a large work by the earliest known Scotch poet, of which I

did not recollect to have seen any notice It is difficult to

understand how these fragments came to occupy the place which they
hold in the present MS. The only explanation I can suggest is that
the Scotch scribe, wishing to make a copy of Lydgate's story of the
Destruction of Troy, was only able to procure for his purpose a copy
mutilated at beginning and end ; and that, in transcribing, he sup
plemented his original by taking the missing portions of the story from
the antiquated (and in his eyes less refined) translation made by his
own countryman in the previous century. King James seems to have
carried back with him into Scotland the knowledge of the English
poetry of his day. There is ample evidence of the popularity of Chau
cer in Scotland in the latter half of the fifteenth century ; several of his
smaller poems are only known to us from Scotch copies of them ; and
one indeed is among the earliest productions of the Edinburgh press.
It need not then be matter of surprise to us if the great popularity of
Lydgate in England had spread his fame across the border. I still
thought that anonymous copies of Barbour's Siege of Troy might have
been preserved either entire or, as here, combined with Lydgate's work,
and suggested this to my friends in Scotland ; but at present all that I
can say is that they know of no poem of the kind lying unclaimed.
While, however, so many libraries remain unexplored, it is very pro
bable that a more complete copy may yet be discovered

" P.S. My conjecture has been verified to some extent. I have since

Xll PREFACE.

had the good fortune to discover iu the Douce Collection a copy which
furnishes about 1200 additional lines towards the close of the poem.
Being at Oxford for some weeks this summer, I was enabled, thanks to
the unequalled kindness of Mr Coxe, to explore at my leisure whole de
partments of the Bodleian Library. I was searching for printed books ;
but seeing a MS. of Lydgate's Troy Book in an adjoining book-case, I
was tempted to take it down, although I knew that all the Bodleian
Lydgates had been just recently examined with great care for the com
mittee of the Early English Text Society. It is a Scotch MS., and was
probably copied from the Cambridge MS. before ours was so much
mutilated. The beginning is Lydgate, the volume closes1 with the last
few lines of Lydgate's poem, and the rubrics about Barbour and the
Monk are omitted ; so that it is not to be wondered at that even Mr
Douce himself should have overlooked it, to say nothing of more recent
investigators."

That the two MSS. may have had a common origin, and "been
written and " mendit," at the end at least, "by the same chaplain that
executed the Douce copy, is very probable and likely, but that the
one was copied from the other is disproved, I think, by the various
differences existing between them, as shown by parallel extracts,
which I have had taken from both. The Douce MS., for example,
has not the concluding portion, if indeed it has any, of the first 600
lines of Barbour, which are found in the other. In the Cambridge
MS. these lines conclude thus : —

" And thus of Medea fynd I
Recordyt in all poetrye
Bot quhethir it be suth or lese
the werray Storye sais Scho wes
Mast perfyt in astronomye
And ek into gramancye
Of all that lyffyt in hyr quhill
So Soueranly scho was subtill
That thar was neuer nane hyr lyk
No neuer sail be pure no ryk.
Her endis Barbour and begynis the monk
Because of certane interleuerations
Of dyuerse Cercles and reuolutions
That maked bene in the heuen aloft
Which causen ws for to failen oft."

1 From an extract, now before me, from this MS., the case really stands
thus : Folio 336 and last commences with four lines of Barbour, then follow
32 lines of Lydgate ; the long episodical address to Henry V., in which he de
scribes himself, mentions Chaucer, Sec,, consisting of 235 lines, is omitted, and
then the " mendit " poem concludes with the last five lines of Lydgate.

PREFACE. Xlii

The corresponding passage in the Douce MS., fol. 25b., is as follows :

"iQuhen he movis onder eliptike lyne
The clipse mought follow as auctoures list dissyne
So yat yar be by yar discriptioun
Of boith twayn full coniunctioun
And yat ye sone with his bemes reid
Haue his duelling in ye dragons hed
And ye mone be set eke in ye tale
As by nature yan It may nought fale
That yn [yre] must fall eclipse of werray neid
In syndry bukes lyke as ye may reid
Because of certane Intersecatiouns
Of diuersse clerkes2 and reuolutions

That maid ar in ye hewyn aloft [fol. 200.]

Quhilk causis ws for to fale oft."

The first ten lines of this extract are Lydgate's, modified in spell
ing by the Scottish copyist, and it is very manifest that the last two
were not copied from the corresponding lines of the Cambridge MS.
Perhaps were the two MSS. themselves examined and compared to
gether, the real truth of the matter regarding their connection and
production might be ascertained exactly. Failing such comparison,
a satisfactory conclusion might be arrived at by a careful examina
tion of sufficiently copious extracts taken from both — if photo
graphed, all the better.

I had not gone over much of the Stately Poem in proof before I
was struck with the number not only of words, but of expressions
and phrases occurring in it, that are still in common use in Scotland.
This had also struck the transcriber ; and when it was ascertained
that the work was not a translation from Joseph of Exeter, or from
the historians Dares and Dictys, more attention was paid to these
words and phrases than heretofore ; and as the proofs, when collated
with the MS., were read aloud, the Scottish or Northern peculiarity
became every day more manifest. Indeed, whole lines of the poem,
and even passages of some length, would be intelligible to the
common people in many parts of this country at the present day,

1 In Marsh, 1553, these two lines are

" Whan so he meueth under the Clyptik lyne,
The Clipse mott folow as Auctours list diffine."

2 Evidently a mistake for cercles.

Xiv PREFACE.

and might even be spoken by them, without the slightest suspicion
that they were uttering anything either archaic or foreign. In my
native county of Fife many an urchin, "yonge and yepe," or
" yaup," not long intrusted with " breeks," were he visiting Cupar,
the capital of the ancient " Kingdom,"

" Hit is the Soveraiyne citie of the soyle ever,
Of lenght and (of) largenes louely to see,
Well bilde all aboute, and mony buernes In " —

might, on his return home, give an account of his expedition very
much in the words of the poem, and tell that he had

" Steppit up to a streite streght on his gate,
As (he) past on the payment the pepull behelde,
Haden wonder of (him) and wilfulde desyre
To knowe of (his) comjmg and the cause wete,
Of what cuntr6 (he) come and the cause why.
So faire folke uppon fote was ferly to se,
Thai bowet to the brode yate, or thai bide wold,
And led (him) furthe lyuely into a large halle,
By leve of the Lord that the lond aght,
Gaid up by a grese all of gray marbill,
Into a chamber full choise (chefe) on there way,
That proudly was painted with pure gold ouer."

The " gude folke " at home would not only understand every word,
"grese" perhaps not excepted, of this account taken or made up
from the passage 351 — 372, but consider that the account was
expressed in most appropriate broad Scotch, taught him by " horn
selvyne ; " and if told that this was South-Midland English, they
would "threpe," and with a "birr" too, that it was no more
English than it was French or Gaelic. It must indeed be ad
mitted, however, that were the same urchin sufficiently advanced to
be in Latin, and translating Caesar into his vernacular, he and they
would as stoutly aver that he was turning his author into English.
I question if a South-Midland peasant, or Englishman far south of
the Tyne, could even pronounce some of the words in this passage,
and yet were I reading, more Scottico, these lines and many other
similar ones to a class of boys or girls, able to write, in a parish
school, I venture to say that I would "belyve" get them back,
almost in the very guise or form in which they are "brevit" in

PREFACE. XV

our "Boke."1 And there are passages moreover, not a few, in
which occur, within a short space, several undeniably Scottish
or Northern words of peculiar meanings, still retained in use, and
spelt, curiously enough, almost exactly as noAV pronounced. So
that, reasoning according to the mere doctrine of chances, it may be
concluded with certainty that so many could never have come
together, or been used in their present connection, unless the author
had been a Scotsman or Northumbrian, to the manner born. I may
give here two or three such passages.

" Steppit up to a streite, streght on his gate." 351

" Gate masons full mony, that mykull fete couthe ; 1529

Wise wrightis to wale, werkys to caste ;
Qwariours qwerne, quaint men of wit.
Sone be raght vpon rowme, rid up the dykis."

" Priam by purpos a pales gert make, 1629

Louely and large to logge in hym seluyn,
ffull worthely wrogJit and by wit caste,
And euyn at his etlyng Ylion was cald."

" He throng into thicke wodes, theater within, 2362

ffor thornes and tres I tynt him belyue.
Than I sesit of my sute, and softly doun light."

11 IS tylmen toTce tent what shuld tynt worth, 2462

Of sede that is sawen, by sesyng of briddes,
Shuld never corne for care be caste vppon erthe."

There are scores of such passages, one of which, longer and more
peculiarly note-worthy, will engage our attention further on.

But the author of the Stately Poem, while, I believe, a Scots
man, was something more. Other passages still more remarkable
and specially characteristic, describing the sea, its storms, and
voyaging ; woodcraft, rural and silvan scenes ; war, its conflicts and
bloody work ; courts, with their receptions and feastings ; councils,
their deliberations and debates, &c., when translated or amplified
from Guido de Colonna, show not only the skill of the poet, but are
often hit off with an appropriate ease and deftness of hand that
mark the experienced sailor, hunter, warrior, courtier, and statesman.
The author, experto crede, if a landsman, must have been at sea

1 A similar experiment tried in some parts of the North of England
would, I have little doubt, be attended by a like result.

Xvi PREFACE.

more than once, and out of sight of land too, to describe, as he does,
its varied tempers and " ythes," with the doings of his sailors in fair
weather and foul, and in " Schippes and Cogges little and hoge."
And so too with his other pictures of " Weghes, knightes, kynges
and other," with their doings. Not less obviously certain is it that
he had not only looked upon these as a witness, but shared in them
as an actor, and could say,

" Eorum magna pars fui."

Such passages, which are no mere poetical translations of Guido
de Colon na's text, but often paraphrases rather, and additions to it,
are not positive proof of who the author of our work was, but they
indicate not obscurely what he must have been. They are not only
not inconsistent with the supposition that " Huchoicne of the Aide
Ryale" whom we believe to have been the author of the Stately
Poem, was " The Gude Schir Hew of Eglintoun," mentioned .by
Dunbar in his Lament for the MaJcaris, but they materially
strengthen the presumption that he was. Sir Hugh of Eglintoun,
from his connection by marriage with the royal family of Scotland, the f
substantial crown grants which he received, and the public services
he rendered, was precisely the man whom we should expect to be
named " of the Awle Ryale" and possessed of the ability, experience,
and means to write, or cause to be written, such a work as the Troy
Book. We may here give from Dr Irving what we know of him : —

" When we ascertain that Sir Hugh Eglintoun was connected with
the Scottish court in the successive reigns of David II. and Eobert II.,
we seem to have obtained some additional evidence. He belonged to
the distinguished family of Eglintoun of Eglintoun ; and as it appears
probable that he was knighted when a jToung man in the year 1342, we
may perhaps venture to place his birth about the year 1320. During
the summer of 1342, King David led a numerous army into Northumber
land, and in the course of this expedition, he liberally distributed the
honour of knighthood : but the army was commanded by a monarch
who possessed no share of his father's talents ; and some of the newly
created knights, who endeavoured to approve their chivalry, having
fallen into an ambush laid by Robert Ogle, five of their number,
Stewart, Eglintoun, Boyd, Craigie, and Fullarton, were taken prisoners.
The Christian name of Eglintoun is not indeed mentioned ; but from
the time and the occasion it appears sufficiently probable that this
individual was the good Sir Hugh. We find him described as Justiciary

PREFACE. XV ii

of Lothian in the year 1361 ; and in 1367 lie was one of the commis
sioners for negotiating a treaty with England. He married Egidia the
half-sister of Robert II. : she was the widow of Sir James Lindsay of
Crawford, who died about the year 1357. Sir Hugh Eglintoun is sup
posed to have died soon after the year 1376. His daughter Elizabeth,
who inherited his numerous and extensive estates, became the wife of
John Montgomery of Eglisham, ancestor of the noble family of Eglin
toun."1

The passages, to which we have already referred, were noticed and
pointed out to me by the transcriber while still engaged in his work
of copying, and when casting about for the author of the Stately
Poem, these, with the peculiar oft-recurring phraseology of the MS.,
recalled to his memory the similar descriptions and phraseology of the
Morte Arthure, printed by the Society, which he had recently read.
I had only cursorily and silently read some portions of this, when it
appeared, without noticing anything remarkable, the somewhat florid
spelling having concealed its real nature, and much that, on closer
examination, was obvious enough. As Jock Jabos said, " There was
nae missing it, ance ane was set to look for 't."

On treating the Morte Arthure in the same way as our proofs
had been, that is, on reading portions of it aloud, and pronouncing
them more Scottico, as the spelling seemed to direct, it was just as
plain as it had been in the case of the Stately Poem, that the
language was truly Scottish or Northern. This was manifest not
only in single words, but in expressions, which seem to have been
indigenous, and are yet native to Scotland. On closer examination,
the truth of this was still more manifest by the idiomatic precision and
correctness with which the various particles, such as and or an, sen or
sin, syne or seyne, sytlien, ilke, ilke a and ilkane, lot and or, with their

1 From 1348 to 1375, the name of Sir Hugh Eglintoun frequently occurs
in the Accounts of the Great Chamberlains of Scotland. On three different
occasions he appears among the Auditors of Exchequer (vol. ii. pp. 19, 46, 75).
Besides the entries relating to payments of the annual sum due to his lady
from the customs of Dundee, we find various others relating both to his public
and private transactions (vol. i. pp. 289, 360, 374 ; vol. ii. pp. 57, 58, 62, 80,
84). From 1358 to 1369, Eglintoun paid frequent visits to England, as appears
from the safe conducts recorded in the Rotuli Scotiae, vol. i. pp. 823, 833,
872, 876, 893, 917, 932. Under the date of 1367, he is one of the parties in an
indenture for preserving the peace of the Scottish and English marches. His
name very frequently occurs in the Reglstrum, Magni Slgilli Reguin Scotorum,
printed in 1814.

TROY. &

1'UEFACE.

different meanings, er, are, forty, belyve, til, gif, &c., were conjoined
with, their respective appropriate words or expressions, proving satis
factorily that none but a Scotsman, or one using the same language,
could have written or used them as they stand. And then when
once we have got into the way of the spelling and pronounced
accordingly, the nationality of the work comes out still more forcibly.
There are portions which Allan Eamsay or Eobert Burns might
have written, and bits which our Scottish lads and lasses of the
present day might lilt. The spelling, indeed, is not quite uniform,
but very many of the words are spelt as in Barbour's Bruce,1 Wyn-
town's CronyTdl, and Henry's Wallace, and if the rest were stripped
of the redundant letters attached to tbern by E. Thornton or other
previous transcribers, and the lines divided as in the original MS.,
it would be difficult indeed, if not impossible, to point out the differ
ence between the Scottish, of the Bruce and the so-called south-of-
Tweed English dialect of the Morte Arthure. Or, what is the same
thing, if the latter were composed by an English author, and written
in the English spoken and written south of the Tweed, then it was not
a dialect, for it must have been the same language as that spoken and
written as far north as the Grampians, if not further. Mere spell
ing, if words are indifferent, I hold, — and every one, however little
conversant with manuscripts, will soon be convinced of the same
thing, — is and must be a very unsafe criterion not only of their
language, but of their authorship. So long as the literary pro
ductions of England or Scotland were confined to writing alone, and
especially while the language of both countries was in a transition
state, there was, and there could be, no exact or uniform system of
spelling of the language of either. The same may be affirmed of all
the languages, Eomance and other, employed for literary purposes
during the Middle Ages. Each author followed his own system, if
he' had one, and each transcriber followed his ; or, at most, each
Scriptorium might issue works that were in some degree uniform.
As well shown by Mons. Joly, just in proportion as an author's

1 Not a few of the words of the poem, with their meanings and spellings,
coincide remarkably with those met with in the volumes of the Burgh Records
of the City of Edinburgh, recently printed. These Kecorda begin with the
early part of the 15th century.

PREFACE. xix

work was popular, and it was often copied, would it, in process of
transcription, have less and less of his original impress or spelling,
and the language in consequence would come to be very much dis
guised ; but the words themselves, as I shall have occasion further on
to show, often wonderfully kept their ground.

In the Morte Arthure, on running one's eye over the pages,
many words of spelling, little, if at all, removed from their ancient
and present pronunciation, arrest the attention, such as

Til, besekes, aide (auld), bathe, noghte, tak, seeker (siccar), fawte,
laundes, aughte (owed), dynte, ynowe, ynoghe, alles (as), rogh, rugh, sal,
sulde, Sonondaye, Monondaye, Tyseday, Seterday, fra, wan, nane, anes,
apone (upon), glared (glowred), offore (before), than, withowtyne, es, or,
lowe, rawe, ding, rynnez (runs), bygede, &c. &C.1

And then of idiomatic words and phrases, still in general use, to be
found in every page of Morte Arthure, what more expressive or
better calculated to prove its Northern or Scottish origin than

Busk, Bield, byde, doughty, Tcepe, won the gree, on the bente, in the
moldez, grippe, gird, graythe, weches and warlows, ettell or attel, reke,
clekes, erles, moss, bethan, forby, ferde, sheltrons, threpe, fey or fay, dede
thraw, ding to dede, &c. &c.

Of these and a great many more that we have marked, not a few-
do not" appear in the Glossary2 at all, while of others, the meanings
are only guessed at, or mistaken altogether, and yet they are quite
common at this day, and racy of the Scottish soil. We may give
examples :

1. The very first word that caught my attention, as a well-known
and common one, was forelyienede in the passage in which Sir
Cador of Cornewayle says of himself and fellow knights of the
Eound Table,

" We hafe as losels liffyde many longe day, 252

Wyth delyttes in this land with lordchippez many,
Andforelytenede the loos that we are layttede."

1 Of course, very many of these and following words are to be found in
Hampole and other Northern authors ; but that, if it does not make for what
we contend, certainly does not make against it.

2 Since this was written, in 1870, a second edition of this work has
appeared, under the care of Mr Brock. The Glossary has been entirely re
written, and, with the help of the Kev. W. W. Skeat, is now a model of what
one should be.

XX PREFACE.

On turning to the Glossary, out of mere curiosity to see tlio
meaning given there for forelytenede? I found " decreased," a mis
take, which the author of the Glossary might have avoided, as for-
lete occurs in Chaucer. Forlete, forleit, forliet, or forlyte, in Scot
land, is used to signify to forget, or rather to forsake. " We have
lived long as wretched caitiffs, and forsaken the glory that we
formerly, or but lately, regarded, or sought."

2. The three " balefulle birdez," in attendance upon the giant

attacked by Arthur,

" his brochez they turne,

That byddez his bedgatt his byddynge to wyrche."

Of "byddez his bedgatt" a conjectured meaning is given in the
Glossary — " Are his bedfellows " ! ! But pronounce the line more
Scottico, and the meaning is obvious enough :

" That bide, (or wait on him till) his bed-going or bed-getting, to
work, or do his bidding." And here, by-the-bye, the word " gate,"
meaning way, is always most correctly used in the Morte Arthure
and Geste Hystoriale, precisely as at the present day in Scot
land, in such phrases as, " of his gate," " on his gate," " ony gate,"
" a gate," &c.

3. At line 1041 we are told of Arthur that

" To the sowre of the reJce he soghte at the gayneste."

While " sowre " is not noticed in the Glossary at all, " reke," we
are informed, means a "path." If "the surs of the sonne" means
" the rising or soaring of the sun," then " the sowre of the reke "
will mean " the rising of the path," — a mistake which no Scotsman

1 Forelytenede, if not " mendit," I regard as another, and perhaps older
form of what at a later period appeared asforlieted and forfeited. . " Others
were for declaring that the king \\adforlieted the kingdom." — Life of Sir G.
Mackenzie, Works, I. xiiij. " Wee esteeme these desolate and forcleited
places to be full of foule spirits." — Forbes on the Revelation, p. 181. There
were very likely two forms of the verb, as in the case of gloppe, gloppcri,
tvakyn, &c. Mr Skeat considers the verb in the text to be derived from lyt,
and assumes an A.S. verb forlyt-n-ian. There may have been such a verb,
but I hardly think that the author would have written that these " losells "
had " decreased," or lessened the glory or reputation which they only sought,
and which was not yet theirs ; whereas it was very natural to say that they
had forsaken, or left off the pursuit of it. "All haffde Godd forrlaetenn." —
Orm.

PREFACE. xxi

would make. Why, "rekc," or "reek," means smoke, whence
" Auld reekie," the common name for Edinburgh ; .and in the passage
before us, Arthur hied him to "the rising of the smoke," of the fire,
to wit, to which he had been directed by the " wery wafulle
wedowe," and at which the giant, "bekez his bakke," &c., all
" breklesse," like a very Highlander as he was. And here I may.
remark that in presence of a crowd of weans such as —

" I suppos, quha than walde seke
Araang thaim all wes noucht a breke,"

a Jock Jabos of the present day, and in the neighbouring street,
might speak of a horse as Arthur did of Sir Fererre,

" Thou wille be flayede for a flye that one thy flesche lyglittes,"

and not one " Breklesse " loon within his hearing would miss his
meaning, or for a moment dream that an English ostler, Yorkshire
or Midland, was making remarks about his " oss."

4. At line 2542 we have "one lyarde stedes," and again at line
3281 we read —

" The lokkes lyarde and longe the lenghe of a ^erde."

In the Glossary the last is explained " disordered." The word occurs
in Chaucer as lyard, and the meaning is given — " a grey horse." As
lyart, the word is given by Henrysone thus, — " lyart lokis hoir,"
which explains itself; and few know not the line of Burns —
" His lyart haffets wearing thin and bare."

5. When the Roman envoys, glowred at by Arthur,

" ruschte to the erthe
ffor (the) ferdnesse of his face, as they fey were,"

they were not dead, as the Glossary tells ; nor were the Britons
dead, whom. Arthur encourages his followers to fight fiercely, telling
them, " fellis downe yone feye folke." Arthur himself was not by
any means dead when the " wery wafulle wedowe " warned him
against the giant, saying, " Thou arte fay, be my faithe ; " and, in
fine, he was not yet dead when, mortally wounded after the traitor
Mordred's death,

"In faye, says the fcije kynge, sore me fore tliynkkes."

PREFACE.

In all these passages fey, pronounced, I doubt not, with a
diphthongal sound which now only a Scotsman can give, has
the same meaning, modified in each case, as it still has in this
country — mad, death-doomed, or fiend possessed before death. Sir
Walter Scott, in Guy Mannering, at once uses the word, though not
spelt as usual, and explains its meaning in the passage regarding the
unfortunate Gauger, Kennedy, when excited by the combat between
the sloop of war and the smuggling lugger, just before he hurried to
destruction.

" ' I think,' said the old gardener to one of the maids, ' the
ganger's fie,' by which word the common people express those violent
spirits which they think a presage of death." The passage in Morte
Arthure describing the last mad and fatal onset of Sur Gawan, while
containing the word, also explains and most exactly exemplifies its
meaning :

" Thare mighte no renke hym areste, his resone was passede !
He felle in a fransye for Terseness of herte,
He feghttis and fellis downe that hyme before standis !
flelle never faye mane siche fortune in erthe." &c.

And here, by the way, if the " Great Unknown " had not acknow
ledged his works, and we had been called upon to seek out an
author for this novel from which we have just quoted, and bring
home to the " Makkar " his handiwork, surely it would not be from
the spelling of such words as "fie," &c., as given by him, but from
the words themselves, and the way in which they were used by the
characters, that we would seek to prove its nationality. What
Englishman far south of the Tweed, what Irishman or Welchman,
could write the racy Scottish language as Meg Merrilies and Dandie
Dinmont are made to speak 'it? Ay, or understand and pronounce
all their truly characteristic expressions, somewhat diluted though
they occasionally are by the author ] In my time, at home, in the
colonies, and in America, I have often heard Englishmen and others
attempt to pronounce such expressions as the following, but the
Lowland vowel, diphthongal, and guttural sounds baffled their vocal
powers, and a somewhat laughable " claiver," in Scottish ears, was
generally the result : —

PREFACE. Xxiii

"The blanker that's biggit the bonnie house down in the howra.
Nane o' our fowk wad stir your gear."

" Sign wi' cross, and sain wi' mass,
Keep the hous frae reif and wear."

" What do you glower after our folk for ? "

" ' Ye maun come hame, sir — for my lady's in the dead-thraw.'
Repeating the words, ' in the dead-thraw ! ' he only said, ' Wife and
bairn, baith — mother and son, baith — sair, sair to abide.' "

" Meg claught the bairn suddenly out of the ganger's arms — and then
he rampauged and drew his sword — for ye ken a fie man and a cusser
fears na the deil. So, sir, she grippit him, and clodded him like a
stane from the sling ower the craigs of Warrochhead."

" We'll ding Joch o' Dawston Cleugh now after a'."

" He was to have a weary weird o't, till his ane-and-twentieth year.
I kenn'd he behoved to drie his weird till that day cam."

" I'll tak the gate — ye inaunna spier what for " — "It was a blythe
bit ance ! " said Meg. " There was an auld saugh tree that's maist
blawn down, and it hangs ower the bit burn — mony a day hae I
wroght my stocking and sat on my sunkie under that saugh."1

strange to say, every one of these extracts has its precisely
similar parallel passage or counterfeit expressions in the Morte
Arthure and Geste Hystoriale. Nay, more, the parallel passages are,
in some instances, more than once repeated, and the expressions
varied with marvellous precision, just as used in Scotland at the
present day. And then in such proper names as Derncleuch, Byde-
the-bent, Cleikum Inn, &c., of Sir Walter Scott, Avhich are character
istic and Scottish, if ever words were or are, we have compounds the
simple words or elements of which are to he met with in many pages
of both poems. There is a difference, of course, in the spelling,
especially in the case of the Morte Arthure, but this difference is
often more apparent than real, owing to the final and other e's which
are most profusely and often perhaps unnecessarily expended over
the latter.

On looking over the Glossary appended to The Heart of Mid
lothian, as just issued in the centenary edition of Sir Walter Scott's
works, I find upwards of fifty words, every one of which may be

1 A curious corroboration of the truth of our remark occurred in the set
ting-up of these very sentences. In the first proof sent for correction there
were more mistakes in the spelling of them than in all the preface besides.

repeatedly found idiomatically used in the Morte Arthure and Geste
Hystoriale. In the Glossary attached to the Bride of Lammermuir
there are upwards of sixty similar words ; while on looking over the
pages of the latter I find that I could very largely add to the
numher — the compiler of the Glossary, doubtless a Scotsman, having
passed over several to which he was so accustomed as to forget that
they were peculiar and Scottish.

In the volume entitled Syr Gawayne, containing a collection of
ancient Romance poems by Scottish and English authors, edited by
Sir F. Madden for the Bannatyne Club, 1839, the editor discusses at
some length the questions respecting the age, the author, &c., of Syr
Gawayne and the Grene Knight. His remarks have a most
important bearing upon the authorship not only of that poem and
the Morte Arthure, but also upon that of the Geste Hystoriale,
now printed for the first time by the E. E. T. Society.

"This curious poem is printed for the first time from a manuscript,
believed to be unique, preserved in the Cottonian collection, and marked
Nero, A. x." " It will not be difficult from a careful inspection of the
manuscript itself, both in regard to the writing and illuminations, to
assign it to the reign of Richard II. ; and the internal evidence, arising
from the peculiarities of costume, armour, and architecture, would lead
us to assign the romance to the same period, or a little earlier. There
are three other metrical pieces in the volume, all most unquestionably
composed by the author of the romance, and these I have carefully read
over with the hope of detecting some more direct indication of the age,
but without success." " In regard to the author of these poems much
uncertainty also exists. There is sufficient internal evidence of their
being Northern, although the manuscript containing them appears to
have been written by a scribe of the Midland counties, which will
account for the introduction of forms differing from those used by writers
beyond the Tweed.

" It is, I think, certain, that the writer of the romance must have
been a man of birth and education, for none but a person intimately
versed in the gentle science of wode-craft could so minutely describe the
various sports of the chase, nor could any but an educated individual
have been so well acquainted with the early French literature. ' Of his
poetical talent the pieces contained in the MS. afford unquestionable
proof, and the descriptions of the change of the seasons, the bitter aspect
of winter, the tempest which preceded the destruction of Sodom and
Gomorra, and the sea-storm occasioned by the wickedness of Jonas, are
equal to any similar passages in Douglas or Spenser. The individual,

PREFACE. xxv

who has the best claim to be recognised as the author, is ( Huchowne of
the Aide RyaleJ mentioned by Wyntown,1 who writes of him thus :

. . . . ' Men of gud dyscretyowne

Suld excuse and loue Huchowne,

That cunnand wes in literature ;

He made the Gret Gest of Arthure,

And the AWNTYRE OF GAWAN,

The Pystil als of Swete Swsane.

He wes curyws in hys style,

Fayre of facund, and subtile,

And ay to plesans and delyte

Made in metyre mete his dyte.' 2

" Mr Chalmers was of opinion that this Huchowne and the Sir Hugh
of Eylintoun, mentioned by Dunbar in his Lament for the Malckaris,
who flourished in the middle of the 14th century, and died, it is supposed,
about the year 1381, were one and the same person ; but there are so
many difficulties in this supposition, as justly to prevent our yielding
assent to it without some additional evidence.3 Admitting, however,
Huchowne to be the author of the romance,4 we are singularly fortunate
in possessing probably all the pieces written by him noticed by Wyn
town, together with those others on allegorical or scriptural subjects,
hitherto not pointed out. It is very evident on the chronicler's au
thority, that the Gret Gest of Arthure, the Gest Hystoryale, and the Gest
of Broyttys Auld Story are one and the same poem, and relate to the
exploits of Arthur and his knights against the Romans. In this work
Huchowne makes Lucius Iliberius emperor, in the time of Arthur,
whereas Wyntown, following other authorities, names Leo as emperor.
He first defends himself, and then good-naturedly excuses his pre
decessor, by saying that in the Brwte (by which he here means Geoffrey
of Monmouth) Lucius is called Procurator, which was more correct, but
that if Huchowne had done so,

'That had mare greuyd the cadens,
Than had releuyd the sentens.'

1 Wyntown was elected prior of St Serf's in Lochleven, in 1395, so that he
must have been contemporary with Huchowne. His chronicle was not finished
till the year 1420—1424.

2 Ci'onykil of Scotland, v.ol. i. p. 122, ed. Macpherson, 1795.

3 See the notices of this Sir Hugh collected in the admirable edition of
Dunbar's Poems by Mr Laing, vol. ii. 355 ; and his remarks, vol. i. p. 38.
Consult also the Select Remains of tlic Popular Poetry of Scotland, pref. to
Pystil of Susan, 4to, 1822 ; Lyndsaifs Works, by Chalmers, vol. i. p. 132, note,
8vo, 1806 ; and Tytler's History of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 367, 8vo. 1829.

4 Mr Guest regards as the most decisive proof of what is here assumed, the
fact, that in the void space at the head of the poem in the MS., a hand of the
15th century (Mr G. says, " not much later than the year 1500,") has scribbled
the name Hugo de, as shown in the facsimile annexed to the description of this
MS., but, I confess, to this I do not attacli much weight. — Sir F, M.

XXVI PREFACE.

" Had Sir Walter Scott ever read through the Arilwur and Merlin of
the Auchinleck MS. he would have known that it could not be the Gest
referred to in the above passage by Wyntown ; and Mr Turnbull, the
editor of this romance, is less excusable on this account in repeating
the error without correction. But of what, in all probability, is the
veritable Gest of Arthure composed by Huchowne, and written in alliter
ative metre, I possess a transcript, from a MS. in Lincoln Cathedral
Library, which may, probably, at some future period be given to the press."

This MS. — the Morte Arthure — was first printed by Mr Halliwell,
in the year 1847, and again by the Society in 1865, edited by Mr
Perry, who, on the authority of Dr E. Morris, asserted it to be not
Scottish, but composed in one of the Northumbrian dialects spoken
south of the Tweed. And upon the same authority, the Stately
Poem of the Destruction of Troy has been pronounced, in one of the
Society's Reports, to be the work of an English writer of the Midland
counties.

The sufficient internal evidence to which Sir F. Madden refers, as
proving the northern origin of Sir Gawan, of the three metrical
pieces referred to on page xxiv, and, doubtless, also of the Morte
Arthure, must mean the words, expressions, or language of the poems,
as distinguished from the mere spelling, or peculiarities of form,
which, in his estimation, can only indicate the transcribers or
copyists of the MSS.

The latter — the spelling and external forms in a MS. — the pro
duction or handiwork of one, or it may be of several transcribers, as
we have already remarked, may point out or prove the country and
perhaps even the county of the last transcriber ; but unless they
are component parts of, or inseparably connected with, the words or
expressions themselves, they are and must be no very strong founda
tion on which to rest the proof as to the real source of the language
and the authorship of a work. And yet it is upon the ground of
the spelling and external forms of the words, mainly or wholly, that
it has been contended that the Morte Arthure is Northumbrian and
Midland, and that the Stately Poem is Midland, without the
Northumbrian.

It may be more than doubted that we have yet a sufficiency of
MSS., and especially a sufficient number of examples of each work,

PREFACE. Xxvii

printed or accessible, to furnish the external forms and reliable
criteria by which alone, and without other evidence, we may de
termine otherwise than generally the authorship and localities of our
unnamed, or unknown, early English literature. That the words,
language, or vocabulary, of unknown works, alone and irrespective
of other internal evidence, do not in all cases form a perfectly safe
guide either, must be at once admitted. "When words, however, are
combined into phrases and compound expressions, the ground
becomes firmer. Much has been done with Glossaries, but very
much more must be accomplished before we can draw out a list of
test words, the presence of which will enable us to define the exact
limits within which a work was originally produced. But although
it may be difficult, or even impossible, to compile such a list at pre
sent, if ever, yet it would be quite possible from the works of
Barbour, Henry, "Wyntown, Bellenden, and other early Scottish
writers, to produce a list of words and phrases, the absence of which
from any work, or the expression of their meaning by other and
Southern words, would conclusively prove that it could not be
Scottish, whatever else it might be. Such a negative test, if we
may call it so, both the Morte Arthure and the Stately Poem, we
are satisfied, can stand.

The writer of this, in the course of his investigations in connec
tion with the present poem, has examined personally or by deputy
several MSS., or versions of Guido de Colonna, and of Lydgate's
Troy Book, and has had many portions of these transcribed for
reference and comparison. Amongst others he has had transcribed
several passages from Douce MS. 14.8, one very long one, containing
Lydgate's account of the rebuilding of Troy by Priam. This MS.,
like that in the Cambridge University Library, Kk. 5. 30, was the
transcript of a Scottish writer who tells us at the conclusion,

Heir endis ye sege of Troye written and mendit at ye Instance of ane
honorable chaplane Ser Thomas ewyn in Edinburgh.

Now from these long passages of about 400 lines, did we not
know whose work the MS. was, we could very easily produce from
the spellings and peculiar forms — from such words as thai, thar,
thaim, quhat, qi/h/'/k, quhom, quliar, quJiylome, thir, war callit, mak,

XXVlii PREFACE.

couth, sicht, cruliit, ferd (fourth), sext, straike, ane, ayre, polyst,
chakkcr, has ordaityt, for ' liatli ordeyned,' one rawe, for ' a rowe,' &c. ;
and especially from such lines as

" For tbir pepill destroyit war certanc," —

" Cosyng lason tak hede quhat I sail sayne ; " —

" Besyd ane holt, he saw quhar stude ane tre ; " —

occurring in them — an amount of evidence to prove that portions of
it were originally written by a Scottish author, quite as complete
and sufficient as may be advanced to prove that the Morte Arthure
is Northumbrian and Midland, and that the Stately Poem is Midland.
Had a second ' honorable chaplane ' taken the MS. in hand, and
especially had it been written to dictation, as our Poem evidently
has been, the remaining portions in which Ser Thomas Ewyn was
more faithful to his copy, and wjiich in consequence are manifestly
English, would have been thoroughly " mendit,"t and all obvious
traces of its Southern origin removed, such as en from the infinitives,
y from the perfect participles, &c. And yet upon comparing these
extracts with the parallel passages in the printed version of Lydgate
executed by Marsh, it is remarkable to find, among all the changes
of spelling, &c., how few words, if any, have been changed for
others by the Scottish transcriber. The first word that I noticed,,
as quite different from that in Marsh, was ythaJclcede, which, from its
form and from its occurring in a portion apparently untouched, I
am of opinion is Lydgate's original word — the change to covered
having taken place in the modernized version. Had the MS. been
again transcribed, it would have probably become thakTced, and if
written to dictation, either thekyd or theikkit, as respectively in
Wyntown and Bellenden.1 The passages from both, in which the
change has been made, are as follow :

" Men to wolken to-gidder, tweyn and tweyn,
To kepe hem dry, when yat it dyde reyn,
Or hem to save from tempest, wynde or thondre,
If yat hem lest to schroude hemself yar wndre,
And eueryche house ythakkede was witht lede." &c.

Douce MSB. 148.

1 " Wyth lede the south yle tlieltyd alsua." — Wyntown, ix. 6. 124.
"He tJieihkit the kirk with leid." — Bellend. Qron., B. xii. c. 16.

PREFACE. XXIX

"Men to \valke togithers, twaine and twaine,
To kepe them drye when it happed to rayne,
Or them to save fro tempest, winde or thundre,
If that them lyst schroude them selfe there under,
And every howse covei-ed was with lead." &c. — Marsh, 1555.

Two or three other differences were found, upon a second and
closer examination, but with respect to these, one only excepted, it
would be difficult to say on which side the change had taken place.
In the case of that one, awhaped, stunned, as in Marsh, it is evident
that the transcriber's

" Copie, auld, mankit and mutillait,"

had failed him, and he made no bad guess in ay wepit, still wept,
which he supplied. It may be a question whether another, Satallede,
in the Douce MS., is the original word or changed. It is bretexed
in Marsh. Another, engins, in Douce, is most likely the original
word, which in Marsh has .been changed or glossed into great gonne-s.
One word alone may have been intentionally changed in the case of
' yates of yetten brasse ', molten or fused brass, which in Marsh are
' gates of shining brass.' The word occurs in Douglas as yett and
yyt ; but it is also in the Ormulnm, 17418. _ It occurs as yetting in
our poem, 1. 8175; and 'yettin of the gun' occurs in the Royal
Chamberlain's Accounts, Scotland.

By some, Huchowne of the Awle Ryale may be considered only
a myth or ghostly shade, while coolly appropriated as an English
poet by others ; although Wyntown designates him so as evidently
to be recognized by his fellow countrymen and contemporary
readers, and he eulogizes and defends his writings with an affection
ate warmth and zeal by no means natural - towards a Southron.
Lydgate is not a myth, however ; while most of the works ascribed
to him, and especially his well-known Troy Book, are no myths
either. Of the latter we know of five different MSS., from all of
which we have various extracts, and there are scores of others ;
while, in addition, there are two printed versions of the work, viz.
those of Pynson and Marsh. There can be no doubt, then, of the
solidity of our ground here, and, reasoning from the known to the
unknown, may we not conclude that what has taken place, in this

XXX PREFACE.

case, in the transcription of an English work into the Scottish form
or dress, will not be very unlike what would take place, were the
order reversed, in the transcription of a Scottish work into the
English form or dress1? Here we know our author, we know his
language, and we see what changes a Scottish transcriber makes
in the expression of it. Now, if so very few words be changed,
if changed they be, with one exception, in such a lengthened
specimen, may we not conclude that, in the case of a Scottish
author's work transcribed by an Englishman or by Englishmen,
there would be similar stability, so to speak, in its wording or
language, whatever became of the spelling or external forms 1 If
so, then we are warranted in concluding from the many undeni
able Scottish words, &c., in the Morte Arthur e, that it is the work of
a Scottish man whose language has been externally disguised some
what in spelling, or changed, if you will, by Midland forms, but
which, for all that, still remains substantially the language of its
original author. In this connection, we may give in an appendix
five or six specimens, which will bear out our contention most
satisfactorily.1

We return, however, to the remarks of Sir F. Madden. After a
very careful and repeated examination of the passage in "Wyntown
from which he quotes, we are more and more convinced of the correct
ness of his opinion, and that the Morte ArtJiure, copied by Thornton,
and printed by the Society, is the Gret Gest ofArthure, the Gest Hys-
toriale and the Gest of Broyttys Auld Story, to which Wyntown was
expressly alluding as the work of Hucliowne of the Awle Ryale. The
passage in Wyntown, Lib. V. cap. xii. 1. 251 — 362, thus begins :

" And quhen this Leo was Emperowre,
Kyng of Brettane wes Arthowre,
That wan all Frawns, and Lumbardy,
Gyane, Gaskoyn, and Normandy,
Burgoyne, Flawndrys, and Braband,
Henawnd, Holand, and Gotland,
Swes, Swethryk, and Norway,
Denmark, Irland, and Orknay,

1 We may indicate a few such examples here. M. A. 1. 276 — 282 ; 292,
&c. ; 339—349; 360; 367; 377; 403; 468; 519—521; 526; 704, Sec. ; 916,
&c. &c.

PREFACE. XXXI

And all the Ilys in the Se
Subject ware to his Powste : " &c.

There can be very little question that, when composing these lines,
Wyntown had before him the following passage of the Morte Arthure,
1. 26—47.

" Qwene that the kynge Arthure by conqueste hade wonnyne
Castelles and kyngdoms and contreez many,
And he had coverede the coroune of the kyth ryche
Of alle that Uter in erthe aughte in his tyme,
Orgayle and Orkenay, and alle this owte iles,
Irelande uttirly, as occyane rynnys ;
Scathylle Scottlande by skylle heskyftys as hym lykys,
And Wales of were he wane at hys wille,
Bathe fflaundrez and ffraunce fre til hym selvyne ;
Holaund and Henawde they helde of hyme bothe,
Burgoyne and Brabane, and Bretayne the lesse,
Gyane and Gothelande, and Grece the ryche.

He was prynce holdyne,

. /'Of Naverne and Norwaye, and Normaundye eke,
Of Almayne, of Estriche, and other ynowe ;
Denmarke he dxyssede alle by drede of hym selvyne,
Fra Swynne unto Swether-wyke, with his swerde kene."

It will be observed that, with one exception, and that more apparent
than real, all the countries, provinces, &c., mentioned by Wyntown,
occur in the Morte Arthure, and in such order or curious conjunction,
that it is impossible this could have happened by chance or mere
coincidence. The one passage must have been compiled from the
other. Then follows mention by Wyntown of " The hawtane
message til Arthure send, that wrythyn in the Brwte is kend."

The passage in the Morte Arthure, 1. 78, &c., in which the
embassy of the Senator of Eome is described, was as certainly before
Wyntown when he thus alluded to it in his chronicle. It is in this
passage that we meet with the line,

" Sir Lucius Iherius, the Etnperour of Rome " —

which Wyntown made the text of the defence of his own " cunnand-
ness," or accurate learning, and of the defence, not excuse, of
Huchowne's " suthfastness " or historical fidelity.

" Had he cald Lucyus procurature,
Quhare that he cald hym Emperwre,

XXX11 1'UEFACE.

That had mare grevyd the cadens,
Than had relevyd the sentens.
Ane Emperoure in propyrte
A comawndoure suld callyd be :
Lucyus swylk mycht heve bcne kend
Be the message that he send."

The old chronicler defends the propriety of this designation of
Lucius as Emperor manifestly upon the ground that Imperator
originally meant supreme leader, commander, or general of the Eoman
army, and even when the name was borne by the Caesars and their
successors, as Supreme Eulers of the Eoman Empire, it continued to
include this its original meaning, as referring to the most important
of their powers and functions. In other words, Huchowne, according
to "Wyntown, applied the term Emperor to Lucius, as the best Eng
lish equivalent of Imperator, and intended that it should have, not
so much its later compound meaning of supreme magistrate and
leader, as its simple original one of General. Or, if both functions
of magistrate and general were to be included, then, in his case, most
of the latter was indicated. Accordingly Wyntown says, "Ane
Emperoure in propyrte a Commawndoure suld callyd be." &c.

In connection with this designation of Lucius as emperor by
Huchowne, and Wyntown's defence of its propriety, it is most
important to remark, that in the Destruction of Troy, when the
Greeks " walit horn " — chose Agamemnon as their leader, 1. 3670,

" Thai ordant hym Emperoure by opyn assent."

Almost invariably thereafter in the poem he is designated
"Emperor." "When he resigns, 8927 — 8950, and Palamedes is
chosen in his stead, in like manner,

" Palomydon for prise the pert kynges toke,
And ordant hym Emperour by oppyn assent,
The ost for to honour, and agh hym as lord."

At the death of Palamedes, slain by Paris with a poisoned arrow,
the Greek lords again

" Grauntid Agamynon the gre for to have,
Ches hym for chieftain & chargit hyin therwith."

And when again spoken of by title, he is designated, as before,

PREFACE. XXXlii

" Emperoure," 9795. This almost invariable use of the term on the
part of our author is not, and cannot "be, a mere coincidence only.
Is not tliis an undesigned proof that he and Huchowne are one and
the same person ? May not Wyntown, when defending Huchowne
for his use of the term in the case of Lucius, have been well
acquainted with our larger poem and its author, and so, with a
most significant meaning and authority, have written,

" Ane Emperour in propyrte
A Commawndoure suld callyd be " ?

The remaining portion of the passage in "Wyntown that we have
been discussing is mainly a general view or summary of contents of
Huchowne's Gret Gest, concluding with Mordred's treason, Arthur's
mortal wound, and the appointment and succession of Schyr Con-
stantine, " hys awyne cusyne," as " king of Brettane hale." This
summary, in the order of events, their conclusion, &c., remarkably
coincides with the matters treated of in the Morte Arthure. Indeed,
the whole passage I regard as just one continuous and convincing
proof that the Morte Arthure of Thornton is the Gret Gest of
Arthur. "Wyntown, in this passage, begins at the same point and in
the same way, and goes over the same ground as the Morte Arthure ;
he describes and criticizes the work, characterizes the author and his
style in such a manner, and gives so accurate an idea of the whole,
that I question if it would be easy or possible to produce a review,
of the same compass or bulk, from our modern periodical press, that
would be equally comprehensive, or that with equal effect would
describe a work and equal correctness designate its author.

To conclude, the abundant internal evidence furnished by the
language of the Morte Arthure, joined to that which we may gather
from the passage of Wyntown, makes up a body of proof as to the
nationality and authorship of the work, we think, conclusive and
satisfactory. If this be so, then it must follow that in the Morte
Arthure, the Pystil of Siveet Susane, and Sir Gawane and the Green
Knight, as Sir F. Madden remarks, we have the three works
mentioned by Wyntown as the productions of HuchoAvne. But more,
in the Stately Poem we have another work of his, and it may be to

that-work — the Destruction of Troy — that Wyntown refers in the line,
TROY. c

XXXVI PREFACE.

On comparing different portions of the Glossary to Wyntown
with corresponding portions of the Glossary to our poem, the pro
portion of common words of the same spelling and meanings was
found to vary. In one instance, out of 1,22 words in the former 56
were found represented in the latter ; which, considering the differ
ence of the two works, is a large proportion. On comparing the
words and phrases of the Awntyrs of Arthure and Golagros and
Gawane, ascribed to Clerk of Tranent, with those of the Stately
Poem, we find the proportion of such as are common and identical
to be higher still, almost every word of some stanzas appearing in our
Glossary. Very many of these common words appear, as was to be
expected, in the Glossaries of Northern works, not so many in that
of William of Palerne. It is note-worthy, however, that in not a
few of those common in our poem and William of Palerne, there is
yet a difference showing the Northern origin of the former. For
example, Ayre, an heir, is the word used in our poem, the form to
be found in Scottish writers and our city Eecords, while it is eyre,
or eir, in William of Palerne. Similarly, Burde, a table, is borde,
and ettle is attle in the latter. Abide and alight, in the latter, have
usually the Northern or Scottish forms bide and light in our poem.
When the words are precisely the same, as mar, or marte, to harm,
the inflection is different — marred in the one being marrit, or mart,
in the other. If Jcepe and Jceppe are the same, then the latter has in
our poem meanings not found elsewhere, viz. to catch, meet, or stop.

If we are correct in the conclusion, already adverted to, viz. that
the more carefully written portions of our MS. were copied leisurely
from an earlier and, perhaps, the original Scottish one, then we
should expect to find that in the portions thus copied more unchanged
Scottish words and more of Scottish forms of words would occur
than do in those portions more carelessly or hurriedly written to
dictation. Such forms, in fact, would be occasionally copied by the
transcriber, per incuriam, so to say, even were he minded to modify,
change, or modernize his work. The very first passage of the kind,
that was tried to discover whether the fact would turn out so, gave
precisely the result one would have expected. The passage occurs
at the bottom of page 389, and extends to page 396, with perhaps

PREFACE. XXXVli

occasional breaks. The very common if not peculiar or idiomatic
Scottish words, of which there are not a few in this passage, are spelt
almost invariably as we find them in the pages of Barbour, Dunbar,
Douglas, and other Scottish writers. Such are

Graith, graithet, swithe, dere, wait, dite, dole, ertid, wale (v. and
culj.}, etlid, stithe, stithely, tene, tenyt, trist, warpit, lak, here, laithis,
laithyt, fere, graidly, burd or burde, wode, pyne, fele, speryng, braid,
wyn, merk (to devote), gyrd, skath, &c.

Then with respect to Scottish forms and constructions, we meet with

Gedryt and gedrit, hir aune (awne), wan, haldyn, takyn, ffele dayes
bedene, tothir or tothyr, lady had leuyt, ordant, thai dang hir to dethe,
&c., as in Barbour, yates or yatis, noght, strawet and strenklit, britnet,
sterte, on seand, gret, launchand lowes, wroght, soght, thoght, broght,
mony, ynogh, saule, lause, noqwere, qwile, beseke, &c. ;

almost all of which are unchanged Scottish to this day. The past
tenses and perfect participles almost invariably end, as we have said,
in it, yt, or et, — as russhit, disseruyt, murtheret, &c. At the end of
1. 12111 we have wyn to with its peculiar Scottish sense; and at
1. 12056 we have childur, while at 1. 12130 we have brethir, both
undeniably Scottish forms.1 At 1. 12089 we have to an end, but at
1. 12103 the older Scottish form has taken its place, and we read
led tell hir last end. The transcriber at 1. 12112 has ho for she, and
it occurs twice again within the next three lines, but at 12148 we
find the original sclio, and twice again within four lines. In " scho
bete horn bitturly " we have the past tense of to bite as it is still to
be heard pronounced everywhere in Scotland. Strok and lad, that
follow, are also yet quite common.

It is curious that, while generally throughout the work we find
the adv. and conj. then written " than," in this passage it has been,
as if by design, carefully changed into " then." Immediately before,
and throughout the passage, we have such expressions as —

No soune herd, light up a lowe, puttyn to dethe, hedit no harrae ne
no hate thoght, noght dred thai, dungyn doun yatis, ertid his harine,
etlid to bide, withouten dyn more, the lovet wele, se hit leme on a
lowe, gert for to send, teghit hir hondis, steynyt hir to dethe, graithet
a toumbe, myn hit for ever ;

1 Henry, Wyntown, Bellenden, Scot. Burgh Laws, &c.

XXXviii PREFACE.

expressions peculiarly and idiomatically Scottish, to be heard
unchanged to this day, while they are to be met with in every page
of the undoubted Scottish poems of the period.1

With one of those we have compared portions of our Troy Boole,
and been still more conclusively satisfied of its Scottish origin.
This is the Knightly Tale of Golagrus and Gawane, reprinted in
1827, by Mr David Laing, and of which he thus remarks,

"This very ancient and singular romance belongs to a class of
compositions usually regarded as peculiar to Scotland. The language
of this romance, which appears to have obtained no inconsiderable share
of popularity, is so remarkably uncouth, and the structure of the verse
so singular, as to warrant us in assigning it to a very early period of
our literature, certainly to some time prior to the middle of the 14th
century."

" It would be a fruitless endeavour to enter into any discussion with
regard to its author, since we possess no direct evidence bearing on the
subject. Two of the ancient Scottish poets — Clerk of Tranent, and
Hucheon of the Awle Ryale, are celebrated as having written the
Adventures of Gawane; but whether the present romance be that which
is alluded to, must remain, we fear, a matter of conjecture." " The only
thing," says Dr Leyden, " which can be affirmed with certainty is that
Sir Gawan was a favourite character with the Scottish poets ; a circum
stance accounted for by his northern origin, and his reputation for
ancient courtesy, especially among the Welsh, by whom he is deno
minated Gwalchmai, the golden-tongued"

Very many lines from this poem of Golagrus and Gawane, such

" And he gudly furth gaes, and graithet his geir,
And buskit hym to battell without mair abaid " —

might with a very slight change take their place in the Troy Boole,
and not be distinguished from others ; while similarly not a few
lines of the Troy Book might be transferred to Golagrus and
Gaioane with the same result. In both poems we find the same
words, the same forms, and the same phrases or expressions — the
same peculiar character of verse, and the same alliterations. The
Glossary of the Troy Boole is, so far as we have tried it, quite
sufficient for the Knightly Tale, and with all these in common, we

1 The various other similar passages doubtless, if carefully gone over, will
yield the same results ; and that these purer Scottish portions, if we may so call
them, may be compared with others, they will be indicated at the end of the
Notes.

PREFACE. XXXIX

do not see how the conclusion can be avoided that, if Golagrus and
Gawane is Scottish, the Stately Poem must be Scottish also.

Having referred to Glossaries, we may farther here remark that,
just as the Glossary of Sir F. Madden's volume, containing Syr
Gaicayne and the Grene Knight, with the two poems named before,
&c., serves as a Glossary for Morte Arthure, very few words ex-
cepted, and the words in both occurring very much in the same
proportion, so also will that Glossary be found to serve, in a great
measure, for the Stately Poem. More words in the latter, are not to
be found in Sir F. Madden's volume, but that arises from the
greater extent and variety of the work. Not a few, however, of
those awanting may be supplied from Barbour's Bruce, or Jamieson.
And in this case too 'the same proportion obtains in the marked
occurrence of certain peculiar words, and their use in connection
with others.

Independently of mere words, expressions, or language, Scottish
and idiomatically Scottish too, which may be found with the least
possible trouble, as occurring in common in all the four works that
we have ascribed to the same author, there are very many whole
lines to be found in almost every page of each, which have their
parallels or counterfeits in some one or other of the rest. These
lines are manifestly produced by the same mind — they are medals
struck in the same mint, and from the same dies. These similar and
almost identical common lines are found sometimes in two, some
times in three, and occasionally in all four of these works. We
might give specimens of these lines, but this head of proof labours
under a perfect enibarras de richesses, and the difficulty is to select,
as our notes and scraps are quite covered with them. It is not
necessary here, however, to go very largely or exhaustively, or indeed
at all, into this branch of proof ; as Mr Donaldson, at a very early
period, made a selection of these parallel lines occurring in our
author's works, and embodied them in an Introductory Essay, which
it is intended shall follow this Preface.

That Huchowne was the author of the Stately Poem, our Troy
Book, most satisfactorily accounts for the various references to Troy,
and to Trojan and Greek leaders, which wo meet with in Morte

xl PREFACE.

AHlnirc, Syr Gaicayne and the Grcne Knight, &c. In the opening
lines of Syr Gawayne we almost seem to meet with a quotation
from the conclusion of the Stately Poem :

" Sithen the sege and the assaut was sesed at Troye,
The borgh brittened & brent to brondes & askes,
The tulk that the trammes of tresoun ther wroght,
Was tried for his tricherie, the trewest on erthe ;
Hit was Ennias the athel, & his highe kynde,
That sithen depreced prouinces, & patrounes bicome
Welneye of al the wele in the west iles," &c.

These lines, and similar ones at the end of that poem, seem the
natural outpouring of a mind that had been, or was still, engaged
with such a subject as the Destruction of Troy.

While quite at sea as to everything else regarding the MS.,
except that it was partly a translation and partly an amplified para
phrase of Guido, one passage especially drew my attention, as giving
no uncertain sound with respect to the nationality, if not to the
authorship, of the work, and to that passage we may now advert at
some length. It occurs on page 53 of the Gest Hystoriale, at line
1580, and thus commences,

" There were stallis by the strete stondyng for peopull,
Werkmen into won, and thaire wares shewe,
Both to selle and to se as thaim selfe lyked,
Of all the craftes token as there course askit," &c.

In the description of the rebuilding of Troy by Priam, Guido de
Colonna has a similar passage, to which there is nothing correspond
ing in the Roman de Troie of Benoit de St-More, whom he translates
or paraphrases. This passage contains an enumeration of the various
artists, mechanics, and tradesmen who had their " stationes " in the
streets of the new city. Guido enumerates 41 or 42 classes of these
artists and tradesmen, of whom, while several have classical designa
tions, so to say, the great majority are manifestly the craftsmen and
mechanics of Italy in his time. In the corresponding paraphrase of
our author there is also a list of 40 different craftsmen, but the two
lists of names have very feAV in common. With the names of several
given by our author I was especially struck, as very obviously and
undeniably Scottish. Indeed, the whole list looked like the counter-

PREFACE. Xli

part of that in Maitland's History of Edinburgh^ or that which we
meet with in the Historical Account of the Blue Blanket, or Crafts
men's Banner, while the concluding lines,

" With Barburs biggit in bourders of the stretes ;
With all Maister men that on molde dwellis,
Onestly enabit in entris aboute" —

at once stamped the author as at least quite familiar with the peculi
arities, if not even a denizen of Auld Eeekie.

There may not be much, indeed there would be nothing in this
conjunction alone, as the name Entry is far more extensively used
than from our inquiries we were at first disposed to believe. We
were aware that it was used in the North of England, but with a
meaning different from that which it bears in Edinburgh. In
Hunter's Glossary of Hallamshire words an . Entry is " a narrow
passage among buildings," or what in Edinburgh is a close. The
editor of the Townley Mysteries applies the word to a ' loUby in a
farm house,' or what in Scotland is called a trance. The term is
used in Belfast, where its introduction may be accounted for, and in
other places, as with us; while in Suffolk, I am informed, it is
applied "to the little passage inside the front or back door of a
cottage or small farm-house." This is the porch, as it is called now
in Scotland — the space behind the door separated from the rest of
the house by the partition wall or liallan of olden times. But the
question is, where, not of recent introduction, is the term applied in
any place to the same thing as in this country ; and, along with
Entries, is there proof from early public records, such as Edinburgh
or some other of the larger towns of Scotland can supply, that the
crafts or trades of the city or town were at or about the date of our
poem named as they are in it, and, with one exception, as they are
in the Ancient Burgh Laws and City Records of Edinburgh ? The
question is relevant, because, as we shall see, one place with Entries
has an old list of its crafts that materially differs from that of the
poem. The poem has been ascribed to a Midland author, and in
these days of public research it would not be difficult to ascertain
how the matter stands with other Midland towns.

To every town-born Scot, and especially to every one familiar

PREFACE.

with Edinburgh and its dwellings of the olden time, an entry is the
very place to which he would look for, or in which expect, a coun
tryman to speak of the dwellings of Master Craftsmen to be found.1
The circumscribed space and peculiar site on which Old Edin
burgh stands rendered its lofty houses, eight or ten stories high,
with its entries, wynds, and closes, absolutely necessary ; and similar
peculiarities elsewhere in Scotland have produced similar building
arrangements, and hence the name entry, like wynd and close, is
perfectly familiar to every town-born native of the country. For
the benefit of others, however, it will be necessary to say that the
entry was, as it still is, the covered or arched passage at the end of a
house leading from the street to the back, where the common stair
to the upper stories commenced. This covered entry might lead into
a court or back square, or into a dose, 'or narrow alley. Such
common or public entries or passages were necessarily at all times
open,- and expressly under the jurisdiction of the magistrates. Some
entries, however, were private, and closed especially at night, of
which not a few examples yet remain throughout the country. The
old house, in a country town, in which the writer's youth was spent,
had such a private entry, like many others. The house itself was
an ancient Temple tenement of three stories, the undermost being
occupied as shops. It was built upon a strong vaulted substructure,
like a church crypt, on which had probably stood long before a
small monastic fortalice of the Knights Templars. The entry, in
this case at the end of the house, was a flagged passage raised one
step above the level of the street, and closed by a heavy two-leaved
door. It terminated in a square space with the main entrance to
the house on one side, and a flight of steps on the other leading to
the offices and garden. In the same street a tenement, quite as old,
but larger and more imposing, had its entry, not at the end of the
house as usual, but right in the centre. The wide door-way was
arched and closed with a ponderous gate. The spacious flagged
passage leading to the back was several steps below the level of the

1 The phrase, or expression, besides, is the very one still used in Scotland.
Persons are said to live in the entry, although their dwellings may bo the
attics of the house leading from it.

PREFACE.

street, having the house entrance in the middle of the one side, and
the writing chambers of the owner on the other. It terminated
behind (in the first of a series of garden terraces, which sloped down
to the riverside or " Water Ends." Such entries, it will at once be
seen, were the very places where the " Maister Men " and substantial
Burgesses of these times would " enabit."

The " Stationes " of Guido, translated by our authors " Stallis,"
into which the " Ojierarii," or " Werkmen won," in all likelihood
suggested the Lucken booths and the Cremes or Krames of the
High Street of Edinburgh ; and then how natural to name the
" Craftes," or- Incorporated Trades and Guildry of the city and its
" Entris aboute." In the Ancient Laws and Customs of the Burghs
of Scotland, A.D. 1124—1424, the "Burges and the Marchand" take
precedence, but the very first craftsmen that are mentioned are the
" Baxtaris at balds brede," and they are the first, too, named
in the City Eecords of Edinburgh under date April 9th, 1443.
As a surname how common Baxter is in Scotland any one may
see, while Baker, except in one or two of the larger towns, is un
known.

In the 'Ancient Laws' mention is next made of 'thaim that
sellis fysche,' what ' gif fleschewars graythis ivil flcsche,' ' giff
sowtaris that makis schone be barkaris,' ' off wobstaris that thai mak
our lang thryms,' ' off sadillaris that mak sadillis of grene tymmer,'
' tailyeouris that sow with fals graith,' ' of coukes makand reddie
fiesche,' ' skynnaris that mak gluvis,' ' of wyn tawernaris,' &c. In
the City Eecords these craftsmen are also named as well as Gold'
smyths, Armoreris, Blaksmyths, Cutlaris, Masons, Wrights, &c.,
with such business as ' setting of mylnis,' and such words as ' woll
wroght na lyttyt,' ' chese thaim,' ' werkaris, byggyt, ordanyt,' and a
great many more that appear in our poem. In the Decreet Arbitral
of James VI., which determined the " sett " of the burgh in his day,
we read of

" the choosing of the Deakens of Crafts, quhilks are fourteen in
number, to wit,

" Chirurgyans, Goldsmyths, Skynners, Furriers, Hammermen,
Wrights, Masons, Tailyeours, Baxters, Fleshers, Cordiners, Websters,
Waulkers, Bonnet-makers."

PREFACE.

Of these fourteen Incorporated Trades, or Crafts, in the enumeration
of our poem the names of six appear identically the same, viz. : The
Goldsmythes, Taliours, Wrightes, Websters, Walkers of Clothe, and
Baxters, while Masons are named at 1. 1529. The Cordiners are
represented in the poem by S outers, the earlier and more usual
Scottish designation. For the sake of alliteration and variety,
doubtless, as Flechours, arrow-makers, appear in the list elsewhere,
Fleshers are replaced by the j^orman French Bochers. That Chirur-
gyans and Barbars formed the same craft and meant the same
persons is well known, and is abundantly evident from their Seal of
Cause — in which we read, —

" The Kirk Master and Brether of the Surgeons and Barbaris with
in this Brughe." '•'•Item, That nae maner of Person occupy nor use any
Poynts of our saids Crafts of Surgery, or Barbar Craft, within this
Brugh, but gif he be first frie Man and Burges of the samen, and
that he be worthy and expert in all the Poynts belongand to
the saids Crafts, dilligently and avisedly examined, and admitted by the
Masters of the said Crafte, &c. 3tio. And that nae Barbar, Master nor
Servand, within this Burgh, hant, use nor exerce the Crafts of Surgery
without he be expert, and knaw perfectly the Things aboue written :
that is to say — Auatomia, &c."

The Skynners are represented in the poem by Glovers and
"Coriours of ledur," who were of the same incorporation. The
Wrights and Masons, afterwards united, included, with others, the
Painters, the Bowyers, and " Flechours." The very comprehensive
craft of the Hammermen has no fewer than nine representatives
in the poem, viz. the Bladsmythis, Armurers, Arowsmythis,
Cotelers, Sadlers, Brasiers, Pynners* or Pin-makers, Bel-makers or
Founders, and Sporiors or Lorimers,1 all of whom, with others,
as we may learn from Maitland, were members of the Craft. If
"Girdillers" are the same as the Girdlers of London and meant
Beltmakers, then we have another branch of the Hammermen;
but we are rather inclined to believe that they meant Girdle-
makers, i. e. manufacturers of girdles,2 or round iron plate's on which

I Bridle-bit makers.

II Culross, in Perthshire, was famous for its girdles in ancient tiroes.
"Your bread is baked, ye may lay by the girdle." "The ayre sal hafe . . a
rostyng yrne, a girdille" &c. — Leges Burg. cxvi.

PREFACE. xlv

scones, bannocks, and oat-cakes were fired, as they are still. The
" Condlers," or candlemakers, were at one time a most influential
and wealthy body in the city, and have left behind them, as
memorials, their quaint Hall and a street called after them Candle-
maker Row, which the all-devouring city improvements have not
yet swallowed up. In conclusion, the Tapsters are named in one
of the city charters along with the Vintners, as liable to certain
customs or excise ; from which it is evident that they were the Inn
keepers of the time, and not mere drawers of beer, boys or women,
as in England.

Thus in this list of forty crafts, and, with masons mentioned
before, forty -one in all enumerated in the poem, there are not
fewer than twenty-seven that we can identify with the fourteen
incorporated trades of .Edinburgh, and their different branches, and,
with one exception, easily accounted for, named, along with several
others, precisely as they are in the records and charters of the city
and early Scottish Literature. That this should be so, and that
moreover a list of " Craftis," evidently meaning Incorporated Trades,
should commence with " Goldsmythes," probably the oldest, and
certainly the most important craft in Scotland, and be followed by
such undoubted Scottish designations as Glovers, Girdillers, Souters,
Websters, Walkers of Clothe, Baxters, Sporiors, Spicers, Condlers,
&.c., — designations most of them in use to this day — in a passage
that tells of

" Barburs bigget in bourders of the stretes,
With all maister men that on molde dwellis,
Onestly enabit in entris aboute,"

altogether makes up a combination, or coincidence, utterly impossible,
it will surely be admitted, unless the author, whoever he might be,
was familiar with the trades or crafts of the Scottish capital or other
large Scottish town.

This remarkable passage has several naturalized French names in
the list, which renders it still more likely to be the list of the
Scottish Crafts and Guildry, the intercourse between Scotland and
France being in these early times both frequent and most friendly.

Xlvi PREFACE.

For example, we have Taliours,1 Telers,2 Marchandes, Parnters,3
Bochers, Fferrers,4 Spicers,5 Carpenters, and Coucheours.6

While convinced, from the Scottish names, that this was a
Scottish list, and further, that this was the list of the Crafts and
Guildry of the Scottish capital, "because containing the names of
some trades that could not possibly exist or be found in any smaller
or less important town than the capital, by comparing it with the
tradesmen named in the Banes of the Chester Plays, with the very
full and exhaustive catalogue in Cocke Lorelles Bote, and with those
in the Liber Albus of London, it was manifest that it was not the
compilation of an Englishman, either of the Midland Counties or
of London. Below we give the full list of the Chester Craftsmen
in alphabetical order.7 The "Drawers in Dee" stamp the locality
of the list, which has no equivalent for not less than 19 of the
Craftis of our poem. It will be seen, moreover, that the Scottish
Souter is a Corvisor in the Chester list, a Webster is a Waver or
Weaver,8 the Walker of clothe, usually conjoined with the Litster,
is represented by the Dier, a Baxter is a Baker, a Teler is a Linen-
draper, a Taverner is a Merchant Vintner, a Corior of ledur is a
Skinner or Tanner, a Marchand is a Mercer, a Carpenter is a Fuster,
and a Condler is a Wax-Chandler. In Cocke Lorelles Bote we have

1 Tailleurs, anciently Tailleors or Tailleres.

2 Drapers or Linen-drapers, from Telier, Lat. Telarius, qui facit aut vendit
telam.

3 Decorators, from Parementier or Paramentier, Lat. Para tor. Chaucer
has paremcnts, ornamental furniture or clothes.

4 Ferre, or feure, from ferrarius.
s Espicier, now epicier.

6 Stone-setters or jewellers, from collocare. Couched work was applied
technically to artist's work.

" Alle of palle werke fyne

Cowchide with newyne." — MS. Lincoln, A. i. 17, fol. 133.
Chaucer has " couched with perles," laid or trimmed with pearls.

" Stuffit and coutchit full of irne and lede." — Dong. Virg. 141. 11.
Coucheour, however, may mean a couch, or bed-maker, in Cocke Lorelles
Bote, an Upholsterer.

7 Bakers, barbers, bowyers, buchers, cappers, cloth-workers, cookes,
coopers, corvisors, diers, drapers, drawers in dee, fish-mongers, flechours,
fusters, glassiers, glovers, goldsmiths, hewsters, ironmongers, linen-drapers,
masons, mercers, merchant-vintners, painters, saddlers, shermen, skinners,
slaters, smiths, stringers, tanners, taylours, water-leaders, wax-chandlers,
wavers, wrights.

8 But the last is "The Websters Playe."

PREFACE.

Cordwainer and Cobeler for Souter, Spinsters and Vestment Swoers
for Senisteris, Fullers and Cloth-thickers for Walkers of clothe,
Arrowheders for Arowsmythis, Fishmongers for Bochers, Webbers
for Websters, Bakers for Baxters, Tapestry workers and Garnishers
for Parnters, Grote Clyppers for Monymakers,. &c.

In tlie Liber Albus of London, as the compilers did not always
translate the names of the craftsmen into Latin and Norman French,
we get still more evidence that the list of the poem was not made
up from, the workmen and craftsmen of that city. The Baxter is
usually represented by the Nor. Fr. Pestour ; but as a compound,
we meet with py-bakeres. The Glover was a Gaunter, the Spynner
of Cloth, or producer of yarn, was the Buriller, while the Weaver of
woollen cloth was the Telour or Telarius. The Spicer was a Grossour
or Pepperer, the Belmaker was a Belle-better, and hence Bulliter
Lane. The Walker of Cloth was a Fullour, Souters were Cord-
waners and Cobelers, Ferrers, or Shoe-Smiths, were Mareschalls,
Monymakers were Moneours, and Condlers were Wex-Chaundelers.

Before leaving this passage it may not be uninteresting or unin-
structive to compare it with the parallel passage of Lydgate, which
we shall give here entire as it is given in the Douce MS. Oxford,
supplying from the Digby MS. two lines that are awanting in that
and the Cambridge MS. :

" Goldsmythes furst ande ryche leweleres,
Ande by hemself crafty Broderes,
Wewars also of wolne and lynnyn,
Of clothes of golde of damaske and satyn,
Of welues, sandele aude double samyt eke,
Ande everyche cloth yat men lyst to seke.
Sraythes also Jjat coude forge wel
Swerdes, pollex, and sperys sharp of stel,
Dartes, daggers for to mayne1 and wounde,
Ande quarele heddes, sharpe and square ygrounde.
Thare was also crafty armourers,
Bowers eke, ande fast by fleggerers,
Ande suche as couth inaken yschaftes pleyn,
Ande utllere eke yat dyde yar besye peyn ;
For ye werre to make ahso trappouers,
Bete2 banners, and ryole cote Armoures,

1 Sic for " raayme," to maim. 2 Embroidered. Sir Gawan.

PREFACE.

Aiulc by dewyse standars ande pennons,
Ande for ye felde fresche ande gay ghetons.
Ande everyche craft yat may yreknede be
To tellen schortly was in yat Cite"."

On examination it will be seen that Lydgate has evidently borrowed
or adapted his list from that of our author, for of the ten or eleven
Crafts expressly named or indicated in this extract it may be re
marked that only two, viz. Goldsmiths and Weavers, are found in
Guide's list, as aurifices and textores respectively, while the order in
which these two occur renders the borrowing or adaptation still
more probable. Goldsmiths are the first named in the list of our
author and the first likewise in that of Lydgate, and may have
suggested the ryche leweleres, represented by " Coucheours fyn," 1.
1597. Then follow in the next line of Lydgate Crafty broderes,
who are manifestly the " Semsteris fyn " in the next line also of the
Stately Poem. The "-Taliours, Telers, Websters and "Walkers of
clothe " that come next in our poem have evidently suggested the
"Wewars of wolne and lynnyn," and of various other "clothes"
given next by Lydgate. Then follow in our poem

" Armurers, Arowsmythis with Axes of Werre,"

and further on, " Bladsmythis" And just so follow in Lydgate
the " Smythes that coude forge wel swerdes, pollex, sperys, dartes,
daggers, and quarele heddes," and the " Crafty Armourers" Again
in our poem we have next —

" fferrers, flecchours, fele men of crafte ; "
which Lydgate duly in order caps with

" Bowers eke, ande faste by fleggerers."

That this should be so is surely more than a mere coincidence. If
Lydgate has not borrowed or adapted, it is very singular that he
should have given just these names and in this order ; for while all
the various workers in metal are named by Guido, such as Gold
smiths and gilders, silversmiths, coppersmiths or brasiers, plumbers,
founders or bell-makers, pin-makers, spindle-makers, &c., curiously
enough, smiths, blacksmiths, or forgers in iron are not mentioned,
nor is a single weapon of war named. Lydgate, however as he

PREFACE. Xlix

often does, having opened out, or set off in a particular line, so to
speak, continues it, and so having given the weapons, the stern
realities of Avar, he gives as an appropriate finishing its ornamental
garniture, viz. its trappouers, bete banners, cote armoures, standars,
pennons, and gay ghetons — the skilled workmanship, we have no
doubt, of the " Parnters," and perhaps " Coucheours fyn." There
are in the two poems very many similar parallel passages, from which
it may be seen plainly enough that Lydgate was much beholden to
the Destruction of Troij for words, expressions, and texts or hints,
which don't appear in Guido, whom he professes to translate. We
may give here one such example. Priam had determined to rebuild
Troy strong enough to withstand all future assaults from Greeks or
other foes.

" Hinc est quod quaesitis undique fabris et peritis in aedificandia
artibus et mannoriis Celaturis, lapidariis, et doctissimis architects,
omnis generis marmora coegit," &c.

So wrote Guido, and we may translate his words literally thus :

' Accordingly, having from all quarters sought for workmen and
Buch as were skilled in building arts and in marble-carving, stoner
cutters, and the most skilful builders, he collected marble of every
kind.'

Our author has,

" Gate masons full mony that mykull fete couthe ;
Wise wrightis to wale, werkys to caste ;
Qwariours qweme, qwaint men of wit ;•
Mynors of marbull ston & mony other thinges."

Guido's three lines Lydgate has contrived to paraphrase or ex
pand into 44, thus —

" And all aboute the countreyes enuiron,
He made seke in euery regyon,
For suche workemen as were curyous,
Of wyt inventife of castyng meruaylous,

And for euery such as was a good deuysour,

Mason, hewer, or crafty quarreour,

For euery wrighte and passyng carpenter,

Or such as had connynge in their head,
Alabaster other white or read,
Or marbell grey for to pullyshe playne," &c.
TROY. d

1 PHEFACE.

The passage in the Stately Poem has evidently been the text from
which Lydgate has amplified the portion above, every word almost
of the four lines having been copied, enlarged upon, and cleverly
set, or couched, in this piece of poetical mosaic. As we have ex
amined and compared scores of such passages, we have most earnestly
wished that we had Lydgate's Troy Booh and other similar works in
a more accessible form than the MSS. of our public libraries, or
blackletter reprints of the 16th century — a wish that we hope we
may live to see yet realized.

There was a method or line of proof which the writer of this
thought of and attempted to follow out, in order to show that the
author of the Destruction of Troy was a Scotsman, but from which
he was deterred by the time that it would have involved, and the
space that it would have occupied for its complete and satisfactory
prosecution. This was the making out of a pretty full list of those
peculiar, idiomatic, Scottish words and phrases, which are still in
common use throughout Scotland, and which occur in almost every
line and sentence of our poem, and marking how often they occur,
and then turning to the Glossaries respectively of Piers Ploughman
and Chaucer, and to Stratmann's Dictionary of Old English, to
ascertain how often they occurred in known English authors, if they
occurred at all, with what meanings they were used; and in what
connection. So far as this line of proof was pursued the result was
curious. While not a few were found to occur occasionally in one
or other of them, some of these words and phrases were conspicuous
by their absence from them all. And the farther we went the
stronger did the conviction grow, that what was written and espe
cially spoken in Scotland was a language, and no mere dialect or
form of that of England, formed or evolved from it, or exclusively
derived from the Anglo-Saxon, but an original, independent tongue
of itself, already formed and spoken along with, or by the side of,
these, if not even before them. This was the idea of George Ellis,
Dr Jamieson, and the late Dr Clarke of Aberdeen, and it has been
the opinion of many more who have studied the subject ; but this is
not the place or the occasion to enter upon the question.1

1 We may refer especially on this point to the Introductory remarks of

PREFACE. lj

In the table of contents to the poem, the last entry, which refers
to the xxxvj boke, tells us " Of the dethe of Vlixes by his son.
Which e endis in the story w* the nome of the Knight that causit it
to be made, & the nome of hym that translatid it out of latyn into
englysshe." Had this promise been fulfilled, these names would
have rendered unnecessary our lengthened inquiry into the nation
ality and authorship of the work, and very materially lightened, if
not altogether removed, the difficulties that have attended our
labours. Such a signature, or colophon, like that which attests the
work of Guido, would have been invaluable, not merely as marking
the author, or authors, of the Stately Poem, and handing them down
to posterity, but as settling one or two other questions which are
yet undecided. It might have settled the point whether Sir Hugh
of Eglinton and Huchowne of the Awle Ryale were one and the
same, or different persons. If they were different persons, it might
have told us whether Sir Hugh was a Maecenas at the court of the
Stuarts, with whom he was connected by marriage, or an author in
his own person as well. "We might have learned whether Huchowne
of the Awle Eyale was the real name or the nom de plume of the
author, or only a half jocular, half endearing sobriquet applied to
him by his friends. We might have learned something about
the execution of the work. Whether it had been first trans
lated into English prose, like Guide's Bellum Trojanum, and
then rendered poetically, or had been at once rendered into
alliterative verse. We might have learned something of the
literary partnerships of the age, or might have known for certain,
what we can only infer or suspect from the inequality of its execu
tion, that more than one were engaged in the work ; and especially
we might have learned who was the author of those fine, truly
poetical portions, which owe little to Guide's Latin, but have very

Mr Ellis in his Specimens of the Early English Poets, vol. i., chap. ix. &c.
" Would it be very absurd to suppose that our common language was separ
ately formed in the two countries, and that it has owed its identity to its
being constructed of similar materials, by similar gradations, and by nations
in "the same state of society ? If this opinion should be thought very im
probable, must we not, at least, admit that the migration of our language
from England into Scotland has not yet been fully established, and that much
remains for the investigation of future antiquaries 1 "

lii PREFACE.

much in common with similar passages in the Morte Arthure and
other works to which we have so often adverted. All these questions
and interesting points, we hope, may some time or other be answered
and resolved. The MS. from which the present text has been taken
is as yet unique ; but in the searches now being made in the
libraries and muniment chests of our old families and nobility
throughout the country, some other and more complete copy may
yet turn up, and other complete copies also of Barbour's version of
the Destruction of Troy, of which we possess only the fragments in
the MSS. at Oxford and Cambridge.

To Principal Barclay, for his kindness in granting permission to
copy the MS., to Professor J. Young, the curator, and to Mr. J.
Young, the keeper of the Hunterian Museum, for their obliging
courtesy in giving access at all times to the Stately Poem and other
MSS. for transcription and collation, the editors offer their best
thanks and grateful acknowledgments. They have also to thank
the Eev. Walter W. Skeat, which they most cordially do, for his
valuable suggestions and help when the Glossary was passing
through the press.

These prefatory remarks were mainly written nearly three years
ago. As to the conclusions that the poem was originally Northern
or Scottish, and that large portions at least, if not the whole of it,
were the work of Huchowne, or the same author that produced the
poems ascribed to him, the Committee of the Society are not respon
sible for them, or in any way committed to them. "We were
expressly informed that they disagreed with us on both points.
Working, however, apart, independently, and upon different grounds,
we arrived at the same result ; but as we have no theory to serve,
and are simply searching after the truth like others, on due cause
shown, we shall most readily confess ourselves mistaken.

It but remains to say that it has been the great object of the
editors to present the members of the Early English Text Society
with as faithful a transcript of the Stately Poem as possible ; and
no labour, no effort, and no expense have been spared on their
part to accomplish this. The completed volume might have appeared
much sooner, and the writer personally regrets exceedingly that it

PREFACE. liii

lias "been so long delayed. He has done what he could do to expedite
its appearance, and had the matter depended solely upon him, the
long delay would have been obviated, but over the arrangements for
its production he had no control. Not to dilate, however, upon this,
he rejoices that so important a work has been rescued from the
oblivion of the dusty shelves of the old Hunterian Museum, and
trusts that other works of no less value may yet see the light through

means of the Society.

G. A. P.
Dec. &th, 1872.

THE MS., DIALECT, AND AUTHOESHIP.

THE MS. of this work is a folio volume written on paper, and
consists of 216 leaves with 36 lines on each page. It opens with an
apparently full and carefully drawn Index to the Books and Subjects ;
and they follow as there indicated, and the work ends with the
usual Amen. A little examination, however, shows that the work is
incomplete ; for, fol. 189 b l contains only 22 lines and a few words
of the next : then, fol. 190 is blank, and 191 begins with quite a
different subject. From this point the story moves on smoothly
enough till we reach fol. 201 b, which has only 8 lines, where it stops
abruptly in the account of Telegonus' return to his mother after the
death of Ulysses : then, fol. 202 is blank, and 203 opens with the
words with which 189 closed, and continues the account there
interrupted. The story then moves on in clear order till we reach
fol. 214, where there are only 13 lines and a few words, that really
are the catch- words for fol. 191 a ; and the remaining portion of the
MS. is certainly the conclusion of the work, but incomplete at the
beginning.

Evidently, then, Ms. 203 — 214 ought to be placed after fol. 189 ;
and fols. 191 — 201 should then follow:2 in other words, the two
sets of fols. should be transposed. "When so arranged the story is
regular and complete on to the return of Telegonus after his father's

1 As fol. 180 has been lost, 189 of MS. becomes 190 in the Text.

2 For the reason stated in last note, fols. 203 — 214 are 191 — 202 in the
Text, and 191—201 are 203—213.

llV THE MANUSCRIPT.

death, where there is a slight gap including the winding up of the
story of the Odyssey and the opening of the list of chiefs killed
at the siege. But as the MS. stands, not only are different stories
mixed up, but the account of the death of Ulysses conies before the
story of his wanderings after the siege ; and particulars are referred
to as already told, which we find recorded some pages farther on.
Yet the Books are all properly arranged according to the Index.
Now what do these particulars tell us regarding the MS. 1 I. That
it is not the original MS., but a copy of an older one, that had some
how got disarranged into the order in which it now stands ; and 2.
that the copyist, observing the confusion, but not the cause of it,
thought some portions of the story were lost, and, after copying in
the catch-words at the bottom of the page, left a blank folio at each
place, that the missing portions might be inserted when recovered.

Besides these faults, there are two gaps in the MS. — between
fols. 6, 7, and 179, 180 : the first, containing the account of the first
landing of the Greeks at Troy, and consisting of three or perhaps
four leaves, was no doubt a gap in the MS. from which the existing
one was copied ; and the second consists of one leaf, which has been
lost or torn from the set.

The MS. affords further evidences of being a copy from an older
one, and gives some information as to how the copyist worked at his
task. The writing is in a hand of somewhere about the middle of
the 15th century, and in two distinct styles : one (in which the
larger portion of the work is written) is the common cursive style of
the period, cramp, and often careless, shewing no regularity in
spelling and contractions, confusion of the letters t and c, a and o,
with a decided preference for the o sound : the other (in which only a
few folios and scattered portions are written) is a fine, clear, Saxon,
copying style, shewing greater regularity in contractions and spelling,
and a more frequent use of the older forms of letters.1 Yet they are

1 The portions that are written in the copying style are 11. 4203 — 30, 6101
— 32, 6260 — 328, 6592—664, 6873—941, 6975—7015, Rubric and first 10 lines
of Bk XVI., 7415—51, XIX. Boke— 7858, 8511—26, 9728—33, 9763—88,
11244—98, 12015 to the middle of 12156, 12167—200, 12234—54, 12617—
27, 12650—98, Rubric and first 22 lines of Bk XXXIV., 13574—634, 13672—
738, 13946-81.

THE MANUSCRIPT. ]y

the work of the same hand, for the two styles again and again run
into each other : and a careful comparison presents differences of
form and spelling, peculiarities and mistakes, which suggest that when
the scribe used the copying style he had the text before him and
worked carefully ; and that when he used the cursive style, he wrote
for the most part to dictation. In the notes at the end of the work
the reader will find abundant evidence to that effect, to which the
following may be added : in 1. 2552 the MS. has sororow euer for
sorow for euer ; 1. 3704, tilude for tild; 4475, a little to \e Greltes
for attle to be Grekes ; 5406, welcomth ]>at worthy for welcomt \at
worthy ; 10627, lie was hengyngfo? he icas lengyng ; 11721, Knoicith
hit yourself e for Knowis hit yourself e ; 13452, bueme for burne ;
13640, after \ai were for as be right ayre ; and confusion of the
pronouns hym and horn. But perhaps the most striking proof (of
which examples are given in the Notes) is the use of wh for qiv or
qtvh, by which the alliteration is sometimes spoiled, as in 11. 3028,
4202, and 11726;1 and which could not have been used by one
who was simply copying. Indeed, this alteration alone suggests
something more than mere writing to dictation, — it suggests that the
writer, who was evidently a West Midland man, adapted the work
to his own dialect, with an honest intention no doubt of simply
rendering it more readable for himself and friends : and the work
being in a different dialect quite accounts for the writer preferring to
have it dictated to him.

From these particulars it is evident that the existing MS. is not
the original, nor even an exact copy of the one from which it was
made, but a rendering of it by some one who was a native of the
West Midland district.2 A thorough analysis of the language and

1 Compare with 11. 1809, 1928, 2693, 2737, 3055, 4973, 5351, 6051, 11783.

2 At the end of the MS., and apparently in the same hand, is written
" Notehurst ; " and on one of the blank spaces already referred to occurs the
following in a later hand : — " John Chethaum sonne and heyre of Thomas
Chetham late of Notehurst Decessyd is the verey awner of thys Boke to be an
here-lome at Notehurst according to \>Q tenour and effec of my fathers will.
In witness wherof I haue written this saying wl my awne hand. lane lohana
Chetham." Certainly the 'saying' suggests more than ownership. Note
hurst is, no doubt, for Nuthurst : but there are two places of that name, one
near Horsham in Sussex, the other in Solihull, Warwickshire, which must be
the one referred to.

]vi THE DIALECT.

structure of the work will yield us important particulars regarding
the dialect in which it was written, its date, and perhaps author
ship : but meanwhile the following sketch and results may be
sufficient.

The plurals of nouns generally end in cs, is, or ys ; and some
times the same word occurs in all these forms, as, lordes (1411),
lordis (1082), lordys (263). Nouns of more than one syllable take
s only, as batels (91), girduls (1373), maters (1454); and even
when they have es or is the alliteration shews that the s only is
sounded (see the list of trades in p. 53, also 1. 1683) ; and a further
proof is given in 11. 1367, 1372, where florins is written florence.
Some nouns have different plurals, as doghter (1474), deghter (1489) ;
suffer (1495), waters (1726); brother (8368), brether (6810);
childer (1356), childur (1382), children (1418) ; But the en form of
plural occurs only in children, ene, and exin. As peculiar forms of
plural we note althing = all things (281), mony freik (1429), mony
lede (5981), mony tulke (5911), where mony = many a : this form of
plural is pretty common.

The genitive singular is sometimes in es, is, or s, as mannes saule
(4445), bysshoppis bone (7895), emperours awne £e?^(5143); but
more frequently there is no termination, as, fader dethe (1464),
wemen dissyre (2920) : indeed a marked feature of the language as
represented by this work is the tendency to drop all terminations.

The adjectives shew no inflexion for number or case : but we
note a few peculiar words, as, more in more-half e (13303), more-
ynde (8631) ; fer, ferre, used as pos., comp., and super, (11. 78, 95,
110, 216, 3950, 8272), and as an adj., an adv., and a sb. (see Gloss.) ;
Jierre = higher (1102), pronounced sometimes as a monosyllable, as
in herhond (7075, 7362); heghest (1640) is hext (13504); mo =
more, in olper mo = others, some others (819) ; miche occurs
occasionally, but meltell, mykyll is much more common, and is used
also as an adv. and a sb. ; ilke a = ilka, each (423, 3656) ; mydward
= the middle (7324), as in The Pricke of Conscience, 1. 435, and yet
my dell occurs in the same line; lyuys (3456, 13543); lagher =
lower (9152), feghur = fewer (7822). The participial forms and,
aund, ond are often used, as warchand (1238), plesaund (2885),

THE DIALECT. lyU

tliryuond (4103) ; and the same word sometimes appears in all these
forms. The ordinal numerals are first, secund, thrid, fourt (5446)
andfourthe,fyfte, sext, seuynt, eght and egldid, neynt, tent, fyftene,
sextene (see Rubrics of the Books and the orders of the latells in pp.
198 — 207, also the reckoning at the close of the work). Often we find
the ton = the one, and the tothir = the other; hut only in 1. 13828
have we selfe = same. Many of the adjectives are used adverbially ;
and the prefix un, the terminations ful and ly are often employed.

Adverbs fiv.m adjectives end in ly (never in liche), or take the
prefix on or o, very rarely a; and we note the forms hethyn (763),
thethyn (8790), sithen (66), setliyn (455), sydelyng (7320), hedlynges
(7485), hedstoupis (6638), furthe (2242), utwith (11753), vnneth
(10881), so-gat (5207), thus-gate (1758), tlius-gatis (4500), no-gatis
(612), une (7258), uppon-one (6677), ay (5205), syn = since (1106),
syne = afterwards (2551), be-lpan =- by that time (383), oghter =
any longer (1898), to-morne (11366), on-a-crye = crying, screaming
(11801).

The personal pronouns have only two case forms for each
number, — one for the JX"om., and one for the Dat. and Ace.,

thus : —

Singular. Plural.

Norn. Dat. & Ace. Nona. Dat. & Ace.

1. I, me. we, us.

2. fu, thou, fe, the. 30, $ou, $ou, yow.

3. he. tym. fai, the, horn, fairn.
ho, scho, sho, hir, hur. rarely thei.

hit, it, yt, hit.

The possessives are used like adjectives and have no inflexion for

case, thus : —

Singular. Plural.

mi, min, mine. our, oure.

J)i, jjin, fine. your, youre.

his, hys. fere, faire, hor.
hir, hur.

In 1. 3327 we find to me $ to myne; and in 11. 1171-2, to me $
to myne, to yow $ to yours. The demonstratives are ]>is or ]>!se, \at

Iviii THE DIALECT.

or at, with their plurals ]>es or \ese, \o, Tpos or Jrose ; sometimes wo
find \ies for \ese. The relatives are wo, iclto, qwo, Dat. and Ace.
qwom, ]>at, qwat, what ; wo-so, who-so, qwat-so : and the distributives,
aitlier, eu\er, other, tothir : while the substantive forms the ton, the
tothir, occur frequently. The terminations selfe, selaon, are added
to singular and plural personals indiscriminately, as liym-selfe (969),
hym-seluon (1236); horn-self e (983), hom-seluon (752), ^aim-self e
(1582); \i-seluyn (3508).

In the verbs we note a marked simplicity of inflexion, and great
variety of forms and spelling. For the Infinitive there is no ter
minal mark, but it is very frequently preceded by the preposition
for, as, for to say (1839), for to mele (1933), for to greue (2766).
In the Present tense there is no termination in the 1st person sing.
and plu., as, / thanlce (554), I put (557), we fors (1929), we loue
(1930) ; but frequently we find the 3rd per. sing, of the impersonal
verb with the 1st personal pronoun in the ace., as me mervells (5014),
me meroellis (1864), me semys (4229), vs qwemes (1928), vs gaynes
(11306), vs likes (11657); and such irregular or contracted forms as
me think (1932, 3156), vs liste (3631). This impersonal form of the
verb is found in all the persons of the Present.

The 2nd and 3rd persons sing, and plu. generally end in s, es, is,
ys, and se, as, thou bes (870), thou ges (2089), JJ.M mase (1402), thou
rises (11339), Jm tellis (11299), $ou sechis (11274), you bese (3487),
ye mase (1851); he loues (1932), he bes (3389), he karpes (829),
men turnys (2926), men puties (2927) : but sometimes there is no
termination in the 2nd and 3rd per. plu., as ye kepe (1845), ye haue
(1851), men rauisshe (2926), \>ai chaunye (2933) ; and sometimes in
the same sentence we find verbs with and without termination, as in
11. 2926-7. There are also a few examples of the plural in en, on,
yn, as $e menen (5027), 30 demyn (11255), men holdyn fy idkon
(2723-4).

In the past tense the singidar and the plural of weak verbs are
generally alike, and end in d, ed, id, yd, t, et, it, yt, as, spird (823),
wend = wened (6653), waited (9476), assentid (11371), ertyd (11335),
angurt (2615), comburt (11331), waivet (9476), deirit (9484), hurlyt
(9483) ; but the t termination is "by far the more frequent, — a result

THE DIALECT. Hx

certain to follow when the scribe wrote to dictation, and we find
many verbs with both forms, as passid (11820), past (11640);
oleyede (135), obeit (505); sailed (1070), sailet (2842). Strong
verbs commonly take en, on, yn, in the plural, but many of them
appear both with and without termination, and some have all the
varieties of it, and assume different forms, as tokyn (11431), toke
(11461) ; soufjhton (1376), soght (1623) ; fleddon (5995),/erf (5951) ;
foghten (10028), foghton (6741), foglityn (7785),foght (6859),faght
(5410); cacched (4520), cacliit (4674), cachyn (1077), caght (5900),
cagliton (11449); lachet (5729), lacchen (6192), lawgMen (6162);
fed (5951), fleddon (5995), flagh (6850), flowen (10077); mere
(11447), sweire (11381), sware (11834), sweryn (11837). As a
specimen of the peculiar preterites that occur in this work take the
following: tide (81), tyd (2864), tid (1202); geve (6822), gaf
(6800); come (11328), cam (7292); segh (7436), se (1317); soght
(1623), saght (7670) ; wait (5888), welt (4418) ; raght = seized
(3883), raght = wrought (1533); taght = taught (6117), light =
alighted (11802), 6ere = bore (11803), gird (7471), send (7539),
rfara^ (7740), roo/e = rived (1234), lep (8646), share (1233), wan
= got (6523), wan = won (315), rw* (6977), ra# = reft (7788),
smult (911), fcras* (865), spake (7479), Zwft (7476), /ra?z* (6984),
nolpit (7475), 6ond (7527), 7^ = heated (2054), hit = hied
(13492).

The present participles end in and, aund, ond, ound, ing, yng,
and very rarely in end, as, spekand, prayaund, lemond, blasound,
lokend, weping, wailyng ; and sometimes the same verb takes both
the nd and the ng termination, as, lemond (459), lemyng (599). The
past participles of weak verbs end in d, ed, id, or t, et, it, yt, but the
t forms are the most frequent, as kild (9752), kept (164), enarmed
(87), callid (157), namet (104), arayit (231), anoisyt (220) ; and
many verbs have both the d and the t termination, as cold (152),
calt (5204) ; kild (9752), kilt (1343) ; and there is a strong tendency
to contraction (which, by the way, is not confined to the participial
terminations, but is common to all), as callid (157), cald (152);
keppit (161), kept (164). Of strong verbs the termination is n or
en, varying into ne, on, yn, as gon (11714), fane (1010), taken (464),

Ix THE DIALECT.

takon (11828), talcyn (7427) ; and many verbs of this class have no
termination in the past part., as set (279), put (305), light = lighted
(11792), fest (11795).

But the most important forms are those of the Imperative, which
in the sing, and plu. generally end in s, or es varying into is and ys,
as bes (649), suffers (2641), houes (4605), notes (2630), voidis (527),
liedys (2623) ; but often there is no termination at all, as leve =
believe (239), deme (528) ; and sometimes the same verb takes both
forms, as bes (6265), be (6270); wete (1893), metis (2786); let
(2239),v?e#i's (2237): indeed, in almost every speech we find the
Imperative both with and without termination, and in 11. 2630 — 66
all the varieties of form are found. In this section of the verb too
there is the same tendency to contraction and to drop the termina
tions, which we have before noted in the other sections, and which
is apparent in all the inflected parts of speech, and especially in
words that are frequently used.

Of the anomalous verbs may be noted the forms bes (occurring
in speech and dialogue, elsewhere the usual forms of to be are
generally employed), gar, ger, with prets. gart, gert ; ha, han, has,
hose; ma, mas, mase; ta, tas, tase, tan, tone; mun, mon, mut ;
bus, bud; ges = gives; gaid = went ; aght = owed; aght =
possessed, owned ; thar, thurt = need be.

Eegarding the prepositions the following peculiarities may be
noted : the almost constant use of for with the Infinitive, as for to
telle, for to here; and with the verbal sb., as for lernyng of vs,for
likyng to here, where it has the force of for the purpose of, to befit
for : for is also used in the sense of in spite of, as for all }o lapes
(890), for wepyn or other (6439), and in this sense it is still used :
till = to (131, 11249, 11786), of = through, by (6410), \urgli =
through, \>urght = throughout, again and again through, at = to,
at, by (6096), out by (9300) : and often the preposition is omitted
after the object of a verb, as in 1. 6838, refe hym hisfos.

From the foregoing analysis we find that the elements of this
work are Northern and West Midland ; but their combination is not
so regular and constant as to permit the idea that we have here an
example of a mixed dialect, but rather a mixture of dialects. In

THE DIALECT. Ixi

those portions of the work that are in the copying style, and in the
portions that are written more carefully, there are fewer West Mid
land peculiarities, and more decided marks of Northern origin ; and
in those passages that seem to have been written to dictation, it is
in Northern words and forms that we find the most evident mistakes,
and the most peculiar spelling.

It is in such passages only that he has spoiled the alliteration by
the use of wh, as has been already stated ; and in every case it is
set right by using qw or qwli. Besides, many words and phrases
occur throughout the work, that are peculiarly Northern ; and there
are references to various subjects that only a native of the North
would make, and one who was intimately acquainted with the
Northern metropolis ; and very many of our author's favourite forms
and phrases are still common in the Lowlands of Scotland. Hence,
we conclude that the work was originally in the Northumbrian
dialect, and that its present West Midland peculiarities were got in
transcription.

Another line of proof leads us to the same result : the work is
undoubtedly by the same hand as the Morte Arthur, which certainly
is of Northern origin. When making the transcript of the MS. for
our society, I recognized many of the peculiar words and phrases
that I had noted in the Morte Arthur only a few months before ;
and, when preparing the work for the press, the points of resemblance
were so many and so striking, that I resolved to make a careful com
parison of the two works. In this I was much encouraged by the
opinion of the Rev. W. W. Skeat, who detected the resemblance in
some of the first sheets that were sent to him, and pointed out some
interesting particulars connected with the alliteration that greatly
assisted me in working out the proofs of the identity of authorship.1
As these are given very fully in the notes at the end of the work,
they need not be stated here : suffice it to say that the result of the
comparison of the two works not only established the point that
they were written by the same author, but that the present work
must have been the earlier of the two. The diction, the alliteration,

1 Mr Skeat was the first who observed a whole line common to both
poems.

Ixii THE AUTHORSHIP.

modes of thought and expression, pictures of tattle and of the
seasons, all contributed proofs to that effect ; and not the least in
teresting particular of the comparison is the marked superiority and
finish of the pictures of the Morte Arthur over the similar ones in
the Destruction of Troy.

Who then \vas the author ? Neither of the works gives us the
slightest hint ; but we should have known at least his name if the
MS. of the present work had fulfilled the promise of its Index, or
rather, if the MS. from which the existing one was taken had not
been defective near the end : and strange that it was defective just
at the place where the story ends " with the nome of the knight
that causet it to be made, and the nome of hym that translatid it out
of latyn in to englysshe." Every reader of our old literature has
mourned over the meagreness or nothingness of particulars regarding
the old poets : in many instances, as here, not even the name has
come down to us. Yet in how many cases besides this one, may
that not have turned upon the loss of a leaf, — even a portion of a
leaf of a MS. ? And yet the one who wrote the Morte Arthur must
have been a poet well known among his fellows ; and the one who
translated the story of the Fall of Troy from Latin into English
must have been famous as a scholar and a poet ; but the one who
did both, and could picture life in court and camp, in peace and war,
in the streets of the capital, and on board ship in a storm at sea, as he
has done, must have been at once a poet, a scholar, and a nobleman
famous all over the island : yet even his name has been almost lost.
We say almost : for, fortunately, he wrote some other works which
have been preserved to us, and regarding which we have a passing
record by a brother poet who must have been contemporary with him.
In ' The Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland,' Bk v. ch. xii, Wyntown
mentions a poet — Huchowne of the Awle Eyale, who wrote ' The
Awntyr of Gawane,' and ' The Pystyll of Swete Susane,' and who
was " curyws in hys style " and " cunnand in literature." Now, in
' Golagros & Gawane,' and ' Susanna & the Elders,' we no doubt
have the poems referred to, and these, with 'The Awntyrs of
Arthure ' (which ought to be rather ' The Awntyrs of Gawane ') are
a set of poems of the same age, by the same hand, and from internal

THE AUTHORSHIP. Ixiii

evidence originally in the same dialect, although the ' Pystyll,' like
our ' Destruction of Troy,' has been rendered by a "West Midland
scribe. Wyntown tells us also that the same author " made the gret
Gest off Arthure," and gives some particulars regarding the work
which enable us to identify it in the ' Morte Arthure,' as has been
conclusively done by Sir Frederic Madden in his volume ' Sir
Gawane.' And not only is the 'Morte Arthure' by the same
author, as internal evidence clearly shews ; but the particular upon
which Wyntown dwells in asserting the " suthfastnes " of the author,
forms a strong proof that this ' Destruction of Troy ' came frcfm the
same hand. In his plea for his brother poet, Wyntown justifies him
for calling a great military leader an emperour ; for,

" Ane empyroure in propyrte
A comawndoure suld callyd be,"

and emperour is the title by which our author calls Agamemnon as
leader of the Greeks ; and when Palamedes was chosen to succeed
him in command, the Greeks " ordant hym Emperour by oppyn
assent." And this is but one of the many proofs which might be
adduced to the same effect, and which the reader will find in our
Notes at the end of the work. In both poems we find the same
peculiar words and phrases, the same peculiarities of thought, the
same favourite subjects, and the same methods of viewing and
representing them : even the differences of thought and expression
are such as could be presented only by the same mind in different
moods. But beyond the name we know almost nothing of our
author. His works shew him to have been all that Wyntown
claimed for him as a scholar and a poet : his pictures of the seasons
and of scenery testify that he had travelled much and observed
keenly : and his representations of life and manners, especially in
the court and the camp, together with his intimate knowledge of
localities and familiar use of peculiar local names, suggest that he
was probably a nobleman connected with the Scottish court in the
latter half of the 14th century.

The work is now brought to a close with deep feelings of grati
tude and regret : — regret for the many imperfections that mar it, for
the many hindrances and delays that have befallen it, and chiefly

Ixiv

THE AUTHORSHIP.

that my fellow labourer, the Kev. G. A. Panton, did not live to see
it completed : and gratitude for the friendships it has been the
means of forming, and for the kindnesses those friends have shewn.
I thank them heartily, one and all ; particularly Mr Furnivall, and
especially the Eev. "W. "W. Skeat, who, in the kindest manner,
rendered me much valuable assistance and advice.

D. D.

July 1Mb, 1873.

ERRATA.

As many of the following corrections consist of the addition of final -e, it
may be well to state that, where the contracted form of that letter appears
distinctly in the MS., the letter is given in the Text or Errata ; and wherever
it is doubtful, which it frequently is, the letter has been omitted. Occasion
ally the liberty has been taken to alter a small letter to a capital at the begin
ning of a line, and in a proper name.

p. 1,1. 4, for end read ende
p. 1, 1. 11, for mind read mynde
p. 2, 1. 28, for stryf e read stryffe
p. 2, 1. 34, for fablis read ffablis
p. 2, 1. 42, for traiet read twmet
p. 2, 1. 48, for Ouyd read Ouyde
p. 2, 1. 49, for Virgill read Virgille
p. 2, 1. 55, for weghes read weghes
p. 3, 1. 57, for assemely read assembly
p. 3, 1. 62, for loged read logede
p. 3, 1. 63, for tothyr read tother
p. 3, 1. 66, for cite read Site
p. 3, 1. 69, for ouerraght read oner-

raght

p. 3, 1. 7 6, for grace read grace
p. 3, 1. 79, for dedes read dedis
p. 3, 1. 80, for groundes read groundes
p. 3, 1. 83, for kynges . . . costes read

kynges . . . costes
p.- 3, 1. 84, for Dukes read Dukes
p. 3, 1. 87, for kynges enarmed read

kynges enarmede

p. 3, 1. 89, for shalkes read shaikhs
p. 4, 1. 92, for dyntes read dyntes
p. 4, 1. 93, for af tur read after
p. 4, 1. 94, for shall read shalt
p. 4, 1. 96, for fjer with read }>erwith
p. 4, 1. 98, for mater read mater
p. 5, title, for exit . . . Golde read

Exit . . . golde
TROY

p. 5, 1. 100, for aperte read aperte
p. 6, 1. 102, for maner . . . called read

maner . . . callid
p. 5, 1. 104, for is read [is]
p. 5, side-note 2, for ytaile read Jjtaile
p. 5, 1. 112, for lost read loste
p. 5, 1. 114, for broker read broker
p. 5, last side-note, delete
p. 5, 1. 122, for drowpyaite read drowp-

ynge
p. 5, 1. 123, for Ovid . . . Eydos read

Ovide . . . Eroydos
p. 6, 1. 126, for said read saide
p. 6, 1. 132, for Well read Wele
p. 6, 1. 140, /w take read toke
p. 6, 1. 141, for wold read wolde
p. 6, 1. 142, for pricket read pricket
p. 6, 1. 147, for bethoght read be
thought

p. 6, 1. 148,/br ware read war
p. 6, 1. 156, 'for flamand read flamanda
p. 7, 1. 163, for enchauntemewtes . . .
god read enchauntemewtes . . . gode
p, 7, 1. 168, for fuastyng read fnastyng
p. 7, 1. 170, for nelue read nelne
p. 7, 1. 174, for wold read wolde
p. 7, 1. 189, for King read king
p. 7, 1. 190, for gobbottes ... hid

read gobbettes . . . hide
p. 8, 1. 195, for printed read printede

Ixvi

ERRATA.

1. 197, for jorney read jowrney
8 1. 198, for semyd . . . him read
semyde . . . hym

1. 202, for bond read honde
1. 208, for thoght read thought
1. 211, for said read saide
1. 2 16, for go read goo
1. 221, for you read J>ou

8
8

13*, 1. 342, for swonghe read
swoughe

13*, 1. 357, for jynerus read jyuerus
19, 1. 543, for jenernesread jeuernes
23, 1. 657. for said read saide
28, 1. 801, for sacrifice read Sacrifice
42, 1. 1242, for yyneris read yyueris

49, 1. 1495, for feire read f erre

50, 1. 1503, for color read colowr
50, 1. 1506, for in read on

61, 1. 1522, for thriccing read
thricching
52, 1. 1563, for beste read bestes

56, 1. 1680, for of god read of [a]
god

57, 1. 1720, for gremy read gremjj
57, 1. 1 726, for sik read sib

61, 1. 1837, for umbly read tumbly

61, 1. 1863, for Be sir read Ben sher

62, 1. 1893,/or to read of

62, 1. 1894, for lofe read lose

63, 1. 1919, for onryng read orryng
65, 1. 1977, for fere read ferd

65, 1. 1978, for Left . . . fle read
Lest . . . sle, and delete comma after
hade

67, 1. 2041, for message . . . o read
messager ... &

68, 1. 2052,/0rharmesmwZharmys

69, 1. 2076, for too read to

69, 1. 2098, for seterioll read sete
rioll

70, 1. 2126, for winters read winteris

71, 1. 2144,/w sith read sithe
113, 1. 3491, for gremy read grem}>
123, 1. 3793,/or wordye read wordys

127, 1. 3917,/0r jenerus read jeuerus

128, 1. 3956, forf&Surereadi assure
154, 1. 4754, for gremy read grem}>
156, 1. 4795, for boue read bone
166, 1. 6106, for deme to read deme
[me] to

186, 1. 5732, for shout read shont
196, 1. 6063, for felous read felons
199, 1. 6127, for vnwyly read vn-
wysly

p. 199, 1. 6133, for leue read lene
p. 230, 1. 7127, for ffounet read ffonnet
p. 234, 1. 7273, for dernly read deruly
p. 259, 1. 7983, delete comma after

haue
p. 274, 1. 8444, for vnfittyng read vn-

sittyng

p. 275, 1. 477, for feld read fild
p. 278, 1. 8542, for feld read felde
p. 279, 1. 8579,/tfr clomowr read clam?/r
p. 279, 1. 8601, for sword read sworde
p. 285, 1. 8767, for bold read bolde
p. 287, Rubric, for Dethe read Deathe
p. 287, 1. 8840, for Patroculw* . . . alse

read Patroculura . . . als
p. 287, 1. 8842, for Xancipun read

XancipuM

p. 288, 1. 8857, for ferr read ferre
p. 289, 1. 8889, for hold read holde
p. 289, 1. 8910, for werre read werre
p. 290, 1. 8921,/<?r comyns read Comyns
p. 292, 1. 8971, for ferr read ferre
p. 294, 1. 9040, for well read welle
p. 294, 1. 9048, for gird read girde
p. 296, 1. 9100,/0r wend read wende
p. 297, 1. 9133, for jerue read yer'm
p. 301, 1. 9263, for wold read wolde
p. 306,1. 9400,/<w twrnyd read twrnyde
p. 315, 1. 9652, for raiked read raikede
p. 320, 1. 9826, for ded read dede
p. 321, 1. 9842, for birr read him?
p. 322, 1. 9869, for entrid read entride
p. 322, 1. 9875,/0r ground read grounde
p. 323, 1. 9903, for vmbraid read vm-

braide

p. 336, 1. 10291, for laited read laitede
p. 337, 1. 10320, for end read ende
p. 344, 1. 10546, for seuyan read seyuon
p. 349, 1. 10705, for Betweene read

Betwene

p. 349, 1. 10713, for damp read dump
p. 355, 1. 10902, for hed read hede
p. 359, 1. 11015, for wordes read wordes
p. 373, 1. 11462, for groawnd read

gronond
p. 379, 1. 11633, for Amphimacow*

read Amphymac?w
p. 389, 1. 11942, for polisshit read

polishit
p. 392, 1. 12038, for company read

cumpany

p. 403, 1. 12356, for burgh read burghe
p. 405, 1. 12424, for mertrid read

martrid

ERRATA.

Ixvii

p. 408, 1. 12517, for leymond read ley-

monde
p. 412, 1. 12639, for sklandwr read

sklaunder

p. 415, 1. 12728, for Oute read Out
p. 417, 1. 12794, for lond read londe
p. 419, 1. 12857, for enerdand read

enerdande

p. 421, 1. 12906, for be-fell read befelle
p. 427, 1. 13070,/0r exiled read exilede
p. 432, 1. 13201, for kyd read kyde
p. 433, 1. 13263, for spird read spirde
p. 437, 1. 13371,/wr lord read lorde
p. 438, 1. 13399, for Ournond read

Ournonde
p. 450, 1. 13794, for glyssonond read

glyssononde

p. 452, 1. 13803, for naked ... bed

read nakede . . . bede
p. 455, 1. 13904, for hold read holde
p. 455, 1. 13913, for bond read honde
p. 456, 1. 13930, for birr read birre
p. 462, 1. 6, for Tbey stuk read They

steek

p. 467, 1. 10, for Eydos read Ewydos
p. 490, note to 11. 1977-8, delete comma

after tene
p. 491, note to 1. 1996, for damp into

helle read dump into helle
p. 498, note to 1. 3703, for still used

for read still applied to
p. 498, note to 1. 3746, delete See note

1. 6523.

Ixix

PE DESTRUCTION OF TROY.

[INDEX OF BOOKS AND SUBJECTS.]

[In the MS., as has been stated in pp. liii — ir, Books XXXII — VI are dis
arranged, and the Index follows the disorder : in the Text they are properly
arranged, and the Index is altered accordingly.]

. PAGH

The Prologe of this Boke ... ... ... ... ... ^^[1]

The first boke : how Kyng Pellews exit lason to get the

goldyn flese ... ... ... ... ... ... [5]

The ijd boke : how the grekes toke lond vpon troy. Cawse of

the first debate " [12*]

The iijd boke : how Medea enformyt lason to get the flese of

gold [24]

The iiijth boke : of the distruccon of the first Troy by Ercules

& lason ' [35]

The vtu boke : of the foundyng of new Troy, & of the qwerell

of Kyng Pn'am for liio fader deth ... ... ... [51]

The sext boke : how Kyng Priam toke counsell to wer on the

grekes ... ... ... .... ... ... • ... [68]

the vijth boke : how Paris went into grese for Elan ... ... [90]

The viijth boke : of the counsell of the grekes for recoueryng

of Elan [115]

The ixth boke : of the nowmber of shippes, & the Nauy of the

grekes [131]

The xth boke : how the grekes sent vnto delphon to haue

onswar of a god of J?ere lornay ... ... ... ...[135]

The xjth boke : how the grekes saylet fro Atthens to Troy ... [148]

The xij*11 boke : how the grekis sent two kynges in message

to Kyng Pn'am for restitucon of fere harme ... ... [156]

The xiijth boke : how the grekes sent Achilles and Thelsefon

for vitaill for the oste into Messan ... ... ...[168]

The xiiijth boke : how the grekes sailet fro tenedon to be-sege
of the Cite of troy, & of the counsell of Dyained to stir
the Cite, & the deth of Prothesselon by Ector slayn, & of
the strong fight at the Ariuall ... ... ... ...[181]

The xvth boke : of the ordinawnce of the troiens to the secund
batell, & of the deth of Patraclus by Ector slayn, & other
thingesvtp3 [197]

.•

1XX CONTENTS.

[PAGI ]

The xvjth boke : of a trew takyn two monythes, & of the iijd

batell [230]

The xvijth boke : of the counsell of the grekes for the deth of

Ector, & the iiijth bateU [238]

The xviijth boke : of the fyuet bateU in the feld [245]

The xixth boke : of the sext batell [254]

The xxth boke : of the vijth batell & skyrmychis lastyng xxx

dayes betwene the towne & the tenttes ... ... ... [2 G 6]

The xxjth boke : of the viij batell, and of the drem of Ector

wyf [274]

The xxij boke : of the EUeuynt bateU of the Cite [292]

The xxiij boke : of the xij and the xiiju batell ... ... [306]

The xxiiij boke : of the xiiij and the XVth batell of the Cite ... [314]

The xxv boke : of the sextene, seyuentene, the eghtene, and

the xix batell [322]

The xxvj boke : of the xx batell of the Cite [331]

The xxvij boke : of the xxj batell of the Cite of Troy ... [352]

The xxviij boke : off the councell of Eneas & Antenor of treson

of the Cite [364]

The xxix boke : off the takyng of the toune & the deth of Kyng

Priam * ... [386]

The xxx boke : of the stryfe of Thelamon & Vlyxes, & of the

deth of Thelamon, with the exile of Eneas & Antenor ... [397]

The xxxj boke : of the passage of the grekes fro Troy ... [407]

The xxxij boke : of the lesyng that was made to Kyng Nawle,
& of the dethe of his son Palamydon : the dethe of Aga-
mynon, & the exile of Dyamede by \>ere wifes ... ... [410]

The xxxiij boke : how Orest toke venionse for his fader dethe [423]
The xxxiiij boke : how hit happit Vlixes aftur the sege ... [429]

The xxxv boke : of Pirrus, & his passyng ffro Troy, & of his

cronyng, & of his deth ... ... ... ... ... [438]

The xxxvj boke, & the last : of the dethe of Vlixes by his son.
Whiche endis in the story w* the nome of the knight ]>*
caviset it to be made, & the nome of hym that trans-
latid it out of latyn in-to englysshe. And how long the
sege last, with the nowmber of grekes & troiens that were
slayn : & what kynges Ector slogh : whom Paris slogh :
whom Achilles slogh : whom Eneas slogh : whom Pirrus
slogh: and Laudes deo ... ... ... ... ... [452]

ura 4

front

Cototm

DUBLIN: WILLIAM M'GEE, 18, NASSAU STREET.

EDINBURGH : T. G. STEVENSON, 22, SOUTH FREDERICK STREET.

GLASGOW: OGLE & CO., 1, ROYAL EXCHANGE SQUARE.

BERLIN : ASHER & CO., UNTER DEN LINDEN, 20.

NEW YORK : C. SCRIBNER & CO. ; LEYPOLDT & HOLT.
PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

BOSTON, U.S.: DUTTON & CO.

of

AN ALLITERATIVE ROMANCE

TRANSLATED FROM

GUIDO DE COLONNA'S

NOW FIRST EDITED

FROM THE UNIQUE MS. IN THE HUNTERIAN MUSEUM,
UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW,

BY

THE REV. GEO. A. PANTON

AJfD

DAVID DONALDSON.

LONDON:

PUBLISHED FOR THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY
BY N. TRUBNER & CO., 60, PATERNOSTER ROW.

MDCCCI,XIX.

39

JOHN CHH.DS AND SON, PRINTERS.

[CONTENTS.]

[PAGE]

The Prologe of this Boke [1]

The first boke : how Kyng Pellews exit lason to get the

goldyn flese ... ... ... ... ... ... [5]

The ijd boke : how the grekes toke lond vpon troy. Cawse of

the first debate ... [12*]

The iijd boke : how Medea enformyt lason to get the flese of

gold [24]

The iiijth boke : of the distruccon of the first Troy by Ercules

& lason ' [35]

The vth boke : of the foundyng of new Troy, & of the qwerell

of Kyng Pn'am for his fader deth ... ... ... [51]

The sext boke : how Kyng Pn'am toke counsell to wer on the

grekes [68]

the vijth boke : how Paris went into grese for Elan ... ... [90]

The viijth boke : of the counsell of the grekes for recoueyyng

of Elan [115]

The ixth boke : of the nowmber of shippes, & the Nauy of the

grekes [131]

The xth boke : how the grekes sent vnto delphon to haue

onswar of a god of ]pere lornay ... ... ... ... [1 35]

The xjth boke : how the grekes saylet fro Atthens to Troy ... [148]

The xij*11 boke : how the grekis sent two kynges in message

to Kyng Pn'am for restitucon of fere harme ... ... [156]

The xiijth boke : how the grekes sent Achilles and Thelaefon

for vitaill for the oste into Messan ... ... ... [168]

The xiiijth boke : how the grekes sailet fro tenedon to be-sege
of the Cite of troy, & of the counsell of Dyamed to stir
the Cite, & the deth of Prothesselon by Ector slayn, & of
the strong fight at the Ariuall ... ... ... ...[181]

The xvth boke : of the ordinance of the troiens to the secuwd
batell, & of the deth of Patraclus by Ector slayn, & other
things vt pj [197]

vj CONTENTS.

[PAGI ]

The xvjth boke : of a trew takyn two monythes, & of the iijd

batell ... ... [230]

The xvijth boke : of the counsell of the grekes for the deth of

Ector, & the iiijth batell ... ... [238]

The xviij01 boke : of the fyuet batell in the feld [245]

The xixth boke : of the sext batell [254]

The xxth boke : of the vijth batell & skyrmychis lastyng xxx

dayes betwene the towne & the tenttes [266]

The xxjth boke : of the viij batell, and of the drem of Ector

wyf ... [274]

The xxij boke : of the EUeuynt bateU of the Cite [292]

The xxiij boke : of the xij and the xiij' ' batell [306]

The xxiiij boke : of the xiiij and the xvth batell of the Cite ... [314]

The xxv boke : of the sextene, seyuentene, the eghtene, and

the xix batell [322]

The xxvj boke : of the xx bateU of the Cite [331]

The xxvij boke : of the xxj bateU of the Cite of Troy . . . [352]

The xxviij boke : off the councell of Eneas & Antenor of treson

of the Cite [364]

The xxix boke : off the takyng of the toune & the deth of Kyng

Priam ...[386]

The xxx boke : of the stryfe of Thelamon & Vlyxes, & of the

deth of Thelamon, with the exile of Eneas & Antenor . . . [397]

The xxxj boke : of the passage of the grekes fro Troy . . . [407]

The xxxij boke : of the lesyng that was made to Kyng Nawle,
& of the dethe of his son Palamydon : the dethe of Aga-
mynon, & the exile of Dyamede by Jjere wifes ... ... [410]

The xxxiij boke : how Orest toke venionse for his fader dethe [423]
The xxxiiij boke : how hit happit Ylixes aftw the sege . . . [429]

The xxxv boke : of Pirrus, & his passyng ffro Troy, & of his

cronyng, & of his deth ... ... ... ... ... [438]

The xxxvj boke, & the last : of the dethe of Vlixes by his son.
Whiche endis in the story w* the nome of the knight ty
causet it to be made, & the nome of hym that trans-
latid it out of latyn in-to englysshe. And how long the
sege last, with the nowmber of grekes & troiens that were
slayn : & what kynges Ector slogh : whom Paris slogh :
whom Achilles slogh : whom Eneas slogh : whom Pirrus
slogh: and Laudes deo ... ... ... ... ... [452]

fnrI0pe,

12

16

20

Maistur in mageste", maker of Alle,

Endles and on, euer to last !

JSTow, god, of Jri grace graunt me J>i helpe,

And wysshe me with wyt ])is werke for to end !

Off aunters ben olde of aunsetris nobill,

And slydyn vppon shlepe by slomeryng of Age :

Of stithe men in stoure strongest in armes,

And wisest in wer to wale in hor tyme,

}3at ben drepit wiiJi deth & ]>ere day paste,

And most out of mynd for ]>ere mecull age,

Sotbe stories ben stoken vp, & straught out of

mind,

And swolowet into swym by swiftenes of yeres,
Ffor new Jjat ben now, next at our hond,
Breuyt into bokes for boldyng of hertes ;
On lusti to loke wiih lightnes of wille,
Cheuyt throughe chaunce & cbaungyng of

peopull ;

Sum tru for to traist, triet in J?e ende,
Sum feynit o fere & ay false vnder.
Ycbe wegh as he will warys his tyme,
And has lykyng to lerne fat hym list after.
But olde stories of stithe J>at astate helde,
May be solas to sum J>at it segh neuer,

(fol.2a.)
Invocation.

Of the noble deeds
of our ancestors,

and of the stout
and wise in war,

true stories have
been all but
forgotten; while

of those of move
modern times,
recorded in books
"for boldyng of
hertea.

some are true and
some are false.

Each desires to
learn what he
likes best.

But old stories of
renowned deeds

PROLOGUE.

recorded by men
who witnessed
them may delight
some who never
saw them.

The Poet declares
his subject and
the authors from
whom he lias
drawn his
information.

(fol. 2 6.)

Homer, who is
not to be trusted,
tells how the

gods fought like
men, and

other such trifles.

Ouido de Colonna
is the author of
the following
story,

Be wn'tyng of wees Jjat wist it in dede,
24 With sight for to serche, of hom Jjat suet after,
To ken all the crafte how Jje case felle,
By lokyng of letturs J>at lefte were of olde.

JM ow of Troy forto telle is myn entent euyn,

28 Of the stoure & Jje stryfe when it distroyet was.
J)of fele yeres ben faren syn Jje fight endid,
And it meuyt out of mynd, myn hit I thinke
Alss wise men haue writen the wordes before,

32 Left it in latyn for lernyng of vs.

But sum poyetis full prist Jjat put hom Jjerto,
With fablis and falshed fayned Jje/-e speche,
And made more of Jjat mater J>an hom maister
were :

36 Sum lokyt oner litle and lympit of the sothe.
Amonges Jjat menye, — to myn hym be nome, —
Homer was holden haithill of dedis.
Qwiles his dayes enduret, derrist of other

40 Jjat with the Grekys was gret & of grice comyn.
He feynet myche fals was neuer before wroght,
And traiet Jje truth, trust ye non other.
Of his trifuls to telle I haue no tome nowe,

44 .Ne of his feynit fare Jjat he fore with :

How goddes foght in the filde, folke as Jjai were,
And other errours vnable Jj#t after were knowen,
That poyetis of pnse have' preuyt vntrew :

48 Ouyd and othir Jjat onest were ay,
Virgill }>e virtuus, verrit for nobill,
Thes dampnet his dedys & for dull holdyn.
But Jje truth for to telle & J>e text euyn

52 Of Jjat fight how it felle in a few yeres,
))at was clanly compilet with a clerk wise,
On Gydo, a gome, Jjat graidly hade soght,
And wist all J>e werks by wegh.es he hade,

5G That bothe were in batell while the batell last,

PROLOGUE.

And euf er sawte & assemely see with fere een.
Thai wrote all fe werkes wroght at fat tyrue,
In letturs of fere langage, as f ai lernede hade :

60 Dares and Dytes were duly fere namys.
Dites full dere was dew to the Grekys,
A lede of fat lond & loged horn with :
The tothyr was a Tulke out of Troy selfe,

64 Dares, fat duly the dedys be-helde.

Aither breuyt in a boke on fere best wise,
That sithen at a cite somyn were founden
After at Atthenes as aunter befell ;

68 The whiche bokes barely bothe as f ai were,

A Romayn ouerraght & right horn hym-seluyn,
That Corneli?/s was cald to his kynde name.
He translated it into latyn for likyng to here,

72 But he shope it so short fat no shalke might
Haue knowlage by course how f e case felle ;
ffor he brought it so breff, and so bare leuyt,
Jjat no lede might have likyng to loke f erappon,

7G Till fis Gydo it gate, as hym grace felle,
And declaret it more clere & on clene wise.
In this shall faithfully be founden to the fer

ende,
All f e dedes by dene as f ai done were ;

80 How f e groundes first grew, & f e grete hate,
Bothe of torfer and tene fat horn tide aftur.
And here fynde shall ye faire of f e felle peopull,
What kynges fere come of costes aboute :

84 Of Dukes full doughty, and of derffe Erles,
That assemblid to f e citie fat sawte to defend :
Of fe grekys fat were gedret how gret was fe

nowmber,
How rnonyknightes fere come & kynges enarmed,

88 And what Dukes thedur droghe for dedis of
were :

What Shippes fere were shene, & shalkes with in,
1

which is compiled
from the works of

Dares and Dictys
the historians.

(fol. S a.)

Dares, who « as
present at the
deeds which he
recorded, wrote
his history of the
Trojan war in
Greek.

Cornelius Nepos
translated it into
Latin, but so
briefly that the
work had to be
amended by
Guido.

In tins history
there is a faithful
account of the
deeds as they
were done ;

of the origin and
progress of the
war; of the Kings,
Dukes, and Earls
who fought ou
either side ;

4 PROLOGUE.

of the ships and Bothe of barges & buernes jjat broght were fro

barges that were

brought from greSG '.

battles that were And all the batels on bent J>e buernes betwene.

thosVwho foil in 92 What Duke fat was dede throughe dyntes of

battle; of the i i

truces and hond>

(foi. 3 6.) Who ffallen was in ffylde, & how it fore aftur :

treasons that took ^ , „

place; in short, Eothe oi truse & trayne pe truthe shall ]?u here,

fromefirstVte"ia8t. -^n(i all the ferlies fat fell vnto the ferre ende.

96 ifro this prologe I passe & part me fer with,
ffrayne will I fer and fraist of J?ere werkes,
Meue to my mate?' and make here an ende.

PELIAS AND JASON.

fcrggmtes tjje ftot Bofte. f&ofo ifcgng
exit Eason to get j?e ito of ffioltie.

In Tessaile hit tyde as thus in tyme olde, The scene of the

100 A prouynce appropret aperte to Rome, [SStLto- i9

An yle enabit nobli and wele vince of Tlies8a'y-

With a maner of men, mermydons called :

There Avas a kyng in fat coste fat f e kithe ought,
104 A noble man for fe nonest is namet Pelleus.

That worthy hade a wyfe walit hym-seluon,

The truthe for to telle, Tetyda she heght :

)5es gret in fere gamyn gate horn betwene,
108 Achilles by chaunce chiualrous in armes.

(More of thies Myrmydons mell I not now,

Enabit in (fat aile,) [ne] Etill will I ferre, (MS. has

"lltaile."'

How Mawros were men made on a day story of the

112 At J?e prayer of a p?-{nse fat peopull hade lost.)

This Pelleus pert, prudest in armys,

Hade a brofer of birthe born or hym-seluyn, reiias, King or

That heire was & Eldist, and Eson he hight. h'ubrother.
116 Till it fell hym by fortune, faintyng of elde, ;foi.4o.)

Unstithe for to stire, or stightill the Realme,

And all were, & weike, wan tide his sight, (aii = auid, ow.)

Of Septur and soile he sesit his brothir,
120 And hym crownede as kyng in fat kithe riche.

Eson afterwarde erdand on lyffe,

Endured his dayes drowpyaite in age,

As Ovid openly in Eydos tellus,
124 How Medea the maiden made hym all new,

0 JASON AND THE GOLDEN FLEECE.

Book i. By crafte b«t sue kouth of hir coint artys.

ESOLI, bat elde man )>at I er said,
Hade a son of hym-selfe semly to wale,
Jason, son of 128 And Jason, bat gentill aioynet was to name :

Aeson, seeks his

father'* throne. A faire man of feturs, & fellist in armys,

As meke as a Mayden, & niery of his wordis.
This Jason for his gentris was ioyfull till all,

132 Well louit \rith be lordes & the londe hole;
All worshipped bat worthy inwones aboute,
No les ban J>e lege bat hom lede shuld :
And he as bainly obeyede to the buernc liis Erne,

136 As bof his syre hade the soile & septure to yeme.
Pelleus persayuit the people anone,
That the londe so hym louede, lorde as he were,
And ay drede hym on dayes for doute bat might
falle,

1 40 Lest he put hym from pn'uelage & his place take,
Of Tessaile, as truthe wold, to be trew kyng.
Thus Pelleus with payne was pricket in hert,
flull egurly wz't/i enuy, & euer hym bethoght,

144 With a course of vnkyndnes he caste in his

thoghte,

The freike vpon faire wise ferke out of lyue,
Peiias devises the And he iio daunger nor deire for bat dede haue.

plan of sending

Jason in search He bethoght hym full thicke in his throo hert,

of the golden

fleece. 148 And in his wit was he ware of a wyle sone,

Of a fame bat fer in fele kynges londes,
(foi. 4 6.) And borne was a brode for a bare aunter.

where and how Qut in the Orient Orible to here,

the golden fleece

vaskcpt. 152 In a cuntre was cald Colchos by name,

(MS. has"oO Was (an) aunter iu a nyle bat I nem shall,

Beyonde the terage of Troy as be trety sayse,
Therewasawonderfullwethur weghes to be-holde,
156 With a flese bat was fyne, flamond of gold ;
And be Kyng of bat coste callid was by name
Chethes, for sothe, as souerayne & lord :

HOW THE FLEECE WAS GUARDED.

He was mighty on molde & mekull goode liade, Book i.

160 His pr«le well ouerput, past into elde. JEetes, king of

Colchis.

This whethur and )>e wole were wonderly keppit
By the crafte & the cure & conyng of Mars,
That with charmes & enchauntemefttes was chefe

god.
164 Thus coyntly it kept was all w/t/i clene art, The wether

guarded by two
By tOO Oxen Oribull On for to loke, oxen and a fiery

And a derfe dragon drede to be-holde.

These balfull bestes \vere, as J?e boke tellus,
168 ffull flaumond of fyre with fuastyng of logh,

That girde thurgh ther gorge with a grete hete

A nelue brode all Aboute, fat no buerne might

ffor the birre it abide, but he brente were.
172 And wo this wethur shuld wyn bude wirke as whoever would

win the fleece

I Say, must seize the

, . , oxen, enter tliem

Ayre euyn to J?e Oxen, entre horn in yoke, in the yoke and

With striffe or with stroke till J>ai stonde wold; £gh up the
Aftur ayre vp the erthe on ardagh wise.
1 76 Sythen di-awe to fe dragon, & J>e derfe qwelle, He must then

' , - ,"" f , , quell the dragon ;

Girde out the grete teth 01 the grym best, tear out his teeth

And alse sede in J>e season sowe it on fe erthe, l^°v
Than a ferlyfull frute shall he fynde after :

1 80 The tethe shall twrne tite vnto knightes The teeth win

- - turn into armed

Armyt at all peses, able to were knights, who win

Thai to falle vpon fight as fomen belyue, destroy eadf

*With depe woundes and derfe till all be dede other'
euyn.

184 All thes perels to passe with-outen payne other,

That the flese wold fecche & ferke yt away. (foi.sa)

Of this wonderfull wethur for to here more,
Why it kept was by craft on so coynt wyse ;

188 Hit was said oft sy thes and for sothe hold en, why the fleece

m , /~>n , i Ji T7- i i i was so carefully

lhat Ohethes the same K.yng had a som hoge guarded. ^et€«

Of grete gobbottes of gold in the ground hid, O'f m
And so kepid it with craft of his coynt artys : 1^

a"d

JASON ENTICED TO GO TO COLCHIS.

Pelias pinna
get Jason away
from lolcus.

At a great feast
arranged for tlio
purpose,

lie entices him to
go to Colchis for
the golden fleece.

(fol. 5 6.)

192 And for to get of this gold & the grete sommys,
ffor couetouar )>ere come knightes full ofte,
And endit in Auerys to ay lastand sorowe.
This Pelleus with pyne printed in hert

196 Iff he might sleghly be sleght & sletyng of wordes,
Gar Jason with any gyn the iorney vndertake :
He were seker as hym semyd for sight of him

euer,
And most likly be loste & his los keppit.

200 He pwrpast hym plainly in his pure wit
ffor to tyse hym Jjerto, if it tyde might,
To take it hertely on hond in a high pr/de,
And J>e way for to wylne with wilfull desyre.

204 He cast hym full cointly be cause of this thyng,
In a Cite be-syde to somyn a fest,
With prmces and prelates & prise of the lond,
Thre dayes to endure with daintes ynogh.

208 The iijd day throly he thoght in his hert

ffor to mele of this mater, Ipat he in mynde hade :
He cald Jason in his Japis with a Joly wille.
Before the baronage at ther burde thus J>e
buerne said, —

212 " Cosyn, it is knowen J?at I am Kyng here,

And mekyll comfordes me the crown e of this

kyde realme ;

But more it Joyes me, Jason, of )>i just werke,<?,
J)at so mighty & meke & manly art holclyn :

216 Now J)i fame shall go fer & Jm furse holdyn,
And all prouyns & pertes J>i pes shall desyre.
To tessayle a tresure tristy for euer,
Thy selfe to be sene and in suche fame,

220 By Jn name Jms anoisyt & for noble holden,

Whyle you rixlis in this Eeame no riot we drede,
But all fferd be jjerfore and frendship dyssire.
Hit wold sothely me set as souerayne in Joye,

224 Iff our goddes wold graunt Jjat Jm grace hade,

THE REWARDS PROMISED. 9

That the ftlese J?at is ffreshe flamond of gold Book i.

Were brought throw pi boldness into pis byg yle
And fat wold doutles be done & no dere In,

228 Wold Jju afforce }>e J?#/fore and J?e fight take,
Be of gouernance graithe & of good wille.
Yiff Jm puttes J>e pristly pis point for to do,
Thou shall arayit be full ryolle with a route noble

232 Of my Baronage bolde & my best wise. The rewards

promised if he

I shall spare lor no spence & j?u spede wele, should be

And do pi deuer duly as a duke nobill :

Thou shalt haue holly my hert & my helpe alse,

236 And be lappid in my luife all my lyfie after.
Jju may be glad for to get such a good name,
And haue for )>i hardynes a full hegh mede :
Leve J)is for lell, me list it perfourme,

240 And to hold it with hert pat I hete nowe,

I will fayne pe [no] faintis vnder faith wordes.
When my dayes be done pu shalt be Duke here,
And haue pe Crowne to kepe of pis Kyd Realme ;

244 And while I liffe in this londe, no less J>an my

selfe,

Halfe for to haue & hold for pi name,
And with all weghis to be worshipt to pe worldes
ende."

W HEN PELLEUS his proses hade puplishit on Jason undertakes

. , the journey,

highe,

248 And all soburly said with a sad wille,
Jason was Joly of his Juste wordes,
)3at in presens of the pepull po prefers were made,
And mony stythe of astate stonding aboute. (foi.6a.)

252 He hedit not the harme fat in his hert lurkyt, andhasnosua-
~Ne the ffalshed he faynit vnde?- faire wordes ; falsehood, or
He drede no dissayet of his dere vncle, p^n'ofTunncie,

But hooped full hertely it come of hegh loue.

256 J3en he trist hym full tyte in his tried strenght,

10

THE BUILDING OF ARGO.

Book I.

He therefore
accepts the
undertaking with
heartiness.

Pelias is glad, and
hurries on the
preparations fur
the enterprise.

He commands
Argus, a son of
Danaus, to build
a great ship;
which is called
Argo.

Many noble men
join the

expedition, chief
of whom is '
(fol. 6 6.)

Thurghe hardynes of hond hopit to spede ;
He put noght vnpossible pelleus wordes,
~Ne the kynges couetous cast not before :
260 )3en he grauntis to go with a grete chere,

And all thies fferlyes to fraist he fursly awouet.

PEULEUS

Pellens of the proffer was proude at his hert,
And glad of fe graunt before the grete lordys ;

264 He ertid to an end egurly fast,

jjat no tarying shuld tyde ouer a tyme set ;
And f et ffortune vnderfonges fat he feile shall,
And will put hym fro pwpos fat he presys after.

268 He consydret fat Calcos was closet in an yle,
J3at no creature might keuer for course of the

see,
But vriili ship fat shapon were for fe shy re

waghes.
)3an he comaundet to come of f e crafte noble,

272 A wright fat was wise fis werke for to ende ;
And Argus fat after was abill of his crafte,
Sone he dressit to his dede & no dyn made,
And made vp a mekyll ship, f e most vpon erthe,

276 Jjat after hym awne selfe Argon was cald.
Sum sayn full sure & for sothe holdyn,
Hit was f e formast on flete fat on node past,
Jjat euer saile was on set vpon salt water,

280 Or euer kairet oner cost to cuntris 0 fer.
Ji ow ordant was althing onestly fere,
And abundantly broght fat honi bild might,
"VVYt/t all stuff for f e stremes, fat horn strenght
shuld.

284 Mony noble for fe nonest to fe note yode,
Tryed men fat were taken of tessayle rewme,
To this Journey vfiHt, Jason, as the gest tellus :
All entred into Argon after anon.

A STOEY OF HERCULES. 11

OFF ERCULES. Book I.

288 There was hone?*able Ercules egur of wille, Hercules, son of

As poyetes haue pricked of his prise fader : Aicmene, wife of

-rr f ^ j. i i Amphitryon,

He was getton ot a god on a gret lady,

)5at ajoinet was lobeter to his iuste nome,
292 And his moder full niylde Almena was clepid :

She was wyffe as I Avene to worthy Amphitrio.

This Ercules euennore egur & nobill,

The worde of his werkes thurghe f e worlde

sprange :
29G So mony groundes he for-justede & of ioy broght,

That no tung might horn telle f of it tyme hade.

Hit is tolde in his tyme, wo fat trawe lyst,

In his hastines he highyt vnto helle yates, who dragged the

OAr. A i. i J i i J--U--U j T-J. three-headed dog

300 A fre hedet hounde in his honnd coght, Cerberus from

That was keper of the close of fat curset In :
So dang he fat dog wt't/i dynt of his wappon,
)3at f e warlag was wete of his wan atter,

304 And thurgh voidyng of venym with vomettes

grete,

Mony prouyns and perties were put out of helle.
All fat poites haue packet of his prz'se dedis,
I haue no tome for to telle ne tary no lengur.

308 But f e wonders fat he wroght in f is world here,
In yche cuntre ben knowen vnder Criste euyn.
Tow pyllers he pight in a place lowe,
Vppon Gades grounder, fat he gotton hade : and set up two

mo T1 -u- T, n -i i'-up pillars at Gades,

o!2 1 oo whiche pyllers pnste as prouyt is before, which were called
The mighty Massidon Kyng maister of All, Hercules™ °
The Emperour Alexaunder Aunterid to come :

He wan all the world & at his wille aght.
********
********

A hiatus occurs here in the MS. of perhaps two or three pages.
The extent of the obvious gap at the beginning of Book II. was not
suspect' -d, till it was ascertained that the work was a translation
from Guido do Colonna. The following extracts, from the Stras-
burg edition, 1489, continue the story.

12

LANDING OF THE GRKEKS.

B.H,k I.

.lason allowed to
go, with Hercules

ami company,
sails away from

i'C3 Of

iy, and

speedily reaches
unknown seas,
under the conduct
of Philotetes, a
skilful pilot.
They reach the
slimes of Truy,
and land at the
port of Simots.

Obtenta ergo a rege Peleo Inson nauigandi licswtia nova
sulcat maria cum Hercule et suis complicibus navi nova cujus
vela dum secundus ventus imbuit et ejus inflat afflatus loca
Thesalie cognita deserit valde cito et ad incognita maris loca
citius dissilit velocissimo cursu suo. Multis itaque diebus ac
noctibus navigantibus illis sub ducto Thesalici Philotete eis
discrete notantibus stellarum cursum visibilium existentium
juxta polum majoris urse scilicet et minoris que nunquam
occidunt. ******

Noverat enim Philotetes stellarum cursus et motum si
aliquis est in illis tanquam ille qui causa navigationis erat
multum expertus. et imo aura secunda perflante tamdiu recto
rernige navigavit donee ad eras phrigias regni Trojani videlicet
pertinentias nova navis applicuit in portum scilicet qui tune
dicebatur ab incolis Simoenta.

3Liiier Secuntius.

De ffrecis applicantibvs in pertinencias Trojce, et de
Laomcdonta rege licentiante lasonem et Herciilcm de locis illis.

Tho Greeks, tired
of tlie sea, eagerly
land, refresh
themselvcSjintend
to stay a while,
but without
harming the
inhabitants.
A course of
mishaps brings
ruin upon Troy,
its citizens, and
their families.

News brought to
Laomedon of the
arrival of
strangers come to
spy out the land.

Troy not then so
great .is latterly.

Greci autem maris fatigatione lassati ut pervenerunt in
terram in ipsam descendere quietis causa sitienti animo
moliuntur et descendentes ibidem recentes aquas a fontibus
hauriunt et ibidem pro majoris refrigerationis gratia moram
per dies aliquos statuenmt non ut incolis molestiam inferre
disponerent nee nociuis dispendiis eos ledere aliquatenus at-
temptarent. Sed invida fatorum series quae semper quiete
viventibus est molesta ab inopinatis insidiis sine causa inimi-
citiarum et scandali causas traxit propter quas tante cladis
diffusa lues orbem terrarum infecerit ut tot reges et principes
bellicosa nece succumberent et tanta et talis civitas qualis
extitjt magna Troja versa fuisset in cinerem tot viduatis muli-
eribus viris suis orbatis parentibus et tot pueris et tot puellis et
demum jugo servitutis addictis. *****

Subsequenter describit historia quod lasone et Hercule cum
suis in portu quiescentibus Simoente de eis ad Laomedontam
regem Trojanum fama pervenit, quod gens quaadam Trojanis
incognita scilicet gens grfecorum novo remigi Frigias partes
intravit exploratura forte archana regni Trojani vel potius
Troj.-p provincinm vastatura. Erat auteiu diebus illis Troja

THEIR RECEPTION BY LAOMEDON. 13

non tantaa magnitudinis qualis fuit postmodum de novo firmata, Book 11.
et in ea regnabit tune rex predictus Laomedon nomine qui "

sumpto damnoso consilio nuod utinam uon fuisset legatum Kin? Laome(ion

, sendsames-

suum in comitia multorum ad lasonem destmavit ; quo ad genger, who tells
lasonem veniente legationem suum explicat in hsec verba. Rex the king's surprise
Laomedon hujus regni dominus de adventu vestro valde miratur at. the entrance

quare terrain suam intravistis ab eo licentia non obtenta cuius Wlthin hls realm

,.,,.,, .,, u • , i- • of strangers

est mtentio sub tranquilla pace earn tenere ; hoc instantissime unbidden. They

mandat vobis ut incontinente debeatis terram ejus exire ita must depart the
quod adveniente die sequent! sciat vos ab omnibus terras sure verv next day. °r
finibus recessisse ; quod si mandatorum suorum sentiet vos con-
temptores pro certo noveritis ipsum jubere suis in offensionem 8I
vestram irruere et depopulationem rerum et vestrarum finale
dispendium personarum. Postquam lason totam seriem lega- Jason, thoroughly
tionis audivit totus in ira et dolore cordis exacerbatus intrin- enraged,addre»ses
secus antequam ad legationis dicta verba mutuata retorqueret, J
conversus ad suos sic locutus est eis. Laomedon rex hujus insulting dis-
regni dominus mirabilis dedecoris injuriam nobis infert cum missal,
absque alicujus offensionis causa nos ejici a sua terra man-
davit. Itaque si eum regia nobilitas animasset nos mandare
debuisset honorari. Nam si casus similis ilium in Graeciam Laomedon would
adduxisset scivisset sibi illatum a Grascis non dedecus sed ho- have been other-
norem. Sed ex quo magis sibi dedecus quam honor applausit, WISe
nos etiam applaudimus ut illi et ab ejus regni finibus recedamus dearij* abide Ms
cum posset contingere et leve sit quod ejus enormae consilium unseemly con-
sit carissimo pretio redempturus. Deinde continuatis verbis duct-

conversus ad nuntium dixit, Amice! legationis tuas verba Heturn8t°the

, . . . . envoy :— they had

dihgenter audivimus et dona qua? per regem tuum nobis more not come to do

nobilium sunt transmissa recepimus sicut decet, deos nostros in barm ; necessity
dei veritate testamur non ex proposito terram tui regis intrasse hatl foree(1 thera
ut offensam ingereremus in aliquem more predonio violentiam ^ou^j fort'hw'tl
illaturi. Sed cum ad remotiores partes conferre nos nuperrime be gone— others
intendamus necessitas in hunc locum divertere necessario nos might avenge
coegit. Die ergo regi tuo nos de sua terra sine mora postposita thein11 treatment,
recessuros scituro pro certo quod etsi non per nos poterit forte Hercules adds iiis
per alios qui presentem injuriam nobis illatam audierint non ^' fSS?1
lucra sed pressuras et dampna infallibiliter obtinere. Hercules go to-morrow,
vero verbis lasonis non contentus regis nuncio refudit haec but not a day of
verba. Amice quisquis es secure referas regi tuo quod ad plus *''
die crastina de terra? suaa statione penitus discedemus, sed er"Ctf HvimTShe
sequentis tertii anni dies non erit exitura die illi quam nos shall see us anchor
videbit si vivet in terram suam velit nolit anchoras injecisse et on his shores,

de danda nobis tune recedendi licentia non erit sibi plena with no power
,., , ,. ,.,. , , ., ,. , then to bid us go

hbertas cum tans litis ad presens inchoaverit questionem quod or stay-»

priusquam de eo possit superare victoriam ignominiosi dede- The envoy
coris pondere depremetur. Cujus regis nuncius respondendo replies,— it is
sic dixit. Turpe satis est et nobili et precipue strenuo minarum ^ [e^nl
sagittas immittere nee mihi qui sum missus, est commissum a words, he had
rege ut erga vos litigiosis verbis insistam. Dixi vobis quas delivered his
mihi commissa fuerunt. si sapienter agere placet vobis do con- message, and

... , , , -i , .. . would counsel

silium bonum ut ab hac terra recedere non sit grave priusquam them to depart in

possitis incurrere graviora, cum leve non sit personas perdere peace ere worse

qua3 se possunt consilio salubri tueri. Et post haec a Grascis happened,

petita licentia suum remeavit ad regem. He returns to the

king.

12*

THE CITY OF COLCHIS.

Book II.

Jason and
Hercules forth
with weigh
anchor; knowing
that they could
not cope with the
Phrygians, they
net sail, and soon
reach their de
sired haven— the
island of Colchos.

lason vero et Hercules nulla mora protrncla Philotete vocafo
jubet anchoram a mari subtrahi et omnia colligere quae in
terrain adduxerant causa quietis. Sciebant enim si voluissent
in Phrigios insultare non esse eis in congressu pares vel equales
in viribus nee in potentia fortiores. Ergo Argon, ascendunt et
elevatis velis diis ducibus Frigia deserunt littora et sulcantes
maria ventis afflantibus prosperis non post multos dies in
Colcos insulam salvi perveniunt et desideratum feliciter portum
intrant. In irisula igitur Colcos erat tune temporis qusedam
civitas nomine laconites caput regni pro sua magnitudine con-
stituta.

(fol. 7 a.)

Jason arrives at
Colchis.
The city was
well walled and
watered : great
towers all round :
well built and
populous.

Around it lay fair
fields and great
meadows, girt
with trees and
abounding with
deer.

All round the
city was a plain
full of fresh
flowers, and leafy

(o- lef-sales.)
shades, " folk to
refresh for faint
ing of heat."

316 That was Jocund and Joly and Jacomede1 hight,
Hit was Jje souerayne Citie of the Soyle evter,
Of lenght & largenes louely to see,
Well wallit for werre, watrit aboute.

320 Grete toures full toure all J>e toune vmbe,
Well bilde all aboute, & mony buernes Tn,
With proude pals of prise & palys full noble.
There was the souerayne Cytie of Shetes fie kyng,

324 With his baronage bolde & buernes full noble ;
Mony Knightes in his courtte & company grete.
Ther were fyldes full faire fast J>ere besyde,
With grete medoes & grene, goodly to showe,

328 With all odour of herbis J?at on vrthe springes ;
The bourderis about abasshet with leuys,
With shotes of shire wode shene to beholde :
Grete greues full grene, grecfull of dere,

332 Wilde bestes to wale was Jjere enow :
Herdes at J>e bond ay by holte sydes,
Vppon laundes bai lay likyng to see.
Vmbe the sercle of the Citie was sothely A playne,

336 ffull of floures fresshe fret on be grounde,
With lefs-ales vppon lofte lustie and faire,
ffolke to refresshe for faintyng of hete,
With voiders vnder vines for violent sonnes.

340 There was wellit to wale water full nobill,

In yche place of the playne with plentius stremes,

Probably for ^Ea, the capital of Colchis.

THE ARGONAUTS AT COLCHIS. 13*

a swonghc and a swetnes sweppit on fe Book ir.

All around might

And all fowles in fFetlier fell fere vppon, murmur of

,-, i i • i j. i. streams and the

344 nor to reckon by right fat to ryuer haanttdft song* of birds.

Small briddetf aboue in f e bright leuys

With shrikes full shrille in the shire bowes ;

The noise was full noble of notes to here,
3 48 Thurgh myrth & melody made vppon lofte. (foi.76.)

To this souerayne Citie fat yet was olofte,

Jason [a]iojrnid and his iust iferis, AS Jason and MS

company are on

Steppit vp to a streite streght on his gate. their way to the

352 As fai past on the payment fe pepull beheld,
Haden wonder of the weghes, & wilfulde desyre

To know of here comyng and the cause wete, the people won

dering ask them
Jjat were so riaUy arait & a rowte gay. whence an>t why

QK£ e f • f -1 f 4. f l they have come.

ooo bo iaire ireikes vppon lote was ierly to se,

So ^onge and so yepe, jynerus of wille,

ffolke fraynide fast at tho fre buernes,

Of what cuntre j?ai come & the cause why.
360 Was no wegh J?at A word warpid horn too,

But sewid f urthe to the sale of Chethes the kyng :

};ai bowet to the brode yate or j?ai bide wold.

The Kyng of his curtessy Kayres hom vnto, King ^etes

welcomes tliem to

364 Silet furthe of- his Citie smaunttes hym witA, his palace.

Mony stalworth in stoure as his astate wold ;

Than he fongid fo freikes with a fine chere,

With hailsyng of hed bare, haspyng in armys,
368 And led hom furthe lyuely into a large halle,

Gaid vp by a grese all of gray marbill,

Into a chamber full choise (chefe) on fere way, (Ms.has"cA«M.";

)?at proudly was painted vflth pure gold oner,
372 And fan sylen to sitte vppon silke wedis,

Hadyn wyu for to wale & wordes ynow.

JASON"

Then Jason to f e Just King (Joyuely) can say (MS. baa "Joynt-

I 1 ABTK8 AND MEDEA.

All the cause of his come to Calcos was pan :

jason MIS the 376 ffor the flaminond fles bat fele had desyrid,

purpose of his

(tbi.sa.) He hade wille for to wyn & away lede,

By leue of the lord Jjat be lond aght.
After custome to kepe as the Kyng set,

hisa»S,tCS b'ra"tS 38° Chethes full soberly & w/t/i sad wordes;
Has grauntid godely bat he go slmld,
Soiorne bere a season, assay when hym lyke.
Be fan burdes were bred in the brade halle,
384 And bo mighty to meite meuit belyue,
Dainties and wine With all deintes on dese bat were dere holden ;

nre served in the

»»". an<i Walid wyne for to wete wantid j?ai none,

In grete goblettes of goM yche gome hade.
388 The Kyng was full curtais, calt on a maiden,

Bede his doughter come downe & his dere heire,
To sit by )>at semely, and solas to make.
This maiden full mylde, Medea was callid,
392 Whan she sought into sale salute horn all,

~Wikh loutyng full low to hir lefe fadir.
Medea, daughter Slie was eldist & heire etlit to his londes,

of jEetes, joins the

company : her Hym chefet thurghe chaunse childer no mo ;

396 And she at hond for to haue husband for age,

Byg ynoghe vnto bed \vith a bold knight.
h AJ> 4- She was luffly of lere & of lore wise,
^z ^ And kyndly hade conyng in the clene artis :

400 jjere was no filisofers so fyn found in J>«t lond,
Might approche to bat precious apoint of her wit.

THE CRAFTE OF MEDEA.

Through Of nygranmnsi ynogh to note when she liket,

necromancy she ' . .

bad power over And all the tetes lull faire in a few yeres.

all things : thus ,., ,. ,. ... . . .

Fame declared, 404 Wyndis at hir wille to wakyn in the aire,
Gret showres to shede <fe shynyng agayne,
Haile from the heuyn in a hond while,

(foi.8&.) And the light make les as hir lefe thought;

408 Merke at the mydday & the mone chaunge,

THE CRAFT OF S1EDEA. 15

To clere Sune into Clippis & the cloude* dym ; Book n.

The Elemetttes ouerturne & the erthe qwake.

fflodes with forse flow agayne the hilles ;
412 Bowes for to beire in the bare winttur,

ffor to florisshe faire & j)e frute bryng ;

Yong men yepely yarke into Elde,

And the course agayne calle into clere youthe.
416 All thies Japes ho enioynit as Gentils beleued,

All thies maistres & mo she made in hir tyme,
^ Als put is in poise and prikkit be Ouyd,

)?at feynit in his fablis & other fele stories. and Ovid sung;

but such power is

420 Hit ys lelly not like, ne oure belele askys, impossible in a

r.,. i i j <? ii • n i v frail woman, and

))at suche iemes shuld tall in a trale woman ; } belongs only to

But only gouemau?ise of God pat ]?e ground God-
wroght,

And ilke a planet hase put in a plaine course,
424 J)at twrays as J>ere tyme comys, trist ye non other.

As he formed horn first flitton jmi neuer ;

Ne the clere Sune neuer clippit out of course yet, The bright sun

But whan Criste on the crosse for our care deghit; ouTof course'but
428 Than it lost hade the light as our lord wold, ^"

Erthe dymmed by dene, ded men Roose,

The gret tempull top terned to ground.

This Medea the maiden, J?at I mynt first,
432 ))at gay was in garmentes & of good chere,

And als wemen haue wille in Jjere wilde youthe,

To fret horn with fyn perle, & jjaire face paint,

With pelur and pall & mony proude rynges.
43G Euyn set to J>e sight and to seme faire :

This gentill by Jason ioinet was to sit, (foi.9a.)

. Medea richly

As be comaundemewt in courtte of hir kynd fader, dressed sits
Hit is wonder of the wit of this wise kyng, aHhe khfg"'

440 Wold assen+ to fat sytting Jjat hym sewet after, command8-
And his doughter to dresse in daunger of loue,
To sit with J?at semely in solas at J>e meite.
Syn wemen are wilfull & jjere wit chaunges,

1C

J1EDK.Y IN LOVE WITH JASON.

Hook II.

When Medea is
get between her
father and Jason
she blushes for
shame. With
fear and longing
she glances at
each, till,

Y>

V^

quite overcome
with love, she can
neither eat nor
drink.

(fol. 9 6.)

But she keeps it
close in her heart,
and speaks thus
with herself :—

" I would yon
worthy had wed
me ! At board
and bed I were
blessed.

444 And so likrus of loue in likyng of yowtlie,
\)is vnwarnes of wit wrixlis hys mynd.
What forthers f i fare and ])i false goddes,
And Mars the mighty fat f u mykill trist 1

448 Agayne f e wyles of wemen to wer is no bote.

THE SODEN HOTB LOUE OF MEDEA.

When this mylde in hir maner was at f e meite

set

Betwene hir fader and f e freke, fat I first ment,
Hir shire fFace all for shame shot into rede,

452 And a likyng of loue light in her hert ;
Hir Ene as a trendull turned full rounde,
ffirst on hir fader, for feare fat she hade,
And sethyn on fat semely wt't/i a sad wille ;

456 Smale likyng of loue lurkit in hir mynde,
And she light on fat lede wiili a, loue egh ;
ffirst on his face fresshe to beholde,
And his lookes full louely lemond as gold,

460 And all fteturs to fi'ynd fourmed o right.
The sight of fat semely sanke in hir herte,
And rauysshed hir radly f e rest of hir sawle,
Sho hade no deintithe to dele \viih no deire
meite,

464 And hir talent was taken for tastyng of wyne.
Soche likyng of loue lappit hir with in,
That euyn full was fat fre and no fode touchet
And fat keppit she close in hir clene hert,

468 That no wegh fat hir waited wist of hir thought ;
But hir semblaund so sad was semond to horn.
Mony thoughts full thro thrange in hir brest,
And fus sho spake in hir sprete if ho spede
myght :

472 " I wold yonder worthy weddit me hade,
Bothe to burde & to bede blessid were I :
So comly, so cleane to clippe vpon nightes,

MEDEA IN LOVE WITH JASON.

17

So hardy, so hynd in hall for to se,

476 So luffly, so lykyng vfith lapping in armys ;

Well were that woman might weld hym for euer."

Dissyring full depely in her derne hert,

As maner is of maydons fat maynot for shame,

480 ffor to languysshe in loue till fere lere chaunge :
Shentyng for shame to shew furth fere ernd,
As J>ai wylne to be woghit fere worship to saue.
Mony burdys bene broght to f aire bare dethe,

484 Jjat wondyn for wonderfful faire wille for to

shewe.

Whan J>e fest and f e fare was faren to the ende,
And burdes borne downe, burnes on fote,
Medea myldly mevet to chaumber

488 Be leue of f e lordes and f e ledys all.

The Knightes at the Kyng cachyn fere leue,
Intill a chaumber full choise chosen fere way
Be comaundement of f e Kyng, & f e courtte
voidet.

492 Medea the mylde, fat I ment first,

Wox pale for pyne in hir priuy chamber,

In a longyng of loue as the lowe hote,

~With a Sykyng vnsounde, fat souet to hir hert ;

496 She compast kenly in hir clene wit

ffor to bring it aboute & hir bale voide.

Thus sho drof forth hir dayes in hir depe thoght,

With weping and wo all the woke ouer,

500 Till it feU hir by fortune, as I fynd here,
On a day, as the Dukes were ouer des set,
And comynd with the Kyng of Knighthode in

Armys,
Chethes for fat semly sent into chamber,

504 Bade his doughter come doune to hir dere fader :
And sho obeit his bone, & of boure come
In clothes as be-come for a kynges doughter,
And obeit the bolde, and bowet hir fader ;

Book II.

Medea retires to
her own chamber.

and in a longing
of love geeks to
compass her
desire.

(fol. 10 a.)

One day, as the
Dukes and the
King are
communing,
jEetcs bids her
come and sit by
the knights to
solace them.

18

MEDEA

Book II.

She sits beside
Jason; and wliilo
the company are
eagerly listening
to Hercules, the
lovers are left to
themselves.

508 And he assignet hir a seite, fat hir-selfe liket,
"With chere for cherys the chiualrus Knightes,
As maner was of Maidones, with hir my Id chere.
His comaundmewt to kepe sho hir course held,

512 And Joynet by Jason iustly to sit ;

And he welcomed fat worthy as he well kouthe :

A litill set hym on syde, & a sect leuet,

ffor to mele with fat maidyn & hir mode here.

516 The Kyng with other knightes hade comford to

speike

Ercules of armes, & auntres to telle
Of chiualry & chaunce, fat cheuyt hym before,
J?at no lede was lelly f o loners "betwene,

520 But f ai might say by horn-self all fere sad wille.

Medea excuses
herself to Jason
for speaking to
him so freely.

(fol. 10 6.)

Such courtesy is
due to him as a
stranger.

MEDEA.

The woman was war fat no wegh herd,

And vnder shadow of shame shewid forth hir
ernd,

With a compas of clennes to colour hir speche.
524 In sauyng hir-seluen and serche of his wille,

" 'Now frynd," quod fat faire, " as ye bene fre
holden,

Will ye suffer me to say, and the sothe telle ?

Voidis me noght of vitius, [ne] vilaus of tunge ;
528 Ne deme no dishonesty in jour derfe hert,

Jjof I put me Jms pertly my pwrpos to shewe.

Hit sitter, me semeth, to a sure knyghte,

)?at ayres into vnkoth lond auntres to seche,
532 To be counseld in case to comfford hym-seluyn,

Of sum fre fat hym faith awe, & f e fete knoweth ;

This curtysy he claymes as for clere det,

And be chaunce may chere hym & cheue to f e

bettur.
536 I wot ssir, ye are wight & a wegh nobill,

Auntrus in armes, & able of person ;

AND JASON. 19

A stoire man of strenght & of stuerne will, Bookii.

That wilnes for to wyn this wethur of gold,
540 And puttes you to perell in pointis of annes,
And likly for litle your lyfFe for to tyne.
I haue pittye of your person & your pert face, she pities Jason,

and promises to

And jenernes of ^owthe, fat Comers in my hert, assist Mm to win

the golden fleece,

544 J3at causes me with counsell to caste for your ^*'c>

helpe, ^U f^'

And put you in plite jour pwrpos to wyn, v^*-

In sound for to saile home & your sute all,

\AJ^"

Both the whethir & J>e wolle a-way for to lede,
548 On a forward before, fat 30 me faith make, if he win do as

In dede for to do as I desyre wille,
And my wille for to wirke, if I wele seme."

TH[E] ONSUARE OP JASON TO MEDEA.

Jason was full ioly of hir iuste wordys,
552 And fat comly can clip in his close armes.

He onswared hir onest[l]y opynond his hert, —

"Now louely and leell, for jour lefe specho jason thanks her

T , , , , , , , . ,1 * thousand times,

I thanke you a thowsaund tymes in my thro

hert,
556 J)at ye kythe me suche kyndnes w/t/iouten cause

why;
And here I put me full plainly in jour pure and submits to her

• 11 "pure will."

wille,

To do with me, damsell, as jour desyre thynke,
ffor this gloriose graunt glades me mekyll."

MEDEA. (fol. a „.)

560 Than saide fat semely to Jje sure knyght, —

" Sir, wete ye not the wochis fat this wethir unless he is

->PTnpq thoroughly

3emes, acquainted with

The keping in case is vnknowen to yowe, au the difficulties

And the truthe of the tale vntold to jour ere ?
564 The perlouse pointtes fat passe you behoues,

20

MEDEA

Book II.

to overcome, she
advises him to
abandon the
enterprise.

Hit is vnlike any lede with his liffe pas,
Syn it is gate with a gode & no gome ellis,
And ye may strive with no stuerne but of jour
strenght nobill.

668 Wo shuld pas out of perell fro fo proude exin,
Jjat with flamys of fyre han so furse hete 1
Woso bydis fere bir is brent into askys.
Or fat dragon so derfe, as J?e deuyll felle ?

572 There is no gome vnder gode, J>at hym greue may.
And if ye highly haue het in jour hote yowthe,
And folily be ffaryn out of fer londes,
3et turne your entent, & betyme leue ;

576 Wirkes as a wise man, & jour wille chaungc,
ffor fere is doutles no dede but Jie dethe thole."

TH[E] ONSUABB OF JASON TO MEDEA.

The wegh at hir wordes wrathit a litill,

And Swiftly to fat swete swagit his yre.
580 " A ! damsell full dere, wit/i jour derffe wordys,

What lure is of my lyfe & I lyfFe here :

I hope ye found me to fere & my faith breike ;

And if destyny me demys, hit is dere welcum
584 Or it were knowen in my contry & costis aboute,

That I faintly shuld fle and J>e fight leue ;

Among knightes accounted coward for euer,

Me were leuer here lefe & my life tyne,
588 Jjan as a lurker to lyue in (ylka) lond after.

I wole put me to perell and my payne thole,

Do my deuer yf I dar, & for no dethe wonde.

ffor yche wise man of wit, fat wilfully hetis
592 Any dede for to do, and dernly avowes,

Shuld chose hym by chaunce to chaunge out of
lyue,

Ere he fayne any faintes & be fals holdyn."

MEDEA.

Medea, on anding Medea full mvldly vnto f e mon said : — •

Jason rejects such
advice : were he
to follow it he
would for ever be
accounted a
coward.

(MS. has " ylkt

a")

(fol. 11 6.)

AND JASON. 21

596 " It is playnly jour purpos to put you to dethe, Book IT.
"With suche fyndes to fight till ye fay worthe : him determined,

T i ... o „ , n j .„ promises to aid

1 haue pitie lull playn 01 yowr proude wille, him on one
And I shall fonge you to forther, & my faith

holde.

600 I will shunt for no shame of my shene fader, ^ —
N"e no hede to my heale, fat I thee helpe shall ;
But this forward to fille, first ye me sweire,
And with no gaudys me begyle, ne to grein

brynge ;
604 But in dede for to do, as I desyre wille."

JASON.

" Moste worshipfull woman, wisest on erthe,

~Wh&t-e\ier ye deme me to do, & my days laste, Jason accepts

the offer.

I hete you full highly with hert to fulfille,
608 And jour wille for to wirke : wittenes our godd&s."

MEDEA.

)3en Medea with mowthe motys )ws agayne : —

" And ye wede me with worship & to wiffe holde, if he win wed

T j -4.-L vi • i t J -u her, she will help

Lede me with likyng into jour lond home ; wm to get the

n i f\ -H-T i'ii i fleece, and to

612 JNo gatis me begyle, ne to grem brynge, overcome ail his

I hete you full hertely, fat I you helpe shall dangers'
The flese for to fecche, and ferke it away ;
And wit^stond all the stoure fat it strait yemys ;

616 Ouercome horn by crafte, and no care thole.
I haue only fat aunter of all fat are quycke,
The mightes of Mars make to distroy, (foi. 12 a.)

And hir keping by crafte out of cours bryng."

JASON.

620 " Ah ! this glorius gyste & this grete mede, Jason praises

That ye hete me so hyndly to haue at my wille ! promi-s^to fuim
(Yowr-selfe, fat is sothely the semliest on lyue, a11 her de8ires-
And f e fresshist and fairest fed vpon erthe ;

624 As the Eoose in his Eadness is Richest of floures,

22

MEDEA

Book II.

He counts himself
unworthy of such
offers.

Medea rejoices on
account of her
success :

but Jason must
come to her
chamber at
midnight,
to confirm his
promise with an

(fol. 126.)
oath : after which
she will perform
her part.

(MS. has
" haroghes ")

In the moneth of May when medowes are grene,
So passis f i propurty perte wemen all)
And help me to haue fat I hidur seche ;

628 Out of daunger & drede deliuer me too :
I wot me vnworthy fis wirdis to ffall.
He fat sadly for-soke soche a sure proffer,
And so gracius a gyste, fat me is graunt here,

632 He might faithly for-fonnet be a fole holdyn.
Wherfbre I beqwethe me to your qweme spouse,
To lyue with in lykyng to my lyfes ende ;
As wyfe for to wede in worship and Joye :

636 And fis forward, in faith, I festyn with hond."

MEDEA.

Medea was mery at this mene graunt,
And to fat souerayn full soberly said o this

wise : —
" ffrynd, I am ffayne of fis faire heste,

640 And wele I hoope f u will holde fat f u here said :
More suerty, for sothe, yet I sue fore ; —
Yow swiftly shall sweire vppon swete goddes,
This couenawnt to kepe & for no case chaunge.

644 But this tyme is so tore & we no tome haue,

We will seasse till, now sone, the sun be at rest,
All buernes into bede on hor best wise,
And yche lede, as hym list, lullit on slepe.

648 I wull send to you sone by a sure may don":
Bes wakond and warly ;jwyn to my chamber,
Jjere swiftly to sweire vpon swete (haloghes),
All this forward to fulfill ye fest with your hond:

652 So may ye surely & sounde to my-selfe come,
With daliaunce to dele as your dere wyffe. |
I will you faithfully enforme how ye fare shall,
Your worship to wyn and f e wethur haue :

656 All your gate and your goueraaunse graidly to
telle."

AND JASON.

23

JASON.

The Knight was curt&s, & kendly he said : —
" Most louesom lady, your lykyng be done !
As ye wilne for to wirke & your wille folowe,
660 In dede be it done, as ye deuysede haue."
The lady -witJt loutyng fen hir leue tase,
ffirst at hir fadir and other fre buernes,
Past to hir pn'ue chamber : & here a pas endis.

Book II.

Jason consents,
and Medea passes
to her chamber.

24

MEDEA SENDS A WIDOW TO JASON.

Bofce : fjofo JHrtJea enformeti Jason to
get tfje ftoe of (Soloe,

Medea longs for
night.

(fol. 13 a.)

She Bends a
widow to guide
Jason to her
chamber.

Here tellus f e tale, woso tentis after,
How the wethir was wonen, & away borne
The grete gbldyn flese with a greke noble,

668 Thurghe wyles of [a] woman, fat f e wegh louet.
Whan Medea the maidon, fat I mynt have,
Was chosyn into chamber, & on hir charge thoght,
Of hir Janglyng with Jason & hir iuste wordys,

672 Hit neght to f e night & the none past :

Sone the day ouerdroghe & the derke entrid,
And all buernes vnto bed as horn best liked.
Medea full myldly movede aboute,

676 Waynet up a window, the welkyn beheld,
Persauyt pertly, with hir pure artis,
When the dregh was don of f e derke night,
Jjat all sad were on slepe, seruond & other.

680 ffayn was fat fre and forf er ho went,

Waknet vp a wydow, fat hir with dwellit,

And sent to fat semly, as ho said first.

He busket from his bede & f e burde folowid,

684 Till he come thurghe a cloyster to a clene halle,
Jjere Medea the mylde met hym hir one,
And with myrthe at fere metyng mowthet to

gethir ;
)5en suet f ai with solas into a sure chamber.

JASON PROMISES TO WED MEDEA. 25

688 The old wedo on hir way wendys belyue, Book in.

And f o loners ho leuyt lightly to-gednr.

Medea the maidon meuyt to f e dore,

Barret it bygly on hir best wise ;
692 Jjan she brought forth f e bold to hir bedde syde

In solas full soberly he set hym f eron.

She went from fat worthy into a wale chambur,

A triet Image she toke all of true golde, Medea brings an

696 Halo wet was hertly in a highe nome goid,

Of Joue, fat gentillis held for a iust god,

And broght to the buerne on f e beddis syde,

With light that was louely lemyng fer-In
700 Of suergys semly, fat set were aboute.

J?an wightly thies wordes to fat worthy ho
said : —

" Here I aske you hertely fat ye may het ^ere, and asks Jason to

swear that he will

With a solemne sacrement on this sure gode, fulfil ail his

704 All J)e forward to fulfille, fat ye first made,

And fo couenaundes to kepe -with a clene hert ;

And for jour felow & fere me faithfully hold,

Euer from this owre to the ende of your lyffe ; (foi. is &.)

708 ffor no chaunce, fat may cheue, chaunge yo?/r

wille :

And I heghly shall holde, I het you before."
Jason grauntede full goodly wt'ih a glad chere,
And swiftly he sware on fat (Shene) god ; (MS. has

712 All tho couenaundes to kepe, & for no cause let,
"Whill hym lastes the lyfFe : he laid on his hond.

THE POETE.

But vnfaithfull freke, with f i fals cast, On the falsity

and dishonour

Jjat such a lady behrt with fi lechur dedes, of Jason.

716 Jjat put hur so plainly fi power vnto,

All f i wille for to wirke, f i worship to saue :
And f ow hedis not the harme of fat hend lady,
Ne tenths not thy trouth fat f ou tynt has.

26

JASON S UNFAITHFULNESS.

Book III.

To mar such a
maiden, who
forsook all for
thee,—

ahame on thee,
Jason! Thou art
' mansworne ; '
and a foul end
awaits thee !

Cfol. 14 a.)
And thou, Medea,
where was then
thy foresight,
and skill in the •
arts?

They pass Into an
inner chamber.

720 Soche a maiden to mar fat f e most louet,
}5at forsec hir fader & hir fre londe,
When the soile & f e Sept^r was sothely hur

awne,
And f e tresure she toke vntruly for thee ;

724 Auntrede hir to Exile euer for f i sake ;
"Wan f e thy worship & wilfull desire :
Keppit f e fro combraunse & fro cold deth,
Storet thee to strenght & f i stythe londes,

728 And dawly hir distitur of hir dere fader.

"With shame may fou shunt fro f i shire othes,
So fals to be founden, & f i faithe breike,
To betraut soche a trew, ]>at f e trust In :

732 And fi god has fou greuit vrith fi grete filth.
Wete for f i werke fat fie shall wo happyn,
And myschefe full mekill, fou art mansworne :
J3ou failes not in faith of a fowle end.

736 And }?ow Medea so mad, what myndes had fou

fen?

Syn fou wist thurgh wit werdis to come,
What seruit it your sciense of f e seuon artes,
That fou sogh not your sorow, fat thee suet after 1

740 But fou sothely may say fat your sight failed,
And f ow loket not large, for lust fat f e blyndit.
And oft in astronamy hit auntres to falle,
JOat domes men dessauis & in doute bringes.

744 ffor hit passis f e power of any pure mon,

All f e course for to know, fat is to cum after :
Saue God, fat all gouemes wi't# grase of his honde.
Now turne to our tale, take fere we lefte.

748 TW hen he swiftly hade sworne to fat swete

maidon,

)3ai entrid full evyn into an Inner chamber,
)3at was rially arayed "with a riche bede ;
And bothe all bare busket f ere-in.

MEDEA INSTRUCTS JASON. 27

752 }3ai solast horn samyn, as hom-seluon liket, nook in.

With vernis werkes, bat horn well pleasid :

J?at sorily dessauis, & men to sorow bringes.

Whan be day vp droghe & the dym voidet,
756 Thus Jason full ioyfull to fat gentill said : — -

" Hit is best bat we buske & of bede rise, At Daybreak

Jason bids Medea

Lest be day vs be-daghe & our dedes knowen, ten Mm how he

is to win the

And we founden in fere & oure fame loste ; fleece.

760 And I vnformet in faith how I fare shall,

Of my dedes to do, as ye me dere heght.

Iff be any thing have amyt abill me to,

J)at be me faithfully informe, & let me fare

hethyn,
76 i My deuer for to do & my deth voide ;

J?at I might lede j?e with luff into my londe home,

Wede ye w^tA worship, and to wiffe hold."

Medea to bat mighty myldly answarit : —
768 " A ! my lord & my loue, more lefe ban my
seluyn,

I have mynde of youre mater most of all other :

I will fully enforme yow. or ye fare hethyn,

How ye dewly shall do, & no drede haue.
772 Ryse we now full radly, rest here no longer,

And I shall tell you full tyte, & tary no thing." (foi. u 6.)

Than bai cladde horn clenly vppon clese wise :

The burd bowet from be bede, broght hym in Medea brings to

him a charmed

haste image, and bids

f 11 i -11 , ^ i •. 111 him wear it next

776 An ymage full nobill, J?at he naite shulde, ins heart.

J)at qwaint was & qwem, all of white siluer,
Charmet -with enchauntment, & chargit hym to

holde.

Hit was wroght all by wit & wiles to helpe,
780 And myghty suche mawmentry made to distroy :
Sho bade hym kepe it full close on his clene

body.
An oyntment b«t was noble, anon she hym set, A noble ointment

28

MEDEA INSTRUCTS JASON.

Book III.

she then gives to
destroy venom
and fire :

and a ring with
a rich stone to
destroy all poison
or deadly power :

and a large roll
which he must
read:

and a glass
containing Hquor
to be cast into the
mouths of the
monsters.

(tol. 15 a.)

He then takes
leave of Medea.

Toke hit hym full tyte & tolde hym these
wordes : —

784 " This strongly distroy shall f e strenght of f e

venym,

And fade all the ffyr and f e furse lowe."
Than ho raught hym a ring with a riche stone,
J3at no poison enpaire might, J>e power is soche :

788 And if it borne were in batell on his bare flesshe,
He shulde slyde forth sleghly & vnslayn \vorthe.
Achates it calde is with clene men of wit,
And in Cicill forsothe sene was it first :

792 Eneas it name & in note hade,

Whan he to cartage come vnknowen with sight.
And fan ho broght hym a bref all of brode letres,
Jjat was comly by crafte a clerke for to rede ;

796 And enformyt him fay re how he fare shuld,

When he [h]is deuer hade done & drow to f e

whethir,

ffor to knele on his knes to the cold erth,
And grete all his goddes with a good chere ;

800 And the rolle for to rede or he rest thry,

As with sacrifice to shew & sendee to goddes,
)3at hym grauntede of grace fat gifte for to haue,
Jjat he might worthely it welde, & away beire.

804 And fan sho gafe hym a glasse with a good

lycowr,

And bade whan he buskyt to the bolde Exin,
To werke it with mesure, & in hor mouthe caste,
And f ai clappe shall full clene, & neuer vnclose
aftur,

808 Ne neuer dere hym a dyse with no dede efte.
Thus enfourmet ho fat fre of f e fete euyn,
How he wyn shuld his worship, & his woche

pas :
And ]>en lacches his leue & his loue kyst,

812 Past furth priuely and fat pert leuyt,

COUNSEL. 29

Enon lurkys to his loge, & laide hym to slepe. Book in.

By the renke hade hym restid rjrses the sun,
Brightis all the burghe and the brode valis ;
816 Meuyt oner the mounteyns men to beholde.
Jason feynit vfith fare as he hade fast sleppit,
And now rapis hym to ryse & rom from his bede. Jason collects his

company and

\\tth Ercules and obe?- mo of his aune men, goes to meet
820 He sues forth on be soile to Chethes the kyng,

In company of kynges and ober clene burnes.

Whan he was ware of be wegh, welcomed hym
faire,

And spird at hym specially what his spede were.
824 Than Jason vnioynid to the gentill speche : —

" Lord, and it like you, longe am I here ! He asks

permission to

Wold ye grauwt me your grase goodly to wende, depart.
I wold boune me to batell, and take my bare

aunter,
828 Yon worthy wethir to wyn, & your wille be."

THE COUNSELL OP CHETES TO JASON.

The Kyng fan full curtesly karpes agayne : ^Eetes advises

_ . T _ . Jason to abandon

baiS, "Jason, this Jorney IS no lOye in, the enterprise:

I am ferd, by my faith, of bi frele yowth,

832 fat hit lede be to losse and bi lyffe tyne,

And me harnie foi to haue of thy hegh wille,
To be sclaundret of bi skathe, & bou skape noght.
Jjerfore ffrynd, by my faith, vppon faire wise,

836 I counsell be in kyrt, kaire to bi londe,

And put of bis pwrpos, for perille J>at may folowe." but finding him
Jason carpes to the kyng, conyngly he said, proceed,
" Sir I hade counsaill in J>is case er I come here, (foi. is 6.)

840 And ye shall boldly be blameles, bof me bale

happyn,

)?at I wilne of my wit & wilfull desyre."
Jjan the kyng to be knight carpes these wordes; — he grants him

leave.

" ffrynd bou shall fully haue fauer to wend,

MEDEA MOURNS FOR JASON.

Book III.

Jason seeks the
island where the
fleece is kept.

Medea, in terror
daring his
absence, bewails
her love.

(foL 16 a.)
Jason gets his
first view of the
oxen that guard
the golden fleece.

844 And oner goddes J>e graunt grace of Jn hele."
He lowted the lege kyng, & his leue toke,
Dressit hym for his dede, dose hym to goo.

In an yle fat was negh J>e noble kynges sete,

848 This clene flese was inclosede all vriifi clere water,
Euon a forlong J>e?fro, & fully nomore.
Jason to Jns Jorney ioynes hym belyffe,
Bowes euyn to Jje banke & a bote fonde,

852 Entris -with armur & all his other gere,
fFore to J?e fer syde, noght aferd was :
Gird vp to fe grounde, gripes his weppon,
Armur & all thing atlet before,

856 )3at Medea J>e maiden my Idly hym betaght,
And past furth prudly his pray for to wyn.
Mournyng the maiden made in hir thought,
Lest jje ffyre shuld hym fere of J>e fuerse bestes,

860 J)at was blasound of brunston -with a brem lowe.
Sho went vp wightly by a walle syde
To the toppe of a toure, & tot ouer the water
ffor to loke on hir luffe, longyng in hert.

864 So ferd was J>at fre, & he faile shuld,

Sho brast out bright water at hir brode een.
Thus sykyng ho said with a sade wille : —
" A ! Jason my ioye & my gentill knight,

868 I am ferd lest Jjou faile of my fyn lore,

And for 3enernes for-jete J>at J>e ^eme shuld ;
Thou dawly bes dede, & I to doll broght,
Neuer Jje comly to kysse, ne clippe in myn arrays.

872 Now full pn'stly I pray to my pn'se godd.es,

Jjat I may see thee come sounde to Jns sale enys,
And me comford of thy coursse, kepe I no more."
When the knight was comyn into J>e cliffe ferre,

876 He waites vmbe hym wightly, & was ware sone
Of )>e orible oxin, vgsome to see,
J)at fyre out fnast wiih a fuerse lowe,

HOW JASON WON THE FLEECE. 31

pat no buerne might abide but he brent were ; Book HI.

880 Hit gird from the gryrn with so gret hete.

HOW JASON WAN THE FFLESE OF GOLDE.

The tokyn hym taght was of a tru maiden

He forget not, but ^epely jarkit hym Jj^-fore,

And anoyntide hym anon with his noble boyste, He anoints

' himself; sets the

884 Bothe the face and J>e fete, & all J>e fore perte. sacred image;

and reads the

His noble ymage at his necke for neghyng of fyre, roil.
And his rolle fan he rede as he to reste toke ;
fibre evyn to fe fight with J?o felle bestes.
888 So J>e fuerse by-flamede all with fyre hote,

pai brent vp his brode shilde & his bigge speire ; His sh>eid and

spear are burnt.

And Jason for all fo Japes hade nere his ioy lost,
Hade his licour ben to laite, J>at fe lede caght,
892 And caste it be course into the core hete : He casts the

liquor and the

Hit stake vp the stith lippes as stifle bounden, lipsofthe

. monsters are

As J?ai chaltrede were choisly with chenys of closed.

yerne,

pat abatede the breme hete, brent it no more.
896 All cold it became & the course helde,
Bothe of ymur & aire, after I-wise.
ffayne was the freike & fore to J?e homes He leads them by

the horns : they

Of Jje balefull bestes, & horn aboute ladde ; meekly submit to

the yoke, and

900 pai were made als meke as maistwr behouet, plough up a

And as bowande to J>e bowes as any bestes might.

3ynerly the 3epe knight ^okit horn belyue,

Pight horn into ploghe, pilde vp the vrthe,
904 Braid vp bygly all a brode ffeld :

And all the gayre of the ground ]pere ]>e gome (foi. ie 6.)
leuyt.

Drow euyn to the dragon, dressit hym to fight, He attacks the

fierce dragon, as

And he gird him agayne with a grym noyse : it rushes towards

him with flame

908 Mony slecynges vnslogh throughe hys slote yode. and noise.
As J>e welkyn shold wait, a wonderfull noyse
Skremyt vp to the skrow with a skryke ffelle.

32

HOW JASON WON THE FLEECE.

Book III.

Jason hastily
clutches his ring ;
holds it aloft ;
and overcomes
the dragon with
the shining of the
bright stone.

With a sword he
deals it some
dreadful wounds,

then cuts off its
head, and sows
the teeth.

(fol. 17 a.)

They start up
armed knights,
who fight till

With a smorther & a smoke smult through his

nase,
912 Ho rut out roidly vrith a rede hete,

jjat all blasit the bent on a breme lowe ;

And as he tilt out his tung vrith his tethe grym,

He straght fro hym stremes all of styth venym.
916 The freike was a-ferd of J>at felle beste,

And raght to his Ryng in a rad haste,

Held it high in his hond, fat he behold might.

ffor chynyng of the chene stone he shont vrith

his hede,
920 And w/t/i-droghe the deire of his dere attur ;

All dropet the dule as he degh wold.

Jjis stone full of strenght, as J>e story tellus,

Is erdand in Jud5, as Isoder sais :
924 Be it smethe ovf\>er smert, smaragden hit hat.

Jjere is no derffe dragon, ne no du edder,

He no beste so bold with no bale atter,

May loke on fe light, but he his lyffe tyne.
928 J?is stone vrith his stremys stroyed all the venym,

And drepit the dragon to the dethe negh.

Jason grippede graithly to a grym sworde,

Dange on the deuyll with a derfie wille,
932 Tyll the stremys of stynke & of stythe venum

Past out in the place pyne to be-holde.

He laid on fat loodly, lettyd he noght,

"With dynttes full dregh, till he to dethe paste,
936 And he Enfecte the ffirmamewt vrith his felle
noise.

Jason of his iorney was ioyfull ynoghe,

Gryppet a grym toole, gyrd of his hede,

Vnioynis the Jamnys fat iuste were to-gedur :
940 Gyrd out the grete tethe, grippet hom sone,

Sew hom in the soile or he sesse wold.

Stythe knightes and stoure stert vp agayne,

Armet at all peses abill to fight,

JASON RETURNS TO ^EETES.

33

944 Dolt dynttes full derffe, geuyn depe woundes.
These balefull brother batcll so longe,
Till none left was alyue ne o lofte stode.
K"ow thies charmys & enchauntementtes are
cheuit to noght,

948 Dede ys the dragon and the derffe knight&j,
The exin left on fe lond vnneth lyfe in,
He past all his perels and no pyne tholed.
By the crafte so coynt fat hym kend were,

952 He glydis forthe gladly to the golde fflese,

Wynnes to the wethir, wroght hym to dethe,
fflypit of the fflese ffoldet it somyn ;
Thonkes gretly his goddis fat hyin grace lent

956 The flese for to fonge and no fay worthe.
Jason was ioly, hade Juels ynogh,
Busket to the bank and the bote tok,
Stird ouer the streame streght to J?e lond,

960 )3ere he found all his feris fayne of his werke ;
Ercules and ofer fat euer were abyding,
)3at fayne were to fonge J>at freike vppon lyue.
Jason with ioy and his ioly ffellowes

964 Soghten euen to the Sete of Chetes fe kyng.

And he as wee full of worship welcomed horn all

With a faynyng fare vnder faire chere ;

Hade no deynte of the dede but dere at his hert,

968 Ne of ryches so Biall fat the Renke hade :
He assignet hym a sete by hym-selfe euyen.
The flammyng of f e flese was ferly to see,
^et merueld hym more how Mars was distroyed,

972 Geter of his good and a god holdyn.

Medea the mayden with a mylde chere,

Was Joyfull of Jason, Aioynit hym to,

Kyst hym full curtesly, and of his come fayne.

976 By fat semly he sate as hir syre bade,

Ho prayet hym pn'uely all with pert wordes,
To bow to hir bede boldly at euyn ;

Book III.

they destroy each
other.

All the dangers
are overcome and
Jason obtains the
golden fleece.

Jason joins his
companions, and
they all return to
Metes,

who pretends to
welcome them.

(fol. 176.)
Medea rejoices
that Jason has
returned in
safety.

34

JASON ELOPES WITH MEDEA.

Jason proposes to
depart immedi
ately. Medea
pleads for delay.

They ste.il away
by night.

Book in. And he hir graunted J?at gate with a good wille.

980 When it turnyt to )?e tyme as I told ere,
He bowes to hir bed tyere he ben hade,
And lay ]>ere in lustes )>e long night ouer,
In Solas on soche wise as hom-selfe thoght,

984 And spekyn of hor spede while J>ai space hade,
ffor to fare on )>e fome into fer londes ;
But Medea mouet hym a moneth to lenge.
j?en leuyt }>ai the lond and no leue toke,

988 Stale from J?e styth kyng stylle by night ;

With J>e maiden Medea & myche olper goodes,
J?ai twrne into Tessaile wft/i-outen tale more,
Hit vp into a havyn all the hepe samyn.

992 Pelleus not prowde hade pyne at his hert,
]?at Jason of his Jorney Joifully hade sped,
And faynet ay faire wordes vnder felle thoghtes,
Holy het horn to have fe hestes before.

996 Jason of his Jorney was ioyfull ynoghe,

Jjat he hade fongit J?e flese & J>e fresshe gold ;

He hedit not the hestes ne the hegh othes,

Ne he keppid no couenaund to J?e kynd maydon.

1000 But a Sourdyng with sourgrem sanke in his hert,
And a lourekand lust to Lamydon the kyng :
Ercules with Enuy was enmy also.
Jpai comynd in the case, cast horn jjerfore,

1004 Comyn euyn to the kyng & J>e cause tolde
Of dyshoner he did and his derfe wordes,
J?at the grettyst of Grise gremyt jjerat ;
And heghly to helpe heghtyn fai all,

1008 As I shall telle you the treuthe truly hereaftur.

Jason and
Hercules cherish
vindictive feelings
towards
Laomedon, son
of HUB, king of
Troy.

(fol. 18 o.)

35

f^ere foeggnnctf) fee ffourtij bofee.
©f )?e tigstrucion of to fgrst Crog
auto Eason.

All Charge of bis chaUUSe, chefe how it will, Hercules de

termines to make

Ercules vppon bond hertely has tane ; war with Troy,

TT j i . , , , , and seeks the

He sped hym vnto spart, sparit he noght, assistance of

1012 Jjat a cuntre is cald of be coste of Rome. Pollux.*"1

Tow brether full bold abidyng be?*-in,

Bothe kynges of J)e kythe, Caster was one,

And Pollux, J?e proude, pn'stly fat other.
1016 As poyetis han put, plainly fo two

Were getyn by a gode on a grete lady,

J3e fairest of ffeturs j?at ever on fote yode :

And a suster to be same, sothly, was Elyn, (Helena, sister

of Pollux.)

1020 Getyn of be same god in a goode tyme.

To these kynges he come & his cause tolde,

And to haue of hor helpe hertely dissyred,

And bai graunted hym full goodly -with a glad

chere.
1024 )?en he lacches his leue and bai lordes bonkit,

Suet forth to (Salame) in a sad haste, (MS. has

"Salerne."}

j)at gouernet was in gryse by a gome noble, — He goes to

f\ rr< i i Telamon, king

One Telamon trewly, as be text sayse, ofsaumi«,who

1028 fcat was kyng in the coste & be coron hade,—
A bold man in batell & byg in his Eewme.
Ercules of helpe hym hertely besoght,
And he grauntid to goo vrith a good wille,

36

THE EXPEDITION TO TROY.

Book IV.

(fol. 186.)

He goes to
Peleus, king of
Thessaly, and to
Nestor, king of
Pylus, who
promise to
assist him.

Tlie fleets of tlie
allies of Hercules
meet at Thessaly ;
and at the
season of the
year when the
sun enters Aries,
they set sail for
Troy.

1032 "WYt/i mony bold men in batoll and biggnst in

Armes.

To Pelleus pertly few past he agayne,
Assemblid of Souduwrs a full sadde pepull,
Of the tidiest of Tessaile, tore men of strenght.
1036 Jjen to Philon fe freike ferkit in haste,

To a Duke fat was derffe & doughti of honde,
Kestor, A noble man naitest in werre,
jjat hade louyt hym of long, & his lefe frynde ;
1040 He hight hym full hertely fat he haue sholde
ffertheryng to his fight with a fre wille.
J?en leues f e lede & of lond paste
To Pelleus pri'stly, fat p?/ruiaunce hade made
1044 Of twenty shippes full shene, shot on f e depe,
All redy to the Roode of f e roghe ythes,
With mony barons full bold & buernes f er-in.
J3en comyn thies kynges fro f er kyth evyn,
1 048 Saylyng full sound with seasonable wyndes ;
At Tessaile full tyte t?wnyt into havyn,
ffor to fare to f ere ffoos with a ffryke wille.
J)us it tyd as I telle f e tyme of f e yere,
1052 J5e sun in his sercle was set vppon high,
Entrid into Aries vnder a signe,
And euyn like of a lenght f e light & f e derke.
J)e cloudes wax clere, clensit the ayre ;
1056 Wynter away, watris were calnie;

Stormes were still, f e sternes full clere ,
^eforus softe wyndis Soberly blew ;
Bowes in bright holtes buriont full faire ;
1060 Greuys wex grene and f e ground swete ;

Swoghyng of swete ayre, Swalyng of briddes ;
Medowes <fe mounteyns myngit witJi ffloures,
Colord by course as faire kynd askit.
i064 At Mid Aprille, the mone when myrthes bogyn,

The season full softe of f e salt water,
o.) And the bremnes abated of the brode ythes,

THE ARRIVAL. 37

Thies kyngetf, vrith knightes in companies grete, Book iv.
1068 Past fro port, pulled vp ]>ere sailes,

Were borne to be brode se & the banke leuyt ;

Sailed fourth e soberly with seasonable windes

Till bai comen [to] the cost, as be course felle, At sunset they
1072 Of the terage of Troy & turnyt, into hauyn, and He at anchor'

, i i -jo tul morning.

pat sothly was said feegeas to nome.

By thies rialles aryven were, to rest was be

sun,

And neghed to be night, noy was be more :
1076 Kaste ancres full kene into be (cold) water, (MS. has

"cole.")

Cogges vrith cablis cachyn to londe,
And lay so on lone the long night oner.
Wen the derke was done & the day sprange,
1080 And lightid o lofte ledis to beholde,

The Grekys in hor geyre graithid horn, to banke, The Greeks land,

pitch their tents,

Launchid vp lightly lordis and other. and set guards

_,, , , , . , , before Laomedon

Ihe kyng had no knawlache, bat the kith aght, is aware of their
1084 Of the folke so furse bat hym affray wold,

ffor-bi vnkeppit were )>e costes all be kythe ouer.

)5ai haih't vp horses & hernes of maile,

Armzw and all thinge euyn as horn, liked :
1088 Tild vp btfre tentis tomly and faire,

Skairen out skoute-wacche for skeltyng of harme,

Arniyn horn at all peces after anon.

Er the sun vp soght with his softe beames,
1092 Pelleus full prestly the peopull did warne peieus summons

. . a council of war

lo appere in his presens, pnnces and dukys. to meet in his
Wtt/i-out tarying to his tent tytly bai yode,
And were set all samyn be souerain before.
1096 When the peopull were pesit he proffert bes

wordes, —
Sais, "Ye noblist of nome bat neuer man The «.unsei of

Peleus.

adouted,

The worde of you/1 werkes & you?- wight dedis,
And the prise of your prowes passes o fer ! (t»\. is& )

38

PELEUS IN COUNCIL.

Book IV.

1100

In times past,
always victorious.

1104

Loomedon, the
cause of their
coming, and of all
that may follow.

1108

The treasures of

Troy will prove

an abundant 1112

spoil.

1116

1120

Hit was neuerherd, aslhope,sith heuynwas o loft,
In any coste where ye come but ye were clene

victorz'us,

And happet the herre hond to haue at J>e last.
Lamydon, fat is lord, has vs ledde hedur,
ffor to wreke vs of wrathe, & )?e wegh harme :
Jjat is the cause of the course Jjat we come hulur.
And syn our goddes haue vs graunt J?e ground for

to haue,

Hit is spede-full to speike of our spede fur,
And of gouemaz/nce graithe at our gret nede,
ffor to filly 11 our fare & our fos hanne ;
Hald all our hestes, harmles our-seluyn ;
The tresour to take fat to Troy longes,
})at us abides in the burgh & we J?e better haue.
Hit is knowen in cuntres & costis o fer,
j?at the tresowr of Troy is of tynie olde,
Out of nowmber to nem & nedefull to vs ;
Iff vs fallus in fight fe fairer at ende,
We shall haue riches full riffe & red gold ynogh
Our ffyne shippes to fille and our fraght make :
Now fraist we before how fairest wille be,
And speike for our spede while we space haue."

Hercules proposes
to attack before
daybreak, in
two bands :

(fol. 20 o.)

that Telamon

ERCULES.

Then Ercules the Avntrus onswarid Anon, —
" Sothely, Sir kyng, ye haue said well,
Wise wordes I-wis & of wit noble ;

1124 Iff it be worship & wit wisdom to shewe,

Hit [is] sothely more soueran to see it in wcrke.

I will say for myself, sauyng a bettur,

As me thinkes full throly wit/i-outyn threp more.

1128 Let us dres for our dede er J?e day springe,

And thrugh lemys of light }>e lond vs perseyue :

Part we vs pertly Jje pupull in two,

In the ton shall be Telamon, Jj«t is a tore kyng,

PREPARATIONS FOR BATTLE. 39

1132 'With all the fere fat hym folowes, furse men of Book iv.

ArmyS ; and Peleus

command tlie

And ^e sothely your-selfe, frtt soueran are here, one; and that

, . , they, along with

VV lilt your company clene as ye come hidcr. jason and him-

T ,, , , . ,-, i self and their

Jason full lastly aioynet to my-seluon, *&<&>*, should

1 136 Wit//, a soume of soudiours assignet vs w/t7«, ^Sk^Sf

Draw furthe in the derke er f e day springe, waU8»

Wyn us to f e wallis, wacche fere vndzw,

Ymset all the Citie er f e sun rise ;
1140 Lurke vnder leuys logget with vines

Till tithaundes in toune be told to f e kyng,

Of our come to f is coste, and fie case wist.

He will aray hym full rad with a route noble,
1144 And shape hym to our shippes with his shene
knightes ;

Vnwar of our werkes wete vs not fere, while the other

IP IT • ji band, under

pat of er part of our pupull put we in thre ; Nestor, castor,
Nestor with a nombwr of noble men all, Zuw'wau near

1 1 48 ffare shall before the forward to lede : the 8hipf? to

engage the

Castor with his company come next after, enemy.

Pollux with his pupull pursu on the laste.

These batels on the banke abide now here,
1152 ffeght with hym fuersly and his fell pupull ;

The Citie to sese in )>e same tyme,

We shall found by my feith, or ellis fay worthe :

So may we sonyst the souerain distrye.
1156 To werke on this wise and our wille haue,

I hope it shall happon in a hond Av[h]ile."

Hit likit Avell J?e lordes fat fe lede said, The council adopt

A i i . •• ,-, -,-, f the plan, and

And plainly the pupull pwrpast periore. prepare to

1160 Then Telamon full tyte with a triet pupull,

Pelleus with a power, & J>e p?v'se Ercules,

Jason full iustly and Joly knightes moo, (foi. sot.)

~With all the here fat f ei hade highet belyue,
1164 Armet at all peces abull to fight;

"YVonen vp wynly vppon wale horses,

40 BATTLE BEFORE THE WALLS.

Book iv. Silen to the Citie softly and faire ;

The two bands Lurkyt vnder lefe-sals loget with vines,

the ambuscade 11 08 Busket vndur banker on bourders wit7i-oute.

joes obe?1 batels at the banke abidyng full stille,
The kyng for to kepe and bere course holde.
At sunrise And whiles bese renkes bus rest ban rises be sun,

Laomedon is T .

informed that 1172 Bredis wttft his beames all be brode vales.

the Greeks have T

hmdiM and are in Hit was noiset anon bat a noumbwr hoge

Of Grekes were gedret & be grounde hade.
When be kyng hade knowyng he comaund

beliue
1176 J5at the Citye samyn were assemblet In haste,

Iche buerne on his best wise batell to yelde.
He summons his Comyn to be kyng in companies grete,

troops and

prepares t,o meet Mony stithe man in stoure on stedis enarmyt,

1180 All redy for be rode Arayet for the werre.

The kyng depertid his pupull, put horn in twyn,
In batels on his best wise for boldyng hym-seluyn.
Vnwar of be weghes bat by the walles lay,
1184 (He knew not the caste of be curste pepull,
~Ne dred no dissait bat hym derit after,)
He busket to be banke with a bolde chere,
With his freikes in filde to be fight on be playne.
1188 J?e Grekes hym agayne with a grym ffare,

tfaryn to be fight with a frike wille.
The Greeks under Duke Nestor anon, nobli arayed,

Nestor are the

first to meet the Countres the kyng with a cant pupull :

1192 Eothe batels on bent brusshet to-gedur;
(foi. 21 a.) \V7t7f stithe strokes and store, strong men of

armys,

Shildes throgh shote shalkes to dethe ;
Speires vnto sprottes sprongen oner hedes,
1196 So fuerse was the frusshe when bai first met.
All dynnet be dyn the dales Aboute,
"When helmes and hard stele hurlet to-gedur ;
Knightes cast doune to be cold vrthe.

LAOMEDON ENCOUNTERS NESTOR. 41

1 200 Sum swalt in a swym wi't/i-outen sware more, Book iv.

Mony perysshet in pe plase er J>e prise endit. Many perish on
The Troiens were tyde, & tid J>ere J>e bettur,

And the grekes on J>e ground were greatly as- The Greeks fail

into confusion :

toynet.
1 204 pen Castor the kyng comys vpponone, are restored by

Castor.

Restoris horn with strenght J?at distroyet were,
pen Jje crie wax kene, crusshyng of wepyns,
And the fight so felle of )>e fresshe knightes,
1208 pe Troiens were torne tynte of fere folkes. The Trojans are

, ,. „ sore pressed :

Lamydon, J>at horn led, as a lion fore, Laomedon rushes

Bare don mony holde & brittonede to dethe ; theoreeks^ve

Mony kilde the kyng to J>e cold vrthe,
1212 Mony woundit we from his weppont paste.

So fuersly he fore with his felle dynttes,

pat Jie Grekes with gremy geuyn hym way.

pen Pollux aperit with pepull ynogh, Pollux brings np

1216 Erusshit into batell & moche bale wroght ; «ow mo** *

Alse wode of his wit as ]>e wild ffyre,

Mony bolde buerne on fe bent the bold king

(slogh), (MS. has

Mony turnyt with tene topsayles oner,
1220 pat hurlet to pe hard vrthe & f>ere horse leuyt.

Lamydon at the laste lokit besyde,

Segh his folke so fare & his fos kene,

ffor wothe of fie worse & of weirdis feble,
1224 He w?'t/i-drogh hym A draght & a dyn made, (f0i. 21 &.)

Gedrit all his gynge And his grounde held.

Duke Nestor Anon nemly persayuit Nestor resolves

„ , , to attack

pat he was praise 01 Jje pepull & )>e power led, Laomedon.
1228 He left all his ledis & a launse caght,

Launches euyn to Lamydon with a light wille.
pe king consayuit his come, keppit hym

s withe,
Ricchis his reynys & th Reenke metys : They meet, and

inon /~i- i -i7i • Laomedon pienes

1232 Girden to-gedur with Jjere grete speires.

42

CASTOR AND POLLUX.

Book IV.

the shield of
NV-tor; the
s|ic:ir is shivcreil,
mul lie is hurled
to the ground.

1236

1240

Nestor, unhorsed

by a young knight

Sedar, is at the 1244

mercy of

Laomeclon.

1248

The rescue. 1252

1256

(fol. 22 a.)
Castor, seeing
Nestor wounded,
rushes upon
S.Mlar. 1260

1264

The king share thrugh his sliilcl with }>e sharpe

ende,

And the rod ail-to roofe right to his honcle ;
The Duke had dyed of ]>e dynt doutles anon,
But the souerayn hym-seluon was surly enarmyt,
And the kyng vrith the caupe caste to J?e ground,
With a warchand wounde thurgli his wedis all.
He feynyt not for J>e fall ne ]>e felle hurtte,
But stert vp stithly, straght out a swerde
And flange at the freike with a ffyn wille.
A 3onge knight and a 3epe, ^yneris of hert,
High[t] Sedar for sothe, suet to J>e Duke
With a bir on jje brest, ]>ai backeward he jocle,
And fuersly of his foole fell to J?e grounde.
])e king fayne of J>e falle and J>e freke segh,
And bare to fe bolde with a bigge sworde.
The bourder of his basnet brestes in sender,
And videt the viser wiiJt a vile dynt,
Galfe hym a great wounde in his grete face.
He hade slayne hym slighly for sleght J?«t he

couth,

But a gret nowmbzw of Grekes gedrit hym vmbe,
And put hym fro pwrpas J>of J>ai payn jjolit :
]3ai hurlet hym fro horse fete & of hond toke,
Set hym in his sadill ]>of he vnsound were.
Castor the king conceyuit beliue,
That Nestor with noy was nolpit to ground,
He Eichet his Reynes and his roile stroke,
Suet vnto Sedar with a sore wepyn,
To deyre hym with a dynt for j?e Dukes sake.
And er he come to the king, so his course fell,
One caupet with hym kenely, a cosyn of Sedars,
And set hym a sad dynt, Secorda he high[t] :
His shafte ail-to sheuent the shalke was unhurt,
And Castor in the caupyng the knight euyll

wondyt,

CASTOR AND POLLUX. 43

A Sore dynt in the syde at the same coursse. Book rv.

Sedar was sory for sake of his cosyn, Sedar fights with

1268 Came euyn at Castor with a kene sworde, woundgahim.

J)e shilde away share vnto the shyre necke,

And all fe haspes of his helme jjat j>e hede ^emyt ;

With a swinge of his sworde swappit hym in J>e

fase,
1272 Bare hym oner hackeward to J?e bare vrthe.

When ]?e freke was fallen & on foote light,

He laid vppon lyuely & no lede sparit,

3ald hym not }et for ^ynernes of hert.
1276 jjan pollux full pertly aprochet in hast Pollux with s*ven

hundred men

With seuyn hundrithe sad men assemblit hym comes to the

,, - rescue.

With,

ffrochit into J>e frount & a fray made ;

Bere backeward the batell & his brother toke,
1280 Horsit hym in haste, halpe hym olofte ;

And pollux with a proude wille prickit to an-
oper,

One Eliatus, a lede, and hym o Hue broght. (Aiyattes, king

The kynges son of Cartage & a knight noble,
1284 Aliet vnto Lamydon by his lefe suster,

Cosyn to the kyng, & he his kyde Em,

Pite of J>at pert knight persit his hert,

Jjat the shire water shot ouer his shene chekys.
1288 Myche woo hade J>e wegh for jje wale knight,

And assemblit his sad men on a soppe hole,

With a home J?«t he hade, in a hond while,

(Seuyn thousand be sowmfe all of sure knightas,) (foi. 22 6.)
1292 And charget horn chefely for chaunse vppon
vrthe,

ffor to dere for the dethe of his dere cosyr..

Jjen the Troiens full tite tariet no lengur, The Trojans are

rallied, and drive

bird euyn to the Grekes with a grym fare ; the Greeks to

1296 Slogh horn downe sleghly & slaunge hom to
grounde ;

44 DEFEAT OF THE TROJANS.

Book iv. "VVoiulit of be wiglitist, warpide horn vnder ;

Put lioni fuersly to flight, folowet horn after
To the banke of the brode see be?-e botis were

leuit.
Laomedon is 1 300 \>ere Lamydon bem leuyt, for a lede come

informed that the

Greeks are Viith tithynges fro the towne told to the kyng ;

city. One Dotes, with dyntes fat dedly was wondyt,

Said the Citie was sesit & sad men bere-in,
1304 Of our fos full fell, fuerse men in Armys,

A grete nowmber of Grekis, & be goodes takyn.
sad at heart, he ])Q kyng for bat care coldit at his hert,

assembles his

men and returns And siket full sore wtw sylyng of tens,

1 308 Henttes his home and hastily blawes ;
Assemblit his sad men on a sop holle,
Left the Grekes on be ground by the gray water :
Soght to be Citie on soppes to-gedur
1312 Tho bat left were on lyue bogh bai lite were.

The kyng in his comyng kest vp his egh,
He is attacked in Segh a batell full breme fro be burghe come

front by the _ .

ambuscade, and Pnckand lull prest vppon proude stedys.

baiurfrorn the 1316 He blusshed ouer backeward to be brode see,

Se the Grekys come girdand with a grym noise,
Jjat fled were before & be fild leuyt.
He was astonyet full stithly to be stad so,
1320 Betwene the batels on bent & so bare leuyt,
Vmfoldyng with his fos bat he ne fle might.
)3en to batell on bent bai busket anon,
A felle fight & a fuerse fell horn betwene.

(foi. 23 a.) 1324 But vnmete was the Macche at be mene tyme :
The Grekes were grym, of a grete nowmber,
And lite of bat other lede, bat on lyue were.
The Troiens full tyte were tyrnyt to be grounde
1328 "With batell on bothe halfes, blody beronyn,

Hercules strikes Wyde woundes & vvete of hor wale dyntes.

terror into the T, ,

i.earts of the Lrcules yrctul euer vponone,

Pricket furthe into pn'se and full playne made,

DEATH OF LAOMEDOX. 45

1332 Gird gomes vnto grounde with vngayn strokes, Book iv.

Bore the batell a-bake, mony buerne qwellid.

The freke was so fuerse, the[y] fled of his gate ;

All shodurt as shepe shont of his way,
1336 Non so derfFe to endure a dynt of his hond,

ffor all loste be lyfe fat be lede touchet.

THE DETH OP LAMYDON BY EBCULES.

Tyll he come to be kyng in a kene yre, He fails upon

-r. V, J^MJ • JJLJ Laomedon; kills

Dang hym aeriny don in a ded hate, him, and throws

_.. . , , • i i> i ' i -i h'8 nea(l into the

1 340 Grippit hym grymly, gird of his hede, crowd of Trojans.

J?rew it into bronge of his fro pepull ;
J?at moche sorowe for be sight & sobbyng of teres,
"When baire kyng was kylt, hoin be course felle.

1344 Sesit was the Citie, socour non bere, The city is taken,

• and the Trojans

jjaire fomen so felle, and so few other, flee to the woods.

The Grekes gird horn to grounde & to grym
dethe :

Of the dite & |>e dyn was dole to be-holde.
1348 The Troiens with tene twmyt be bake,

ffleddon in fere and be filde leuyt,

Quer hilles & hethes into holte woddes,

)?at left were on lyue with mony laithe hurtes,
1352 When the Grekys hade the gre & the grounde
wonen.

THE TAKYNG OF J3E TOWNE.

Thai soght into the Cite" vpon sere haluys, AS the Greeks

crowd into the

Streght into stretis and into stronge houses, city, the Trojans
There were wemen to wale, A wondwrfull nowm-

bwr,
1356 Childer full choise and of chere febill,

Wyth olde ffolke vnfere ferly to see. (foi. 23 6.)

old and young,

All tight to be tempull of bere tore goddes, rush to the

fc J i f ii j J.T- D temple for safety,

nor drede ot the dethe, & myche dynne made.
1360 Mony wyues, for woo, of bere wit past,

46

TROY TAKEN AND PILLAGED.

and in their haste
leave all their
goods behind.

The city is
plundered and
destroyed.

Book iv. And ]>ci'G barnes on brest bere In J?ere armes,

Hyd horn in houles and hyrnys aboute.

Maydons for mornyng haue jwe mynde loste,
1364 (Soche payiie of a pepull was pitie to be-holde)

Hurlet out of houses, and no hede toke

Of golde ne of garmenttes, ne of goode stonys ;

ffongit no florence, ne no fyn pesys,
1368 Gemys ne gewellis, ne no ioly vessell,

But all left in hor loges & lurkit away.

The Grekes were full gredy, grippit horn belyue,

Prayen and pyken mony pn'uey chambwr,
1372 fFongit \>ere florence and ofer fyn gold,

Geton girduls full gay, mony good stonys ;

Wele wantid no wegh wale what horn liste.

A monyth on Jns maner meuyt no ferre,
1376 But soughton vp the Cite vpon sere haluys,

Grippit vp the grounde, girdyn doun J>e wallys,

Prowde pales of p?^'se puttyn to grounde ;

Brent vp the byggynges & full bare maden ;
1380 The temple ouer-tM?-nyt, tokon fe folke,

Dydden all to the dethe & for ne drede lettyd ;

"Wemen, wale childur, & other weike pupull,

Madens full mony & of mete Age,
1384 Sesit horn sone in semage to holde.

EXIONA, THE KINGES DOUGHTER LAMYDON.

When the pales was put doun of J?e pn'se kyng,

Jjai fonde J>er a fre faire to be-holde,

Euyn of his owne doughter Exiona was callid.

1388 Bannet worthe the bale tyme Jjat ho borne was,
ffor the care ]?at fere come because of hir one.
Ercules egerly euyn vponone
Betoke hir to Telamon, for he the towne entrid,

1392 In reward as by right for his ranke wille.

POET A.

But caitif unclene, for thy curst dede !

The people are
killed or taken
captive.

Hesione, daughter
of Laomedon, is
given to Telamon,
who was the first
to enter the city.

(fol. 24 a.)

DEPARTURE OF THE GREEKS. 47

Syn the fortune felle fat faire into honde, Book iv.

bat was cumly and clene and a kinges doughter, Hercules, into
1396 bou shuld have holdyn fat hynd, had hir f i-selfe, fell, should have

\ir ^ 3-t. 'i.7 v Ji •.£• i i j wedded her, and

Vveddit wzt/i worship and to wife holdyn. saved her from

And foil so doggetly has done in f i derfe hate, £'WSS£L
brast hir vnder braldam with bi bro hert, subjected her :

much war and

1400 To a kyng bat is curst, of vnclene lyfe. woe might thus

have been

ffor to lede in his lechery all his lyfe after. prevented.

Thurgh vnhappe of fat hynde, fat f on a hore

mase,

Myche greuau/zce shall groo & a gronnd hate ;
1404 Wer wakyn & wo for f i wickede dede,

Mony boldes for fat bright in batell be kylde.

Y[ hen the tounewas ouertyrnyt, takyn f e godys,

be Grekes to f e gray water gyrdyn belyue ; The Greeks

. depart from Troy,

1408 Snottyn into shippes all fe shene godis, and rejoice over

Launchet furthe lightly & the lond passit,

Girdon ouer the grym waghes into grece samyn.

All fere lordes were light fat fai lyfFe hade,
1412 ffayne of fere fortune & fe?'e fine relikes,

Didyn sacrifice solempne vnto sere goddes.

All fere Rewmes wax riche, hade relikes ynowe, which enrich

their realms and

And long ty me with horn last & f e? e lefe children, their children for

11 /» -YTT-i iV /XM.J5 -j. T -i many years ; but

1416 W hen the Cite was sesit, as I said ere, at length bring

And Lamydon the lege kyng out of lyfe broght, waraudwoe-

Wemyn & wale children vnto wo put,

Set vnder seniage, sorow for euer,
1420 The kynges doughter caght & out of kythe led,

And in horedam holdyn, harme was f e more.

Se now the sorow fat fere suet after ;

And yche wegh fat is wise & of wit stable,
1424 Light harmes Let ouer-passe, Lap noght in yre (foi. 246.)

ffor foly fat may falle of a felle hert.

A PROUERBE.

A word bat is wrappid, and in wrath holdyn, Hecd not "fe ,

angry word of a

48

A PROVERB.

Book IV.

hasty man, lest
like a spark
unnoticed among
ashes, it waken
up a dreadful
blaze.

(MS. has
" happyn.")

This maiden
shall be the
cause of much
woe to many
lands, and all on
account of
angry words.

While she was in
bondage, Troy
was built and
destroyed;

(foL 25 a.)

nnd many kings,
knights, and
people killel on
her account.

May feston as a fyre with a fuerse lowo,
1428 Of a sparke unaspied, spred vnder askys,

May feston vp fyre to inony freike sorow ;

So lurkes with lordes of a light wratlie,

J)at growes into ground harme, greuys full sore.
1432 (Happye) is fe here In no hate lengis,

N"e letis bele in his brest wherof bale rises,

Ne mynnes no malis J>at is of mynd past ;

As yt happes here harme for to come,
1436 And wreke to be wroght for wordes a few ;

Soche a kyng to be kylde, A cuntre distroyed,

ffele folke forfaren •with a ffeble ende.

Gyf an end hade ben now, & neuer noyet efter,
1440 Bothe of lure & of los, & oure lorde wolde,

Hit was euyn hot a venture of Ang?/r to come,

And a Sesyn of sorow J>at ]>ere suet after.

Eight as Lamydon j?e lorde was of lyue broght,
1444 ffor he grethit with J>e Grekys Jjat on his ground

lay;

So J)is Maidon shalbe mater of full mekull

harme,

And mony londes to lure J?at euer ho lyffe hade.
Lo, how fortune is felle & of fer caste,

1448 }?at drawes in a dede hate in a derke wille,

And of a litill hath likyng a low for to kyndull,

J3at hepis into harme in a hond while !

By Jns mater I meane what myschefe befell,

1452 J)ere no cause was to ken but vnkynd wordes.
And while Jris Lady was on lyffe in a lond fer,
And all thies maters in mynde, Jjat I mene here,
Grete Troy was vp tild with mony tourcs vmbe,

1456 J)at was me?-uelously [made], & mekell to shew,
And Sesyt was sython & to sorow broght,
And mony kynges were kyld & knightes Jjerfore.
What ledys were lost & of lyue done,

1460 Now I turnc for to telle, whill I tyme haue.

PRIAM'S FAMILY. 49

OFF KING PRYAM & HIS CHILDREN'. Book IV.

This Lamydon, bat was lord, hade a lefe son, When '>« father

Laomednn was

A pert man bat was prinse, & pn'am he hight : Bla»i- Priam was

away in a far land

A man witty & wise, wight, wildist in Armes. waging war witu

rebels.

1464 Hit felle hym [by] fortune at his fader dethe,

He was faryn to fight in a fer londe,

To riche hym of Rebelles bat of be rewme held ;

To cache a castell bat was kene holdyn,
1468 And to wyn it "with werre, wewt bere a while

Wz'tA his houshold hole, & here bat he wait.

He hade a woman to wyue worthy & noble, By his wife

r\ i. p -u-11 p -r- -U i. i • i-i Hecuba he had

Onest & ablll & iLCUba She lllght : five sons and three

d<i lighters.

1472 By bat same hade he sonnes, semly men all,

ffyue bat were faire & fuerse men of armes,

And bree doghter by-dene bat were dere holden.

Of his sonnes to say or I sew ferre, His sons were,

1476 Ector was oldist & heire to hym seluyn; Hector

And most is in mynd for his mykyll strenght.

The secund of his sonnes sothely was parys, f arfs, or

r\ i i - Alexander, a

Or Alisaunder ewther was his other name ; famous archer.

1480 He was fairest of be freikes & a fyne archer,

A bowman of be best & a buerne wise.

The brid was a bro knight, brivand in Armys,

Deffebus be doughty on a derfe stede. Deiphobus,

1484 The fourth was a philosofFer, a fyne man of lore, Helenua- »

' Boothsayer,

In be Syense full sad of be seuyn Artes.
The fyfte of the fre, bat I first nemyt, (foi. 25 6.)

Was Troylus the true, tristy in wer, and Troiins.

1488 That mykell worship wan, witnes ye of story.
Of his Deghter by dene, bat were dere holdyn,

One Creusa was cald kyndly by nome, Tbe

were, Creusa,

J)at Eneas afterward Elit to wed, wife of .Eneas,

1492 jjat spokyn is of specially in our spede after,
And Vt'rgill of his werkes writis also,
After takyng of be toune how hym tid ben.

The secund of be suster for to say feire,
4

50

PRIAM'S FAMILY.

Hook IV.

Cassandra, a
prophetess,

and Polyxena, the 15QO
beautiful.

Besides these,
Priam had thirty
FOIIS and other
daughters, by
eoncubiues.

1 49G Cassandra was cald, clennest of wytte,
)?at Enformet was faire of J>e fre artis,
And hade knowyng by course of )>e clere sternys.
The last of fos lefe children was a lysse faire,
Polexena the pert, pn'se of all other ;
Of hir ffeturs & fairhed is ferly to telle,
Alse noble for Jje nonyst as nature cold deuyse
Bothe of color & clennes, to declare all.

1504 This pn'se kyng Priam hade of pert childer,
Thretty sonnes besydes, als other wemen,
Jjat he gate in his gamen, goode men of Armys,
And felle men in light, as we shall fynd after.

1508 Now I turne to my tale & tary here a while.

foeojinngs tje JFgfte Bofce : ©f tfje
JFountJgnaj of $efo Eroge ano of tfje ©foerell
of Itotta; Priam ffor fjts ffatier

Now as bis kyng vmbe the Castell lay closit abate,

With his folke all in fere & his fyn childur,

He was enformyt of be fare & of his fader dethe : (foi. 26 «.)

As Priam lay

1512 How his towne was takon and tirnyt to grounde; before the castle

he was informed

His Suster sesyd and soght into syde londis; about the

destruction of

His knightes downe kylde vnto cold vrthe. Troy, and at once

. . returned home.

Soche sikyng and sorow sanke in his ne.rt,
1516 With pyte and complaint pyne for to here,
He toke vp his tentes & the towne leuyt,
Teght horn vnto Troy with tene bat he hade,
Segh the buyldyngea brent & beton to ground. Theniins of the

J J ' city overwhelmed

1520 Soche wo for bat werke ban be wegh thowlit, hiin ^th sorrow.

Jjat all his wongys were wete for weping of teres,

Thre dayes broly, with thricciiig of hondys,

And drowpet of dole as he degh wold.
1524 J)en he sesit of sychen & his sorow voidet,

Mendit his mode & his mynd stablit, But after three

days he resolves

Toke councell in the case & his care leuyt. to build a greater

and stronger city.

The styfe towne to Eestore & so strong make,
1528 ifor daunger and drede of enny derfe enmys,

Gate masons full mony, bat mykull fete couthe ;

Wise wrightis to wale werkys to caste ;

Qwariours qweme, qwaint men of wit ;
1532 Mynors of marbull ston & mony ober thinge*.
4*

52

DESCRIPTION OF TROY.

Book V.

The new city,
built in the came
of Neptune,

was three day«
journey in
circumference.

(fol. 26 f>.)

The walls were
20 cubits high.

built of marble of 1548
different colours
from the middle
upward.

1552

Iu the walls there
were six gates.

called Dardan,
Tricerda, Thetag,
Trojana,

Anchinordes, and
Hylias, sur
rounded by
towers.

Sone lie raght vpon rowme, rid vp f e dykis,
Sercliit vp the soile fere f e Citie was,
And byld vp a bygge towne of f e bare vrthe,
1536 In the nome of Neptune fat was a noble god.

THE DISOBJPCION OP TROYB.

This Cite was sothely, to serche it aboute,
Jjre iorneys full iointly to ioyne horn by dayes :
Was neuer sython vnder son Cite so large,

1540 Ne neuer before, as we fynd, fourmyt in vrthe,
Nonso luffly on to loke in any lond oute.
The walles vp wroght, wonder to se,
With grippes full grete was f e ground takon

1544 Bothe Syker & Sad, fat selly were fik
ffro the vrthe vpward vne of a mesure.
Of the walle for to wete to f e wale top,
xx Cubettes be coursse accounttid full euyn,
)5at of marbill was most fro f e myddes vp,
Of diuers colours to ken craftely wroght.
j)at were shene for to shew & of shap noble,
Mony toures vp tild f e toune to defende,
Wroght vp with the walle as f e werke rose,
One negh to Anofer nobly deuyset.
Large on to loke, louely of shap,
In the Sercle of the Cite were sex faire jates,

1556 ffor entre & yssue & ease of fe pepull.

The furst and the fairest fourmet was Dardan,
Tricerda, Thetas, Troiana, f o foure ;
Anchinordes, Hylias, heght f e two other,

1560 With grete toures vmb- tilde & torettis aboute,
Well wroght for the werre, wacch.es 0 lofte.
Ymagry oner all amyt fere was,
Of beste and babery breme to be holde,

1564 Bost out of fe best fe byg toures vmbe.

The wallis in werre wikked to assaile
. With depe dikes and derke doubull of water.

DESCRIPTION OF TROY. 53

"Within the Citie, for sotlie, semly to ken, Book v.

1568 Crete palis of prise, plenty of houses, within the city

Wele bild all aboute on the best wise. palace a"d many

'iii j n p i i houses; the walla

ihe werst walle for to wale, bere any wegh were of marble
dwelt and richly

Bit> ornamented.

Was faurty cubettes by coursse, to count fro the

vrthe,
1572 And all of marbill was made with memellus

bestes,

Of lions & Libardes & other laithe wormes.
The Stretis were streght & of a stronge brede, (foi. 27 a.)

ffor ymur & aire opon in be myddis ; The streets were

straight, broad,

1576 By the sydes for sothe of sotell deuyse, and open, and

had covered .side

Was archet full Abilly for aylyng of shoures, walks.
Pight vp with pilers all of playne marbill,
Weghis into walke for wetyng of rayn.
1580 There were stallis by be strete stondyng for There were stalls

too for workmen
peopull, of every kind.

Werkmen into won, and baire wares shewe,

Bothe to selle and to se as bairn selfe lyked,

Of all be craftes to ken as bere course askit : —
1 584 Goldsmythes, Glouers, Girdillers noble ;

Sadlers, souters, Semsteris fyn ;

Taliours, Telers, Turners of vesselles ;

Wrightes, websters, walkers of clothe ;
J588 Armurers, Arowsmythis with Axes of werre j

Belmakers, bokebynders, brasiers fyn ;

Marchandft?, Monymakers, Mongers of fyche ;

Parnters, painters, pynners also ;
1592 Bochers, bladsmythis, baxters amonge ;

fFerrers, flecchours, fele men of Crafte ;

Taueraers, tapsters, all the toune ouer ;

Sporiors, Spicers, Spynners of clothe ;
1596 Cokes, condlers, coriours of ledur;

Carpentours, cotelers, coucheours fyn ;

With barburs bigget in bourders of the strotes ;

DESCRIPTION OF TROY.

BookV.

The river Xan thus
flowed through
the city, under
the houses.

,'foL 27 6.)

In imitation of
Troy, Rome was
built on a river —
the Tiber.

Priam caused all
his people to
settle in Troy.

Many games were } g 2 0
invented there,
such as chess,

draughts, dice,
backgammon,
magic, and Mar
games.

all maister men fat on molde dwellis,
1600 Onestly enabit in entris Aboute.

Thurgh my delis f e mekill toune meuyt a water,

And disseuert f e Cite, fat Xanthus hight.

There were bild by the bankes of f e brode

strenies,
1604 Mylnes full mony, made for to grynde,

ffor solas of the Cite fat suet horn to.

The water by wisshyng went vnder houses,

Gosshet through Godardys & other grete vautes,
1608 And clensit by course all fe clene Cite

Of filth and of feum, throughe fletyng by nethe.

In Ensample of this Cite, sothely to telle,

Rome on a Riuer rially was set,
1612 Enabit by Eneas after full longe,

Tild vpon Tiber after Troy like.

Priamus pertly the peopull ylkon,

jjat longit to his lond & logit 0 fer,
1616 Gert sue to fe Cite sothely to dwelle,

And fild it wiih folke fuerse was J>e nowmber,

Of lordes of f e lond and of er lesse peopull.

In fat Cite for sothe, as saith vs the story,

Mony gaumes were begonneu f e grete for to solas.

The chekker was choisly fere chosen f e first,

The draghtes, the dyse, and of er dregh gaumes.

Soche soteltie f ai soght to solas horn wi'tA ;
J624 The tables, the top, tregetre also,

And in the moneth of may mekill f ai vsit,

With floures and fresshe bowes fecchyng of
somer :

Somur qwenes, and qwaintans, & ofer qwaint

gaumes,
1 628 There foundyn was first, & yet ben forthe haunted.

THE MAKYNG OF YLIOX.

Priam by pwrpos a pales gert make

THE PALACE OF PRIAM.

55

1632

1636

1 640

1644

1 648

1652

1656

1660

Wit/an the Cite full Solempne of a sete riall,

Louely and large to logge in hym seluyn,

fFull worthely wroght & by wit caste,

And euyn at his etlyng Ylion was cald ;

Closit with a clene Avail crustrit with towres,

Euyn round as a ryng richely wroght, —

ffyue hundrith fete fully the heght : —

Withonte, toures full tore torret aboue,

Jjat were of heght so hoge, as I here fynde,

jpat the clowdes horn clede in vnclene ayre.

In J>e heghest to houe and beholde oner,

All the lond for to loke when hym lefe thought.

To all the prouyns fai apperit & pertis ofer,

With mekyll solas to se in mony syde londis :

Of crafty colours to know, all in course set,

Made all of marbyll with mason deuyse,

With ymagry full honest openly wroght.

In cornols by course clustret o lofte.

The windowes, worthely wroght in a mesure,

Shapyn full shene all of shyre stones,

Caruen in Cristall by crafte of Entaile,

Pight into pilers prudly to shewe

The bases & bourdurs all of bright perle.

Within this palis of pn'se was a proude halle,

J)at large was of lenght & louely to shewe,

Painted full prudly with pure gold ouer,

Drapred by dene with a dese riall.

There were bordis full bright aboute in fat sale,

Set in a sercle, of Sedur tre fyn,

Gret vp fro J>e ground vppon gray marbill.

With a flore fat was fret all of fyne stones,

Pauyt prudly all with proude colours,

Made after musycke, men on to loke.

In the cheife of J>e choise halle, chosen for Jje

Book V.

Priam caused a
splendid palace
to be built for
himself, and
called it Ilion.

(fol. 28 a.)

Its towers were
seen from all parts
of the province.

It had beautifully
wrought windows
of carved crystal,
set within pillars.

The palace hall
was overlaid with
gold, draped with
a royal dais ; it
had tables of
cedar-wood, set
on marble.

The floor was of
mosaic work.

1664 Was a grounde vp graid with gresis of Marbill,

56

THE PALACE HALL.

Book V.

At one end of the
hall was a raised
platform for the
king; a table of
Ivory, bordered
with amber, and
a throne.

(fol. 28 &.)

.at the other end
was an altar set
with precious
•tones and pearls.

1672

1676

On the altar stood

an image of pure

gold set with 1680

diamonds.

When the city
was completed,
Priam began to
think of his past
misfortunes.

And a tabill atyret, all of triet yuer,
Bourdurt about all with bright Aumbur,
Jjat smelt is & smethe, smellis full swete,

1668 With taste for to touche the tabull aboute.
ffor the souerayn hym selfe was a sete rioll,
Pight full of perrieris & of proude gemys,
Atyret with a tabernacle of Eyntayill fyn.
At the tother hede of )>e halle was,hegh vppolofte,
A wonder-full werke weghes to beholde ;
With preciose stones of pn'ce & perlles ynogh,
An auter enournet in nome of a god,
Goond vp by a grese all of goode stones,
Twenty pase vp pight all of pure cristall,
Jjat were shynyng full shene shalkes to deuyse.
Vne oppon J?e Auter was amyt to stond
An ymage full noble in J>e nome of god, — •
ffyftene cubettes by course all of clene lenght,
Shynyng of shene gold & of shap nobill,
Dubbed oner with dyamowdes, J>at were dere
holdyn,

1684 Jjat with lemys of light as a lamp shone : —
Of Jubiter J>e iust god, Jjat J>e ioy weldis,
In qwhom Priam pn'nsipally put his beleue
In sauyng his Citie and hym selfe alse ;

1688 With long dayes to endure & fro dethe kepe.

THE CONSELL FOR THE RESTITUCION OF JjE GREK.&S.

Qwhen this Citie was set & full sure made,
As Priam hade pwpost all with pure wit,
Then meuyt to his mynde, as yt most nede,

1692 Jjat his Cite was sure of hym selfe wroght ;

With mekyll pepull of prise & proude men of

Armys,

Riches full ryfe & relikes ynow ;
All abundauwt in blisse blent with his folke,

1696 Jjat wele wantid no wegh, ne worship in vrthe.

PRIAM RECOUNTS HIS MISFORTUNES.

57

J5an a sorow full sodenly sanke in his hert,
A Eemorec of maters, pat hym mys lyket ;
How ]?e Grekes hym greuyt and to ground put,

1700 His fader & his fryndis ferkit out of lyue,

And his suster into seruage, Ipat hym sore noyet.
Then he somond all )>e Cite vppon sere haluys,
To a counsell to come for a cause hegh,

1704 And his wille for to wete as horn wele aght.
When the grete were gedurt & J?o graithe all,
Wi'tA his semly sonnes, J?at hym sate next,
Saue Ector, — was oute, as aunter befelle,

1708 In a countre "by coursse J?at of J?e coron helde,
Assignet by his souerayne & certen hym with,
ffor play or for purpos : — pas we Jjerfro.
When J>e souerayne was set in a sete rioll,

1712 As become for a kyng in counsell with lordes ;
All pese vmbe J>e plase, pepull were stille,
Be comaundemeret of J>e kyng, as be come well ;
])en he menyt of J>e mater all with mylde wordes,

1716 And touchet his entent, as I telle shall. —

" Now lordys of my lond & other lefe pepull,
Hit is knowen to J>is court and ofer kyd fryndes,
Of J>e harmys J>at we haue, & j?e hoge lose ;

1720 That the Greke-s in hor gremy vs to grefe broght,—
Bothe to me & to myne mykull vnright,
And to yow & also yours 3omeryng for euer.
How our faders before falsly were slayne,

1724 And my suster Exiona in seruage is holdyn,
}3at is comen of soche kyn, coldes my hert ;
Your susters for sothe & ofer sik fryndes,
Wyues & wale children, J>ai away led,

1728 Jjat ben set vnder seruage & sorow for ay.

And our Cite for sothe, J>at sum tyme was here,
Brent & betyn downe to J>e bare vrthe;
Our golde & our godys gripped in hond ;

1732 Robbet our riches, our renttes distroyet ;

BookV.

(fol. 29 a.)

He called a
council of the
whole city.

Of his sons, only
Hector was
absent.

Silence having
been gained, the
king opened hia
subject.

Priam's speech to
the council ; he
recalls to mind
the harm and loss
that the Greeks
had inflicted on
the country.

58

A MESSAGE TO THE GREEKS.

Book V.

(foL296.)

To redress these
wrongs by their
advice and aid
seems right and
proper.

1736

1740

They have the
means:

1748

and the time

suite.

But the fortune of
war might be

against them, and 1752
it would be safer
to enjoy them
selves at home.

1756

If the council
think so, he will
send a message to
the Greeks, asking
them to restore
his sister, and to
forget old
quarrels.

1760

1764

The council agree . ,_ .,„
to the message. l/OO

Token all our tresoures, trussit into grise ;
Kyld all oure kynnesmen into colde dethe ;
And other wrongis vs wroght & to wo put.
Thes redurse to riche by rede of you all,
Hit were sittyng, me semys, & to sue fore.
We haue a Cite full sure, & sad pepull in ;
Well wroght for the werre, wallis full high ;
ffolke of defence, and to fight able ;
Mony knightes full kant, & kyd men of Armys.
We haue riches full rife, red gold fyn ;
Clothes full comly, and other clene Juellis ;
Arnmr and all thing abill ferfore.
Well viteld, I wis, for wynturs ynow ;
ffele fryndes and fauer out of fer londys,
With a liaunse full large of other lege kyngis,
J)at we to helpe vs may haue in a hond whyle :
And now tyme, by my trauthe, to take it on hond,
To mene vs with manhode & our mys wreke.
But the fortune of feghters may be fell chaunse,
And siker were to sit and solas vs here :
But J?e harme and the hethyng of my kynd suster,
Jjat is set vnder seruage, & in syn holdyn,
Greuys me so gretly & my greme ekys,
jjat it reuys me my rest & my right hele.
But it likis you lordis, at a lite wordys,
Thus gate to begyn er we goo ferre ; —
Jjat I send for my suster on a softe wise
To )>e Grekes, for to goo with a goode wille
And restore withoutyn strife into J?is stide home,
My sister Exina soberly & faire ;
To qwit claym all querels, & be qweme fryndes.
Of all our dures J?ai vs did & daunger for euer,
All account and Enuy after to voide,
Neuer to deire for ]>at dede J>e dayes in our lyue."
When the souerain hade said, fen sesit he here,
And it liket well the lordys & J?e ledis all :

DEPARTURE OF ANTENOR. 59

Of his wit & his wordes & his wise speche, Book v.

In dede thus to do J>ai demyt it all tf°'- so a.)

When Priam hade persayuit all bere pure wille,

1772 He chese hym a chere man the charge for to beire. Priam choose*

Antenor.

Antenor he toke for his triet wit ;
He was gret, & graithe, & a gome noble,
Wisest of wordes and wille berto.
1776 He spake to hym specially, bat he spede shuld and counsels Mm

to use favour and

With fauer and fair wordes his frenship to haue. fair words.
And he lowted his lege with a low chere,
And grauntid to go w^ a goode wille.

HOW ANTENOR WENT ON MESSAGE TO THE GREKYS.

1780 Then he shope hym to ship in a sharp haste, Antenor prepares

for the voyajte.

And dressit for be depe as hym dere bught ;
Halit into havyn in a hond while,
Shippit hym full shortly & his shene folke ;
1784 Grippit vp a gret sayle, glidis on be water,
Sailet on soberly and be se past ;
Teght into Tessaile. twnyt into hauyn, He reaches

0 Thessaly : lands

There Pelleus be proude was a pn'se kyng. at Magnesia and

goes direct to

1788 At Mansua for mirth in be mene tyme, Kingpeieus.

A hauyn toun, as hap was, bere be hind lay,
Antenor not tariet ne no tome hade,
But went to the wale kyng on his way sone,

1792 Hailsit hym hendly, & he his honde toke,

And welcomyt hym worthely as a wegh noble, The kiu« wel
comes him, and
And fraynit hym with frendship qwat the fre kindly asks the

cause of his visit.

wold.

Antenor full tite told of his wille : —
1796 " ifro Pn'am full pn'st put am I hider,
As a messynger made at bis mene tyme.
Thus he sent me to say to your will euyn, Antenor reminds

him of all the

nor to mene to your mynde, as I most nede, harms he had
1800 The harmys and be heuenys hym happit of yow. without cause;
fiirst of his fader, in fight was distroyet

60

THE ANSWER OF PELETJS.

BookV.

(fol. 30 6.)

1804

1808

and states, that if
he wished to
escape the ven
geance of Priam,
he must restore
Hesioue.

1812

Peleus calls Priam 1816
a fool, and com
mands Antenor to
depart instantly.

1820

Anlenor hastily
sets sail for
Salamis, where
Telamon then
was.

1824

1828

1832

Telamon receives
him coldly, yet
asks the cause of
his visit.

ful. 31 a.)

His Cite and his Syb men to sorow for eld ;
His londes, his legemen, out of lyue broght ;
His suster into seruage & to syn put ;
And of er Kedurs full ryfe in his Rewme dyd.
His golde and his goodis grippit also ;
Pikked all his prouynce & full pore leuyt,
Wiihonten cause but of couetous, fat co7ne of

your seluyn.

Qwherfore, to qweme qwyt of all other,
To skape out of skathe and sklaunder to falls,
In obregyng of batell & buernes to saue,
As ye ben wegh full of wit & for wise holdyn, —
To send hym syster vne in sounde home,
And all giltis for gyffen & greuanse for Ay."

iVhen Pelleus persayuit J>is in a proude yre,

Sodenly he sourdit into soure greme,

And Priam reprmiyt as a pure fole,

"With hethyng and hate as hys hegh wordes.

Antenor full tyte to trusse he comaundes,

At the most in a moment of his mold passe,

Or he doutles shold degh for his derfe wordys.

Antenor vntomly turnet his way

Wz'tAoutyn lowtyng or lefe, lengit he noght,

But fast vppon fote ferkyt to shippe,

And hasted to the hegh see in a hond while ;

Sailit on soundly as hym selfe lyket.

On dayes and derke nightes dryuyn on the ythes,

At Salame full sound f ai set into hauyn.

That tyme in the towne was Telamon f e kyng,

To soiowrne a season as hym selfe lyked.

Antenor arghly auntrid of ship

And wentto fat worthy his wille for to shew.

He welcomyt fat wegh vrith a wille feble,

ffor he louet not his lede of long tyme before : .

Yet he fraynit at fat freike whcdur he fare wolde,

ANTENOR AND TELAMON. 01

1836 And the cause of his come to his courtte fan. B*** V-

The Troiane full umbly tolde hym Anone ; — Antenor answers.

and demands

" ifro Priam, full pn'st, haue I -p resit hedur, Hesione, whom

Tfilamon kept as

And wonen ouer the waghis his wille for to say, » concubine.
1840 That in Troy truly is a triet kyng,

And lord of f e londe as be lyne olde ;

J?at now of youre nobilte newly desyres

His Syster to be sent to his syde Rewme.
1844 jjat hynd for to helpe hertely he prayes,

)3at ye kepe in youre company on vnclene wise,

As subiecte vnto syn, vnsemyng for you.

Soche a lady of lynage & of lordis comyn, such a lady

„ , „ p , might have been

1848 That were kno wen lor kynges oi cuntre iele, married to one
Sho might haue bene mariede to more fen your mmm.

selfe,

ffor worship to wed and as wife holde,
That ye haue thus in hething, & a hore mase.

1852 And ober dishonor ye did to his dere fader, Butaii wi" l>e

forgiven if he will

All he g/mintes to forgyue & neuer to greue after, only seud home

this lady.

Iff ye send horn fat semly fat I sew fore,
That he may menske hur with mariage fat ye
mart haue,

1856 And Restore hir astate in sum straunge rewme :
This is the cause of my come, I couet no more
But a graunt of your good wille fat gret for to

haue."
When Antenor had tolde & his tale endit,

1860 The kyng was caste into a clene yre ;

And wrothe at his wordes as a wode lion, Teiamon is

He Answares in Anger Awrthwert agayne ; — UOB:
" Be, sir, who so eu/r f on be, -with f i bold speche,

1864 Me meruellis of f i momlyng & f i mad wordes ; marvels at such

. mad words,

Syn he no knowlage, ne Acoyntaunse of my cors

has,

NQ I hardely herde of hym hade in my lyue,
That he f is Message Wold make to me at this tyme. (tot. 31 6.)

62

THE ANSWER OF TELAMON.

Book V.

and will not hear
Priam's prayer.

He bids him tell
his master that he
had gone with
Hercules to
avenge themselves
on Laomedon : —

that the lady had
been assigned to
him for his great
services : —

1868 I am not pwpast plainly his prayer to here,
~N& his wille for to wirke wete f ou for sothe.
Knowen be it to f i kyng of fat case wele,
That I with Ercules entrid his rewme,
When Lamydon was o lyue & the lond aght,
ffor to wreke vs of wrathe, & the wegh harme
Bothe of skathe & of skorne, as we skylle hade.
Ther with batell at the burgh I my blode shed,
Depe woundes to the dethe, & mony derfe strokes,
And the Cite I sesit sonest of other ;
Was cause of the conquest with my dene strenght ;
And for a riche reward of my ranke wille,
All the soueranis by assent assignet me hir,
ffor to wirke with my wille, & weld as myn owne;
And for lesse hir to leue fen I hir luff boght,
I think not, by my thrifte, for no fro wordys.
Syn f e fre is so faire, & so fele ve?ius,
So corius, so conyng, & of so clene nurtur,
Me is not lefe hir to leue and to lyue after.
Therfore, say to thy souerain fat ye sent hydur,
He weld is not that worthy but with wale strokes,
Andwz'tAswappyng of swerdys,f of he sweltwolde,
And f ou faithfully a fole, & a freike mad,
May be countid in this case for fi come hider,
Soche a message to make at this mene tyme.
Wete f ou full witterly in warnyng to other,
Saue I let for my lofe, f ou shuld J>i lyife tyne ;
And -be done to the dethe for fi derfe speche.
Pas fro my presens on payne of f i lyffe,
And rape of my rewme in a rad haste,
Or f ou shall lelly be lost and f ou leng oghter,"
Antenor for anger auntert no ferre,
1900 Lut not J>e lede, ne no lefe toke, —
(foi. 82 a.) Shot euyn into ship o f e shire waghis, —

Hade bir at his bake, and f e bankes leuyt ;
H« then sails to Sailet furth soundly & fe see past, —

1872

1876

1880

1884

and thai Priam 1888
must win her by
his sword.

1892

On pain of thy Hie 1896
pass from my
presence-

THE ANSWER OF CA8TOR AND POLLUX. 63

1904 Come to Acaxou pere Castor was lord, Bookv.

And Pollux be proude, bat was his pure brothir : Achaia to visit

Castor & Pollux.

Bothe reynit in pat Rem, as I red first.
To be courtte of be kyng come he beliue,
1908 His message for to make, as I mynt haue. He arrives at their

court, salutes

He Salut bO Semly all W?t/i Sad WOrdyS, them, and relates

. the terms of

And told lurth of his tale, taned no longur, Priam's message.

Of the dole and the dethe of his dere fader, —
1912 How be rewme was robbet, redurs ynow, —

His Sister bat was sesit, his Cite distroyet ;

And couet bat cleane, as I declaret haue,

ffor to lede to his londe vppon lyue home.
1916 All prianiMs pwrpos plainly he told,

Of his message by mowthe as I mynt ere.

"When Castor hade clanly consayuit his wille, Castor replies }-

He onswared hym honestly with onryng a litill; —
1920 " Now frynde, vppon faithe and at sad wordes,

"We pwrpost neuer plainly Priam to wrathe,

Ne oifend his frendeship -with no felle dedis.

With outen cause of vnkyndnes, bat was kyde

after,
1924 His fader vs forset with his fowle wille, "ThatLaomedon

Did hething and harme to our hede Rewmes ; them to war, they

m, ., .,, , . „ T. i T. slew him and rav-

Wreklt VS WMfl WOUndlS & be Wegh Slogh, aged his country.

Did our lykyng in his londe as vs leue thoght.
1928 Qwerfore vs qwemes noght now his qwaint

speche ;

We fors not his frendship, ne fere of his hate. That they desire
We loue noght his lede, ne his land nowber ; friendship and
Ne charge noght his chateryng, thogh he chide

euer.
1932 He loues be full litull, lede, as me think, That his master

rp , . . ,, loves him little,

lo make be pis message ior to mele here : since he sent him

And bou hardly no hede of bi hele toke, ^^ a """•
Ne thy lyfe was not lefe ne lusty, it semys, (&>i. & *>•">

1936 When bou entrid our He pis erende to beire.

ANTENOR AND NESTOR.

Book V.

that lie shall die
if he depart not
immediately."

He then sails for
Pylos,

and goes to the
court of Nestor.

He states his mes
sage as he best
could.

Nestor foaming
with rage,

But loke fat no lettyng ger f e lenge here,

Ne no tarying the tyde for tene fat may folow ;

ffor and f ou do feu shalt degh, deme f e non of er."

1940 Qwen Antenor fis aunter angerly herd,

He twrnyt hym tyte with outen tale more,
Hastit hym hertely, highit into bote,
Wound vp full wightly all his wale Ancres,

1944 Caght in Cablis of J>e calnie water,

Braid vp a brode saile, hade brethe at his wille,
fFore enon to Philon with his fens all :
Aroue fere full radly, rest in a hauyn,

1948 ])erz Nestor the noble Duke was negh at his

hond,

With a company clene in his close halle.
The man with his message meuys him to,
As legate and lege from his lord comyn.

1952 He mekyt to fat mighty, and with mowthe said
His charge full choise, chefe how he might,
Euyn fairly by fourme, as I firste said.
Nestor anone noyet fere with,

1956 And wait at his wordes into wode yre ;

He froth et for folle, and his face chaunget ;
His een flammet as f e fyre with a felle loke ;
And louret on f e lede with a laithe chere,

1960 Onswaret hym angerly with Awthwert wordis.

" Fool and servant
of the devil, how
dare you come in
to my presence
with such words.

(fol. 33 a.)

In spite of your
king, ( should

THE ON8WARE OP NESTOR TO ANTENOR.

" Thou sot vriih vnsell, seruand of o f e werst !
How durst f ou so dernly f is dede vndertake,
To appere in my presens with so proude wordes,

1964 J)at myn eris shuld negh the noise of fi speche?
But for noy of my nobilte & my nome gret,
I shuld tere out f i tunge and f i tethe euyn,
And chop furghe fi chekes for chateryng so
high :—

1968 "Spede the to spille in spite of fi kynge, —

A STOIUI AT SEA. 65

To be hurlet with horses vpon hard stones, Book v-

And drawen as a dog & to dethe broght : — horees°over the
Brittonet fi body into bare qwarters, ISJSCf

1972 And caste vnto curres as caren to ete. dog-"

Sile furth of my sight in a sad haste :
And fou tary in f is towne, or any tide lenge,
J?ou shalt haue fat I hete & f ou hence worth."

1976 Antenor arghet with austeme wordes, Autenor, afraid of

his life, fled to his

Hade doute of the Duke & of his dethe fere, ship.
Left the tyrand in his tene hade,turnyt hym to fle.
He highit full hastely & of his hond past ;
1980 Shoke euyn into ship, & the shalke leuyt. with a stout

breeze he set sail.

A stithe man to the stere hade, & a stoute wynde,
Were blouen to f e brode se in a bir swithe.

A TEMP AST ON J?E SEE. fr

There a tempest horn toke on f e torres hegh : —
1984 A rak and a royde wynde rose in hor saile, The wina becomes

furious ;— mist,

A myst & a merkenes was meruell to se : darkness, rain and

ha'l, thunder and

With a routond rayn ruthe to be holde, lightning.

Thonret full throly with a thicke haile ;
1988 "With a leuenyng light as a low fyre,

Blaset all the brode see as it bren wold.

The node with a felle cours flowet on hepis, The 8ca flows on

heaps like hills.

Eose vppon rockes as any ranke hylles.
1992 So wode were the waghes & fe wilde ythes,
All was like to be lost, fat no lond hade.
The ship ay shot furth o f e shire waghes, The ship shoots

A 11 i a? -I , -i -n up and down.

As qwo clymbe at a clyffe, or a clent hille, —
1996 Eft dump in the depe as all drowne wolde.

"Was no stightlyng with stere, ne no stithe ropes,

Ne no sayle, fat might serue for vnsound wedur. (foi. ss &.)

But all the buernes in the bote, as horn best liked, AU on board cry

c\f\r\r\ T> i i i • j 01 -it to saints and gods.

2000 Besoght vnto samttes & to sere goddes ;

With knelyng & crie to fere kynd halowes,
And with solempne sacrifice to seke f ai awowet.

66

AXTENOR RETURNS TO PRIAM.

Book V.

For three days 9001
1 hey struggle with ^u*
the storm.

On the fourth day

the sea waxes

"sober." 2008

The sailors repair
damages and take
heart. 2012

Holding on their
course they soon
arrive at Troy. 2016

2020

When their vows
are paid, Antenor
goes to the palace
of Priam,

and all the
courtiers rejoice
at his safe arrival.

2024

Antenor relates
the several
answer* of

Peleus,

Telamon,

Castor and
Pollux, and
Nestor.

2028

2032

Jjre dayes f roly f ai f rappit with stormys,

Euer in point for to perysshe in the pale stremys ;

Wi't7i daunger and drede duret vnder hacche,

fibr wete of )>e waghes fat wastis oner hed.

The furthe day fell all f e fuerse wyndes,

And the wodenes of waghes wightly with droghe;

The se wex sober and f e sun clere,

Stormes were stille, Stremes abated,

All calme it be come, comferd f e pepnlL

jjai kairen to f e cordis, knitten vp f e saile,

Atyrit the tacle, tokyn fere herte ;

Kachyn on kyndly, & f aire course held ;

Euyn iumii to Troy, taried no lenger ;

Past into port, proude of fere lyues ; —

Lepyn vp to f e lond, leuyn fere ship.

Euf er buerne all bare, on fere best wise,

Soghten to sainttes & to sere goddys,

As f ai heghly hade het in f e hegh stormes.

Yl hen f ai hade melit with fere mowmettes &

made fere offrond,

Perfounnet fere pilgramage, prayers and all,
Antenor Aniyt after anone
To the palis of p?ise of prz'am the kyng,
Among Lordys full light & of er les peopull,
ffull glad of fat gest and his gayne come, —
Jjat hym happint wiih hele hit vnto londe.
When f e souerain was set fat f e soile aght,
And f e lordes of f e lond, ~with his lefe children,
Antenor his tale titly began,
And rekont by row all fere rogh speche ; —
The proude wordis & f e prise of Pellets the

The tene & the torfor of Telamon after ;
The Eeprofe and prise of Pollux & Castor ;
The noy and f e new grem of Nestor the Duke,

RESULT OF THE EMBASSY. 67

2036 With the fere and the fare of his fell chere ; BookY.

And all J>e manas of J>o men he vritlk mowthe (foi.s4a.)

tolde,

As it was said to hym selfe, euyn vfitJi sad wordes.
"When the kyng hade consayuit all his clere tale, w11611 the klne

5 had heard his

2040 And fe Authwart answeres, hym angert full sore, story,
That his message was manast o ]?o men all,
And reproued with prise in J>ere proude yre ;
And of his suster sorili set out of hope,

2044 Neuer to haue hir at home, jjen his hert chaunget, he determines to

. make no peace

And put hym in pwpas no pease tor to make. with his enemies.
Now wackons vp werre as ye shall note after.

68

tfje &txt Boite : H?ofo
Priam tofte counscll to SEcrre on }?c

Priam becomes
more revengeful,
and purposes to
send hia sons
with a great army
to harass the
Greeks.

" Tell me truly,
0 King, what put
it into your heart
to undertake such
a war."

(' connse ' = comae,
a beginning.)

Now Priam persayuit all Jjese proude wordes,
2048 The greme of J>e Grekys, and }>e gret yre,

How J?ai maintene jjere mails Vfith manas &

pn'de ;

Uncertain of his Sister for seyng hir euer, —
Ne redresse for Jie dethe of his dere fader, —
2052 Ne to harmes fat he hade was no hede takyn ;
Soche a sorow & a sourgreme sanke in his hert,
}3at his harme, as a hote low, het hym with in
More frike to J?e fight, feller of wille.
2056 )3an he pwrpost plainly -with a proude ost,

ffor to send of his sonnes & oj>er sibbe fryndes,
The Grekes for to greve, if horn grace felle ;
To wreke hym of wrathe & his wrong riche.

A PEOUERBE.

2060 But say me, sir kyng, what set in fi hede; —
What wrixlit J?i wit «fe ])i wille chaunget ;
Or what happont thee so hastely vriiJi hardnes

of wille,

To put pe to pz^rpas, fat pynet J?e after.
2064 What meuyt the with malis to myn on J>i harme,
And to cacche soche a connse, to combir ]>i
rewme

A PROVERB. 69

Wiih daunger and drede of a dede hate, . J*x>k vi.

ffor a lure fat was light & of long tyme ; <ft>1- 8*& •)

2068 Jjat wold jepely haue bene for^eton in yeres a few, light and long
And neuer menit with mowthe but burgh mishap. P'
Thow se not fat sothely said ys of olde,
And oft happes to hit qwo so hede tas : — "You have forgot

the proverbs :

2072 "He bat girdis -with grete yre his grem for to ' vengeance often

brings greater
Venge, shame.'

Ofte shapis hyni to shote into shame ferre,
With hoge harmes to haue, & his hert sarre."
Hit is siker, for sothe, and a sagh comyn, —
2076 " He bat stalworthly stondes. stir not too swithe, ' He that "t<«i<fc

/ high should not

Lest he faile of his fotyng and a falle haue ; " stir too quickly.'
ffor he fat set is full sad on a soile euyn,

,1

needs fear no fall.'

And pight has his place on a playn ground, 'He that to low

2080 Hym bar not hede to be hurt vrith no hegh falle,
Ne be lost Jmrgh his Hp to be low erthe.
But bou put be, pn'am, to so proude Aunter, But Priam, when

in a rage, you

ffor to heuy?i on bi harme in a hegh yre ; determined to

OAO A A 1 i • .!• n f (.in exalt yourself,

20)54: And bi tall was so fuerse with so fele other. and you lost ail."

Thy Cite and J)i soile sesit of bi hond ;

Thow dungen to dethe, and bi dere sonse ; —

Thi lege men lost, and of lyue done.
2088 Thurgh vnwarnes of wit bat jn wirdis cast,

Thow ges matir to men mony day after,

fforto speke of bi spede, & with spell herkyn

Of J)i lure and J>i losse for a high wille.
2092 Now what felle be be fortune, & bi fre pepull,

All in coursse how it come I will carpe ferre, Now to ™y

story-

And tMrne agayne to my tale, qwill I tome haue.

JTriam by pwrpos a perlament assignet,
2096 And gedrit all be grete in his grym yre : Priamcaiisa

-P, . parliament of 1iU

Euyn into ylion j?ai entnd by dene, lords.

There J>e souerain was set in a seterioll,

And all be lordes of be lond, with his lefe childur.

70

riUAM COUNSELS WAR.

Book VI.

(foL 85 a.)

His speech ; —

" The messenger g . -. .

sent to the Greeks ^ 1 U4

by your advice

has returned,

and yon know the
treatment and the
answers they gave
him.

Let as send an
army into Greece
to waste the
country, and to
get my sister, or
some other great
lady instead.

We have a strong
city,

most famous
knights, many
men, and abund
ance of supplies ;

and the time suits
well.

(fol. S5 6.)

2100 Then carpes the kyng and his cause tellus,

Why the metyng was made at f e mene tyme :
SOT to serche of f e sounde & to say ferre.
" Now," quod the souerain, " as jour assent was,
The man fat with message me\iyt fro vs all,
By assent of my selfe, & sythen of )>e lordes, —
He is comyn to f is courtte, as ye know wele ;
And J>e Authwart answares fat Auntrid hym
fere,

2108 Ys knowen to f is company be course of his tale.
Thai hede not the hething, ne f e harde greme,
Ne the wronges f ai wroght, ne wille to amend;
But with sklaunder and skorne to skather agayn,

2112 In fere pompe and fere pride & fere pure

angur.

Our goddes with grace get vs f erfro !
)3at neuer vs happen so hard with horn to be spit.
God will noght, y wis, our wirdis enpaire,

2116 Soche dedis to redresse & our dethe voide.
Let vs pwrpos a power pas into grese, —
Stir furthe with strenght, stroy of fere londes, — !
Get my suster agayne, or sum grete other,

2120 And wreke we full wele of weghes full nobill.
We are bigger in batell, haue a burghe stronge,
Wele wallit for f e werre, watris aboute,
ffew folke to defende fro a fuerse ost ;

2124 And are knightes in our cuntre kyddist in Armys,
ffell men to fight a full fuerse nowmber ; —
Wele viteld, y wis, for winters ynow,
Stuff of al maner store fat vs strenght may :

2128 We full of defense, & no faute, haue
Help vppon yche hond highond vs to.
And now sothly it sittes vs, as semith to me,
By assent of youre selfe, & ye so wille,

2132 ffor to pwrvey a pepull pruddest of werre,

And gird furthe into grese with a gret batell :

THE COUNSEL ACCEPTED. 71

Pas into Jjere prouyus, pray in hor lonclys, Book vi.

Dyng horn to deth er any dyn ryse ; We may crush

them before help

2136 Jbr any batell be boune, hom to bale worthe, can be obtained.
}5at vnwarnyt of our werkes or hom wo happen.
Thus, I say for my selfe, hit sittis vs all,
ffor to proffer our persons & our pure goodes,

2140 To venge of our velany and our vile harme,
And our state to restore with strokes of hond.
Let not fere you the fray, ne the felle chaunse, Fear not the
That the Grekes vs greuyt, & to ground broght ;

2144 ffor ofte sith hit is sene, and in sere londes, for often the con-

rm , . , f. • , • •-, , queror is over-

ihat a victor 01 a victe is vile ouercomyn : — come by the
So I hope hit shall here with helpe of our con^uered"
goddes."

the kyng had his counsell declaret to The council adopt

the proposal,

the ende,

2148 Hit likit all the legis fat the lorde said ;
And affirmet it fast with J?ere fre wille,
To proue with fere persons & faire pure goodes.
Than was priam full proude, prey set his lordes, andPriam.giadat

heart, thanks

2152 Jjonket hom froly, frappit no lengur ; them.

ffull glad of the graunt with a great joye,
More feruent to fight, fuerser in hert,
Myche comforth he caght of faire kynd speche: — •

2156 And )ms pertid J?e persons & presset to fere
ynnes.'

OFF COUNSELL OF THE KING£S CHILDREN.

When the pepull was depertid & the presse The council

having been dis-

VOidet, missed, the king

consults with his

Saue the kyng and ]>e courtte with his clene court and family.

childur,

Jjat he wan on his wiffe, as ye wist ere,
2160 And other sonnes vpon syde all with faire

wemen.

72

THE APPEAL TO HECTOR.

Book VI.

His sons standing 2164
round him, Priam
with tears
addresses.

(fol. 36 a.)

" Do not the
wrongs of your
house sink into
your soul ?

2168

2172

It will be the

shame of our life

if we do not

avenge them. 2176

It grieves me,
kind children, that
you should be
sorry for my
sake.

2180

2184

And thou, Hector,
my son, mine heir,
ablest and bold
est ! — thou
shonldest ' hede to
my harmes and
pnrm ir to my
purpos.'

Jjan Ector was one, as aunter befellc,

ffro the parties of payeme present at home,

By comaundemewt of f e kyng fat Avas his kynd

fader.
And when fe sons all somyn were the Syre

vmbe,

Euyn stondyng full still, as f aire astate askyt,
Thus carpes the kyng to his clene childur,
"With weping and wo, wateryng of ene,
Sohbyng and sikyng, Syling of terys. —
" Now synkes not in your sowle f e sorow of

jour graunser,

And the dulf ull dethe of jour dere frvnda?,
The seruage of Exina, fat is in syn holdyn,
And hade in horedam for hethyng of vs ;
And we so mighty on molde & of mayne

strenght 1

Hit is lure of our lyues, and we let sholde
ffor to wreke vs of wrathe for any wegh oute.
And ye fat are ^epe knightes, & in yowthe alse,
Shuld highly take hede in hert for to venge
The slaght of fe souerayne, fat was my sure

fader ;

And my wille for to wirke, as ye wele aw.
})at greuys me full gretly, & to ground bringes,
Hit shuld come you by course, as of kynd childer,
To be sory for my sake, & soner fen I ;
And part-taker of my payne with prickyng in

hert.
And f ou my son, for sothe, sonest of other.

TO ECTOR.

Ector the eldist, and heire to my selfe, —
Antrus in armys, ablist of person, —
Boldest in batell, and best of f i hondes ; —
2188 Thou shuld hede to my harmes, herkon my wille,

HIS ANSWER.

73

Book VI.

Thy brothers
shall obey thee,
and all the knights
of my realm shall
follow thy
counsel.

I commit this
undertaking to
thee as chief; and
thou shall bear
the burden of it '."

(fol. 86 6.)

Pursew to my pwrpos, p?-esent myn astate ;

To lede all my legis with likyng in werre.

Thy brether obey shall thy biddyng vnto ; —
2192 All fe Renkes of my rewme will f i red folowe,

As storest of strenght to stightill thy foose,

And soche tyrandes to tame, fat vs tene wirkes.

With hardynes of bond, & with hole might,
2196 Ger horn bo we as a berslet & fi blithe seche.

I Aioyne thee this iorney with ioy for to take,

And the charge of f e chaunse, chef as fou
may.

This burthen fou beire shall, bigger fen I,
2200 Wightur in werre, and of wale strenght,

Lusty and likyng, and of lite yeres,

Mighty and monfull, maistris to wirke.

And I, ournand in elde with arghnes in hert,
2204 My floures bene fallen, & my frike age, —

I graunt thee f e gouernaurcse of f is gret mode,

And shake it on fi shulders, shape f e f erfore."

THE ONSUABE AND THE COUNSELL OF ECTOR TO PRTAM
HIS FFADER.

When Priam hade his prologe preched to ende,
2208 Ector hym answarede esely and faire,

With wordys full wise vnto his wale kyng,

Vnder shadow of shame shewed in his chere. —

" Most worshipfull fader, & my fre kyng !
2212 Hit is kendly by course & custome of men,

Jjat any hardlaike has, or a hede shame,

ffor to wreke in hor wrathe of wranges before.

And if we, fat are worthy, & wight men in And if we, who

A are worthy, take

LmJ B> an insult from any

2216 Take harme, other hethyng, or hurtys vnjoldyn, ^ °" e^h- "

* * ' would be, indeed,

Of any erdyng in erthe euenyng to vs, * shame.

Hit were shortly a shame & a shire greme.
ffor f e more he is mighty, fat the mysse tholis,

" Most worshipful
father ! men who
have any hard
ship, or cause for
shame, seek
revenge.

74

THE ANSWER OF HECTOR.

Book VI.

Now, dear father!
I am most con
cerned to avenge
my grandsirc's
calamity,

and I desire the
opportunity to do

80.

Bnt.faithfnl father
and noble king, I
ask one thing, —
now be not
angry,

(fol. 37 a.)

2240

Ponder every step
from first to last
and consider what
may happen. 2244

That is not a
counsel to follow
or to call wise,
which notes only
the beginning.

It is wisdom to
wave such a wild
counsel,

2248

2220 The more the greuaunce is grete & to gref turnys.
If we desyre no redresse of dedis before,
We may boldly vs by Id with bostis out of Reason.
Now, dere fader, in faithe of all my fre brether,

2224 Non is holdyn so highly the harme for to venge,
Of my graunsers grefe so gretly as I :
ffor I am Eldest and heire after hym belyue,
And the first of vs fyue, as falles by cha\mce.

2228 So first will I found his fos for to greue,

And couet it by course, as comys in my hert,
With my body to by, and my byg strokes.
On right hond shall horn reue fe rest of fe
saule,

2232 That my graunser with greme gird vnto dethe,
And sloghe all our Sitesyns, & our sad pepull
Brittoned to bale dethe, and fere blode shed.
But faithful fader, & our fre kyng !
I aske of you 0 thing, — but angurs you noght, —
Lettis mene to jour mynde at f is mene tyme,
And consider to oure cause with a clene wit ;
Let oure gate be so gouernet, fat no grem folow,
Ne no torfer betyde, ne no tene after.
Ouer lokes all lures to the last ende,
What wull falle of f e first furthe to f e middis ;
Sue forthe to f e secund, serche it with in,
And loke to f e last end, what lure may happyn.
Hit is no counsell to encline, ne to calle wise,
Ne not holsom, I hope, fat hedis to f e first,
And for-sees not the fer end, what may falle

after.

What profiet any prowes with a prowde entre,
To begyn any goode, on a ground febill,
And fortune it faile, and haue a fowle ende 1
Hit is wit for to wayue soche a wilde counsell,

2252 And put of a pwrpos, fat enpaire might,

Or fat wayueris in wer what shall worthe of ;

A WARNING. 75

Licker at be last end in langore to bide, Book vi.

as more likel
turn to sorrc
than to joy.

And turne vnto torfer, ben any triet ioye. ** more like'y to

turn to sorrow

A PROUERBB.

2256 A blisfull begynnyng may boldly be said, • That only is a

good beginning

j?at ffolow to be fer end and hath a faire yssue. which hath a fair

issue.'

ffull witty to wale & worshipful! Kyng !
I Say not this, sothely, to ses of your wille,
2260 Ne put you fro pwrpos, ne plainly for fere ;

But to wisshe you with wit, bat worship might

folow,
And eschew soche a chaunse bat cheuys to

noght.
Ye wetyn Jjis full wele, worshipful! fader ! YOU know fun

well, 0 father !

22o4 pat all Aunrike & -Lurope are vnder fere power, — that aii Africaand

O-.I.L.LI 1 • i o ill Europe, and many

Sittyw to horn subiecte, & mony syde londes, other lands, are
bat fild are all full of fuerse men of Armys :— u"ler "ie p.ower

' J ' of the Greeks ;

Of Knightes full keiie, & cant men of wille,
2268 And of comyns to count out of course mony,

ffull wise men of wer, and war of hor dedys.

There are not in Asia, to Ame all the pepull, (foi. 37 6.)

So fele fightyng folke be a fuerse nowmber,
2272 As the Grekes may gedur & get when horn likes.

Hit semes more sertain, sothely, to me,

Yff we wackon vp werre with weghes so fele, therefore if we

<r>i j -U- • v j. n v u j. • A waken up war

iliat are bigger in batell, boldest in Armys, with them, we
2276 Hit may negh vs with noy, but neuer to our ioye. ^but'never to

Lakys to our lyving, and likyng we haue ^oy-

Of pes & of prowes our prouyns aboute ;

Of Eiches full ryfe, of rest at our wille ;
2280 iFull stithe of astate, & stondyng at ese.

Why couet we combrauwse, or cachyng of harme, why covet we

In enpayryng of our persons & pyUyng our
goodes,

And to put vs fro pes payne for to thowle ?
2284 Sothely your suster sittes vs not so harde,

76

HECTOR DISSUADES FROM WAR.

Book VI.

Indeed it seems

unjust to put us

all In peril for

one,

who was long ago

taken captive.

2292

I carp not thus
through
cowardice or
fear.

I dread th e loss of 2296
the whole land,
and of yourself.

While we may, 2300
let us put off a
purpose that can
lead only to
harm."

(fol. 38 a.)

" Now, most
faithful father !
suffer me to
speak.

Who shall be
afraid, since we
are prosperous,
have abundance
of everything ?

2304

' To chaunge for hir choisly the cheuyst of vs

here ;

Or all so myght Aunte?- to atter for ener.
To seke Jris, in certayn, hit semys not euyn ;
2288 And put vs all in perell for pyne for hir one,

Jjat long sythen was laght & out of lond broght,
And mey be drepit with dethe in yeres a few ;
And all the ^omeryng for yeten in yeres A lyte.
Now hoope ye not,hynde fader, ne in hert thinke,
That I carpe thus for cowardys, & be course ferde,
Or for the sake of my selfe in sauyng alone ;
But I doute it for destany, and drede at J>e ende,
ffor lure and for losse of the londe hole ;
Bothe of soile & of Septor, souemynly of you ; —
That we falle into forfet with our fre wille,
And chese vs a chaunse fat cheuys to noght.
While we may stithly absteyne, & stond at our ese,
Hit is leifull to leue syche lykynges in hele ;
And put of a pzwpos of a proude sute,
])at harmes at )>e hynder ende & heuy to beire."
When Ector hade answaret & endet his tale,
He ereclynet the Kyng & closit his mowthe.

THE COUNSELL OP PARIS ALEXAUNDER.

Than parys aprochyt And put hym to say,
And come witA his counsell declaret his wit.

2308 " Now fader ful faithfull, and our fre Kyng !
Will you suffer your son to say at this tyme,
And tent to my tale, it tMrays to the best 1
I shall put you to pwrpos and plesauns at ende.

2312 Who might faithfully be ferde, or fortune to

dred?

Syne we are put in prosperite & pepull so fele,
And Eiches so Rife, and Eeames beside ;
With a Cite full sure, and set for the werre ;

2316 With Armure, and all things abill to fight.

PARIS URGES IT. 77

We might say this for certen, & suppose it in i^<>'< vi.

hert,

Syn we are put in prosperite, and pepull so fele,
That any care or confusion shuld come to our

rewme.
2320 Therfor, faithfull ffader, folow your wille ; Therefore, faith-

ful father, follow

Send furthe a soume All of sure kmghtes ; your own win.

T . . , . „ . .,, „ Send a band

Let horn gird into Grise ^nt/i a grym tare, of sure Kmgh-s

fv> i , -^ r< f n IT i into Greece, and

ffight vnik your foos, fonge of thaire goodes, ,etthem work
2324 That vs harmyt so highly, & our hede sloghe ; their win ony°ur

<J o «/ ' ' enemies.

Our pepull to pyne, pild all our londe.

And yff it like your Aliegiaunce, bat I, your

lefe son,
Be sent from your seluon with sure men of

Armys,
2328 An aioynet to bis Jorney witJi iuste men & sure : I sha11 rejoice to

be sent on this

I am siker, for sothe, it shall vs wele like, journey;

Worship to wyn, and our wille haue.

ffor my goddis me grauntid. & of grace lent, for my sods have

granted ine gnu e

2332 The Grekes for to grefe, & of grem bryng ; to vex the Greeks,

Confound of hor cuntres, kylle of hor pepull,
And the lustist lady in hor lond wyn ; and to win the

lustiest laviy in

Bryng hur to bis burghe, & no bale suffer, their lai.d.

2336 That be chaunget by chaunse for your choise

Sister.
And yf ye wilne for to witte how hit worthe

shulde,

I shall telle you the trewthe how me tyde euyn ;
And all the case how yt come know yf ye lyste.

THE VISYON OP PARIS.

2340 " Hit is not meuyt of niynde ne mony day past, Not long ago,

. while I was in a

feyn I was leut in a londe, bat is lefe ynde, land called indc,

Your biddyng to obey, as my blithe ffader. <fo1- ^ b->

In the season of somer, er the sun rose,
2344 As it come into canser, and be course Entred,

78

THE VISION OF PARIS.

Book VI.

I went into the
wood on a Friday
to hunt with
my people.

Till midday we
found nothing :
but when even
song was past,

2348

2352

I beheld a hart
feeding on a plain
all alone.

Fast from my
fellows I rode,
and soon left them
all behind.

On through the
wood I worked
till I came to a
dusky place and
lost the deer.

2356

2360

Then I ceased and 2364
dismounted.

2368

All weary I

became; and

seizing the reins,

I bound my horse

to a bough : —

then stretched me 2372

on the ground

under the bright

trees;

and placing my

bow and quiver

as a pillow, I soon 23/6

fell asleep.

Hit fell me on a fryday to fare vppon huntyng.
"Wiih myrthe in the mornyng & mony other

pepull,

All went we to wod the wilde for to cacche ;
And laburt full long, laytyng Aboute.
Till raydday and more myght we not fynde,
ffor to wyn as for waithe in fat wode brode ;
Tyll hit entrid to euyn, & euynsong was past.
Then it fell me by fortune, fer on a playne,
As I beheld f urgh a holte, a hert for to se,
)?at pastured on a playn pertly hyin one :
And I cast me be course to cum hym before,
ffast fro my felowes & fuersly I rode,
Euf e?1 lede hade I lost, & left me behynde,
And swaruyt out swiftly, might no swayne folo.
So I wilt in the wod and the wilde holtis,
ffer fro my feres, and no freike herde,
Till I drogh to a derke, and the dere lost.
He f rong into Jricke vrodes, fester vriifi in,
ffor thornes and tres I tynt hym belyue.
Than I sesit of my sute, & softly doun light,
Beheld to my horse, fat hote was of Eennyng,
All swoty for swyme and his swift course,
That stremys from hym straght, & stert vppon

f e erthe,

And dropis as dew or a danke rayne.
All wery I wex and wyll of my gate,
And raght to my reyne, richet o lenght,
Bound vp my blonke to a bogh euyn ;
And graithed me to grounde as me gode liked,
In a shadow of shene tres & of shyre floures,
Ouer hild for f e hete hengyng witft leues.
My bow fat was bigge, & my bright qwyuer,
Arowes and other geire atled I anon,
Pight as a pyllow, put vnder my hede ;
And sleghly on slepe I slypped be lyue.

VENUS, JUNO, AND PALLAS. 79

I drow into a dreme, & dreghly me thought Bookvi.

2380 That mercury the mykill God, in be mene tyme, "Beamed that

J ' Mercury and the

Thre goddes hade gotten goyng hym bye, three goddesses,

That come in his company clere to beholde : — (fol- 89 a->
Venw-9 the worthy, bat wemen ay plesyn : Venus, paiias,

and Juno, stood

2384 And Palades, with pure wit bat passes all other ; before me.
And Jono, a iustis of ioyes in erthe.
These ladis he lefte a litill besyde,
And sothely hym seliiyn said me thies wordes. That Mercury

spoke thus : —

2388 'To the, Paris, I appere with bre pn'se goddes, -Paris! i appear

n before thee with

That are stad in a strife here stondyng besyde ; these three

P n i • -i • , • •, goddesses, that

And haue put horn full plainly in bi pure wit, are stad in a
To deme as be dere thinke & bai in dede holde, jSf^to deettb.
2392 When treuthe is determynet & tried by the.

Thus it be fell horn by fortune, faire as I telle : —

As bai sate in hor solas samyn at a fest, As ^ sat f «

feast, an apple or

An appull of a new shap, bat neuer man hade sene, a new 8haPe was

cast among them.

2396 Coyntly by crafte was cast horn amonge.
Hit was made of a mater meruell to shew,
With grete letturs of Grece grauyn bere vmbe. The inscriP«on

bore that the

To rede it by reson rankes might se, fairest should

have it.

2400 That the fairest of bo fele shull bat fe haue :
And duly this dome haue bai done o bi selfe,
And put on bi person hor pese for to make. YOU must make

their peace; and

The is hight for to haue highly by me, such they promise

as your reward.

2404 A mede of bo mighty to mend the with All,

As in rewarde for to ricche of hir bat right has :

That ye faithfully shall falle & not faile of.

Yf bou Juge it to Jono, this ioye shall bou if you adjudge it

to Juno, you shall
become the

2408 To be mightiest on molde, & most of all other : — earth/68
This ho grauntis ye to gyffe of hir good wille.
And if bou put it to Palades, as for your pn'se iftoPaiias;—

thou shalt be the
1 ady , ' wisest of wit. '

Thou shalbe wisest of wit, — this wete bou for
sothe, —

80

VENUS WINS THE APPLE.

Book VI.

If to Venus ;
thou si i alt have
the fairest lady
in Greece.'

I answered ;—
' I cannot
determine, unless
I see them

(fol. 39 6.)
naked and all
together.'

Mercury said ; —
' tte it as you
desire.'
And all stood
naked before me.

Truly, Venus was 2432
the fairest, and I
awarded her the
apple.

Then I awoke.

I am certain,
that, if I am
sent into Greece,
I shall bring
home the
brightest lady of
that land."

241 2 And know all the conyng, fat kyndly is for men.
Iff f ou deme it in dede duly to Venus,
Hit shall falle the, to fortune, f e fairest of Grice
To haue and to holde, to f i hegh mede.'

2416 When mercury hade menyt this mater to ende,
And graunt me Jiise gyftis hit gladit my hert.
I onswaret hyin esely euyn vponon : —
' This dome is in dowte to demyng of me,

2420 The certayn to say, but I horn segh naked ;
And waited horn wele, f o worthy togedur,
The bodies aboute with my bright Ene.
Than shuld I full sone say, as me thought,

2424 And telle you the truthe, & tary no lengur.'

Then mercury with mowthe f us menyt agayne ; —
* Be it done euyn in dede as J>i dissire is.'
Than nakuet anon full naitly were all,

2428 And broght to me bare :— I blusshet horn on.
I waited horn witterly, as me wele thoght,
All feturs in fere of f o fre ladys.
Hit semit me for certayn, & for sothe dom,
J)at Venus the vertuus was verely the fairest,
Most excelent of other, and onest to wale :
And I duli, be dom, demyt hir the appull.
And ho fayn of fat faire, & frely me het

2436 That the mede shuld be myne, fat mercury saide.
}5en wightly f ai went. I wackonet with fat,
And grippet my gayre & my gate helde.
Now, howpe 36 not hertely, fat f is hegh godde«

2440 Will faithly fulfille faire forward to ende ?
I am certen and sure, be I sent forthe,
The brightiest lady to bryng of f o brode londys.
Now, meke fader and mylde ! f is message to do,

2444 Ye deme your dere son, & dresse me ferfore :

Hit shall glade you full godely agaynes your

gret anger,
And fille you with faynhed, in faithe I you hete."

THE COUNSEL OF DEIPHOBUS. 81

When he told hade his tale tomly to the ende, BOO* vi.
2448 He enclinet the kyng, and Carpit no more.

THE COUNSELL OP DEFFEBUS.

Then Deffebus drogh negh, dressit hym to say, — (Deiphobus.)
Com before the Kyng, & Carpit on highe :
All soberly, for sothe, & sylens he hade.
2452 " Now, dere fader vppon dese, & our due Kynge ! " Dear father >

suffer me to

Suffers your son to say at this tyme : — say:—

And be dome of yche dede were demyt before, if the result of

each deed were

To grepe at be begynnyng, what may grow after ; known tefo™-
2456 To serche it full suerly, and se to be ende,
Witfi due deleberacion for doutis of Angur ;
Who shuld hastely on hond an heuy charge take 1 wh (^*j| *^der
And he cast be course what shuld come after, take a"y heav^

charge ?

2460 Shuld neuer pwrpos vnperisshit be putto A yssu ;
Ne neuer no man no note to no end bryng.
Iff tylmen toke tent what shuld tynt worth, lf huf andmen

considered how

Of sede bat is sawen, be sesyng of briddes, much *<*& the

birds destroy,

2464 Shuld neuer come for care be caste vppon erthe : none should ever
Nc neuer dede shuld be done but drese furth to

noght.
Therfore. fader, it is fairest, bat ye a flete ordan, Therefore, fati* r,

' send fortli a fleet,

W/t7i a nauy full nobill, bis note to begynne : and eiv« P»™

charge.

2468 Puttis it to Parys, & let hym passe furthe,

As he said you hym seluyn, is sothely the best :

No pure man may pertly preue it for other.

And if it happen hym to haue any hynde lady, And if he win any
2472 Or any worthy to wyn & Away lede,

Hit may chese you, be chaunse, to chaunge hir you may choose

to exchange her
agayne, for your sister."

Your suster to sese and in sound wyn,
j)at our fame so defoules, & is in filthe holdyn."
2476 When Deffebus hade done, he dressit hym to

sit,

By leue of the lord.es, bat liket his wordes.
G

82

HELENUS DISSUADES FROM WAR.

Book VI.

(Helenus.)

"Ah! comely
king, work not
unwisely in your
wild ire!

Byth«gift of
God, I know all
that w ill happen :
and you have
found that
all my prophecies
have come to
pass.

(fol. 40 b.)
Put off this
purpose : on no
wise let Paris go
on this venture.

Else this city
shall be taken by
the Greeks, and
destroyed, &c.

Abstain, then,

lest ye be over
whelmed with
woe ; you and
your sons slain ;
and Hecuba, your
wife, left in
misery."

THE COUNSELL OF ELIN17S TIIE BYSSHOP

Then Elin?/s, eftesones, (was Eldist of birthe
After Deffebus, by destyny) he drest hym to
say;—

2480 Come before the kyng, declarit his wit,

And warpet these wordes, as ye wete shall.
" A ! comly kyng coronid, ]>at f is kith aw !
Lot no blyndnes you blenke, ne jour blisse faide,

2484 Vnwisely to wirke in yowr wilde yre.

I know me so konyng in the clene Artis,
Thurgh gifte of god, & your goode fyndyng,
Jjat I wot all the wordys, & the wilde Angres,

2488 j?at be course are to come, & the cause why.
Your seluyn sothely asayet haue before,
I told you nener tale in tyme ]>at is past,
But ye faithfully haue found it fore as I said.

2492 Therfore, putte of this pwpos; Let Paris not go
On no wise in this world, for woo fat may

happyn.

I say you for certen, & it so worthe,
That Paris be put furthe his pwrpos to holde,

2496 Gird vp into Grese, & any grem wirke ;
This Cite full solempne sesit be fen,
With the Grekes to ground gird vnder fote,
And we exiled for euer : this Aunter shall
falle.

2500 Abstene fen stithly, fat no stoure happen,

|3at drawghes to our dethe, vndoyng for euer.
Soche bargens are bytter, fat hafe a bare end.
Turne jour entent, lest it tyde after,

2504 Jjat ye be drepit with dole, and done out of

lyue;

And Ecuba, your owne wife, augur to fole;
Your sones vnsoberly slayne in the place.
All thies cases shall come, I know it full wele,

2508 Yl Paris pas furth, as pwpos is takon.

TROILUS URGES IT. 83

This is so the, fat I say, sir, •with your leue : Book vi.

Now wirkys by wit, as you well likes."
Then he bowet the buerne & busket to syt,
2512 Seyit furth with sory chere, and his sete toke.

When the kyner hade consayuit of his clere wit, The ki"g W!XS

' confounded, and

And his wordys full wise, all his wille chaunget; sat musing;
He was stonyt full stille & in a stody sate,
2516 And ferd of fe felle wordes, fat fe freike saide.

All the buernes aboute abasshet ]>er with, a11 were

shocked ;

Be cause of the kyng, f e?*e countentmnse failed :
Was no wee fat a worde warpit fat tyme,
2520 But all stodyn full stille : astoneide bai were an<J 8t<x><J »tni,

silent and

nor f e wordys of wit, fat f e wegh tolde ; astonished.

And doute of his dome for destyne febill.

THE COUNSELL OF TEOYLUS.

Than Troilus full tyte talkes with mowthe, — Troiiua tiien

spoke:

2524 })at was f e yongist of yeris, & a ^epe knight, —
Brake Sylense belyue, and abrode saide : —
"A! nobyll men of nome, what noyes your "Ahinobiemenof

, name, why so

hertes?
Why are ye trowblit fis tyme, and your tung ffoi.«o.)

. troubled and

lost f moved by a mad -

rtK no A J i 11 f j • A priest who knows

2528 And meuyt so mykell, for a mad pnste, no knighthood

That neuer colde of no knighthode, but in a 2^*^ in

kirke chyde?

Hit is propurte for a preste perellis to drede,
fferd be for fight, and 0 fer shun it,
2532 Melle hym wz't^ mekenes, fat hym most louys,
Delyte hym in Drywke, and ofer dere meytes,
Set hym to solas, as hym selfe like*.
Who may tell it for tru, or trust haue f erin,
25 36 )?at any gome shuld be graithe of our goddes

wille,

Or haue knowyng of case for to come after 1
There is no wyse man, I wene, fat will it suppose, NO wise man
6 •

84

THE COUNSEL OP TROILUS.

Book VI.

will suppose 2540

• that a fool should
txfomoise.'
Let Helenus go
to his temple ;—

und let other men,

that are able, try

to wipe out our 2544

shame.

Why, father, are
you so troubled
at his words ?

Command that
a fleet be made
ready, and fully
manned : and the
Greeks will grieve
us no more."

(MS. 'sororow')

When Troilus
ended, all felt
glad, and con
firmed his
counsel.

2548

2552

2556

The court then
rose : the king and
his sons and the
lords with joy go
to meat.

2560

Jjat a foole shuld be forwise soche ferlies to know.

If Elin?&s be argh, & ournes for ferde,

Let hym tegh to fe tempull, talke vrith his

goddes,

Deuyne seruice to do, and fro drede kepe ;
And let other men Aunter, abill f erfore,
ffor to shunt vs of shame, shend of our foos,
And venge vs of velany & of vile gremy.
Why fader, in faith, are yo so fer troublet
At his wordys of waste, & his wit febill ?
Comaund, sir kyng, fat a 'dene nauy
Be redy to rode on f e rugh see,
All well for )>e werre, vrith wight men ynogh :
Syne the Grekes with greme may grefe vs no

more,

But it syt horn so sore, pat fai sorrow euer."
When Troilus hade told, & his tale endit,
Hit blithet all the buernes, fat aboute stode,
Of his wit, & his wille, & wordes full bolde ;
And confermyt his counsell by comyn assent.
Than comaund the kyng the courtte for to ryse
Askit water wightly, wentton [to] meyte.
Bothe hym selfe and his sonnes, with sere lorde«

vmb,
Maden all mery, menyt fere speche.

When all had
partaken, the
king calls

(fol. 41 6.)
his sons.

Paris and
Deiphobus appear.

He commissions
them to raise an
army in L'aeonia.

THE CEDING CTNSE FOR PARIS INTO GBESE.

When etyn hade all men & at ese bene,
' Bordys away borne, buernes on fote ;
The kyng syttyng hym selfe, & his sete helde :

2564 He comaund for to cwn of his kynd sons.
Parys apperit, pert Deffebus alse,
Comyn to the kyng, knelit full low,
ffor to wete of his wille ; & f e wegh saide : — •

2568 " I bid fat ye buske, and no bode make ;

Pas into Payone fere pn'se knightes dwellis,

THE EXPEDITION OP PABIS PROPOSED. 85

Doughty of dede, derfe men in Armys. Book vi.

Assemble you soudiours, sure men & nobill,
2572 Sliapyn in shene ger, with sliippis to wynde,
The Grekys to greue, & in grem brynge."
J?an J>ai lacchyn hor leue, — lowton hor kyng, —
Cayren forthe to be coste, & hor course helde. They 8et 8ail and

execute their

2576 Assemblit soudiours anon, mony sad hundrith ; orders.
And lengit while bem list, be lond was bere owne.
The secund day, sothely, for to say ferre, °* th« second day

after, he summons

When he his sons herde, he somond his lordes his lords>

knights, &c.

2580 And all the knightes to come, & clene men of

wit,

To appere in his presens a p^rpos to take.
When be souerain was set "with sere lordes vmbe,
Then carpes the kyng his knightes vntill. *e 8tate* to ^em

• ' the cruelties of

2584 " Now, lord.es of my lond, & lege pepull ! the Greeks;

Tlie case is well knowen to jour clene mynde,

How be Grekes vs greuit, & to ground broght,

And put vs, with hor pn'de, to pouerte full low:
2588 Of our souerans & sib men seruondis to be,

Ay hengis in my hert be hethyng I thole ; anxfe^rSrding

Of my Buster in smiage, & in syn holdyn, hia 8ister!

Hit meuys into mynd, & mekill me noyes ;
2592 And I sothely haue sent, as ye see all, StToTand1"

Antenor to aske hir, & Angur no more. the result;

He hade not of horn but hethyng & skorne,

Grete wordis & gref, & moche grym brete ;
2596 Jpat doublis my dole, & to dethe bryngis.

Now woundys shalbe wroght, weghes to sorow,

And dyntes full dedly for be dere sake.

I haue pwrpast Parys with prise mew ynow, how he purposes

to send an

2600 Into Grese for to go, & horn to greme; - expedition under

Paris,

Kylle of hor knightes, knocke horn to dethe ; (foi.42«o

to kill and

Grype of hor godes, and agayne wyn. plunder the

Hit may chefe hyrn by chaunce to get som choise B^ ^melady

who may be

86

TO BE, OR, NOT TO BE.

Book VI.

exchanged for
Hesione.

If they confirm
his purpose, he
will carry it out :
but if they oppose
it, he will go no
farther.

(Pythagoras. )

2620

Protheus, son of
Eusebius the
philosopher, then
addressed the nnn i

king. 2624

"Ah, noble king!
simple though I
bo, give heed to
my statement,

which you will
('mil lo be true.

2604 Or su«i woman to wyn, fat worthy is holdyn,
Bryng to this burghe, (& other brode godes,
Our worship to wyn & our will haue,)
That may chefe by chaunse chaunge for Exine.

2608 This I will fat ye wete, & your wille shewe ; —
If ye dome it in dede, )ms I do will ;
And pursue on my pzwpos plainly to ende.
And if ye list it be lefte, let me wete sone,

2612 And I will soberly sese, & sue it no ferre.

J)of f ai touche me with tene, all these tore harmes,
All the comyns be course haue cause for to say ;
ffor it Angurt horn all, & out of ese brought :

2616 And as wise men witnee, & in writ shewes,
J)at at longis to lenge on a lell comyns,
Shuld propurly be a-preuyt by the pepull hole."

THE COUNSELL OP PROTHEUS.

iVhen tale of the trew was triet to fe ende,
And silens on yche syde sittyng full stille,
A stuerne of J>o stithe were stondyng aboute,
A praty man of pure wit, protheus he hight,
)5at was sothely the son of soueran Ewsebij,
A Phylosofer fyne fele yeres past,
J3at, Ouyd in old tyme oponly tellus,
Had all the crafte & conyng in his clere wit,
)3at pictagoras the pure god possessiant was of.

2628 This protheus pertly put hym to say, —

To the kyng in the court carpis thies wordes : —
" A ! nobill kyng & nomekowthe ! notes in your

hert,
And suffers me to say, Symple f of I be ;

2632 Let niene to your maiesty fe mynde of my

tale,

Hedys me vfith heryng, & in hert kepe :
I will telle myn entend vpon trew wise,
And say you in sertain fat ye mon sure fynde.

A WARNING. 87

2636 Hit is knowen to you kynd lord & your court Bookvi.

hole,
That my fader was a philisofer, & of fele yeres. — My £-lther was »

philosopher,

To the nowmber of nene skowre, & his nome (foi. 126.)

who knew every

KOUthe, turn of fortune

A i n -n /> ffi 3 that should come.

And lully was enformet of fortune deuyse,
2640 What be course was to cum of care & of ioye.

Ofte he said me for sothe, & for sure tolde, He told me otlen>

that if Paris

bat if Parys with a pepull past into Grese, passed, into

Greece, &C.,

In pw?'pas to pray, or profet to gete,
2644 An wan fere a wife & away led,

Jjat grete Troye shuld be tane, & tyrnyt to ground,

And all the buyldynges brent into bare askys :

Your selfe & your sons sothely be dede,
2648 'With the Grekes in hor grefe ; & f is ground lost.

Wherfore, wheme kyng ! for what fat may come, wherefore, dear

king, beware !

Let your lordship lystyn w?t/z a loue ere,
And wirke after wit, fat worship may folow :

2652 Syn wordys of wise men is no wit to dispise.

And nomely in f is note, fat noise not your selfe,
Ne hurttes not your hegh Astate, ne no harme

dos;
And persiueraunse of pwrpos may quit you to lure,

2656 Your landys to lose, & langwr for euer.

Why couet ye be course to cum out of ese, — why leave ease

and rest for

Your rest into Eobery & to ryfe perellis, robbery and

Bothe in daunger and drede, & may dryfe of ?

2660 Absteyne you stithly, fat no stoure fall ;

And endure furthe your dayes at your dere ese,
In lykyng to lyue, & your ledis all,
WVt^outen heuynes or harme. Hedis to fat,

2664 And puttis of fat purpos ; let paris not wend ; put off that
Let anof er do fat note, if hit nede shall. not Pans go.

rrii • 11 • i T f 11 Let another do

llns is my counsell, sw kyng, carpe 1 no ter. that mischief,
At Protheus profesi f e pepull made noise,
2668 Myche Rurnwr & rud speche at his red sonne ; The people mock

88

THE SORROW OP CASSANDRA.

Book VI.

at the prophecy of
Protheua ; —

2672

and affirm that
Paris pass into
Oreeee.

(fol.4Sa.)

Cassandra, having
heard what
Paris had under
taken, breaks
forth in
lamentation.

"Ah ! noble Troy
what destruction
is at hand, &c.

Ah ! unhappy
king, what
sufferings, &c.

(Affiance)

And thou, 0
queen, &c. !

Why put not 2696

Paris from his
purpose P"

His olde fader fantasi f ai filet in hert,

And repugnet f o pointtes with a proude wille ;

As, lord, gyffe f ai leuyt hade for lure fat como

after,
Hit might, by fortune, haue failet of fat foule

end.

But it was desteynid by dome, & for due holdyn
Hit plesit wele the pepull at parys to wende :
Thay affennyt hit fully, & faren to fere Innes.

THE SOROW OF CASSANDRA THE KTNGYS DOUGHT.E.R.

Hit come to Cassandra, fat was the kynges

doughter,

That, be counsell of the kyng & comyns assent,
Parys was purpost with pouer to wende
Into Grese for a gay, all on grete wise.
All in sikyng & sorow, with syling of tens,
Ho brast out with a birre from hir bale hert,
And all forthly ho fore in hir fyne wittes ;
Warpet out wordes wonder to here.
With a carefull crie carping ho sayde : —
" A ! nobill Troye, f e noy fat neghis ye at hond !
What vnhappe & hardship hapnes the to !
All f i toures & tildes shalbe tyrnyt vnder ;
And thy buyldyng betyn to f e bare erthe.
A ! vnhappy hegh kyng, what hardship is to the !
Priam, & f i pepull, be put to f e dethe ;
Vnder seruage set, & sorow for ay.
What defense has fou done to our dere goddes?
And fou qwene, fat vnqwemyt has on SUTTI

qwaint wise,

The angur thee is, Ecuba, entrond on honde !
J3at all f i sons shall fou se slayn with fin ene.
Why puttes fou not Parys his pwrpos to leue ?
That shall be cause of suche care, fat wull come

after."

2680

2684

2688

FATE MUST BE FULFILLED. 89

Ho ros fan full radly, & ran to f e kyng. Book vi,

With teris don trickelyng of hir tore ene, She ™nB to the

2700 And a sembland full soure, sorow to be holde,

She prayet hym full pitously his pwrpos to leue. atl? P™^ hira to

As ho fat wise was of wit, & wist it be-fore purpose.

Thurgh craft of hir conyng & course of J>e sternys,
2704 She said hym full sadly with sorowfull wordys,

All shuld turns hym to tene, & f e towne lose.

But fortune, fat is felle, forthers his tyme ; But fate is

. unyielding, and

Hastis to vnhappe, having no rewarde ; turns everything

c\"r\o s\ i 11 to its own

2 / 08 Ordans an yssew, euyn as hym lyst ; purpose.

Turnys all entent, fat hym tary wold ;
Caches furthe his cold wirdis vrith cumpas to

ende.
But I may sothely say. & for sure holde, — Bnt had a11 the

warnings

2712 Hade the counsell ben kept of the knight Ector, (foi.4s &.)

been heeded,

And the Ernyst speche Eftward of Elinus the

Bysshop,

Cassandras care considret with all,
With the prophesy of Protheus put into hertys,
2716 Troy -with bi toures hade bene a toune noble, Troy would stm

have been a noble

And wond in his weile to the worldes ende. city, &c.

But no man tentes to tene er f e tyme come,

Ne ferd is for fortune till it falle to.
2720 And fof hit chaunses to chefe fat men charge
litill,

To grow into gronnd harme & greuys full sore ;

When the tene is be tyde, & twmys to f e werst,

Men demyn hit for destyny, & for due holdyn ;
2724 And takon yt to fat entent: & here a tale endes.

90

jjofo

foejjpnes tfje Seujmt Bofee :
foent into <£rrse for (£lan.

Spite, that Is for
ever bent on
mischief, rules
uncontrolled in
passionate hearts.

(" nodes" ••
Hyades.)

I" taurt," Taurus.)

In the month of
May, when
meadows are
green, &c.

(fol. 44 a.)
Paris and his
brother come to
court with 3000
kuighU.

Ships are shot
forth,

to the number
of twenty-two,
well victualled
mid manned.

Envy, fat Euermore ertis to skathe,

Byxles full Ryfe in her ranke hertes.

This forward was festynit with a felle wille,
2728 And all the pwrpos plainly vfith pouer to wendo.

Hit betid Jms in tyme, as I telle shall,

When sit was [the] Sun )>ese signes betwene,

Entred in yades, efter as it fell ;
2732 And the planet of pliades, witfi his playn course,

Into taure was twmyt as the tyme asket.

In the moneth of May, when mecloes bene grene,

And all florisshet with floures J>e fildes aboute ;
2736 Burions of bowes brethit full swete,

fflorisshet full faire ; frutes were kuyt ;

Greuys were grene, & Jjo ground hilde ;

Hit was likyng in Laundys ledys to waike j
2740 Parys the pert knight, And his pure brother,

Comyn vnto courtte with company grete,

Of thre thowsaund fro knightes, jjriuand in
Armys;

The pruddist of payone, pn'se men of honde.
2744 Shippes were shot furth on the shyre water,

All boune on the brode see, with botys amonge.

To nem you the mowmber naytely be tale,

There were twenty and too, to twyn horn in
sonder,

PRIAM'S ADDRESS. 91

2748 Stitlie shippes & stoure stufFet with vitell, Bookvn.

All full vpon flote with fyne popull in.
The kyng comaund to come, & cald hym anon, The king calls

Antenor, .(Eneas,

Antenor alstite, and Aunteros Eneas, and Poiydamas,

2752 And Polidamos pn'st, — a full pert knight,
Antenor Aune son, aldist of yeris ;
Bade horn buske & be boun & no bode make, commands them

to make ready to

To pas furthe with parys & hor pn'se knightes, go with pans

immediately.

2756 Bowne on hor best wise in hor bright wedis.
And fai grauntid the grete with a glad chere,
And shope horn to ship in a sharpe haste.
All the pepull to appere Pryam comaundit, The people who

O>T/>A mi_ j J.-L i are to go with

2/60 Ihat were pwrpast to pas on the pale stremys, Paris appear

A j • i.j.1 AT.' j 'i. i. j. before the king: —

And wightly tmes wordes warpit horn to,

With a Sembland full sad, er he ses wold : —

" Hit nedys not now our noyes to telle, he states the

purpose of the

2764 Ne mony wordes to warpe, for it is well knowen. expedition.
All wete ye my wille why ye wend shall,
The Grekes for to grefe, if your grace happe,
And harme with jour hond, fat our hede slogh ;

2768 To venge of our velany, & our vile grem

And hardlaike we hade of horn in J>is londe :

And most is my mynde, & I might haue, "TO get my sister

My Sister Exiona fro seruage to brynge. "esione ?ut of

* bondage is your

2772 That shalbe choisly jour charge: chefe & ye may chief work :-
With all jour mightes to mene, & most to

pursew

On horn fat hir holdia, & vs harme dyd. (fol 44 6 }

Wetys hit all wele : with outen any cause

2776 Jjat J>e dayens you derit, & to drede broght ; (Danai, Greeks.)
And for Kedur & ranke harme of vnright dedis,
We may tyre vs with truthe to tene horn agayne,
And wreke vs of wrathe & wranges before.

2780 T bid you now barly with besines at all, therefore, do ail

in your power to

J5at ye set you most souerainly my suster to gete. accomplish it.
Now is tyme most tore to tente fere aboute,

92

DEPARTURE OF THE FLEET.

Book VII.

AH your wants
shall be supplied.

Paris shall be
leader of this
expedition ;
Deiphobus, next
in command, with
such nobles as
Antenor, ^Eneas,
&c."

When the king
had ended, the
host take ship.

They set sail.

They reach the
Cyclades.
(fol. 45 a.)

They make for
Greece, and pass
the island of
Rhenea.

And to aunter on our Enmys w?'t/i armes in werre,
2784 Our Knighthode to Kythe, & our clene strenght ;

And mene vs with monhode maistry to wyn.

Wetis all wele : & you wont oght,

Or any case to you come comford to haue,
2788 To be suppoueld "by selfe & my sad helpe.

And if it falle you be fortune to forther your
wille,

My Syster to sese, or any sure lady,

Ye haue shall my helpe & my hole strenght,
2792 To pas with a power to faire playne londys,

Jjat all the dayens vs doute shall for our derfe
strokes,

And be war vs to wrathe to J?e worldes end.

Pn'nse of J>is pouer Parys shalbe,
2796 And leder of these ledys & the lefe pepull ;

And Defiebus, my dere son, I dem hym )>e next ;

With counsell & comford of clene men of wit, —

Of Antenor, & Eneas, & other full noble,
2800 jjat fare shall in fere & feliship to gedur."

When the Kyng hade declarit all his clene wille,

Than entrid the oste evyn into shippe.

Paris with pyne, & his pure brother,
2804 Toke leue at fere lege with loutyng & teris ;

Shot into ship with shene men of Armys ;

Lauset loupis fro the le ; lachyn in Ancres ;

Erode sailes vp braid ; bonkis f ai leuyt.
2808 ~With Jono, the Juste god Joynet to fe See,

And Venus the worthy, ]>at horn well plesit,

Thay sailed furth soundly with seasonable
wyndes,

Tyll fai comyn of the cost of Caucleda in epase : —
2812 Of the regione of Rene, & rode fere in havyn.

Gayn vnto Grese on f e gray water,

By the Regions of Rene rode J>ai ferre,

Streit by the stremys of the stithe londys ;

ARRIVAL AT CYTHERA. 93

2816 Ay boun to the banke, when horn best thoght, Bookvii.
ffor to light on be londe, & leng on hor ese.
Now it felle horn by fortune, as J>ai fere so,
Monolay for to mete, the mightiest of Grese, Meneiaus passes

the fleet on his

2820 Come sayland by syde & the see held ; waytopyios.

Purpost vnto Pyle by prayer of Nestor, (MS. has pire;

To solas hym a season, & soiowrne vfith the Duke.
This Menelay, bat I mene, the mighty before, He was brother

of Agamemnon,

2824 To Agamenon the graithe was a gay brother ; and i"»band of

ji6i6n.

And had weddit, I wis, & to wif held
Elan, bat aftwrward angert hym sore.
Of hir feirehede & feturs is ferly to here,
2828 I shall telle you, when I tyme haue, tomly her-

aftwr.
Ho was suster for sothe, as I said ere, She was sister of

rn T-» /~i Castor and Pollux.

lo Pollux the pert kyng, & his pere Castor,
}?at soioMrnet the same tyme at the Cite Emscor,
2832 As legis in hor owne londes, a lonely horn with, — •
Ermonia, a Maydon bat bai moche louyt,—
A doghter full dere of dame Elan the quene.
When the Grekes se the grete nauy, bai girdon The Greeks keep

away from the

o rowme, fleet.

2836 And meuyt fro bfire metyng at the mene tyme.
Nawther company by course hade Kennyng of

other,

But past to bere pwrpos & no pn'se made,
And sailet vpon syde vnto sere costys.
2840 Parys and his pepull past by the stremys, . Paris and his

Hadyn wynd at hor wille, & the wedur calme, favourable winds,

And sailet to Sithera, and set into hauyn ;
A ground of the Grekes, as horn grase felle,
2844 And now cald is, by course, of horn bat costttf

hauntyn,

Sytrinos forsothe, -with Sailers to nome. (fol< 45b-)

There arofe all the rowte, as bai rede toke,
And halit into hauyn, & houyt full stille ;

THE TEMPLE OP VENUS.

Book VII.

They land and go
to the temple of
Venns,

2848

2852

2856

2860

2864

whose cliief
festival w«s then
being held by the
people.

2868

Worshippers from

all parts cair.e to

that festival,

especially

" ivorthy weiMH."

2872

Paris joins a 2876

company on their
wiiy to the
temple.

(fol.46a.)

2880

Caste ancres full kene with cables to groundc ;
ffestonit the flete, as horn fayre thoght ;
Buskys into botys, were borne to f e lond,
To solas horn a season, as horn selfe liked ;
And waited vppon hor wirdes for wynrcyng of

godys.

In Sythera, for sothe, was a solempne tempull,
Of Venus, I wis, fat worthy was holdyn,
ffoundet before, fele yeres past,
And enabit of old f e?-e auntres were sene.
"With Riches full Rife & myche Ranke godys,
The yle well enabit & onest with in,
And lyuet after law of f e lell gentils,
J3at Venus the worthy worshippit for god,
And most hono?«-et of other with oneste fere.
There auntered horn oft, onsware to haue,
When f ai put horn witJi prayer fat prise for to

seche.

Thus tyd hit fat tyme, as I telle wille,
}?at the pn'ncipall & pn'se fest of fere pure goddys
Was holdyn f o high dayes with horn fat fere

dwelt ;

And other folke vpon fer fell thedur thicke,
With mykull prese of pepull of prouynce aboute,
Soght to fat solenite sacrifis to make.
Worthy wemen to wale, wete ye forsothe,
J)at pn'st are of pilgrymes to pas ouer lond
To waite after wondres, & wilfull desyre
More Janglyng of Japes fen any Juste werkes,
And for solas & sight fen sacrifice to do.
When parys persayuit had the pepull anon,
He cacchis a compony clenely arayed,
And to the tempull full tyte toke he f e gate,
ffull mylde on his maner meuit wt't/iin.
On a side he hym set, as semyt for a straungior,
In prayers full pmt the pepull beheld.

HELEN LONGS TO SEE PARIS. 95

He offert onestly in "honour of Venus, Book vii;

A gobet of gold, bat gyngys might se : He offers "<*

gobtt of gold."

And sylid for-sothe on the same wise,
2884 ffor solempnite of sacrifice in sight of J?e pepull.

Paris was pure faire, & plesaund in sight,

A store man & a stoute, full stithe hym be semyt ;

ifairest be ferre of his fre buernes,
2888 Wemen waited hym well, hade wondw of He is admired

and loved by the

hym one, women.

That of shap for to shew was shene to beholde,
And clad as a kyng in clothys full fyne.
He was louyt with ladys, lappit in hert.
2892 As course is of kynd & comyn dessire,

Ich on fraynet at his fere be frekys to know, A11 wonder and

inquire who he

Of what lond were J?o lonely hit list horn to wete, is, &c.

And pn'nsipall of Parys the pepull dessiret,
2896 Of bat comly to Ken, & his cause here.

And o sithen it was said, & for sothe tolde,

That Parys was Pryam son, fat pn'nse is of Troy,

By comaundemewt of his kyng comyn into Grese,
2900 With a company clene his cosyn to gete.

Exiona sothely he soght for to haue,

That Telamon hade takon & wit h tene held,

And set vnder semage fat horn sore greuyt.
2904 This speche furth sprede & sprange vppo ferre,

Oner all into yles, so aunter befelle,

Into the Eres of Elan hit entrid belyue. Helen hears of hi*

The prishede of parys was praisit so mekyll, and great beauty ;
2908 With ferly of his fairnes, & his fre buernea,

Sho was lappit in longyng bat lonely to se, ™mlongs t0 sce

And to wete of bat worthy with wilfull desyre. <foi- « »•)

As wemen are wount in Wantonhede yet,
2912 With a likyng full light in loue for to falle,

That hetys into hertys and hurtes sone after ;

So longid this lady with lust to the Temple, Lust impels her

to the Temple.

With Sacrifice solempne to seche vnto Venus.

96

ON IMMODESTY.

Book VII. 2916

fHolardur,
fornication.)

The shameless- 2920
ness of women,

and what it ends
in.

2924

2928

Kie on him, who
first led such
fashions !

2932

2936

2940

(fol. 47 «•;

Treason,
war, and ruin
are the fruits.

2944

This ho tolde hir entent, as Jje tyme asket,
And to stare o f o stoute, & hir astate shews
To the folke of the frigie \fii1i a ffrike wille :
Holdur fen holynes happont so then.

THE POIET.

Hit is wonder to wit of wemen dissyre,
J3at shunt not for shame to shake ouer lande,
To glogh vppon gomes at gedering of folke,
And prese vnto playes pepull to beholde,
jjat ledis vnto loue with lustes fat folowes.
Yong men & yepe, yenerus in hert,
Eauisshe horn Eadly & faire rede turnys ;
Puttes horn to purpos fat pynes horn after.
Soche stirryng&s ger stumble, fat stidfast wold be.
"With sight at assemblis, & sythen with speche,
With flate?y, & faire wordys fallyn to gedur,
Acoyntyng horn with kissyng & clippyng in

Armes,

With Sossyngs, & Sotelte, Settyng of cases,
The willes of wemen wightly f ai chaunge,
To falle vpon foly & hor fame lose :
Now fey be f e freike fat it first ordant.
Soche Eiot & Eevell so ryuely to haunt,
Of yonge men & yenerus, fat yurnes to gaumes
To daunse amonge damsels ; drawing of glovis,
With comonyng in company, fat comes but to

harme,

Gers maidnes be mart, mariage for done ;
Bryng&j wyues into wonder faire worship to

lose;

And ertes ay to euyll ende & ernyst by the last.
Throgh whiche treason betydes, & ternys vni-

qwhile

Bolde men to batell and biker with hond :
jjat draghes vnto dethe, & deris full mony.

ON IMMODESTY. 97

Therfore saintes to seche and to sere halowes, Book vn.

And turne vnto Templis atyrit with pride,
2948 Jjof it be laifull to ladys and ofer les wemen,

3et it ledis vnto laithnes and vnlefe werkes ;

And shotis into shame as shene has ben ofte.

But fou Elan, fat haldyn was hede of aU ladys, ^J^SJj
2952 And the fairest of feturs formyt in erthe, what ert! 8Pirit '

possessed thee,&c.

What wrixlit J)i wit & f i wille chaunget,

In absens of f i souerayne, for saghes of pepull,

To pas of f i palays & f i pn'se chamber,
2956 To loke on any lede of a londe straunge?

J)at might faire haue refrayriit with f i fre wille ;

Haue sauyt thy septur & f i selfe alse.

Hade f ou holdyn f e at home, hedit fin astate,
2960 And not cayret fro court fere company was gedurt,

To waite aftur wondurs for a worde light.

Hit were sittyng for sothe, & semly for wemen, Jt b*00"169

' women to abide

jjaire houses to haunt & holde hem with in ; at home, and

strive to preserve

2964 Kepe horn from company & comonyng of folke ; their honour.

And, ouer all, fere onesty attell to saue,

Whethir a ship, fat is shot on f e shire wawes,

Shuld drowne in the depe, & it drye stode,
2968 Halyt into havyn, harlit with ropes.

Ne a woman, I wis, fat wisely will gouerne,

Shall not into fame but of hir fre wille.

Thou dissyret full depely, dame Elan, f i seluon But> dame Helen«

under pretence

2972 To pas fro fi palis & fi pn'uey chamber, of worshipping at

And seche to Sytheria with solempne Avowe ; sought to see
In colour of f i cause f ou couet to se
})at straunge, fat was stoute & stare hym vppon ;

2976 So fou light in vnlefulnes, fat lefully semyt,

Thurgh f i Licnis lust fat Lurkit in f i hert. (fo1- *7 6->

ffor f e sight of fat semely, sotheli, was venum, ^at d*83316™
\)at enfecte f i faire loue to f e fairist of Grise,

2980 And mony Greke with grem vnto grounde
broght

7

98

HELEN GOES TO CYTIIEHA.

Book VII.

Servants and
horses are made
ready for the
pilgrimage to
Cythera.

2984

2988

2992

2996

At the temple she 3000
offers gold and
precious stones.

3004

Tidings of her
arrival reach
Paris:

he enters the
temple,

(fol. 48 a.)

3008

3012

and is entranced
with her beauty.

All the frigies vnfaire vnder fight endit.
Now furde/1 how it felle I will faire telle. —

oho assembled hir seruandes Vfith a sad wille,
Hade hom radly arayed for f e rode furth ;
Bryng horses to grounde and hernes anon,
To seche to Sitheria for solempne avowe ;
And Venws to worship, as hir wele awe,
As ho heghly hade het for helping before.
This Sitheria, for sothe, from f e same yle
Of Menelay f e mighty was but a mene. spas,
And he souerain hym selfe & f e soile aght.
Tite, with outyn tariyng, atirit were all,
Horses in haste & to hond brought ;
The lady full louely was lifte vppon on,
A palfray of pn'se, prudly atyrit,
And glod on full gayly, f e gaynist to the bonke.
There light f ai full lyfely, lept into bote,
And were set ouer soundly into the same yle
Eight with a Rother, and Rayket to bonke.
In hir atire to f e tempull tomly ho yode,
Jjere onestly sho offert, honowrt hir goddes
With giftes of golde & of gode stones ;
Tariet in the tempull, tentit to goumes ;
Ho segh not fat semly, fen set hir to ground
And proffert hir prayers to f e pn'se goddes.
These tythandes full titely told were to Parys,
j)at honerable Elan was entrid in f e tempull, —
Menelay mody wife fat he most louyt.
He araiet hym full riolly with a route noble,
And past thurgh f e prese into f e proud tempulL
He was enformyt before of fat fre lady,
j?at ho to Castor f e kyng accounttid was euon,
And to Pollux : pure suster pristly to bothe.
Of hir fairehede feltymes hade f e freike herd,
ffro he f e semly hade sene he set so his egh,

THE FAIRNESS OF HELEN. 99

3016 He proffert no prayer to no prise goddis, Book vn.

Ne hedyt noght hertely but J?e hend lady ;
Ne no lede on to loke saue lelly Mr one.

THE FAIBNES OF ELAN.

All the feturs of J?at fre was fourmyt so well, Her features.
3020 And ho of fairnes so fele was ferly to se.

The here of hir hede, huyt as the gold, Her golden hair.

Bost out vppon "brede bright on to loke :

The shede Jnvrghe the shyre here shone as J?e lilly,
3024 Streght as a strike, straght furgh the myddes,

Depertid the proudfall pertly in two,

Atiret in tressis trusset full faire.

Hir forhed full fresshe & fre to be-holde, Her forehead

winter than

3028 Quitter to qweme J>en fe white snaw, snow-

Nouper lynes ne lerkes but full lell streght ;

With browes full brent, brightist of hewe,

Semyt as )?ai set were sotely with honde,
3032 Comyng in Cornpas, & in course Eounde,

ffull metly made & mesured betwene,

Bright as the brent gold enbowet ]>ai were.

Hir ene wull full onest euyn of a mesure, Her eyes shining

like stars.

3036 Shynyng full shene as J?e shire sternys,

Or any staring stone J?at stithe is of vertue ;

null sutelly set, Serklyt vrith heris

On the browes so bryght, borduret full clene,
3040 Stondyng full stepe and stable of chere. (fol- « 6°

Hir nose for the nonest was nobly shapyn, Her nose.

Stondyng full streght & not of stor lenght,

Ne to short for to shew in a shene mesure ;
3044 Noght growen to grete ne to grefe smalle ;

"With thrilles noght thrat but thriftily made, —

Nawther to wyde ne to wan, but as horn well
semyt.

Hir chekes full choise, as the chalke white, H«r

3048 As the rose, was the rud fat raiked horn in, —

100 THE FAIRNESS OF HELEN.

Book vii. Mengit with mesure in hir mylde face

HP*. To the lippus full luffly, as by lyn wroght,

mouth, Made of a meane vmb fe mowthe swete,

3052 As it were coruyn by crafte, colourd -with honde,

Proporcionet pertly with painteres deuyse.
t«eth, To telle of hir tethe fat tryetly were set,

Alse qwyte & qwem as any qwalle bon ;

3056 Wele cumpast in cours & clenly to gedur
By rule in f e rede gomys, as a rose faire,
)3at with lefes of f e lylly were lappit by twene.
Hir chyn full choise was the chekys benethe,

3060 With a dympull full derne, daynte to se.
In the hew of fat hend was a hegh ioye
Of faiernes so fele in hir face shewide.
The slote of hir slegh brest sleght for to showe,

3064 As any cristall clere, fat clene was of hewe,
Shene for to shew & of shap noble.
With a necke for f e nonest of naturs deuyse,
Glissonand as the glemes fat glenttes of f e snaw;

3068 Nawfer fulsom, ne fat, but fetis & round,
ffull metely made of a meane lenght.
With shulders full shaply, shenest of hewe,
ffull pleasaund & playn, with a plase lawe

3072 Goyng downe as a goter fro the gorge euyn.
Hir armys were auenaund & abill of shap,
Large of a lenght, louely to shewe.
Hir hondes fetis & faire, with fingurs full small,

3076 With nailes at the nef er endas as a nepe white.
The brede of hir brest, bright on to loke,
Was pleasaund & playne pluttide a litull,
ffresshe and of fyne hew as f e fome clere :

3080 With two propur pappes, as a peire rounde,
ffetis and faire, of fauowr full swete.
Hir corse [was] comly & of clene shap,
Euyn metely made of a medill deuyse,

3084 As nobly to f e nethwr-most as nature cold shape.

and chin.

Her hue

and bust.

Her neck

and shoulders :

arms

and hands.
(fol.49o.)

Her breast,

and body.

MEETING OP PARIS AND HELEN. 101

Parys stode in a stody & streght on hir lokit, Book vn.

ffaste by bat fre fresshe of araye ; P"i8. astonished,

can only gaze on

Beheld hir full hertely, hade no rewarde Helen,

3088 To prayer, ne pepull, ne prayer -wiiJiw.

So he hedit bat hynde, & ho hym agayne

With a lokyng on lenght in hor loue ene,

Jjat Paris ho pryset in hir pure mynde,
3092 Of feturs & fourme fairer by myche,

])an he vppon hir hertely couthe fynde :

And thus ho thought full thrange in hir thro
hert,

)5at so semely a sight ho se neuer before,
3096 Ne so comly a creature to hir clene wit,

Ne no lede to hir lykyng halfe so luff-able. who u entranced

with his beauty.

Ho tentit not in Tempull to no tall prayers,
Ne no melody of mouthe made at be tyme,
3100 Ne speche of no spiritualtie, with speciall ne

other ;
But ay staryt 0 bat stoute with hire stepe Ene. stm they saze

on each other,

There most was hir mynd in bat mene qwhile ;

And Parys perceyuit the prmt of hir sight,
3104 And lokit on bat louely with a light chere,

Till aither sight was sadly set vppon other.

So be lokyng of lenght with a loue chere,

Ayther kyndly by course knew ober wille.
3108 Then Parys pertly proffert a seigne, tin Pans proffers

a sign, which she

nor to telle his entent yf ho tome hade ; answers :

And ho onswaret bat Abill after agayne, (fol< *9 b^

By seignes on the same wise soburly to come ;
3112 And beckonet hym boldly, when bourdys were ^e°"0nhgerhim to
thicke,

And pepull in play, his place to Eemeve.

Parys listinet lyuely, let for no shame,

But drogh to bat dere & dressit to sitte,
3116 And softly by him selfe said what him liket. <MS- has ' hom ''

While ober tentid in the temple tomly to playes,

102

THE RAVISHING OF HELEN.

Book VII.

They sit

together

and form their

plans.

Paris passes to
his ships and
addresses his
companions.

And noglit hedit fat hynde hertely in lone,

And f ai hade laisure at lust fere likyng to say,
3120 And wrixle fere wit & fere wille shewe :

Ayther vnto of er arghit horn noght.

jpai were assentid full sone sittyng to gedur,

And festoned fere forward how f ai fare sholde.
3124 J3an pertid fai pn'uely, Paris toke leue,

And loutid fat louely, & ho hur luf kyste.

The knight -with his company kayred fro f e
tempull,

And sho "beheld to fat hynd houyng full stille,
3128 Lokyng on lenght vrith a loue ee,

Ay folowyng on fer till he was forthe past.

THE RAUYSHYNQ OP ELANE.

Then Parys forthe past proude at his hert,
Wele laburt with loue longit full sore ;

3132 Evyn shoke to his shippes fere shene men were

in,

And gedurt all the great greidly anon,
And said horn full soberly, er he sese wolde,
Thes wordys I wis, as ye wete shalle : —

3136 " ISTow faithfuU felowes, & my fre buernes !

Hit is knowen to you kendly f e cause of our

ioumey,

Why Pryam has put vs f es partis vnto.
This was truly his entent, & takon vs in charge,

3140 His sister Exiona to sese & we might,

By any Way in this worlde & Wirdis vs demyt :
And if vs happynt not hir to haue at our wille,
The Grekes for to greue on sum gret wise,

3144 With all fe might fat we may our malice to

kythe.

And 0 nowise may we wyn fat woman to gete,
Wi't/jouteu batell full bigge & a breme oste.
NOW, Toiamon Telamon, the tore kyng, tentes hir so wele,

"Our work is to
get possession of
Hesione.

(fol. 50 a.)

THE RAVISHING OF HELEN. 103

3148 And is fuerser of folke by a felle nowmber, _

And lappis in hir loue, bat leue hir lie nyll "m not &™

her up,

But w?'t# strenght of strokys, or 'with store fight;

And we ledis to lyte bat lady to wyn, and we are too

* f * * ' tew to compel

3152 Or any Cite to sese by a sawte now, nim-

J?ere pepull are so plaintiose, & placis of

strenght.

And, sers, syn he so is be souerans of goddis,
Vs may falle here by fortune a fulfaire gifte,

3156 J)at shuld lelly be laght, as me leue thinke.

Here is a tempull atyret all with triet godys, cut here is a

rich temple,

And the grettist of Grise gedrit berin, wherein the

noblest ladies of

As ot wemen to wale, worthy & nobm, the land are

o i /» /"k * i • /< i • • i j now at worship :

olbO And pnse of bis prouynse are in yond proude oneofthem

1 is the lovely wife

of JTeneluus.

The most of tho mighty is menelai wife,

Lady of bis lond, full lonely to shew,

The grettist of grese and a gai qwhene.
3164 Tf we take this full tite, & tary no lengwr,

Bothe pepull & pilage, & put into ship,

Hit is a profitable pray of persons me thinke,

And godis full grete of gold & of syluer ;
3168 IFor the tempull is atyret all with tryet clothes,

Bassons of bright gold, & ober brode vessell,

Chaundelers full chefe, & charbokill stones,

And other Riches full Eife bat we may rad

haue :
3172 What fairer shuld vs falle and we fer soght. «*»>•.«» b.)

Yf ye deme it to do be deuyse of you all,

Hit sitter, me semes, sone in the night

We arme vs at all peces, & aunter bere on
3176 The temple to take and all the triet ladys. Let us seize u

and the ladies,

Golde and ober goodes gripe it by dene, carry off ail

the gold and

And snote into our shippes, shake on our way : jewels, and, above
And Elan of all thing we aunter vs to take.
3180 Yf we bat luffly may lacche & lede vnto troy,

104

THE KAVISHINQ OF HELEN.

Shall we attempt 3184
this or pass on ? "

3188

All assent.

They arm and
proceed to the
temple, which
they surround.

3192

3196

3200

Paris seizes Helen 3204
and carries her to
his ship.

(foL 51 a.)

Returning to the
temple, he aids in
the pillage.

3208

3212

(MS. has ' uppon
none")

Priam, oiir pn'se kyng, may prestly suppose

His suster to sese, sent by eschaunge,

And his couetyng to cacche because of fat

bright.

Lokys now lyuely ! what list you to do ?
To melle in f is mater, or to meue ferre ]
And assai if we suffise our seluyn of might,
Yf we put vs to pillage, er we pyne f ole."
At f e last, when the lede hade left of his speche,
ffele of f e folke febull it thughten ;
But yche lede by the last aliet f erto,
And assentid to his saw, & suet his rede.
When counsell was kaght of knightes & of er,
And all things examynt, so aunter befell,
The neght drow negh anon vppon f is,
And the mone in the merke myghtely shone,
As come it by course, & cast a gret light.
)?ai armyt horn at all peces abill to werre ;
To the tempull full tite token fere gate,
Prayen & piken all the pure godes ;
Affrayet the folke fuersly by dene,
Sesit & slogh, slongen to ground ;
Grippit the godys and the gay ladys,
And all the company clene closit horn w«tMn.
Parys fen presit to J>e proude qwene,
And sesit hir sone, as hir assent was ;
Led hir forth lyuely, lefte hir in shippe
Vnder sight of sure men set hir to kepe :
And to the tempull full tyte twrnyt agayne,
To rob of f e Riches, and Renkes to helpe.
Clamour & crie was Comyns amonge,
Hoge noise for f e nonest in night for to here ;
Lelly of the ladies, fat leuer were degh
Jjan be led out of lande, lowde was f e noise.
The noise vpponone neghit to f e Eris
Of Soudiowrs besyde in a sure castell,

THE RAVISHING OF HELEN. 105

3216 That the tempull was taken & tulkes ferin, Bookvir.

And sum fat were slayne & sluwgen to ground.

By frekys fat fled for ferd to f e holde,

Distracte were f ai stithly, & stonyt by dene,
3220 And braid to fere bright gere, buskit horn furthe :

The soudiowrs by assent soghten to f e tempull. soldiers to the

In the castell were a cuwpany, kyd men of
Armys,

Jjat enfowrmet were of fyght, & the fet couthe ;
3224 bai turnyt to the troiens, tarit horn longe,

ffoghten w?'t/i horn felly, frusshit hom abake ;

Hopit with hondis to hew hom to dethe,

Prisoners to pike, & the pray lyuer.
3228 ffell was f e fight fo fuerse men betwene,

Mony derfe fere deghit, & dungen to ground;

But the Troiens were Torer & tentymes moo, The Trojans

victorious pursue

And greuit the Grekes gretly with strokys ; them to their

castle.

3232 Oppressit hom with pyne, put hom to flight,
ffolowed hom fuersly, felle hom with swerdys,
Till f ai come to fere castell & caght hade fere
strenght.

JL hen turnyt the Troiens, tariet no lengur, The Trojans

return to their

3236 And went vnto water with fere wale godys : ships;

Lefte noght vnlaght fat lykyng was in. (fol- 51 6->

Myche Eiches full Eife and relikes ynow,

bai shot into shippe : the sheltnm to-gedur, collect their

spoil; and set

3240 J)at fild were with folke & fyne gold to wale, **&
Sesit vp fere sailes, set hom to wyndes.
Cairet on the colde ythes cogges & other,
Aght dayes be-dene & the derke nightes,

3244 Till f ai coinyn by course to the cuntre of Troy ;
Hit hom into hauyn, as hom hap shope,
At the castell, fat cald was kyndly by name,
Tenydon, and tomly tariet fere in : They arrive at

Tenedoa.

3248 }3at sothely was sex myle fro the cite eiiyn.

106

ARRIVAL AT TENEDOS.

Paris sends a
message to the
king.

Book vii. There arofe all the Rowte & restid a whyle,

And were welcom, I wis, as weghes to pere owne ;
Honowrt with all men, as pere astate wolde.

3252 Parys full pn'stly puruait a message,

And sent to his souerain in a sad haste,

Of thies tithandes to telle how hom tyde hade.

The messanger maynly meuyt to the kyng

3256 To Troy, or he twrne wolde, and told hym in

haste,

Jjat his sons were in sound & hor sute holl
At Tenydon ; and told how hom tyde hade,
As hym seluyn hade sene, pat sothely was fere.
Pryam was proude of these pert dedis, —
The fainest freike in faithe fat on fote yode, —
And gedrit v?ith gamyn the grettist of Troye,
And sum of the Citizens assemblit w-i't/t all ;

3264 iFestid hom faire frely w^t7i hym,

And tolde hom pose tythinges tomly to end :

All maden pai mery & mekyll ioye haden.

As Parys and his pepull were in hor pride samyn,

3268 At Tenydon fat tyme talkyng to gedur,

Hit Auntrid pat Elan, vriih other of Mr lede
Jjat were takon in the tempull, as I tolde first,
Were sorowfull sobbyng wz't/i syling of Teres ;
(foi.52o.) 3272 All tourniet with tene, tremblit in hert,
Wailyng & weping, wringyng of hondys.
Hit was pite to the pepull the pyn pat ho polet,
And said in hir sikyng wiih a softe speche : —

3276 " A ! my husband full hynd, & my hede brother !
My Doughter, my Derlynge, & my dere rewme !
Whethur I se you in solas or in sound euer."

TO LATE.

]3us bemournet full mekull & no meite toke,
3280 But vriih care & complaint, — comford away.
Parys hade pyte hir payne for to se,

Priam, " proud of q o c A
thfte pert deeds,"
calls the nobles to
a least.

(MS. has "hym")

Helen and her
ladies bewail their
fate.

PARIS AND HELEN. 107

On. fat lady, his lone, with langcmr & wo. Book vn.

He kairet to bat comly with comfortable wordys, Pa"8 tries to

comfort her; but

3284 And menyt hir in maner hir ruournyng to voide ; in vain.

Yet sesit not hir sorow for solas of hym.

N"e noght glad of fat geste, "but greatly anoyet,

Paris greuit at fat grete & gird out in yre ;
3288 Saide hir full soberly sittyng these wordes : —

" What lyffe is bis, lady, to lede on bis wise ? He then chides

her for such

Noght sesyng of sorow, & sobbyng vnfaire grief.

On dayes to Endure, with drouping on nightes.
3292 Who sothely might suffer be sorow bat fou
mase,

~With care & with complaint comynly ay :

Lamentacourc & lango?tr the long night ouer ?

Thus tourmewt with tene, & tides non end,
3296 Ne hopis bou not it harmys, & thy hew chaunges ;

And enpaires thy person, & proffettes no more? "

THE WORDES BETWENE PARYS & ELAN AT TENYDON
IN THE OASTELL.

In faith e the burde fell of falling of terys. —
" And bou drunkyn hade dewly as mony du sopis,

3300 As shottes of shire water has shot fro bin ene,

Thou faithfully were fillid vnto bi faire swyre. (" <™yre" the
Therfore, lady, & it like you, lighten jour chere ;
Comford you kyndly, kacches sum rest ;

3304 ffor in this riall Eeme of my riche fader,

Ne faute shall ye ffynde, ne jour fre buernes.

Tho truly fat are takon and temyn to you, ££££ f0u"

Shalbe plesit with plenty at fere playne wille, y°ur suite^

3308 And haue riches full ryfe : red ye non of er.

And ve sothely, your selfe, souerain of all, HOW great and

• J ' J honoured she

Shalbe worshipped worthely & jour wille haue, wil1 be-
And honowret of all men as jour astate shuld ;
331 2 To be gouemet in jour grettenes, most godely
of other,

108

PARIS AND HELEN.

Book VII.

3316

Helen replies : —

"Full well I
know I must
submit to your
will," Ac.

3320

3324

3328

3332

He leads her into 33 35
another room that
they may be by
themselves.

3340

(fol. 53 a.)
" Your gods
have not sent you
here as a
punishment ;

All daintes to you dight, fat are dere holdyn,
Plaintiouse in yche place, as a prise qwene ;
And all your ledys deliuert and lose out of

bandys ;
At your comaundemewt clene all your choise

pepull ;

And lyue in f is lond with lustes at ease,
Alse syker and sure als fai set were at home."
)}en onswared Elan easely agayne,
And driet the dropis of hir dregh teris : —
" I wot, sir, witterly, will I or noght,
Tour wille I moste wirke, waite I non other ;
Syn weikenes of wemen may not wele stryve,
N~e haue no might tawardes men maistries to

fend :

And nomely in an uwkythe lond nedys horn so.
And what daunger or dysese fat done is vs here,
Auther me or to myne at this myschefe,
Hit may happon you in haste haue suche another.
Thurgh giftes of our goddys, fat vs grace leuys,
We most suffer all hor senndes, & soberly take."
Than Parys with plesaunce apperit agayne : —
" Dere lady full leell ! your Jykyng to do,
And all your wille forto wirke, yche wegh shall"
)3en he hent hir by the hond hastely there,
And a littyll agayne lust lifte hir vp s withe ;
Silet forth with fat semly & hir sute leuyt,
Into a place well appareld all with pn'se clothes,
And moche onestly ordainit for esmint of hir :
Jjat f o souerains by horn selfe might say what

horn liket,

Aither vnto other as onesty wolde.
)?en Parys to fat pure pertly can say : —
" Hope ye now, hynde Lady, fat your hegh

goddis
Haue put you to f is prouyuse pyne for to thole ;

PARIS AND HELEN. 109

3344 And let you be led vnto this lond hydur, Bookvii.

bat suche a chaunge sliuld you chefe to a choise

febill ;

And don fro deliies depely to angwr,
Noght abundonet in blis ne blithe in your hert?

3348 Trowe ye not Troy is tore of all godis, f°r Tr°y ha"

J double of the

As plaintiouse in yche place as be prouynse of delights and

gallantries of
Achaia, Achaia.

At is doublit of delitis & druris at all? ("dmery." lore.

gallantry.)

Ne trawes not, tru lady, fat I take wolde
3352 Thy ladyship to losse, ne in lust holde.

Thou shalt haue riches more Eife, & Eanker of
godis,

ban any lady in bi land, leue me for sothe ;

And more likandly lyf & bi lust haue,
3356 Bothe in weile & in worship, as a wee noble.

And me, bat am mete & of more power And T> more

powerful than

ben hym bat bou hade and held for bi lorde, Mm you had,

, shall wed thee.

Wyuly to weld ; & I the wed shall,

3360 To lede with bi lyf as a leale spouse.

This I pwpos me plainly in pleasauns of goddes,
Vnder Sacramen solempne, your souerain to be ;
And so lede be with likyng to my lyues end.

3364 Suppos not bi seluyn, ne for sothe holde,

bof bou left haue a litle lond lightly at home,

bat bou ne hertely shall haue here a well larger, Al1 MB larger

' and better

And bi chaunge to chefe choisly the bettur ; kingdom

3368 Syn Asia is auenond of yles ynow,

bat are attendant to Troy with tresour ynogh,

bat obey be shall bainly, & bow to bi wille. ^ ** to thy

Ne for be mysse of bi maister make bou no sorow,

3372 That neuer yet of nobley An euenyng to me, %£££^

Ne of dedis so doughti be dayes in his lyue, to ** compared

with me in

Ne so luffly to a lady w*'t& lokyng at egh. nobility and

J J ' doughty deeds.

And I in longing am Laght & Lappit full soro (foi. ss ft.)
3376 With hete of bi hegh loue, bat my hert warmys;

110

PARIS AND HELEN.

Book VII.

Dry your tears, 3380
and be comforted
by ine."

3384

And of liym, fat f ou hopis most hertely f o louys,

Wete f ou full wele most worshipfull to haue.

Ses now of scrowe, sobur f i chere,

Wond of fi weping, whipe vp f i teris ;

Mene f e to myrthe, & mournyng for-sake,

Cast f e to comford, keuer f i wille :

This I pray f e full pr^stly -with all my pure

hert,
Jjat f ou hede me with heryng, & my hest kepe."

ELAN.

" Who could
restrain their
tears, &c.

But since it must
be, 1 shall do so "

Than answared fat honerable onestly agayne : —
" Who might stithly absteyne, or stable of teris,
)5at prestly were pn'cket vriih paynes so fele,

3388 And with sorow ouerset sothely as I ?

But syn hit now bes non other nomly of me,
I shall appres me with pyne your prayer to here ;
Syn me botis not barly jour biddyng with
stonde,

3392 Ne of power to put of, ne of playn strenght."
Jjen ho sesit of sykyng, sobirt hir chere,
At the prayer of Parys and his pn'se wordys.
When fat semely was sesit & sorow for-yetyn,
Pans leaves her. 3396 The lorde toke leue with full lowe speche,
And went fro fat worthy his weghis vntilL
When yt seyit to Sopertyme he seruyt hix well
"With all daintes on dese & drynkes ynow,

3400 And cherisshed hir full choisly with chere of

hym seluyn.

When the derke was done, & the day comyn,
Parys full pristly with preciouse araye,
Worshippit fat worthy in wedys full riche,

3404 As qwemet for a qwene & qwaintly atyret,
]3at Priam hade purueit & to fe place sent.
He broght furth fat bright with buernys full
nobill.

At supper lie
serves her.

Next day,
splendidly
arrayed,

THE PROGRESS TO TROY.

To a palfray of prise full prudly arayet ;
3408 Set hir in a sadill serklyt with golde,

ifret ouer with fyne perle fresshist of hew,

With a bridell full bright, bothe of a sewte.

Other tulkas, fat were takyn, atiret were alse
3412 Hastely on horses, as hor astate askit,

A company clene of knightes horn -with ;

And Paris full pn'ste on a proude stede,

Deffebus dight on a dere horse,
3416 Antenor, Eneas, all other grete,

Polidamas f e pert, & payones ynow,

All arayet in a Rowte ryden to f e qwene ;

"VVorshippit fat worthy & wenton all samyn.
3420 Turnet fro tenydon, taryt no lengur,

Soberly a soft pas samyn f ai rode,

Euyn takand to Troy tomly o fere way.

And er f ai comyn to courte f is cumpany fairs,
3424 Priam full prudly with mony pert knightes,

To welcom to fat worthy went on fere gate,

And fonget full feire all hir fre buernes.

To f e lady, fat lege kyng, with a light wille,
3428 Past full pertly all with prise wordy s;

Obeit fat bright all with blithe chere ;

With worship & wyn welcomyt f e grete ;

And somyn to f e Cite softly f ai rode.
3432 At the burghe were abyding wMoute the brode
3ate

Gret plenty of pepull, — all the place full, —

So mony on molde was meruell to se ;

With synging, & solas, and sitals amonge ;
3436 With myrthes of mynstralsy, musike with all ;

Daunsyng of Damsele, Dynnyng of truwpys,

With A ledy full lusti & lykyng to here.

HERB HE DO TIDE !

Priam, the prise kyng, prestly down light,

Book VII.

mounted on a
palfrey,

(fol. 54 a.)

and surrounded
with a gorgeous
company, Paris
conducts her to
the court of
Priam.

(Paeoniana.)

Priam and his
knights come
forth to welcome
her.

At the gates of
the city the
people welcome
her with music,
minstrelsy, and
dances.

Priaii. alight?,

112

THE MARRIAGE OF HELEX.

Book vn. 3440

and leads her
palfrey into the'
city, and on to
his palace. f

(fol. 54 6.) 3444

He conducts her
to her apart
ments.

3448

Rejoicings in th« 3452
city.

3456

On the second day
after, Paris and
Helen are married
in the temple of
Apollo.

3460

The citizens are
feasted for eight
days. 3464

And was first vpon fote of all of his fresshe

knightes.

He raglit to the reynes of pe riche qwene,
And led ftirth pat louely long vpon fote,
Softe into pe Cite hym seluyn with honde
On a worshipfull wyse, with mony wegh noble,
Vnto the palaies of pn'ce, pere pepull full fele ;
And led hir vnlight into a large halle,
Vp into ylion with honour ynogh ;
And toke hir full tite into a triet chamber,
J?ere seruaundes full subiecte assingnet hir to :
And noblay ynogh, was nothyng to laite.
In the Cite forsothe was solempnite made,
With myrthes, & melody, & mony gret feste,
fibr ioy of pis iornay and pis gentill lady ;
And pat Parys in point repairit was home
With his felowes in fere, fayne was pe pepull,
And lyuys in hor lykyng pe long night oner.
The secund day suyng, sais me the lyne,
All the grete were gedret, as horn grase felle :
Paris with pride and his prise lady,
At Appolynes owne tempull after were weddit.
}3ere made was pat mariage with myrthes ynow,
With solempnite & sacrafice pe Cite thurghe

out ;

And double fest pat day derely was holdyn,
With all pe reuell & riolte pat Eenkes couthe

deuise,

Jpat enduret by-dene with daintes at wille,
Aght dayes ouer all after the dede.
When Cassandra hade knowyng how pe case

stode,

Jjat the mariage was made po mighty betwene,
She brast out in a birre, bale to be-holde.
With a mighty noise, noye for to here,
Playnond with pytie, no pleasurance at all,

THE WAIL OF CASSANDRA.

113

3472 Wiih sykyng & sorow said on this wise : — Book vn.

" A ! fonnet folke, why fare ye thus now, Cassandra's

lamentation, and

With solas full sore, and sanges of myrthe, forebodings.

At the weddyng of the weghes, bat shall to wo

turne.

3476 With hardlayke & harme, bat happyn shall
after,

Ye dowtles mvw degh for dedes of bo two ;

And jour frynd^s full fey fallyn to ground,

Your sonys be slayne in sight of jour ene ;
3480 Your husbandes he wen with hondys in pesis,

Wyues made wedowys, & wayling for euer.

A ! Troy, fat is tore with toures full hegh, (foi. 550.)

Myche baret shall bou bide, & betyn to ground, Tr°y and iu

matrons,

3484 And be stithly destroyet, & bi strenght lost !

A ! Modris so mylde, what myschefe is to you !

Moche care is to come to jour cold hertys ;

Moche baret on jour birthe you bese for to se ; —
3488 Dyssmembrit as marters, & murtheret to dethe,

And the bowels out braide of hire bare sydes.

A ! Ecuba, bat euermore easely hase leuyt,

What gretyng & gremy growes vnto be ?
3492 To se bi sones be slayne in sight of bin ene,

And the blode of bo blithe blent with the erthe !

A ! baleful! buernes, & full blynd pepull,

The hard dethe is you dight, bat ye doute litle !
3496 Why wrought ye so wantonly in jour wilde yre?

fforto rauysshe vnrightwisely bis riche out of
Grece,

ffro a man bat neuer mys did to bis mene lond.

Why haste ye not heturly to haue hir agayne,
3500 And restore hir stithly to hir strenght horn,

To hir lorde bat is lell & no lede harmys ?

Venions and vile dethe to voide fro bis Rewme,

Er ye with swerdis in swym be swongon to
ground.

Hecuba and hor
children,

the people,

114

CASSANDRA IX PRIS3K.

Priam casts
Cassandra into
prison.

(fol. 55 6.)

Book YII. 3504 Hope ye Parys, playn fefte vnponysshet wilbe,
Paris and Helen. WttAouten sorow & sourgrem scwyng f erafter ;

And you angwr for euer en[d]les to worche ?
A ! Elan, vnhappy, hardist of chaunse !
3508 Soche sorow & sikyng f i seluyn vs bringes ;
Myschaunse & euyll chefe f i childwr shalbe !
A ! Sory Sytizins, sendis you fro
The smoke & smorther, fat smyies to dethe,
3512 Qwyle ye lawfully lefe may & yowr lyf haue ;
Jjoche dole ho dregh Wit/i mony depe terys ! "
With pyte & complaint, fat pyne was to here,
)3at Priam out of pes put ay anone,
3516 And neuer sesit of saghis & sorowfull wordys.
The kyng J>en comaund to cacche hir belyue,
And fetur hir fast in a fre praoune, —
A stithe house of stone, — to still hir of noise.
3520 Hit said was for sothe, ho sate fere full longe,
And sufiert moche sorow for hir sothe tales.
Jjus kept the kyng vnkyndly his doughter ; —
ffor hir tales of truthe teghit her in yernes.
5324 But, hade j?ai herkont fat hynde, & in hert

keppit,

Troy hade bene truly out of tene yet ;
And fere fortune full felle faire ouer-paste,
J)at all the world hade warnyng of fere wo

sythen ;

3528 And euer mynde wulbe made of faire myshap,
Enduryng till domysday for doole fat fere was.
Now, what felle of hor foly faire will I tell ;
And ye hastely shall here, and ye houe stille.

But, had they
heeded her warn
ings Troy would
have remained.

115

Bolte. ©f tfje (Counsel! of tjje
ftor Eecouergng of

3532 Sone after bis saute, sothely to telle,

jpat the Troiens in the Temple tokyn be qwene,
And the riches hade Eobbed with relikes ynow,
Er bai tenydon hade takon & twrnyt into hauyn,

3536 The speche of horn sprange & spred into Grise,

And gret noise of ber& noie naitly oner all. Moneiaus is

advised of the

Vnto Menelay, the mene tyme, mowthly was foray of the

, , Trojans.

told

Of the rape vnrightwis of his Riche qwene,
3540 And he stythely astonyt stroke into sorowe.

3it present at pile with the proude Duke, (Pyius.;

The pite of his pepiill pricket hym so sore;

The murther of his men & his mylde qwene,
3544 The robbyng of his Eiches & his riall temple,

Of his subiectes sesit, in seruage to dwelle

ffor tene & for torfer, of his tn'et lady,

)?at he luffit so lelly no lesse jjen hym seluyn ;
3548 Thes harmes so heterly hepit in his mynde

~Wit7i sorow so sodainly, Jiat his sight failet ;

ffainted for febull. and felle to be ground (fo1- 56a->

He falls to the

In a swyme & a swogh, as he swelt wold. . ground in a
3552 When he past of his payne & his pale hete,
And resort to hym selfe & his sight gate,
He plainted full pitiously, was pyn for to here,

swoon.

116

THE GRIEF OF MENELAU3.

Book VIII.

His grief for
Helen, Ac.

Nestor comes to
comfort him.

With a great
company of
knights, &c.

he conducts him
home and sends
for Agamemnon,

Castor, and
Pollux.

Of the harmes & the hethyng hym happont to
thole.

3556 And for his worshipfull wife, that hym worst

liket,

Jjat faren was oner the fome, & hir fame loste ;
And other freikes shuld fonge in a fer loude
With fat semly to solas, hit sate in his hert.

3560 And of delites full dere, fat dight were at

home,

Lest hir lackit suche lustis in a londe straunge,
))oche mones he made & mournyng ynoghe,
With wailyng & weping, wo for to here ;

3564 j)at it neght to non end fe noie fat he tholet.
Vnto Nestor anon f is naytly was tolde,
Of fe mornyng & myscheife to Menelay was

comyn ;
Vnto fat worthy he went wisly anon,

3568 With sorow for fat syre & sylyng of teris.
He comford fat kyng with his clene speche,
To sober hym somwhat & sese of his chere,
J)en hyet he with haste home to his rewme.

3572 And Nestor anon, with a nowmber grete
Of knightes & cant men, cairyt him with
Lyuely to his londe, & leuyt hym noght ;
And by assent of hyrn sone sent for his brother,

3576 Agamynon f e graithe, in a gret haste,

By a message on molde fat he niekyll triste ;
In his cause for to cum with counsell of wit,
As he fat was helply and highest of other.

3580 To Pollux the proude & his pere Castor,
J)at all highit in haste, houyt no lengur ;
But comyn to f e kyng, fat the care tholit,
To helpe hym in haste & here of his noye.

THE COUNSELL OP AGAMYNON TO MENELAY.

3584 When agamynon the grete the greuazmce behelde,

THE COUNSEL OF AGAMEMNON. 117

And the bale of his brother, fus the buerne Bookvm.

saide : —

"Why dreghis fou fis dole, & deris bi seluyn? " why endure this
Lefe of fis Langore, as my lefe brother, (foi. 56 6.)

3588 bat puttes fe to payne and peires fi sight. Cease this
If f u has cause for to care for vnkynde werkes,

And with sykyng oue?-set, & sorow at J>i hert, at least conceal

TT-i T -j. & your grief.

Hit were wit, as I wene, to were it nro noise,
3592 And fro knowyng of comyns & of course

opun ;
ffor a sorow fat is sene on a sib frynde, Our sorrow

ir , /. iiifY* makes friends

Mas f e moMmyng more ot men fat hym l\mes : 8ad, and foes

Mikull comfordes his care all his kene fos, glad*

3596 And engendres faire ioy all his iuste sorow.

ffayne euer feire chere in f i felle anger.

Whan sorow is most sad, set all at litle ;

Lete of it lightly, fat no lede wete,
3600 bi sorow & f i sikyng set all at noght.

And in maters fat meuys f e with might for to
stir,

There is no worship in weping, ne in wan teres ;

But desyre J>i redresse all w/t/A derfe strokis :
3604 Wzt/i J>i swerde is to swinke & not with swym By your sword,

,i II and not by tears,

thoghtes. this work mugt

fFor in sorow may be sene who is sad wise ; ^ done>

ffull propurly to preue in his pale angre,
When hym comys by course contrary thinges ; —
3608 He fat opressit not with payne his pn'nsepall

wittes,

Ke ouersettes not his saule with sorow full hoge.
berfore wackon bi wille into wight dedis, Therefore rouse

' yourself.

And bere as sikyng & sorow slees the within,
3612 bat be harme bat bou has, and hethyng with all,
Pas noght vnponisshed for pite ne other,
But be dedes fat vs deirus be full dere boght.
berfore sobbyng & sorow ses at f is tyrno,

118

THE COUNSEL OF AGAMEMNON.

3616

Book VIII.

Our kingdoms
are strong ; and
we have many
allies.

All Greece will 3620
rise to our aid.

(fol. 57 *.)

With .1 fleet we
shall pass to
Troy ;—

Kill the people,
and raze the city
to the ground.

And Paris shall
be hanged as a
felon.

3624

3628

To this end let us
seek the aid of
nil the kings in
Greece."

And wrcke f e on weghis fat f e wrathed hase.
Yow know fat our kyngdomes are of clene

strenght,

And we liaue felowes full fele fat vs faith owe,
To wreike vs of wrathe & our wronge ricche.
All Grece, for f is grefe, vritii fere grete ostis,
Wilbe redy to ryse witJi a ranke pepull ; —
Euery kyng for to cum witA knightes enarmyt,
ffull stoutly witJi strenght to stir on our fos.
With a nauy full nobill, naite for f e werre,
We shall tyre vs to Troy tomly to gedur ;
And if hit tyde vs our tentis tild on fere londe,
Hit shalbe hevi & harde, & happi vnlike,
J)at any frigies vs fere, or to flete dryue ;
But it happon horn harder in a hond while,
And the dernyst be dede with dynte of ova

hondes.

ftaire pepull & hor power to pyne as vs liste,
Troy and f e tresoure take at our wille,
Bete downe the bildynges to f e bare erthe.
And paris, fat is prmsipall of our pure hate,
Iff hit happe vs to hent, hongit shalbe
As a felon falsest foundyn \vith thefte.
Hit is sothely to sese of sorow in mynde,
And to all the kynges by course, fat knowen are

in Grece,

Dukes by dene, & other derfe Erles,
Let vs send to horn salus solemli by letre,
Praiand horn prestly with all our pure hertis,
To helpe vs in hast our harmys to venge,
And dyshonowr and daunger done to our

rewmes."

3644 \V hen Agamynon the graithe hade geuen fus

to red,
Menela mightily made for to write

3632

3636

A LEADER 13 CHOSEN.

119

3648

3652

3656

3660

3664

3668

3672

3676

To all the grete of Grece, fro Agamynon & hym,
Vnder sailes of those souerains, samyn to wend
By curroun's to yche cost, kynges to warne :
And all agreit to f e gate with a gode mile.
The first of f o freikes, fat to the fight come,
Was Achilles, a choise kyng & cheuallms in

arrays ;

And Patroculus the proude,a pn'se mon of werre ;
With Diomed, a doughti mon & demist of hond, —
A stronge man in stoure & stuernist in fight.
Sone the cause was declaret with a clene wit,
Of the dede, ilke-a-dele, to f o derfe kynges ;
And opunly, by one assent f ai ordant horn all,
With grym ost for to go & a grete nauy,
Elan fuersly to fecche, and hor fos qwell,
And venge on fere velany & fere vile harme.
And for explait of fere spede, f ai spekyn in fere
To chese horn a cheftayn to be chefe of fern all,
To be praise in fat pn'se and f e prese haue ;
All the ost for to honour & his hest kepe,
And be gouemett by this grete by grement

of hom.

Jpeii by assent of f ose souerans somyn, f ai yode
And walit hom a wegh by wit, as hom thoght.
To Agamynott f ai giffen f e gouernawnce hole,
ffor worthiest of wit fat worship to haue ;
And ordant hym Emperour by opyn assent,
With power full playn f e pepull to lede,
And obey to fat bolde his biddyng to wirke.

THE DROWNYNG OP POLLUX & CASTOR.

Pollux the pert kyng and his pere Castor,
When hor sister was sesit, saies me the story,
In hope for to hent hir, highit to f e se
With a nauy full noble anon by hom seluyn ; —
The Troiens to take was fere intent euyn,

Book VIII.

Couriers are
despatched with
the message.

Achilles.

Patroclus.
Diomedes.

("

every part.)

(fol. 57 6.)

Agamemnon is
chosen to lead
the expedition.

Castor and Pollux

120

A STORM AT SEA.

Book VIIT.

3680

3684

A storm bursts 3688
over them.

(fol. 58 a.)
(M8.has"«ai;«s.") 3692

3696

Sails and ropes
are torn away.

3700

" = tiUIe, 3704
turned, cast)

3708

1 lip ships are
shattered on the
rock*; Castor

And hor sister to sese, with sailyng Jjai wend.

Su??i tellyn ])is tale, & for true holdyn,

jjat fai bode not the biddyng of fe buerno

Menelay ;

But when tithyng was told of hor tn'et sister,
Jjai fore to f e fome, as I before saide.
But how it tide of fat tale this is tru sothe, —
To f e water fai went, f o weghis to gedur,
Paris to pursew vrith prise men of Annes.
Thai sailit not sounde, sothely to telle,
Two dayes by dene, as horn dere felle,
When the heuyn in hast hepit vrith cloudis,
"Wex merke as ]>e mydnight ; mengit f e ayre ;
No light but of Laite, fat launchet aboue ;
Thunret full throly ; thrappit the windes ;
Sodewly f o sail[er]es were sorely bestad.
With a ropand rayne rugh was the se.
The wyndes full wodely wackont anon,
Eut vp the rughe se on rokkes aboute ;
As Miles hit hepit in a bond while.
So pe bre and the brethe burbelit to gedur,
J?at hit spirit vp spitiously fyue speire lenght
With waiter and wawes, fat f e wynd dryues
All fore as a fyre fe firmament over.
With an ugli noise noye for to here,
Hit sundrit fere sailes & fere sad ropis ;
Cut of fere cables were caget to gedur.
All fere takyll was tynt, tylude ouer borde ;
The nauy wex nakit ; noy was on honde.
The shippis \riih shire wynd shodert in twyn,
Dryuen furth on the depe dole to be-holde.
The two brether were abidyng bothe in a shippe,
)?at was stird vrith the storme streght out of

warde ;

Eut on a Eocke, rof all to peces.
The bordes all to brast, brusshet in the water ;

CASTOR AND POLLUX DROWNED. 121

3712 The Dukes were drounet, & ojjer dere folke. Bookvm.

All the sort bat horn suet sunkyn to ground and Pollux and

all their company

A brode in the breme se, barges & other. perish.

And syn the dethe was in doute of J>o dere

kynges,

3716 K"e non certayn cold say, ne for sothe telle,
What worth of ]>o wight in the wilde se ;
The gentils aiuges horn two iuste goddis, Fables concerning

Castor and

Lyuond in the lofte with lordships in heuyn, Pollux.
3720 Tran[s]late truly into triet ioy.

And poites haue put of bo pn'se brethir,

)5at bai Eauichit were radly into be red ayre,

And set in a seigne bat zodias is callid ;
3724 That demyt is to bis day duly wtt/i clerkes, (fo1- M ° '

Gemini Aiugget in bere iuste artis.

ffor the sun vnder zodias settis hym to leng

Two dayes betwene, & dryues no ferre
3728 Mo in his mouyng ben any mone other.

But, what is sothely be said of bo sure brethur,

ffor be sute of bere sister somyn were bai drounyt.

Let Poyetis go play horn, & passe to our tale.

3732 Jtlere Darys in his dyting duly auisys

ffor to telle in liis tale be tulkes of Grece ;

Of bere shap for to shew and bere shene colowr,

Of the worthiest bere were, to wale horn be nom.
3736 J3us he breuyt in his boke of bo breme kynges,

ffor he segh horn in sight at sembles full ofte,

(As in tymes of tru, baire tentes witJi in)

And waited horn wele ; for be wegh thoght
3740 To myn hom in makyng in maner as bai were.

THE SHAPE AND COLONS OF THE KYNGKS OF GRECE.

Agamynon be gay was of a gode mykull ; Agamemnon was

tall, large-limbed,

His colour of bat kyng all of clene qwite. noble. and free-

He was store man of strenght, stoutest in armes,

122

THE KINGS OF GREECE.

Book VIII. 3744

3748

Menelaus was of
middle size ; bold,
daring, and
determined.

3752

3756

3760

Among Ibe
Greeks lie had no '
equal in strength 3764
or in battle.

Achilles was a
large, burly,
broad-shouldered
man, with crisp
hair and project
ing eyes.

(fol. 59 a.)

Tantalus, a huge,
burly, strong
man, was
well coloured ;
and had large
gray eyes that
squinted.

Ajax (Klius, a
very tall, large-
limbed man :
given to lying.

3768

3772

With lymes full large ; light of his will,
Meke as a maiden, mery witJi all ;
"Wpde in his wrathe, wild as a lion,
He was witty \er with, & wegh hardy,
And of faciund full faire, fre of his speche.
Menelay the mighty was of meane shap,
iNoght so large of his lymes as his lefe brother ;
In mesure was made of a medull size,
Betwene the large & the litill ; likyng of colow
Auntrus in armys, eger of wer,
A bolde man in batell, & of breme wille.
Achilles the choise was of chere faire,
Likyng & luffly, a large man with all.
Crispe herit was the kyng, colouret as gold.
Stokyn ene out stepe with a streught loke ;
His loke was full lonely, when ledys were opyn.
With a brest Jjat was brode, byg of his shulders ;
Grete armys in the gripe, growen full rounde ;
A large man of lenght with limis full brode.
A stythe man in stoure, storest of wille,
Was no greke on fat grounde of so great strenght,
Ay bowne vnto batell, boldist in armys,
Godely of giftes, grettist in expense,
Ay furse on his fos, and to fight Redy.
Tantelus the tore kyng was a tulke hoge,
Borly of brede, & of big strenght ;
Wele colouret by course, clene of his face,
Eede roicond in white, as )>e Eoose fresshe ;
Wi't/i grete Ene & gray, gleyit a litill ;
Meke of his maners, & manly in werre.
Aiax oelius was outrage grete,
Brode of his brest, byg in his armys ;
A large man of lyms, lengest of stature.
Costius clothyng ay Jje kyng weiret ;
Noght lowrand with laithe chere lese for to
speike.

THE KIXGS OF GREECE. 1$

Telamon truly was a tulko full faire, B°°k viji.

3780 Blake horit, aboue breghis and other Telamon the

beautiful; his

Serklyfc of horn seluyn, semly with all. black hair in

ringlets over his

A Sotell man of song with mony sere notys, brow ; a great
And mellit hym with muaike & myrthes also.

3784 He was doughty of dedys, derfe of his hond ;
Pompe and proude wordis ay fe praise hated.
Ulexes the lefe kyng was loueliest of other, uiysses, the

He was the fairest by ferre of all the felle grekes, fairest, the falsest

3788 And falsest in his fare, and full of disseit. nonf^fequai

Vndertaker of treyne, of talkyng but litill, him in «1(><iuence-

Neuer myrth in his mouthe meuyt witJi tong :
Sad of his semblaundes, sober of chere. (foi. 59 6.)

3792 And of facound fairest w^t/i a fre speche,

He hade no make of J>o men in meuyng of wordye.
Dyamede J?e doughty was a dere kyng, Diomedes the

,, , . ,.,, . , . doughty was a

Stronge of his stature, stitlie in his armys, strong, well -built

3796 Erode in his brest, byg in his shulders, "owHng look.

"With a loke fat was laithe like out of wit. croeTquarrei-

ffals of his forward, feUe of his hond, ^dSST"

A derffe man in dede, dyssirus of batell.
3800 Vnsober with seruazmdes, sorofull in hert,

Dredfull in dole for dissait fat he vsit.

Lusty to lechery, vnlell of his trouthe,

And mony harmes hepit for hete of his loue.
3804 Off Duke Nestor to deme, doughty in werre, Nestor, the brave

and wise, was

He was long & large, with lemys full grete. tail, strong, and

A™ ., ,, j f . ., well-built;

ffreike fat was ire, and a ieire speiker, truthful, trusty,

Wise in his wordys, witte of counsaille ;
3808 Tru of his trowthe, tristy to loue,

Meke of his maners malise to pese ;

And if he walte into wrathe, wode as a lyon,

But he lengit not long in his lothe hate ;
3812 ffaithfull of frendship to frekys fat he louyt,

The hertist to helpe of all the high kynges.

Protheselus the pert kyng was of pure shap, Protesiiaus, a

124

THE KINGS OF GREECE.

Book VIII.

warrior of fine 3816

mould and fair

size.

Neoptolemus the
noble, a tall, staid
roan, with hard,
black, prickly
hair ; large gray
eyes aiid grim ;

was broad
shouldered, and
beetle browed,
and stuttered.

3824

(fol. 60 a.)

Palamedes, son 3828
of Nauplius, King
of Euboea, was of
middle size, well-
built, bold, and
daring ; a noble
story-teller,

courteous and 3832
kind.

3836

Podalirius, huge,
fat, and "plooked"
as a porker ; his
feet had burden
enough to "fe"ke
bym aboute."

3840

3844

Machaon, brother
of Podalirius, was
of mean stature,
proud and pre
sumptuous.

3848

Semely for sothe, & of Syse faire.
Doughty of dedis, derfe of his hondes,
None wighter in werre, ne of wille bettur.
Neptolon nobill was non of pe lest :
A store man of stature, stabill of chere.
His here was hard blake, on his hede stode.
Grete Ene and gray, with a grym loke.
Rounde sydes for sothe, sober of wille ;
His shulders were shapon of a clene brede.
Bytell browet was the buerne, fat aboue met ;
And stutid full stithly, fat stynt hym to speke ;
But he was lernyd of J>e lawe, & in his londe

wise ;

ffor to comyn in a case hade a clere wit.
Palomydon the pure, he was praise faire ;
JsTaulus son pe nobill kyng, & his next childe.
Vne made of a mene in the medyll shap,
Large of a lenght, lyuely & small,
Noght borely ne brode, but as hym best semyt.
A stythe man of his stature, stirond of wille,
Menyt hym to mony thinges, & of mynde gode ;
Nobill talker with tales, tretable alse,
Curtas & kynde, curious of honde.
Polidarius was pluccid as a porke fat,
ffull grete in the grippe, all of grese hoge.
So bolnet was his body, pat burthen hade ynoghe
The fete of pat freke to ferke hym aboute,
Or stond vppo streght for his strong charge.
Aparty was he proude, presit after seruys,
He wold not gladly be glad, ne glide into myrthe;
But euermore ymaginand & entrond in thoghtes.
Machaon the mody kyng was of a mene stature,
Noght to long ne to litls, lusty to se,
Proude & presurnpti«,s, prouyt of wille,
Ballit was the buerne with a brode face ;
Neuer slept pat slegh for slouthe vppon day.

THE KING AND PRINCES OP TROY. 125

Dares in his dytyng duly bus tellus, Bookvni.

}?at for the helpe of these hende, & hertely of

ober,
3852 Of Perse come the proude kyng with pepull full The king of Persia

with a great band

mony, of soldiers and

A j ^> i • i L i a company of

And a company ot knightes comly to se, knights.

J3at tellis his Atyre & his triet strenght.
He was large, & long, & of lene shap,
3856 With a face somwhat fat, fellist of coloMr.
The here of bat hathell was huet as be fire,
Bothe o berde & aboue all of bright rede.

\/f the tulkes of Troy telle we now ferre, or the Trojan

leaders.

3860 Bothe of mesure & mykyll whille I mynde haue,
As breuyt is in boke and aboue set,

ffull duly by Dares endited of olde. (foi.eo&.)

Priam be pn'se kyng was of pure shap, Priam the kins

was a tall, noble,

3864 A large man & a longe, liuely & small. active man, Of

fair feature and

A faire man in feturs & hade of furse steuyn. commanding

Wight in his werkes & of wit redy ;

Delited to the deuer on dayes be tyme.
3868 Noght ferfull, ne furse, faueret full wele,

Louet he no lede bat lustide in wrange ;

He rulet hym by Eeason & the right spake.

Songis of solemnite and songes of myrthe
3872 He wold herkon full hertely in his high wit.

Was neuer kyng vnder cloude his knighte^ more Never was a kins

more beloved by
louet, his knights, &c.

Ne gretter of giftes to his goode men,
Ne lellier louyt ledys of his aune,
3876 Ne with Riches so Rife rewardet his pepull.

Of all his sones for sothe, bat semely were

holdyn,
Non was so noble, ne of nait strenght, The noblest and

bravest of his sons

As Ector, be eldist, & aire to hym seluyn. was Hector.

3880 He was truly in his tyme tristiest of other

126

THE PR1XCES OF TROY.

Book VIII.

He stuttered a
little,

was always
victorious.

Massive and tall,
Troy never bred
his equal : he
was so ready, so
good, and so
powerful.

(foL 61 a.)

Paris, a pert
knight with
silken, glossy
hair,

was a famous
archer and
hunter.

Deiphobus the
third son and
Helenus the
fourth, were
very much alike
in features;

J)at leuit in any londe, & a title he stotid.

This p rinse -with his pure strenght plainly aue/--
come

All Auntres in Arrays, J>at he euer raght :
3884 Non so stnerne ]>ai w/Mstode a stroke of his
honde.

He was massy & mekull, made for fe nonest,

Neuer Troy no tyme soche a tulke bred,

So graithe, ne so good, ne of so gret myght.
3888 Ruly & rightwise, a roghe man of hors,

He spake neuer dispituosly, ne spiset no man ;

N"e warpit neuer worde of wrang w/t7* his
mowthe.

Ne sagh, J>at was vnsemond, slipped hym fro,
3892 But ay meke as a maydon, & mylde of his speche.

Neuer hatfull to hym to hygh into batell,

Neuer wery of fat werke, ne of wegh fferde,

He swat neuer for J>at swynke, ne in swayme

feUe.

3896 Was neuer red in no Romanse of Eenke vpon
erthe

So well louyt w/t/t all ledys, fat in his lond
dwelt.

Parys was pure faire, and a pert knighte ;

Here huet on his hede as haspis of silke,
3900 And in sighkyng it shone as the shyre golde.

He was bowman 0 fe best, bolde with a speire,

A wilde man to wale, wode on his fos ;

ffull siker at asaye, & a sad knight,
3904 Of hunters he was hede, & hauntyd it ofte.

DefFebus was doughty & derfe of his hond,

The J>rid son of fe sute, & his sure brother

Elenws, the eldist euyn after hym.
3908 J3o freikes were fourmet of feturs [ajlike,

Bothe of hyde & of hew to hede of a mykell ;

ffor, to loke on fe ledys with a light egh,

TROILUS AND JENEAS.

127

The ton fro J?e totlier was tore for to ken

3912 In sight at fat sodan, somyn & fai were.

The fourme of ]>o freikes was, faithfully to se,
Eight suche as the syre, fat I said first ;
Vndifferent to deme fro Tpere dere fader,

3916 Saue Priam the prise was past into eld,

And J>ai of yeris full yong, jenerus of wille.
The ton was a triet knight, tristy in armys,
A wight man for to wale, & wise of his dedis ;

3920 The tother, sotele of syense to seke in a lond,
And a corius clerke with a clene wit.
Troilus f e tru was full tore mekull,
ifull massely made, & of mayn strenght ;

3924 And yet hoger of hert & of her wille,

He demenyt well his maners, & be mesure wroght.
Amirous vnto Maidens, & mony hym louyt,
And delited hym in dole with damsels ofte ;

3928 But he mesuret his maners, f of he f e myrth vsid,
J)at it impairyt not his person, ne his pwrpos

lettid.

In strenght ne in stryfe fere strokes were delte,
He was Ector eftsones, or ellis soche another.

3932 In all the kyngdome & cuntre, fat to fe coron

longit,

Was no yong man so ^epe, ne ^enerus of dedis,
Ne so hardy of hond holdyn in his tyme.
Eneas was euermore eger of wille,

3936 Erode in his brest, & of body litill.

Wise in his werkes, & of wordys sober,
A faire speiker in a spede, special! of wit,
A clene man of counsell, with a cloise hert,

3940 Of litterure & langage lurnyt ynoghe.

A man full of mekenes & mery of his chere.
ffaire Ene hade f e freike, & of fyn colour,
Glemyt as fe glasse and gliet a little.

3944 Of all the tulkes of Troy, to telle fern by name,

Book VIII.

and in form both
were very like
their father.

The one was
a tried knight,
the other, a
' sotele man of
syense.'

Troilus was tall,
massive, and
strong; brave,
reckless, and
amorous, yet
mannerly and
measured.
(fol. 61 6.)

In battle he was
almost equal to
Hector.

.iEneas the eager,
broad-chested but
att It: ; he was
skilful, wise,
learned, and
meek;

had fine bright
eyes slightly
asquint, and was
the richest inun in
Troy.

128

AXTENOR, MERIONES, AND HECUBA.

Book VIII.

Antenor the Wise
was a tall, active,
but slender man : 3948
talkative but far-
seeing.

Polydamas, son
of Antenor,

['favour.'
countenance.]

was tall, agile,
and slender, like
his father;

Cfol. 62 a.)

3952

3956

3960

Mflriones, king of
Crete, was a great,
massive, broad- 3964
sliouldered
knight, with crisp
yellow hair, and
black eyelashes :
a fierce and
famous warrior.

3968

Hecuba, tie
honest and
honourable queen,
was broad and
massive, almost
like a man.

She was learned
as became a lady,
meek and
cliari table.

3972

3976

3980

Was non so riche of Renttes, ne of renke godes,

Of castels full close, & mony clene tonnes.

Antenor also was abill man of wit,

Long man & large, lyuely & small .

Mony wordys hade the wegh, wise of his dedis,

In fele thinges forwise, & a fer caster.

"Wele louyt of his lege, delited hym in myrthe,

Bourdfull among buernes, blithe of his wordis,

Hethyngfull to hathels, but it harmyt not.

Polidamas jje pert fat was his pme son,

ffull ^ener and 3epe, and a yong knight,

ffaire man of faffure, & of fyn strenght,

Worshipful! in wer, wise of his dedis ;

A large man of lenght, delyuer, & small,

Euyn fourmyt as his fader of feturs & other.

A full strong man in stoure, sturnyst in Armys,

Wrothe Wi'tA a worde & away sone :

His colour blent was in blake, with a blithe chere.

Merion the mighty kyng was massely shapen,

A faire man of fourme, & a fre knight.

Grete sydes to gripe growen full sad,

Erode shulders aboue, big of his armys,

A hard brest hade J?e buerne, & his back sware.

Crispe heris & clene, all in cours yelowe,

All the borders blake of his bright ene.

A felle man in fight, fuerse on his enimys,

And in batell full bigge, & myche bale wroght :

Grete worship he wan while the wer laste.

Ecuba, the onest & onerable qwene,

Was shewyng in shap of a shene brede,

Massily made as a man lyke.

She hade a wonderfull wit a woman to bene,

Alse sad in Jje syens as semyt for a lady

Wele norisshed ]>erwith • wise of hir dedis,

Meke of hir maners, myldest of chere ;

Onest ouerall, as aght hir astate,

CASSANDRA AND POLYXENA. 129

An delited hir deply in dedis of charitd. Book vni.

Andromaca, anenonde abill of person, wlfe'ofHector

"Worthy Ector wyfe, was a we faire. was *al1 and

stately,

3984 Long body hade the burdde, bright of hir colour. with bright clear

eyes, ruddy

Ho was mesurably made, as be mylke white. cheeks and ups,

and golden hair.

Hir ene flamyng fresshe, as any fyne stones.

Hud as be Roose roikede in hir chekes.
3988 Hir lippes were louely littid with rede.

Gilde hores hade bat gay, godely to se.

Most onest of other euer in hir tyme,

And all hir dedis full duly done by a mesure.
3992 Cassandra the clere was a Clene Maydon, oJSdiJ b°

Semely of a Sise, as the silke white, daughter of

Priam, was of

Womowly WrOght, waike Of hir Colour, seemly size and

/ mould, but pale,

Godely of gouernormce, and gleyit a litle. and squinted a

little.

3996 Of wemen werkes wilnet ho none,

Most was hir mynde hir maidonhede to kepe.

Mony cas for to cum ho be course wiste, She was wel1

skilled in

By artys of astronomy, & ame of hir wit, — astronomy.
4000 By staryng on the stemys thurgh hir stithe lore.

Polexena the pert was prise of all other, Poiyxena was by

far the fairest ot

Of feturs & fourme the fairest on lyue ; Priam's

daughters.

ffull tendur of hir tyme, triet of hewe.
4004 Of hir fairnes fele may no freike telle,

NQ no wegh has wit ne wordys berfore,

ffor to labur so longe of hir lefe shap ;

But truly I telle as be text sais,
4008 Ho was of bewte aboue all borne in hir tyme, Her beauty baffles

all description.

To wale burgh the world of wemen by dene,
Alse noble for be nonest as natur cold deuyse,
To paint in yche place thurgh his pure study,

4012 (Jjat errit not in anythyng of abilte ber,

Saue he demyt hir dedly, when hir day come.)
And ay cheriste hir chastite with a choise wille,
To bat abunda?mse of bewte ho was best norisshed.

40 1 6 Witte to wale, wantid no thewes ;
9

130

POLYXENA.

Book VIII.

Thus Dares
represents those
noted ones of
Greece and Troy:

(fol. 63 a.)

and now to our
story of what
befell them.

Voidet all vanities, & virtus dissyret.
jjus Dares in his dyting deuyses J>e shap
Of fese freikes in fere, pat I before tolde ;

4020 Of kynges & knightes & o)>er clene ladies ;
Of Dukes by-dene, fat were dere holden ;
Of the gretist of Grece, & of gret Troy,
Jjat he hade comyng vfith in company, & knew
well J>e persons,

4024 As the worthiest to wale & wildest in Armys.
Of these nomly to neuyn, & nobill men other,
How Jmi bere horn in batell, I buske me to say ;
And telle how hom tyde, whill I tyme haue. —

4028 Stir fuorth to our story, & stynt here a while.

131

NegntBofte. ©f tje Nofomfcer of
antr tfje liang of tfje

Comyn was by course J>at the cold wyntwr

Was wastid & went with his wete shoures. winter was now

past,

ffrostes were faren, and the fell cold ;
4032 The slippond slete slidon of the ground ;

fflodys were fallyn into furse vales,

And into caues be course cleufit the erthe.

Wyndis wastid away, warmyt the ayre ;
4036 The rede beames aboue blusshet witJt, hete ;

Ver entrid full euyn, eger with all. and spring had

opened,

The suw in his serkyll set in J>e last,
Passyng fro pisshes vnder playn course ;
4040 ffeueryere faryn with his fuerse windes

At the metyng of Marche with his mayn droghte.

The grete ISTauy of Grekes with a grym oste, and the &reat

navy of the

Entrid into Attens, euyn at hor wille ; Greeks entered

the harbour of

4044 And holly in hauyn J?ere houyt )>ai to-gedur, Athena.

ffor to rest in J>e Rode & hor rede take.

Now wete yche wegh, Jjat writyng beholdis,

Or J>at stares vpon stories, & stirs in bokys,
4048 )3at syn the firmament was fourmed, & folke
vpon erthe,

Syche a Nauy was neuer of nowmber to-gedur ; Never had such a

Ne soche a company clene of knightes & other ; collected.

Ne so fele feghtyng men in a fflete somyn. (toi. es 6.)

4052 Of the worthy fere were, thus )>e write sais : —

132

THE LEADERS OF THE GREEKS,

Book IX.

Agamemnon had
100 ships;

Menelaus from
Sparta had 60

ships.

(Sparta)

(Bceotia)

Arcesilaus from
Bceotia and king
Protheus had 50
ships.

(Sicyonia)

Ascalaphus and
his brother
lalmenus with
30 ships.

Epistrophus,
king of Phocis,
and his brother
Tedius, with
60 ships.

Telamon, king of

Salamis, with

60 ships. 4076

Teucer,
Amphimacus,
Diores, and
Theseus.

Nestor from
Pyk,8, with
50 ships.

(fol. 64 a)
Thoas from
-Etolia,

Agamynon the gret, was gide of horn all,
Leder of f o lordis, fro his lond broght
A hundrith shippes full shene with sharp men
of armys,

4056 Pight full of pepull & mony prise knight.

Menelay the mighty, fat was his mete brother,
Come fro his kingdom with dene shippes Sixti,
With nobill men for fe nonest a nowmber full
hoge,

4060 And sped hym fro spart his awne spilte Rewme.
Out of boyse was fere brought with bold men

two,

Archisahis was an, auntrus in werre,
And Protheno, a pn'se kyng, prestly fat other.

4064 In hor company come clene shippes fyfte,
With abill men of armys, auntrns in fight.
)3er suet of Siche semly men two, —
Ascalaphus, a skathilduke & skant mon in wer,

4068 And Helming a hede vrle, hadyn to-gedur
Thretty shippes full shene o f e shire water,
With barons of the best & bold men within.
Ephistaphus, a pert kyng & praise out of focce,

4072 And Tedius fat tothir, fat was his trew felowe:
ffyfty shippes in fere folowet horn two,
With a company of knightes cast for the wer.
Telamon, the tore kyng, tide for to haue
ffyfty shippes full faire of his fuerse Rewme ;
And of the Cite of Salame, fat suyt hym after,
In his company come mony clene Dukes,
And Erles also, with mony gret lordis.

4080 The Duke of Teucor, to telle truly, was fere ;
Amphimak?« also, auntrus in wer ;
Donori, the derfe Erie, & doughty Theseus.
Nestor, the nobill Duke, fat was an old man,

4084 ffore out of Phylon witJi fyfti gret shippes.
Toax fro toyle, fat was a true kyng,

AND THEIR SQUADRONS. 133

ffyfte shippes in fere to the fflete broght. Book ix.

Aiax oelius, aunterous in werre, with 50 8hiPs

inon rm Ajax Oileus, with

4088 Thretty shippes full thriste throng into hauyn ; so ships, and e

others.

And sex of a sort fat suyt hym after.

Polibos, a proude kyng, & his pere Amphimake, — Poiybetes and

.. * n i i VLT i Amphimacus from

J5ai come out ot Calydon wztA a clene pepull ; caiydon, with

4092 And foure scoure fyne shippes to the flete broght. 8( shlps<

Out of Trasy bere turnet triet Vlexes the kyng, uiysses from

Wiih fyfty, in a furthe, all of fuerse vesell. 50 ships'.

Duke Melios the mighty met in a hauyn, Eumeius from

Pherse with 11

4096 And soght fro his Cite sothely of Pygre, ships.'

WitJt Eleuon od shippes abill to werre.
Poterlias & Protesselon, bo proude Dukes twoo, Podarces and

Protesilaus from

)5ai fecchid out of Philace, bat was bere fre londe, Phyiace, with 50
4100 ffyfte shippes in fere, & fore vnto Attens.

Machaon & Polidus, pris kynges bothe, Machaon and

rp, f rr •• e ,.,-,• i -i. Podalirius from

lurnyt out of Irision, & triet shippes broght Trica,withs2
Two & thretty full thryuond, & brong into pn'se.
4J 04 Out of Phithes, be faire Cite folowet Achilles, A°h!1.lef.from

Phthiotis,

ffiffce shippes full shene strode fro be depe. with 50 shiPB-

Kyng Thelephus tomly toke from his hauyn, Teiephns, king of

Mysia, with 12

Twelue shippes well shapon, & shalkes within, ships.
4108 Of his Rewine noght Eiche, Eodan was cald. (Rhodes)

Eufirus the ryche raght fro his Rewme, Euryaius from

Sicyon, with

)?at Sicham was said sothely to nome ; 50 ships.

And fyfte shippes full shene folowet hym after.
4112 Two Dukes full derke droghen in fere,

I shall neme you bere nomes now, er I pas : —

Antius & Amphimake, auntirous in werre. Antiphus and

Amphlmachus

]3ay were lordes of a londe bere ledis in dwelt, from EHS, with
4116 That were bioustious of beiryng, byg men wiih all, (foi 64 6.)
Enerdond by hor one, & Elyda hit hight.
Jjai broght to the Brym XL bigge shippes.
Polibethes. a proud kyng, pert of his dedis. Poiypwtes, with

11 ships.

4120 He broght to the bryin barges elei van, Prothyins, or

Prothous, with

Prothylus, a pert kyng, put on the water w ships.

134

THE LEADERS OF THE GREEKS.

Book IX.

(Laeedoemon)
(Guneus, king of
Cyphius)

Diores from
Boaotia, with 32
ships.

The allies of the
Greeks were 69
in all, and the
number of their
ships was 1232;
not including
Palamedes, who
joined them some
time after.

ft'yfte shippes fyn, full of folke all,
Of Deymon duly, his owne dere londe.
4124 Kyng Sapmon for sothe soght fro J?at hauyn,

With alsmony abill shippes auntrid hym seluyn,
)3at Capidoise cald is, the cuntre so hat.
Theories, a tryet kyng, toke fro his Eewme,
4128 And broght of his brode londe, )>at Boisa is

callid,

Two & thretty thried shippes frast full of pepull.
And when thies souerauns were somyn, sothely

to telle,

Of kynges full kene, & of kyde Dukes,
4132 The sowme for to set was sexty & nene. •

The nowmber of the noble shippes, fat to fe

note yode,

ffor to telle horn by tale, was truly a thowsaund
Twa hundrethe & twenty, & twelue o J>e last,
4136 Without Palomydon fe proude, fat pmet horn

after

With a nauy full noble ; — Nawlus son the grete.
When thes graidly were gedret, & gird into

hauyn,
}3en come fai to counsell, as I shall kythe after.

135

Cent iSofte. H?ofo tfje ffireto sent onto
to fjaoe onsfoare of a 300 of
tfjagre Sournag.

4140 Ijenge we a little wM lykyng, to telle (foi.««.)

How thies kynges wftft hor knightes carpyn to
gedur.

When all were at Attens, aunter befell, wwie the fleet

A it. j -i • f lay at Athens»

Agamynon the gret gednt in iere, Agamemnon

4144 Into a place Jjat was playne wz'tAout the^^toa"
prise Cit6, counciu

There Setis for Jjo souerans Sothely was maked,

ffor kynges fat J?e?-e come & other kyde Dukes,

Bothe Erles & almen after J>ere astate.
4148 When all set were in sercle J>e souerayn aboute,

And silence on yche syde the serkyll

Agamynon the graithe, bat the gomes led, speech of

Agamemnon.

These wordes he warpid fo worthy vnto : —
4152 " Ye p7-{nces full prest, fat present are here ! "Renowned

princes ! who,

pat wtt/i pouer of pepull presit are hider, with your hosts,

. j . • T T ii j have joined this

And aioynt to Jus J orney J ustly to-gedur, expedition, look

Considirs to this company & the clene strenght, ai
4156 What bolde ye haue broght into bis brode
hauyn !

What fighting folke yche freike has !

Who sothely hath sene soche a pepull ere ?

Neuer wegh, as I wene, syn be world stode,
4160 Se at a Semly soche a sight hoole Never h«e u.cre

136

THE COUNSEL OF AGAMEMNON.

BookX.

been such a fleet
assembled; never
such hosts of
warriors, young
and old '

Surely they are
blinded with rage
who have roused 4168
us to war.

(foi.656.) 4172

The purpose of
this expedition is
known to all.

4176

4180

It is to take
vengeance on the
Trojans for the 4184
villany they have
wrought.

Honour must be
upheld, and
disgrace must be
avenged ;

Of kynges in a company, & of kyde Dukes,

Erles and other men all of assent ;

Ne of one purpas in a place pepull so fele ;

4164 So mony yong men & jepe, ^enerus of wille ;
So od men in armys, & egur to fight,
To fare in a furde our fos to distroy.
jjai are blyndit with baret & with bare sorow,
J3at wackons vp werre, & wrathus vs in hert,
Or stiris vs with strenght vpon stuerne wise,
ifor in this semly for sothe, soche men I know
A hundrith, fat with hondes our harmys might

wreike,

Perfourme our pwrpos, and put it to end,
)3at we so mony and so mighty are meuyt to do.
Ye weton all full wele f e worthy ben here,
Of daunger & desese is don to our londis ;
Of shame & of shenship shapyn vs alate ;
Our fryndys defelet, and fonget our godys.
Jje harmes we haue, & hethyng with all,
Hit sittes vs full sore to suffer on lyue.
Hit menys vs with mowhede fat malis to venge,
And Aunter vs in armys our Enmyes to greue j
With strenght for to stryve & strokes to dele,
The Troiens to tene J>at trespas haue done.
All somyn by Assent, with a sad wille
To venge of our velany & our vile greme.
And fat is rightwise& reasonable toriche vs f erto;
ffirst, to Refrayne the fame fat men speikes,

4188 And wipe of our wranges, & wirdis vs done ;
So fat Troiens fro f is tyme take not on honde
To aspye vs with spite in no spede efte.
J?at all f e weghes of f e world be warnit by horn,

4192 And fat no tale may be told in tyme for to come,
~NQ witnes in wn'tyng by weghes herafter,
Jjat any lord of our londe shuld lacche soche a
skorne

THE COUNSEL OF AGAMEMNON.

137

Vnwrokyn with wondis : fat weghes may
knowen,

4196 N"e Ave, fat are so worthy & wight men ynogh,
Shall not slely let slide, ne slip out of mynde,
J)at our successoures may say sothely, ne holde
Dyssehomwr of our dedys, & dem vs for feble.

4200 Syn we now bene of noble men in nowmber

so fele,

And of strenght so stern stondyng in one,
Who is now so qweme or qwaint of his wit,
That couthe mesure our might, or with niouthe
tell

4204 The pouer of our pepull, & our playn strenght ?
Who so hardy durst hede, or on hond take
To wrathe vs be any way, or wirk vs dyssese 1
Saue f es fonnet folke, fe frigies of troy,

4208 }5at vnwysely has wroght with wyttis full febill,
And offendit our frenchyp thargh foli of horn

seluyw.

"Ne mynd not f es me?? of f e mykyll harme,
That a sone of our folke before horn has done,

4212 When lamydon was lord & fe lond eght,

That was fader to the freike that offens mas ;
Kyld all his Knightes, cu?ftbrit his rewme,
Sesit his sit '>, slong it to ground,

4216 And fele of his folke fongit on lyue,

Led into our londys, fat lengis f er }et,
In seruage and sorow set for to dwelle.
Jjerfore, sotly hyt semys not surfetus harde

4220 No vnpossibill, thys pupull perfourme in dede,
That fyuetymes fewer before home has done.
Jjai wetyn full wele fe wyllys of vs here,
That we pwrpos a pouer to put in hor lond,

4224 To noy horn with note and negh ho?w belyue.
Sum helpe for to haue, hast horn fay wyll,
Of ledys of other lond lyond horn gayne,

that posterity
may not hold ua
in dishonour.

Who so bold, or
so foolish, as to
defy the might of

(fol. 66 a.)
such an alliance ?

None but tho
Trojans,

who have had
already a
specimen of our
power and our
vengeance.

They know us
well, and they are
certain to have all
their allies
collected to
oppose us.

138

THE MESSAGE TO DELPHOS.

BookX.

Ere we pass
hence, let us
(foL 66 6.)

inquire of Apollo
at Delphos what
will be the result
of our expedition."

All assent to the
proposal.

Achilles and
Patroclus are
gent to Delphos.

They set sail
without delay.

Not Delphos, but
Delos.

To witAstond vs -with strenght & stroy of our
pupyll,

4228 And )>aire cuwtre to kepe with cumpany grete.
Jjerfor, sotly me semys, & yow so lyke,
Er we passe fro f is port, or pull vp our saylys,
That we make vs a message of men of astate,

4232 Duly to Delphon deuoutly to wende,
To the yle fere Appolyn erdis wit7i in,
In hast forto herkyn of f o hend goddes,
What shall falle vs by ffortune, er we ferre pas,

4236 Of fis mater fat vs meuys, & mo of our dedys.
J?is is clerely my counsell ; conceyuis hit all."
When the souerayn hade said, he sesit anone.
Of hor willes to wete, f o worthy by dene,

4240 Bothe kynges, & knightes, & other kyde Dukes,
All assentid horn sone, fat his saw herd.
This message to make fo mighty deuyset
Achilles the cheualrous, by fere choise wittes,

4244 And Patroculus the proude, his pere for to be.
ffor proffet of f o pn'nses and hor pn'se folke,
jjai were demyt vnto Delphon this dede to per-

fonne
Of fere noyus note, & an owsware to haue,

4248 With offeryng at appolyn, if aunter might falle,
Worship to wyn and wreke on hor fos.
With out tarying, full tite f ai twrnyt into hauyn,
Achilles full chere and his choise felow,

4252 And saylet furth soberly as horn selfe lyket ;
Hade wedur at fere wille, & the water calme,
Dryuon vnto Delphyn & no deire f olet.
Vmclosit with a course of the colde ythes,

4256 With a serkle of the se fat soght fere aboute,
Not Delphon but Delos sum demyt hit to het,
Jjat is the myddis & f e most of mony smalle yles,
Set in a sercle f e same place vmbe,

4260 As f ai are fourmet with the flode : fyfte & thre,

THE WORSHIP OF APOLLO. 139

To reckon by row, J?e rodys is the moste. Bookx.

In bat yle, sais ysidir, euyn on a hylle, (Rhodes.)

_.. (Isidore.)

Ys Appolyn honowret and also Diana.
4264 There was foundyt a faire temple of a fyn werke, ^01. ev a.)

With wallis vp wroght, wyn to beholde,

)3ere Appollo, the pure god, was principally
worshippid.

Delos, who demys hit, is duly to say Deios signifies

4268 Shortly to shalkes, — ' a shewyng on opun' ;

And fro bat soile, for sothe, the sure first aperit,

And the mone in the merke, to men of be lond ;

Jjerfore gentils aiugget, & for iuste held, The sun and the

moon sprang

4272 Jjat in bat bare yle bothe borne were bai first. from Deios.

Jpat lede in bere langage lyuely can call

The pure su/i in hir pn'de, appollus doughter ;

And Ediana, also, bai amyt hit to nome.
4276 The mone in his myldnes, bai menyt to hat

Ortigia, oner all honouret with grekes.

Of bis mater nomore but meue to our tale. —

In this Temple was a tor ymage, all of tn'et gold,
4280 In honozw of Appolyn, bat I ere saide.

)3of it defe were & doumbe, dede as a ston,

The gentils hit aiugget as a iuste god,

"With errour vnable bat erst horn began,
4284 And worshippit horn wofully, for horn wit lacket

Of be Godhed giffen, bat grew from the sun,

)?at all mightyle made & merket of noght.

ffor lacke of beleue bai light into errowr, idolatry the

4288 And fellen vnto fals goddes, & faithly honourt ance, and the

TIT .,7 i . I-, -i . i means by which

VVWi worship on all wise as weghis vppon lyue ; » fiends- deceive
J?at no pouer hade plainly but of pale fyndeSj people.
)3at entrid into ymagis euer for dissayet,
4292 Spekahd to specyals, bat spede for to aske,

Thurgh falshede of fyndes be folke to dissayue,
And to ert horn in errour eue?fmore to lenge.

X will tell here a tale, er I turne ferre,

140

THE WORSHIP OF FALSE GODS.

BookX.

4296

Through the
glorious gift of

(foi. 67 6.) 4300

Christ all idolatry
will pass away.

(MS. has "pes.")

(" gabs not," —
lies not.)

("in Casio.")

When Christ
came into Egypt
the false gods
fell to the ground.

4304

4308

4312

4316

The Jews held
that Ishmael was
the first who made
idols ; and the
Gentiles, that it
was Prometheus.

4320

But no one in 4324

particular is to be
blamed; for all
men are naturally
given to idolatry.

Of f e fyndyng of false goddes, & the foule vse ;
How sprittis in horn spake to qwho fat spirre

wold,

And how fowle fat }>ai faylit at the ferre end.
Throgh the glorious gyfte of goddes son of heuyn,
That come to our kynde throgh a cleane

Maydon,

All maumentre in myddelerthe myrtlit to peses
And wastid away f urgh wit of hym one,
As the gospell of God, fat gabbis not, says.
When Heraude in Anger atlede to sle
Cryste Jmrgh his curstnes, as fe clause tell us,
An angell anon neghed to Jasep,
Sent fro f e souerayn fat in Cele dwelles,
To take the childe for a chaTinse <fe his choise

moder,

And euyn into Egypt entre on his way.
When Criste in fat contre come wiiJt his dame,
The false goddes in fere fell to f e ground ;
Bothe Mawhownws & maranett?* myrtild in

peces.

Isai also oponly tellus,
When Jesu Egipte Joynit vrith in,
All Symylacres for sothe soghten to ground.
J?at was a tokyn, he tellus, fro tyme of his come,
Jjat sacrifice shuld sese vnto ser goddis.
J5us the Jewes aiugen, & for iust holdyn,
)3at ysmaiell, of all men erst horn, began
Mamnettes to make of moldes & clay.
And the gentils aiuggen Justly anofer,
Promethews, praicipall of fat pure art,
j?at folke are fourmyt faithly to gentils.
ffor no law in hor lede list horn to holde,
But folowit fere foule wille as fyndis horn taght;
Nawther cercumsiset sothely in sort wz't/i the

Jewes,

BEL OR BEELZEBUB. 141

Ne comyn with cristenmen, ne on Criste leuyn; nookx.
4328 But barly, as fai borne were, bydon fai stille,
And nauther law ne belefe lenton hom to.
The furst fat was founden of f es fals goddes,
Was wroght on f is wise, as weghes can tell.

OFF BEALL THE GOD & BELSABUB.

4332 On Delus, a derfe Kyng fat deghit in eld,

Or Belus, as f e boke says, (bothe were his namys)

Hade a son fat hym sewit, sesit in his lond,

Nine was his name, & his next heire. Ninus, son of

433G He brought hym to berynes on his best wise,

As be-come for a kyng, closit hym faire <foi. esa.)

"Wiih solempne sepulcre, sothely wroght.

And for his fader shuld faithly be fer in his that he might

_, duly honour and

mynd., commemorate his

4340 An ymage a noble anon gert he make, ^ ™Jfofa

All grauyn of gold, & of good stonys, life size; and

commanded the

Vne of mesure & mykyll, of his myld fader. people to worship

it as a god.

ffull solemly set in the sight of the pepull,
4344 ~With worship on all wise, fat worthy comaundit

To all the pepull of his prouyns, as a prise god.

That ymage to honour he ordant hym seluyn,

And gert the ledis to beleue, fat in his lond

dwelt,
4348 J3at the gome was a god groundet in blisse.

And so the ffigur of his fader was falsly honowy t,

By assent of hym selfe fat the soile aght ;

And fen the fynde, wiih his falshed & his fer The "fiend"

, entered into this

Cast, image and

4352 Ewtrid in fat ymage, & onswaret the pepull. J^f tho
Who fat any thing asket after his dissyre,
jjere onswaret opunly the aungell of helle :
And so the ledis of the lond lyuely hym cald, henoe, some

called it Baal ;

4356 Sum beall, sum belus, sum bell fe god, some, Beius;

Sum belphegor, & belsabub, as hom best likes, 6

142

THE FALSE GODS.

BookX.

The sun was
called Apollo,
and was go
worshipped in
Delos.

Then the chief
planets were
called Venus and
Mercury ;

(fol. 68 b.)
and the moon
was called Diana.

(Mesopotamia.)
(Faunus.)

(Quirinus.)

(Paphos.)
(Lemnos.)
(Vulcan.)

At Naxos,
Bacchus.

At Delphos,
Apollo.

In ensample of ]?at same sithyn other folke
Haue feyn.it mony fals goddes, ]>at fe fynde
plesit,

4360 Did honour to dedemen, & for dere holdyn.
And J>e sun the saidon sothely a god,
jjat appollo the pepull put into nome,
j)at is hono?tret in the yle, pat I of telle,

4364 Delphon, or Delos, dem as ye list.

And fan Venws the worthy is worshippit with

sum,

}5at of pianettes of prise has hor pure nome.
J3en mercury, a mighty god, is most in honour,

4368 Jjat fai saidon was sun sothely to Jobiter.

Then the mono was most made for to please,

That Diana full duly J?ai dernyt to hat.

And jjus in costes & cuntreis of J>e cursit gentils,

4372 jjai sought with sam'fice vnto sere goddes.
In Egipt was honowrt Ysum as god,
An in the cuntre of Crete cald vpon Juhiter.
The men of Mawsom most honret ymbane,

4376 And J?e latyn lede loutid to faawn.

At Rome J>ai Reuerenst vppon riche wise

One qwirion, a qwicke fynde, & qwemly did seme •

At attens all folke aykewardly worshippid

4380 Minerva, a maument & most on hym leuyt ;
At pauy, a pure god the pepull cald Venus ;
At Lemno J>ai loutid to a laithe fynde,
On Volcaun jjai worshippit on fere wise most.

4384 At Vaxor J>e vayn pepull voidly honourit
Bachian, a bale fynde, as a blist god.
And at Delphon, duly, for derrest of other,
Appollyn was honourit, as I here said.

4388 In yche yle vppon erthe, eftur hor deuise,

Thai made mowmettes of mold in mynd of hor

goddes,
And honourit oner all thyng as J?ere belefe askit.

LUCIFER.

143

Thus furgh falshed of f e fendes f e folke waa
dissayuit,

4392 Vnder daunger of f e dule droupet full longe,

Of whose falshede & founne in his first makyng
Will I somwhat say, & sithen of his falle.
(But f e fader, fat first fourmyt all thinge, —

4396 Both the ayre, & Element, & Angells in heuyn,
Water, & wynde, & welkyn aboue, —
In the highest heuyn, as holy writ sais,
He ordant angels after his deuyse,

4400 And set horn in sendee hym seluyn to honour.
But on the oddist of other ordant our lord,
Brightest of bemes in blisse for to dwelle.
Of whom the proffet of prise plainly can say,

4404 Jjere was no sterne in astate stode hym aboue,
No no pert tre in peradise apperith to hym,
Ne burione ne braunche to his beamys like.)
God fowmet hym so faire, as I fynd here,

4408 Jjat mony legions his light launchet aboue.

Thurgh his fairhede as fast he felle into pride,
When he said of hym selfe his sete he wold make
ffull noble in f e north, fat non shuld be here

441 2 Like to f e lord, fat the light made ;

Euynyng in all thing euyn with hym selfe,
Sone he fell of his faire-hede, & fele of his peres,
)3at assentid to fat syn, sonkyn in fire.

441 6 Mony legion fere light vnto laithe fendes
With lucifer, fat lyuet in delites aboue,
Jjat wofully welt & woundid to the dethe.
Thus the gospell of God of fat grym tellis, —

4420 'I segh satan hym selfe slippe out of heuyn,
As f e leuenynges light, fat laches to ground.'
This fende was the first fat felle for his pride,
And lost has his lykyng, fat lyuyaton is cald.

4424 And for the case is vnknowen be course to fe
lewd,

BookX.

God, who made
the angels his
ministering
spirits,

(Pa. ciii. 20, 21.)
(Pa. civ. 4, 5.)
(fol. 69 a.)
set Christ above
all.
(Heb. I. 4.)

(Is. xiv. 13.)
(Kzek. xxxi. 8, 9.)

God set Lucifer
highest of the
angels, but
throuerh pride he
fell from that
high estate :

and many legions
fell with him.
(Rev. xii. 7-9.)

(Luke x. 18.)

Satan is called
Leviathan.
(Is. xxvii. 1.)

144

LUCIFER, UNDER VARIOUS NAMES.

BookX.

(" Isidorus,
Bishop of
Hispalis, in (his)
Etymologiarum. ")

(Is. xxvii. 1.)
(Ps. Ixxiv. IS, 14.)
(fol. 69 6.)

In the " Life of
St Brandon " he
is called a wattr
adder, which the
saint saw in the
sea.

(Rev. xx.)

This Leviathan
went to Paradise
to tempt our
flrstfathei:

He appeared as a
maiden, and as a
spirit, spake in
her : or he
assumed the body
of an adder, and
by falsehood
deceived our first
parents.

Here sumwhat I say, er I sew ferre.
And ysidre in ethemoleger openly tellis,
J)at bemoth in Ebrew ys opunly to say, —

4428 ' A Roid beste vnreasonable, \>at no Rule holdes.'
And for f e fende was so fals & full of dissait,
God at the begynnyng of his gret falle,
Wroght hym to a worme in wildurnes like,

4432 Writhen, as the writte sayes, like a wilde Eddur.
And for grettnes of Jjat Grym in his grete filthe,
He is demyt a Dragon with Dauid the p?'ophete.
In his song of the sawter fere he sais Jms, —

4436 'This Dragon of Dissait, fat fou derfly hath

fowrmet ' :

So sethe in the sauter the Salme to the end.
And loke of lyuyaton in the lyffe of saynt

Brandon,
There pis warloghe, I wis, a water eddur is cald,

4440 J)at f is saint fere seghe in the se occiane,
ifull large and long of a lawe depnes.
Closet fere be comaundemerat of his clene maker,
Vnto the day of dom dulfully to abide,

4444 "Writhyn is fat warloghe with wilis ynoghe,
Mannes saule to dissaiue & in syn holde.
Jjis lyuyatan, leder of all thies laithe fyndes,
To our fader the first felle in Envy,

4448 And put hym to peradise pn'stly anon

To tempt horn with trayn, fat trist of non euyll,
To forfet fat faire place & offense make.
Hade a face vne fourmet as a fre maydon,

4452 And as a sprite in hor spake, fat spede to 01

harme,

Or barly toke body of fat bold eddur,
And so with falshede & faire our faders dissayuit,
And all fere successors sorily sent vnto pyne.

4456 Of f is mater of mawmentry nomore at this tyme :
Jjis sufficis forsothe. Ses we now here,

APOLLO TO ACHILLES. 145

And turne to our tale & take bere we lefte. Buokx-

JL hus be dissayt of the deuyll, as I declaret haue,
4 4 GO This appollo apperit to pepull full ofte Achille,8 and

Patroclus arrive

In Delphon, or Delos, dem as ye list. at Deios, and

proceed to the

To Jus appollo, be pure god, bat pepull honowret, temple of Apoiio.

Thies kynges by course comyn anon,
4464 )5at messengers were made fro be maisters of
Grece,

And turnyt into tempull fro bere tore shippis.

Be counsell of the kepers, when the course felle, (fo1- "° °-)

J?at serued fat Synagod to the sory fyndes,
4468 Than entrid bai with honour, & offerond made,

Grete soumes forsothe of siluer & of golde ; ^X^ to

Did bere deuociou?z as hom dere thought, l!ie "od> they

inquire regarding

And frayned at the fynd how bai fare shuld, the result of their

undertaking.

4472 Of baire Jowrnay, full Justly, a Juggemewt to

haue.

And ben Appollo apperith with a prme voise
To bo worthy, o this wise, as be writ sayes.

THE AX3WARE OF APPOLLO TO ACHYLLES.

"Achilles ! Achilles ! Tattle] to be Grekes, FMS. baa'atuie'\

"Achilles!

4476 Sew to the same bat bou art sent fro ; Aciuiies! return

Tell hom for truth, bat hom tyde shall Greeks that they

T i P -i i rn must sail to Troy

in sounde for to saile somyn vnto iroy, There they have

And mony batels on bent with buernos to thole. JJfiJSSE

4480 And the tent yere truly, tell hom for sothe, *** ^T they

•hall conquer,

])WQ worship to wyn, & bere wille haue ; an i have every

thing at their

All the Cite to sese, and the syde londis ; win."

Kyng P/v'am to pyne, & his pure wife ;
4484 All his sonnes to sle with sleght of jour honde;
Jjaire Riches to Robbe, & bere Rife goodis ;
And no lede for to lyue, but bat hom selfe

thinke."

When Achilles this chaunse choisely hade herd,
4488 He was glad of be graunt, and the god answared ;
10

146

APOLLO TO CALCHAS.

BookX.

Before Achilles
left the temple,
Calchas the
soothsayer, son of
Thestor, arrived
on a secret
message from
Priam, to learn
the fate of Troy.

(fol. 70 6.)

" Calchas !
Calohas ! return
not to Ti oy, but
go with Achilles.
Join thyself to
the Greeks, and
part not from
them till Troy is
taken."

Calchas then goes 45 1 2

to Achilles in the

temple. They

become friends,

and Achilles

promises to

reward him

richly.

And er he twrnyt fro the temple, thus hit tid

euyn.

A tulke out of Troy, testor aune sone,
Jjat was a "bisshop of the burghe, & a buerne wise,
4492 (Calcas, by course, was his kyd nome)

A Sad man of siens, sought to f e temple,
ffrom Pn'am, his pure kyng, pn'uely sent,
To haue answare at Appollin what aunter shuld

falle
4496 Of the tulkes of Troy and the triet pepull.

He meuyt to the mowmerctes with his mayne

giftes,

Praiond hym full prestly, as a pure god,
To warne hym full wightly what wirdis shuld

happyn :
4500 And fus gatis to the gome fen the god saide.

THE ONSWARE OF APPOLLO TO CALCAS, BYSSHOP OF TROT.

" Calcas ! Calcas ! cair yow not home,
N"e twrne neuer to Troy, for tene fat may falle ;
But go with the grekes into the gret nauy, — •
With Achilles the choise kyng chose on f e way.
Part neuer fro fat pepull, ne the pr/se leue,
ifor it is grauntid of goddis the grekes for to

haue

The fairer of fat fight vnto the ferre end ;
All Troy for to take and time at hor wille.
And your graithnes may gretly the grekes auaile,
With counsell & comyng in cas fat will falle,
Till f ai haue wonen hor will : wete f ou for

sothe."
And when Calcas with comyng hade kyndly

persayuit

}3at Achilles the choise was in the chere temple,
He wentto fat worthy his wille for to shewe ;
And euyn told hym by tale as hym tide hade.

4504

4508

ACHILLES RETURNS TO THE GREEKS.

4516 And felle of affynite, and fryndes be-come,

Achilles with ckere cherisshed hymfull mekull,

And hight hym hoge tliinge to haue at his wille.

}?us went fay to water, fose wise men to gedur,
4520 Cacched in cables & fere kene ancres,

Sesit vp fere sailes, & in sound Rowet,

Past oner the pale stremys & no payne tholet.

Entret into Attens, fere f e oste lay,
4524 Jjo shene out of shippe shake into botes,

Houit to f e bonke, the Bysshop hym with ;

To Agamynon f ai gon with other gaye kynges.

Bothe Dukes & derfe Erles droghen to gedur,
4528 That were blithe of fat bisshop, fat f ai broght
hade.

Achilles to the choise men all the chaunse tolde,

The answare of Appolyn what aunter shuld
happon ;

How horn grauntid was the gre by the goddes

all;
4532 And how Calcas, the contrary, cachit of hym,

That fro Pn'am was put to haue a pure onsware ;

And how in batell hym bydon was abide with
the grekes,

Till Troy all takyn were, & tirnet to ground.
4536 "When thies tythinges told were tomly to end,

All the grekes were glad, & fere god f anked ;

And for ioy of fat iornay aioynet a fest,

As a high day to holde, & halo wet it all
4540 With worship to wale goddis on faire wise did.

And of the Bisshop f o buernes beldid were fen ;

Thai cherisshed hym choisly, all fo chere
kynges,

With Riches & Rewardes raght hym ynogh,
4544 And heghten hertely fere hestis to kepe.

Jjan fai solast horn somyn, as horn selfe liked,

And dry von furth fat day with dalians to end.
10 *

Book X.

The messengers
then set sail and
return to Athens,
where Calchas U
introduced to
Agamemnon.

(fol. 71 a.)

Achilles relates
the answer of
Apollo to himself
and to Calchas.

The Greeks
rejoice, and the
day is kept as a
feast and thanks
giving to their

Calchas is fiHed
and rewarded.

148

xt iSoke.

tfje (gtofcgs satlet fro

&ttetts to Erog.

When all their
rejoicings were
ended, the nobles
are summoned to
& council in the
tent of
Agamemnon.

Calchas came with
Achilles and
1'atroclus.

(fol. 71 &.)

When all were
silent he spoke
thus:

" Ye nobles !
Kings, Dukes,
and Earls ! have
you not brought
your forces
together to
attack Troy ?

wegh, J?at will wete of Tpere werke more,
4548 Listen a^litle, & leng here a while :

Let vs karpe of thies kynges or we cayre ferre.
"When thies worthy hade worshipped all ]>e?'e

wale goddes,

And the day with deuocioiw dryuen to fe end,
4552 The secund day suyng somyn were J?e grete
In Agamy no ns gay tent ; gedrit for sothe,
fforto speke of hor spede, whille fai space hade.
This Calcas in company com wz't/i Achilles
4556 And Patroclus the pure kyng into the proude

tente.

J)ai hailset fat hynde & hertely hym welcommyt,
And sithen to sit all somyn fai yode
Among J>o kynges in company, as faire course

felle.
4560 When all the pepull were pesit, J>e presens full

still,

Calcas to the kynges carpes thies wordes : —
" Ye noble men of nome, J?at to note wendyn
In fis company clene ! kynge^ & Dukes,
4564 Erles & other men onest of astate,

Jjat are aioynet to fis Jowney with ioynyng
of wer !

CALCHAS TO THE GREEKS. 149

Is not the cause of jour comyng with company Book xi.

grete,

To t?^rne vuto Troy, bat you tenit has,
4568 And are opunly jour enmys, & euermore you

noies ?
Why tary ye so tomly, & turnys not furthe 1 W1)y then do ye

tarry so long ?

And are redy to be rode, & restis bus lenge 1

bere-as all thing is ordant, hit angris to abide, Jt is f°oiuh to

wait when all are

4572 Or tary oner a tyrae, when tulkes ben redy. ready.

$Te hope ye not highly, bat here are sum fals, Besides, there

may be some

And aspies your spede with spit bat bai may, traitors among

you, who may

To write to bat wale kyng your werkes by-den 1 inform Priam of
4576 )2is fenyond fare is forthoryng to horn, This delay allows

rr, i n , . him to collect his

lo assemble on yche syde soudiowrs ynogh, allies to withstand
And fret horn with fryndes bere fos to w^t/istond, you'
Of kynges & knightes in contres abowte ;
4580 Syn ye haue tarit oner tyme tomly at home,

And noght hastid with harme jour hething to

wenge.
Ye shuld haue soght to be Cite sone oponone ! y°u 8houw have

gone direct to

Mony wekes are went & bis wale somur, Troy. Many

weeks of this

4584 And monythes full meuyt of be mylde aire, summer are gone

,-.,. -,, ., by, and months

Ot seasonable sailyng ot be salt water, of seasonable

Syn winter was went & winder were lithe ; ^er for your

The course of the colde see calmyt with all,
4588 3ef°rus "wz'tA softe wyndes soberly blew,

Pianettes in the pure aire pullishet full clene,

And all softe was the see to sailers J>e;*in.

Why leng ye so long & lose all this tyme, (foi. 72 «.)

4592 When ye might soberly haue sailet, & set on time?°Se

n A sudden attack

jour IDS, would have struck

And haue flayet the freikes with jour felle hast? terror into your

enemies: but this

When tythandes hade ben tolde of soche a tore delfty only

emboldens them.

pepull,

Hit wold haue noyet horn anon be nombwrto here.
4590 Thoche tarying oner tyme tumja horn to ioy,
And hertis horn highly to hold you for faint.

150

DEPARTURE Ol' THE FLEET.

Book XI.

Your gods will
not fulfil their
promise of success
if ye tarry : they
will turn against
yon.

4600

Therefore take

heart ; haste to

sea, and lollow to 4604

your foes. Rest

no longer."

4608

The counsel of

Calchas is

accepted, and

Again e in noil

orders that the 4612

fleet he made

ready to sail.

4616

The fleet departs
from Athens.

(fol. 72 6.)

The wind rises ;
the clouds are
overcast ;

darkness comes
down, with
thunder and
lightning, and a
fierce rain.

4620

4624

4628

]N"e hope ye not hertely J>e best of your goddes
Wilbe faithly fulfilled, & not faile of.
But if ye tary over tyme Jjai tene horn Jweat,
And in case to j?e contrary cast jour auentw ;
Your chaunse for to chaunge & chef yow J>e

worse.

jjerfore hefe vp -your hertis ; hast you to saile ;
Sette furthe to J>e se ; sitte no lengw?-.
Has harnes ouer hacche ; highes in ancer ;
ffolowe to your fos wit/i a frike wille.
Syn your goddes haue it grauntid J?e gre shalbe

yours,

Highes you in haste, hones here no lengur.
This is clerely my counsell, kithe if you list ! "
When Calcas his counsell had carpit to ]>e -end,
Tche lede hym alowet, fat listnet his wordes ;
And his counsell to kepe keston horn all.
Agamynon the gret his gomys did warne,
Iche buerne to be boune at the blast of a trumpe :
fforto pas into port & pull vp hor sailes,
And dryue on J>e depe se ])e doughti comaundet.
All the company enclinet, cairyn to ship ;
Cachyn in cables, knyt vp hor ancres ;
Sesit vp hor sailes in a sad hast ;
Richet J?ere rapes, rapit vnto see.
Hokit out of hauyn, all the hepe somyn
Hade bir at hor bake, blawen to \e depe ;
Sailyn forthe soberly, somyn but a while,
ISToght fyftene forlong fairly to the end.

A STORME ON THE SE.

When sodenly the softe aire vnsoberly rose ;
The cloudis ouer cast, claterrit aboute ;
Wyndes full wodely wait vp the ythes ;
Wex merke as the mydnighte mystes full thicke;
Thunrut in the thestur throly w/t/j all ;

A STOBM AT SEA. 151

With a launchant laite lightonyd the water ; i?ook xi.

And a Ropand rayne raiked fro the heuyn.
4632 The storme was full stithe -with mony stout The waves rise

lll:e hills ; and

windes, all are in terror

TT. - - ., , ,.,, of their lives.

Hit wait vp the wilde se vppon wan hilles.
The ffolke was so ferd, fat on flete were,
All drede for to drowne with dryft of the se ;
4636 And in perell were put all the proude kynges.

Then Calcas the curset,- bat come out of Troy, Caichas declares

it is the wrath of

To the worthy bere were warpit anon : — the gods;

" The cause of our care I know it right well :

4640 The goddes is greuyt, bat we are gon fro
At honourable Attens, — auntrus Diana :
ffor we soght notto sacrifice, hir seluyn is wrothe,
And has wroght vs bis wedur : bat wete I for
sothe.

4644 My counsell is kyndly, kythe if ye list, and counsels that

J J J ' J the fleet be steereJ

bat we seche to bat same or we sew ferre. — into Aulis> in

order that

Into the He of Awlida, — all men to gedur, Agamemnon may

appease Diana.

Ihere Diana the dere ys duly honowrt,
4648 Our Emperour, hym owne selfe, offeraund to

make.

Be ho plesid with prayers & other pure giftes,
This tempest will twme into tyme faire,
And we haue wedur at our wille, & our way

holde."
4652 ben keppit was the counsell of Calcas belyue. The advice of

Caichas is

All twrnyt baire tacle with trussyng of sailes, followed, and the
And stird horn full streight withouten stad more jnte0 Aung?™
Into Awlida be yle, to honowr Diana,
4656 bat was fast by the flete but a forlonge.

Agamynon in grete hast gird to the lond, Agamemnon

m j i rn i -IT sacrifices to

Turnyt to the Temple, taried no Lengur ; Diana> an(-

To Diana full derely did his honowre, (fo1' 7S a<)

4660 With Sacrifice full solempne & mony sad giftes,
And worshippet bat worthy as a wale goddes.

152

AT THE COAST OF TROY.

Book XI.

the storm abates.

The fleet sails to
the coast of Troy,

and casts anchor
under the castle
ofSaracbla. 4672

The garrison
attempts to drive
off the Greeks :
but in vain.

The Greeks
swarm to the
shore; defeat
the Trojans ;

(To kept, to
receive,— to
admit.)

capture the castle ;
pillage and
destroy it.

(fol. 73 6.)

Then the se wex sober, sesit the wyndis ;
Calme was the course, clensit the aire ;

4664 The derke ouerdrogh, & the dym voidet ;
The bremnes abatid ; blusshit the sun.
Hade wedur at f aire wille, wentton to ship,
And past fro fat port the pepull in fere ;

4668 Halit to the high se in a hond while ;
Sailit on soundly as horn self list,
Tyll fai comyn to the cost & countre of Troy ;
And fere hyt into hauyn as horn happe felle,
Vnder a castell of f e cuntre, fat cald was Saracbla.
There fai fastnet the flete & the furse shippes,
Cachit horn with cables & castyng of ancres,
And logget horn to lenge in fat le hauyn.

4676 The kepars of the castell caghten fere armys,
Wentten out wightly the water to kepe ;
Bowet to the bonke in hor bright geire.
To put of fat pepull pristly fai wend,

4680 And foryn as folis ; for fai but few were.

)?ai with stode horn a stoure but it stad litle.
The folke were so fele, fat felle to the londe,
Armyt at all peces, angarly mony,

4684 The troiens fai tokyn & tirnyt to dethe,

And fell to the flight in fere to the castell.
But the Grekes on f e grounde grymly pursueyt,
Swappit horn with swordes till the swalt all.

4688 Comyn to the castell, (vnclose were the yatis,
The cuntremen for to kepe as fai cum wold,)
The Grekes Ingird, gripped the warders,
And all the fonnet folke fell to the dethe ;
Slogh horn doune sleghly, slang horn to ground -}
Robbit fere riches, raght to fere shippes.
Wonen to the walles, wait horn to ground ;
Betyn doune the buyldynges to the bare erthe ;

4696 Tokyn the tresure ; turnyt into hauyn.

When f is castell was caght, kylled the pepull,

TENEDOS ASSAULTED. 153

And all the shalkes to ship with the shene godes, Book xi.
J3ai past fro bat port with pillage bai hade, Thc flee' the"

sails to Tenedos,

4700 And twnyt vnto tenydon, taryt no lengur.

Jjere arof all the rowte with fere Ranke shippes,

Cast ancres with cables fat kene were of byt ;

Let sailes doune slide ; slippit into botes ;
4704 ffestnet with fuerse Ropis the flete in f e hauyn ;

And buskit vnto banke, the boldist ay first.

At this tenydon truly was a tried castell, where there «'as

a strong castle,

"Wele wroght for the werre with walles full well garrisoned

and supplied.

stronge ;
4708 Evyn fild full of folke, fuerse men & noble,

And Riches full Rife, Ranke men with in ;

Wele viteld, I-wisse, for winturs ynoghe.

(Hit was sothely but sex myle fro the Cite" euyn,
4712 As I told haue tomly in a tale here before.)

The folke in fat fuerse hold were ferde of horn
selfe,

Arait horn full radly, right to the werre.

In defense of hor fos, bat on flete lay, The Tr°Jans turn

out to defend

4716 Wenton out wightly wale men of armys, their castle

against the

And bateld horn on the banke as horn best thught. Greeks, who had

now landed.

Yihen the Grekes were gethurt & to ground

comen,

Mony fightyng folke in a fuerse iiowmbur,
4720 The pepull with hor power put horn agayne,

And foght with horn felly, f of f ai few were. A fierce batt'.e

ensues, and many

Bold was fat biker opon bothe haluys. fail on both sides;

Mony deid by-dene of the derfe grekes ;
4724 And Troiens with tene tynt of hor pepull,

But not so fele at f e first as of the ferre side.

The Grekes full greatly greuyt berat, but the Greeks,

enraged at their

Oppresset horn with payne & p?*eset f ereafter ; loss, and encour-

4728 ffought full felly, and fele were bere fai slayne : a^nva/of fresh
Of the Troiens }>at tyme tynt were J?e mo. £££"*' "'*

The fresshe was so felle of the furse grekes, <fol- 74 a'}

154

TENEDOS ASSAULTED,

Book XI.

hnd put them to
flight.

They then sur
round and attack
the castle.

(' glayue,' a
broadsword.)

(alblast, or
alblasier, an
engine for
shooting arrows.)
(' wharle ' =
quarrel, an arrow
for the cross-bow
or alblast.)

(' were,' defend.)

The Trojans
stoutly defend
themselves; and
the Greeks
attempt to scale
the walls.

Many of them are
dashed to the
ground and killed.

The Trojans are
worn out ; and the
Greeks press the
escalade, seize the
towers, and put
the men to death.

And the nowmber so noyous, fat neghed in hast,

4732 That the ffrigies floghen and the fild leuyt ;
Turnyt vnto Troy, and the toune entrid.
And f o at fore not to flight, ne of forse were,
The grekes gird horn to grounde vrith hor grym
swerdes,

4736 And hrittenit on the bent, fat abide wold.
Comyn to the castell, vnclosit it aboute,
ffoghten wiih the folke, fat defens made.
Shottyn vp sharply at the shene wallis

4740 With glaynes ; & gomes girdyn doun toures;
Dryuen vp dartes, gyffen depe woundo?.
With alblasteris also amyt full streght,
Whappet in wharles, whellit the pepull.

4744 With speris full dispitiously spurnit at the yates,
Dongen on dernly wz't/i mony dede hurtes,
In diffens of f e folke, fat affroi made.
But the wallis the[y] were for all the wo yet,

4748 And fele of hor fos fellyn with out.

pen gone forthe the grekes, graithet engynes,
Batold hom all abrode vmbe the bare walles ;
Layn ladders alenght & oloft wonnen.

4752 At yche Cornell of fe castell was crusshyng of

weppon ;

ffell was the feght f o fuerse men ainonge ;
Mony grekes in fere gremy gird on the hed,
Till f ai lept of the ladder, light in the dyke,

4756 The brayne out brast & the brethe leuyt ;

And monydongen to dethe wtt/idynttes of honde.
The Troiens full tit were tirghit for fight,
Wondit & were fat f ai were noght ;

4760 And the grekes in so grete nowmber gedrit hom

till,

Wonyn on the wallis wightly vritfi ladders,
At wyndous on yche syde-wise a wondMrfull
Bombur,

CAPTURED AND DESTROYED. 155

The grete toures J>ai tolce, tirnyt the pepull : BQ°^ xi-

47 G4 Was no lede opon lyfe fat a lofte stode.

The[y] chefe into chamber's & o]>er chere hallis,

And yche freke, jjat J>ai found, felly ]?ai slogh, (foi. u & *,

Old men & other, with ournyng to dethe,

47G8 Tyll no lede of jjat lynage vpon lyfe was.

All the caves in the castell clenely pai sought,

Robbit the Eiches & the Rife goodes ; The castle is tiien

pillaged and com •

Prayet & piket fat proffet was in, pieteiy destroyed.

4772 And wonnyn it wightly the wallis wMoute,

Till all was bare as a bast, to J?e bigge woghes.

Mynowrs then mightely the moldes did serche,

Ouertyrnet the toures, & the tore walles
4776 All dusshet into the diche, doll to be-holde;

Betyn doun the buyldynges & brent into erthe,

Tyll the place was playne & out of plite broght ;

And hegh Tenydon w/t/i tourys tyrnyt all vnder.
4780 When J>ai hade wasted the won & wonen the gre, ;• «ioH,'=wone. a

All the tresozir thay toke & turnyt to ship.

This fight is the first and firre vs behouws.

1.3G

Boftc. $ofo tfje (Srcfcjjs sent tfoo

in ftosage to Itgng $riam
ffor &estttucion of jjatre fjarme.

The Greeks rejoice
over their victory.

Agamemnon
orders all the
booty taken at the
castle to be
brought to him
that it may be
fairly divided,
(fol. 57 a.)

The boldest In
battle gets the
best share.

KIOBBET was f is ronke hold & ryuyn to ground ;

4784 All the kepars kild vnto cold dethe.

ffull glad were the grekes the godis to fonge,
And fat horn happit so hastely the haldes to

distroy.
Mery was the menye & maden gret Joye,

4788 As fai houyt in hauyn holly to gedur.

Then Agamynon graidly, f aire gay Emperour,
Chargit horn as cheften all his choise pepull,
)3at any godis hade goten at the gret hold,

4792 ffor to bryng it belyue & no hode make ;

And cu??i wightly f erwtt/i the weglies horn selfe,
To a place fat was playne on ]>e pure ground.
And )>ai obeyt his boue. The buernes anon,

4796 Past to the playne fere pr/nce vntill :

Yche gome with his gode fat he gotyn hade.
Jjai comyn forth clenly with clothes & other,
And pight it on a playne in a place faire.

4800 ]3an the souerain hym seluon soberly deuidet
Tho godes to his gomes, as hym graith thoght,
And depertid the pray to his pn'se folke.
To the weghes fat horn wan wz'tft woundes before,

4804 And put horn in perell, depertid f ai were :

He, fat boldist was in batcll, the best for to haue.

THE COUNSEL OF AGAMEMNON. 157

When bis duly was done by dom of be lorde, Book xn.

The cheftayn full choisly chargit the gret, —
4808 All the kynges of his company & his kyde Dukes,
Erles & all men fat of astate were, —
The secund day suyng or the sun Rose,
To appere in a place pertly horn seluon, Agamemnon caiu

the leaders to a

4812 ffor a counsell to carpe & comyn to gedur, council of war.

And to speke of hor spede whill the[y] space hade.

When the derk was don & the day sprange ;

Gedrit were the grete & to f e ground comyn
4816 On a place bat was playne, plenty of Setis ;

Euyn set in a serkyll fe soferan before,

And pes in yche place, princes were stille ;

Agamynon, the gouernowr, godely did say
4820 These wordis full wisely to his weghes all.

THE COUNSELL OP AGAMINON AVTER J?E
TAKYNG TENYDON.

"Ye frend&s1 faithfull, fat fuerse ben in armys ! "Ye faithful

-i-, . o'i j> \ i friends, princes,

Princes & prise kynges, preuyt or Astate ! ^a kings i

That are gedrit on the ground, & fro grece comyn. (f°i. 75 6.)

Our forces are

4824 The pouer of our pepull is plainly full hoge, numerous, and,
And the fame of our fuersnes fares abrode. our gods, there

mi 3 n -, ,-, -, ,-i -i j . are not in all the

Ihe word ot ourwerkes thurgh the world springes ! worid warnors of
Is not accountid of kynges, ne kyde men of "° great farae'
armys,

4828 Thurgh the world for to wale so worthy of dedis,
By the grace of our goddes, as grekes are now !
And no prale in our pepull for our pr/se werkes,
That happis vs to haue J> urgh our kynd goddes.

4832 Horn froly we thanke ban tlirive we be bettur, For this we

thank our gods,

And put away pn'de fro our pn'se hertes ; and put away ail

«. ., , p pride of heart,

nor it knowen by course & custome to all, winch is the

Tm. o-T- o i i ij-i. i • i source of so many

What harmys & vnhap has hastid furghe pride, evii».
4836 And what cumbraunse & care, in mony kyde
londes.

158

THE COUNSEL OF AGAMEMNON.

Book XII.

The gods hate ii ;
it spoils the best
plans;

and proud men in 4840
emprize have no
friends.

4844

Let us therefore
walk wisely in
this undertaking,
and be ruled by
righteousness,
that no fault may
be found with us.

Ye all know, that
this great host has
come hither to
avenge us for the
misdeeds of
Priam.

4852

4856

(fol. 76 a.)
(' ournyt,' roused,
enraged.)
(' erted,'
emboldened.)

4860

Assuredly he is
forewarned, and
has collected great
forces ; bat they
know not our
movements.
If all his forces
are ready we may
pay dearly for our
invasion.

4864

Syn it haten thies hegh goddes & hogely with-

stondyn,
And ay the purpas enpayres vrith pride is be-

gonen,

Hit is wit for to wayue or vs worse happen ;
ffor proude men in pnce haue playnly no fryndes,
But euery mon witJi enuy ertis horn skathe ;
And who-so frend is & felow to pat foule vise,
Myche hate on hym highes & harmys with all,
And makes fos of his frendes & fele fat hym

louys.

Let vs waive now wisely in our werkes all,
And nomly in pis note, pat now is in honde,
J?at no pn'de fro our pwrpos put vs abacke ;
And rule vs by rightwisnes in our Eanke dedis,
With a lyue of lewte, pat as a laump shynes,
jjat no fawte with vs fotmden ba, ne fylyng of

pn'de.

Now wete ye right well, pat all pis wale pepull
Are comyn to this cost with cuwpany grete,
And pursuyt to pis prouynse in pwrpos to venge
Of harmys & hegh grem, with hethyng full

mekull,

Jjat Priam and his pepull hath plainly vs done.
Syn we arofe in pis Rewme in a rad haste,
We haue ournyt hym with augur, ertid hym

mykill,

Yf he were fully our foo forwith this tyme,
To hate vs in hert, now here is our cause.
This wot I full well, pai warnyt are before,
And haue gedrit of gyngys mony gryrn batell.
But pai wete not our werkes, ne our wilde fare ;
Jjat we be neghit so negh, ne noy pat is fallyn,
ffor if pai might be so mony, & of mayne strenght,
"We mut bye it full bitterly pe baret we make.
j?ai haue a Cite for sothe, a sure & a noble,

THE COUNSEL OF AGAMEMNON. 159

Well wallit to wale, with water aboute ; nook xii.

4868 And berfore sothly I say, hit semis vnto vs,

)3ai are felcr of folke, & fuerser by the halfe,

With more plenty of pepull, & be province hor
owne ;

And yche freike is bere frynd to filsom bere spede. j$£?™'^
4872 bis I say not, for sothe, supposyng in hert further.)

J J * I say not this

bat of our dede shuld be doute, — I dem it not so. tliro«^ doubt of

our success ;

Ne I put not vnpossible son place for to take. nor d° l deem it

impossible to take

And all bere folke in fight with forse to distroy ; and destroy the

.__„ ,r ., ~.. , . ..,. city : but that we

48 1 6 A e the Cite to sese and serene within, may work wisely

And all the toures of the toun tumbell to ground; Sucretion.
But bat louyng & lose shuld lenge of our dedis,
And our werkes all wisely wroght by discreczouw,

4880 bat we fare with no foly ne fonnyng of pn'de. Cfonnyng;

foolishness.)

Hit has fallyn vnto fele men, fer in tymes past,
J?at hastely on hede has highit to a note,
And keppit no counsell, ne no clene rule,
4884 But put horn with pn'de a pwrpos vnto,

Hit rapit to repentaunse & mony ranke harmys.

This knowis all the companv, bat the kyng This assembly

» ° knows that Priam

8ent a message to
us lately, and

Noght leng sithen but late, a lede of his owne asked us only to

,1000 TVT j i j- send back his

:888 Made on a message vnto our menes londis, sister Hesione;

™ , . -P, . , , and that, like

nor his sustor .Kxiona to send hym agayne : fools, we answered

rrri • . ii i i •, i him with scom.

Ihis couet the kyng, keppit he no more.

And we, as vnwise men, welt into pride ;

4892 Answarth hym awterwart with angwr & skorne, uunaturediy,

~With thretyng vnthnuand of our thro hertes ; ""

And manast his messanger w/t7i malicozw pride.

Hade we herkont hym hyndly, hedit his wille, us1enld to^is

4896 Done his dissyre, deiret not our seluyn, request, the harm,

• » • and sorrow that

The harme & the hardgrem, bat highet vs after, foll°wed would

' not have befallen

And this sorow in Sitheria had sothely not fallyn ; us.
Ne Elan, ne other mo honerable of grece,
4000 Had not luithly bene laght, & led vnto Troy •

160

THE COUNSEL OP AGAMEMNON".

Book XII.

And, what fortune
shall befall us, no
one can tell.

Therefore, sirs, If

you wish to avoid

all the perils of 4908

war, and to save

our people,

let us send a
message to Priara,
and promise to
grant him Hesione
if he will send
back Helen and
the rest of our
people; and
redress the wrongs
done to us by
Paris.

(MS. has ' ruder.')
And if Priam
refuse this offer,
we shall have two
friends to fight in
our cause : Right,
that constrains us
for the loss of our
goods, and Peace,
that we proffer to
prevent the
exercise of our
power.

(fol. 77 a.)
The Trojans will
be accounted
fools ; but never
one will blame us.

Ne we, fat are wonyn oner the wale streames,
)?at worthy to wyn "with weppon in fight,
Hade not faren so far our fos to distroy,

4904 K"e so long fro our londes lengit away.

And, what fall shalbe fortune, no freke can vs

telle :—

Wethur worship or wo : wete we not all 1
Jjerfore, sirs, me semys, if you so like,
Yf ye deme it be don, & in dede holde,
To put of all perells & our pepull saue ;
All chauuse to exchewe, & cheue vs the bettur
Our worship to wyn, & no wegh hurt ;

4912 jjat we may saile horn in sound & our sute haue ;
Let make vs a message to the mon Pn'am,
])at is kyng of the coste & the kythe ow,
And wilne hym wisely, fat worthy, to send

4916 Honerable Elan & other of our pepull :

And redresse vs the dornage, fat he don has
By Paris his proude son, in our prt'se londis.
If fat souerayne accept this sothly w?'t/i hert,

4920 And do it in dede, as our dissyre wille,

We may wend horn w/t/t worship & our wille

haue ;

And saue so our seluyn & our sute hole ;
Nauther redur ne rape to f is rem do.

4924 And if Priam with pride this purpos refuse,
Two frendas haua fully to fight in our cause :
On is right, fat vs riches for rape of our godes ;
And pes, fat we proffer our pouer to extaint.

4928 Thurgh the world shall it wend our werke at

f is tyme.

Ay the mo, fat our mesure niaynly may here,
The lengur vs luff shall till our last end ;
And the Troiens be told as for triet foles,

4932 Ne excusit of skathe & sklaunder of pride,

To macche vs wit/i monhede & might of our selfe,

ULYSSES AND DIOMEDES SENT TO PRIAM. 1G1

And wyn horn in wer with weppon in fight. Book xn.

Neuer buerne will vs blame, ne ban for our dede,

49 3G NQ wegh will vs wite to be worldes end.
Ses now, jour seluyn, my saghis vnto,
And deuys of bis dede as you dere think." ' Devise now as

When the souerain hade said, ben sesit he here, ye '

4940 And mony of bo mighty menyt Iper agayn, The councu la

Noght semond, bai said, ne sittyng to do ; some^oiidemn,

And part of fat pepull prouyt hit for wit ; Sf ~TT

And o sithin, aU samyn assentid berto. las' ?!} "**& u-

• and Ulysses and

4944 Two chere men bai chese on bis choise erend, — Diomede are sent

as messengers to

(Onest & abell Vlexes was one, Priam.

And Dyamede, be derfe kyng demyt bat other) —

Aionet to bis iornay iustly to-gedre.
4948 Stiden vpon stithe horse stird to the Cite,

And wenton in wightly bo worthy horn seluon.

Entred into Elion, bat honerable Palis,

Lightyn at the low, leftyn baire horses, They arrive at the

4952 Gone vp by the greses aU of gray marbill, jfiiS.?"

Hit into the halle of the high kynge.

Hade memell full mekull of bat mayne place. ^y are

astonished at the

Of the walles bat wroght were wondwrly faire, greatness of the

city ; its walls

4956 "With high toures full tornt all the toun vmbe. and towers, &c.
Yet nie?'uelt horn more ymyddes the halle But they are

more astonished

Was a tre, bat was tried, all of tru gold, by a tree of gold,

_ r , , •, i ij set in the centre

Meruelous & mekyll men to be-hold. of the great hail.

4960 The bole was of bright gold, bret to be myddes,
Largior ben a lawriall & leng?tr with all,
(xij cubettes by course all of clene heght) it was twelve

,„ piir- Lrvu cubits high, and

]3at fourmyt was full faire to be fre boghes. nneiy formed.

4964 The brede of his bowes borly to se, (foi. 77 6.)

Large and longe, (light as the sun) The boughs

spread from the

ifro the dese to the dorse dobht on brede dais to the doors,

And the sydys, by a sercle of be same hall. ^ °
4968 The braunches were borly, sum of bright cold, some of the

J ' branches are of

Sum syluer for sothe, semlist of hew ; g°ld» and 8ome

11

162

ULYSSES TO PRIAM.

Book XII.

of silver ; with
leaves of the same.
The buds and
fruit are of
many kinds, and
shimmer among
the leaves like
precious stones.

Ulysses and
Diomede are led
through many
long chambers,
till they reach the
one where Priam
was seated among
his lords.

They make no
obeisance, and sit
down before the 4984
king.

(MS. haa " Sais")

4988

" Agamemnon 4992
asks you to restore
Helen in safety,

(fol. 78 a.)

and to make
restitution for
the harms done
by your son
Paris.

With leuys full luffly, light of pe same ;
With burions aboue bright to be holde ;

4972 And frut on yt fourmyt fairest of shap,

Of mony kynd J?at was kuyt, knagged aboue,
J?at shemert as shire as any shene stonys.
Long abodyn thies buernes in the bright hall,

4976 Or J>ai comyn to the kyng by course for to

speike.

Led were J>o lordes Jjro mony long chaumbwrs,
Goand vp by degres Jmrgh mony gay Alys,
And past into a proude chaumbwr fere Priam
was set,

4980 Among lordes of his londe & ledis of his owne.
]3ai salut not J>at souerain with no sad wordes,
Ne worshippit no wegh jjat hym with stode ;
But euyn agaynst ]>at gret J>ai gone for to sit,
In the ffrount of J?o folke & )>e fre kyng.
j?en auntred Vlexes and his eruwd said,
And warpet J>ies wordes as ye wete shall.

THE WORDES OP VLIXES TO THE KYNG P.R/AM.

" Sir Pn'am ! thof we pn'se not )>i person to

hailse,

Ne worship the as worthy, no wonder ]?ou haue ;
ffor we haue fe in hate as our hede ffoo :
And an enmy to anofer nothing it semys,
Hailsyng ne hynd speche with no hede bare.
Agamynon the gret, fat on Jji ground lys,
Hase made vs as messengers at this mene tyme, —
Hyder send vs to say to }>i selfe euyn,
He biddcs the full barly the bright qwene Elan,

4996 That you caght fro his kyng, & o^er kyd pepull,
Send horn in sound & safly to hym,
And stifly restore o the stithe harmys ;
All Redurs to riche with J>i Eanke goodes,

5000 That you pild in his prouynse by Paris Jji son.

PRIAM TO ULYSSES. 163

Iff yow do Jms in dede, hit doghis the bettur : Book xn.

And yf ]>ou set noght our saghe, se what will ifyouwiiinot

j- 1 1 do so, see what

*all> will befall you tw

Of harme in a hond qwhile highand the to !
5004 Thou bes ded for f>e dede dernly J>i selfe ;

All Jji pepull be perisshit & put out of lyue ;

Thy Cite & Jn Sid londe sesit in were,

Betyn and brent doun vnto bare askes ;
5008 The Rewme Jmrgh Eiden, robbed pi goodis,

Set vnder'semage & sorow for euer ! "

THE ONSWARE OP PB/AM TO VLEXES.

When Prz'am persayuit had all his proude wordes,
He onswared Vlixes vne vponone,
5012 Wit/iouten counsell of knightes or any kyde priam replied :—

lordis.

ffull soberly he said all in sad speche, —
" Me meruells full mekill of jour mayne prete, - 1 marvel at your

A j f 11 11 j j threat, and at

And angers me full euyll jour angard desyre, your demand for
5016 When ye couet by course, with vnkynd fare, £j

are

Satisfaccioun to be sent fro my selfe euvn, the cause of ail

this trouble.

Syn ye are cause of pis care, & curstly haue don.

My souerayn ye slogh, & my sybbe fryndes ;
5020 My folke put into pyne, pild all my Rewme ;

Moche disseese ye me did, no redresse made.

Exiona, my suster, in seruage ye put,

And fele of my ifryndes into fer londes,
5024 In hordam & harlatry vnhyndly to lye ;

Not keppit hir kyndly, as a kynges doughter,

But laithly in lechery, lengyng to dwelle :

And nienew me with manas Amendes to bede !
5028 I wold sothely, my Selfyn, sittyn with the harme (foi. 73 o.)

Of the dethe & the dole of my dere fader, For myself, i

T -L f i L 11 D T i i -11 would have borne

In obryggyng of batell, & blode to be spilt. the loss of my

And on message I made a mon of myn owne, SSb/EfjJj"*
5032 Antinor I ordant ]>at erende to wende, promising to

164

PRIAM TO ULYSSES.

Book XII.

forgive all
injuries, if you
would restore ray
sister.

Ye dishonoured
my legate and
despised my name.

I will not now
yield to your
demand because
of a wild threat.

Be it known to
Agamemnon and
his people that I
seek not their
peace, but, as
mine enemies,
that they may
perish."

(In MS. lines 5048
and 5049 are
transposed.)

Diomedes laughed
and said : —
" If we two cause
yon such anger,
you shall have
abundance of
it when a hundred
thousand Greeks
surround you.

(fol. 79 a.)

And sent for my Sustor, sothely, to you ;
And all giltes for-gyffen & greuans of old.
And of the awthwart onswares & angMr to hym,

5036 All the wise how it was ye wetyn -your selfe.

Hit is knowen to jour kynges & corny n with all,
Of the dishono?w ye did to my dere legat,
And with spite in your speche dispiset my
name.

5040 Here is plainly no place in f is plit now,
Your wille for to wirke for no wild threte.
I hope the grekes in hor grem shall neuer so gret

worthe,
To oppresse me with power, ne my plas take,

5044 Ne my godis to gripe agaynes my wille.

I will Agamynon hit wete, & his weghes all,
)5at for pes to his pepull pray will I neuer,
~NQ folowe on hor frendship, fat me so foule
hyndryt ;

5048 But I wond for my worship as wetheruns shuld

die !

And ye, so rebel! and roide with your rugh speche,
Wynnes yow now wightly for woche of my

sight !
While I se you in certain I sourde full of yre,

5052 And bolne at Jje brest all for bale angre ! "

THE WORDES OP DIAMED TO PRIAM.

When the worthy hade his wordes warpit to end,
Diamede full depely drough out a laughter,
And said to fat suffrayn sittyng agayne : —

5056 " Now kyng, yf we be cause of Jji kene yre,

And J?ou vnsaght of J>i sight sothely of vs two,
While f ou lyues in fis londe, leue for trew,
Wtt/bputen noy be fou neuer, & fin ene opon,

5060 Syn the grekes on the ground are of so gret
pouer ;

DIOMEDES TO PRIAM. 165

And bou faithly shall fynd, in a felle haste, Bookxn.

A hundrith thowsaund bro men briuand in

arrays,

The weghes to wound & warpe vnto dethe.
5064 And if bou sothely of sorow set be so full, And * y°ur

• sorrow be BO full

ffor two buernes all bare & of body nakyd, on account

I hope yowrbolnyng with brest, & yowrbrethe leue men, i hope

Toqwhichepouer,playnly,bouproues no strenght, ^^""^

5068 ]STe no suertie, may saue fro bere sid harmys." you from the

harms of such

Mony knightes in the courte, bat by the kyng an army."

stode,
Wex wroth at his wordes, wait into yre : Enraged by the

speech of

Warpit out wordes full swice at the kyng, Diomedes, the

5072 And drogh taward Diamede to dere hym anon, court threaten to
ffor to britton bat buerne for his bolde speche.

THE WOBDES OP PRIAM AGAYN.

Priam ben presit vp fro his proude sete, Priam prevents

Bade horn blym of hor brathe or hor bare lyues,
5076 J)at no gome shuld hym greue with no grym

weppon,

Ne negh hym with noy for noght bat he said.
" Syn the wit of no wise man shuld wait into yre, g^tiiidn m?"

Ne be fuerse on a fole, bat foutly hath wroght : ^STJ with a fool,

who has done

5080 ffor it falles to a fole his foly to shew, foolishly.

And a wise man witterly his wordas to suffer.
As it is fre to a fole foly to carpe,
So is it wit, a wiseman his wordis to listyn, —

5084 Laghe at it lightly and let it ouer pas ;

ffor in speche may men spie the speker to know,
And wete, by his wordes, the wit bat he beires.
I wold sothely, my-seluyn, suffer full harde, J wotUd 8uffer

KAQO r\ much before any

Ur any messanger were mysdon, or marrit with messenger were

I j injured within my

h°nd court, or in my

Wit/nn my courtte, or my cumpany, for any ^P8"?-
cause here.

1C6

AENEAS TO DIOMEDES.

Book XII.

Therefore
compose your
selves, and do
him no injury."

(fol. 79 6.)

ffor lightly a litil thyng, a lose may be tynt,
And a fame be defoulede, & fatid for euer ;
5092 jjerfore set you full sone, sober jour wille,

And non proffer, apon payne, to prese hyrn no

more,
Ne to warpe hym no worde, fat worship may

hywdur."
jjen set f ai sone, as said horn the kyng.

.Eneas, who sat 5096
next the king,
then angrily
said: —

"Sir King! a
fool must not be
favoured to speak
folly.

You would doom
me to death for
such bold words ;
and any o-if,
except your
Majesty, who
should dare to
speak so, ought to
die.

5100

5104

5108

I therefore
command him to
leave this place
on pain of his

life."

5112

5116

THE WORDES OF ENEAS TO DIAMEDE.

And Eneas efterward etlid to say, —
Jjat sete by the souerayne, now sothely betwene, —
Breke out full boldely fill in breme word is,
And spake full dispitously with a sprete felle : —
" Sir kyng, it sittes not, sothely, for right,
A fole to be fauoret folili to speke.
But wo vn wisely with wordis walis his speche,
Hit is skille for his skorne, fat he scathe thole,
And not cherist, but chastist, by charge of his foly.
I might sothely so say, here syttyng yow by,
J?at ye wold deme to dethe for my derfe word
)pat right wold & reason by rewle of my-seluyn.
And, saue your magiste so niykell, fat men will

obey,

He, fat warpes thies wordes in his wild foly,
Shuld degh, for his derfenes, by domys of right ;
Jjat so dispitously hath spoken in spit of yo?^r

person,

And meuyt yowr magesty with his mad worde*,
And angert vs all angardly sore,
"WYt^. presumpcoun & pn'se of his proude hert.
I bid f erfore barly, fat he bove herchyn,
And pas fro this place o payn of his lyfe.
If he faine will foly for a fyn wit,
And gyrt on no grete wordis to greue vs no

more."

DIOMEDES TO AENEAS. 167

TH[E] OXSWARE OF DIAMEDE TO ENEAS. Book xn.

Then Dyamed, the derfe kyng, wz't/ioutyn dyn

said : —
5120 " You, frynde,witA bi fare, what freike so bou be, "Friend, i

desire to thank

I wote, by jour wordes, bou ert no wise juge ; thee for thy

T» , -r i i T * J J • j friendship and

But I deply dissyre in dedis to come, thy threaj

Jjat I may fynd }>e before bi frendship to bonke,

5124 And mede the after mesure of bi meke wille,

To thanke the of bi tliret and bi bro wordis. (foi. so a.)

Now I se well, for-sothe, sely is the kyng, 1 8ee now plainly,

)5at kepis the for counsell clene for hym seluyn, giu^Vho'keeps

5128 Jjat well con his worship wisshe hym to saue, .^iwiior"
And rede hym to redurs, bat rixles to shame ! "
)3en Ylixes, with vtterans vne vpponone,
The derfe wordis of Diamede dullit with speche ;

5132 And wysely he waynet all his wild yre, m^S^**'

bat he nomore in be mater shuld mene at bat addressed the

' king.

tyme.

And to Priam [the] price kyng prestly he said : — (Ms. has " to ")
" Kyng, we haue clenly consaiued bi wilJe. "We clearly

understand

5136 To Agamynon agayne we go wit^ our onsware, your answer, and

A11 . , ,, ,, , , . x IT i » we shall now go

All bi saghes, for-pothe, bat souerain to telle ! to report it to
And so bai past fro bat pales, preset vnto horse, Ae*™m™""
Lepyn on lightly, launchet on hor way,
5140 Gone to be grekes in a grete hast ; uiysses and

T . . , , Diomedes ride

Lighten at b<?re logges, leuyn bere horses, Wuh an haste to

And ferdon on fote fairly to-gedur ; SjSi. a..a

Into the Emperowrs awne tent entrid belyue, answerthf Pri-n:
5144 Ther all the grete were gedrit Agamynon before

And toldyn all tomly, as horn tide hade,

The pwpas of Priam tho pn'nses vntill.

Thai hade meruell full mekyll in hor mynd all,
5148 Of his authwart onswares, bat hym arghet no
more.

Then bo Kynges iu counsell castyn horn anon, The council

determine to

And ordant on all wise baire enmeis to greue prosecute the
Be wiles of wer, as ye shall wete after.

108

xttj Bofce. $?ofo tfje ©reft^s sent
anti Efjelefrm for foitatll for tfje
IHessam*

into

(fol.806.) 5152

While the Greeks
lay at Tenedos
a council of war
was held.

5156

5160

Agamemnon
thus addressed the
leaders :

"Noble sirs!
First of all, we
must have food
for our soldiers ;

5164

and to supply 5168

so large an army,
we must have it
in abundance.

Therefore, let us 5172

JVYNGYS and knyghtes and other kyde Dukes,

All the souerayns hade selly, as I said ere,

Of pnam, the price Kyng, pat prudly hade

saide.

Than gedrit were the grekes on a ground faire,
Besyde tenydon truly, to talke of hor dedis.
Ordant by the emperour opunly to holde
A counsell in the case, with knowyng to all,
And precede on hor pzwpos, as pnse men

of wer.
When the souerayns assemblit were, as I said

first,
Agamynon, the gouernow, graithit hym to

speike,

To J>o worthy thie} wordis warpit anone : —
" Noble sirs, in this note hit nedis vs to haue
ffode till our folke, the formast of other,
J?at no hongwr vs happyn to harme in our werre,
While our buernes in batell abiden here stille :
)?at we faint not in fight, ne feble of strenght.
And mykyll is the mete so mony bus haue,
If we shall proflfet wit/i proues, or any fose wyn :
ffor \>e.re as failes the fode, faint is the pepull ;
And ]?ere hongwr is hote, hertis ben febill.
J5e?'fore, highly in hast, I hold for J>e best,

COUNSEL OF AOAMKMNON.

169

If ye deme it in dede, Dukes and other,
)3at we mightily to Messam our men send,
To fecche vs som fode, or we firre passe.

5176 In fat prouyns is plenty all of prise vitell,
Of come, & of catell, & mony kyd Eewme ;
]3erfore, sone let vs send sum of our folke,
Worthy to wale, & wise of hor dedis,

5180 To trie of the trewist, & turne into ship,

And set forth to the se vrith soudiowrs ynow,

Pas to fat prouyns, prese to f e londe,

And make pwruiaunce plentie, while prese lastis,

5184 That may cum vs, by course, to comford our ost,
And abundantly broght vfith buernes betwene,
ffor to stall our astate and our strenght hold."
When f is counsel! was kyd, he carpis no ferr,

5188 Was alowet with the lordis, & all f e ledis after.
By assent of f o souerains, & sithen of all,
Achilles was chosyn chefe of f is erend ;
And Thelephus, fat tother, ton to his fere,

5192 Was Ercules aune son eldist for sothe.

J3es assignet for f e se, vfith soudiowrs ynogh,
And fuerse men in fight a felle nowmber :
Jpes drest for f e dede and droghen to ship,

5196 And merkit vnto Messam with a mekyll nauy.
In fat yle was onest, an honerable kyng,
As men told in his tyme, and Teutras his name,
jpat his countre in kuit hade keppit full longe,

5200 And regnit in rest vfiih riches ynogh.

He hade fightyng folke fele of his owne,
And knightes full kene, & konyng of werre.
Sura sain it for sothe, and for sure holdyn,

5204 The same yle I said you, Cicill is calt,

Ay abundand of blisse, & bret full of vitaill,
And nienyt was with men Messare to nome ;
ffor a cite in the same lond so gat was cald,

5208 Bild on a banke at a brodc hauyn,

Book XIII.

send to Messana
for a supply
before we pass
hence.

In that province
there is
abundance of
every kind of
victual ; let ng
tend wise and
trusty men with
a suitable guard,
to procure
provisions,

(fol. 81 a.)
and to forward
them as they may
be required."

The proposal is
accepted, and
Achilles with
Telephus are
chosen for the
purpose.

With suit ible
men and a strong
guard they set
sail for Messana.

Some say this
island was called
Sicily, and also
Messana, from a
city of that name
in the island;

170

EXPEDITION TO MESSAJT.

Book XIII.

which was so
called, because
of its abundance
of corn : or by a
king of that name
who founded it.

5212

(fol. 81 b.1

5216

5220

5224

Achilles and

Telephus, with

3000 knights and

many ships,

arrive at the 5228

harbour.

The king of
Messana comes to
oppose them with 5232
a great army ;
and a furious
battle ensues.

5236

5240

ffull longe, & large, louely with all,

And a pesable port pight full of shippes,

fiat comen for corne to centres aboute ;

And because of the corne, cald was it Messaw,

jjat past fro the port to prouyns o fer.

And swn of hit sain, & for sure holdyn,

)3at the Cite was so calld by a sure kyng,

That biggit the burgh bigly hym-seluyn,

And callid it Messara be mowthe, in mynd of

his nome ;

But Dares, in his dyting, dewly noght tellus
Of the Cite, for sothe, ne the selfe lond ;
But how f o mighty were made to Messan to

wende,

ffode for to fecche to f e felle ost.
Som othir Cicill hit sothly myght be,
Jpat was geynde to grece, fen the grete yle,
}3at ferly was fer beyond fele Eewmes.
Into this prouynce past f o pepull to-gedur,
Achilles the choise, and his chere felow,
With thre thowsaud triste all of fro knightes,
And mony shippes full shene, shot o f e depe,
)?at hit into hauyn, houyt not longe,
But bounet to f e bonke f o buernys anon.
Then the kyng of f e cuntre, with cumpany grete
Of fell fightyng folke, fat on fote were,
Past to f e port, fere the pn'nse lay.
The grekys, fat were gedrit & to grounde comyn,
With all fere cuwpany clene of the cloise

shippes,

Segh the kyng of the cuntre cum horn agayne,
With fele folke vppon fote, fat horn fray wold.
)5ai wan to f we weppon wightly anon.
In defense of f e folke, f ai fuersly were armyt,
And girden to-gedur with mony grym dyntus.
Bigge was the batell opon bothe haluys,

THE KING OPPOSES ITS LANDING. 171

Mony fallyn were fey of be fell gtekes, Book xm.

But mo of the meny, bat mellit liom with. Many fail on both

„ , . of •>, sides, but the

5244 )?of the grekes were grym & of grete myght, Greeks were

J?ai hade no strenght to w^t/istonde be striff of wtthtund their

, 11 enemies, who were

bepepull, three times their

J?at were bro men in threpe, & thretyms mo.
j?ere the grekes hade grymly ben gird vnto dethe,
5248 Hade not Achilles ben cheualrous & choise of Achiiies bo'.diy

his dedis.
He shot thurgh the sheltrone & shent of hor <foi. 82 a.)

i • -i , rushes to the fray

kmghtes and kills mauy of

Mony doughty were ded thurgh dynt of his hond. the bravest men'
All fat warnyt hym be way he warpet to

ground,
5252 Till he come to be kyng, be course as hym list,

And flang at hym fuersly with a fyne swerde ; He strikes the

king to the

The haspes of his helme heturly brast ; ground fearfully

Braid of his basnet to be bare hede ;
5256 Woundid hym wickedly, warpit hym to ground.
He was wode of his wit, wild as a lione,
Wold haue brittonet the bold with a bare swerd. and is about to

kill him with a

Hof vp his hond heturly to strike, sword,

5260 With a fouchon felle to ferke of his hede,

And Thelephus, be tothir, titly persayuit when Teiepimi

starts under the

That Teutra with torfer shuld tynt haue his liff. stroke, receives it
He stert vnder the stroke with a store shild,

5264 And keppit by course the caupe of his sword ; to 8pare the king"
And Achilles the choise kyng cherly he prayit,
To let the lorde haue his lyffe for lewte of hym,
That woundit was wickedly to be wale dethe ; —

5268 J)at he graunt wold godly bat gome for to leue.
)5en to Thelaphus, be tore kyng, tomly can say ; —
" What causes ye, by course, so kenly to pray, " Why sPare the
This syre for to saue, bat is our sad enmy ; caused this war ?

5272 And has wackont vs wer burghe will of hym
seluyn,

172

THE KING MORTALLY WOUNDED,

Rook XIII.

Since he was
first to begin, let
him be first to
fall."

"Once I came
into this country
a stranger, and

(fol. 82 6.)
he showed me
great kindness :
it would grieve
me to see him put
to death."

"Do with him
then as you
please."

Thus the battle

was brought to an

end, and Teuthas 5292

was carried home

on a litter.

5296

He sank under
his wounds ; and
as death drew
near, he sent for
Achilles and
Telephus.

And harmyt vs hogely with his hond one.
Syn he "boldly with bate pis baret began,
Gode faithe will he first fall in his turne."

5276 jjen Thelaphus tomly talkyt agayne : —

" He was a frynde to my fader, & a fyn louer,
Worshippit hym on allwise & his will did.
Hit felle me, be fortune, forwith pis tyme,

5280 Into this coste for to come, vnknowen my selfe ;
And he worship me worthely, & his weghes all.
With giftes full gay & of his gode mekyll,
Assignet me soueraines, sure men ynogh.

5284 Hit sothely with sorow souriys to my hert,

To se fat doughty be dede & don out of lyue."
J3en Achilles to pat chere choisly can say : —
" Take hym here tyt, & tent as ye list,

5288 And wirke wit/i fiat worthy, as ye wele likes."
Thus halpe he pat hynd fro hond of Achilles,
And dro hym fro dethe, as for pat due tyme :
So the batell was barly broght to an end.
The grekes hade pe gre & gone into ship,
And Teutra the true kyng was trust on a litter,
Had horn to his halle, halfe out of lyue.
At whose prayer, full prestly, po prise men two
Wentte with pat worthy vnto his won riche,
Eeceyuit with reuerence & renke of astate,
Honowret with all men onestly & well,
And all daintethes horn dight dere for pe nonyst.

5300 When few dayes faren were pe fre kyng Teutra
Wex weike of his wound & widrit to dethe :
fieblit full fast of his fyn strenght,
Se his dethe on hym drogh dressit hym perfore.

5304 He sent after, sothely, pe souerain Achilles,

And Thelaphe, pat tothir, vnto his owne

chaumbwr.

When pai comen to pe kyng, po curtes to-gedur,
j?en fond pai pat fre febill in his bed

SENDS FOR TELEPHUS. 173

5308 All in point for to pas with paynes of dethe. Bookxin.

Then Teutra bo triet men tretid o bis wise : — when at the point
" Ye worshipfull weghes, well be you euer, ^dressed them

And gode liele mot ye haue with hop of your tb
lyues !

5312 I say you now sothely, as my sad fryndes,

My lif is not long lastand in erthe. "lam now

T , , drawing to my

Done are my dayes, I draw to an end ; end, and there is

And non eire of myn own neuer yet I hade, j m^'tovl 'my*
5316 Jjat I my londes might leue, lyuely to kepe,

That I getton haue & gate with moche gret (foi.asa.)
trauell,

And holdyw of hard, & with my hond werit

Vnto now, ]>at with noy is myn end comyn.
5320 The whiche lond I hade lost long tymes past, Lands which

would have been

Hade not helpe ben of hym, was hardiest of lost long ago, but

for the help of

othlT, Hercules, the

-H/TJ.J -LA f j j • j -L • j. • bravest of my

Most doughty of dedis, dreghist in armys, knights.

And the strongest in stoure, bat eue?- on stede

rode, —
5324 Ercules, fat honerable, edist of my knightes.

He was bi fader so fuerse, fat me faithe eght,

Jjat preset at my prayer to this pure rewme,

In hast me to helpe with his hede strenght,
5328 When my fos were so fell, & fuerse me agayn,

j?at bai occupiet oner all, euyn as horn list, w*1611 ™y f°«s

occupied my

And I vncertayn, for-sothe, to sese it on lyue. lands, and ail

T> .1 ,, , , ,,, „,. , . ,, seemed to be lost,

But he sothely, hym-selfe, of his sad strenght, he broke their
5332 Thurgh hardynes of hond & helpe of hym one, toflwhiTaad

All _,.<> • x; i.± r 11 J'i. -j. delivered the land

All my fos m tight felly distroyit ; from their 8way.

Breke all bere batells, britned hom to dethe,
And »o rid he this rewme of my ranke fos,
5336 Euer sythen, for sothe, to bis same tyme,
And deliuert me bis lond, & left it in pes.
Thus the septur & the soile sithyn haue I

174

TELEP1IUS APPOINTED KING

Book XIII.

It was by your
father and his
followers that
the land wag thai
won.

Had be been
alive, he should
have been king
now : and to you
I leave it, as his
heir.

5340

5344

Therefore, I now
declare you to be
king of all my
lands ; and leave
you to govern
them as you
please.

(fol. 83 6.)

Bury me with
such honour as
becomes a king."

5348

5352

5356

Telephus buried 5360
him in a gorgeous
tomb, with all
kingly honours
and sacrifices.

5364

5368

Noght sothely Jrargh my sclfe, ne my sad dedis,
But Jmrghe ffrendship of Jn fader, & his fre helpe.
Now son, I will say the, as my sad frynd,
Syn Jji fader in fuerse with his fre will,
Rid me )>is Rewme out of ronke Enmys,
And wan it full worthely with worship hyrn-

seluyn,

Hade he lyuyt in lede, he hade ben lorde here,
Duly after my day, be domys of right.
And syn our goddis wold not graunt grace to

be so,

This soile & the septur J?i seluyn shall haue,
ffor to reigne in this rewme by right of ])i fader :
Thus our goddes the graunttes of hor grace now.
Here qwemly I beqwethe fe to be qwem kyng
Of all my londes full large, & my lefe godis,
ifor to gouerne & to get, as ye good Jnnke :
}3is I take the be testament, as my trew aire.
And bryng me to berenes on J>i best wise,
As be comys for a kyng in his kyde rewme ;
And honowr me with obit as ogh myn astate."
He wrote thus his wille, & wightly asselit,
And deght fen full dawlily, as destyny wold.
And Thelaphus a toumbe trietly gart make,
A riche & a riall, with mony ronke stonys.
On a worshipfull wise warpit hym Jjerin,
With all the pn'nces of }>e prouyns, & other

prowde folke,

And sacrifices full solemne, soche as j>ai vsit.
He puruait a proude stone of a prise hoge,
His course for to couer clenly aboue.
pus the wegh gert write vmbe the wale sides,
With letturs full large, ledis to be-holde : —
" Teutra, the true kyng, here in tombe lis,
J?at Achilles, with a chop, chaunsit to sle ;
J)at to thelaphon betakis all his triet Rewme,

OF MESSAN. 175

5372 Bothe septur & soile, as souerain to haue." Book xm.

When bes dedis were done, & the dede leuyt, when an was

All the lordes of the londe, & the lege pepull, ^" the people**8

Thurgh the Citis dyd send, and be soile oner, ™^l?£ be

5376 ffor to come to the coronyng of be kyde lord, coronation of

Telephus, to own

With honoMr & homage, as aght horn of right : aild honour him

as their king.

And to call hym as kyng in cuntres aboute,
jjat before, burghe his fader right, fell to be
duke, —

5380 So cald in his cuntre be course of his londes, —
Now coronyd is the kyng this cuntre to weld ;
Hade homage of all men, & honour full grete,
And began for to goueme, as gome in his owne.

5384 )3an tild bai with fraght all bere fuerse shippes, The Greeks then
And stuffe of all maner store, fat horn strenght with ail sorts of

. i , victual, and

might ; Achilles

With come, & with clene flowre, & othir kid P^Parestoset

vitaill.

Achilles, with choise men, chefe into shipp,
5388 And thelaphon, the tothir, wold haue twrnyt Telephus wouia

after,
Agayne to the grekes with his grete folke, lfol- 84 *:\

have gone with

In batell to byde, as a buerne noble ; him>

And be course to his cuntre comyn agayne.
5392 ben the choise kyng Achilles chaunget his wille, but was adviged

' to remain to

Spake to hym specially for sped of horn all, watch °ver the

supplies for the

In his lond for to long with his lege pepull, Greek army.
And puruay for the pure oste plenty of vitaill.
5396 Here at talaphon he toke leue, & turnyt to ship, Aciuiies takes

leave of Telephus

And halet to the hegh se in a hond while, and sails for

Wan burgh the waghis, had wind at his ese ;
Sailet on soundly, & the se past ;
5400 To be gret Navy of be Grekes graidly he comes.
At tenydon, fall tomly, turnyt into hauyn,
Lept into a litle bote, launchit to bonke ;
To Agamynon gay tent gos on his way,

176

ACHILLES RETURNS TO THE GREEKS.

His arrival is
hailed by every
one.

He relates how
they had fared ;—
how Telephus
had been made
king;—

and that a supply
of corn had
arrived.

Book xui. 5404 In company clone of mony kyde lordes.

All the gret to hym gedrit with a good chere;
And welcomth fat worthy the weghes ychon,
As derrest' bi-dene to f e dukes all.

5408 And he tomly horn told fe tale to J»e end,
All the maner in Messare, how J>o men ferd.
ffirst, how f ai faght fuersly to-gedur,
And how thelaphus tide to be treu kyng ;

5412 And of the cariage of come comyn by ship,
Jjat no wegh suld wawt while the werre laste,
Ne no fode for to faile, but the fulthe haue,
Sent fro the same lond by f e selfe thelaphon.

5416 All worshippit the wegh for his wale dedis,
And he twrnyt to his tent tomly & faire,
To the Mirmydouws his men, fat mekill ioy

hade,
And fayuer of fat fre, fen any folke ellis.

5420 -W OW here will I houe a litle hond qwhile,
Or any maters mo into mynd fall,
Of the Troiens to telle, & f e?*e triet helpe,
After Dares indityng, as I did first,

5424 Of the Grekes, fat gedrit to the grete nauy.
Sone will I say, & in the same kynd,
What kynges fere come of countres aboute ;
"What Dukes by-dene, & other derfe Erles,

5428 }?at soght to f e Citie with hor sad helpis,

ffor to comford the kyng with hor cant pepull.
Here nem will I now the nomes by-dene,
And the soume of the soudiows, er I sue ferre.

OP THE KYNGtfS JjAT COME TO TROY FOR SOCUR OP
PRIAM.

5432 Of the worthy to wale, as the writ shewes,
The kynges fere come out of kyde londys,
Jpat holdyn were of horn, as fere hede lordes,

(fol. 84 6.)
I shall now tell
of the Trojans and
their allies, as I
have done of the
Greeks.

THE ALLIES OF THOF. 177

With thre thowsaund fro men, friuound in Bookxm.

Th« three kings—
Pendragon,

5436 Pendragon the pert, pristly was on, Thabor, and

And Thabor, fat tother, a tor man of strenght ; with sooo men.
Adasthon the doghte, fat derfe was the f rid.
And of a cuntre, was cald Colophon to nome, From colophon

5440 pat faire was & full all of fre townes, kings and 5000

ffoure kynges fere come with a cant pepull,
With ffyve thowsaund full, all of fyn knightes.
To acounte of f e kynges, — Caras was on,

5444 And Nestor, another, to neuyn of f o same ;
The thrid Ymasws, yrfull, egor of wille,
And AmphymacMs, fe fourt, a felle mon in

werre.
Out of Lice come lynele f e lege kyng Glaucon, From Lycia came

Glaucus and his

5448 With his son Serpidon, a sad mon of strenght, son serpedon with

, -r> • -i ' n -, j SOOO knights.

pat to Priam was pure sib, a pnse mon ot dedes,
And fre thousaund thro knightes frifty in

armys.

Out of Lachan, a lond, come a light kyng, From Laconia

5452 Euphymws the fuerse, fell of his hondes, and capidus with

i j /-« • i i i i -LJ.I. 10°0 men and

And Capidus f e kene, — kynges were oothe 500 knights.

With a thousaund fro men frifte in armys, (foi 85 a.)

And fyue hundrith ferre all of fyn knightes.
5456 There come of a cuntre, cald was Tebaria, From Tebaria

On Bauntts, a bold kyng, and broght with hym- soo^kafgh'ts'."''1
seluyn

pre thousaund fro knightes, f riuound in werre :

And seven Erles, sothely, in his sort were, in his company

5460 And foure Dukes dughty, & of dede nobill, and four Dukes,-

pat to Priam the pnse kyng all were pure syb. 68 (

All hor colour's to ken were of clene yalow,

Wi'tfamten more in the mene, or mellit with

other,
5464 To be knowen by course thurghe the clene ost,

As bold men in batell, and of breme will.
12

178

THE ALLIES OF TROY

Boo* XIII.

From Tliracia
came Pirus, the
kin^r, with many
men ; and a
Duke (Acamas)
with 1000 men
and 100 knights.

From Paeonia
came king
Pyrsechmes and
his cousin Stupes
with 3000 men.

From liithynia
came liootes and
his brother
Epistophus with
1000 knights.

(fol. 85 6.)

From Paphlagonia •
came Pylaemenes,
the richest of all
kings.

Out of Trasy fere come fe tru kyng, -witJi a

triet pepull,
Philon the fuerse, w/t/i fele men of armys,

5468 j?at is out in the Orient, honerable faire ;
And a Duke fat was derfe & of dede felle,
With a thousand fro men, & f rifty of bond,
And a hundrith hole all of his knightes.

5472 Out of Payuon com prist Pricomysses the kyng,
And a Duke, fat was derfe, & his dere cosyn,
))at stithe was & store, & Stupex he heght,
Wtt/i fre thowsaund friste, f repond in werre.

5476 ffor his kyngdom was clene clustrit •with hilles,
All merkyd vrith mounteyns, & Wi't/t mayi

hylles,

And no playne in no place, ne plentie of vales,
$ere auntrid horn oft aunsware to haue

5480 Of mowmewttas in f e merke, furghe might of

fynd,

)jat wrt^ gomes of f e ground, goddes were cald,
And mony meruell to mete, & mysshapon bestes.
Out of Beyten broght bold men two,

5484 j?at were kynges in the coste, and also kyc

brother, —

On Boetes, fat was bigge, & bis brother Ephistow.
And in hor company come knightes a thowsaund.
That is out in the orient the vtmast syde :

5488 ffull is fat fre lond all of fyne spices.

Out of Pafflegon, — fat pight is in the playn est,

And is set on a syde fere f e sun ryses,

And so ferre out of folke, fat no freke sese, —

5492 Come the richest renke, fat reigned in Erthe,
On philmene, a freke full of fyn gold,
Bothe of gemmes & Juellis, Joly for f e nonest,
])at fonden are in Evfraton & f e node Tyger,

5496 )3at passyn out of peradis furghe the playn
Rewme.

AND THEIR COMPANIES. 179

He broght to be burghe, all of bold knightes, Book xm.

Two thowsand bristle & bro men of wille. He brought to

the city 2000

Iche shalke hade a shild shapyn of tre, warriors, with

shields

5500 Wele leddrit o lofte, leinond of gold, ornamented with

, , , , gold and precious

Fight full of pme stonys vmbe the pure sydes. stones.
This Plrilmen, bis fre, was a fuerse man of shape,
Of largenes & lenght no lesse ben a giaund.
5504 Of More Ynde come Merion, a mighty kyng also, From Ethiopia

came Merion

With Perses. a proude kyng, and a pert knight, and Perees with

many Dukes and

'With Dukes full doughty, and derfe Erles mo, Earls, and sooo
pat subiect were sothely to be same Perses,
5508 With bre thowsaund bro knightes, brepond in

wer;

And Symagon, sothely, com. VfitJi the same kyng,
pat was mighty & monfull Merions brother.
Out of Tire come Theseus, triste of hond, From Tyre "a™

Tlieseus and

5512 And Archillacus also, bat was his aune son, his son

Archiloehus with

With knightes in hor company, clene men a 1000 knights.

thowsaund :; —

He was cosyn, by course, to the kyng Priam.

Two kynges bere come of a clene yle, From the island

of Agestra came

5olo pat Agestra, be ground geuyn is to norne. two kings with

,._ „ , , , T , T 1000 men and

(01 bo kynges, bat I carpe, know I no nomes ; 200 knights.
ffor in bis boke, of bo bold, breuyt are none)
pai broght to be burghe, buernes a thowsaund,
5520 And two hundrith by tale, all of triet knightes.

There come of a kyngdome, callid is Delissur, From the

r\f i i j A T--II ^> kingdom of

Of an yle be^onde Amysones, an abill mon of Deiissur

•t_ (fol.86a.)

came Epistaphus

A discrete man of dedis, dryuen into age, with 100° men >

5524 And a sad mon of sciens in the seuyn artis, —
Epistaphus, to preue, was his pure nome :
He broght to be bate of bold men a thowsaund,
And an archer an ugly, bat neuer mon hade sene. and ' A

meruelouse

5528 He was made as a mon fro be myddell vp, archer/—

half-man,

And fro the nauyll by-neithe, vne an abill horse, half-horse.
12 *

180

THE ALLIES OF TROT.

Book XIIT.

His body was

covered with thick

hair; and his 5532

eyes ' flammet

as the fire.'

The number of
Priam's allies
was 32,000.

5536

5540

Never since the

world began had

such an army beeu 5544

brought together.

While on the side 5548
of the Greeks,
there was the
very flower of
knighthood.

5552

(fo\. 86 6.)

5556

And cottert as a capull, all the corse otter,

ffro J>e hed to f e hele, herit full thicke.

His Ene flammet as the fire, or a fuerse low,

fferfttll of fase, & hade a felle loke,

J?at J>e Grekes oft greuit & to grem broght.

Mony woundit fat wegh & warpit to dethe,

ffor he was boumon of the best, & bold of his

dedis.
The nowmbwr of f es noble men, fat I nemniyt

hatie,

j?at come with thes kynges and other kyde Dukes,
Wi't/ioute Pn'ams potter of his pn'se rewme,
Were thretty thowsaund fro knightes friuond

in armys

And two, for to tell, fat to f e toune soght,
ffor to comford fat kyng & his cause forf er.
Syn f e world was wroght, & weghis f erin,
Was neuer red in no Romans, ne in ronke bokes,
So fele fightyng folke in hor fuerse yowthe,
Of knightes & clene men corny n to-gedur,
Of tried men & trusty, fat to Troy come.
And of the grekes, fat were gedrit in a grym ost,
Of knighthede to count fere was the clene

floure,

ffor to wale f urghe the world, as f e writ tellis.
Wo so staris on f is story, or stodis f erin,
Take hede on f e harmys & the hard lures !
What mighty were marrit, & martrid to dethe ; — •
Of kynges, & knightes, & of er kyde Dukes,
That faire lyties here lost for a light cause !
Hit is heghly to hatie, & of hert dryue
Soche sklaundMr & skorne, fat skathis to mony ;
And mene vnto mekenes for f e more harme !

181

xitij ISoft. $?ofo tje fefcgs satlet from
to Besege tfje Cite of Erog: &nU of
stronge ftgijt at *>e &rtuatll

will I duly to dem of my werkes,
5560 How thai wenton to werre, tlio worthy to-gedur.

Er bai turnjt fro Tenydon, & token be se, ,B<Lf°|;e thf fleet

left Tenedos,

Paloraydon, the proude kyng, presit into hauyn, — Paiamedes sailed

J Into harbour with

That was Naulus son be noble, & his next aire, — so siups.
5564 With xxxu shippes full shene, shot full of
pepull

ffull onest & abill of his owne lond.

At wose come all the kynges kyndly were fayn,

Jjat were heuy to hym for houyng so longe ^ forTueuPr°Ve

5568 With anger at Attens, bere all were assemblit : delay:—

he had been kept

And he excuset the skathe, bat he skape might, at Athens through

sickness.

ffor sore sickenes & sad, bat hym selfe bolet.

J)is Palomydon was pert mon, & pme of his

dedis,
5572 He was gretewzt/i the Grekes, & godely honowit;

ffor he was most full of men, & mighty of
londes,

Bothe of fuersnes of fight & of fre counsell,

And of Eiches full Rife, & rankist of knightes.
5576 Jjai prayet bat p?-mse, all bo pn'se kyng^s,

To be close in hor cause for his clene wit,

And he grauntid full godely all w^t# glad chere. He promises to

be true to their

All thonkid hym bo thriste, froly to-gedur. cause.

182

TUB COUNSEL OF DIOMEDES.

Book XIV.

(fol. 87 a.)

The Chiefs then
propose to attack
the city during
the night : but
all are afraid, and
the plan is
dropped.

They then
adopted the plan
of Diomedes, who
said,

"Ye worthies!
It is now a year
since we came to
this land,

and what deed
have we done,
or how much
nearer are we to
our end ?
We have only
made our enemies
wiser in war.

Since we came
here, the Trojans
have greatly
strengthened
themselvns.

5580 Then the grete of the Grekes gone into counsell,

How fai best might in batell J>e burgh to
assaile.

And J?en Jrni p?«rpast horn plainly, in the pure
night

ffor to dresse for Jjat dede, er fa day sprange.
5584 But the ffreikes were ferd of hor fre shippes,

ffor to caire by the coste, & knew not the waches;

Or to remeve fro rode for rokkes in J>e se,

Or to wyn to j?e walles, wachid, horn thoght,
5588 ffor los of hor lyues and hor lefe knightes :

And so pai put of )>at pwrpas, & past to another.

THE COUNSELL OF DYAMEDE TO STIRRB TO JjE CITE.

When all counsels were kyde and carpit to end,
J?ai didyn after Dyamede, & demyt hit )>e best,

5592 j)at said horn full sadly all in softe wordes : —
"Ye worthy to wale, wonder me thinke,
Of our dedis so dull why we dure here !
Now is jepely a yere yarket to end,

5596 Syn we light in this lond & logget our seluyn,
And neuer dressid, ne drogh, to no dede ferre ;
Ne so hardy, fro Jus hauyn to hale on our fos, —
ffor to turnQ vnto Troy, ne on J>e toun loke.

5600 What dede haue we don, or dryuen to an end;
Or ]>Q farrer in our fare fortherit our seluyn 1
But ertid our Enmys, & angert horn noght ;
Made horn wiser of werre, ware of our dedys,

5604 And by compas to caste to conquere vs all.
We sothely haue sene, & our selfe knowen,
Syn we come to Jus coste & cairet no ferre,
The Troiens haue atiret horn with myche tor
strenght,

5608 Jjaire Cite to sane, and horn selfe alse,

With new wallis vp wroght, water before,
And pals haue Jiai pight, with pittis and caves,

TIIE COUNSEL OP DIOMEDE3. 183

And other wills of werre wroght for our sake, Book xiv.

5612 That may hast vs to harme, & hindwr our spede ifoi.87&.)

W/t/i all fare bat may forthir, & filsyn our
seluyn.

Jjai holdyn vs vnhardy horn for to negh,

Or vfith note for to noye now at bis tyme :
5616 And ay the ferrer fat we fay our fare opon The longer we

delay the more

lOnge, are we procuring

rjri o our own ruin

Ihe more we procure our payne & our pure

shame.

})is I hope in my hert & holly beleue,
Hade we sailit all somyn to be Cite euyn, Had we sailed

straight to the

5620 In our course as we came, & cast vs berf ore, city, we might
We shuld lightlier haue laght be lond at our ea^uyT"

wille :

Or any we hade "ben warre, wonen of ship
WztAouten hurt other harme to haue in the

dede,
5624 Or any lede to he lost, or hor lyue tyne.

Now are the war of our werkes, wetyn vs at but they are now

prepared for us.

hond,

Vs will gayne mykell greme er we ground haue :
And ay the ser bat we sit our sore be be harder.
5628 Therfore, sothely me semys, yf ye so wille, Therefore, if ye

J2at we dresse to our dede when be day ready at day
break,
sprynges ;

All redy to rode, aray for our shippes,
Iche wegh in his wede, as hym well likes,
5632 All boune vnto batell on his best wise.

Eow forthe in a rape right to the banke, ROW right to the

shore, and take

Tit vnto Troy, tary no lengur ; UP our pinion.

And monly with might meve vnto londe,
5636 The ground for to get, gayiiis vs non other.

If the Troiens with tene tame for to fight, if the Trojans

We wynnyt not of water but with wight %£*£%£

Strokes: from all sides.

184

THE FLEET DEPARTS FOR TROY.

maile-"

All were pleased
with this counsel

(fol. 88 a.)
and determined
to follow it.
At day-break all
are ready.

Book XIY. And wi'tfi fightyng full fell wz't7< a fuerse pepull,

5640 To set vp on yche syde vppon sere haluys.
Therefore, delay Jjerfor, lause of our lyuys, leng we not here ;

ger oust PU* °f a^ pwrpos, prese on our gate !

This bus duly be done, dem we non other,

5644 Syn we wyn to our wille be no way ellis."
All plesit the pn'nse witA his pn'se wordes,
And the dom, bat he dulte, duly was kept.
When the derke was done, and the day sprange,

5648 All the renk«5 to row redyn hor shippes,
Halit out of hauyn to the hegh see,
There plainly thaire p?/rpos putto an end.
Who fare shuld be-fore, of bo felle kynges,

5652 And wo kepit his cowrs for to caire after,

Thus demyt thes dukes on the depe water : —
A hundrith of hede shippes to hale on before,
Sadly to saile on be salt waghes,

5656 With baners o brede bret for be werre ;

The forcastels full of fuerse men of arniys,
With shot & with shildis shalkes to noy.
Anober hundrith, anon, negh sone aftur,
With sailes vp set on be same wise,
All wroght for the werre & wight men berin.
J?en folowet all the flete fast oponon,
Euyn kepyn hor course, as bai kend were,
Turnet euyn to be toune, tariet no lengwr,
Till o sithen bai segh be Cite at hond,
And the bonkes aboute to be bare walles.
Then bai tumyt hor tacle tomly to ground,

5668 Leton sailes doun slide, slippit into botes,
Launchet vp to the lond lyuele bedene,
Buernes buskit vnto bonke ; bold men in hast,
Thoght be ground for to gete, & no grem suffer.

THE HARD AR1VALL ,OF THE GKEKES.

But !Ile •TE*T 5672 But the Troiens, truly, bes tow-fer beheld,

saw their boats •• f

One hundred ships
with fierce men
and all sorts of
missiles to annoy
t\te enemy are
sent first-

then, another

squadron of one »./»/» /\

hundred ; and the 5660

whole fleet

follow.

5664

When they reach
the city, the sails
are dropped ;
boats are
lowered ; and all
make for the
land.

THE BATTLE AT THE LANDING. 185

How the fflete of jjere fos fell to }»e bonke, Book xiv.

And armyt hoin [at] all peces abill to fight : making for the

bank, and

Lepon vpon light horses, lappit in stele ; mounting their

5G76 Wz't/iouten leue of the lege, or fe leffe prince, down8to prevent

Bowet euyn to J>e banke or fai bide wold ;

Out of rule or aray raungit on lenght. (foi. ss >>.)

The Grekes in the gret shippes graidly beheld, The Greeks

5080 Segh the pepull so plaintiouse, presaund in nrnn^rlnd'6

armes skin of the

1<3S» Trojana ;

The bonke to forbede, bold men ynow :

Thai hade meruell full mekyll in hor mynd all,

To se the gcuernawnce graithe, & the grete chere,

5684 How wisely J>o werriowrs wroghten vndwr shild.

There was no Greke so grym, ne of so gret wille, and for a time
Durst abate on ]?o buernes, ne to bonke stride ; u^d?"6
Ne afforse hym vrith fight to ferke out of ship.

5688 But for horn gaynet no ground to get at fe tyme,

But furghe strenght of strokes, & of strong fight, Seeing there was
And wiih batell full big on a breme wise, but by hard 8

Jjai armyt horn at all peces all the ost well, JfnS'u.eJ seize

5692 Wonyn to ]>ere weppons wyghtly by-dene, anddrivcT8

And girdyn vp to fe ground -with hor grete laud

shippes.

Prothessalon the proude, of Philace was kyng,
He was formast on flete with the first hundrith, Protesiiaus was

5696 Jjat boldly to bonke braidis to fight. those; but his

But his shippes were shent w« th a sharpe wynd, sila^ter^don the
Gird on the ground \riih so grym wille,
Till ]?ai rut on a Eocke, & rent all to peses,

5700 jjat niony was mard & the men drownet :

Vne sunkyn in fe se mony sure knighte^. Many of his men

And who, fat lacchit the lond witft the lyf ]?en, and those who'
Were takon wtt^ the Troiens & tyrnet to dethe, ^^ la

5704 Martrid & murthrid, mawgHt in peses.

J?en the fight wex fell J>o fuerse men amonge,

-ITT-.,, r , /. ,i i • -, .-, i • -i i Thebattle became

\\ith shot fro the shippes and the shire banke. aerce: the air

186

THE BATTLE AT THE LANDING.

Rook XIV.

was thick with
arrows tind
cross-bow bolts,
and resounded
with the din of
arms.

(fol. 89 a.) 571-2

5716

But the second

division, through

better skill,

reached the bank,

and press on

fiercely. 5726

The Trojans
resist stoutly ;

but the Greeks,

with bow and

cross bow, bicker

on them and Kf no

confuse their

ranks :

then driving
upward press
them hard.

1'roUsilaus now

Of Arowes & Awblasters f e aire wex thicke,

5708 And dynnyt witJi dyntes, fat delte were fat

tyme.

The rynels wex red of the ronke blode,
])at were slayne in the slicche, & in slym

lightyn.

There sothely was sene what sorow & pyne,
And how balfull & bittur the banke was to wyn.
How the grekes were gird vnto grym dethe,
Neuer red was in Romanse with no renke yet,
That any weghes in the world, fat to werre yode,
*With soche baret, fro fe bote vnto bank wan,
As hit happit here with so hard fight.
But the secund sort sothely, fat sewet hom

aftur,

Were graither of gouernawnce, grippet hot sailes,
And bight vnto lond lyuely and sound.
More wisely f ai wroght f urgh warnyng before.
))ai preset vp proudly with panys in hond,
In refut of hor felowes, fat were foule mart ;

5724 And the Troiens tyt twrnyt hom agayne,

ffor-bode hom the banke with mony bale dintes.
)?ai braid to f ere bowes, bold men in hast,
"With alblastis also atlet to shote,
"VV/t/i big bowes of brake bykrit full hard,
Lacchet on f e ledis, fat on lofte stode,
Hurt hom full hidiously, hurlet hom abake.
There were ded of fo dyntes, mony derfe
knightes.

5732 The shalkes for f e shot shout fro fe banke,
And the grekes vp gird in a gret nowmber,
ffell fuersly to fight, & hor felowes halpe,
j?o fat left vpon lyue, f of f ai lyte were.

5736 jjen gird fai to-gedur with a grym fare !

ffull fell was the fight with f o fuerse troiens.
Prothesselon, f e prise kyng, preuyt his strenght,

THE BATTLE AT THE LANDING. 187

There wonderfully wroght his weghis to helpe ; Bookxiv.
5740 Mony Troiens with tene tyrnyt to ground, displayed his

great strength

Thurgh swap of his sword swaltyn belyue ! and cut down

Mony doughty were ded with dynt of his hond, Trojans.
And myche fortherit his feris in hor fell angwr !
5744 Hade not the freike ben so fuerse with his fell But for him the

Greeks had been
cut down to a

All the grekes hade hen gird vnto grym dethe,

And all brittnet yche ben, fat were to banke (foi. 896.)

comyn.
But what fortherit his fight, fof he fell were, But what could

even he do with

5748 With seven thowsaund fro men f rongen to-gedur, 100 men against

7000 brave

fare a hundrith hole were on a hepe somyn Trojans ?
All triet men of Troy fat horn tene wroght ?
Mony dynttes full dedly delt were anon !
5752 The Grekes were gird doun, & on ground lay,
Mony swonyng, & swalt, & in swym felle.
The grekes were so greuyt, & to grem broght,
)5ai wold fayn haue ben forthe, fled on hor way, Fain would the

f-i-e-f, TIJ. • • t. j. i_ i. • • j. T-- Greeks have fled ;

5 1 5G But no wise might f o weghis wyn into ship ; but they could
Ue to lepe fro f e lond into f e low se,
Hit was not holsom for horn, so hard was the

stour !
Horn was leuer on f e lond leng at hor aunter,

5760 And be brittnet in batell, fen burbull in the flod.
jpai fell fuersly to fight, f o few fat fere were,
And put all fere pouer, pynyt horn sore. They make a

rush against the

The Iroiens dong horn douw in the depe slithe, Trojans, who soon

5764 Mony lost hor lyues, & light in the water, them into the sea.
And were ded in the depe wit/touten dyn more.

The might was so mekyll of f o mayn Troiens, Again they would

. have been over-

pai hade no strenght to wttfrstond, ne hor stid come, but for

, , , Archelaus, who

flOide, rallies them; and

5768 But all borne Avere fai backe to fe buerne syde,
And hade deghit by-dene with dynttes of liond ;
But Archelaus in armys auntrid to banke,

188

THE BATTLE AT THE LANDING.

Rook XIV.

5772

5776

Nestor, with his
men, then reaches
the bank, 5739

(fol. 90a.)

ami rushed in to
their aid,

5784

and the air
resounds with the
shouts of men
and crash of arms.

Ascalaphus and
Alarus then land,
and uniting with
their friends
drive the Trojans
back.

5788

5792

5796

But fresh troops
come up, and they
regain their
ground.

5800

Ulysses and his
men then land
and rush upon the
enemy.

5804

And fell vnto fight his feris to helpe.

Now batell on bent fo buernes betwene,

The grevans was gret ]>o grekes among ;

Assemblit were sone J>e same in fe fight,

And restorit full stithly J>e stuff of fe grekes.

ffell was the fight & fuerse horn agaynes,

And mony deghit with dynt of J?o derfe pepull :

Mony harmys J>ai hent er hor helpe come.

J?en Nestor anon neghit to lond,

With his shippis full shene, & sharpe men of

armys,

Hard hastid to helpe with heturly wille,
And sodainly with his sort soght into batell !
Speiris into sprottes spronge oner hede ;
Arowes vp in the aire ysshit full Jricke ;
Swordis, with swapping, swaruyt on helmes ;
The dede, vnder dynttes, dusshit to ground ;
Cloudis with the clamowr claterit aboue,
Of the dit & J>e dyn, fat to dethe went !
Prothenor the prise kyng, & proud Archelaus,
Mony tolke of j>e Troiens tyrnyt to dethe.
J?en Ascalus & Alacus auntrid to lond,
And aryuen full rad with fere rank shippes :
With fere pouer full pn'st past fro f e water,
Brusshet into batell, & myche bale wroght.
So felly in fere foghtyn f o two,
Obacke went the batell of f e burghe folke ;
But fere were fele other fresshe, fat no fight

touchit,

J)at gird into the grekes with a grym will,
And all backward horn here to f e buerne side,
j?at fer from Jje flode might no freke wyn.
Then Vlexes come vp vne with his folke,
"Wan out of j?e water & his weghis all,
And braid into batell with a brem wille.
Sharpe was the shoure the sheltrurc [amonge] !

THE BATTLE AT THE LANDING. 189

The Grekes geton hor ground, fat [graidly was BID-C xiv.

lost], The Greeks, thus

encouraged,

And myche comford horn the co[m of fat kene gain ground:

knight] i

Mony woundes f ai wroght, [and warpit to dethe] !
5808 Vlixes with vtteraunse vnder [his shild], dashing wiuiy

Mony stithe in stoure stroke on [bere helmes] :

J J cilclllj, WOrK.8

Launsit, as a lyoun, fat were [lengen aboute], them"1™0 among

And of the ffirigies fell with [his fuerse dinttes] : (fo1- 906->
5812 Sum he stroke in the stoure streght to fe erthe;

Sum dange to the dethe, & derit full mykyll.

The proud kyng of Pafligon persayuit his dede, — struciThhn to the

One Philmene, a freike of the ferre halue, — spear1; but stm
5816 He gird hym to ground with a grym speire ; he fights.

And he fell vppon fote, faght with the kyng.

And Philmene the fuerse, with a fell dynt,

Vttrid Vlixes vne in the place,
5820 )?at hit shot f rough the shilde & f e shire maile,

He is again

To f e bare of f e body, fat the blade folowet ; dashed to the

IT. -Jit. j M.T. ground with a sore

And he gird to f e ground with a grym hurt, wound ; but
Hade no strenght for to stond, ^et he stert vp, wounds "P
5824 And frusshit at Philmene with a fyn launse. S^Inroarawi

hurls hi
ground.

With all the might & the mayn, fat the mon hade, hurl8 him to u'°

He hit hym so hettwly on hegh on the shild,
Jjat he breke Jmrgh the burd to the bare throte ;

5828 Hurlet furghe the hawbergh, hurt hym full sore ;
The gret vayne of his gorge gird vne ysondwr,
})at the freike, with the frusshe, fell of his horse,
Halfe ded of the dynt, dusshet to ground.

5832 The Troiens for fat tulke had tene at hor hert ; The Trojans drag

,, , , , , , , him from the

Kayron euyn to the kyng, caght hym belyue ; ground and cany
Harlet hym fro horsfet, had hym away. hiTsWeia! C'ty °'

[He] for ded of f e dynt was drest en his shild,
5836 [And bou]rne on the burde to f e burgh horn ;
[For the de]the of f is duke doll was ynogh
[That trublit f e] Troiens with tene, tn'st ye no
nother

190

THE BATTLE AT THE LANDING.

Ujok XIV.

5844

(fol. 91 a.)
Menelaus and his
men then land,
dash into the
battle to aid their
friends, and KQAQ

sorely oppress the 5848
Trojans.

5852

5856

Protesilaus, worn

out with his long,

hard struggle,

now withdraws COCA

from the battle to 5 O 0 0

rust a little on the

kink.

5864

When he saw
that all his band
had perished, he
was overcome
with grief and
rage.

[Myche harm to fern] happit here at Jns tyme !

5840 [The Grekes were] so grym fiat were to ground

corny n,

[Mony dukes were] ded of J?e derfe Troiens.
[Jpan Toa]x of Toile Telemon the kyng,
[Agamynon, &] Aiax, & all olper shippis,
[Come launchond to] lonnd and hor lordes all :
And Menelaus the mighty, & his men hole,
ffull radly arofe, raiked to lond ;
Halet vp horses, highet olofte ;
And fellon vnto fight Jjere feres to helpe,
Jjat were strongly be-stad in a stoure hoge.
To the Troiens f>ai tzw-ny t & mekill tene wroght !
The frusshe was so felle, fio fuerse men betwene,
Crakkyng of cristis, crasshyng of speiris,
The clynke & fe clamowr claterit in the aire,
And wiih dynttes of derfe men dynnet the erthe ;
Mony Troiens wi't/i. tene were tyrnyt to ground,
Sum ded of j?o dynttes, sum depe woundit ; —
Eestoret the stithe batell strongly anon,
And mony dongen to dethe of the derfe Troiens.
Then Prothessalon fie pn'se kyng, J?at preset to

lond

ffirst in the forward, fat his folke lost,
He was wery for-wroght, & wouwdet full sore, —
Hade laburt so longe, hym list for to rest, —
And bowet fro the batell to J?e bonke side,
ffor to beld hym on fe bent, & his brethe take.
And o sithen he soght to J>e se euyn,
jpere )>e fight was first, & the folke drounet ;
J?en he plainly persayuit his pepull were ded, —

5868 )3at no lede of \>at lordes vppon lyue was.

Soche a sorowe of \>ai sight sanke to his hert,
J)at his wedis wex wete of his wan teris,
And he, stithely astonyt, stert into yre ;

5872 More breme to fe batell his baret to venge,

THE BATTLE AT THE LANDING. 191

Of his folke J>at were fallyn vnto fell dethe, »** Xlv-

Hard highet vnto horse with a hert fro,
iforto felle of J>e fFrigies felly he Jjoght.
5876 OnOn with a naked sword neghit to batell, Rushing against

-*T , ,. , . . , ., , , the enemy, he

V ne wode of his wit as a wild lyon,

Mony breme on Jie bent brittoned to ground. (foi. 91 6.)

Mony kild the kyng in his clene yre ! cut down a great

5880 Myche tene f>e Troiens tid of his hond !

Then Perses the proude kyng pn'se mon of ynde,
With a batell of bowmen fro the burgh come,
And with a fernet fare fell to J>e stoure.

5884 At whose come the cuntre-men comford were all. The Trojans again

take heart, and

And restoret the stithe fight stuernly agayn ; frress the Greeks

back to the shore.

As fresshe to fere fos as at the nrst tyme,

Gird to the Grekes, & moche grem wroght;
5888 Woundit horn wikkedly, wait hom to ground,

Oppresset hom with pyne, put hom abake,

All the batell to fe bonke, & mony buerne slogh.

)jere the grekes hade ben grymly gird vnto dethe, But for the arrival
5892 Ne hade Palomedon, the prise kyng, preset to they would have
lond, been destroyed-

With fele fightyng folke of fuerse men of armys ;

Halet vp horses hard out of bote,

"Wonyn on wightly, wentyn to batell,
5896 His folke to refresshe with a fyn wille.

The assembly was sorer o f e se banke ;

Mony deghit full dernly, dole to be-holde !

Then the grekes agayne geton J?ere berths, The Greeks then

5900 And myche comford kaght of his come fen. selves; and

This Palomydon paynyt hym pepull to slee, SJtta?*"'

And mony woundvs he wroght in his wild yre. sy"13?011.

He soght to on Symagon, a sad mon of armys, —
5904 Kyng Merion J>e mighty was his met brother, drives his sword

}5at fele had confoundit of the fuerse grekes ;— into "" heart"

He bere to fe bold with a big sworde,

And rof Jmrgh the Ribbes right to J>e hert,

192

THE BATTLE AT THE LANDING.

(fol. 92 a.)

Such havoc he 5912
works among the
Trojans, that they
scatter and begin
to nee;

5916

but the noise of
the battle had
reached the ears
of Hector, and he
rushes to their
assistance.

Book xiv. 5908 )3at he fell of his horse flat to fe ground,

Deghit of f e dynt, & deiret no moo.

Palomydon preset furth into fe pn'se batcll ;

Mony tulke out of Troy tyrnyt to dethe ;

Mony knight don cast to fe cold erthe.

All were ferd of fe freike, fled of his way ;

Durst no buerne on hym bate for his bold dedis.

Myche clamour & crye was kyde in J>e ost,

Jjat the Troiens for tene might tary no lengur ;

But with prise of Palomydon put all abake,

And fer in the fight fell horn the worse,

Vne boun fro f e batell bxisket to fle,
5920 Vntill Ector eris hit entrid belyue

The great noise of J>e noy, fat in note was.

He lepe on a light horse lyuely enarmyt,

And soght to f e se banke to socur his pepull ;
5924 Wode in his wrathe wynnys into batell !

All shone his shilde & his shene arnmr,

Glissenond of gold with a glayre hoge :

Thre lions the lord bare all of light goulis,
5928 ]3at were shapon on his shild, shalkes to be-
holde.

He gird to the grekes with a grym yre ;

In the brest of the batell, fere buernes were
thicke,

He ffrusshet so felly freikes to ground ;
5932 Made wayes full wide f e weghis among ;

Shot thurgh the sheltrons, shent of f e pepull.

To Prothesselon he preset, fat pepull hade
slayn,

And myche wo had wroght on f e wild troiens.

Driving in among
the Greeks, he
cut his way right
and left.

He presses to
Palamedes,

and with a fierce
swing of his
sword clove him
to the middle.

THE DETHE OP PKOTHESSOLON BY ECTOR SLAYN.

5936 He swappit at hym swithe with a swerd felle ;
Hit on his hede a full hard dynt ;
Clefe Jjurghe the criste & the clene maile ;

THE BATTLE AT THE LANDING. 193

Slit hym down sleghly thurghe the slote euyn, Book xiv.
5940 Bode at the belt stid, and the Imerne deghit.

There leuet he the lede, launchet on ferre,

Mony dange to the dede with dynt of his hond :

Who happit hym to hitte harmyt nomo.
5944 Mony brem in the batell britnet to dethe,

Sundrit the soppis vnsarkonly with hond^s :

All gird of his gate, gevyn hym the way.

Iche freike of bat furse fraynit at other,
5948 )?at our folke bus felly flynges to ground :

ben bai knowen by course of his clene shap, The Greeks

perceive that it is

)3at it was Ector the honerable, eddist of Hector who is

. upon them, and

knighteS. no one dares to

Thai fled fro the fase of his felle dynttes,
5952 So bold was no buerne his bir to wit7?stond,

Ne be caupe of his kene sword kast horn to mete.

Whill he bode in the batell, be buerne with his
honde

Mony grekes with grem he gird to the dethe.
5956 All failit bere forse, feblit bere hertte^, Their courage

fails, and they are

Ihe batell on backe was borne to be se. driven back to the

Then wery he wex, & of his werke hote,

Bowet fro the batell, & his buernes leuyt. Hector quits the

field for a time.

5960 The sun in his sercle set vndwmethe ;

The light wex las, he leuyt the fild,

Soght to be Cit'1 soberly & faire,

Left his feris in be fild fightyng full hard.
5964 Then grekes agayne getton bere herttes, The Greeks again

take heart ; make

ffrushet be ffrigies felly to ground ; a rush on the

r, , ., ,., , . , i . enemy, but are

So hit tad horn tensiche betymys bat day. driven back with

But be Troiens full tore twrnyt agayne,
5968 ffoghten so felly, frunt horn o backe,

Kyld mony knightes, cacchit on hard,

Greuyt so the grekes, bai graithet to fle,

Were borne to be banke with baret ynogh.

6972 Then Achilles the choise cheuyt to land, (foi.gsa.)

13

194

THE BATTLE AT THE LANDING.

Book XIV.

Achilles has
landed his forces,
and now drives
wildly into
battle.

His arrival cheers
the Greeks,
and the struggle
becomes fierce.

The Trojans
suffer severely,
and are sore
pressed by
Achilles.

The lust of the
ships now come
to land ; and the
Greeks are so
numerous that
the Trojans in
despair flee to the
city.

In the pursuit,
Achilles has slain
so many,

that he is
drenched with
blood.

With his shippes in a sheltruw, & skalkes
within. ;

Gird vp to J?e ground with a grym fare,

With fre thowsaund Jjro men Jiriste in armys ;
5976 ffell to Jje fight on a fuerse wise.

Myche tene the Troiens tid of his hond !

The grekes keun'yt for comford by comyng of
hym.

ffell was the fight fo frekes betwene !
5980 Mony gird to pe ground, and to grym dethe ;

Mony lede out of lyue light on the erthe !

The stoure was so stithe J>o strong men among,

That full mekull was the murthe, £ mony

were ded.
5984 The Troiens full tyte were tyrnit to ground :

Thurghe Achilles chiualry horn cheuyt the worse.

Mony fell fat freike with his fuerse dynttes !

Myche blode on the bent, bale for to se ;
5988 Of myrthe & of murnyng thurgh might of hym
one.

Then the last of Jjo lefe shippis launchit to
bonke,

And all the fighting folke fell to J>e lond ;

Gyrdyn in grymly into grete batell.
5992 The multitude was so mykyll at )>e mene tyme,

Of the grekes vppon ground, & of grym folke,

The Troiens for tene tyrnyt the backe,

ffleddon in fere, & the filde leuyt ;
5996 All somyn to the Cite soghten by-dene,

Wiih. myche clamwr & crie for care of hor dethe.

Mony warchond wound, and were at all,

Mony chivalrous Achilles choppit to dethe :
6000 All his wedis were wete of J?aire wan blode !

As J?ai flaghe in the filde, Jje freke with ids hond,

So he gird horn to ground with a grym sword,

To fe Cite forsothe, cessit J>ai noght.

THE BATTLE AT THE LANDING. 195

6004 Moche angre at the entre auntrid to falle, Book xiv.

To the Troiens with tene, er bai toun entred. At the gates the

• 1101 confusion

Myche slaghte in the slade, & slyngyng of horse ! (foi.93 &.)

-nr 11 -j. jijLiiii! and slaughter are

Mony derie fere deghit, was dole to beholde ! terrible: and
6008 ffull myche was the murthe, & more hade \>ere 2"^^™"

i. . Troilus, Paris,

and Deiphobus

Hade not Troilus the tene iurnyt to fight. rushed out and

checked the

And Paris the pn'se with pepull ynogh, Greeks.

With Deffebus the derfe, of dedis full felle,
6012 )5at fell to be frusshe of be fuerse grekes ;

Issuet out egurly, angret full mony,

And so sesit the suet, soghtyn no ferre.

The night was so nigh, noye was the more,
6016 The day was done, dymraet the skyes. The day is done :

The Troiens full tite tyrnyt the 3ates, Jf^ST

Barret horn bigly with barres of yrne. ££'j££r

Achilles with his chiualers chefe to be bonke, to their camp.
6020 All the grekes agayn Agamynon vnto.

The Emperoure hym owne selfe ordant onon, Agamemnon

marks out the

iforto bilde vp tenttes, tariet no lengur. sites for the

Sithen hym selfe assignet the gret king8) and the

6024 Placis of pauylions, for the prise kynges J£T of the

Grete tenttes to graide, as baire degre askit ;

Logges to las men, with leuys of wod.

Iche buerne, on his best wise, busket to lenge,
6028 ffor the night was so neghe, noyet horn all.

Stablit vp hor stedis & hor stithe horses,

On suche maner as bai might, for the mene
tyme ;

And all necessaries for be night, bat bai naite Necessaries for

the camp are
Shuld, brought from the

6032 ifecchit fro the flete, & ferkit to bonke. now 'anchored and

rrri • -L'-'-LIJ. T.J ij moored in safety.

Thaire shippis in sheltrons shotton to lond,
Knyt horn with cables & with kene ancres,
And bound horn full bigly on hor best wise.
6036 As Agamynon the grete the gomys commaundyt,
13*

196

THE BATTLE AT THE LANDING.

Book XIV.

Fires and torches
are kindled :
(fol. 94 a.)

and the watch is
set.

The Trojans
remain close in
the city.

Agamemnon is
busy all night
arranging the
guards ;

appointing the
watchwords ;
and providing for
the wounded.

All through the
night the men
remain under
arms.

Erode firis & brem beccyn in f e ost,
Torchis and tendlis the tenttes to light,
That yche freike in the fild his felow might
know,

6040 Alse light on to loke, as f e leue day.

Other feris opon fer the freikes w/tTioute,
WitJi skowte wacche for skathe & skeltyng of

harme.
The Troiens witTi tene, fat in the towne were,

6044 Neghit horn not negh, ne no noy did,

But closit the clene jates, keppit horn w?'t7iin.
This Agamynon, the grete, gaynit no slepe.
Bise was the buerne all the bare night,

6048 To ordan for his Enmyes, as I er saide,
ffolke opon fer, the firis w£t7«oute,
ffor to wacche and to wake for wothis of harme,
With qwistlis, & qwes, & other qwaint gere,

6052 Melody of mowthe myrthe for to here ;

And men of armys full mony made for to stond,
In soppes on sere halfe the sercle to kepe ;
The ost out of angur & auntwr to were,
5 Wacche wordes to wale, fat weghis might know ;
Sore men & seke soundly to rest,
fiat were feblet in fight, & hade fele woundes,
To lie in hor lodges a littell at ese.

6060 Armet were all men for auntwr to come,

Till the derke was don, & the day sprange,
And the sun in his sercle set vppo lofte.
This fight was the first f o felous betwene,

6064 Syn thay light on the lond : — lord giffe vs ioye !

197

xfc iSofte. ©f tfje ©rtrmatmce of tfje Eroiens
to tfje <£ecunli BatelL

Ector the Honerable, erly at Morne, Hector

,„, ,, , , .,, , . n •> determines to

When the sun vp soght with his soite beames, attack the Greeks

Ledar of the ledis, fat longit to Troy, morn/ng. '"

6068 He pwrpost his pepull with his pure wit, (fol- 94 b->

ffor to fare to the fight, & the fild take.

He somond all the Cite vppon sere haluys,

Euery buerne to be boun on hor best wise,
6072 Armyt at all peses abill to fight ;

And assemblit in sad hast hym seluyn before, He commands his

forces to assemble

On a place, bat was playn, plesaund with all, »* the

temple of Diana.

There a temple was tild of tide Diana,
6076 ffull worthely wroght weghis to beholde.

Thidwr comyn the kynges with knightes enarmyt,

And were pertid full pristly, put into batell, when they are

arranged as on

By deuyse of the duke, bat doghtie was aye, the previous day,
6080 As for the fight at the full on the first day.
ffor to $arpe vp the jate, he ^epely comaund,

)3at hight Dardan by-dene duly to nome. he orders the

. Dardan pate to

Of his cosyns he cald kyde men two : be opened.

6084 On Glaucon, a gome bat graithe was in armys,

(He was a knight full kant, the kynges son of
Lice,

And a wight mon in wer, wild of his dedis)

And Synabor, forsothe, the secund was he, TO Giaucus and

6088 Ector owne brother, abill to fight. MrigMNNofthq

198

HECTOR ARRAYS HIS FORCES

Book XV.

bravest and best
knights of Lycia
and Troy:

and the division 6096

marches off to

battle.

He then assigns
1000 knights to
Theseus and
Archilochus.
(fid. 95 a.)

To the second
battalion, of 8000
knights, he
appoints
Xantippus and
Asc: in ins, kings
of Phrygia.

To the third
battalion, of the
same number, he
appoints Iroilus,
his brother; and
counsels him
thus : —

"Dear brother! I
am afraid your
eagerness will

To horn assignet the souerain, all of sure

knightes,

A thowsaund full fro, J>riuaund in wer,
Strong men in stoure, sturnest of will,

6092 Witty and wild, waled men all

Of the ledis of Lice & of leue troy.

In Neptune nome & nobill goddis other,

Bad horn wend for hor worship tho worthy to-

gedur;

And f ai glode furth gladly at the grete yate,
Tawardes the grekes on the ground in a grym ost.
Jjen ordant Ector, of honorable knightes,
Of wise men in wer, wightly a thowsaund ;

6100 Betaght to Teseus, of trasy was kyng,

With archilacus a choise knight in his chere

som ;

Gaf loue to f o lordys, let horn pas on,
Bed horn fare to f e frekys, fat before were,

6104 And bothe in a batell as horn best lyket.

The secund batell, sothely, f e soueran araiet,
Of thre thowsond fro knyghtis, fryuo??d to-

gedur,
And assignet horn, for soueran, Xantipws f e kyng,

6108 And Ascane also, abill of dedys,

j)at of frigie fie faire, f ai were fre kynges.
}3en be leue of f e lord, f o ledys in fere
Bowet to f e brode ^ate, hor burnys horn with,

6112 And gon tooward fe grekis with a grete chere.
The f rid batell in f e burgh, fat f e buerne made,
Was as mony abill knyghtes, auntrus of hond,
Of f e tulkys of troy, tide mew all,

6116 With Troilus to turne furthe, truest of knyghtes.
And ector full onestli his aune brother taght,
With fayre wordis in faythfull of hys fre will : —
" Dere brother and derfe, I dout me full sore,

6120 Lest fi friknes so furse, in fi fell hert,

FOB THE SECOND BATTLE. 199

Brynge be to bale for bi bold dedys ;

bat bou couet be-curse to caire into woclie, lead y°u to

sorrow !

And ouer fer on bi fose fare by bi seluyn !
6124 I pray be full prestli, with all my pure saule, i beseech you, do

„ f ,-. not act rashly or

bat bou kepe bi corse, for case bat may tail, foolishly,

And fare not with foli oure fos for to glade,
]S"e wirk not vnwyly in J>i wilde dedis,
6128 bat bi mawhod be marte thurgh bi mysrewle ;
But bere be in batell as a buerne wyse,
bat bi fose thurgh bi foli be faynen not worthe, iest your enemies
Ne be cheryst with chere thurgh our chauwse

febvll ! an* may fortune

" be with you!

6132 Go furthe now with fortune, fat be fayre

happyw !

Our goddis the gouerne, & soche grace leue, tfoi. 95&.)

bat Jjou the victorie wyn, thi worship to saue, ^e0yoU8.odg8ive
And to bis Citie in sound bi seluyn may come." y°" *? yictory •

and bring you

6136 Than Troilus tomly talket agayne : — back in ™™y-"

Troilus replied :—

" Dere sir, of my dedis doute no thing ! " Doubt not, dear

Sir, for by the

~With grase of our goddes, in our gate furthe, grace of our gods

. ,1 shall ever strive

Your comaundemerct to kepe, as my kynd to obey you."

brother,
6140 And my lord, J>at is lell, my lust shalbe ay ! "

Than he past with his pepull to the playn fild,

Thre thowsaxind thromen, without brepe more.

This the bold knight bare for his bright armys ;
6144 All his shelde was to shew shynyng of gold,

With bre lions lyuely launchound berin,

Oner-gilt full gay, gomys to behold :

And so he fore to his fos with a fyne wille !
6148 The furthe batell in the burghe the bold knight The fourth

battalion, of 3700

brave knights, he
assigns to

Of fell fightyng men full jjre thowsaund, Hippothous, king

All of knightes full kene, kyddest in armys,
And seven hundreth besyde, all of sure knightas-,
6152 Vnder ledyng of a lord in Larrys was kyng, —

200

HECTOR ARRAYS HIS FORCES

Book XV.

a massive, tall
man, and a
famous warrior.

To this battalion
Hector attaches
Ardelans, and his 6160
own brother
Demoooon.

Hupon the hoge, a hegh mon of stature,
And in batell full big, bold of his hondes ;
Dissyrus was the Duke in dede# of arrays,

6156 Of aU the Troiens, to teU, torest in fight,

Saue Ector the honerable, oddist of knighte*.
And in his company come a kyd mon in arrays,
On Ardelaus full auntrus, al ill of person,
Jjat come with the same kyng fro his kythe riche,
And was doughty of his dedis, derf on a stede.
Jjes laughten fere leue at f e lefe prince,
And gone to f e grekes with a grym chere,
(foi. 96 o.) 6164 Soghten the same yate softly to gedwr;

And on Damake, by-dene, fat was dere brother,
To Ector hym owne selfe, auntrid horn with,
As for doghty of dede & for dere holdyn.
The ffyfte batell of bold men, fat the buerne

made,

He ordant on Oys< m, the honerable kyng,
Of the ledis of the lond the ledyng to haue,
With Polidamus of prise, the prinses owne
brother.

6172 Jjes Oysoms all were od men of strenght,
Massily made, mykell as giaunttes,
And all fere coloum to ken was of clene yalow,
Wtt^-outen difference to deme dubbit f erin :

6176 All luttyn the lord & fere leue toke,

And foren on on to f e fild faire fos to assaile.
The Sexte Batell, fat was sent fro f e Cit6 fen,
Ordant by Ector [of] odmen & noble, —

6180 The pepull of Poyem, with fere pure kynges,
And Seripes, a sad Duke of the same lond,
Jjat were fond to the fight, fell of hor dedis.
Vnarmyt were f ai all, aunter was the more, —

6184 Xo helmys, ne hawberghes, ne no hard shildes, —

Bowmen of the best, f o buernes were all,
They wrought Well enfourmet of f e fete, & hade fyne takell :

The fifth battalion 6168
is assigned to

Polydamas.

The men of this
division were tall
and massive —
almost giants.

The sixth
battalion,
composed ot men
from Pseonia, was
headed by their
kings and Seripes.

They were all
archers, and wore
neither helm nor
hauberk.

FOB THE SECOND BATTLE. 201

Mony woundis jjai wroght, wete ye for sothe, Book xv.

6188 Bothe on horse & on here hannyt full mekull. rearmi destruction

on man and

By ordinaunce of Ector, bes odmen to lede, h°««-

Was Deffibus demyt of his dere brother : ^.^ division

Deiphobus was

]5en bai lacchen bere leue at the lord euyn, attached.

6192 fforen to the fild with a fyn will.

To bes bowmen bold, bat of burgh went,

Ector did ordan od men of armys, *•**£ ™m**r

of noble knighU

A gret nowmber for the nonest, noble knighte* under the

command

all,

6196 Vnder care of two kynges, bat bai come with : (foi.w&o
Philon the fuerse, faithly was on, °£^at and

And Esdras fat other, eddist in wer,
With all the gomes of Agresta, gode men & abill.

6200 This Philon the fre kyng, bat I first nemyt, This Pyiams had

a splendid ivory

Hade a chariot full choise, as J>e chalke wyte, chariot with
All of yuer full onest, ordant for hym ; amber.

And the whelis full wheme, all of white aumber.
6204 Couert with a cloth all of clene gold, - R was covered

with a cloth of

Dubbit full of diamondis, & ober dere stones, gold set with

„• * 11 .,t /. , pi diamonds and

iframet ouer fresshly with frettes of perie. pearls ; and

Two dromoudarys drowe hit, dressit berfore, dromed^iel.0
6208 And led it furth lyuely with light men of armys,
Vne full for the fight, & fuerse men & nobilL
With the kynges in company comaund the

prinse,

His aune brother full bold, barly to wend,
6212 ]5at hym fell on his fader side a fighter full

nobilL

Xowther lut he be lord, ne no leue toke,
But kaires fourthe wtih the kyng & his course

held.

The Seuynt, bat assignet was the souerain before, TO the seventh
6216 Was auntrus Eneas, abill of person ; was assigned :

T-I. -, iii'-i. i« J/L i j 1* consisted of the

In his company clene, the knighte* of the lond, chief knights of
}3at heldyn in hede of bat high Cite, fte dty> *"d '

202

HECTOR ARRAYS HIS FORCES.

Book XV.

division of the
commons under
Euphemus.

To the eighth
battalion nnder
Xerxes, king of
Persia, Paris
was attached.

(fol. 97 a.)

Hector warns

him not to fight

till he should be

near at hand to

assist him. 6232

The last battalion
was led by Hector
himself. He took
with him 10 of his
brothers, and
5000 of the bravest
knights.

Mounted on his
famous charger
Galathea he went
to take leave of
the king, his
father.

With fele fightyng folke of the fuerse comyns,

6220 jjat were gouernet by a gome, fat \vas graith

holdyn, —

A fyne squier & a fuerse, — Eufemiws he hight ;
At Ector f ai asket leue, & yssuit furth somyn.
The Eghtid Eatell in the "burgh, fat the buerne
set,

6224 Vnder Serces for-sothe, the souerain of Perce,

"With all the pepull of his prouynce, pn'se men

& nobill,

And his brother of blud, fat he best loued.
Paris he put to f ere pure hede,

6228 And said hym full soberly, all in soft wordes,

}?of he bownet fro the burgh to the batell euyn,
Jjat he fell not to fight with no felle grekes,
Till hym selfe were beside for socour at nede.
And Paris to the pn'nse pertly aunsward ; —
" Sir, your comaundement to kepe, I cast me for-
sothe,
Wzt7i all the might, fat I may, at fis meiie

tyme."
He lut hym full lelly, & his leue toke,

6236 And past furth with his pepull to fe playn fild.
Then Ector, hym owne selfe ordant belyue,
The last batell to lede of his lege pepull.
Of the truemen of Troy & his triet brother,

6240 He toke with hym ten, most tristy in wer,

And fyue thowsaund fuerse, all of fyn knightes,

Wise men of were, & of wit nobill,

ffor to fare to f e fight with f aire fre pn'nse.

6244 Hym selfe on a sad horse surely enarmyt,

}5at Galathe, with gomys gyuen was to nome,
Of whose mykill, & might, & mayn strenght,
Dares, in his dytyng, duly me tellus.

6248 When the lede was o lofte, as hym list be,
Arniyt well at [all] peces, as I or said,

PRIAM IS TO GUARD THE CITY.

203

6252

6256

6260

6264

6268

6272

6276

6280

He caires furth to fie kyng & his kynd fader,
Lowtis euyn to be lord, & on lowde saide : —
" Dere fader, full faire, & my fre kvng !
Ye shall haue in a here of hend men a thous-

in /» i -11 PHI 01*1 /»

All of knightes lull kene, ft kid men 01 armys,
With all the fotemen in fere, bat are to fight

Book xv.
Bowing to Mm

he said :—

"Dear father,

with your guard

of knights and

foot-soldiers
watch well the
entrances to the

city- strike

Abidis here at the border, buske ye no fer !

Lokis well to be listis, bat no lede passe !

If any stert vpon stray, strike hym to dethe,

Oure Cite1 to sane fro our sad fos !

I haue messangers with me, made for be nonest,

J?at ffor perell or pwrpos shall pas vs betwene,

Bodword for to bryng, as we best lykys ; —

AH , ,i i ,-,. -.OT,

All tythondys to tell, as tydis vs in nght,
How vs happys to haue, in hast shall ye wete.
And wysly bes ware waytys to be towiie,
On yche half forto hede, bat no harme fall,

.

)5at our fos with no faulshed in be iyght tyme,
Sese not our Cite", our seluyw to pyne,
Ne rob not our ryches, ne our ryf godys.
Be ye wayt for be wallis, warden of all,

J

And a post for all perellis youre pepull to saue,
As stuf of our strenkyth, yf we stond hard ! "
pen Pn'am to be prinse prestly onswart : —
" Dere son, all be don, as bou demyt has !
I haue no hope of no halp, after hegh goddys,
But in stuf of bi strenkyght, & bi stythe arme ;
In bi wyt, and bi warnes, & bi wyght dedys,

J '

With bi gouernanse graythe, & bi gode rewle !
)3erfore, pj-estly I pray to oure pure sanctys,
Ipat bai saue be in sound, sent to bi hele ;
Kepe be fro cumbranse, & fro cold dethe ;
And leue me bi lyf in lykyng to se ! "
So be lede toke leue, lut to hys fader,

may attempt to
pass.

(foi. w&.)

I have detailed

messengers who
communicate

between us, and

to inform you of

Beware of

ambuscades, lest

the enemy thus

Guard wel1 the

walls ; and be

ready to aid us

if we be hard

pressed."

Priam replied :-
shall be done as

for
on you only,

after our gods,

do l rely !

May our Pure

saints preserve

thce ! "

204

DEPARTURE OF HECTOR.

Book XV.

Hector then bows
to his father, and
passes forth to
battle.
He was the
bravest, the
wisest, the
strongest in
battle.

ffol. 98 a.)

Though the last
to leave the city,
he was foremost
in the fight.

From the walls,
the honourable
women of Troy,
with the king's
daughters, watch
the departure of
the troops.
Helen, too., was
there, thoughtful,
sad, and
desponding.

Agamemnon
divided 'lis army
into 26 battalions.

Patroclus led the
first battalion,
which was
composed of his
own men, and
those of Achilles,
who was suffering
from his wounds.

6284 Past furthe to hys pepull, & hys pas held.

He was wyght and wylfull, wysyst in batell,
Strongest in stour, sturnest of other ;
Euer frike to f e fyght, fayntid he neuer.

6288 Leder of f e ledys, fat longyt to Troy,

Hys armys were auenond, abill to fyght ;
Hys feld was of fyn gold, freche to behold,
With f re lyons launchond, all of lyght goulys.

6292 ]?us he glod on hys gate, and hys gomys all,
With hys baners o brode, and f e burght past,
Penons & penselles, proud men of armys ;
fibre euyn to f e feld, and hys ferys leuyt,

6296 Prykyd furthe prestly, past on hys way !
J?of he lengyt to f e last, er he leue toke,
He was foundyw f e fyrst, fat in feld stroke,
And f e sonest in assembly in J>e sad fyght.

6300 All J>e worshypfull wemera of f e wale toune
Wentyn to f e wallys, f e weghys to behold.
])e kyngys doughter, bedene, droghin horn alofte,
With honerable Elan, fat arghit in hert ;

6304 Myche fere had fat fre, & full was of foght,
All droupond in drede and in dol lengyt,
)3of Ector f e honerable had ordant hys folke,
And bateld horn bygly, on hys best wyse;

6308 Vnder gouernanse graythe, all hys grym ost
In rewle and aray redy to fyght.

Agamynon hys grekys graythyt to feld :
Twenty batels full bold of byg men of armys,

6312 And sex other besyde, all of sure knyghtys.
Patroclus, f e proud kyng, put to J?e first,
With all fe folke, fat hym folowet, and fel

other moo.
Achylles choise mew cheuyt hym with ;

6316 Hym-selfe fore to no fyght for hys fel wondys,
But lay in hys loge, lechit hys sores.

AGAMEMNON ARRAYS THE GREEKS. 205

Jris patroclus, be proud kyng, was full pure ryche, Book xv.

Of aunsetre olde, abyll of kyn,
6320 Wei manert & meke, myghti of pupull.

Achylles, be choise kyng, cherist hym mekill,

And louyt hym no lesse bew hym lefe seluyn.

Jjay were so festenyt vfith faythe, & wythfyn loue,
6324 ftat bothe J>aire saulis & baire self were set on a
wyll

And qwat so tendit to be totheris was all.

The secund batell, forsothe, assignet was pen The second

To Merion, a mody kyng, J>at mekull couth of £££i£ of MOO

•flrgpg knights, and the

Athenians under

6328 With bre thousond bro knyghtis, brepond in Mnestheus, was

led by Merion.

Arrays,
And Menestaus the mighty, -with his men of (foi. ss&.j

Attens.

To Atholapo, a tore kyng, takyn was the brid, The third
And Philmene, his faire son, fre in his hond, S^0™
6332 WiiJi all the company clene of comaynes command of

Ascalaphus and

pepull, — his 80n

Philomenes.

Wise men in wer, wight of hor dedes.

The fiburthe batell in feld, he fourmet to leng The fourth was
With Archelaus, a lede lyuely in armys, SStailDi

6336 And Prothenor, a prise kyng, with his pepuU ^S^went

holl : Segurda.

In the same was Segurda, vfitJi sad men & noble.
The fyfte, bat was fourmit of bo fuerse batell, The fifth was led
Was Menelay the mighty, with his men aU, by Menelau8-
6340 With the pepull of his prouynse, & his pert

knightes.
The Sext of bat sort, bat soght to be tild, The sixth was led

TIT i -i i by tne bishop-

V»as kyng byssnop the bold,, wit^ his buernes king,—

,. 1 1 Epistrophuo ; and

elle ; Schedius.

And Selidis, for sothe, soght in his honde,
6344 With all the here, bot he hade, highet hym

206

AGAMEMNON ARRAYS THE GREEKS.

Book XV.

The seventh was
led by Telamon,
who had under
him Theseus,
Araphimachus,
Diores, and
Polisarius.

The eighth was
led by Thoas.

The ninth was led
by Ajax Oileus ;
and the tenth by
Philoctetes.

The eleventh was
led by Nestor, <?O/?A
and the twelfth OOOU
by Henex.
(fol. 99 a.)

The thirteenth

was led by

Ulysses; the

fourteenth by

Arestes ; and the

fifteenth by £3(54

Eumelus.

The sixteenth was
led by

Protesilaus ; the
seventeenth by
Podalirius and
Machaon; and
the eighteenth by
the king of
Rhodes ,

(TIepoleinus).

The nineteenth
was led by
Oumplius ; the
twentieth by
Polypoetes; and
the twenty-first
by Amphimachus.

The twenty-
second was led by

The Seuent of the soum, pat I said ere,

Was Telamon pe tide, with mony tried knightes,

)?at suett hym from salerne, sad men & noble,

6348 With foure Erles in fere, fell men of wer, —
Theseus the tru, & tide Amphimake,
And on Domys, the doghty, doutid in fild,
With Polisarius the pert, of person full abill :

6352 Thes comyn with the kyng in his clene batell.
The viij ifreke, pat to feld fore witfi his batell,
Was Toax, a tore kyng, & tide of hond.
The ix of the nowmber, to nem pom full euyn,

6356 Was Aiax Oeliws, with od men to wale.

And Philoc, the fell kyng, fore with the tenth.

Nestor, the noble Duke, an old man with all,

The xi with odmen auntrid to fild.

The xij vnthwyuond, pat twyet not in fight,

Was Maumbert mayn son, mightfull Henex.

The xiij thro batell prong with Vlixes,

That past to the playn with proud men of

armys.

The xiiij to pe fight fore with Arestes.
Humeliws, the hasty, highit with the fyftene.
Protessalous proud son presit with the sextene,
ifor to dere for the dethe of his dere fader.
Polidari?<5, the porknell, and his pere Machaon,
Suet with the xvij, sad men & noble.
The riche kyng of the Rodes raiked with

the xviij,
With fell men in fight to the fild past,

6372 The xix of the nowmbur a nobill mon toke,
One Gumpliws a gome, pat mony grekes led.
And Philoc the freke fore with the twenti,
Jjat of Larris was lord & a lege kyng.

6376 With xxj auntrid abill men two, —

Amphimas, a fre kyng, and his fere Cepton.
With xxij vnthwyuond twyet to filde,

6368

THE SECOND BATTLE. 207

Dyomede, the derfe kyng, and doughty Celernis. Book xv.
6380 Eneus, the nobill kyng, fat neghit fro Sypris, S^SIwbi
With xxiij briuond, bronge to the playne. Kneus(Guneus);

and tlie twenty-

Procholus, a pn'se kyng, presit with another. fourth by

Procholus.

Now xxiiij fully are faren to be batell.
6384 Cupenor, a cant man, come with the next, — The twenty-fifth

The XXV fully, all Of fyn kllighteS. Agapenor; and

m-, f ,-, , T • j /. , the twenty-sixth

Ihe xxvj ot the soume, bat 1 said nrst, by Agamemnon.

Of bold batels & bigge, bat to bent come,
6388 Led Agamynon the grete, with grekes full mony,
And fore euyn to be fight, & the fild toke.

W hen the batell on bothe haluys were to bent
comyn,

ffor to fight in the fild, all fo fuerse pepull, (fo1' " 6°

6392 Ector the auntrus, ablist of knightes,

Was the first in the fild, fat to fight entrid, S^-^L

Toke his horse with his helis, hastid before, battle.

Gird euon to be grekes with a grete yre,
6396 ffrusshet to the forward, felly anon.

THE DETH OF PATROCLUS, BY ECTOR SLAYN.

Patroclus p0rsayuit, bat the pepull led, Patrocius saw

him dash towards

jpat was formast in fight with a felle speire. the Greeks, and

rushing on him

He auntrid vpon Ector, atlit hym a dynt, with a great

6400 With all the forse of his fole & his fuerse arme ; through'shieid

He shot frough the shild & the shene maile, S^Ju*"11

To be ynmast of his armur, angardly fast ;

Hit neghit to J>e nakid, but no noy did.
6404 Ector for bat od dynt, ournyt in hert,

Wode for the wap, as a wild lyon ;

His speire into sprottes sprongyn was before,

But he braid out a brond with a bill felle,
6408 Carve euyn at the kyng & )>e crest hit,

Slit hym full slighly to be slote euyn,

J?at he dusshet, of be dynt, dede to be ground.

208

HECTOK AND MERION.

Book XV.

Hector dismounts
and attempts to
despoil the king of
his armour.

(fol. 100 a.)

Merion, with his
company,
rushes up to
prevent him.

They drive him
back, and try to
capture his horse;
but he baffles
them.

In a rage he
makes towards
llerion, and is

THE FFOLY DESYRE OF ECTOR.

When the kyng was kyld, cast to f e grene,

6412 His shene armys to shew shone in the filde.
Ector to fe erth egurly light,
The gay aimur to get of the gode hew,
That he duly dessirit in his depe hert ;

6416 And to spoile that spilt kyng he sped ferr.
His horse in his hond held by the reyne,
And come to f e kyng, fere the corse lay,
Wold haue Eobhit the Eenke of his riche wede.

6420 With the ton hond in the toile tyrnyt it oife :
But Merion the mighty with a mayn pepull,
With fre thousaund fro men f rong hym vnto.
In defence of the freike, fat on fild lay,

6424 To Ector in ernyst full angwrdly said :

" Nay, warloghe wolfe, in f i wode hongur,
Jjat neuer of forray art full, with f i foule vse,
The tydis not to taste of f is triet meite !

6428 ffor-hode the firke f i fode forto wyn !
Sone shall f ou se in a sad hast,
A C thousaund on horse highand f e to,
Thy/z hede forto haue, & hew f e to dethe,

6432 And put fe fro pwrpos, fi payn to encres !"
Sone, by the same kyng & his sad helpis,
He was borne fro f e body, backward agayn.
His horse for to haue, f ai hasted by-dene,

6436 And mony strokes, in fat stoure, fo stithe mei

hym gefe,

Till fe knight, vndwr knappis, vppon knes fell.
Then he stert vp full stithly, with his store

might,
Was on hys wight horse, for wepyn or other.

6440 ffbr all the grefe of f o grekes, & f e grete fronge,
Was no led might hym let, f of horn lothe were.
He meuit taward Meriou his malis to venge,
Wode of his wit, in his wan yre ;

HECTOR AT THE RODY OF PATROCLUS. 209

6444 But Glaucon tlio grete, with a grym batell, Book xv.

Theseus, f e tore kyng, t?frnyt hym agayn, rescued by

-,-„- ., 7 •••-««-. T i Glaucus.

\Vitn uj. M. fro men fronge hym aboute,
And socurd the same kyng with hor sad helpis.
6448 But the first of J?o freke* fat he fell to,

Was Archilacus, a choise kyng, hym cheuit The Dethe of
full ille : Archil*™ by

Ector Slayne.

The buerne, -with his bare sword, bere hym to

dethe,

J?at he felle of his fole flat to f e ground I
6452 Mony on he martrid at the meane tyme I

The pruddist, fat hym preset, plainly he slogh. (foi. 100 6.)
Breme was the batell on the bent fan \ The battle rages

. fiercely ; yet

Mony stithe, in the stoure, stale fro fere lyues. Hector alights to

0AKf tr i -c< i £L a-iTL j. despoil Patroclus;

6456 Yet .Lctor> eitsones. ettiilit to assay,

And Patroclus proud geere preset to haue.

He light doune full lyuely, lettid he noght,

And bounet to f e body, fere the buerne lay.
6460 Jjen come fere a kyng with kene men of armys,

Idymynws, full dernly, & dressit hym to, idomeneus and

•TO-.,, , . . Merion with their

VV ^t/i two thowsaund fro kmghtes, & fronge men throng
hym aboute: ^^^

And Myrion, fat I mynt, with his men all.
6464 Thay preset so the prmce with power of knightes,

J?at f ai warnit hym his wille, & away put :

But fele dynttes he delt, & to dethe cast,

And other weghis hym with woundet the grekes.
6468 "When he segh fat hym-selfe was set vppon fote, seeing himself

And so fele of his fos fuerse hym aboute,

All horset but he, & on hegh set,

He aforset hym felly with his fyn strenght ;
6472 Gird to the grekes in his grete yre.

Mony woundis he wroght, weghis to dethe ; slashes rigi.t and

lea, till lie makes

Hondes ot hew heturly fast ; way for himself.

Mony foteles freike of his fell dinttes ;
6476 ffele horses w/t7i his hond hew he to dethe,
14

210

HECTOIi IS SURROUNDED,

Book XV.

Merion presses to
the body of
PatroeluR, and
bean it to his
tent.

The Greeks BO
press around
Hector, and
attempt to capture
his horse, that it
is impossible to
remount.

(fol. 101 a.)
A faithful sen-ant
of the prince
strikes down the
knight Carion,
and another :

tlien calls on Hie
Trojun knights
to rescue their
leader.

G480

6484

6488

6492

6496

6500

6504

Synaljor, u natural 6508
brother of Hector,
with his company
dashed upon the
Greeks ; slew
thirty of them ;
and succoured
Hector.

Till all shent fro fat sheiie, & f e slialke leuyt !
So he rid hym a rowme in a rad hast,
Of f o tulkes, with tene, fat hym take wold.
Than Merion, f e mody kyng, fat I mynt first,
Presit to Patroelus in place fere he lay,
Braid vp the body on his big horse,
And so the freike hym before ferkit to his tent.
Now the grekes with grem gedrit vnto Ector,
His horse for to haue, & hym away lede.
Thay caupit at the knight, kene men of armys,
j?at the wegh on no wise might wyn on his horse.
In fat company kene was a knight noble,
That Carion was cald by his kynd nome,
ffull ernestly with Ector auntrid to fight ;
Gaf hym dinttes full dedly, & derit hym mekill.
But a souerain seruand of J>e same pn'nse
Segh his maistwr at mischefe amonges his fos ;
Two speirus full dispitus he sparet to cast,
J)at fuerse were before & of fell bite.
At the knight Carion cast he fat one,
As he mellit with his maistwr, merkit hym euyn,
Hit hym so hittwrly with a hard dynt,
Jjat he gird to fe ground, & fe gost yalde.
J)en anof er, fat was next, noyet hym alse,
Mellit with his maistwr at f e mene tyme,
The tother speire, fat he sparit, spent vpon hym :
Brochit hym f rough f e body fat f e buerne swalt.
Then criet he full cantly f e knightes vpon,
And the tyde men of Troy, with a tore steuyn,
In hast for to hye to fere hed praise,
J)at in perell was put in plite to be slayn.
jpen Synabor, forsothe, with a sad pepull,
Neghit to f e note, — his natural! brother ;
He come to f e crye with a cant will,
And gird to the grekes mony grym dynt,
ifelled mony fuerse men with his fyne strenght,

BUT CUTS HIS WAY OUT. 211

Made wais full wide, wan to his lord, Book xv.

Halpe hym full hertely, hurt of his fos ;
Gird horn to ground, & to grym dethe.
6516 Thretty of f e freest he fronge out of lyue :
Mony weghis he woundit & warpit to erthe !
}5en the troiens full tyt tokyn fere hertes, The Trojans tima

ffell of hor fos With a frike wille, heart and drive

/»ern/\ n L i M.T i j. the Greeks back.

B520 Getyn fere ground wtt« a gret strenght,
And frusshet fere fos fer vppo backe.
ifuerse Ector was fayn of his fvn helpe, Hector remounts

A J J -u t, i,- -u his horse, and

And as wode as a wild bore wan on his horse. (foi. 101 &.)
6524 He shouuyt furgh his sheltrum, shent mony On the enemy,

, cuts them down

grek.eS, on all sides.

And mard of f o men, out of mynd fele ;

Gird hom to ground witJt mony grym hurt.

All fat met hym -with malis in f e mene tyme,
6528 Auther dyet of his dynttes, or were ded wondit.

The grekes, for f e greuawnce, gyuen hym f e way, in terror they

ffled all in fere, ferd of hor dethe.

Mony batell he broke, myche bale wroght,
6532 All his wedis wex wete of hor wan blode :

J?en found he no frekes to fraist on his strenght,

Ne non so derfe to endure a dynt of his hond.

Then Menestaus, f e mighty, with his men hole, Menesteus, Duke
6536 The Duke of Athens full derf, drogh into batell, MS division joins

ITT M. i i ^1 j i t • j • battle with

With f re thowsaund fro men, f riuond in armys,

And other folke full fuerse, fat the freike hade. Troiius, M

He launchit in o f e left side with his ledis all, xantipp'us.

6540 There Troiius the tried, twrnyd to fight
~Wit7i the frigies fell, fat f e freike lad,
)3at myche greuazmce & grem to f e grekes did ;
~With Alcanws, a kyng, a kid man of strenght,

6544 And Machaon, the mighty, with his men all :
Xantipws the same batell sothely was fen.
There mynget f ai fere men, machit hom to-gedur;
Mony dedly dint delt hom amonge !
14*

I'll'

TROILUS IS CAPTURED.

Book XV.

6548

Trotlus is un
horsed, bat still
fights bravely.

6552

Menesteus and 6556
his knights sur
round him.

(fol. 102 a.)

He is captured 6560
and led away to
their tents.

But Misercs calls

upon the Trojans

to rescue Troilus, 6564

or be disgraced.

6568

6572

Alumus, with a
great spear,
presses after the
Greeks, who
guard Troilus.

Big was the batell vpon bothe haluys,

And myche slaghtur in slade, & slyngyng to

ground !

Troilus, in the toile, turnyt was of hors,
ffaght vppon fote felly agayne :
Mony woundit the wegh of his wale fos.
Menestaus, the mighty, mainly beheld,
Segh Troiell in toile, & tynt had his horse,
ffoght vppon fote in f e fuerse batell,
And myche harrne with his hond happit to do.
Then aforsit hym the freike vritk his fuerse

knightes,

Troilus to take and to tent lede.
Presit hym full prudly vrith his prise folke,
Halit hym fro horse fete, & in hond toke.
Then he led hym furthe lyuely, and his

hade.

But a mon of fat mighty, fat Myseres was calc
To the frigies in fere felly he saide ; —
" Alas ! ledis of f is lond, fat ye lyfe haue !
Wherto bounet ye to batell in your bright geii
Whethur worship to wyn, or willfully shame 1
Se ye not the sun of youre sure kyng,
With torfer be takon, & turnyt away 1
If ye let hym be led furthe, your lefe haue ye

tynt,
And of sham, fat be shapyn you, shent be

neuer.
Mellis you with mo?zhod & might of yoi

seluyn,

To Restore the rynke in a rad hast,
Er he be led out of lenght, & lost of your sight,
And past fro your pouer thurgh the prese hoge!"
Then Alcanus, the kyng, kyndlit in yre,
Gird after the Grekes, with a grete speire,
Jjat Troilus hade takon, hym tenyt full ylle.

THE RESCUE.

213

So he frasshet to a freike, fat the fre led,
}5at sodeiily he seit doun, soght out of lyue ;

6580 And aiiof er, anon, he nolpit to ground,
Shent of f o shalkes, shudrit horn Itwyn.
So fuersly he fore, and freikes fat hym halpe,
J)at Troilus was takyn, & turnyt furth louse,

6584 And don out of daunger for the due tyme.

The freke fen in fuerse hast ferkid on horse,
Grippit to a gryin sword, gird on his fos,
ffor to comford the kyng, fat hym caght hade.

6588 pis Xantipus soght forth with a sad dynt
To Mynestaus with might, & f e mon hit,
That fe freike hade ben fay but for his fyn

armur.
Then Menestaus mowrnyt, & mykell sorow hade,

6592 That Troilus, f e triet, was takyn of his hond,
And afforsit hys frekys to f e fight harde :
He gedrit all hys gomys in a grete hate.
J5e fyght was fel f o frekis betwene ;

6596 Mony derf, to f e deth, vndwr dyntes yode ;
Mony buerne on the bent byttwrly wondyt ;
Mony knyghtys were kyld to f e cold deth !
Ector was euermore Eger with-a]l ;

6600 Mony weghys in hys wrath welt to f e ground ;
Mony Slogh in f e slade f urgh sleght of hys hond;
And sore greuyt f e Grekys with his grete dyntys.
Menestaus f e mighty, fat mekill was in yre,

6604 ffor he faylit of f e freke, fat he first toke,
As he rod f urgh f e rout with his roid fare,
)3e troiens to tene with his tore strenkyth,
He met with f is Myseres at f e mene tyme,

6608 By qwoin he lost f e lord, fat he laght hade.

He knew hym full lyuely by colore of his armys,
And frunt euyn to f e freke with a fell spere,
Hurlet hym to hard vrthe vndwr horse fete ;

6612 But fe lede vppon lyue leuyt he fen,

Book XV.

(aeit — sied
dropped.)
Rushing upon
them, he scatters
them, and sets
Troilus free.

(fol. 102 6.)

Menesteus,
grieved that
Troilus had been
rescued, urges bis
men to be
revenged.

Menesteus meets
with Miseres, who
had rescued
Troilus, and hurls
him to the earth.

214

A FIERCE JIELEE.

Hupon and
HiripUus, with
their companies,
hie to the battle;
and are met by
Prothenor and
Archelaus with
their hosts.

Many fall on both
sides.

Polydamas, son of 6624
Antenor, drives
with his

company to assist
the Trojans.

Book xv. And nolpit to another, pat hym noiet at,

Gird hym vne to J>e ground in hys gret yre.
Jjen Hupon, J?e hoge kyng, highet to batell.

6616 With moiiy tulkys of troy, tryet in were ;
And Eripa also auntrid hym with,
With all pe ledys of Larris led horn betwene.
And fro J>e grekys com gyrdond agaynes )>o two,

6620 Prothenor, a pn'se kyng, & pert Archelaus,

With all }>e buernes of Boyes, bold mew of hond.
J5en pe fyght wex fell, & mony freke deghyt !
Sone after, forsothe, o j?e Cite halue,
Polidamas aprochit with a proud ost, —
Antenor aune son abill of dedys.
He segh J;e troiens so tore, & turnyt so J>ik,
All pyght in a place on a playn feld.

6628 Anon to anothir side naitli he dryuys,
(foi. IDS o.) With all ]?e here, J>at he hade, highit aboute,

And fell to J?e fyght witJi his folke hole.
]?en yssit furth also, yrfull in dedys,
Remys, pe Ryche kyng, with a rught batell,
And presit in prudly with a proud wyll,
And fell to J?e fyght with J?e freke alse.
J?ere was kyllyng of knyghtis, cnisshyng ol

helmys,

Bold mew bakward borne of hor horses :
Jjat assembly was sorer of J?o sad knyghtis.
Mony hurlit doun hedstoupis to J?e hard vrthe
Polidamus, )>e pert, presit vnto Merion,
)3at was auntrus in armys, Elan aune cosyn ; —
He was a duke in hys day, & for dere holdyn,
A 3op knyght & a ^onge, of 3eris but lite ;—
So he gird to j>at greke with a gryrn spere,

6644 jjat he seyt to J>e soile, & soght out of lyue.

Whew Menelay, |>e myghty, fat myschef beheld,
Myche sorow for J>e syght sank in his hert ;
He turnyt to fe troiens his tene for to venge,

Rcm us too, with a 6632

great body of

men, comes to

their aid : and

the battle becomes

fierce.

6636

I'olydamus

presses to Duke

Merion, and hurls 6640

him to the

ground.

Menelaus,
enraged at
Remus, rushes
upon him ;

THE DEATH OF CELIDUS. 215

6648 With all be bir in hys brest, for hys bale augwr. Book xv.
He raght vnto Remys with a ro id dynt, wounds Mm

Alto hurlit his helme, harmyt hym euyll, dashes Mm' to

Wondyt hym wykkydly, wait hym to ground. theearth-

6652 Half ded of be dynt, ]>er be duk lay !

Hys weghys all wend, for be wale stroke,

J)at be kyng hade ben kyld, & myche care had :

Non soght hvm to socore with no sad holp, His company

G656 But all pwrpost horn playnly to pas of be fyld.

Polidanias, p/'estly, be pupull gert lenge, Poiydamas rallies

, . Ihem, and urges

And warnet vppon all wyse his weghis to go, them to carry off
ffond with hor forse be freke for to wyn, their leader'

6660 Hurle hym fro horse fete, haue hym away,
Ber hym out fro Jje batell to be burgh euyn.
With myche wepyng & wo, weghis of his aune with grief they
Luggit hym out to be laund, lefte hym forded ; andftheiTieave'

6664 And fore agayne to be fyght )>aire feris to help. hirafurdea<1-

^

THE DETHE OP CELIDIS THE KYNG BY POLIDAMl/S. (fol. 103 6.)

Kyng Celidis, forsothe, semliest of knightes, KingCeiidus,-

All folke in bat filde, of fairhed he past, the kings,- "*

Of whom Daries, in his dytyng, duly me tellus pt>tydaSmasUand0

6668 All the shap of bat shone, in his shire boke : smites him with

a spear :

The qwene of femyne bat freike so faithfully

louyt,

More he sat in hrr soule ben hir-selfe ay.
This Celidis, forsothe, fought with a speire,
6672 Polidamas to put doun, & his pr/de felle ;

And he, wode of his wit for be wale dynt, but Poiydamas

... . smites him to the

Oorve euyn at the kyng with a kene sword, earth with a
Hurlit burghe the helme & the hed bothe,
6676 That he braid ouer backward & on bent light.

Honerable Ector, euer vppon-one Hector, who had

ffell of bo fuerse men, & burgh the fild rode : down and siaym*

•»r T-iiii-11 i i i all over the field.

Mony batels he broke, buernes he slough, cuts hlg way

6680 And made wayes full wide burgh the wale ost. to Thessalus>

216

HECTOR AND THESEUS.

Took XV.

leader of the
people of Salamis,
who had sorely
vexed the

Trojan*:

when Theuter
wounds him
sorely with a
spear.

6684

6688

6692

6696

(fol. J04 a.) 6700

Hector is
surrounded by
the Greeks, when
Theseus warns
him to leave the
battle.

Hector thanks
him coin teously.

Minolaus and
Tclinnon attack
Polydamas.

6708

6712

Jpen he soght to a syde, fere salame folke
Were fightyng full fell with the fuerse troiens,
"With Thessall the tried kyng, & hor true hede,
That was lord of f e lond, & the ledes aght.
This Thessall, in the toile myche tene wroght,
Tyrnit doun Troiens with mony toure dynttes :
Mony woundit the wegh, & warpit to ground,
Myche dere he horn did with dynttes of hond.
Jpen Teuser, with tene twrnyt to Ector,
Sparrit to hym with a speire spitusly fast ;
Woundit hym full wickedly in his wild yre ;
Hurt hym full hidiously, hastid away.
Ector richit his reyue, the Renke for to mete,
i!'or to wreike of his wound, & the wegh harme ;
But the freike for ferd fled of his gate,
ffrusshet jmrgh the folke forth of his sight.
Then for wrath of his wound, & for wild shame,
He gird to a greke, fat was a grym syre,
WitJi a swyng of his sword swappit hym of lyue,
And mony other martrid at the mene tyme.
A gret nowmber of grekes gedrit hym vmbe,
Hym tyte for to take, or tyrne vnto dethe.
Among all the meny was mighty Teseus,
]3at onestly to Ector Jms esely said : —
" Sir, buske fro the batell er you bale worthe,
Lest you happyn with hond here to be slayne :
Of soche a mon were a mysse Jmrgh the mekyll

world."

Ector full onestly fat onerable fanket :
And yet the batell on bent was breme to behold !
The Troiens with tene twnyt to the grekes.
Polidamas, with -prise, prestly can fight,
With his Enmeis full egurly, euer vpon-one.
Menelay the mighty, in the mene tyme,
And Telamon, the tore kyng, tally to-gedur :
To Polidamas J>ai preset all in pure angttr,

HECTOR RESCUES TOLIDAMAS. 217

6716 The freike for to felle, & ferke out of lyue. Bookxv.

Telamon hym tacchit on with a tore speire, Teiamon, with a

, , , ., i-i great spear, bears

Bare hym downe backward with, a bir hoge, him to the

Preset hym with payne, & with proude strokes, STSS^Si
6720 Tokyn hym fuU tyte, f of hym tene thoght. JS^

Broken was the blade of his big sword,

His helme of hurlit, & his hed bare.

)5ai led hym furth lightly, f of hym loth thught,
6724= To the tentes full tomly, f aire entent was.

But Ector, as aunter fell, euyn was beside, But Hector,

dashing upon

Segh the grekes vrith f «t gome gedrit full f icke ; those who

. guard him,

The prtse knight put doun the pepull among, hurls them right
6728 Takon with torfer, hym tenyt full euyll.

He hurlet forth vnhyndly, harmyt full mony,

Of f e ledis, fat hym led, luskit to ground ;

Made waies full wide, wan to the knight,
6732 And xxx in the throng thrucchit to dethe ; cuts down thirty

of them;

The remnond full radly rid hym the gate, puts the rest to

fflagh all in fere, and the freike leuyt. rescues the

He highit of fere hondes, and his horse toke, pn*foi!rio4 j».)
6736 Wan on hym wightly, & of woche past.

The kyng Bisshop the bold, byg Menelaus,

And Thelamon the tore kyng, with theire tite Meneiausand

Telamon collect

batelS, their forces, press

11, IT, • 11 the Troians

All assemblit on a sop in a sad hast, furiously, and

6740 And fell to the frigies in a fuerse wille. JXJ"11*0

J?ai foghton so felly with the freikes fen,

Derit horn with dynttes, delt mony woundes,

Hurlet horn on hepis, hurt of hor knightes,
6744 fferket horn to flight fuersly by-dene.

All-j>of Ector was on, fat odmony slogh,

And wonderfully wroght wtt7i wepyn at the
tyme,

Hym-selfe might not suffise to fat soume hoge. Great deeds
6748 His horse, in fat hete, was hurlit to dethe, Hector: but MS

And he foght vpon fote with fo felle grekes,

218

THE TKOJANS FLEE.

Book XV.

Although on foot,
he holds the
Greeks at bay.

6752

His brothers

missing him

assemble and

agree to search ft 7 K £

for him.

They dash
through the
ranks, and wound
Telamon.

Dyuadorus hurls
I'olixenus from
his horse, seizes
it, and leads it to
his brother
Hector, who
quickly mounts.

(fol. \Cba.)

6760

6764

6768

6772

Deiphobus leads

on his archers,

who hurt and slay

many of the K.T7R

Greeks. 91 99

6780

Deiphobus
wounds Theuter
in the face.

6784

Wore hyni full wightly, & myche wo did :
AVas non so bold in fat batell, of f o buernes all,
fforto deire hym with dynt, ne fe Duke touche,
Ne negh hym with noy, for nolpis of his hond.
His nobill brother natwrile nemly persayuit,
Jjat f e troiens in the toile had turnyt f e backe,
And segh not fere souerain, f aire sorow was J>e

more,

Wend fere lord hade ben lost, or of lyue broght.
Jjai assemblit on a sop sone vpon-one,
ffrusshet to f e fight, f e freike for to laite.
ffull bremly f urgh the batels f e buernes can pas,
And wan to fat worthy, fat in woche stode ;
Telamon, the tore kyng, f ai tenfully woundit,
Gird mony to f e ground of the grekes felle.
Dynadron, a derf knight of his dere brother,
Preset to Polexuma, fat hade a proude stede,
Gird hym euyn to f e ground, grippit his horse,
Raght to fe Eeynes, ricchit horn belyue,
Broght hym his brother, f e best vpon erthe,
And he launchit o lofte with a light wille.
All the nobill anon, — f o natMrill brether, —
Wonderfully wroght wz't/i wepyn in hond,
Gird doun of the grekes vnto giym dethe,
And stird horn in the stoure stightly vnfaire.
Then Dembus drogh negh with a derfe pepull,
J)at by ordynaunse of Ector was etlit to hym ;
The pn'se folke of Poyeme presit hym after,
Bowmen of f e best, big in hor armys,
Myche greuazmce & grem to f e grekes did.
Mony woundit f o weghis & warpit to ground,
Mony shalke f urgh shot with fere sharpe gere,
And myche hyndrit the hepe with fere hard shot.
Dembus the doughty, with a derfe wepyn,
Tachit vpon Teutro, a full tore dynt,
Vne fourme in the face foule to behold.

THESEUS SAVED BY HECTOR.

210

)?en the troiens, full tite, tokyn fere hertcs

ffelly vnto fight, fat were fled er.

ffull stithe was fe stoure for f e strifFe new ;

6788 Mony bold on the bent brytont to dethe ;

Mony lyue of lept with lasshyng of swerdis !
As Theseus, the tore duke, the troiens anoyet,
And inony fell of fe folke, with his fuerse wepon,

6792 On of Ector owne brether, fat I erst neuenyt,
And Modernus, the mayn kyng, on Jte mon set.
Theseus fai toke, J>of hym tene foght,
And wold haue slayn hym in f e slade sleghly
anon ;

6796 But Ector aurthwart fis auntrid to se,

Bade horn leue of lightly, let hym pas forth,
WYtAouten hurt owfer harme, hast hym agayn :
And so he kyd hym. counaell of kyndnes before.

6800 At biddyng of fe bold, fe buerne was rescewet,
He launchit furth lightly, & fe lede f onket,
Gird furth to f e grekes with a glad chere,
And Ector euer more egerly Jjonket.

6804 Then fe kyng of Calsidon com. into batell,
Toax, a tide rnon of fat of er side,
And Philote, a fuerse kyng, with a fell power,
A. grete nowmber of grekes with a grym fare.

6808 Toax, in his tene, with a tore speire,

Caupit to Cassibilan, f e kynges son of Troy, —

On of Ector aun brether, fat I er said ;

And f e lede on lokond, hym launchit to dethe :

6812 ffor whose dethe the Duke moche dole folit.
As wode in his wit as a wild bore,
Gird euyn to the grekes in his gret yre,
And mony knight doun kyld in his kene hate.

6816 Sum wondit full wide, wait to fe ground ;

Swn hurlit to f e hard yerth, & on hede light ;

Sum f e lymes of lop, sum j?e lyf tynt ;

And myche wo in his wodenes wroght at J?e tyme.

Book XV.

Theseus is
attacked by
Modernus,
and a brother of
Hector.

They are about to
slay him, when
Hector bids them
let him alone.

He thanks Hector,
and dashes off to
the Greeks.

(fol. 105 fr.)

Thoas and
Phylotas with a
great number of
Greeks enter into
battle.

Thoas engages
with Cassibilan,
and slays him.

Hector, enraged
at the death of his
brother, attacks
the Greeks more
fiercely ; wounds
and slays many
of them ;

220

NESTOR RALLIES THE GREEKS.

Book XV.

and puts them to
flight.

Nestor comes to
their assistance
with 5000 men,
and the battle is
renewed.

The Greeks
surround King
Philon, and are
about to slay
him ; bnt Esdras
and lacomaa
rescue him.

ffol. 106 a.)

Hector and his
natural brothers,
with Deiphobus
and Polydamas,
sorely press the
Greeks;

and would have
put them to
flight, but for
Menelaus and
Telamon.

6820 So fuersly he fore in his fight fen,

With other helpe fat he hade, his harmys to

venge,

jpat fe grekes gyuen bake, & the ground leuyn,
And were forsit to f e fight or f ai fay worthit.

6824 }3en gird in on fe grekes half with a grym fare,
Nestor, the noble duke, with a new batell
Of v thousaund fuerse men, & felle to f e stour,
j?at raony warchand wound wroght on hor fos.

6828 ffull tyte fro fe toun twnyt hym agayne,
Philon, a felle kyng, & his fere Esdras,
)3at shot furgh fere sheltruns & shent mony

knightes.
This Philon, in fight, mony freike slogh.

6832 J)en the grekes with grym gedirt hym vmbe,
Wold haue kyld the kyng with a kant wille ;
But on laconms, a loly mon, as the gest tellis,
To Esdras, in ernyst, egirly saide : —

6836 " Se Philon, the fre kyng, is wzt7i his fos takon :
High we vs hastely, help hym away !
Let vs reskew the Eenke, refe hym his fos ! "
Jjen the Troiens, \riih tene, tidely f ai faght ;

6840 Sore greuit the grekes, gird horn abacke ;
Wonen to f e wale kyng, & away toke,
Wit^outen hurt, other harme, in a hond while.
)3en Ector Eftersones entrid agayne,

6844 With the noble men, fat I neuenyt, his natwrill

brether,

And Deffebus the Duke, dughty of hond ;
Polidamus, the pert knight, preset in als.
Thes wonderfully wroght in hor wale strengbt,

6848 With fere company clene of kyd men of Troy,
J?at the grekes, of f e ground, gird were anon,
fflagh fro the frekes, & the fild leuyt ;
But Menelay the mighty, & the mayn Telamon,

6852 So sturnly w/Wstod -with faire strenkyth holl,

AJAX BRINGS UP THE RESERVE. 221

)?at be troiens tite tynt of hor p?^?*pos, Book xv.

And were foghtyn with felly, folut no lengur.

Jjen entrid Eneas, egur to fight, ^neas and

Euphorbus bring

6856 With the comyns full clone in a close batell, assistance to the

111 J.T- i j r. j. T i f -J Trojans, and the

)3at were led by the lede, ]>at 1 leie saide, — Greeks are driven
EuforniMS the fuerse, bat was a fyn sqwier.
With bes, Ector & other, so odly bai foght,
6860 That the grekes gaf bake, & baire ground leuyt.

J?at Aiax the auntrus, bat angardly wroght, Ajax, sorely vexed

. on account of this

W ith mekill sorow pifl segh in his sad yre. defeat, orders up

i-r -i i • • t i , . •, the reserve :

He lokit back on be bent, Ipere be buernes were,
6864 Segh soppes of sad men in a soum hoge,
J)at neghit no note, ne no noy feld,
With baners on brede, & bold men of armys,
]5ere all be grete of be grekys, & be grym

knyghtys,
6868 And be chose of hor chyualry, was chargit to

lenge.
Jjen he said to bo souerans, bat be saut lefte ; — checks and

encourages those

" Abide, buernys, on bis bent, buskys vs ferre ; who fled; and

, , . „ the hattle is

Here seches vs socoure m a sad haste ! renewed.
6872 }?en gird in be grekys with a grete wyll,

Eestoret be stithe fight stalwertly ben. (foi. ioe 6.)

Eneas to Aiax angarely rode, Ajax and .Eneas

. , , , . , , , , ., , n rush together ;

And he keppit hym cantly with a kene spere, and both are
6876 J3at bothe were bai bakeword borne to be grene.
Jjen gyrd in be grekys syde w^tA a grym pupull,
Philothetes, a freke, with a freshe batell, pwioctetes, with

])at kyng was of Calsidon, — a kid mon of were, —
6880 With iij M. bro knyghtis bronge into prese,
Jje troiens to bis tynie tyd ay be bettur,
And be fairer of be fyght in be feld had ;
But bes batels so big, bat be buerne led, —
6884 Philoc be freke, bat I first saide, —

Tenyt the troiens with mony tore dintes,
And to put horn fro purpos, pynyt hym sore.

222

PAUIS AND ULYSSES.

Book XV.

He attacks Hector 6888
with a spear :
it is shivered.
Hector, uninjured,
strikes him to the
ground.

The Greeks,
to the number of
10,000, led by
Henex, Ulysses,
Eumelus, and
other kings, fall
upon the
Trojans, who are
nearly worn out :

but Paris with a
host of Persians
comes to their
assistance.

(fol. 107 a.)

G892

G896

6900

6904

6908

He kills the king
of Phrygia,
at which the
Greeks are much
grieved.

In revenge for fie

death of his

cousin, Ulysses 6912

clrivts at Paris

with a spear.

Missing him, he

kills his horse,

and Paris falls

to the ground.

6916

T.'oilus wounds
Ulysses on the
fare ;

6920

)je freke, with a felle spere frunt vnto Ector,
Jpat hit shok alto schyuers, & f e schalk lioll :
But Ector Aurthewert hyra Auntrid to hyt,
Jjat lie frunt of hys fol flat to f e ground,
Half ded of f e dynt, derit no mo.
J3en Henex, with hese men, happit to come,
Gird in with grekys, as a grym syre ;
Vlixes also, with angarely mony
Of tulkis of T?-aci, tor men of strenkyth ;
Humelius with liast highit horn after,
And all f e kyngis clene, fat comyre out of grice,
With x .M. fro knyglitis, fristiest of all :
}?es bounyt vnto batell & to bent droghyn.
"Wat schall tyde of f es troiens to f es tore pupull,
))at so were wroght of weghis before,
And so bysy in batell er f o bold come ?
j?en Paris aprochyt, fe Percians hy??i with ;
Radii on f e right syde Eakit he furth,
And bounet into batell with a brym will.
Vnto Frigie, ]?e fell kyng, he frusshit anon,
"With ]>Q strenkyth of his stroke & his store arme,
)2at ]?e kyng, to J?e cold erthe, cayrs out of lyue.
Jjen f>e grekys, for greme of }>e gay kyng,
Cliche dyn & dol for Jjat deth made.
Vlixes, his aune cosyn, angrit full sore,
To venge of fat vilany vili dissirit :
He put hym to Paris with a proude will,
Sparrit at hym with a spere spitusly fast.
He myst of fe mon with his mayn dynt,
But he hit on his horse, hurt hym full sore,
J)at he deghit of fe dynt, dusshit to ground,
And Paris, in J>e plit, pight vppon fote.
Troiell, fat tyme, was truly besyde,
Segh f e bold at his brother boun for to strike ;
He swapt at hym swyth wz't/i a sword fell.
Hit brake thurgh f e basnet to f e bare bed,

HECTOR ENCOURAGES THE TROJANS.

223

And fruiit liyin in f e fasc a full fel wond,

6924 })at f e blod out brast, & on his brest lyght.

J3e lede, for fat laith dynt, leuyt not hys horse,
But sound in his sadill, he his sete held,
Turnyt vnto Troilus, fat hym tenyt had,

G928 And wondyt hym wickydly in hys wale fase.
)?en f e troiens full tite had turnyt f e bak,
Had not honerable Ector, & his anne brethir,
Deffibus f e doughti, & f e derf Troilus,

G9 32 And f e nobill brethir natwrill, fat naitli wit^stod.
All f e day, with outyn doute, to f is du tyme,
Ector was Euermore Eger in fyght :
His aune batell full breme vppon bent leuyt,

6936 Hym selfe liuely o fe launde launchit aboute.
}3en he segh fat f e soume of f e saide grekys,
Were f e stithir in f e stoure, & strong?//1 of pupull :
He bounet to his batell, bode he no lengur,

6940 )pat fayn were in fere of f aire fre prmse,
)3at f ai had hym at hond & in holl qwert.
Then the lord to his ledis vpon lond said : —
" Now, bold men in batell, buske ye to fight,

6944 Haue mynd of f e malis, & the mykell harme,
Jpat vs wold happen to haue in a hond while,
And the grekes may vs gripe, & to ground bryng !
Therfore, feris, bes fell, fraistes jour strenght,

6948 Let your hertes be hoole, hold you to-gedur !
Bes frike on jour fos, fell of your dynttes,
Settes horn full sadly, sekir for to hit
With all f e might & f e mayn of joiir mekill
strenght ! "

6952 jjen he led horn forth lyuely by a law vale,
Raiked in full radly on f e right side,
There deghit mony derfe of f e due grekes ;
Miche slaght in fat slade of f o slegh knightes.

6956 Hit is wonder to wete of fe wode stoure,
What knights were kild vnto cold dethe !

and receives a
similar wound ic
return.

The Trojans
would now have
fled, had not
Hector and his
brothers rallied
them.

Hector, observing
that the Greeks
were stronger
and more
numerous than
the Trojans,
dashes off to his
own division,

(fol. 107 b.)

and incites them
to make a
desperate chargs
on their enemies.

224

HUMERIUS AND HECTOR.

Book XV.

King Thoas is
assailed by the
brothers of
Hector, in
revenge for the
death of
Cassibelan.

The Duke of
Athens comes to
his aid ; is sorely
wounded by
Paris,

(fol. 108 a.)

but succeeds in
rescuing Thoas.

Toax f>ot tyme Jnirght the toile rode,

J?at Cassibilan had kyld, the kyng^s son of Troy :

6960 He fell of J?e frigies with his fuerse dynttes,

And myche wo with his weppon wroght at f e

tyme.

Cassibilan kynd brether J?en )?e kyng segh,
Wonyn to J?e wegh in hor wode hate,

6964 Vmset hym full sone in a sop hole,

And gird hym euyn to pe ground in a gret Ire.
Brokyn was the blade of his bright swerd,
Hade no wepyn hym to weire fro Jjere wild
harinys ;

6968 The haspes of his helme were hurlit in sonder ;
All bare was the buerne aboue on his hed.
He hade lelly ben lost & of lyue done,
N"e hade J>e derfe Duke of Athens drawew hym to

6972 With fuerse men in fight, & fell to f>e stoure.
To Qw/«tilion the quern he qwithit a dynt,
Woundit hym wickidly, warpit hym to ground,
Dressit hym with dere to dele with another.

6976 j)en Paris, fie pn'se knight, with a pile sharp,

Rut hym in thurgh J?e rybbis with a roid wond,
j?at )>e duk for Jje dynt derit hym but a littell.
Toax in f>e toile out of tene broght,

6980 Wan hym wightly away wondit full sore.

Humerius wounds
Hector with an
arrow,

Hector, in a rage,
cleaves him to the
saddle.

THE DETH OF HUMERItfS BY ECTOR SLAYN.

As Ector rod thurgh }>e rout with his roid dyntra,
Miche greuanse and grem to J>e grekys dyd,
Humeriws J>e mighty, with a mayn bow,

6984 ffrunt hym e\\yn in f>e fase with a fyn arow.
J5e worthi at j>e wond wrathit hym sore,
ffore euyn to )>e freke with a fyn sworde ;
Hit j?e hathill o J?e hede in his hote angwr,

6988 And rent hym doun roidly ryght to fe sadill :
He bend neuer bow more, ne no buerne hurt,

THE TROJANS RE-ENFORCED. 2

But was ded of jje dynt er he doun lyght. Book xv.

J)en hastid on heterly, & a home blew. At the blast of a

f>f\nn •• -j i T.TJ. i. i, horn 7000 Greeks

G992 vij .si. said grekys sembht hym vmbe. surround Hector.

To Ector full egerly with enuy J?ai drogh,
fforto lache J>e led, or of lyue brynge,
And he were hym full wightly, wondit full mony.

6996 Mony derf to )>e deth of his dyntis $ode !
)3en he bounet fro batell, & fe bent leuyt,
Issit out of )>e ost angarely fast ; Dashing from

„, i • P i n i out the host, he

ffore euyw to his lader in a iurse hast, goestohisfatiier;

7000 Bad hym socore horn sone with his sure knightes ; Of the bravest

And he fore to }>e fyght with a fryke wyll,

With J?re Jjousond fro knyghtis Jjrong into Qreeks-
batell.—

ffurse mew, & fel, & of fyn strenkyth.
7004 Jjai gyrd to fe grekys & myche grem wroght,

Slogh horn doun sleghly in J>e slade moue.

Ector and Aiax auntrid to mete : Hector and Ajax

With -fyn spers in J?e frount frochit togedw,
7008 ))at aythir bakward was borne to J>e bare erthe. (foi. ios 5.)

Menelaus, a myghti out of mayn Troi,

With his wepyn he wondit, & warpit to deth.

Selidonas, a son of J>e self Pn'am, ceiidonus, a son

7012 Slogh Moles J>e myghty, a mow out of Oreb, Moles, cousin to

j?at to Toax, Jje tore kyng, was a tni cosyn.

Madon, a myghty kyng, — fe Medion was cald Madon strikes out

Of J?e grekys full gret, he gaf soche a dynt, noteTareek!

7016 J5at bothe his Ene out brast & on bent light.

Serdill, anojjer son of the same kyngis,

Slogh a grete of fie grekes, Jjat was a grym syre.

Margariton, a mighty of J?o mayn brether,
7020 Tachet vpon Thelamon, & tenfully woundit.

Famen, a fuerse of J?o fell children, Famen strikes

•n -j. L T-i T Prothenor to the

Jrresit to Jrrotheus & put hym to grond. eanh.

So all }>e noble brether natMryll of J>e naite kynge,
7024 Priam sons, J>e pn'se kynges pr^tly J?ai foghten,
15

22G

THE TENTS OF THE GREEKS PILLAGED.

Book XV.

Anglas presses
llnestheus, and
is severely
wounded.

7028

His brother 7032

Dyanor in revenge
unhorses
Mnestheus ;

7036

another brother
comes to his aid ;
and the three
would have slain
Mnestheus had
not Theuter come
to the rescue.

7040

Hector slays a
thousand
knights :

cuts down
Memnon :

and is wounded
by Mnestheus.

And mouybuerne in be batell broght vnto ground.
Anglas, the able kyng, antrus of dede,
To Menestaus mightyly, be maistwr of Attens,
He gird wz't/i a gret speire, greuit hym sore ;
And the duke -with a dynt derit hym agayn,
Jjat the viser & the ventaile voidet hym fro :
The noble kyng in the nase hade an euyll wound.
Then Dianior the doughty, fat be dede segh,
How his brother on the bent was blody beronyn,
He merkit to Menestaus wit7t a mayn dynt,
Jjat he hurlit fro his horse to be hard erthe ;
But the Renke vp rose wit/i a rad wille,
And foght vpo fote as a freke noble.
Anober brother of bo bold to be buerne rode,
And foght -with hym felly as he on fote was :
Throly the fire men throwght hym aboute,
The bold for to britton or to burghe lede ;
But manly he macchit horn vfith his mayn
strokes, — f

[ and anon he was succoured by the king Theuter. But Hector

then assayled them both, and without fault they had not escaped,
had not Ajax the strong and valiant knight haue come to the
reskue with a thousand knights, that he had in his company. Then
came on the King of Perse with fiue thousand knights, that Paris
lead ; and so did all the other Troyans, and made the Greeks
recule, and goe back by force. Dares writeth in his Boke, how that
Hector slew a thousand knights, onely in this assault.

Among all other things, Hector encountred the King Menon
before a Tent, and said to him : " ha, euill traitour, that thou
lettest me to take the armes of Patroclus : " and then he smote him
so great a stroke that he fell downe to the ground. And after
Hector alighted downe, and smote off his head, and would haue
taken his armes from him : but Menesteus letted him, and smote
upon Hector ouerthwart, by such force that he gaue him a great
wound, and went then his way without more tarrying, doubting the
fury of Hector. Then Hector went out of the throng and bound
up his wound, that it bled no more ; and after went in againe into
the prease, and slew in his comming many Greekes. And Dares
sayth, that after he had bound up his wound, he slew the same day
a thousand Knights, and there was none had courage to auenge him

t Fol. 109 is awanting in MS. See Note.

OF HIM THAT NOTES NOT HIS TIME. 227

against him, or defend himselfe, but he put them all to flight ; and Book XV.
the Troyans entred into their Tents, and pilled and robbed them, ~
and tooke all the best that they could finde.] Guido di Colonna :

(from The Ancisnt Historic of The Destruction of Troy. Sixth Ed. their tents are
London, 1636.) PillaSed-

Garments full gay all of grete furris, (foi. no0.

7044 Bright beidis & Brasse broght f ai wi't/j-all, MS.)

And voidet all as victors avauntage to haue ; ;F.h!T™jans .,

divide the spoils.

And euyn laiked as horn list, lettid horn noght.

ftat was duly the day & desteny wold, On this day the

7048 Jpat for euer hade ben ende Angur to voide ; haThadThe"

And f ai wonen faire wille neuer the werre aftur, ha^'consenied!"1

N"e neuer greke horn haue greuyt ne to grem
broght ;

But wirdis, fat is wicked, waitis hir avauntage,
7052 Wit/i ffortune so felle, fat is of fer cast.

All fat desteny wftA dole has demyt to falle,

Ay puttes of f e pwrpos, fat it enpaire shuld,

And ay ertes to f e end ordant before.

OFF HYM ])AT N01ES NOT HIS TYME WHEN GOD HASE
GIUtfNTID : BY ECTOR.

7056 And Ector of all men euyll hit dissayuet, Hector might

J3at his pepull, and his prouyns, & his pure hele, people* MS h'
Might soundly haue sauit vrith his sad strenght ; ^imse'if' "and
And all his fos in the fight felly distroyet, crushed'his

enemies.

7060 Doutles fat day, w^t/iouten deire aftur,
And all perels ouer put plainly for euer.
Hit is lelly not louable in no lede oute,
Of no wise mon to wale, when wirdes has
grauiitid,

7064 ffor to tary on his tyme, when hym tydes faire,
And put of a pwrpos, fat empaires after,
Or fat draghes to dethe, and deres at f e ende.
He fat tas not his tyme, when f e tyde askes, He that improves

7068 But lettes it deuly ouerdryve witA delling to opportunity,
noght,

228

HECTOR AND TELAMON-AJAX.

Book XV.

must not blame
his fortune when
evil belalls.

On that day-
great Hector
had the better of
his enemies, and

(fol. 1106.)
might liiive
vanquished
them:

but unfortunately
Telaraon-Ajax
encountered him.

Hector recognizes
him as his cousin-

Rejoiced at the
meeting, he
raises his visor,
and invites Ajax
to visit his
cousins in Troy.

Ajax excuses
himself for the
time, but begs
Hector to show
that his love for
him is real, by

Wite not his wirdis, pof hym woo happyn !

And he pat kepis not kyndly the course of his
heale,

But sodanly forsakes pat sent is of god,
7072 Hit shalbe gricchit hym pat grace in his greto
nede.

So happit hit here to pis hed pn'nse,

Honerable Ector, oddist of knightes,

That holly the herhond hade at his wille,
7076 And haue vttred his Enmyes angwr pat tyme ;

His worship haue wonyn, & his wille hade ;

And all his fos in the filde fuersly ouer-comyn.

Then it cheuyt pus by chaunse of pat choise

knight,
7080 )3at the sun of Exiona, pat was his sib mon,

And Telamon, pe tn'et kyng, pat was his true
fader,

}5at cald was be course of the kynges syde,

TelamoniMS Aiax truly to nome,
7084 That a mon was of might & of mayn strenght,

He auntrid hym to Ector ernystly with fight.

The stoure was full stithe of po stuerne knightes!

As pai fughtyn in fere with pere felle swerdis,
7088 Hit auntrid pat Ector, be aine of his speche,

Knew hym for his cousyn comyn of his Aunt,

And syb to hym-selfe, sewyng of blode.

He was glad of the gome, & o goode chere
7092 Yoidet his viser, auentid hym seluyn,

And said to pat semly all in sad wordis,

Prayond hym prestly, as his pure frynd,

Turne vnto Troy & talke with his cosyns,
7096 His honerable Em, & other of his ffryndes.

He denyet hym anon with a nait wille ;

His ledis for to leue hym list not as pen.

But he prayet the pn'nse with his pure hert,
7100 Iff he louyt hym, as he let to leue for pe tyme,

THE TROJANS ARE WITHDRAWN. 229

bat f e troiens in hor tenttes shuld tene Kom no Boot xv.

more, putting an end to

Ne dere horn with dinttes whille ]>at day last,
~Ne folow horn no furre, ne felle of hor pepull.
ben vnhappely hys best lie hastid to do, Hector grants tha

request; and,

bat angart hym after angardly sore, assembling his

Twrnyt hym to tene & all the tit Eewme. them^retire" '

With the tuk of a trump, all his tore knightes within the city-

7108 He assemblit full sone, & sad men of armys,
And comaundit horn kyndly, kynges & all,
To go bake fro fe batell, & buske vnto troy,
And mene hym no more, ne hor men kylle. (foi. 111 a.)

7112 The Troiens faire tore shippis hade tomiyt on The Trojans had

„ set fire to the

Hyre, Greek ships and

Wold haue brent horn barly, botis & other ; Tn^Lm,
Haue grippit the goodis, & the gomes qwellet, had Hectornot

recalled them.

And no lede vpon lyue left in f e fild.
7116 But at the biddyng of fe bold, fat fe buernes led,
bai were assemblit full sone, & myche sorow hade,
Wentton to f e wale toun wailyng in hert, Sad and angry,

T7J.-JM.7 jj. T " the Trojans enter

Entnd w?t/i angur, and to fere Innes ^ode. the city.

7120 Thus curstly fat knighthode for a cause light,

Voidet fere victory for vanite of speche,

bat neuer auntrid horn after so ably to wyn ;

But f urgh domys of destany dreuyt to noght,
712-1 And ay worth vnto werre, as ye shall wete aft?<r.

230

xbj iSofte,

a &reto &aftjm tfoo
of tfte tfjrto iSatell.

In the morning
the Trojans arm
to assail the
Greeks.

(foL 111 &.)

But the Greeks
demand a truce
for two months : 7 1 40

which is granted.

The Greeks collect
their dead :

W en fortun wyth fell angur feftis on nond,
ffull tid in hire tene twrnys he J?e qwell !
"Wen Jses ffounet folk were faryn to toune,

7128 And entry d full Esely erdyng in sorow.

After settyng of J?e Sun Jjai Seyn to J>e ^ates,
Braidyn vp jjaire briggis, barrit horn fast ;
Iche Blnk to faire rest liichit horn seluyn,

7132 And esit hoin all nyght after jjaire deuyse.
"Wen fe day vp drogh, & fe dym voidit,
All Jje troiens full tit tokyn Jjaire armys,
That were hoole and vnhurt hastid to ffild,

7136 By the ordinazmce of Ector erly at morow,
To fare to J>e fight Jjere fos to distroy,
And make an end of \>ere note naitly fai

thoght.

But the grekes, in the gray day, graidly did send.
A message full myldly to J?e maistwr of Troy,
Of a true for to trete of a tyme short, —
Two monethes, and no more, J?o mighty dessirit.
Hit was grauntid agayn of }>o grete all ;

7144 Of Pn'am, & the pn'nse, & the pert Duke^.
Then the grekes were glad, gedrit fere folke,
That were brittnet in batell, broght horn to-
gedur.

DURING THE TRUCE. 231

Thai gird into graves pe grettist of astate, Book xvr.

7148 And beriet horn, bairly on hor best wise. some are buried,

All the Eemnond and Roke radly pai broght, burned"6 "

And brent vp the bodies vnto bare askis, —

Consumet the corses for vnclene aire,
7152 As the customs was comynly in cuntres of grece.

Achilles, the choise kyng, was of chere febill, Achuies bewails

the death of

nor Patroclus, his pere, pat put was to dethe : Patrocius.

Myche weping & wo, waylyng of teris,
7156 And lamentaciouw full long for loue of hym one.

He araiet for pat Eioll, all of Riche stones, He causes the

A faire toumbe & a fresshe all of fre marbill, and Protesiiaus tc

There closet he the kyng vppon cleane wise, ^tite™ go'ge°1'
7160 With Sacrifice and solempiiite vnto sere goddes;

And Prothessalon, the pert kyng, put in another,

"Wroght for pat worthy vppon wise faire ;

And Merion, the mighty, into mold put
7164 With soche worshipfull werkes, as pe weghis
vsit.

All the Troiens, on the tother side, while the The Trojans

, attend to their

tni last, wounded.

Helit pe?-e hurt men purgh helpis of leches.

By two monethes were my Idly niouit to end,
7168 Iche freike was fyn hole of pere fell hurtles.

Care hade the kyng for Cassibilon his son,

ffor he was noblist & next of his naite children, (fol- 112°-)

ffull tendwrly with teris tynt myche vr&tur, Priam mourns

7172 And mowrnet full mekull, for he pe mon louyt. cassibeian, who is

In Venus temple pe worthy, in a wale toumbe Tempie'o/venus.

He bereit that bold on his best wise.

Cassandray, the kynges doughtw?1, consayuit the

dole,
7176 Weping and woo, pat pe weghis made,

Sho brast out in a birre. & to be bold said : — Cassandra bewails

the sad fate of the

" A ! wrecches vnwar, woo ys in our hond ! Trojans, and

___ „ urges them to

W hy Sustayn ye pat sorow, pat Sewes for euer, ma^e peace with

232

PAIAMEDES AGAINST AGAMEMNON.

Book XVI.

the Greeks or
worse will befall
them.

Uy Priam's order
she is shut up in
prison.

Palamedes
murmurs against
Agamemnon ;

and thinks that
he himself is
more worthy to
be commander.

(fol. 1126.)

arrays the Crocks

7180 With care for to come, & cumbrans to all1}
Why proffer ye not pes, or ye payne thole,
And be done to pe dethe w-it/t dynttes of swerdes 1
This Cite and pe soile be sesit you fro,

7184 Ouertyrnet with tene, temple and oper ;

Modris pere rnyld childer with mowrnyng behold,
Be set vnder seruage & sorow to byde !
Elan was neuer honour auenant so mykell,

7188 Ne so precious of pn'se to pay for vs all !
So mony to be martrid for malice of hir !
All our lyuys to lose for lure of hir one ! "
When the kyng had consayuit Cassandra noise,

7192 He comaundet hir be caght, & closit full hard :
In a stithe house of ston stake hir vp fast ;
There ho lengit full longe, as pe lyue says.
Palomydon, the proud kyng, pn'se of the
Grekes,

7196 Made murmur full mekyll in the mene tyme,
Agamynon the grete was of no gre chere
To beire the charge as cheftan of po choise

kynges.
More syttyn he saide hym seluyn to haue,

7200 As Richer of Renttes, & Riollier of astate;

Held hym for no hede, ne wold his hest kepe,
ffor he Chargyt was for no cheftain, ne chosyn.

by hym

Ne of xxxtj other pro kynges, pat priuond were
all;

7204 Was non assentyd to pat souerain sothely but

thre,

Without ordinance of other only or assent :
But of pat mater was meuit nomore at pat
tyme.

When the tyme was ourtyrnyt, and pe tru vp,
7208 Agamynon pe grekys godrit in pe fild,

HECTOR AND ACIIILLES. 233

Armyt at all peses abill to fyght, Book xvi.

Araiet on a rout redy to batell. under the

Achilles the choise chargit to batell, Achiiies,

7212 And Diomede the derfe drogh next aftwr ; Men™ al^' and

Monelay the mighty meuit with the prid ; Mnestheus.

The Duke of Athens after auntird with the iiijrt.

pus ordant were all men angardly mony,
7216 In batels full big all boune to J>e werre,

ffaire yche furde folowand on other,

And past furth prudly into j?e plaine feld.

Ector, on the other side, egor hym selfe, Hector arrays the

Trojans, and gives

7220 Dressit for ]?e dede, deuydyt his pepull. Troiius command

Troiell, the tru knight, betakon was the first, division/
In his company to kayre mony kene buerne ;
Other batels full bigge, with bold men to ride,

7224 He araiet full Riolly by rede of hym seluyn.

Then the prinse with his power past to the lond,
And gird furth on his gate with a grym chere.
He met horn full monly with his mayn dynttes,

7228 And gird horn to ground & to grym dethe.

Ector to Achilles amyt hym sone, Hector and

Achilles meet

pat he knew well be course was his kene fo ; in battle : both

And he keppit hym kenely, and coupid to-gedur,
7232 That bothe went bakward & on bent lay.

But Ector the honerable erst was on fote,

Lepe on a light horse, leuyt Achilles, Hector remounts,

Breke Jmrgh batels, britnet the grekes, AchiUes on the

7236 Kyld mony knightes, kest horn to ground. ground-

Mony hurlet to J>e hard erthe & fere horse leuyt ;

Mony wonndit wegh fro his wepyn past !

So he hurlit horn on hepis with his hard dinttes,
7240 Till he was blody of fe buernes, & his bright (fui. m«.)
wedis.

Achilles also afterward rose,

Hit on his horse, hurlit into fight,

Mony Troiens ouertyrnyt, tumblit to dethe,

234

HECTOR AND ACHILLES.

Book XVI.

Again Hector and
Achilles meet.

Achilles is borne
down, and barely
escapes capture.

He remounts ;

aijain fights with
Hector ;

and is sorely
wounded.

Diomedes and
Troilus meet ;

and smite each
other to the
ground.
Diomedes
remounts, and
with a sword
bursts the helmet
of Troilus, who
kills Diomedes'
horse.

7244 And shot Jmrgh J>ere sheltrons, shent of J>e pepull.

J?cn auntred it eftsones fat Ector liym met,

As he fore Jmrgh the feld he ferkit hym to,

And aither lede full lyuely lachit vpon other,
7248 J3at his speire alto sprottes sprent horn betwene,

And he hurlet doun hedstoupis to j?e hard erthe.

Ector )>at od kyng auntrid to take,

But he was put fro his pwrpos wit7i prese of the

grekes;
7252 And reskewet full radly by renkes of his owne,

Achilles highit in hast, and on horse wan,

And auntred vppon Ector a full od dynt.

He hit on his helme with a heuy SAVord,
7256 J}at greuit hym full gretly, gert hym to stoupe ;

But in his sadell full sound f e souerain hym held.

Yne wode of his wit for the wale stroke,

He choppit to Achilles with a chere felle ;
7260 Heturly his helme hurlit in sender,

)3at the fas in the fell hast femyt on blode.

ffull big was the batell J>o buernes betwene !

Hade it last but a litle on fe laund so,
7264 Auther doutles had deghit of fo deife knightes ;

But other batels full big vppon bothe haluys,

ffrusshet in fuersly fo frekes betwene,

And depertid horn witJt prese of faire palo

dynttes.
7268 Jjen Diomede the derl'e drogh into batell,

With mony grekes full grym of a gret will ;

And Troiell with a tore folke iu rnyt hym agayne.

Boldly tho buernes bickryn to-gedur,
7272 That aither backward was borne & on bent lay ;

But Diomede full dernly dressit vp first,

And wightly for all the woo wan on his horse ;

Swynget out a sword, swappit at fat other ;
7276 Sundret the sercle of his sure helme.

)3at other freke vpon fote, Jrargh his fyn strenght,

TEOILUS CAPTURED AND RESCUED. 235

Diomedes dere horse vnto dethe broght. Book xvi.

And so the freikes on fote foghton to-gedur ! (foi. us 6.)

7280 But the grekes faire gay kynge getyn appoloft, Again they are

mounted and

And the Troiens fat tother on a tried stede. fight together.
Jjen foght f ai in fere with fere felle swordes,
And delt mony dyntte«9, f o doughty in fere.
7284 But Diomede in daunger duly hym toke,

And twrnyt with the Troien tomly away, Troiius is

Wold haue broght furth the buerne to his big Diomedes, and

, , rescued by the

tent ', Trojans.

But he was tarriet with the Troiens, & tenit full

euyll,
7288 And wernit of his wille, f of hym wo thoght ;

His pray fro hym puld, & his pepull slayn.

Then to batell was boune bold Menelaus,

Hurlit in hastely -with a hoge folke. Battle between

7292 "Wit/ioutyn tarying o fe tother side titly cam Menelaus and

-r-> - Paris.

Fans,
"With mony triet knight of Troie, & the toile

entrid.

So bycceret f e batells vppon bothe haluys,
And Kestoret with stithe men fe stoure was full

hoge !
7296 Mony doughty fat day deghit in the fild,

Mony wofully woundit, & wappid to ground !
There was crie of kenmen, crussing of wepyn,
All the bent of f o buernes blody beronnen !
7300 Ector euermore egerly foght, Hector makes

-T) i f ,_ -U ± 11 v -i 1-T.j. havoc among the

Breke of fere batell, britnet fere kmghtes, Greeks.

Mekyll greuit the grekes with his grete strenght,
And kild all to kold dethe, fat countridhymwt't^.
7304 There come launchand o f e lond a lyuely yong

knight,
Now made at the note, & nomet Boethes. A young knight,

Boetes, engages

lie auntrid hym to Ector euyn at the tyme, with him; and is

cloven to the

And f e mighty hym met with a main dynt ; navel.

23G

DEATH OF ARCHILOCHUS AND PROTHENOR.

Book xvi. 7308 Carve hym euyn fro the create cleane to f e nauell,
}?at he gird vnto ground & the gost yalde ;
And sesit hys sure horse & a seruand betaght.

Archilochus, to
avenge the death
of his cousin
Boetes, rushes on
Hector, and is
cloven down,
(fol. 114 a.)

THE DETHE OP AECHILACUS THE KYNQ, BY ECTOR SLAYN.

Archilacus, a choise kyng & cheftain of grece,
7312 Se his cosyn so kild & cast to fe dethe,
Wold venge o fat velany in a vile hast,
And ayres vnto Ector Angardly swithe.
The Praise hym persayuit & preset hym agayn ;
7316 With the bit of his blade he bobbit hym so,

Thurgh the might of f e mon & f e mayn strenght,
He clefe hym to f e coler, & the kyng deghit.

Prothenor
unhorses Hector;
but is soon after
cut in two.

Achilles, enraged
at the death of
his cousin
Prothenor,
collects the
Greeks, and
charges on the
Trojans.

The Greeks
break and flee to

THE DETHE OF PROTHENOR, BY ECTOR SLAYN.

Prothenor, a pert knight, preset hym ner,
7320 Set hym a sad dynt Sydlyng by-hynd ;

Vnhorsit hym heturly, er he hede toke.

But Ector in angwr egurly rose,

"Was horset in hast, hent to his sword,
7324 Preset to Prothenor in a proude yre ;

He mcrkit hym in mydward the mydell in two,

])at he felle to f e flat erthe, flote he no lengzm

Achilles fan auerthward f is auntre beheld,
7328 How Prothenor was perysshet, his aune pure
cosyn :

He angurt hym full euyll, & egerd hym with,

ffor the dethe of f e dere his dole was f e more.

)3en he gedrit the grekes with a grete yre :
7332 Of f o kynges, fat were kild, & of er kene mony,

Wold haue vengit of fe velany, & f e vile harme.

fren preset f ai full prudly, & pynet horn selfe.

The Troiens horn tenyt and tyrnit to dethe ;
7336 Wet horn with woundes, warpit horn doun ;

Greuit horn full gretly, gird horn abacke.

))en fled all in fere, & the fild leuyt,

THE GREEKS FLEE TO THEIR TENTS. 237

Turnyt to J>e/-e tenttes, J>e troiens horn after, Book xvi.

7340 Slogh horn in the slade, slang horn to ground ; their tents. The

Woundit horn "wikkidly, wait horn of horse. and cut them

))us neghet horn with noye, till J>e night come ;

Left horn for late, launch et to towne ; Night ends the
7344 Entrid in all somyn, euyn at hor wille ;

ffore to fere Innes, & Jms the fight endit !

238

tfrij 33ofte. <M tjje Counsell of tfte

tfje Jietfje of (£ctor / &

mjrt

(fo:. 114 6.)

Night.

7348

7352

Tlie Greek leaders
meet in the tent
of Agamemnon
to plan how they
may accomplish
Hector's death.

7356

7360

They have no
hope of taking
the city so long
as he lives.

Herkinys now a hondqwile of a hegh cas,
And I schall tell you full tomly how horn tide

aftwr !

When the day ouer drogh, & the derk entrid,
The sternes full stithly starond o lofte ;
All merknet the mountens & mores aboute ;
The ffowles fere fethers foldyn to gedur.
Nightwacche for to wake, waites to blow ;
Tore fyres in the tenttes, tendlis olofte ;
All the gret of the grekes gedrit hom somyn.
Kynges & knightes clennest of wit,
Dukes & derife Erles drogh en to counsell,
In Agamynon gret tent gedrit were all.
There only was ordant of Ectors dethe,
~With all Soteltie to serche opon sere wise ;
ffor sothely fai saidon, and for sure holdyn,
But Jjat doghty were dede & his day comyn,
Thaim happynt not the herhond to haue of

hor fos.

He was fully the fens & the fyn stuff
Of all the tulkes of Troy, fat hom tene wroght ;
ffuerse on his foes, fellist of other,
And dethe to the derfe grekes delt hym aboute.
Then by ordinawnce of all men, as abliste J>e?f ore,

THE FOURTH BATTLE.

239

7368 Achilles by ckaunse may chefe to f e worse,

And be dede of his dynttes, but if desteny let.

When this purpos was plainly putto an end,

Then partid the prinsis, and the pme dukes,
7372 Turnyt to fere tenttes & tarit no lengwr ;

And Eapit to fere rest, rioll & other.

When the light vp launchit, littid the erthe,

The derke ouer-done, and f e day sprange,
7376 All the grekes in hor geire gedrit to feld,

Were boun on the bent on hor best wise.

And f e stithest in stoure, sturnyst of knightes,

Honerable Ector, fat eger was ay,
7380 Euer waker and vnwar, wightist in arrays,

Past furth with his pepull fro the pure Cite :

ffore euyn to f e fild with fuersmen of Troye,

That hym self hade assignet surest of othir.
7384 Eneas aftwrward with abill men ynow ;

Paris fen put furthe with a proude folke ;

Deffebus drogh next -with a derfe pepull ;

Troiell, the tru knight, with a triet menye,
7388 And other, fat Ector had ordant before,

Suet furth to f e semely, as f ai assignet were.

The first of f o fuerse men, fat to fight past,

Was Ector, hym aune selfe, with odmen of troye,
7392 As Dares in his dytyng of his dedis tellis.

ffro the Cite, the same day, soght to J>e fild,

"With the prt'nse, to the plase, and his prise
brether,

& iij .M. thro men, friu-ond in armys,
7396 And v .M. fer, fuersmen & noble.

jjen gird thai to-gedur with a grym will !

The stere was full stithe ; fere starf mony
knightes !

Paris, w/t/i the perseans, presit in first,
7400 With his bowmen full bold bykrit with the
grekes.

Book XVII.

Achilles is chosen
to accomplish his
death.

Next day the
Greeks take the
field in their best
array ;

(fol. 115 a.)

and Hector lead*
out his chosen
band.

jEneas, Paris,
Deiphobus,
Troilus, and tlm
other Trojan
leaders follow,
each with his
own division.

The battle is
begun by Paris
with the Persians
and archers.

240

ACHILLES AND HECTOR.

Book XVII.

Agamemnon is
struck down by
Hector,

who is next set on
by Achilles ; and
has his helmet
broken.

Troilus and
.35neas rescue

7408

7412

Diomedes attacks
.iEneas; wounds

(fol. 115 6.)

him severely ; 7 ji /»

taunts hiiii j I T 1 0

and with a fierce
blow unhorses
him.

Hector rushes on
Achilles ; breaks
his helmet ;
wounds him
severely ;
but is stunned by
a blow when
about to capture
him.

Recovering, lie
strikes Diomedes
to the ground,

Mony woundifc tho weghis & wroght vnto dethe,
And harinyt full hogely with jiere hard shot.
Than Agamynon the grete gird into batell !

7404 Ector full egerly etlit hym to mete,

Gird hym Euyn to J>e grond with a grym hurt :

Halfe dede of j?e dynt Jwe J>e duke lay.

Than Achilles with a choise sword choppit to

Ector,

Alto hurlet the helme of j?e high prinse ;
But hym seluyn was safe, & his seate helde.
Than Troilus full tite, & tide Eneas,
Chefyn. to Achilles with choise men ynogh,
Hurlit hym hastely, harmyt hym full mekull,
Bere hym bak of )>e bent & his buernes all.
Then Diomede, the derfe kyng, drof to Eneas,
Woundit hym wykkidly, & to J?e whe saide : — •
" Now, welcum I-wysse, for J>i wale counsell,
J3at in presens of P/'i'am pursuet me to fle !
Wete hit full weU for )>i wyll febill,
If foil contynu by course, & cum into batell,

7420 You shall happyn in my handis hardly not faile,
And be ded of my dyntis for Jn dissire old."
j)en he drof to the duk with a dynt fell,
Vnhorsit hym in hast, had hym to ground.

7424 Ector eftirsons ettlyt on Achilles,

And greuit hym full gretly with a grym stroke,
Alto hurlit his helme, hurt hym full euyll,
Wold haue takyn hym full tit, but at tene fell

7428 A sad man full sone, fe sun of Theseus,

Segh Achilles myscheuyt, choppit to Ector :
With a swyng of his sword swagit on J>e pn'nse.
Ector, for fie stithe stroke stoynyt no thyng,

7432 Gryppit to his gode sword in a grym yre,
Drof vnto Diomede, fat deryt hym before,
Jjat hedstoupis of his horse he hurlit to ground.
Jjat Toilus in )>e toile fis torfer beheld,

THE BATTLE BECOMES GENERAL.

241

7436 Segh Dyomede -with a dynt dryuyrc to fote,

He lyght doun full lyuely leuyt his horse,

And dressit to Dyamede with a derfe chere.

J?e freke hym defendit with a fyn wyll,
7440 Were hym full wightly, and his woche past.

Achilles and Ector angarely faght !

Furse was f e fare f o fyn men betwene ;

But \er hastid on hond help vnto bothe,
7444 ~Wiih batels full byg, fat on bent met.

Jjen Menelay f e myghti, & mowly Vlixes ;

Palomydon, Philomytes, Philothetes f e grele ;

Neptolon f e nobill, & Nestor f e duk ;
7448 Theseus, & Thoax, & mony tryed knight ;

Menestaus f e myghty, & mode Girilius ;

Stellews, fe stythe kyng, with a sturne wyll ;

j?es gyrd in o J>e grekys side with a grym ost.
7452 On the tothir Side fro Troy turnyt in swith,

All J?e kyngis, pat were comyn by course of
fere helpe,

With ]>ere batels full big & mony buerne felle,

As honerable Ector hade ordant before.
7456 Hit is wonder to wete of J>o weghes pen,

How fell was fe fight of fe fuerse pepull !

How stith men & stedis were strikon to ground,

And mony derf fat was ded er f e day endit !
7460 Agamynon fe grete, & his gay brother,

Menelay with mayn macchit horn in fere,

And presit vnto Paris all with pale hate,

The duke for to deire & to dethe bringe.
7464 Menelay hym met with a mayn speire,

And woundit hym wickedly, warpit hym
doun;

But his armour was od good & angardly f icke,

And sauit fat Syre, socurd his lyfe.
7468 Then shamet f e shalke for f e shene Elan,

)3at he held in his hate fro f e hed kyng.
16

Book X

where he is set
upon by Troilus ;
but defends
himself bravely.

Achilles and
Hector again meet
and fight
furiously.

Menelaus,
Ulysses, and other
Greek leaders
hasten with their
divisions to
assist Achilles ;

(fol. 116 a.;

and to resist the
allied kings and
their divisions,
that had come to
assist Hector.

Menelaus engages
with Paris :

wounds him and
dashes him to the
earth.

Paris is ashamed.

242

THE FOURTH BATTLE.

Book XVTI.

Ulysses fights
with Aclnistus ;
strikes liim down,
and captures his
horse.

Polymetes kills
Hupon.

Neoptolcmus and
Archilochus
unhorse each
other.

Polydamas strikes
down Palamedcs.

Stcl'.cus fights
with Carras, and
unhorses him.

Pylspmenes
strikes down the
Duke of Athens,
and captures his
horse.

(fol. 1166.)

Philoctetes and

Remus are

unhorsed: so also 7488

are Theseus and

Kurialus.

The brothers of
Hector slay
many Grteks,
and wound
many kings.

Telamon fights

with Sarpcdon till

both fall to the 7496

ground sore

wounded.

Achilles and his
cousin Thoas fall
upon Hector, and

}3en Vlixes & Arest angurdly faght:
Vlexes gird hym to grond, grippit his horse,

7472 Sent hym by a serutmnd sone to his tent.

Polimytes, J>e proud kyng, presit vnto Hupon,
Wondit hym wickedly, warpit hym to dethe.
Neptolemws, the noble, nolpit to Archilagon,

7476 That both went backward & bult vppon the erthe.
Polidamas to Palomydon presit so fast,
J5at he gird hym doun grymly vrith a grym

wound ;
Spake to hym spitously, dispisit hym foule ;

7480 ffore vrith hym fuersly all in fell augur.

Stellews, the stithe kyng, stroke vnto Carax,
Hurlet hym of horse, hade hym to ground.
Philmen, the fuerse, 'with a fell dynt
Drof to the derfe duke, doughty of Athens ;
Hurlit hym doun hedlynges, & his horse toko ;
Raght hym full radly to a rynke of his owne.
Philoc with felle angz^r frusshet to Remo,
Till bothe welt backward of hor bare sadles.
Theseus, a tore kyng, tachit on Eurialon,
That aither wegh other woundit, & welt to IpQ

grene.
The noble brother natwrell naited ]>ere strenght,

7492 Mony woundit in wer wroght J>o pat day ;

Mony grekes, thurgh hor grefe, on }>e ground

leuyt ;

Mony woundit J>o worthy of Jjaire wale kynges.
Telamon, the tore kyng, \fith a togh speire,
With the kyng of Capadoys caupit so harde,
)3at bothe were )>ai bold men borne to J>o grene,
Woundit full wickedly in wer of hor lyues :
In the brest of fe batell ]>ere ]>e buernys lay !

7500 Jjen Achilles cherfull, & his choise cosyn
Toax, fat other, a tore mon of strenght,
Ayren vnto Ector angardly sore !

THE FOURTH BATTLE. 243

"W7t7i the strenght of hor stroke, & lior store fare, Book xvn.
7504 The lielme of his hede pai hurlit to peces ; wound him in

"Woundit hym wickedly with wepon aboue,
|?at pe Rinels of red blode ran doun his chokes. Hector in a rage

. strikes at Thoas

But .Lctor in angur aykeward he stroke, and cuts off hair

7508 Tachit vpon Toax, toke hym in the face,

He hade of pe halfe nase to pe hard chekes ;

And he, for dere of pe dynt, droppid on pe laund.

Jjen his noble brother natwrell neghit hym The brothers

-, , come to Hector's

aDOUte, aid; kill many

7512 Socurd hym full sone with paire sad helpis. JSj^f""

Mony grekes pai gird doun with pere grym fare ! wound Teiamon.

Kyng Toax pai toke, & to toun led ;

Telamon, fat tore kyng, so tenfully wondit,
7516 )3at he was borne on his brode sheld with
buernes to his tent,

As for ded of the dynt, dressit of pe fild,

And left halfe lyueles w/t/z- ledis of his aune.

Menelay vrith malys meuyt hym to Paris,
7520 )je freke forto felle fondit at all ;

But Paris, with a prise arow put into Venuwi, Paris wounds

•n , -i 1-1 i ,11-1 i Menelaus with a

Hurt nym so mdously, pat he his horse leuyt, poisoned arrow.

And was borne to his bare tent \vith his bold (fo\.wa.)

knightes,
7524 As for dede of pe dynt, so derit hym sore ;

But leches full lyuely lokid his wound ;

With oile and with ointment abill J? erf ore,

Bond it full bigly on hor best wise.
7528 And Menelay with malis meuit vnto batell, Menelaus having

rr< r. • i o i • -i i a is wound

lo venge on his velany & his vile harme ; dressed, again

Presit vnto Paris with a prise speire, attacks Paris>

Wold haue hurt hym full hidusly, or had hym

to ground.

7532 But Eneas come ouerthwert, as aunters befelle, JEneas separates
And Keppit the caupe on his clene shild,
ffor the buerne was bare of body vnarmyt,
16*

244

THE GREEKS DRIVEN BACK.

Book xvii.

causes Paris,
who was unarmed,
to be led into
theeity.

Hector rushes on
Menelaus, and
tries to capture
him : the Greeks
prevent him.

The Greeks are
put to flight :
night ends the
battle.

And so went he to wer wilfully hym selfe,

7536 )3at wist well the wale kyng, ]>at waited hym so,
To haue slayn hym full sleghly vrith sleght of

his hond.

Eneas eftir, with abill knightes mony,
Send hym to f e Cite for the same cause,
fibr marryng of Menelay at f e mene tyme.
J3en Ector come egurly, euyn vpon-one,
Merkit hym to Menelay, the mon for to take ;
But f e multitude was so mekill, ]>at marrit hym
sone,

7544 And put hym fro purpos with a prese hoge,
That he leuit the lede, launchit ahoute,
Gird doun of f e grekes grymly with strokes,
fFrusshit f urgh the frount, fell hom to dethe !

7548 Thurghe the pouer of fe pn'nce, & his pert

knightes,

Jjen fled all in fere, & the fild leuit ;
Turnit to fere tenttes with tene at fere hertis.
Thai sesit of J>e sute, fe sun was to rest,

7552 And turnyt to fe toune, taried no lengur 1

245

tfrnj* 33ofa of tfje ffjmet Batell in tfje ff etoe.

As hit happit of fes hynd, lierkyn a while ! (foi. 117 b.)

When the derke was don & the day sprang,

Thes kynges and knightes, kid men of arms,
7556 Were assemblit full sone in hor sure wedis. The Trojans are

Then Pn'am full plainly pwrpos hade takon, pTi&m determines

That no freike to J>e fight shold fare out of toun, ^^"J^,.

But yche renke take his rest right as hym liked. day-
7560 And of maters to mene in J>e meue tyme,

The kyng sent for his sons and souerains of He sends for

rp Hector, /Eneas,

-Lroy* Paris, Troilas,

Ector, & Eneas, and Alexsaunder Paris, SKSSr1

Troilus |>e tru knight, tristy of hond,
7564 Deffebus fe doughty, & derfe Palidamas.

When the knightes were comyn, Jms the kyng
said : —

" Wot ye not worthy, Jje wale kyng Toax

Is put in our pouer, our pn'son wz'tAin,
7568 J3at myche harme with his hond happont to do,

And ~wiih his pouer hath preset oure pepull to sle,

Oure Citie to sese and oure side londes !

ffor his hardines here, & his hegh malis,
7572 Hesholdhedonetobedethehydomysofright. — and proposes to

put Thoas to

To be hangit in hast, or his hede tyne : death.

Thus me semyth for certain, now sais me your
witte ! "

240

REGARDING TIIOAS.

Book XVIII.

^Eneas answered,
that such would
be a wicked deed.

In return for
which, the Greeks
might put some
noble Trojan to
death : it might
be one of Priam's
own sons.

That he should
be kept as a
prisoner for
exchange.

To this counsel
Hector assents.

Priam answered,
that the Greeks
would deem them
cowards : but he
would command
that Thoas be
kept as they had
proposed.

jKneas, Troilus,
and Antcnor go
to comfort Helen.

The[n] answard Eneas easely agayne : —
7576 "Lord, with your leue, fat were a laithe dede !

Syche a chaunse for to chefe choisly of you,

The noise of your nobilte were noyet for euer I

Syne he is gret of degre, groundit of old,
7580 And mony syb to hym selfe of souerans & other,

Ye haue ledis, fat ye loue, & lightly may happyn

Of your sons to be" sesit, or sum sib other :

}3en the grekes for grem in hor grete yre,
7584 Wold dight hym to dethe, your dole to increse.

Hit might sothely be siche on, as yowr self
nold

ffor mykill of fis medill erthe fat myschefe to se :

Therfore, sothely me semeth, sauyng your wille,
7588 Hit is bettur fis bold kyng in the burgh hold.

He may be chaungit by chaunse for sum choise
other,

)?at is takon of Troy, if hit tyde so ;

And the lure be f e les fen the lyfe tyne."
7592 Ector to Eneas egerly assentid,

And confermyt his counsell in cas for f e best ;

And lowet the lede for his leue speche.

Then Pn'am to f e pwrpos prestly can say : —
7596 " If we leue hym on lyue, & the lede kepe,

Oure fornen, in faith, for faint will vs deme ;

And hold vs vnhardy oure harmys to venge !

But, neuertheles, as you list, of fat lord wirke ;
7600 And, as yo counsell in the cas, I comaund be
done."

When this speche was sped, speke f ai no fferre.

Eneas to Elan Etlit to wend,

To se hir in sight, and solas fat fre.
7604 He toke vrith hym Troilus & trusty Antenor,

And went in full wightly into a wide halle.

There was Ecuba f e honerable, & Elan to-gedur,

With women of worship, the worthiest of Troy :

A THUNDER STORM. 247

7608 There segh fai fat semly, & with soft wordys, Bookxvni.
Comford hur kyiidly -with carpyng of mowthe.
The grekes for f e greucmnce & the grete harmys, The Greeks
ffor the tene, fat horn tyde, & tynyng of pepull, fates ; ana

. , account

7612 Made my che murmur & memt horn sore, themselves fools

As foils, fat folily hade faren fro home engag^m this

To put hom in perell to perysshe fere lyues ; war-
Myche gold & goodes vngraidly dispendit,
7616 With mony harmys, fat hom hepit of hor hede

persons,
And might haue lengit in hor lond, & f e lak

voidet.
The same night was a note, noyet hom all ; — A great storm of

thunder and rain

A thondir with a thicke Kayn thruolit in fe comes down, with

fierce winds.

skewes,
7620 Ouershotyng with shoures thurgh fere shene

tenttes,
As neuer water fro the welkyn hade waynit

before.

The node was so felle, with fallyng of Eayn,
Hit was like, hy the lest, as oure lord wold
7624 With water haue wastid all f e world efte :
So kene was f e course of the cold shoures !
And more greuit the grekes hy f e grym windes,
J?at wacknet so wodely, wait ouer the logges ; The tents of the

Greeks are torn

7628 Ouertyrnit the tenttes, teghit vp the ropes ; (foi.

And alto rafet & rent all the riche clothes. ovfrtuni'e<L

When the derke ouerdrogh, & f e dym voidet,
The stourme wex still, stablit the course ;
7632 The sun in his sercle sette vpo lofte ;
All clerit the course, clensit the aire ;
The grekes hor geire grippit anone, Next morning

the Greeks array

Bounet vnto hatell, and to bent droghe ! themselves for

7636 Achilles, of all men auntrid hym first,

ffore euyn to the fild with a felle pepull :
There Diomede the doughty, & derfe Menelaus,

248

EPISTUOPHUS, TEDIUS, AND HECTOR.

Book XVIII.

Ai-hilles slays tne 7640
king of Larissa.

Hector slays
Anthoneaa.

Diomedes slays

Aiitiplms.

Epistrophus and
Tedius set upon
Hector.

7644

7648

7652

Agamynon the grete, [&] f e goode duke of Athens.
With the kyng of Larris full cantly caupit

Achilles,
]2at he droffe hym to dethe wit?i the dynt of a

speire.

Antonews on Ector full egerly met,
But, er he past fro the pnnse, he was pale ded.
Then Diomede, the derfe kyng, deghit out of lyue
Xantipus, f e same tyme, fat was a sure kyng.
Two kynges fere come, fat were kyde brether, —
Epistafus f e pert was propurly fat one,
And Tedius, fat tothir,^-tyde men bothe :
Yppon Ector ernistly f os egir men set.
Ephistafus hym presit with his proude wordes,
As a ribold wiih reueray in his Eoide speche,
Sythen spurnithymdispitously with a speire felle;
But he hurt not fat hynd, ne hade hym to ground ;
N"e the deire of his dynt dasit hym but litle.

* Since yon love
filling so well ;
go, Hit e on the
dead! '

Tedius summons
a thousand
knights to avenge
the death of
Epistrophus.

(fol. 119 a)

Eagerly they
follow Hector
over the field,

THE DETHE OF EPHISTAFUS BY ECTOR SLAYNE.

Ector, wrathed at his wordis, waynit at the kyng,
7656 Jjat he gird to f e ground and the gost yald :

Jjen warpid he f es wordis in his wild hate : —

" ffor f on of flytyng was fuerse with frekes vppon
lyue,

Go dresse fe to dedmen, & dyn fere a while."
7660 This, Tedius the tothir full tomly beheld.

Gret pytie with payne persit his hert ;

ffor the dethe of fat dere doublit his sorow.

He cald of his knightes of clene men a thowsaund,
7664 That all hastid to fat hend hertly & mo.

He bade horn full boldly, for bale vpon erthe,

All folow to fat freke, fat his fere slogh.

On his broder bale dethe baldly to venge,
7668 All suyt on fat syre in a sad hast,

And laited aftwr f e lede with a light wille ;

THE FIFTH BATTLE. 249

Saght pai the sure pn'nse thurgh the syde hatell. Book xvni.
fforsit hym with fight, fellyn hym aboute, and at last

w/>™-> -f- i i i • i i i i i f , surround him.

7672 vnhorset hym in hast, hade hym to fote.

Tedius, the tore kyng, in a tene yre,

fflappit at hym felly with a fyne swerde, Tedius aims a

The worthy to wound, & warp -vnto dethe. ^1"^

7G76 Then auntrid fat Ector aurthwert beheld on hu shield-

The stroke of )>e stith ; with a strenght arme

He keppit the caupe on his clene sheld,

And britnet the bold with a breme dynt : Hector cuts off

7680 The right arme, with a rappe, reft fro J?e shul- Tedius; huris°

1 him to the earth ;

aurs > and slays him.

Hurlit hym to hard erthe, hue hym to dethe.

Eneas to Amphimak angurdly drof,

And the lede with a launse out of lyue broght !
7684 Then the grekes full grymly gedrit in somyn,

Menelay the mighty with a maine batell !

The Duke of Athens full derf, & Dyamede the
kyng,

Telamon the tyde, & tristy Vlixes ; The Greek leaders

7688 Archillaus also, Agamynon hym selfe, forces, and charge

A j -»«- i • i -L -i i -ii upon the Trojans.

And Machaon J?e mighty, meuit hym with.

All Jjes bold with fere batels brochet in swithe,

ffell was the fight at the first stoure !
7692 Buernes vpon bothe halues brittoned full mony !

Gret slaght in J>e slade, & slyngyng to ground,

And mony lost hade fe lyfie, or J>e larke endit !

Be fat the Sun in his Sercle set was o loft, (foi. 119 6.)

7696 At the merke of fe myddayw/tAhis mayn course;

When the grekes were gedrit, & gird into fight,

"With all the forse of the fell ost frusshet by-dene;

That J>e Troiens with tene t^rayt to flight, The Trojans nee.

7700 ffor oppressing with payne, & of pale strokes ;

Than Achilles witJt a chop chaunset to sle Achilles slays

Philes.

Philles, a fre kyng, with his fyn strenght.

250

A MONSTER ARCHER.

liook XVIII.

Hector slays
Amphenor anil
Doreus.

Encouraged by
Hector and their
leaders, the
Trojans rally and
drive back the
Greeks.

Epistrophus

conies from the

city with 3000 7712

knights,

and the Monster
Archer, — half ^

horse, half man. 7 I 1 0

("fell," skin.)

Having the face
of a man, yet all
over haired and
neighing like a
horse, and with
flaming eyes, he
terrified the
Greeks.

Without harness,
and having only

(fol. 120 a.)
a bow and quiver,
lie goes to battle.

THE DETHE OF AMPHENOR AND DUR1WS BY ECTOR SLAYNE.

There-at Ector was angry, & out of his wit !
7704 Two kynges he kyld of the kene grekes, —

Amphenor the fuerse, and the freike Durius ;

And wonderfully wroght at the wode stoure.

Thurgh pouer of the pn'nse & his pert knights,
7708 The Troiens twnyt in full tyte, tokyn the iild,

ffoghtyn full fuersly, fell mony grekes,

Beron horn abacke with a breme wille.

A. hen kyng Bisshop the bold fro the burghe come

With thre thowsaund fro knights, jjrong into
batell,

All wight men in wer, willy to fight,

And boldly the bekirt, britnet fere fos.

There come witJi this kyng a coynt mon of shappe,

ffellist in fight, and a fyn archer :

ffro the Nauell netherward he was an able horse,

And euyn made as a man fro the medill vp.

The fell of ftat freike, fuerse to beholde,
7720 ffro J?e hede to J>e hele herit as a capull !

Thof his face was fourrnyt as a fre mon,

Hyt was colourt by course as a kowlt red.

His Ene leuenaund with light as a low fyn,
7724 With stremys full stithe in his stepe loke.

He was a ferfull freke, in fas to beholde ;

And mony ledes w{t/t his loke laithet full euyll !

He neyt as a nagge, at his nose thrilles !
7728 No hawberke he hade, ne harnes of mayle,

But bare into batell with a bowe stronge,

With gret arowes & grym in a gay qwyuer.

When this feerfull freike frusshet into batell,
7732 The grete horses on the grene girdon abacke,

Sparit for no Spurse, speddyn to the flight,

And grete affray in the fild for feare of hym one.

A MONSTER ARCHER. 251

Thurglie the birve of his bo we & his big Arme, Book xvin.
7736 Moiiy woundit the wegh to pe wale dethe, He sorely afflicts

And mycho greuit the grekes with his grym fare.

THE DETHE OP POLEXENAS BY ECTOR SLAYNE.

Ector faght in the fild felle of his Enmys. Hector slays

Polyxenus.

Polexenas, a pert lJuke, pat pe pnnse met,
7740 He dang to the dethe with his derfe weppon,

And wonderfully wroght in his wild yre.

This orribell archer so angardly wroght, His skm and

Eenyng thurgh the route with his roid arowes, horror of the

7744 With the Troiens so tore, tyde men alse, Td^bmto'

That myche greuit the grekes, gird horn abacke. °f .tne TrTn8>,

• drive the Greeks

Then flagh all in fere, and the fild leuyt ; to their tents-

Twrnyt to pere tenttes, tariet no lengwr.
7748 Thaire Enmys horn after angardly sore,

Pursuet horn with pyne, put hom to ground.

There it felle hom by fortune a ferfull cas !

As fis mysshapon mon marrit of pe grekes,
7752 The Troiens in the tenttes tenyt hom also,

Oppressit hom with payne & with pale strokes.

Diamede, the derfe kyng, pat don was to flight, Diomedes

-i 4.1 HUP encounters the

Presit to a pauilyon the pepull before, Monster.

7756 Wold haue wonen away & of woche p st,

And haue sauet hym selfe, & he so myl t.

There met hym pis Ma vl own, pat was o
mysshap,

Euyn forne in his face, as he fle wold.
7760 He myght no wise away for wo the of his dethe,

But auther aunter vppon hym, or angardly moue. (foi. 120 6.)

He se his fomen so felle and fuerse at his backe, The Trojans are

}5at wold lelly the lede out of lyue bryng ; Monster before

7764 And if he twrnyt hade tyte, pen hym tyde shuld, es'cape. C'

The warlagh with a wicked arowe woundit hym
behynd.

He auntrid on this Vnbest angardly fast.

252

HECTOR AND ACHILLES.

Book XVIII.

Diomedes attacks 7768
and kills the
fierce Archer.

The Greeks rally,
and drive back
the Trojans.

Hector and
Achilles meet ;
both fall

7772

7776

Achilles captures
Hector's horse.

Hector calls on
his knights to
pursue and
recapture it.

Antenor slays
many of the
Gree.s:

(fol. 121 n.)

7780

7784

7788

7792

7796

As the shalke shuld haue shot at the shene

kyng,

Dyamede with a dynt dang hym to ground,
With a swap of his swerd he swalt in the place.
Then the grekes -with grym there gedurt fere

hertes,

ffrusshet out felly, and the ffild toke ;
Bore "backward the batell of fe bold troiens ;
Kyld of hor knightes and kene men of armys !
Ector to Achilles angardly rode ;
And he keppit hym full kenely, fai caupit

togedur,
That bothe were backward fere borne of fere

horses,

And light on the lond the lordes in fere.
Eut Achilles aftir auntrid to rise,
Highet to his horse in a hote yre,
Grypit vnto galathe, fat was the gode stede
Of honerable Ector, & etlit away.
Ector cryed on his knightes with a kant wille,
Bade horn hast horn in hygh, and his horse take.
}3en highet forth in haste of his hede knights,
ffelyn vmbe the fuersse kyng, foghtyn full hard.
His nobill brether natwrell naitly fai strekyn,
Gird downe of the grekes, grippit f e roile,
Eaft hym the Eenke with a roide fare,
Eestorit f e stithe horse to f e stuerne pn'nse !
He was fayne of the fole, fongit hym anon,
Wan on hym wightly, & his way held.
J3en fell he to fight with a fyne sworde,
Kyld mony knightes vnto cold dethe ;
Oppressit horn with payne, put horn to ground,
And mony deghit fat day f urgh dynt of his hond.
Antenor the auntrus angardly faght !
Thurghe might of his manhode mony distroyed,
And in batell full boldly bare hym fat day.

CAPTURE OP AN TEN OR. 253

Then the grekes on hym gedrit in so grete Book xvm.

nowmber,
7800 Oppressit hym with pyne, & with pale strokes,

He had no forse hym to fend of so fele othir : is captured and

]?ai toke hym full tite, & to tenttes led.

Polidamas, the pert knight, fat was his prise son, His son
7804 Myche sorow for his syre sothely did make ; attempts to

__ . , . . . , rescue him; but

Mony stithe men in stoure stroke he to ground, feilg-4
Wold haue fongit his fader, but J>e freike no

might.

ffor the day wex dym, doun was the sun,

7808 The night was so nighe, ]>at noyet hym sore, Night ends the
Merkit the mountayns & mores aboute.
Iche freke to his fre held & so J>e fight endis.

254

xtx Bofce, ©f tjje bj Batell

At sunrise the
battle begins :

is continued until
night.

The Trojans
suffer more than
the Greeks.

(fol. 121 6.)

On the second
day, the Greeks
sent Diomedes and
Ulysses to Priam
to treat regarding
a truce.

Lystenes a lyttyll of pis laike more,

7812 How hit happit in hast of thes hed kynges !
Sone as pe sonne rose & set vppon hegh,
Bothe pe grekis 011 pe grene, & pe grym troiens,
Mettyn with mayne paire myghtis to kythe :

7816 Jjer was fyghtyng full fell pe fuerse men betwene,
All pat day, with dole, to pe derk nyght.
Mony lyueles lede leuyt on pe bent,
And mony wondyt whe pat away past ;

7820 Mony knyghtis wer kyld of the kene grekys,
But mo were pere mard of the mayn troiens.
\)Q grekys fellyn in fyght pe feghur pat day,
And pe bigger in batell, as pe boke saise.

7824 When pe nyght come anon pe nobill depe?-tid,
And bou.net fro batell vppon bothe haluys.
The secund day suyng, as says vs the story,
J)e grekys by agremewt of pe grete all,
Sent to pe Cite soueran men two, —
Dyamed, pe derf kyng, & dughty Ylixes.
ftai past furth to Prz'am pertly to-ged?^r,
Of a tru forto trete in pe tn'et Cite,

7832 To be grauntid of pe grete by grement of all.
))es Messangers met vfitJi a mayn knight,
A derf mow to dem, & Delon his nome.

THE GREEKS DESIRE A TRUCE. 255

He was borne in be burgh a bold mow of bond, Book xix.
836 Went with bo worthy, & be way taght ;
Present horn to Pn'am, fat was pn'se lord :
ftere menyt bai baire message & with mouthe told.
Pn'am to be pn'se mere prestly onswart : — Priam promises

to consult with

840 "I wyll haue counsell in be case of dene men his lords.

By Assent of Seniowrs, & sum of my knightys ;
And of oure wyll in bis werk, I wete ^ow say."
He was ymyddis be mete with mew of astate,
7844 Kyngis in his curapany, & knyghtis full nobill.
]3en gedrit were be grete to be gay kyng,
And assentid full sone, somyre to be dede. AH assent save

Hector,

All affermyt hit fast with a fyn wyll,
7848 Saue Ector be hone?-able, fat egerly wzt/i-stod,
Disasent to be dede, & dernely he sayde : —
" Hit is falshed in fay the & of fer cast ! who declares that

, the Greeks are

All baire tretyng ol tru twnys vs to harme. faint for lack of

7852 J)ai colowrne horn coyntly with a cause febill, ^enceo'fUnder

fforto beri fe bodys of hor bold frendys ; Slhey tek a

And lighyng, by my lewte, now lakkys horn be truce' that they

may obtain
fode. provisions.

)?ai wold stuf horn full stithly, strenkyth horn

agayn,
7856 With mete in be meneqwile, & mony othir

thinges ;
And we oure store schall distroi, & stynt of

oure sped.

We are folke full fele ; in bis fre hold,
Of Lordis, and Ladies, and other lesse pepull, (foi. 122 a.)

7860 Assemblit in this Cite oure seluyn to kepe
And bof we maitles marre, may we no fer."
But syn the souerain assentid, with other sad Because the king

, - and his lords had

lordes, assented to the

He agreet to the grete, & grauntid with aU
7864 ffor Jjcre-as men are so mony, & of might grete,

256

THOAS AND AKTENOR EXCHANGED.

Book XIX.

7868

7872

A truce for three
months is
granted:

ana prisoners of
war are
exchanged.

Thoas is
exchanged for
An tenor.

7876

7880

7884

7888

Calcas pleads with

Agamemnon to

request Priam 7892

(fol. 122 6.)

to send Briseis
his daughter.

7896

And of wit for to wale, wisest of other,

All put in a pwrpos with a plain wille ;

Jjof the syngle mon say, & it sothe be,

Hit is demyt for dulle, & done out of heryng.

Syn it is sothely said, & for sure holdyn,

J)of a yong mon be 3epe, & of yeres lite,

His wit slmld be waled of wise men in age : .

So the praise to fere p?jrpos prestly assent,

J)of. hit worche to f e worse, fat wist be hym

seluyn.

Then takyn was the true, and with trauthe fest,
Thre monethes & no more, f o mighty betwene,
By assurans full sad vpon suche wise,
)3at non offens shuld fere fall fo freikes betwene ,
But yche kyng & knight comyn "with other,
Bothe in tent & in towne, while the true last.
Than f ai spekon in spase of hor spede after,
Made a chaunge by chaunse of hor choise lordes.
Toax, fro Troy, was twrnyt to the grekes,
ffor Antenor aunterous, fat aftur was takyn :
Deliuert were f o lordes, lawsit of pn'sone,
ffro ayther syde by assent, & suet to fere fryndes
Than Calcas the clerke, fat come out of Troy,
Hade a doughter full dere, — a damsell faire, —
)3at bright was of ble, and Breisaid she hight :
So cald was the clere with comyns and other,
Within the Cit6 forsothe, fere hir-selfe dwellit
This Calcas to the kyngis contynually prayet,
Bothe Agamynon the grete, & the grekes all,
That f ai Priam shuld pray for this pr/se lady,
To be sent to hir Sir, if he so lyked ;
And fai the bysshoppis bone bainly haue

graunted,

And sent to fat souerain for f e same cause,
Dessirond full depely delyuerans of hir,
With Speciall speche to spede at the tyme.

HECTOR IN THE GREEK CAMP. 257

But the triet men of Troy traitur hym cald, Book xix.

7900 And mony pointtes on hym put for his pure

shame,

J3at disseruet full duly f e dethe for to haue.
Pn'am, at the prayer of f o pn'se kynges, Priam delivers

T-> v L j.1. i J -j.7 T n -n Briseis with the

Delmert the lady with a light wille, other prisoners.

7904 In eschaunge of fo choise, fat chaped before, —
Toax fat I told and fat tothir duke.

An the tyme of the true, as f e trety saith,

Ector with other egurly went During the time

7908 ffro the burghe to fe batells of fe bold grekes, Hector goes' to

ffor to sport hym a space, & speike with jjo Q^"*6
kynges,

To se the mane/' of fo men, & mirth hym a
stound.

Achilles, the choise kyng, with a chere faire, Acwiies welcomes
7912 A\relcomyt fat worthy, as a whe noble ! him' to his tent.

He hade solas of f e sight sothely of hym,

ffor his body was bare out of bright wedes.

He toke hym to his tent, talket with hym fast ;
7916 ffraynet at the freike of his fell dedis :

And as f ai spekon of fere spede in hor spell f e?*e,

Thies wordes to fat worthy warpit Achilles : —

THE WORDES BETWENE ACHILLES AND ECTOU IN THE TENTE.

" Now Ector, in ernyst, I am euyn fayn
7920 Of f e sight of f i Self, to se f e vnarmyt ; "i have great

pleasure to see

Syn fat fortune before fell me neuer ere, thee unarmed.

To se fi body all bare out of bright wedis.
But it shall sitte me full sore with sorow in hert
7924 But the happyn of my hond hastely to degh, (foi. i23a )

Thurgh strenght of my strokes in our stoure enys,
And I thi bane for to be with my brond egge. i know that thou

art very stronjr,

I haue feld of f i forse, & f i felle dynttes ; for i have often

7928 Thy might & f i monhode mykell hath me grcuit.
17

258

ACHILLES TO HECTOR.

Yet, because you
slew my dear
friend Patroclus,

(MS. has ' where.")

before this year
be past your
blood shall pay
for his."

Book xix. My body hath J>ou brisit, & my blode shed,

"With thy strokes full store of Jji stithe arme !

J3of my wille be so wilde to waite on Jn'n end,
7932 ffor the sake of my selfe and othir sib fryndes,

More feruent in faith Jn falle I dessyre,

ffor Patroclus, my pure felcw, J>ou put vnto
dethe.

I louet hym full lelly, no les J>en my seluyn ;
7936 And J>ou partid our presens witJi Jn prise wepyn,

))at with faith and affynite [were] festinyt to-
gedur ;

And dang hym to dethe ]>at deires me full euyll.

But trust me for tru, and Jn's tale leue,
7940 Er hit negh to an end of this next yere,

The dethe of J>at doughty shalbe dere yolden

With the blode of Jn body, baldly me leue !

And in so myche, for sothe, I say ye $et ferre,
7944 J)at I wot the in witte to waite on myn end,

My wonsped to aspie in dispite ay,

And to deire me with dethe yche day new."

THE ANSWARE OF ECTOR TO ACHILLES.

Than Ector hym answared Esely agayn ;

7948 With wordis full wise vnto the wegh said : —
" If auntwr be, sir Achilles, I am the to sle,
And hate J>e in hert, as my hede foo,
Wit/iouten couenable cause, or cast for Jn dethe ;

7952 Thow might meruell the mykell of my misrewle,
But J>at wottes in thi wit by wayes of right,
Jjat \>ere \o~ages no lone ne lewte to ryse,
To hym J>at dressis for my dethe with a ded hate,

7956 And purse wis to my prouyns my pepull to sle.
ffor of werre by no way wackons J>ere loue,
Ne neuer charite be cherisst Jmrghe a chele yre :
Luff ingendreth with ioye, as in a iust sawle,

7960 And hate in his hote yre hastis to wer.

" Marvel not,
Achilles, that I
seek to slay thee ;

for I can have no
love for him who
seeks my life, and
has come to my
land to play my
people.

(fol. 123 6.)

HECTOR CHALLENGES ACHILLES. 2-"i 9

Now, I will J>at J50u wete, f>i wordes me not Book xix.
feryn Tnv wor(is do

* not at all frighten

Ne thy boste me abaistes w?'t/i J>i bold speche ; me ; and i hope

to slay thee with

But I hope with my hond & my hard strokes, mine own hand.
79G4 Thurgh might of oure mykell goddes, & of mayn

strenght,

Thy body to britton vnto bale dethe ;
And all the grete of fe grekes, \ai on oure

ground lyuw,

ffor to fell in the feld fay with my hond !
7968 Grete folie, by my faithe, fell in jour hedis, what foiiy it is,

to undertake

ffor to hent vppon hand soche a hegh charge, what you cannot

o «> I. accomplish.

That passes youre pouer, & pronettes no more,
But the losse of your lyues, & your ledis all.

7972 This wot I full well, bewar if fe lyste,

Jjou bes ded of my dynttes, & Jn day past,

Er hit hap the with hond my harmys to forther,

To deire me with daunger, or to dethe put.

7976 And if )>ou hopys in hert, with Jri hegh prz'de, ifyouthinkyou

m ..-. 0 . , . can vanquish me,

To oppresse me w^t/^. power, & to payn bring, gettbeuiceksto
Get graunt of the grekes, & the grete all, S-^Z'L

Of kynges, & knights, & other kyd dukes, single combat.

7980 jjat all the deire of the ded be done on vs two,
To vttranse & yssue vne at this tyme,
WMouten meuyng of moo, or marryng of pepull.
And if hap the J>e herre hond to haue, in the plase if you vanquish

7984 Of me, thurgh j)i might, by maistry of hond, ibaiibdongto
I shall fast the fis forward all with fyne othes,
All the londis to leue, fat longyn to Troy,
And our ground to Jie grekes graunt as for right ;

7988 And we exiled for euer-more our easement to

laite,

All our prouyns & parties put in your wille.
And if it falle me by fortune the feirer to haue, andifishaii

TIT i i n • -in vanquish you,

Make vs sekur, on the same wise, oure soile for assure us that the

to IPIIP Greeks will

U6> depart and

17 *

2GO

THE TERMS REFUSED.

Book XIX.

trouble us no
more."

(fol. 124 a.)

Achilles, chafed
with these words,
accepts the
challenge and
the terms.

Agamemnon
and other Greek
leaders refuse
to submit to
such terms.

Of the Trojan
leaders, all but
Priam refuse the
terms;

7992 Of our prcmyns to pas, & paire vs no more,

~Ne neuer dere vs in dede, ne oure due londes."
A Hi. lies was angret angardly sore ;
Wrathet at his wordes, warmyt in yre ;

7996 Chaunget his chere, chauffit witJi hete,

That the droupes, as a dew, dankit his fas.
He approchet to pe pn'nse, presit hym ner,
And affyrmit with faithe & with fyn chere,

8000 All po couenawndes to kepe with his cleano

trauthe :

This he sadly assurit at the same tyme.
Ector toke hit full tyd with a triet wille,
More dessyrous to the dede, pen I dem can.

8004 But Agamynon was gayn at pis gret dyn,

With other kynges in company comyn to the tent,
Jjat hasted for the high noise, & hopit in haste
Of po mighty full mony the mater to here.

8008 When the knewen all the cause, po kynges by-
dene,

All denyede it anon ; — no mon assentid,
)?at Achilles in chaunse shuld be chosen for

horn all,

WitJi pat fuerse for to fight purgh folye of
seluyn ;

8012 Ne so mony & so mighty men of astate,

ffor to coupull of hor cause on a knight one,
Bothe of londes & lyffe for lure pat might happen.
And the Troiens, on the tothir syde, torely with
stode, —

8016 Dysasent to pe dede, Dukes & other;

Saue Priam, the pn'se kyng, pat the prinse knew,
Bothe his strenght & his stuerne wille stondyng

in hert,
Wold haue put hym to pe plit for perell of all,

8020 ffor pe will & pe worship of his wale strenght :
But for so mony & mighty menit pere agaynes,

TROILUS AND BRISEIS. 261

He put of his purpos, & passis ferfro. Book xix.

J?en tho p?^'nse at the prise ~k.yn.ges prestly toke The combat u

put off.

leue,
8024 Turnit fro the tenttes and to tonne yode : Hector returns

to Troy.

Past to his palais, & his pale entrid.

THE SOROW OP TROILUS FOR BREISAID HIS LOUB.

When hit tolde was Troilus the tale of his loue, (f°i- 121 6.)
How jjat faire, by his ffader, was fourmet to
wende

8028 To the grekes, by graunt of fo grete kynges,

ffor Bresaide the bright vnblithe was his chere ;

ffor he louit hir full lelly, no lesse fen hym seluyn, Troilus loves

~Wit7i all the faithe and affection of hys fyn hert.

8032 Myche sykyng and sorow sanke in his brest : is overcome

with grief

He was tourment with tene, tynt was his hew ; because she is

All wan was the weghe for his wete teres ; L1attTed l°

With lamentacion & langour vnlusty to se ;
8036 "Was no knight in the court kouthe comford
hym oght,

.Ne ses hym of sorow sothely j>at tyme !

And Bresaid, the bright, blackonet of hew ; Bnseis pmes and

With myche weping & waile, waterid hir ene ;
8040 All fadit that faire of hir fyn coloure,

With shedyng of shire water of hir shene chekes;

Ail-to tugget hii tresses of hir triet here ; tears her hair

Hir faire fyngurs with forse femyt of blode,
8044 And ail-to rafet the rede chekys, ruthe to be
holde,

That the blode out brast, & on brest light ;

And ay swonit in swyme, as ho swelt wold and swoons again

In fere hondes, fat hir helde & halp hir to stond ;
8048 And jjes wordes ho warpit as hir wo leuit : —

" I hade leuer my lyf leue in this place,

Than any lengur to lyffe & my luff tyne ! "

No lengur of thies loue?-s list me to carpe,

2G2 BRISEIS AND DIOMEDES.

Book xix. 8052 ISre of the feynit fate of fat faire lady ;

Whoever desires Who-SO wilnes to wit of faire WO fir,

more about these

lovers, turn to the lurne hym to Lroilus, & talke fere ynoghe !

story of Troilus.

XLit is a propertie apreuit, & put horn of kynd.
8056 To all wemen in the world, as fe writ saythe,
AH women are To he vnstahle & not stidfast, styrond of wille

if one eye weeps, ffor yf the ton ee vfith teres trickell on hir cheta

the other laughs. rmiii 11 -11 011

I he tothur lurkes 111 lychernes, & laghes ou6

thwert !
(foi. 125 a.) 8060 So full are f o faire fild of dessait,

And men for to mad is most fere dessyre,

There is no hope so vnhappy, fat hastes to noght

Ne so vnsikur at a say, as to set vppon wemen !

A fool is that 8064 A foole is fat freike in his frele yowthe,

youth, and a .

greater fool is And myche more fat man is meuyt into age,

that old man, r.,, , . , „ ,

who relies on the lhat in wordes oi wemen wastyn fere hope,

word of a woman. Qr in ^^ ^^ Qf ^Q

8068 J. his Breisaid, the hurde, by hyddyng of f e kynj

In apparell full prowde pwrpost to wend ;
uriseis is Troilus, the true knight, -with tnet men other,

convoyed to the „, , .^., , .., , ,

Grecian camp by firo the Cite with fat semely soghtyn on f e gat

otls.8an 8072 Then the grekt!S com gii'dond fro the gay tentes,

Eesayuit hii with Eeuerense, & Riden furthe

soniyn ;
And the Troiens to the towne turnyt agayne.

Diomedes, The derf kyng Diamede drughe the lady ner,

uriseis, 8076 Beheld hur full hcrtely, het hir in loue ;

"WitJi venus woundit, I-wis, in his wild hert,
He rode to fat Riall, and the Eeyne toke.

makes love to Then he said to fat senily all on soft wise,

her:

8080 All his corage by corse of his cold hert,

V?ith full speciall speche to spede of his erend.

Then Breisaid, the bright, bainly onswart,

flbr to hold hym in hope & hert hym thebettiir : —

BRISEIS AND CALCAS.

263

8088

8092

8096

8100

" Nauther list me my luff lelly the graunt,
Ne I refuse the not fully Jn freridship to voide
ffor my hert is not here holly disposit,
To onsware on otherwise, ne ordant jjerfore ! "
At hir wordes, I-wis, the worthy was glad ;
Hengit in hope, held hym full gayne.
At hir fader fre tent fongit hir in armys,
And set hir on J?e soile softely with hond.
A gloue of )>at gay gate -he belyue,
Drogh hit full dernly the damsell fro :
None seond but hir-selfe , fat suffert full well.
Hit pleaside hir przuely, playntyde ho noght,
Let hit slip from hyr slyly, slymyt Jjerat.
Than Calcas, the clerke, came fro his tent,
ffongit hir faire and with fyne chere,
Toke hir into tent, talket with hir fast,
And menit of hir maters, as J>ai in mynd hade.

Book XIX.

which Briseis
encourages.

At her father's
tent she is lifted
from horseback
by Diomedes.
He pulls off one
of her gloves.

(fol. 125 b.)

Calcas receives
her with great
joy.

THE WORDY8 OF BREISAID TO CALCAS HIR FADER.

When the burde in hir boure was broght with

hir fader,

Thes wordes ho warpet with wateryng of Ene : —
" How fader, in faithe, failet J>i wit,
That was so conyng of clergy, & knowen in Troy,
Myche louet with the lordes, & the ledis all ;
And worshippit of yche we as a wale god !
All the gret of j?e ground gouernit by the,
And J>ou riches full riffe, renttes ynow 1
Now art j?ou trewly hor traitowr, & tainted forfals !
Thy kyn & thy cuntre vnkyndly forsakyn,
J)at J>ou shuld faithly defend with a fre hert ;
8112 And fro woches haue werit, & )>i wit shewed.
Hit is cheuit the a chaunse of a choise febull !
Leuer forto lyf in a lond straunge,
In pouerte & penawnce with thy pale fos,
Then as a lord in J>i lond lengit at home.

•• why, o father,

8116

Why prefer to
live in exile
among your
enemies ; when
yon might be as a
lord in Troy."

BRISEI3 AXD CALCAS.

Book XIX.

OB io.r-;.. nag
one despite* you ;

and in hell you 8124:
must dwell with
fiends.

(fol. 126 a.)

Thickest thon the
Greeks will trust
you?

Surely, it was not
the god Apollo,
bat some fiend of
bell that md»ised
you."

" Daughter, the
gods would be
again** ns, if we
did net obey

•iy fall and J?i faith is foule loste,
And J>i worship is went & wastid for euer,
Of shame & shenship shent bes )>cm neuer :

8120 Eiiery lede will J?e lacke and pi lose file,

And fe fame of J>i filth so fer wilbe knowen.
Ne hopis )wu not hertely, for J?i hegh treason,
If men laith with Jd lyf, lyifyng in erthe,
That the shall happen in helle hardlaikes mo,
ffor thy filthe & )>i falshed with fyndw to dwelle ?
Hit were bettur the to byde with buernes of

>ikyn,
In sum wildwrnes wilde, & won J>ere in lyf,

8128 Then the ledys vpon lyue to laithe with )>i shame.
Hopis Jx>u fad?<r, in faith, in Jn faint hert,
))at ]?ou be takon for treu with thies triet kynges,
Or be holdyn in hert of Jji hest stable,

8132 Jjat art founden so fals to J?i fre londe^?

Now appolyn with answare hase euyll the begiled,
And bebirt J>e wz'tA lesynge^ |>i lose forto spille ;
Grert the fall fro )>i fryndes, & J>i faire godis,

8136 And sorily to syn, and )>i selfe lose !

Hit was neuer appollo the pure god, jwrt put the

in mynd,

But sum fend with his falshed, faren out of helle^
J)at onsward the owkewardly, ordand )>e skathe,

8140 fforto set the in sorow, and J?i soule tyne ! "
Thus the lady at the last left of hir spec-he,
Vfith myche sobbyng & sorow, sylyng of teris.
Than the bysshop to his barne barely onswart,

8144 And shend to ]?at shene all in short word^.

" Xe hopis Jwu noght, hend doghtur, Jx*t our

hegh godde«
Wold be wrothe at our werkes, & wisshe vs to

skathe,
If we bowet not hor biddyng, & hor bone kepi

8148 And nomly in J»is note, J>at noyes to J>e dethe,

BRISEIS FORGETS TROILUS. 265

Oure seluyn to saue, and oure saule kepe Book xix.

Out of daunger & drede, & oure dethe voide.

This wot I full well, thurgh wisshyng of horn, i know that Troy

shall be

8152 That bis sorow wilnot sese, ne the saute leue, destroyed, and ail
Tyll the toun be ouertwrnyt, & tumblid to ground;
All the folke, with bere fos, frusshet to dethe,
And the wallis ouerwalt into be wete dyches.

8156 Therfore better is a-byde in bis bare fild, Therefore we are

better here."

Than be murthert with malis, & to mold put."

All the grekes were glad of bat gay lady,

And comyn in companys, bat comly to se, (foi. 120 &.)

The Greeks are

8160 All the souerans lor sothe, into hir syre tent, pleased with

i • , i_ • • 11 n i_ Brisois;

And spire at hir specially ot hor spede ay, —

Of the tulkas of Troy, and the toun selfe ;

Of the pepull full prest, & be pn'se kynges : 8he answers their

questions about

8164 And all the maner of bo men the maidon horn Troy and the

Trojans.

tolde,

fTrely with faire chere, bat thei frayn wold.
The kynges full curtesley cald hir bere doughter, They rail her,

daughter ;

And heght hir to haue all bere helpe ben ; promise to defend

lier •

8168 To be worshypt well with welthis ynow; and give her

j -fi. i.- f n L L i rich presents.

And grete giites hir gate all to grete kynges.

Er bis day was done, or droghe to be night,

All chaunget the chere of this choise maidon, Now> she &*"«*

to abide among

8172 And hir leuer to leng in lodge with the grekes, the Greeks.
Then twrne vnto Troy, or to toun wend.
Now is Troiell, hir trew luff, tynt of hir thoght, Troiius -«

A j f e e L forgotten.

And yomeryng tor-yeton, & yettyng 01 teres.
8176 Lo, so lightly ho left of hir loue hote,

And chaunget hir chere for cherisshyng a litle !

Tristly may Troiell tote ouer the walle,

And loke vpon lenght, er his loue come !
8180 Here leue we this lady wzt^ hir loue new,

And turne to oure tale, & take bere we lefte.

2GG

xx 33ofce. ©f tfte btjnt Batell, anlr
&fcarmidjrs Hastgng xxx tmges Betfonte tfje
Eofone & tfje tenttes.

(fol. 127 a).

The truce is
ended :

the Trojans
prejBtre for battle.

Hector, with a
division of 15,000,
goes forth first :

then Troilus w ith
10,000 :

then Paris with
the Persian
archers, 3000
strong :

then Deiphobus
with 8000 :

then .tineas, and
all the other
leaders in their
order.

The Trojans were
100,000 strong.

Of the Greeks

After the mouethis were meuyt of J>e mene true,
J5en waknet vp were and myche wale sorow !

8184 The -second day suyng, says me fe lyne,

There bownet vnto batell from the burgh euyn,
Mony triet men of Troy, and tokyn f»e fild,
Euyn ordant by Ector, after his deuise.

8188 The pnnse Vfith his pouer past on first,
With xv .M. fully, all of fyn knights,
In his batell full bold boun to j?e feld :
And Troiell with x .M. turnit forth aftwr.

8192 Then Paris put furth, the percians hym with, —
Abill men of archery, auntrus in wer, —
Three M. thro and thristy of hond,
Vppon horses full hoge, hardy men all.

8196 Then Deffibus drogh furth, & to fe dede went,
With thre M. thro men, )>repond in armys.
Eneas afturward vfith angardly mony,
And ofer kynges full kant, as fere course fell.

8200 As Dares in his dyting duly me tellus,

The sowme of the sowdiowris, that fro )>e Cite

came,

ffor to tell at this tyme of triet men & noble,
A C. M. all hoole, herty to stryke !

8204 ffro the tenttes come tyte of the tn'et grek^s,

THE SEVENTH BATTLE. 267

Menelay full monly, with a manwr pepull, Book xx.

Seuyn M. be sowme assignet for hym. Meneiaus came

rm. ' -± -i.7 • 1,4 -n J first with 7000

Then memt with as mony, mighty Dyomydes, men:
8208 And Achilles with choise men chosen of the with as many S

same- then Achilles, and

Than sought furth Xantippus with sad men a XantiPPu«. and

Agamemnon.

hepe,

Thre thowsaund thristy, prong to the fild.
Than Agamynon the grete gird on the last,
8212 ^With a noyus nowmbur, nait men of strenght.

The first, J>at to fight past, Avas Philoc the kyng, (foi. 127 b.)
Put hym furth prudly, presit to be Troiens ! Hector slays King

Philoctetes.

Ector met hym with mayn, macchit hym so

harde,
8216 That he gird to the ground & the gost past.

Myche clamwr & crye for the kynges sake,

And dynttes full dedly delt horn betwene.

Then girde o the greke halfe with grym fare,
8220 Xantipus, a sure Kyng, with a sad wepyn,

ffor to dere for be dethe of his dere vncle.

He suet furth sadly to be sure praise,

And stroke hym full stithly with a stiff sworde. •• The dethe of
8224 Ector turnet with tene, toke hym on be hed, xwM-Oaw*-*

]3at he slode doun sleghly, & sleppit euer after.

Then the grekes were greuit for the grym kyng ; The Greeks

. r •:-, •: ,? n i i revenge bin denth.

Oppressit horn with pyne, pressit lull hard ;
8228 Turnit to the Troiens, tenit horn full euill ;

Mony woundit full wickedly, & warpit of horse.

Achilles mony choise men choppit to be erthe ; Achiiies slays

many both with

Mony ledes w^th his launse out of lyfe broght. sword and lance.
8232 Two Dukes full derne vnto dethe kyld,

Jjat were comyn to be kyng with here kyde

helpis, —

ffull bold men in batell, & myche bale did.
Hit auntrit, bat Ector was angrit full euill, Hector is severely

wounded In the

8236 Woundit full wickedly, wist not of woo, face;

268

HECTOR AND ACHILLES.

Book XX.

the Trojans are
borne back
towards the walls.

Hector observes
some ladies
standing
on the walls ;

(fol. 128 a.) 8248

ashamed of his
position, he turns
in rage and kills
Merion.

Achilles rushes
on Hector with a
great spear.

8252

Hector with a
fierce blow hurls
through the
helmet of
Achilles, and
stuns him.

Vne before in the face, with a fell stroke,

J)at myclie blode fro j>e buerne on j?e bent fell ;

And J?an bakeward was borne all fe bold Troiens,

8240 With myche noye for J>e note of fyere noble

prmse.

But the knight, in his kene yre, cast vp. his egh,
Brusshet on the burgh & the bright walles,
Segh the ladies o lofte leghen to waite, —

8244 Elan an other, the oddest of Troy,

His worshipful wife, fat he well louet,
With his Suster beside, the semliest on lyue,
Jjat were sory for J?e sight, Semple of chere.
And the grekes so grynily had gird hom abacke
J3at euyn borne were Jjai bigly to the bare wallis
Than shamet was the shalke for the shene ladies,
And euyn wode of his wit wex he belyue.

THE DETHE OF MYRION BY ECTOR SLAYN.

He kyld \>ere, a kyng, cosyn to Achilles, —

On Merion the myghty, — thurgh the mayn dynt.

He hurlet thurgh the helme, f>at the hed yemed,

J3at the brayn ail-to brast, & on bent leuyt.
8256 Achilles aurthwart this aunterd to se,

Grippet to a grete speire vfith a grym wille ;

Pight on the prmse, persit his wede ;

Mart of his mailes, meuit hym noght ;
8260 And nauther hurt he the hathell, ne hade hym
to ground.

)3en Ector in angwr, angardly fast,

With the bit of his brond, on the bold light ;

Hurlit Jmrgh the helme & the hard inaile.
8264 But it breke not the brayn, ne the buerne
woundit.

Achilles, with a chop, cheuyt on syde ;

All in wer for to wait, wayueronde he sote,

But he held hym on horse, houyt o lofte.

CAPTURE OP MENELAUS. 269

8268 Euyll masit of the mynt, & the mayn stroke, Book xx.

Thes wordys to the \vhe warpit the praise : —

'' Achilles, Achilles, J)OU cheses J)e fast, Hector threatens

. , _. to slay him at the

ifor to prese me with pyne in thy proud yre ! next encounter.
8272 The next tym }?ou noyes ine, J?ou neghis to J>e

fer,

Thow dowtles shall dye with dynt of my hond."
But or hit auntrid hym to aunsware Ector agayne,
Come Troilus full tyte with a tore pepull, Troiius with his

followers separate

8276 ffrushet in felly J?o irekes betwene, the combatants.

Depertid the pn'nse & the pn'se kyng.

So he greuit the Grekes, and gird horn abacke,

J?at fyue houndrith were fay & in fild leuyt,
8280 Off knightes full kene, kild in the stoure ; (foi. 1286.)

And o backe fro the burghe bere horn anon. The Greeks are

-M- i M.I. u- _L • -XT, driven back.

Menelay with his men meuyt in swithe, Meneiaus comes to

Thre thousaund full J>ro frang into batell ;
8284 Eestorit horn stithly, stuffit horn anon,

And cobbyt full kantly, kaghten the fild.

Then Sedymon with a sowme from the Cite come,

Of fell men in fight, freikes of his owne :
8288 He macchit hym to Menelay, & met on J?e kyng,

Woundit hym wickedly in his wale face,

And gird hym to ground of his grete horse.

Than Troiell hym toke Jrargh his tried helpe Troiius, with the
8292 Of Sedymon, the same kyng J>at J?e syre felle, captures ^

Wold haue led the lord o-lyue to J?e towne ;

But the stoure was so stithe, & stedis so thicke,

Thai pullid hym with pyne, but passid J>ai noght.
8296 Then Diamede full dernly, with a dyn hoge, Diomedes smites

_ Troiius to the

On Iroiell with tene tachet belyue ; earth :

Bere hym backe to the bent of his big stede, Lid sends it to
Raght to the Reynes in a rad hast,
8300 Sent hym by a seruaund, or he ses wold,
To Breisaide the bright, & bad hym to say,
That jwt was lelly a ledis, J)«t ho louet well, — •

270

THE GREEKS GIVE WAY.

Book XX.

praying her to
hold him as her
lover.

8304

8308

Briseis receives
the present with
joy ; and says,
she may not hate
one, who loves
her so well.

(fol. 129 a.)

8312

8316

The Greeks, again
driven to their
tents, are rallied
by Agamemnon.

8320

8324

Polydamas
succours the
Trojans, who
drive the Greeks
within their lines.

8328

8332

The whiche fro Troiell he toke, & twnet hym

besyde,

With a stroke, in the stoure, of his stithe anne. —
Prayauncl her prestly, with all his pure hert,
jjat hir semawnd were sadly set in hir mynd,
Dyamed, the derf kyng, in daunger of loue.
Jjen the seraond, full sone, with the same horse,
Went to the woman fro the wale kyng,
And the palfray of pme present hir to.
Ho receyuit hym with Reuerence, & to J?e Renke

said : —

" To }>i lord, fat me loues, lelly ]>ou telle,
I may not hate hym, by heuyn, j?at me in hert

tes."

ffro the maidon, with his message he nieuyt anon,
And the bodeword broght to j>e bold kyng.
ffayne was the freike of the fre answare,
Past forth into prese, paynet hym ther-for.
The grekes ]?an were gird backe to Jjere grete

tenttes ;

With Swym vnder swerd swalton full mony !
Ne hade Agamynon the gret oste gird in anon,
The fight in the fild hade ben fynisshed for

euer.
Than Restoret was the stithe batell stuernly

agayn

The grekas full grymly girdon out swithe,
Harmet horn hogely in a hond while.
Polidamas, the pert knight, presit in ]>en,
With a batell full breme, britnet the grekes ;
ffaght with horn felly, frunt horn abacke ;
Droff horn vnto dykes with dynttes of sword.
Then Diamede the doughty duly beheld,
Segh )>e freke in his felnes his folk so distroy.
He ffrusshit at hym felly with a fyn spere ;
And the knight hym kept, caupit with hym so,

DIOMEDES AND ACHILLES WOUNDED.

271

That bo the the hathell and his horse hurlit to

ground.

Dyamed was derit with a depe hurt,
Euill frnsshet with the fall, & on feld lay.

8336 Polidamas the prise horse presit vnto,
Raght to )>e Reyne, and the Roile toke ;
Broght hym full bainly to Jje bold Troiell,
Jjat was fightand on fote in J)e felle stoure.

8340 The triet knight Troiell titly wan vp,
As fayne of the foale, as a freke might.
Then Achilles with augur angardly preset,
Troiell to tene with a triet wepyn ;

8344 And he keppit the kyng with a kant wille,

Hurlit hym to hard yerthe, hurt hym full sore.
The bold kyng vp braid, & the bent leuyt,
ffor deire of his dynt dut hym but litle !

8348 jjen Ector come auerthwert, as aunter befell,
Presit nym to J?e place with a prise sworde ;
Brittonit the bold men, fat aboute stode,
And mony dange to the dethe & deret full
mekyll !

Book XX.

Diomedes is
hurled to tho
earth by
Polydamas, who
seizes his horse,

and brings it to
Troilus, as he is
fighting on foot.

Troilus hurls
Achilles to the
ground.

Hector rushes to
the fray.

(fol. 129 (/.)

HERE ECTOR KYLDB A THOWSAUND.

8352 Thus Dares of his dedis duly vs tellus,

A thowsaund, full throly, he frang to Jje dethe, —

All the knightes full kant, jjat keppit Achilles, — The knights that

rr t_ -11-1 surrounded

lo haue wonen to pat worthy, so wodely he Achuies are cut

fore ! down-

835G There Achilles with choppes chaunset so hard,
With myche wo he hym werit in wothe of his

lyffe.

Then the night come anon, neghit with merke,
And for lacke of the light the ledis depertid :
83GO ff'ro the batell on bothe halues busket anon
And turnyt to towne & to tenttes all.

Night conies
down ; the battle
ends.

272

A TItUCE.

Skirmishing for
thirty days.

Six of Priam's
sons are slain ;
and Hector is
wounded in the
face.

Priam demands a
truce for six
months :

the Greeks
consent.

During the truce
Hector recovered
from his wounds.

He lay in the
preat hall of
Ilion,

(fol. 130 a.)
which had
gorgeous pillars ;

(" Rvwcket "=

Wrought.)

a floor wrought

with crystal ;

and strong fair

walls.

(" Hyerna" =

/i •//-,, ii.i. i;.rm ;>• I
In each corner
was a pillar of

Ahan thretty dayes froly fei frappit in feld,
And mony bold in the bekur were on bent leuit !

8364 Mony doughty were ded of the derfe Troiens,
But mo were fere marrit of f e mayne grekes.
Wit7i-in thies day es,w«'t/i dole, wastodethe broght
Sex sonnes, for sothe, of the sure kynges, —

8368 Of the noble brother natwrill, — fat nait were in

feld,

And Ector wondit, I-wis, in his wale face.
J)en Pn'am, the prise kyng, prestly can sende
To Agamynon the grete, gomys of his awne,

8372 ffor a trew to be takon of a tyme short, —

Sex moneth & no more, — his men for to rest :
J5at the Grekes hym grauntid,.grucchet f ai noght.
Hit was festenit with faithe, & witJi fyn othes,

8376 On bothe halues to hold holly assentid,
Wzt/zouten fight or affray to the fer end.

Jir fes dayes were done, the doughty pr/nse
Ector

Was hole of his hurtes f urgh helpe of a leche.
8380 In a halle, fat was hoge, fere f e hend lay,

In honerable Ylion, eset hym a qwile,

Of whiche fairehed & fourme, the fynest clerke
Dares

Tellys in his trety, vppon trew wise.
8384 Hit was pight vp with pilers all of pure stones,

Palit full prudly ; and a proude flore

Eowchet all with cristall, clere as the sonne.

The walles vp wroght on a wise faire
8388 Wit/t stones full stoute, stithest of vertue.

ffaire pillers were fere proude, all of pure coper,

In ffoure hyprnes of the house hogely fest.

O lofte on tho louely were loget to stond,
8392 ffoure ymages full fresshe, all of fyn gold,

A PESTILENCE. 273

Wonderfully wroght weghis to be-hold, Book xx.

Wiih gematry Justly aioynet to gedur ; copper supposing

an image of pure

Miche soteltie, for-sothe, settyng of notes, gold.

(" Gematry " =

8396 Orafte fat was coynt, knawyng of tymes, geometry.)

And other faynet fare & fantasy olde !
Within the tyme of the tru, the triet kyng Priam, Pmm buries

TT. , , ,, . , , his sons, each in

His noble sonnes naturell naitly gert bery, a separate tomb.

8400 With hor brether, in the burgh, on his best wise :
Eure son by hym selfe, sais me the lyne,
In a precius place, & in prise toumbis !

HEBE )PAI FFAGHT TWELUE DATES TO-GEDUB.

W hen the sex monethes were meuit of J?e meue
true,

8404 Than faght J?ai in feld felly to gedur, The truce is •

Twelue dayes, be-dene, dole to be-holde ! isVesmned.1 "

ffull myohe was the murthe of J?o mayn knights,
On bothe sydes, for-sothe, sayes me the lyne ;

8408 And myche blode on the bent of tho bold leuyt.

Than the hete was so hoge, harmyt the grekes, Because of the
With a pestylence in the pepull pynet horn sore : ^nwwebJUta
Thai fore out to the fildes, fellyn to ground, ^^in'the6

8412 And droppit to dethe on dayes full thicke. field8-

ffor J?at Agamynon, by grement, graidly did send
To the toun, 'for a true of a tym shorte ; Agamemnon

. desires a truce foi

Thretty dayes to endure, & no deire wirke. so days:

8416 Hit was grauntid Jjat grete, by grement \ntA-in which is grantei.

Of Pn'am, & [the] pn'nse, & the prise all

Of kynges, and Comyns, and of kyde Dukes. (ibi. iso w

Therto sworne were J?ai swiftly on hor swete

haloes,
8420 And affermyt hit fast : and here a ffyt endes.

is

274

Efje xxj 33ofce. ©f tjje iritj Batell : 8faU of
tfje Dreme of (£ctor fogffe.

During the last
night of the truce,

Andromacha
dreams that
Hector will be
slain on the next
day.

She prayg him
not to go to
battle.

(fol. 1S1 ' )

Hector blames
Andromacha :

Juengye here at a litill, lystyn my wordes,
I shall tell you full tyte how horn tyde after,
When thes dayes were done, & dryven to
ende,

8424 All )>ai fforen to fe fight, & the fild toke !
Of Andromaca drem I dresse me to telle,
How hir noyet in the night, er J>ai to note yode.
As Jns hurde was in "bed with, hir blythe lorde,

8428 And slippit vpon slepe, slomeryng a while,

Sho was affrayet full foule vrith a fuerse dreme,
That she met of hir maister, & masit full euylL
At hir wakonyng ho wist, as the writ sayes,

8432 lif the bold vnto batell busket fat day,

He shuld doutles be dede, & drepit for euer !
Andromaca for drede of her dreme felle,
Miche water ho weppit, and wackont the pn'nce.

8436 As )>ai bothe were in bed, fe burd to hym saide,
And told hym by tale, as her tyde hade.
Sho prayet the praise vfith hir pure hert,
ffor drede of hir drem, & deire fat might fallo,

8440 On nowise in thys world the walles to passe,
ifor to bowne vnto batell, ne of burghe wend.
Jjan the worthy at his wife wrathet a litle,
And blamyt the burde for hir bold speche.

8444 Hit was vnfittyng, he said, a sad man of wit,

ANDROMAOHA'S DREAM. 275

Any dremys to drede, or deme lioni for trew, Book xxi.

Syn fai feble are & faint, & falsly dissayuyn, says, it is siity to

give heed

And be-lirten yche lede, pat leuys Jjerapon. to dreams.

8448 When the day vp droghe, & the derke voidet,

The burd bownet fro bed, & of boure past : Andromaciia
To his fader ho fore, & his fre moder. Priam and

All ho told horn in tale, as her tyde hade, prevent Hector

8452 Besechis the souerain, with sykyng in hert, f°hnt8 tc

Hir lord for to let, for lure fat might happyn :
On nowise J>at he went, for wothe of his lyf !

When the sun vp set with his softe beanies,
8456 All the batels of the burghe bownet to feld, The Trojans take

Ordant of Ector efter his deuyse. Troiius/Paris,

Troiell, the triet knyght, toke the feld sone ; JSf" a"'d

Then Paris full prest put hym next aftur.
8460 Deffebus drogh furth with a derfe pepull ;

Eneas afterward auntred to feld.

Polidamas, the proud knight, past 011 s withe ; Poiydamas,

Then the fuerse kyng Forcius folowet anon ; pyuemenes and
8464 And Philmen, the freke, with a feUe batell. the allied ki"s"-

Then all the kynges by course, J>at comyn were
to Troy,

The citie to socour, with fyere sute hoole,

Passit furth fro Priam to Jje playn feld,
8468 With leue of )>e lord, Jmt the lond aght.

Then Pn'am to )>e praise prestly can send, Priam commands

. Hector to stay

That he bownet to no bateil, ne pe burgh past, within the city.

On nowise in this world, for worship or other.
8472 Therat Ector was angry, & angardly wrothe, Hector is angry :

Eepreuet the praises with a pale face :

With his worshipful wife wrathit hym Jjen. (foi. isi &.)

W/'t/iOuten leue of the lord, }>at hym let wold,
8476 To his seruondes he saide in a sad haste, orders MS

. . PIT servants to bring

To bryng hym his bright geire, bownet to feld, his armour; ami
And arayed for the rode with a ronke wille.

276

HECTOR AND AXDROMACHA.

Andromaclia
takes her infant
in her arms,
and falls at
Hector's feet.

She pleads with
him to stay.

Hector refuses :

che clasps his 8496

feet and swoons.

8484

8488

8492

Book xxi. Than his wif was war of his wille sone,

8480 Myche vf&iur ho weppit, wailyng for sorow.

Two sonnes hade Jjat seinly, \vfi7t the sure

pn'nse, —

On Lamydon was litle, and his leue brother
Astionac also, J?at after was borne, —
Jjat were bothe at the brest of the bright norse,
Noght put fro the pappe to no prise fode.
The ton toke ho full tyte in hir true armys,
To the fote of J?at fre fell ho belyue :
Hit was dole & deire, );at dere to be-hold !
With myche wepyng & woo J?es wordes ho said : —
" A ! my lord, & it like yow at this lefe tyme,
I be-seche you, for my sake sober youre wille :
Put of youre purpos, preses no fer,
ffor all the loue in our lyue, Jjat light

betwene ! "

He denyet hir anon : hir noy was the more.
And sho braid wit/4 the barne to J?e bare erthe,
Vmbfoldyt his fete, felle vnto swone.
And when ho wackwet of wo, thies wordes he

said : —
" If ye no mercy haue on me, for mysse J>at I

thole,
Haue pite on youre pure sonnes, Jjat mone payne

thole !

To be done to J>e dethe wit/i hor dere moder,
Or be shot out with shame fro youre shene

landes ;

Exiled for euermore endles to sorow,
Pight vnder pouert and penawnce to lyue ! "
8504 Then his . moder the myld qwene, & his meke

syster,

Cassandra the clene, & clere Polexena,
And honerable Elan also, "with horn :
Thies fellyn hym to fete wiih a foule cherc,

Apain she pleads 8500
with him to stay.

His mother, his
sisters, and
Helen, fall at his
feet,

HECTOR AND ANDROMACHA.

277

8508 Prayond the praise (pitie was to se)

To put of Ms pale wedis, & his pale entre ;
And ahyde in the burgh to the bare night.
He hade no ruthe of hor rernyng, ne fe rank
teris,

8512 Ne f e prayer of fo prise persit not his hert ;
But past furth prudly his pwrpos to hold,
And bounet toward batell, bode he no lengwr.
Jjen Andromoca for dol drogh out of wit,

8516 Vne fore as a fole, fonnet at all ;

Past vnto Prz'am, fe pmisis aune fadwr,
With a rufull rore rent of hir clothis ;
Eafit f e red chekis rc>idly vfith hond,

8520 And fe hore of hir hede heterly pullit !
So fat ffre -with hir face fore at fe tyme,
Jpat all blod was f e bright in hir ble qwit :
Ho was vnkyndly to knaw of hir kyd frendis.

8524 So disfigurt of face & febill of hew,

To f e fete of f e fre kyng fel ho belyue,

Besechond fat soueran, in a sad hast

ffor to high to fat hynd, & hold hym w/t/tin,

8528 J)at he fore not to fight, ne the fild toke !
Than Pr/am in pure hast preset to horse,
Lept vp full lyghtly, & the lede folowet :
Ouertoke hym full tyte, taried hym fan,

8532 Eaght to the reynes of his riche bridell :
Vne wrothe in his wille weppit full sore,
Comaundand fat comly, as his kynd fader,
By all hor goddes so gret, & greuyng of hym,

8536 )3at he fare shuld ne ferre, ne the feld entre.

At the last, f urgh the likyng of his lege kyng,
And offence of his ffader, the freke agayne

t?/rnyt :
Past euyn to his palais, & the place entrid.

8540 He wold put of no plate of his pnse arm?<r,
But abode in the burgh in his bright wedis.

Book XXI.

pleading that he
abide in the city
till night.

(fol. 132 a.)

Hector will not
yield. He goes
forth to battle.

Andromacha

in despair rushes

to Priam.

Tearing her face
and hair,

she falls at his
feet,

beseeching him
to detain Hector
within the city.

Priam overtakes
Hector :
commands and
entreats him to
desist.

With great
reluctance he
returns :

but will, on no
account put off
his armour.

278

THE TROJANS DRIVEN BACK :

Book XXI.

Diomedes and
Troilus fight
with great spears :

(fol. 132 6.)

and would have
killed each other
had not Meuelaus
parted them.

Menelans
unhorses, and
captures Miseres.

Polydamas
rescues him.

The Greeks again
take him, and
would have
MlleJhim;

but Troilus
rescues him.

Telainon and
Achilles,
combining their
forces,"

drive the Trojans
towards the city.

Mcgaron.Kon of

Then the batell was brem in the brode Mil,
Mony fell in the fight at the first tyme !

8544 Dyamede that duke, & the derfe Troilus,

Evyn macchit horn to mete with two mayn

speires :

With all the bir in hor brest and hor byg horses,
So f ai cast horn to caupe with a course felle,

8548 The ton hade doutles ben dede, & drepit for ay,
Hade not MSnelay mightyly met horn betwene,
Witli a batell full big bere horn in sender.
He frunt to a fuerse kyng of frigies lend,

8552 A mon full of might, fat Meseron was cald :
He had hym of horse, hyndward anon,
And he was takon full [tite] & twrnyt away.
Polidamas, the pme knight, come pn'kond
belyue

8556 With a folke fat was felle, & the fight entrid.
He Reskewet the Renke, russhet vnfaire,
And myche baret on bent to the buernes dyd :
}3an the grekes agayne grippit the kyng,

8560 Wold haue fhadl of his hede in a hast bere,

l_ J / '

But Troiell full tydely twmyt horn agaynes,

Kyld doun fere knightes, and the kyng toke !

He deliuej-t the lord, lete hym of hond ;
8564 And fell of his foos fuersly bat tyme.

Telemoniws Aiax come angardly fast,

With f re thowsaund fro men f rang into batell ;

Gird in with the grekes, & myche grym wroght,
8568 And mony tulke out of Troy tyrnit to ground.

}3en furghe chaunse of Achilles & his choise
helpe,

J5ai bere the burgh-men abacke to the bare
walles :

}3ai bonnet fro batell, & the bent leuyt,
8572 ffled all in fere frikly to toune !

Mageron the mighty macchet with Achilles,

HECTOR RALLIES THEM. 279

Wold haue takon the talle kyng, & to toun led : Book xxi.

He was a proude son of Pr/am, & a prise knight, Priam, attacks
8576 And a wight man in wer, Jjof hym woo happnit.

Achilles were hym full wightly, & the wegh and is slain ;
slogh ;

Bare hym bak to J?e "bent, & the buerne deghit.

)3en was clomowr & crye for care of hym one, the Trojans
8580 And myche dole for his dethe, J?at derit horn all !

Telamon, the toure kyng, £e Troiens pursuet ; (foi. iss a.)

._ . - Telamon pursues

Pans hym put of, & preset hym sore, the Trojans :

Wit/i other kynges & knightes, and the kyde

brether ;
8584 But hom worthe to J>e worse, wete ye for sothe, Paris and MS

A J i A ru riv • J -u j. t brothers protect

And soghtyn to the Citie in a sad hast ! the rear,

Than kaght fai the corse of fie kynges son, and carry off the

, .., , bod> of their

Broghtyn into burgh w*tA baret & crye. brother.

8588 When Ector herd of \>at hynde vnhappely was

dede,

Jjan fraynit }>at fre, who J?e freike sloghe.
" Achilles the choise kyng," oon chaunsit to say,
" fFell hym in fight & fele of oure knightes ! "

8592 Ector, wode of his wit for woo of his brother, Hector enraged

TT ., , . , , pi-i. ,1 by his brother'8

Haspit on his helme, & his horse toke ; death, rushes to

„,. . , , i • r> i the fight unknown

Went out wightly, vnwetyng his fader. to his father:

Two Dukes full derne, he to dethe broght,
8596 And manly with mayn mellit with other ;

Kyld downe knightes, karve hom in sonder.

Mony wondet the weghe, & to woo caste ;

Britnet hom on bent, and on bake put.
8600 The grekes, for his greffe, girdyn hym fro, the Greeks in

Thay knew hym full kyndly be caupe of his before him.
sword.

Then the Troiens full tyte to the toune floghen,

Issuet out egurly Ector to helpe ; The Trojans

8604 Gird evyn to the grekes, and hor ground toke ; and recover their

ffoghten full felly, and hor fos harmyt.

280

ACHILLES, ENRAGED AT HECTOR,

Book XXI.

Hector cuts 8608

down a guard of

2i 0 Greeks, and

rescues

Polydamas.

8612

Leocides attacks
Hector, and is
felled to the
earth.

8616

(fol. 138 b.)

Achilles perceives 8620
that the Greeks
cannot take
Troy, unless
Hector be slain :

8624

and plans how to
accomplish that
end.

8628

H<o'or kills
Policenes ;

8632

8636

Polidamas, the pert, was presset so fast,

Jjat he was wonen in wer, & away led :

Than Ector in yre Egerly faght,

And the grekes in his grein gird he to dethe, —

Two hundreth in hast, fat the hend led, —

And deliuert the lede with his lyfe hole !

This a grete of the grekes graidly beheld,

Had me?'uell full niekyll, macchet hym to Ector,

(Liochydes, the large, so }>e lord hight) :

He wend, the pn'nse in the prese haue put out

of lyue.

Ector wrathit hym with, and the wegh hit,
)5at he deghit of the dynt, er he doun fell.
Achilles, this chaunse choisly beheld,
)3at so mony of f aire men were marrid by hym,
He hopit but if happely fat hardy were slayne,
J2at neuer greke shuld haue grace the ground for

to wyn ;

Ne neuer Troye for to take, terme of hor lyue.
He bethoght hym full thicke in his thro hert,
And all soteltie soght, serchit his wit,
On all wise in this world, fat werke for to enc
And the praise with his power put vnto dethe.
As he stode f us in stid, starit hym vpon,
Policenes, a pert Duke, fat in prese rode,
J?at was chere to Achilles, cherisit "with loue,
And thidwr soght, for his sake, his sistur to

haue,

A mon he was of More Ynde, mighty of god.es,
Jjere hit auntrid full euyn, fat Ector hym met,
And the lede with a launse out of lyue broght.
Achilles the chaunse cheuit for to se :
Vne wode of his wit, wait into angur.
The dethe of fat Duke he dight hym to venge.
To Ector full egurly he etlit anon :
Ector koppit the kyng er he caupe might,

TREACHEROUSLY SLAYS HIM. 281

Drof at hym with a dart, & f e Duke hit. Book xxi.

86-10 Hit was keruond & kene, & the kyng hurt, and wounds

And woundit hym wickedly thurght the waist a dart.

euyn,
)3at he sesit of his sute, soght he no ferre.

THE DETHE OF ECTOR, BY ACHILLES T£4YTI/tfLY SLAYN.

Achilles for the chop cherit hym not litle, Achilles binds up

his wound,

8644 Braid out of batell, bound vp his wounde,

Stoppit the stremys stithly agayne ;

Lep vp full lyuely, launchit on swithe,

To fat entent, truly, as the trety sais, and goes to

8648 To deire Ector with dethe, or degh fere hym
seluyn.

As Ector faght in the fild fell of the grekes,

He caupit with a kyng, caght hym anon ;

Puld hym, as a pn'soner of pn'se for to wyn,

8652 With strenght thurgh the stoure, as the story (foi. i34<j.)
tellus.

His sheld on his shulders shot was behynd, Hector, with his

And his brest left bare, so the buerne Rode, behind, is leading

„ , , , ., . , , j a noble prisoner

To weld hym more winly fat worthy to lede. to nig tent)

8656 Achilles grip pit a gret speire witft a grym wille, w

. steals upon him,

Vnpersayuit of the prznce prikit hym to, and strikes him

•xir J-J.T- -iji T. i i j dead with a spear.

YVoundit hym wickedly, as he away loked,
Thurgh the body with the bit of the bright end,

8660 That he gird to f e ground, & the gost yald.
This Sedymon segh, fat soght out of Troy :
Evyn wode for fat worthy was of lyue done,
He cheuet to Achilles with a chop felle,

8664 J?at he braid to the bent with a brem wound ; Achiiies is struck

AIJ? iji»ij.j j. j.i TV i i i -i. down, and carried

And lor ded ol fat dynt the Duke fere hym leuit. to his tent ^
The Myrmaidons, his men, f aire maistur can take,
Bere hym on his brode sheld to his big tent,
8668 There left hym as lyueles, laid hym besyde :

But yet deghit not the Duke, f of hym dere tholit.

282

TERROR AND DISMAY IN TROY.

Book XXI.

The Trojans
lose heart, and
flee to the city.

The body of
Hector is brought
to Troy.

The grief and
despair of the
people.

(fol. 184 6.)

Some, even, lose
their reason.

Then the Troiens witJi tene turnyt them backe,
Soghten to f e Citie with sorow in hert,
8672 Entrid all somyn angardly fast,

And the body of the bold p?*mse broghtyn horn
with.

W hen the corse of fat comly corny n was to

toun,

Miche dole & dyn was dole [for] to here,
8676 With Sobbyng fro the Cite, & Syling of tens,
With gawlyng & grete the grettist among.
All the Citiesyns, for so the, for sorow of the

prinse,

Miche water f ai weppit, wringyng of hond :
8680 The dit & the dyn was dole to be-hold !

All the wemen of wit thurgh the wale toune,
Wyfes, & wedowes, & worshipful! maidnes,
Within houses & hallis hard was fere chere.
8684 Wyth myche dole vppon dayes & on derke

nightes,

Sum wait into wodenes, & of wit past :
The petie & the playnt was pyn for to here !
Euer thai said in hor sagh, as f ai so might,
8688 }?ai had no hope of fere heale, ne fere hec

children,

All hor trust fan was tynt, truly f ai said,
Thurgh the dethe of fat dere, & done out

hope !
" Alasse, the losse and the lure of oure lefe

prmse !
8692 Now sesit be oure Citie with oure sad fos ;

Our husbandes to hard dethe, & our hede slayne ;
We set vnder seruage, in sorow to abyde ! "
On this wise all the weke, woke f ai witJiin,
8606 With Eemyng & rauthe, Renkes to be-hold.

THE GRIEF OF PRIAM AND HIS FAMILY. 283

The body of bat bold was broght to his fader, ' Book XXI-
Wa/i all the kynges full clene, & be kid Dukes. S^TubLeto
Wit/i myche care & crie bai comyn hym -with. "'? F*1^6- .

All the Trojan

87'iO Rent of here riche clothes, ryuyn bere chekes, leaders

accompany it,

And setton hym full sorily bat souerain before, with lend

wailing.

When Pnam, the prise kyng, on the prmse

loked,

Suche a sorow full sodenly sanke in his hert,
8704 }3at he fainted for feble fell on his corse

In a swone & a swogh, as he swelt wold. The grief of

- Priam and his

He was ded, as to deme, bat day mony tymes, family,
if or the dole & the deire of his dere sone.
8708 Ne hade the buerne from, the body bigly ben

draghen,

He hade doutles be dede, & his day comyn.
Miche bale hade his brether, and his blithe

sister :

Horn hade leuer then the lond out of lyue be.
871 2 What of Ecuba the honerable, bat was his aune

moder ?

The sorow bat ho suflfert were solly to here ;
& the dole of Andromaca, bat was his dere wife, and of
What blod & bright watur on hir brest light ! tongue'can'tei"0
8716 & the sobbyng & the sorow, bat sought hir

wit/tin,

Hit were tore any tunge tell hit vriifi mouthe ! (foi. iss a.)
.The dole for bat doghty of his dere fryndes,
Of wepyng, & wayle, & wryngyng of hondes,
8720 Clamur & crie, crakkyng of fyngurs,

Of bo ledis bat hym louyt, no letter might tell !
The body of this bold, bat barely is ded,
Most follow by fourme the freeltie of man :
8724 Hit may not long vpon loft ly vncorruppit,
Ne be keppit thurgh kynd for vnclene ayre.
Then Pnam the pnse kyng, prestly gert come Priam consults

-»«-•, /> -I-, n . with wise masters

Maisturs lull mony, & men bat were wise. how they might

281

THE TOMB OF HECTOR.

Book XXI.

kiv]> the body of
liivtor without
corruption, and
without sepulture.

They erect a
rich tabernacle
on four pillars
of gold,

adorned with
images of angels,

and gleaming
with precious
stones.

ffol. 1356.)

Alxne Hie
tabernacle they
set a great image
of gold, —

reprenentin?
Hector menacing
the Greeks with
a naked sword.

8728 He fray net at fo fre, with a fyn wille,

How the korse might be keppit in his kynd

holl,

ffresshe, vndefacede, & in fyne hew,
As a lede vpon lyue, likyng to se ;

8732 And not orible, ne vgly of odir to fele.

Then Jro maisturs gert make a meruelous touml
Honerable & auonaud, in Apolyn temple,
At the prayer of Pn'am, of a -prise werke,

8736 Beside Tiberian, fat in Troy was a triet yate,
ffoundit full faire fele yeres past.
There set was full solenly besyde the

aulter,
A tabernacle triet & tristyly wroght,

8740 Of foure pillers vp pight all of pure gold :
Like ymages were all, abill of shap,
Lokend full lyuely as any light angels,
ffro aboue to f e base bright to be-hold,

8744 "WYt/j full corius korse, & craftely grauen.

Hit was atiryt vmb the top all with triet stone
Of all kyndes to ken, fat clerkes cold deuyse.
)3ai lemet so light, fat ledes might se

8748 Aboute midnyght merke as with mayn torches ;
And on dayes to deme, as by due sight,
As beamy s of bright sun, fat braunchis olofte,
This tabernacle tristy was tyrit on hegh,

8752 Vpon cristall full clere, clustrit witlt grqses,
As a gate fro the ground to the gay herse :
J}at weghes might walke & waite ferapon.
Aboue on f is bright, as the boke sayes,

8756 Thos maisturs gert make a memelous ymage,
All grauen of gold, a gret & a longe,
Amyt after Ector, abill of shap,
With a noble sword & a nait naked in his howl,

8760 Vp holdand on high as he fat wold stryke :
Turnyt to the tenttes of the torr> grekes,

THE EMBALMING. 285

W/t/i a lyuely loke, ledis to be-hold : Book xxi.

The same fawchon full fell, fat f e freke bere,
8764 ]3at had greuit mony grekes, & to ground broght,

Hit was burnisslied full bright & of blade kene ;

And in mynd of fat man for manas was holdyn.

The body of fat bold, as buerne vppon lyne, They set the
87 G 8 Was full solemly set in a seate vnder, under the

IT _. _j , v i -.j • i. tabernacle; and

Ymydward the mayne towmbe w?t/i maistres arrange it that

i it might seem

leuyse. to be still alive.

All the feturs of fat fre, fresshe to be-hold,
Iche lede on to loke, lemys & other
8772 All set for to se, saue the fete one,

In soche apparel! full pure, as the prmce vsit.
})an f o maisturs gert make, amyddes his hede,
A hole f urgh his herne-pon hertely by craft ; They cause a

fine ointment to

8< 76 There-m put was a pipe, with a pn'se oyntment drop into the

Of bavme & of balsamom, fat brethede full swete, aii over the body
Wiih ofer maters mynget, fat most were of topres

strenght, —
Conseruatowrs by craft, fat cointly were made.

8780 The bavme f urghe his brayn all on brod ran,
And the forhed before fresshly within ;
So hit entrid to f e Ene, & evyn to his nase,
And so be craft & by course come to his chekes,

8784 Goyng to his gomys and the ground of his tethe, (foi. iscn.)
}?at keppit horn be crafte all in clene vertue.
So the face of fat freike was fresshe to be-hold, By this means
With the here on his hede, fat hogely was features of the

Irvll hero are kept

leKyll, fresh and life-

8788 And grew fro the ground, fat gomys might llke>

know,

As a lede vpon lyue ; lefe if ye will !
ffro thethen the lycowr belyne launchit doun

evyn,

Thurgh the goters of his gorge, & the grete pype,
8792 To the brest of the buerne and the bare shulders ;

286

THE EMBALMING.

lt,K)k XXI.

So also the arms
and hands,

legs and feet.

They set round
the body four
lamps of gold,
whose fire could
never be
extinguished.

(Ibl. 188 J>.)

To this temple
Priam appoints
many priests,
and rich
endowments.

And past so by proces to his pn'se armys,

Bret thurgh the bones and the big senowis,

Ener folowand the fell to f e fyngwr endys.
8796 So hit soght to the sydes & serchit vfith-iu,

And keppit horn full cleane in hor kynd hew,

]3at as a lede vpon lyue to loke on fai ware.

jpen hit sewit forth soberly, & sanke fro aboue,
8800 By the lyndes of the lede, to the leell theghes,

Passond by poris into f e pure legges ;

And so, be corse of the craft, com to his fete.

In whiche fete fere was formyt fresshly another,
8804 ffull of bawme fat was bright, & of brethe noble.

Thus keppit was this corse of the clene pn'nse,

As a lede vpon lyue a full long tyme.

)?en fos maisters gert make, all with mayu

crafte,
8808 ffbvre lampis full light, ledis to beholde,

)?at gay were & grete, all of gold fyne ;

ffild vp with fyre, fat fynet not to bren ;

Jjat no watur fen wete in world might horn let,
8812 N"e the light make lesse ne the low fade.

When this taburnacle atyrit was tally to end,

Thai closit hit full clanly, all with clene ambur,

Vmbe the borders aboue, fat no buerne entrid,
8816 With a dore fat was derne, all for dere fryndes

ffor to loke on fat lede, when horn lefe fought,

Or fat soght hym to se in his sete holl.

Then Pn'am, the pn'se kyng, puruait to leng
8820 Mony seruondis full solemne in the same
temple, —

Of prestes to pray, and pure men of lyffe,

With worship to wale goddis, & wakyng on
nightes.

He gafe Eenttes full Rife, & myche Ranke godis,
8824 All f o ledis on to lyf, fat longit fe/'to,

Bothe prestes and pn'se clerkes prudly to fynd.

THE COUNSEL OF AGAMEMNON. 287

THE COUNSAILL OF AGAMINON AFTER THE DETHE OF
ECTOR.

When Ector done was to dethe, & his day past,
Achilles woundit full wothely in were of his

lyffe,
8828 All the grete of the grekes gedrit were soue,

By ordinatmce of the Emperoure, fat after hom

sent.
Thus he spake for his spede his specials vnto : — Agamemnon

. proposes to his

"Now fryndes, in faith, vs is faire happont, captains that

they should thank

8832 And froly, me thinke, we thanke shuld oure their gods for

, -, Hector's death :

godaes,

jjat hase grauntid vs J?at grace of J?e gome Ector,
To be drepit to dethe thurgh dughty Achilles,
ffor, while the lede was on lyf, & his lymes holl,
8836 We hade hertely no hope here for to spede,
Yonder toun for to take, ne tene hom wz'tAin,
Ne in this lond, at our lust, lykyng to haue.
ffor he hase kylcl of our kynges, to count hom for he had slain

so many of the
by nome, Greeks and their

8840 Prothesselon, Patroculws, & Policene alse ;

Myrion the mighty, & the mayn Sedymow ;

Prothenor the pert, & the pn'nse Xancipun.

Alphenor the fuerse flung he to dethe ;
8844 Archillagon the choise choppit to ground ;

Domen the doughty, & derf Polexenas ;

Isum, also, abill of his dedys.

Polipheten, a pn'se mon, he put out of lyue ;
8848 Letabion on the laund J>ere left he for ded ;

And mony grete of our grekes he to ground
broght.

Syn he be destany is dede, what dem bar vs ellus, And now that i.e

is dead, Troy and

But the Citie to sese, & slyng it to ground ; the Trojans wm
8852 All the pepull to pyne put, and dethe at oure (foi. mo.)
lust?

288

PALAMEDES AND AGAMEMNON.

Hook XXI.

That they should
send to Priam to
obtain a truce for
two months, that
their dead may be
buried and their
wounded healed.

8860

8864

(' Suundismen,'=
gondtsme i,
messengers.)

Priam grants the 8868
truce.

Palamedes
murmurs against
Agamemnon.

Agamemnon
replies ;—

8872

8876

8880

" I never even

desired the

command of the

Greek forces ;

nor have I

any profit 8884

thereby.

And fat shall douteles be done in dayes a few.
And syn vs botis notto batell but vs bale worthe,
\VYtftoutyn the helpe and the hondes of herty

Achilles,

Hit is best fat we byde, barly, me thinke,
Tyll he be hole of his hurt, hast we no ferr.
Let vs pMruay to Pr/am prise men of wit,
ffor to trete of a tru in trist of the betttir,
Till two monethes & more be meuit to end,
fFor to bery fies bodies, fat brittnet are to dethe,
That storis vs with stynke, & our state harmys ;
And our hurt men to hele, fat harmys haue kaght."
\Vhen his speche was spokyn, & sped to f e last,
All the lordes hit alowet, & lowten f erto.
Then sent were fere sone soundismen two,
To Pn'am, the pn'se kyng, purpos to hold ;
And he grauntid vngright with a good chere,
And affirmet hit with faith to f e frekis all.
Within the tyme of f is tru, as the trety sais,
Palomydon the proud kyng playnet hym ofte,
Of Agamynons gouernawnce in a grete yre.
And as hit tid on a tyme, f es triet kynges hoole
Were somyn at a semly the souerain before,
Palomydon put hym full prestly to say,
And meuit of his mater, fat I mynnet are.
Jjan Agamynon, full godely, agayn to hym said,
Before f o kynges in comyn on a cleane wise : —
" Now Palomydon, pure ffrende, pertly I aske,
Whethur f ou hope it in hert, or hold in f i mynd,
That I am glad of f is gou^rnawnce, to be gyde

here :
Syn I with prayer, ne with pursuet, preset not

feraftwr,

Ne desyret hit in dede f e dayes of my liife.
Ne neuer fortherit me a ferthing to fylsy my

goodes ;

PALAMEDES AND AGAMEMNON. 289

But oft wandrit, & woke, & in my wit caste ; Book xxi.

And my person enpayret, pynet me sore, (foi. m 6.)

ffor thes lordes fat I lede, and the ledis all,
8888 And my suete all somyn, sound for to kepe
Out of daunger and dole, & fro detlie hold.
And yf this power be putto any pn'se kyng, And i shall be

„ 1. .. well pleased to be

Or any lord in oure land, hit likes me lull well under the
8892 His biddyng to obey, and his bone here ; fnothe™6"

And be gouernyt by that graithe, as his degre
askes.

Wele I hope in my hert, & heghly Suppose,

I haue not errit in anythyng of all my tyme yet,
8896 In any cas to acount, fat corny n is before,

)?at hase skapet vs to skathe, ne to skyre harme.

Syn me to chose as for cheftan f ou no charge i was chosen two

vears before you
hade, joined us.

Meruell the not mekell, ne in mynd haue ;
8900 ffor f ou apperit not in presens, ne preuyt not fi

wit,

!N"e entrid not the ost till after two yeres.
If we barly hade abiden Vfiih oure buernes hole, Had we waited

r your coming we

We hade ass [em] eld ben at Attens, all oure ost would stm have

0 been at Athens.

oomen,

8904 And not past out of port, ne oure pwrpos haldyn.
N e, non hertly shalle hope fat I am here fayn,
Of his goueraawnce be glad, ne haue gret Joye ;
ffor hit is lykyng, by my lyf, & lusty for me, i shall rejoice if

8908 To chose another cheftan by charge of vs all ; commander be
And his alligiaunce lelly I will loute to,
W-ith all the might fat I may to maintene our

weire.
Ne, fi self may not say, ne for sothe telle, and you cannot

8912 WYt/iout assent of all somyn, sothely till now, deed winch has

, , , . . been done

pat any dede has be don, or to dom past, without the

. P ,, . consentofthe

But fou in person aprevit, & all oure pnse leaders, and of

yourself among
the regt ,.

19

290

AGAMEMNON RESIGNS.

Book XXI.

Agamemnon calls
a council of the
leaders,

(fol. 138 a.)

everything has
prospered.

8920

and thus
addresses
them :—

" Till this day, I
have acted as
your commander;
and, through the
help of our gods,

8936

It is proper that
you discharge
me, and elect
another to be
your chief."

And by agrement of the gret, & pe graunfc

hoole."

8916 When the souerain hade said, pen he sest here ;
And of this mater no more was menyt at pot
tyme.

JLhe same day, Sothely, sais me the lyne,

At euensangtyme afterward, Agamyiion hym

seluyn

Somond all po souerains somyn to appere,
And the knightes by course, comyns & other,
In presens of fat pn'nse with pere pure wittes.
The secund day sewyng, before hym-self euyn,
)5en gedret were the grete with pere gyng all,
Comyn to pe kyng and pere course held.
Jjen pe worthy pes wordes warpit hom too : —
" Now, fryndes & ffelowes, fayrly to pis,
I haue ben chargit as cheftain, be chaunse of

our goddes ;

And haue traueld with tene, oft twrnyt my wit,
All oure wayes to wale, pat worship might folow;
)3at the grete on this ground, & paire gomys hole,
Might suerly be sauyt, & paire sute haue.
Hit has happont me hiderward, thurgh help of

our goddes,
J5at all oure fare & oure fortune hath fallyn to

pe best.

Syn hit is Eeason & right, pat renkes so mony,
Noght ay obaye to on buerne, ne his bone kepe,
)3at are so mony, & mighty, & more of astate ;
Now is tyme in this tru, or any toile rise,
To discharge me as cheftain, & chaunge my lif,
That have maintenede with monhode mony yore

past.
Let sum kyng of oure company, or sum clone

prmse,

8924

8928

8932

PALAMEDES IS CHOSEN. 291

By assent of all somyn, set hym berto, Book xxi.

And gouerne vs with graithnes & with gret wit,
8944 To be charget as chef tain by choise of vs all."

J3en assentid full sone souerain & other, The leaders are

pleased, and

And were glad of fie graunt, bat the grete said ; assent to the

„. , ., . , , -,, ., proposal.

ffor hit is couyt by a comyn, by corse of bere wit,
8948 Ay hor cheftain to channge, bof hit chefe wors ;

And ay fayne of the freike in his first tyme,

jjof hit worthe to be worse : wete ye for sothe.

)3an bes lordys to Election lyuely bai went,
8952 To chese horn a cheftan with charge of horn all,

Who shuld falle it by fortune of the fre kynges.

Palomydon for pn'se the pert kynges toke, Paiamedes is

chosen :

And ordant hym Emperour by oppyn assent, and acknowledged

as commander.

8956 The ost for to honour, & agh hym as lord : (foi. iss&o

And his alligiaunce to loute liked horn all.

When cause of thies kyng^s was comyn to an
end,

All twrnyt to bere tenttes, when the tyme asket.
8960 Then hit chaunsit bat Achilles of be choise herd, Achuies is

dissatisfied with

That Palomydon was praise, & put doun the the choice;

tother :

Hit heuet hym hogely of bat hard chaunce.
Hit was vnfittyng, he said, bere souerain to voide;
8964 ffor the graithnes of Agamynon, & the gret wit,
Was passand Palomydon & the praises all ;
And a choise shuld in chaunge be chosen for

the better.

But it comyn was be course of comyn assent,
8968 And confirmit by the kynges, he keppit hit for but submits to it.

goode :

No more in the mater mellit hym as then,
But past furth to his pale, & here a pase endis.

292

Beggnnctfj tjje xactj 33ofte : tfje (fHlleugnt
Batell of tjje Cttie.

To avenge the
death of Hector,
Priam himself
arranges the
Trojan forces,
and leads them
to battle.

(fol. 139 a.)

First Deiphobus
leads forth his
division ; then
Paris, then
Priam ;

then JEneas,
Memnon, and
Polydamas.
(MS. has Mirion)

Euery Wegh, fat will wete of this werke ferr,

8972 Lengis here a litle, lysten my wordes !

When tyme of this tru turnyt was to end, —
Two monethes nieuyt, as I naent first,
Priam, the pn'se kyng, pz/rpast hym-seluyn

8976 ffor to deire for the dethe of his dere son.
He bounet hym to batell on his best wise,
And assignet hym-self sou^rains aboute,
Tho ledis to lede, as hym lefe thoght.

8980 xx. M. thro knightes, pryuond in armys,

He assignet for hym-self e at the same tyme,
(As Dares breuyt in his boke, & barly can tell)
& x. M. J>ro men. Jiristy of hond ;

8984 And ffyfty M. fere, fell men of will,

Twmyt out of Troy wttA the tn'et kyng.
Deffibus drogh furth with his derfe pepull,
Then Paris wz't/i pn'se put next after,

8988 J)en the souerain hym-selfe, the sure kyng Pmm
Eneas afterward etlit anone,
}?en [Menon], the mighty kyng, meuit to feld :
Polidamas, the pert knight, presit on the last.

8992 When thies batels full bold were to bent corny:
Thay hurlit furth hard to the hegh laund,
ffrickly fere fos found for to greue.

THE ELEVENTH BATTLE. 203

Palamy Jon, bat was p?'i'nse of the proude grekes, Book xxn.
8996 All his Renkes had arayet, as he rede toke, Paiamedes arrays

And met hom -with mayn, machit to-gedur. flerce battle

ffell was the frusshe, fey were bere mony :

Mony kynges were kyld, & kant men of armes !
9000 Priam to Palamydon preset so fast, Priam smites

. down Paiamedes :

J5at he gird hym to ground of his grete horse :

There leuyt he the lede, launchet aboute,

And fell in the feld mony fyn knight. wus and wounds

many.

9004 Mony woundet fat worthy, & wroght vnto dethe ;
Mony gird vnto ground, -with his gryni dyntte*1.
Hit is wonder to wete, in his wode anger,
How doghtely he did bat day with his hond : His feats of arms

are wonderful.

9008 Or bat any freike vpon feld of so fele yeres,

So mightely with mayn shuld marre of his fos.
Deffibus, the derf knight, dang hom to ground
ffuersly & fast, wtt7t a fell weppon.

901 2 Kyng Seppidan, for sothe, a sad mon of strenght, sarpedon and
Bounet vnto batell with a brem wille, rush on each

And to Neptilon anon, a noble mon of Grese,
As by stowrnes of strenght, streght on hym met.

9016 This Seppidon, for sothe, he set soche a dynt,

That he gird with a grone to the ground euyn : (fol- 1396-)

Sarpedon is

But the freke vpon fote fuersly can wyn, borne down, but

Braid out a big sword, bare to hym sone Neoptoiemus in

9020 With a dedly dynt, & derit hym full euyll

Throgh the thicke of the thegh, throly with hond.

The kyng of Persy came full prest with a proud
batell,

And Seppidon fro the Soile set vpo lofte.
9024 Thurgh the tulkes of Troy, & hor triet helpe,

The Duke of Athens drogh in, & derf Menelaus, Meneiaus and

the Duke of

with a noyus nowmbur, nowble men all, Athens, with

17- i L AT- i J -L- i • i-j. i their forces, nish

Vmcloset the kyng and his kmghtes als. in: km the king

9028 The kyng of Persy bai put down vnto pale dethe ; beat back the
Bare the Troiens abacke, & myche bale did. Trojans'

'2(.)1 THE GREEKS ARE DRIVEN BACK.

Hook xxii. In defence of his folke, the fuerse kyng Sepidon

fftdl worthely wroght with his wale strenght.
9032 Thedur Priam can prese with his pr/se knightes,
And his noble sons nat?frell, fat naitly hym

folowet,

On yche syde for his socowr, soght hym aboute.
Then the Troiens full tyte, in hor tore angur,
9036 Girdon to the Grekes w/t7t a grym fare.
Priam slays The noble Priam full prest put hom to ground,

Slogh hom doun sleghly with sleght of his hond.
Of all the Troiens so tore & tyde of wer,
9040 "Was non so doughty fat day, ne did halfe

well,

Ne so wight in his werkes, as the wale kyng,
Sorrow for the Jjat for sorow & sorgrym of his sonnys dethe,

death of Hector

restores the Kestouret hym his strenght as in stuerne yowthe

youTif h °f M8 90±4 Then the Grekes by a-grement gedrit hom somj
Betwene the Troiens & the towne, yf fai tui

wold,
The Greeks cut off In companys cleane, knightes full mony,

the Trojans from

the city. All pight on a playn, fere f ai passe shuld.

9048 When the grekes with grem gird hom abacke,
fforset were f ai sone with a sad pepull,
)?at faght with hom felly, & mony frekes slogh.
(foi. 140 a.) Hard hurlyng in hast, highet hom betwene.

9052 Mony buernes on the bent blody beronen !
Priam comes to j^e hade Pn'am the pme kyng preset hoi

their rescue :

aboute,

)3at was feghtyng in the feld on the fer syde,
Myche murthe of his men & myschefe ha

fallyn;

9056 And of his ledis ben lost mony lell hundrith.
Paris also brings Parys ben preset in with a pr^se batell

up his company

of archers. Of noble men, for the nonest, naitist of wille,

All with bowes full big, & mony bright arow ;
9060 Gird euyn to the grekes, greuit hom full sore,

THE TROJANS DEMAND A TRUCE.

295

Mony birlt on the brest, & the backe Jrirlet.
So greuit were the grekes furgh the gret shot,
Jjat fai fled all in fere, & the feld leuit :

9064 Twnet to fere tenttes, the Troiens beheld.

Was no freke vpon fel[d]e folowet hom after,
But soghten to J>e Citie "with a softe pas,
And entrid in Easely efter fere wille :

9068 And all worshiptin the werke of fe worthy kyng

Pnam,
As for best of the batell, boldest of hond.

1 he secund day suyng, when the sun rose,
The Troiens to the tenttes tristy men send,

9072 ffor a tru to be tan, as the trety sais :

(Whethur long, othir littull, list me not tell,
ffor no mynd is J>ere made in our mene bokes,
Ne noght put in our proses by poiettes of old.)

9076 Within the tyme of fis tru, the Troiens did

aske

The corse of the kyng, [that] come out of Pers,
ffor to bery in the burghe on hor best wise,
ffor whom mournyng was made mekill ynogh,

9080 And praisipall of Paris, that the pn'nse louit,
Jjat of faith & afinytie were festnet to-gedur ;
J)at ordant on all wise after his dethe,
The souerain to send into his soile hom ;

9084 On a bere to his burgh broght hym belyue,
To be entiret trietly in a toumbe riche,
As bi-come for a kyng in his kythe riche,
In presens of his pn'se sonnes, as the prose
tellus,

9088 That shuld be ayres after him auenond of lyue.

THE SOLEMPNITE OP THE OBIT OF ECTOR, AND HOW
ACHILLES FELL IN ))E MOM tTJZDOTES FOR LUFF.

Duryng the dayes of this du pes,

Book XXII.

The Greeks are
driven to their
tents, and the
Trojans return to
the city.

The Trojans
demand a truce.

(MS. has ' to ')

The Trojans
mourn for the
King of Persia,
and send his body
to be buried in
his own country.

(fol. 1406.)

296

ACHILLES AT THE TOMB OF HECTOR.

Book XXII.

Priam appoints a
time of solemn
sacrifices in
honour of
Hector:

and a funeral
feast.

During this truce, 9100
the Greeks and
Trojans visit each
other.

9104

Achilles goes to

the temple of

Apollo, where the 9108

body of Hector

was set.

The temple is
filleJ with

Hector is beheld
as when he was
alive.

(fol. 141 a.)

At his feet,
Hecuba,
Polyxena, and

The pme kyng Pn'am prestly gert ordan
A gret solenite, for sothe, all the cite thurgh,

9092 Xj dayes to endure, as for dere holy,
In honour of Ector oddist of knightes,
With Sacrifice & solenite vnto sere goddes.
When thies dayes were done of the du fest,

9096 )3en ordant was on, — oddist of all,
A ffynerall fest, fat frekes fen vset,
Jjat become for kynges, & for kyd pn'nses,
That most Avere of might & of mayn state.
That in tymes of the tru the Troiens might

wend,
In-to the tentis by tymes, and tary \vhile f er

list;

And the grekes, agayne, go to the toune,
To sporte horn with speciall, & a space lenge.
Achilles hade appetite, & angardly dissiret,
The Citie for to se, and the solemne fare
At the entierment full triet of f e tru pn'nse.
}3an vnarmyt he entrid, euyn to f e citie ;
To Appollo pure temple passit anon,
There the body of the bold blithly was set,
Of honerable Ector, as I ere said.
There were plenty of pepull, pn'se men & noble

9112 And worthy wemen to wale weping with teris,
In sykyng & sorow syttyng aboute.
The tabwrnacle titly Arntild was aboue,
On yche syde, as I say, who fat se wold,

9116 Jjere the body was aboue of the bold p?-mse,
In his sete, as I said, sittyng full hoole,
])at arayet was full richely, as I red haue,
WitJi bame & with balsaum, fat brethid fii
swete.

9120 At the fete of fat fre was his faire moder,
Honerable Ecuba, oddist of ladys,
And Polexena the pert, fat was his pn'se suster,

ACHILLES AT THE TOMB OF HECTOR. 297

~With mony worshipfoll wemen to wale in J>e Book XXH.

the noblest ladies
ninj wi i f , 1111 • t_i of Troy, sit with

9124 Ine here 01 ]>ere heddes hynging on brede, dishevelled hair,

On backe & on brest bare for to shew ; mourning.

With remyng, & rauthe, & myche rife sorow,

Sobbyng & sourcher soght fro Jjere herttes.
9128 Polexena the pert pairet of hir hew, The beauty of

All facid hir face with hir fell teris, seen through her

}?at was red as the Eoses, richest of coloure,

Hit was of hew to behold with hend men aboute.
9132 The teris J?at trickilt on her tryet cheke.s,

As pure watwr pouret vn polishet yerne,

ftat blaknet with bleryng all hir ble qwite.

The faire heris of )>at fre flammet of gold,
9136 All abouen on hir brest & hir bright swire,

]?at sho halit with hond, hade it in sonder,

And puld hit with pyn, pite to be-hold.

When the hond of ]>at hend to fe hede yode,
9140 Hit semyt by sight of sitters aboute,

As the moron mylde meltid aboue,

When ho hasted with hond f»e hore for to
touche.

When Achilles the choise maidon wt't/i chere Aohiiies gazes on

, , . , Folyxena with

Can behold, wonder

9144 He hade ferly of hir fairhede, & fell into thoght. and admiration-
To hym-seluyn he said in his saule pen,
)3at never wegh in this world of woman kynd,
Hade fairnes so fele, ne so fyne shap,

9148 Ne so pleasaund of port, ne of pure nurtttr.

As Achilles this choise in chapell beheld, HO \s love-stmck :

A fell arow in his frunt festnet of loue,
Woundit hym wickedly by will of hym-seluyn ;

9152 And lurkid doun lagher to his low brest,
All hatnet his hert, as a hote fyre,

Made hym langwys in Loue & Longynges grete. (foi. ui &•)
Ay the more on J)«t maidon the mighty beheld, and the longer i.e

298 ACHILLES IS OVERCOME WITH

Book xxn. 915G The sarre woundit he was, & his wille hatter.
gazes, the more Lo, so sodainly Wi'tTi sight in a sad hast,

he is wounded. , ,

A whe may be woundit Jnirgh wille of hym

seluyn !

Thus, Achilles by chaunse is chaltrid in grym,
9160 With lone of this lady, fat ledis to fe dethe.
All the care of his cure the kyng has forgeton,
And all meuit out of mynd saue the maidon

one !

When fe day ouerdrogh to )>e due tyme,
9164 Ecuba the honerable, & hir awne doghter,
she leaves the Turnyt from the temple and to toune yode ;

temple; and .

Achiiies, with Wentton horn wightly, weppit nomore.

after her.' P The lede loked hir after wi'tA a loue egh,

9168 ffolowand on fer, fat fre to beholde,

J?at was cause of his combranse & his cold dethe :
Jjan with langwr of lust, & of loue hote,
He was stithly astondid, stird into f oght.
9172 So he passid the port, & his pale entrid,
He returns to his Tumyt into tent, takon full hard.

tent, and goes to .

rest; I he buerne into bed busket anon,

Seke & vnsound, set out of hele :
but thoughts or 9176 Mony thoghtes full fro frang hym wzt/iin,

Polyxeiia keep AJ i i_ A * 11 i i • ^ f i

him awake. And was laburt full long in his lefe saule.

He feld in his fare, & his fell hert,
J)at the cause of his combraunse was the clere

maidon.

9180 Thies wordes, in his wo, wittwrly he said,
Soberly to hym-selfe, fat no saule here : —
"Unworthy " Now wrecche full vnworthy, wo mot I fole,

wretch that I , , , •• . •• 0

am i The bravest Pa^ mony stalworth in stoure, & stuerne men \

and sternest i i i -,

in battle, even " KJia>

Hector 9184 Might non abate of my blysse, ne my

himself, could J J

not vanquisli me :

!?foght Ector of all other, oddist of knightes,
Hade no sleght me to sle, ne to slyng vnder,

LOVE FOB POLYXENA. 299

Ne ouercome me by course with his clone nookxxu.

strenght.
9188 A ffrele woman me fades, & my fas chaunges, butafraii

woman lias.

And has gird me to ground, & my gost feblit !

Syn ho is cause of my care, & my cold angur,

Att what leche vppon lyue might I laite hele ] (foi. i« a.)
9192 There is no medcyn on mold, saue the .maiden
one,

bat my sors might salue, ne me sound make.

The whiche fof I lotie, & langwisshe to dethe,

Wiih prayer, with prise, ne with pure strenght,
9196 Ne for worthines of wer, ne of wale dedis.

What wildnes, or worship, waknet my hert what hard fate

, . , , has made me love

nor to hap her in hert, Jjat hates my-seluyn ? her who hates
In hit cuntre to come, & hir kyn sle,
9200 Hir fadur & hir fryndis, fond to distroy,

And hir brother haue britnet, fe best vpon erthe 1

On what wise in this world wilne shuld I hir, Or, why should i

desire her,— so far

Most exilent of other, onerable ot kyn, above me ?

9204 Of Kent, & of Eiches, rankir fan I,

And passes of pertnes pure wemen all ?

Hit semith me vnsertain, all serchyng of wayes ; Bnt i see no

remedy ! '*

Ys stokyn vp full stithly, shuld streche to my

hele ! "
9208 ben he twrnys in his tene, & terys on his chekes He turns on his

bed and weeps.

Eonen full rifely, for his ranke sorow.

ben he driet vp the dropes, & dreghly can syle.

On all wise in this world he his wit cast,
9212 ffor to wyn to his will, if werdis noght let.

ben he rose fro his rest in a Ead hast,

Asket water at his weghes, wesshed hym anone,

Eefresshing his face for facyng of teres,
9216 And dride vp his dropes for dymyng his ene.

300

ACHILLES MESSAGE TO HECUBA.

and promises

if his request he

grante.1, tiiat he

Book XXII.

HOW ACHILLES SENTTO ECUBA FOR HIR BOGHTER
POLEXEUA.

Achiiies sends a Anon as the night passid, & neghid the day,

message to

Hecuba Yet lastoon the lell tru the lordes betwene,

p^iyxeniuo wife; He ordant to Ecuba, the honorable qwene,

(foi. 142 6.) 9220 A message for the maiden by a mene frynd,
Pmiely to passe to the prise, lady,
J?at worthy to wilne to his wif euyn,
And mell witli a manage & mat?*emony hole,

9224 As a lady to Hue to hir lyues end :

On suche couenaund to kepe, yf fat dere wold,
He shuld procour the prmse, & the pnse grekes,
To pas fro fat prouyns, payre horn nomore ;

9228 And nought tary on the towne, ne no tene wirke,
W/tAoute condiscoure, or cause, for to come after.
The mon, fat this message meuit for to do,
Was a semond full sure of the same kynges.

9232 When he hade told hym fis tale, toght hym

to go,

He made hym redy full rad, ron to the toun,
Esely to Ecuba etHt he anon,
And all his charge, to fat chefe, choisly he said.

9236 The worthy, to fat wegh, fat was of wit noble,
Depe of discreciouw, in dole f of sho were,
Sho herknet hym full hyndly, & vfith hert gode,
And onswaret hym esely, euyn on this wise : —

9240 "ffrend, fou shall fairly fare to fi lord,

And say hym vpon sewertie thy-seluyn

mouthe,

In fat at menys to me, w/t/i my might hole
I shall filsyn fis forward, in faith, fat I can •

9244 But, I will say the, my son, or fou sew ferre,

I most wete all the wille of my wale kyng,
• And my sonnes, for sothe, or I say more,

Yf fai graunt will fis grace, wi'tA a goode wille.1

The Queen

answers the

messenger
" Ten your lord,

further his suit:

but, i must

consult with the

king and my

SHE CONSULTS PRIAM AND PARIS. 301

9248 ffull onsware, in faith I forme )>e not here,

But come the thrid day, full proly, w/t/toutyn Three days hence

he shall have
more, my answer.'

Sew to my selfe, & I the say wille

Vne faithly before, as hit fare shall."
9252 When the messanger hade melit w/t/i jje myld
qwene,

Than he lut to pe lady, & his leue toke, (foi. us o.)

Meuit to his maistur, & the mater told.

);en comford he caght in his cole hert,
9256 Thus hengit in hope, & his hele mendit :

More redy to rest, ricchet his chere.

This honerable Ecuba, eft, when hir liked,

Preset vnto Priam, and Paris hir son ; Hecuba recounts

9260 Caght horn in counsell, & hir cause told, — PHanfand Aria.

All the maner of the message from J>e main kyng.

"When Priam persayuit the proffer of pe greke,

Long he stode in a stody, or he stir wold, Priam is sore

i 9264 Doun hengond his hed, herkonyng the qwene : aUengTh

Mony thoghtes full fro prang hym wtt/iin !

Thus onswart fat honerable euyn to his wif : —

"A ! how hard were my hert, to hold hym as "it is a hard thin

« i • to hold him as

trend, my friend, who

9268 That so highly me hyndret, & my hate seruet ! the light of '

All the leght has he lost fro my leue ene,

Thurgh slaght of my son, pat my sore ekys !

ffor whose dethe, vppon dayes, all the derfe

grekes
1 9272 Hertyn horn full hogely, my harmes to encres.

But to fle all the offence, & fortune to come, But to eschew

T f ice P i further evils,

In sauyng of my seine & my sons als ;
J?at I may lyff in my lond in my last dayes,
9276 Out of batell & baret in my bare eld,

I assent to pi sagh, vpon soche wise, i assent to the

}5at he pis forward fulfille, & before do, provided that he

And wz't/t no gawdes me'bcgile, ne to greue ferre." h

302

HECUBA S ANSWER TO ACHILLES.

Book XXII.

Taris assents on
condition that
Helen should not
l:e returned to her
sovereign.

On the third day
the messenger
returns.

(fol. 143 6.)

Hecuba states
that Achilles
shall have
Polyxena when
he performs
what he has
promised.

Achilles rejoices
that his suit has
been accepted ;

and plans how
he may

accomplish what
tie lias promised.

9280 The prise wordes of Pn'am Paris alowet.
And demet to be don, as the duke said,
So fat his wiffe, o nowise, — worshipfull Elan,—
Shuld be sent to hir souerain, ne scche vnto
grece,

9284 But leng in pat lond to hir lyues end.

The prid day, full proly, priuond Achilles
Sent his message, full mekely, to pe myld qwene.
He past to hir prmely, and the pert fond,

9288 And asket of pat onerable onsware to haue.

Thus said hym pat souerain with a softe

speche :- —

" I haue wetyn the wille of my wale kyng,
And of Paris, my pure son, prestly also :

9292 Bothe assenton to pis sound, sothely, to me,

On suche couenawnt to kepe, pat the kyng shall
All po forwards fulfill, first, of hym-seluyn.
All ys holly in hym, hold yf hym lyst,

9296 ffor to sew hit hym-seluyn, say hyt fro me :
So hit keppit be in cource, carpit no ferre,
Tyll yssu be ordant, after his deuyse."
]3en be leue of pe lady, the lede on his way

9300 Past at the port, & the pale entrid :

To his maistur of his mater menit anon,
All the truthe of the tale, tomly to end.
Achilles was choise fayne, cherit hym the bettur,

9304 And now hatnis his hert all in hote loue :

Myche myndit the mater, in the mene tyme,
And to bryng hit aboute besit hym sore.
Hit heuet his hert of his hegh proffer,

9308 ))at passit his pouer, to Pn'am the kyng ;
ifor hit longis to a louer soche a light vice,
In the hete of his hert, for his hegh lust,
To proffer soche prise thing, pat passis hii|
mi.n-lil,

9312 And festyn in forward, pat hym for-thinkes after

A COUNCIL OF WAR. 303

Yet hopit he full hertely, for his hegh prowes, Book xxn.
And doghtenes of dede with his dregh strokes, He hopes to

Tf T- • i L M-7 j.1 i i i • prevail upon the

It he gright WUA the grekes to graunt horn his Greeks to leav*

helpe, theland-

9316 j?at )>ai the lond shuld leue & lightly go home.
jpen Achilles did cherisshe the cheftan of all.
Palomydon, the prise, hy p^rpos of hym, At his request,

Palamedes calls a

All the grete ot the grek&? gedrit hym somyn, general council.
9320 To a counsell to come for the comyn proffet.

VVhen pn'nses & prise kynges were in pale

somyn,
Among tho mighty w*t/i mouthe menit Aciniies addresses

the council:

Achilles : —

" Now, fryndes faithfull, in feliship here ! (foi. ut «.)

9324 Kynges, & knightes, & other kyde Dukes, friends' < "what

That the charge, & the chaunse hase of J>is rashnessi,ave

Thurgh oure might & cure monhod maintene to

gedur !
What whylenes, or wanspede, wryxles our

mynd ?
9328 J5at for meuyng of a man, — Menelay the kyng, —

And the wille of a woman, as ye weton all, that for a woman,

.-.,,, i L p i f j we have left our

(Jure londes haue leuy t, & oure lete godys, land and all we

Our child?/?', oure choise folke, & chefen fro

horn

9332 Vnto a cuntre vnkynd, vrith care at oure herttes :
Oure godys, oure gold vngaynly dispendit,
And oure persons he put vnto pale dethe. and have exposed

/"» 1 1 1 l p 1 1 T\ 1 ourselves to

Oure kynges are kyld, & oure kyd Duke* : death.

9336 Oure buernes with haret britnet in feld,

jpat might haue leuet in hor lond, as lordes at

hame.

And my selfe, sothely, suffert full hard,
Wickedly woundit, wasted my blode.

304

ACHILLES PROPOSES TO RAISE THE SIEGE.

Helen is not of so
great price, that
our kings should
die for her.

In every land
there are many
noble ladies, from
whom Menelaus
may choose a
wife.

And it is no light
matter to
overcome this
people.

What we have
done may suffice :
we may return
with honour. And
though we leave
Helen, have we
not Hesiona, the
king's sister? "

Thoas, Menelaus,
and the chief
captains oppose
such measures.

9340 At the detlie of the derfe prince, sochc a dynt

hade,

I wend neuer, wittwrly, walked on fote.
Hit greuys me full gretly, & to ground brynges,
Whethur Elan "be so honerable, or of so hegh

pn'se,
9344 ffor liir, oure Dukes to dethe, & oure derfe

kynges.

In yche lond, lelly, )mt lithe vnder heuen,
Are wemen to wale, of worship full mony,
)}at Menelay may mightily mell hym to haue,
9348 And chose hym a choise, wtt/iouten charge heny;
And not so mony be mard, ne on mold ded,
Ne all grece for to greve, with no ground harme.
Hit is not light for vs lite, f>is lond to dystroy,
9352 jpat haue a Cite full sure, & Surffetus mony,

Bothe of kynges, & knightes, & kid men of

armes :
And we, the worthiest in wer, haue wastid ia

dethe,

Kyld of oure kyng&?, and other kyd Dukes.
9356 This suffises, me semys, to ses wt't/i oure worship ;
Kayre to oure cuntre, & couet no more !
jjof Elan leue in Jns lond, & not laght worthe,
Hit greues not full gretly, ne no ground harme,
9360 Syn we Exiona, the suster of the sure kynges,
At horn holdyn for hir, fat is a hede lady,
And more honerable fan Elan, of auncetK
grete."

When the wegh hade thies wordis warpit tx

end,

9364 Here he seset full sone, said he no more.
})an Toax, the tore kyng, talkys agayne,
With Menelay & mo, mighty of astate,
G right with the gret & agayne stode :

TAMINE IN THE GREEK CAMP. 305

9368 All the most of bo mighty, vriiJi a mayn wille, Book xxn.
Dyssaisent to the dede, demyt hit for noght.

Achilles at tho choise men cheuert for anger, Aohiiies, in »

Vne wrothe at hor wordas, & wightly he send Myrmidons to

nnHrn rri ii ,11 TUT i • ii- withdraw from

93/2 lo all the Mermydons, his men, and his mayn the Greek*.
pepull,

That no freke- to the feld fare shuld to batell ;

NQ to go with J?e grekes, to greue horn wit/t-in.

Jjen hit auntred in the ost of the od grekea,
9376 )3at hom failed the fode, and defaute hade : Famine tn the

Hongur full hote harmyt hom ben,

And fayntid the folk, failet be strenkith.

Palomydon a perlement piiruait anon,
9380 And the grete of the grekes gedrit he somyn.

)3an ordant thei all men Agamynon the kyng,

Wiih mony shippes full shene shapon berfore,

To fecche hom som fode, & filsyn hor strenght.
9384 Agamynon, full goodly, hy grement of all, Agamemnon

,, ,,. ... , . « , with a number of

Menyt vnto Missam vriin mayn shippes fele, vessels, goes to

& rofe bere full radly, raiket to the kyng. SLTf ^""^

And Thelaphon hym toke -with a triet chere ;
9388 ffylde all his fyne shippes, & his fraght made ; (foi. i«o.)

Stuffit hym ~with store, fat hom strenght might,

Toke leue at J>e lord, and the land past ;

Sailet hom soundly to the sure tenttes ;
9392 "Was welcom I-wis to the weghes all.

ffayne were J?o freikes of J>e fre kyng !

Palomydon, the pn'se kyng, prestly gart ordan

All the shippes full shene shapyn to rode ; repaired, and

9396 And all the navy full noble, naitly aray, kept in ;eadine!lf>-
Atyrit with takell, & trussyng of Ropes,
To "be Redy for the Rode, yf Jiai Red toke.

And so bai lyue bere in legh ; oure lord gyf us r w -^ley,

leisure, liberty,
security.)

20

306

iSfflgnngg tjje xxiij .Bofce : of tlje xtj anti
sit} i3atdl

The truce is
ended,

Deiphobus
strikes down
Cressus.

The Greeks give
way.

(fol. 145 b.)

Diomodcs,
Palamedes, and
Ajax, with 20,0(10
men, come to the
assistance of the
Greeks.

9400 A he tyrne of the tru twrnyd to end,

Vnto batell f ai busket vppon bothe haluys :

ffuersse was the folke, fat to fold came,

And with a stoure, fat was stronge, stryken to-

gedur.
9404 Deffibus derfly drof to a greke,

}3at Cresseus was cald, kyng of Agresta ;

He gird hym thurgh the guttes with a grym

speire,

}?at he light on the lond, & the lyue past.
0408 Myche sorow was fere sene for fe sure kyng,
Sore greuyt the grekes for grefe of hym on !
All fond to fe fight, febill of hertis,
The bold men on bake were borne vrith the

troiens,
9412 And inony kant man kyld w/t7i caupyng of

swerdes.

Tlien Dyomede, the derfe kyng, drogh into bal
Palomydon full prudly, with prise men of arm;
"WiiJt auntrus Aiax, abill of dedis,
94 1C And xx*1 M. fro men frang in with thes.

The stoure was full stithe, f o sttierne men

twene,
Mony dyet in fe_dale, dole to be-hold !

.V DEiPIlOBUS AND PALAMEDES. 307

Hit auntrid, f>at Aiax so angardly met Book xxm.

0420 On Fprsou, a fyn kniglit, with a fell dynt, — Ajax beats down

f -r> • vi. ] -11 Phorcys, a son

A prise son of JV/am, with a provide wille, — of Priam.
He woundit hym wickedly in his wale face,
And vnablit after with augur to fight.
Dt24 When Deffi bus with dole of pe dede segli, ueiphobusm

revenge rushes

nor bale of his brother brest out to wepe, on Ajax, and

,T , . n i • wcuiidshim.

He walte into wodenes ior his wan angwr,
And tachit vppon Thelamon with a tore speire,
3428 Huiiit hym to hard yerth, hurt hym full sore !

THE DETHE OF DEFFIBUS BY PALOMYDON SLAYN.

Palomydon pe?'sayuit & preset hym to venge,
He droife vnto Deffibus with a dynt fellc,
Shott Jnirgh the sheld & J)e shene mayle,
3432 Bare hym Jmrgh the brest with a bright end, Deiphobusis

u i i. T> J n ~n e • I..L L V± l. 3 severely woiuulcd.

pat J?e Rod alto Eofe right to his hond :
A trunchen of the tre & the triet hed
Abode in his body, & in his brest stake.
)43G })an Paris persayuet the pyn of his brother,
)pat was stad in the stoure & the strong fight,
My'che water he weppit, wailyng of sorow.
With pyne out of prese, & pite in hert, Paris drags him

rv»i i i TP i 01*' i'i from tlte crowd

)UO Denebus he drogh furth, & dnssit to light : and stays to
By a 'syde of the Cite set hym to ground,
Laid hym on the laund \rith a laith chere,
With myche wepyng & woo for want of hym one.

)444 As DefFebus, with dole of his depe wound,
Thus lay on the laund, he lift vp his egh,
Blusshet on his broder, & bailusly said : —
" A ! dere brother, er I degh, or droupe in-to hello, neiphobus

desires him to

And er pis trunchyn, me tenys, be takon of my (foi. i«! «.)

avenge his death.

brest,

Go, buske vnto batell my bone for to venge,
And oppresse the with payn, & present hym

dethej

308

SARPEDON AND PALAMEDES SLAIN.

Rook XXI It.

Paris, overcome
with grief and
rage, dashes into
battle to seek

J'alaiuedcs.

Palamedes, with
one blow, cuts
down Sarpedon.

jjat he so sleghly be slayn with sleght of f i bond,

9452 )?at I may wete bow hit worthes, or I wend

hethyn ! "

Parys, for pytie of his pale wordes,
Sweyt into swym, as he swelt wold,
And all bis wedis were wete of bis wan teres.

9456 There left be fe lede and launchet to filcl,
Dessyrus to degh, for dole fat he hade.
He shot Jmrgh the sbeltrums J>e shalkefor to mete,
Palomydon to prese, and put vnto detbe :

9460 J)en found he the freike in a fell stoure.

Seppidon, the sure kyng, assaylet full hard,
And the freke hym defendit with a freike wille.
To Palomydon he preset with a prise weppyn,

9464 The bold for to britton, & on bent leue.

THE DETHE OF SEPPIDON JjE KYNG BY PALOMYDON.

Palomydon the pn'se, with a proude sworde,

On kyng Seppidon for-sothe set soche a dynt ;

He gird hym so grymly on his gret theghe,
9468 J3at he karve hit of cleane, & the kyng deghit,

And fey of his fole felle to f e ground.

Parys segh, in his sorow, how the sir wroght ;

)3e freike in his felnes tbefuerse kyng hade slayne,
9472 And mony Troiens w-ith tene tyrnit to dethe :

What for dynttes of fat duke, & of derfe other,

J?ai were boun to gyffe bake, & the bent leue.

Paris shoots
Palamedes with

(fol. 146 ft.)
a poisoned arrow.

Entering the

THE DETHE OP PALOMYDON BY PARIS.

Paris bend vp his bow with his big arme,
9476 Waited the wegh in his wit ouer,

In what plase of his person to perse of his wede
And to deire hym with dethe he duly deuyset,
WitJi a narow full noble of a nait shap,
9480 J)at put was in poison ou<?r the pale hede.
He woundit fat worthy in his wide f rote,

THE GREEK TENTS ARE PLUNDERED. 309

Gird f urgh the gvet vayne, grusshet the necke, Book xxm.
pat he hurlyt doun hedlonges, harmyt no moo, throat, it lays

in i Aji-1-i.rij j--j. p± open i liu great

184 And deghit of f e dynt, demt neuer after. J»\n.

pen the crie was full kene, crusshyng of wepyn !

Myche grem hade the grekes for gref of hym one !

When f ai lost hade the lede, fat horn lede shuld,
188 All astonyt fai stode starond aboute, The Greeks break,

. « j « . . j J.T £1 i i -j. and Hee to their

pen lied all in tere, and the nld leuit, tents.

Bowet to fere bastels ~wit7i bale at fere herttes.

The frigies felly folowet horn after, The Trojans

192 ffele of horn fuersly felle horn to ground ;

Dang horn to dethe with dynttes of swerd,

And moche wo on horn wroght, wastid hor blode.

At the tentis fai twrnyt with Troiens to fight ; A struggle at th<?
196 \VYt7<-stode horn full stithly in a stoure hoge ;

ffoghten with horn felly, & fele were Jwe slayne.

The Troiens lighten doun lyuely, lefton thair
horses,

Girdyn to J>e grekea with a grym fare ;
>00 Greuit horn full gretly w/tA mony grym wound ;

Alto ter of hor tenttes, tokyn fere godes. which are torn

, r, -u 11 . . • »nd plundered.

Syluer and Sarngold sadly fai gnppet,

Bassons full brode, & other bright vessell ;
04 Pesis of plates plentius mekyll,

Other iowels full ioly, & mekull iust armwr.

Paris the prise knight, & the pert Troilus Paris and Troiiua

Bowet to fe bonke fere f e barges lay, ureeirships.6

08 "With xxxw M. f romen f ryuowd in armys.

The shippes on a shene fyre shot f ai belyue^

That the low vp lightly launchit aboute ; (foi. |47 a.}

And all chrickenede vfith the scrnie furgh the

stym oat,
! 1 2 ffor the smorther, & the smoke of f e smert loghys,

pat waivet in the welkyn, wappond full hote,

All the Citie might se the sercle aboute.

pan Aiax the aunterus came angardly fast, — - Ajan, with •

310

THE SHIPS OF THE GREEKS ON FIRE;

great company,
comes to the
rescue.

Many killed and
wounded on boll)

Bookxxni. 95 1C The tore son of Thelamon,— wtt/t tn'ed men J|

noble :

He twrnyt to the troiens, tenit full mony,
In deffence of fe folke, fat the- fold leuyt.
ifell was the fight with foynyng of speires,

9520 Mallyng jmrgh metall maynly with hondft?,

Kyllyng of knightc^; knockyng f urgh helmys,
Ded men full dauly droppit to ground !
On yche halue, in )>at hete, hurlit to fote,

9524 Mony bold was fere britnet.vpoh bothe haluya.
There all the Navy with noy, & the haite

vessell,

With fflamys of fyre hade fully ben brent,
Ne hade aunterus Aiax angardly don,

9528 And with hardynes of bond holpyn his feres, $
(In) withstondyng the stourewz't/i hisstrenghton.
ffy ve hundrith fully of fere fyne shippes,
Consumet full cleane, clothes •& other,

9532 Arid mony mo were fere marred, & mated wj't/i

fire.

The Troiens fat tyme tenet hom so euyll,
Dong hom to dethe, & derit hom mekyll,
• J)at no sith might f ai suffer the sorow, )wt
hade,:

95 3G But twrnyt vnfo ienttes, tenit full euill.

One Ebes, an od man & honorable of k}Ti,
Of Tracy fe tru kyng was his tn'et fadei
He was brochit furgh the body with a big sj

9540 ))at a trunchyn 'of fe tre tut out behynd,
To Achilles aune tent angardly rah,
That lay in his loge all with loue boundon,
And fore to no fight for faire Polexena.

9544 He chalinget Achilles with a chere fell,
Reproued hym prudly of his proud wille,
ty\t lurket in his loge, list not to helpe,
And segh his folke so fallyn, & in fight end,

(MS. has " and ")

More than five
hundred of the
Greek ships are
burned.

Ebes, son of Use
King of Thraoe,
is transfixed with
a great spear.

He goes to the
tent of

(fol. 147 6.)
Achilles, and
reproves him for
not assisting his
countrymen.

ACHILLES UXDEK UEPROOF. 31

9.") 13 ))at with his monhode so mykeil, & with his Bookxxm.

mayn strenglit,

Might soucowr his Soudiours, & saue horn alyue.'
J2en the trunchyn of the tre pai tuggit hym fro,
Braid it out bigly, and the bflerne deghet.
(jr>f>2 Sone after,, sothly, a serUond of Achilles A servant returns-

i i i- lini • i .1 i • j from the battle,

Come bremly Iro batell, braid to his tent : and teiis Achiiies

He fraynit at the freike how pai fore pere, GreekTare

Aiid spird at hym specially of paire spede fer. Pressed-
9556 "Syr," qiiod pe semond, "in serian, full euyll,

Ourfe greki'S vnto ground are gird~ wonder ficke,

And myche dole is vs dight to day, as I werie.

])Q mtiltytude ys so myche of the mayn troiens,
95GO And so fuersly in' fight fellis oure knights,

Alto swappon vs. 'with swerdes & witJi swym
strokes. :

In the Citie;- forsothe, no soudioMr is leuit,

Ne no freke of defense, but. in feld all
9^)04 To oppresse horn 'with payn, our pepull to sle.

And yf hit liked you, lord, at Jns lell tyme, if he win go

™ , forth to battle, he

lo bowne you to batell on your best 'wise ; ; may gain great
Syn >ai fainted are with fight •& feble of strengh^, honolir iU1<1 faine>

9508 And wery of jjere werke, ye1 worship might haue,
\Vyth a lose euerlastond, when your lyff endis :
ffor by soucowr of your selfe, &-yoair sad helpe, ,- . .
We might holly the herrehond-haue now for ay."

|9572 The worthy at his worde,s wonyt no chere,

Ne noght hopet in hert of his hegh speche, None of these

•vr i • i i j< o i things move

JNe pe sight or bebes, pat sadly was'dede ; At-hiiies: he is so

T>,O inr> n -1 overcome with

But laynet all fantasy, as he no-freike segh, , love.

(J:")7G And as a lede pat with loue was lappit full hard,
As pe manor is of men, pat mellyn with loue,
To be blyndit -with the.by t, pof horn bale happyn : ^foi. MS a.)
Nowther waite vnto worship, ne to Avild aunter,

9.1^0 But laityn ay with lykyng pere luff for to please.
The batell was big, brytnet were fele ;

312

DEATH OF DEIPHOBUS.

At sunset, Paris
leads the Trojans
into the city.

Book xxn r. Mouy grekes vnto ground gird vnto dethe ;

Mony stithe in the stoure starf vnder fote,
9584 Till the blode & the brayne blend wz't/t the

erthe.

Then ncghife the night, noy was the more !
At the settyng of j?e son sesit the fight,
Paris, the prise knight, Vfit h his pepull all
9588 Soght toVtKe Citie softly & faire.

Er Deffibus was dede, his dere bredur two,
Troilus the tru knight, & the triet Paris,
tfore euyn to )>e freke febill of chere ;
With mykell sobbyng and sorow set hym before,
J)at leuer were to be lyueles, then to lyue after,
fFor dole, & for doute of hor dere brother.
Then Deffibus dauly drogh vp his Ene,
Pletid vnto Paris vfith a pore voise,
Whether the Duke were od dede, pat h]

deiret so.

J)an he fraynet at the freike, as he hym faith -aght
And he, the tale how hit tid, told hym full euyi
9600 Of the dethe and the dynt )>at the Duke J>oh\
With the bir of his bow and a big arow.
}3en bade he to a buerne, J>at hym by stodo,
The trunehen of the tre tug fro his brest ;
And lie deghit with dole when he done
Vne past in the p'ace vnto pale dethe.
Myche moMrnyng was made for pat maj

knight

With his ff'ader vnfaire, & his fre moder,
9608 His brether vnblithe, & his bright suster ;
With eobbyng Jmrgh the Citie, & sorow

hoge_

And for Seppidon, the sure kyng, Syling of
Myche weping & waile, wringyng of hond,
9612 Bothe of buernes of the burgh, & his bol

knightes.

The grief of Paris 9592
and Troilus for
their brother
Deiphobus.

9596

Paris relates how

lieVilled

Palainedea.,

Grief of the,
Trojans for
Deiphobus and
Sarpedon.

AGAMEMXOX RE-ELECTED.

313

Boole XXIII.
(fol. 118 b.)

1'alauiedea.

Pn'am a pm>e towmbe prestly gart make,
And the bodyes of )>o bold buried J>erin,
With solenite & Sacrifice suche as J>ai vsit :
9616 Couert horn clanly, closet hom to-gedur.

JxLyche tene in the tenttes with tulkes was Mourning of the

Greeks for

made,

With dynnyng & dole for dethe of hor lord.

J)ai broght hym to berynes, J?o buernes onon,
9G20 And closit hym clanly in a clere towmbe.

J)en to-gedur thai gone, the gret by assent,

To chese hom a cheftain by charge of hom all,

By assent of hom-selfe a souerain to make,
9024 Syn Palomydon Jje pr?'se put was to dethe.

By agrement of ]>o grete, & the good Nestor,

J)ai grauntid Agamynon the gre for to haue,

Ches hym for cheftaui, & chargit hym ferwith.

Agamemnon is
again chosen to
command the
Greeks.

3U

xxtttj Bofce : of tfje xiiij anti xb Batell of j?e
Cite,

The battle is

resume,! : great

slaughter on

both sides.

9628

A gre.it storm
of rain bursts
over the field.

The Greeks are
driven back to
their tents :

9632

9636

he Secund day suyng, sais me the lyne,
foe Troiens full tymli tokyn be feld :
All boun vnto batell' on hor best wyse,
And be grekis home agayn gyrdyn vrith yre.
Brem was be batell vpon both haluys !
Mony gyrd to be ground and to grym deth ;
Mony stoute bere was storuen vnder stel wedis
And mony britnet on bent, & blody by-ronnen
That day was full derke, dymmyt with cloudt
Wz't/i a Ropand Rayne rut fro the skewes ;
A myste & a merkenes in mountains aboute,
All donkyt the dales witft the dym showris.
(toi. it9 a.) 9640 Yet the ledis on the land left not berfore,

But thrappit full throly, thryngyng thui

sheldis,

Till the bloberond blode blend vrith the rayn.
And the ground, bat was giay, gret vnto red.
Mony knightes were kyld of be kene grekes ;
Mo were bere mart of be mayn troiens.
Then Troiell, full tite, twrnyt vnto batell
"With a company cleane of cant men of armys.
The freike was so fuerse, & fell of his dynttes,
There was no buerne on the bent his birre
witAstond,

9644

THE GREEKS DRIVEN TO THEIR TENTS. '315

But fled lioiu in fere, ferd of hor dethe, Book xxiv.

Turnit to fere tenttes, tenyt full euyll,
9G52 Thurgh the rug, & the rayn, fat raiked aboue,
A 11 wery for wete, & for wan1 strokes ;
And ay the troiens w?'t/i tene tyrnyn liom doun, the Trojans
ffelly wi'tA fauchons folowet horn after, them tarn:

i i 1 1 • 1 1 i but the storm

9G:jG Dang horn to dethe in the dym water, compels them to

Pursewit horn vrfth pyne vnto fere pure tentte*, jTthe dlj Wtu"1
There leuit thay laike, and the laund past :
ffor the wedur so wete, and the wan showres,

9GGO Soght vnto the Citie soberly & faire,

And entrid full easely, euyn as horn liked.

JL he next day full naitly, the noble men of Next day the

battle is renewed ;

Troy

ffore euyn to f e fight, & the fild toke ;
9GG4 And the grekes horn agayne, with a grym fare

Launchit furth to f e laund, lepou to-gedur.

Speires vnto sprottes sprongyn ouer heddft? ;

Sheldis thurgh shot wit/t the sharpe end ;
96G8 Swyngyng out swerdes, swappyn oh helmys,

Beiton Jjurgh basnettes with the brem egge.

Mony derf jjere was ded and to'dole bro'ght !

Troiell, in J?at tynie, twrnyt to batell Troiius makes

r>/»r-» TiT-ii. f n 1. j_ •£ 11 ff i i havoc among l he

9G72 \V iih a tolke, fat was telle, nghtyng jnen all. Greeks.
He gird doun the grekes wit/i so grym fare,
))at no buerne vpon bent his" b'uifettes might

thowle.

. Mony knyghtes he kyld, comyns. by-dene :

9676 Barons of the best, and of the bold vrles, ifoi. ua .)

: . Deghit fat day w*tA dynt of his weppyn.

Thus macchit fose men till the me/'ke night ;
The store was full stith, fen stynt fai for late,
9680 And aither syde, after sun, soght to fere holde.

Then vij dayes euyn fai semblit in f e felde, The tattle rages

-,,,-.,, , ... , , for seven days.

\\ IM strong batell & brem till the bare night,

31G

AGAMEMNON S MESSAGE TO ACHILLES.

Book XXIV.

The Greeks,
oppressed with
the stench of the
dead bodies,
demand a truce
for two months.

9684

9688

9692

Agamemnon
Bends Nestor,
Ulysses, and
Diomedes to
Achilles.

9696

9700

9704

They reprove him

for having urged n(TAO

on the war, and 970o

now withdrawn

from it.

And yche day was fere dede mony derfe

huudrith.

Jjen hit greuit the grekes of the gret murthe,
Of the bodies on bent brethit full euyll ;
The corses, as caryn, corit hoin with stynke,
ffor the onurthe was so mykull in fe meane

tyme.

J)an to Pn'am, the prise kyng, prestly the sent
ffbr a tru to be takon of a tyme short,
Two monythes, & no more, faire men for to

bery,
And to frete horn with fyre, fat were fey

worthen.

Hit was grawntid agayn by grement wit^-in,
And affinnyt with faith the frekes betwene.

the tyme of the tru, as J>e trety says,
Agamynon the gret full gredly did send
Nestor, the noble duke, another — Vlyxes —
And Dyomede, the derfe Kyng, to doghty

Achilles,

Prayond hoin full prosily by fo prise kynges,
ffor to buske hym to batell, & fo buernes helpe
In offence of hor fos, and hor fuerse socowr,
Thurgh might of his monhode & his mayu

strenght.

When J>ai comyn to J>e kyng, fo kyde men in fere,
He welcomyt f o worthy with a wille faire,
And solast hom-somyn syttyng with hym.
The first of f o fre, fat to f e freike said,
Was Vlyxes, the lord, with his lythe wordos : —
" Ne was hit not yowr wille, & your weghes all,
*With other kynges in company, & kyde men of

worship,

ffro our prouyns to passe, and our prise londes,
Witfi a pouer full preste on Priam to venge ;

ULYSSES PLEADS WITH ACHILLES. 31'

His body to britton, & his burgh, take ; Book xxiv.

0712 All his stid to distroy, and his stith holdis 1

What will is fere waknet in jour wild hert, (fei. iso a.)

Or what putter you in plite Jus pzwpos to letie,
To enclyne to fe contrary, & no cause haue,

9716 Syn hit happis vs suche harmes to haue now, They relate the

1 disasters that

have befallen the

Oure kynges bein kylde, and our kyd dukes ; Greeks ;
Oure bachelors on bent brittynet full thicke ;
Oure tenttes to-torne, takyn oure godes ;
9720 Oure barges brent vnto bare askes,

And other harmes full hoge hent in a whyle ?

Hit was hopit full hertely of oure hegh pepull, and how much

they had hoped

Thurgh prowes of your person, & your prise to win by his aid.

dedis,
9724 J?at vs hap shuld the herhond haue of our fos,

Syn ye honerable EC tor auntrid to sle,

That all the Troiens trust truly was in.

And now Deffibjis is dede, deires no more,
9728 Jjat furse was in fight, and oure folk sloght ;

So (happeth) Jjaire hope is in hard deth, (MS. has

And febill in hor fight, faynt in hor hertis.

Syn je alosit ar, of longtym, lusti in arniys, since he has won

so great renown,

9732 And oure folke has defendit wz't/t $our fyn they urge him u>

maintain it : and
Strenklth, to rouse himself

With J>e blode of your brest thurgh )>e bright "*
maille,

And oft reskewet oure renke^, or Jjai ruth |?olit ;

Tf hit like you now, lell sir, lyft vp your hertte,
9736 Mayntene youre manhode & jour men helpe,

ffaris into fight your folke to releue,

)5at w/t^-outyn helpe of yowr hond happis the
worse.

Therfore hent vp yo?^?1 hert & your high wille,
9740 Meue you wit// monhode to mar of yowr fos ;

To wyn vs oure worship, & our wille haue :

318

Book XXIV.

ACHILLES AXSWKR. TO ULYSSES.

And fat hope we full hertely thurgh. helpe of
your one."

Achilles answers
that it was great
folly for them to
come to Troy on
such an errand.

(fol. 150 6.)

" It would have
IXHMI wiser had
Palamedes
remained in his
own land, than to
come here to be
slain.

9748

9752

9756

9760

9764

Hector himself 9768
was slain ;

au J the same fate 9772

THE ANSWARE OF ACHILLES TO VLYXES THE KYNG.

To fat honemble onestly answaret Achilles,
"With woi-dis full wise in his wit noble : —
" If vs auntrid, Vlyxes, thurgh angard of pr/de,
To jns kith for 'to come, & oure kyn leue,
Hit was folly, by my faith, & a fowle dede.
Masit were our myndes & our mad hedis,
And we in dotage full depe dreuyn, by faith,
ffor the wille of a woman, & no whe ellis,
• All our londes to leue, & to laite hedur,
Oure kynges be kild, & oure kide dukes,
All oure londes to lose, and oure lyf als,
In a cuntre vnkynd to be cold ded.
Hade not Palomydon, the prise kyng, provet the

bettor,

To haue lengit in his lond, & his lyf hade,
And haue deghit in his Duche. as a duke noble^
Then be britnet on bent with a buerne s-trang :
And fele other fre kynges frusshet to dethc,
J3at might haue leuyt as lordes in Tpere lond yet '
Syn the worthiest of ]?e worle, to wale horn by-
dene,

Are assemblit to Jns sege in a sad ost,
If hit happyn horn here with hond to be slayn,
And faire londis to lose lightly for ay,
All fe world shall haue wonder, of hor wit febill
And Carles J>aire cuntre cacht as )>aire aune,
To weld all Jje worchip J?o worthy man aght.
Was not honerable Ector, oddist of knightes,
In this batell on bent britnet. to deth ;
And lightly his lif lost in a stound :
ffor all his fursnes, in faith, had a febill end ? .
J)e sani to my-self, sothli, may happyn,

LIFg DEAREU THAN FAME. 319

});it am febiller b,e fer be« be fre prmse,' Bookxxiv.

Both of mygh t, & of makyng, & of mayn strenkith. may befall

. me, who am far

pis trauell is tynt, 1 tel you before, more feeble.

tut.*.,* -«T , .,7 . .-, nil Your laliour is in

9< / G. Me to preve with your praier p?-estly to" feld, . vain. for
Or any troien to tene, trist }e non other.
Hit is playnly my pur-pos neuer in plase efte, i win fight no

more.

ffor to boun me to batell ber buernes schal fight,
97S0 Ne ber as doute is of deth, ffro bis day efte.

Me is leuer for to lyue w/t/i losse bat I haue, Rather wiu i lose

my fame than

pen ani pe?-son be put vnto pale deth. my life."

Hit is wit soche wildnes wayne out of mynd,
9784 And pas ouer a pwrpos enparis at be end."

. J^en. Diamed, be derf kyng, and the Duke Diomedes,

Nestor, and
-N estor, Agamemnon

Tretid hym trietly, all -with tru wordis, return ; but in .

ffor to twrne his entent & his tyme kepe ;
8 But all baire wordis bai wast, & baire wynd alse.

Noght stird hym bo stith in his stalle hert, (foi. isi «.)

;Ne the prayer of the pmise, bat the prise hade,

Agamynon the gret, bat the gomes sent,
97Q2 Noght meuyt his mynd for no my Id speche,

Ne put of his pwrpos ffor prayer ne other.

pan laght bai hor leue, bo lordes, in fere,

Ayryn to the Emperoure angardly fast,
)796 All bai toldyn hym (tite), as bai tide euyn, (MS. has • ta.it ')

Of baire answare, in ordur, those od men to-godur.

Agamynon full graidly gedrit all somyn, Agamemnon

summons a

Dukes, and dene Erlesr doughty of hond, council of the

9800 Caght hoin in councell, and the cause told, them of the

The authwart answares of Achilles the kyng, Achliiet^ami
And the prayer of the praises, bat prestly were asks their adviw-

sent,

By assent of hyni-selfe, .be soueraine vnto ;
)804 And how he counceld the kynges to kayre into
grece,.

320

A COUNCIL OF WAR.

Book XXIV.

9808

Menelaus advises,
that it would
be a shame to
treat with the
Trojans, now
that Hector and
Dciphobus are
slain : and

that they oould
succeed without
Achilles.

Nestor and
Ulysses declare
that Troy is not
to be so easily
won;

9812

9816

9820

9824

(fol. 151 b.)

that Troilus is 9828
nearly as great as
Hector; and
Paris as
Deiphobus,

9832

and, that the
Greeks ought to
treat with Priam,
and return home.

With the Troiens to trete, & tene horn no more ;
All hor lond for to leue, & hor lyue sane.
" Laky s now, ledys, what you lefe think,
And what ye deme to be done at this du tymc."

W hen the souerain hade said, sone opponon,
Menelay meuyt vp, & with mouthe saide : —
" fforto trete with the troiens ys no tyme now,
JSe no worship, I-wis, but a wit feble.
Syn Ector ded is of dynt, & Deffibus the knight,
And other kynges ben kyld, Jjat cleane were of

hond,

The Troiens full truly trusten no bettur,
But dernly to degh : fai demyn non other.
I am sekir, for-sothe, and sadly beleue,
"WYt/iouten helpe of J>at hathell vs hastis an end."
Then Nestor J>e noble duke, another — Vlixes,
Saidon to the souerayn sadly agayn : —
" jjof J>ow wylne to J>e wer, wonders vs noght,
Syn J>i hert is holly the harmys to venge ;
Thy wyf for to wyn, fat jjou well loues,
And to grefe horn agayne/yf jjou grace hade :
But yet trust not jwt Troy will titly be wonyn,
)pof derfe Ector be ded, and Deffibus alse.
There is another als noble & nait of his strenght
& als wondurly werkes in wer vppon dayes ;
That is Troilus the tn'et, fat tenes vs full euyll,
And fuersly in fight fellis our pepull.
Jjof Ector were eftsones ordant alyue,
He kylles our knightes, kerues horn in sond
And Paris, a pn'se man, pert of his dedis ;
Was neuer Deffibus so doughty & derfe of

hondes.

Therefore, sz'rs, vs semyth sothely the best,
With the Troiens to trete & turne to our londes
With the harme, j>at we haue, of our hede kynges:

A COUNCIL OF WAR. 321

In sauyng of our-selfe & our sure knightes." Bookxxiv.

Then Calcas the curset, fat was the kyde traytowr,
9840 The Bysshop of the burgh, fat I aboue said,
Negh wode of his wit, wait into sorow,
Brast out with a birr & a bale noise. The traitor

. , - „ „ Calcas reminds

" Ah I noble men ol no me, nayet ol your werkes, them that the
9844 Worthiest in worde, wanttis no hertte ! promisedVem

What ! thinke ye so f roly this f repe for to leue ; V1

Your goddis to greue, fat graunttes you an end ]

Leuys hit full lelly, the laike is your avne,
9848 And the pn'se of the play plainly to ende,

Thurgh the graunt of jour goddes, & no grem f ole.

What ! thinke ye so f roly f is f repe for to leue ?

Heyue vp your herttes, henttes your armys : He mse* them to

J ' take heart,

9852 Wackyns vp your willes, as worthy men shuld ; and desist not

T> f e it. ce J till the city is

J3es fuerse on your tos to the fler end, captured.

And lette no dolnes you drepe, ne your dede let ;

ffares with no faintyng till yo?^r fors lacke !
9856 Tristis me full truly, you tydes the bettur,

Yonder won for to wyn, and your wille haue ;

And f erfore greue not your goddes for grem fat
may Mow."

At the wordes, I-wis, of this wickyde traytor, The leaders are
9860 All the grekes with grem gedret fere herttes, determine to

Noght charget Achilles, ne his choise helpe,

But were frekir to f e fight fen at the first tyme ;

And f us in Bigowr f os Eenkes Restyn tyll efte.

21

322

: of tje £extette & \>t xfctj

9864 AAr hen the Monethis were meuyt of the mene tru,
when the truce The Grekes with a grym fare gedrit to felde

was ended, the

battle is renewed. Mony bold vppon bent in hor bright wedys,

All ffuerse to the fight, felle men of hondes.
9868 J?an soght fro the Cite, with a sum hoge,
Troiius, in Troiell the tn'et knight, & J?e toile entrid.

revenge for the _- „ ., . , „ , . ,

death of The stoure was lull stith, starf mony kmghtes ;

a Sand ilayB Dedmen with djnttes droppit fuU thicke,

knights. 9872 And mony lede on the laund out of lyfe past,

ffor tene of his tru brother, Troiell the knight,
Dressit hym the dethe of Deffibus to venge.
Mony grekes vnto ground he gird out of lyue,
9876 And fele with his fauchon pat fyn knight slogh.
As Dares of his dedis duly me tellus,
A thowsaund thro knightes prong he to dethe
J?at day with his dynttes, of the derffe grekes.

The Greeks are 9880 All ffrickly his fos fled at the last ;

driven back to .

their tents. pal turnyt to pere tenttes with tene at pai ha

The ffrigies horn folowet, fell horn with sworde*.
Night ends the )5an the day ouerdrogh to pe derke night,

9884 The Troiens twrnyt to toun, & the toile leuyi

When the sun Wit/i his soft beanies set vp
olofte,

THE SEVENTEENTH BATTLE.

323

The grekes out gird Jjere grem for to venge,
And the Troiens full tyte, on the tother halue :

9888 ffull mekill was the murthe, & memell to here !
The derf kyng Dyomede, fat doghty was ay,
fibre with his fos as a fuerse lyon :
Mony britnet the buerne of the bold troiens ;

9892 Mony lede out of lyue w/t/i his launse broght.
Troiell J>at torfer titly beheld,
Kayres euyn to the kyng, fat he knew well,
W/t/i all the corse of his caple & a kene speire.

989 G He tachit on the tulke with a tore dynt,

And he keppit the caupe with a kant wille.
On the brest of the buerne brake he J?e launse,
But he woundit not the wegh, ne nowise hurt.

9900 Dyomede with the dynt of the derfe Troielus,
Halfe-lyueles along on the laund felle,
With a wicked wound thurgh the wast euyn.
J?an Troiell, the tore kyng, titly vmbraid

9904 Of Bresaid, the bright, with his breme wordes.
The grekes with grem, & with gret strenght,
Hurlit hym fro horsfete, hade hym away.
The shalke on his sheld shoke to his tent,

9908 As for ded of J?e dynt dressit hym to ly.
Menelay J>e mighty fis myschefe beheld,
The dethe of Diamede dressit hym to venge.
He thoght Troiell to take, or tene with his hond,

9912 And rode to j>e Eenke with a roide fare.
Troiell keppit the kyng with a kant wille,
"Woundit hym wickedly, wait hym to ground :
His hede vnder horsfete hit on the bent.
)16 The men of pat mighty J>aire maistw can take,
Braid hym on a brode sheld, bere to his tent ;
As a lyueles lede, left hym for ded.
Agamynon the grem of J?e grekas beheld,
)20 Segh his weghis be woundit, & J>e worse haue :
He cald hym a company of knightes full noble,

Book XXV.

Diomedes cuts
down the Trojans
right and left.

Troilus dashes on
him;

shivers a lance on
his breast, and
drives him to the
ground.

(fol. 152 6.)

The Greeks raise
him on his shield,
and carry him to
his tent.

Menelaus, to
avenge the death
of Diomedes,
attacks Troilus :

but is dashed to
the earth.

Agamemnon with
a company cornea
to the rescue ;

324

BR1SEIS AND DIOMEDES.

Book XXV.

kills and wounds
many Trojans ;

but is severely
wounded by
Troilus.

(fol. 153 a.)

A truce for six
months is
granted by
Priam.

During the truce,
Briseis often goes
to the tent of
Diomedes.

Having no hope
of obtaining
Troilus, she
determines to
accept Diomedes.

And fell to the frigies fuersly anon,

Greuit horn full gretly, and to ground broght :

9924 Woundit horn wickedly warppit horn doun,

And myche harme with his hond happit to do.
Troiell with tene turnyt with the kyng,
Gird hym to ground, & greuit him euill ;

9928 Woundyt hym wickedly, but no woth in,

jjat he light on the laund, f of hym lothe were.
Jjan he hasted to horse thurgh helpe of his

knightes,
ffore out of fight, and his folke hoole ;

9932 ffor the day ouer drogh, dymmet the skewis,

And all the buernes of the burgh busket to rest,
Than to Priam, f e pn'se kyng, prestly f ai sent
ffor a tru to be taken with treatyng of moAvthe :

9936 Sex monethes, and no more, f o mighty dessyret,
All parties in pes for to put o\ier :
Of f is f e kyng and his councell carpit to-gedur.
By assent of his seniowrs, & sum of his knightes,

9940 Hit was grauntid agayn, & grete mew asurit ;
And sum lacked the lede for ]>e long graunt.

In tyme of the tru, as tretis fe boke,
Breisaid the burd, vnbidyn of hir fader,

9944 ffull duly to Dyamede dressit to wend,
}?at abode in his bed of his bale wound :
Oft tymes in the tru ho to his tent yode,
To comford the kyng in his cold angur.

9948 Yet wist ho full well, fe wound fat he hade,
Betid hym of Troiell, fat was hir tru luff.
Oft ho waivet hir wit & hir wille chaunget,
And meuyt hir mynd, as maydons done yet.

9952 Ho trust neuer with Troiell, terme of hir lyue,
To rnell with in mariage, ne more of hir lust.
Ho purpost hir plainly, with all hir pure hert,
With Dyamede to dele, & do all his wille ;

ACHILLES STILL LAPT IN LOVE. 325

Neuer the grete for to grutche, ne the greke Book xxv.

werne,

All his lust & his lykyng, as hyme lefe thught :
So hatnet hir hert in his hegh loue,
And all 3 ornery ng for-yeton of hir yore dedes.

Agamynon the gret, and the good Nestor,

To the choise Achilles [chefe] on fere way ; (Ms.has'-cAose.")

And he welcomyt f o worthy on a wise faire, Nestor a^aln ""'

As glad of thos gret as his degre wold. £ha™ ^

With full speciall speche f ai spake to f e kyng, the Greeks-

ffor to force hym to fight, & his feris help ;

But his hert was so hardonet all in hote loue. He stm refuses

,. ' to join them, but

He wold not mene to his mynd, ne f e men here, promises

But for lewtie of longtyme, fat f e lede hade Myrmidons.

To Agamynon the gret, growen of old,

He hight hym full hertely to haue at his wille

The Mirmydons, his men, fat were of mayn

strenght.

J?an he f ankit hym f icke in his fro hert,
Toke leue at the lord, lengit no more, (foi. 103 6.)

Turnyt to his tent, talkit no ferr.

OP XVIIJ AND f E XIX BATELL.

When the dayes were don of the du pes, The trace is

r\»n . . . ended, and the

J/o Agamynon WitA his grekes graithed to feld. Greeks take the

All the Mirmydons men were mightyly arayed, Myrmidon Of
By charge of Achilles, fat was fere cheffe lord. ±^ny them.
He assingnet yche Sege sekurly to haue,
As dropis of dew droppyng of Rede,
In hor colours to ken all ouer care wise,
As Remyng witJi Ruthe hy right of hor hede,
}3at lappit was in luf, longit full sore :
So f ai lutton faire lord & f er& leue toke,
ffore euyn to f e fight, & the fild entrid
With soft pas all somyn in a sop holl.

326

THE EIGHTEENTH AND

Book XXV.

The Duke of
Athens ia borne
down by Troilus.

The Myrmidons
suffer severely.

Night ends the
battle.

Thoas is
captured :

(fol. 154 a.)
but is soon
rescued by the
Myrmidons.

Troilus Is sur
rounded by the
Myrmidons.

}3an J?e Troiens Wit7i tene tachit on ]?c grekes,
9988 And oppressed horn with payn, put horn to
ground.

The Duke of Attens full derf, doghty of bond,

ffaght with horn felly, & hor foes noyet.

Troiell the tru knight turnyt to fe Duke,
9992 And bare hym ouer backeward, he bult on J>
erth;

Gird to fe grekes, & myche grem wroght ;

Mard of fe Mirmyden with his mayn strenght ;

"Woundit horn wickedly, wait horn of horse ;
9996 Myche harmyt the hede men -with his hond one

Thus ]?ai laiket o )>e laund the long day ouer,

Till the sun in his sercle set vndernethe :

Then perted the pepull, presit to }ere hold,
10000 And loget the long night till the larke sang.

A he secund [day] suyng, sais me the lyne,
Bothe the batels full brem on [the] bent met.
Kene was the crie, crusshyng of weppyn :

10004 Blode flemyt o fer in flatten aboute !

Philmen the fre kyng, & fuerse Polydamas,

King Toax Jjai toke & turnyt away.

But the Mirmydons with mayn met on horn son,

10008 Kefte horn the Eenke with a roide fare ;
Hent hym of hondes, hade hym at ese,
And alto hurlit ]>o hedmen, harmyt horn euylj
J3an come Troiell ffull tyte with a tore wej

10012 Mony of J?o Mirmydons maynet for euer ;

Hew horn doun heterly, hade horn to ground
Wit/i mony hidious hurt harmyt horn mekill.
j)ai presit vmbe the prise knight prestly onori

10016 And the horse of pat hathell hewen to dethe
Wold haue fongit the freike w/t7i hor

strenght,
And haue led the lede the lystis vnto.

— *i ]
eppyr

,,, i

NINETEENTH BATTLE. 327

J3an Paris the pn'se knight preset in swithe, Book xxv.

10020 With his noble brethir natwrell, nait men of weir. Paris and his

})ai met on the Mirmydons, macchit horn hard, rescue.

Pallit thurgh the persans, put horn beside,

Hurlit Jmrgh the hard maile, hagget the lere,
10024 And deh'uert the lede lawse of hor hondes,

Horsit hym in hast Jmrgh help of his hrether.

}?an wacknet fere wo & mony whe sorow !

The Mirmydons, for malice of the mayn troielus,
10028 ffoghten so felly the fregies among,

On Swargadon f ai slogh, a sure mon of arrays,

A pn'se sun of Pn'arn, & a pert knight,

The noblest of )>e natwrell, fat noiet horn all.
10032 Troiell weppit for woo with watur of his ene, Troiius and

Paris avenge the

And brochit in bremely his brother to venge ; death of their

Wit7t Parys, the prise knight, & proud men of
Troye,

Mony warchond wound wroght at fat tyme.
10036 The Mirmydons were mony & of mayn strenght,

Wise men in werr, wight of hor dedis,

Graithe of hor gouernawnce, grym in a feld,

Of all fetis enfourmyt, fat to fight longit :
10040 Thai segh the troiens so tore & tentymys moo ; (foL 154 &.)

jjai hade no might, ne no mayn, Jje men to with-
stonde,

But assemblit on a sop sadly to-gedur,

And ay droghen o dregh, as horn deirit lest.
10044 On nowise in this world weir horn fai might;

But Troylus with tene ay twmyt horn doun,

Sundrit the soppis with his sad dynttes,

Shot thurgh the sheltrons, & shent of horn mony.
10048 Than Agamynon the grete & grym Menelaus, Agamemnon and

, Menelaua succour

Telamon the tore kyng, & tide Vhxes, the Greeks.-

And Diomede the doughtie, fat duly was hole,
All gird in full grymly with a gret pepull,
10052 Eestorit the stith fight stuernly agayn.

328

THE GREEKS ARE DRIVEN BACK.

Book XXV.

through the
prowess of
Troilus they are
put to flight.

They are rallied
by Ajax.

(fol. 155 a.)

Again put to
flight by Troilus,

who captures one
hundred of the
nobles.

Hard was the hurtelyng tho herty betwene,

And mony bold vpon bent brittenet to dethe.

Then Troiell with tene turnyt in swith,
10056 Gird to the grekes with a grete yre ;

Woundit horn wickedly, wait horn to ground ;

Oppresit horn with payn, & with pale strokes.

Thurgh the helpe of fat hynd & his hond one,
10060 The grekes fleddon in fere, & fe fild leuyt,

Turnyt to fere tenttes, taried no lengur,

WitJi all the hast of fere horses, houet f ai noght,

Than Aiax the auntrus come angardly fast,
10064 )5at was Telamon tore son, & of Troy comyn,

He gird in with the grekes, greuyt full mekill.

Jjan the grekes with grym fare getyn the feld,

ffellyn to f e fight felly agayne,
10068 As breuyt is in boke, & moche bale wroght :

ffull sharpe was the shoute, shent were fere
mony,

Of knightes and comyns & other kyd lordes.

Troilus so toilus with his triet strenght,
10072 Marit of the Mirmydons meruell to wete,

Breke f urgh the batels with his bronnd fell,

And mony gret of f e grekes vnto ground broght>

With the might of his monhode & his mayn

swerd.
10076 So wonderfully fe wegh wroght at fat tyme,

The grekes flowen in fere & the feld leuyt,

And twmyt to fere tenttes tenyt full euyll.

There Troiell with his troiens myche tene wroght,
10080 ffolowet on hom fuersly, frunt horn to ground,

ffel hom with fawchons, foynet hom f urgh.

A hundreth hede men he with hond toke,

And sent to f e Cite with sure men to kepe ;
10084 )jan leuit the laike for late of fe night,

Aither pertie full pn'st preset to fere hold.

ACHILLES STILL LOVE-BOUND.

329

The mirmydons with mournyng meuit to
Achilles,

"With woundis full \vete & wofully dight :
10088 Thai told hym full tite, fe tene fat fai folet,

And the murthe of his men f urgh the main
Troiell :

There were fellit in the feld, founden of horn,

A hundreth with hond hewen to dethe.
10092 The chere of Achilles chaunget witJi fat,

ffor care of his knightes, fat were cold dede.

The buerne to his "bed buskit anon,

As hit come hym by course of f e kynd night,
10096 And lay in his loge, litill he sleppit,

But wandrit & woke for woo of his buernes.

Mony thoghtes full fro f rappit in his hert,

And gird hym in grefe his grem for to venge ;
10100 ffor his men, fat were mart, meuyt hym so,

J?at he was frike to the fight his fos to anoye.

But Pollexena the pert, with hir pure loue,

Enforce so fat fre in his felle angur,
10104 Abated the bremnes in his bale yre,

And stoppet the strif of his strong hert ;

ffor hit meuyt to his mynd in the mene tyme.

If he fore to f e fild, and f e fight entrid,
10108 That the Loue of the Lady lost were for ay,

WitAouten hope of fat hynd to haue in his lyue,

And vntrew of his trawth trust neuer after.

Of the forword he fest with his fre wille,
10112 To Pn'am in pnuete, and his prise qwene,

Neuer in fild to be founden, ne his folke harme,

Mony day he endurit in his depe thoght,

And ay compast f e cases in his clene hert.

HERE J)AI FAGHT VIJ DATES TO-GEDUB, J)AT TS NOT
RECONT : NO BATELL.

101 1C Than the Troiens on a tyme tokyn the feld,

Book XXV.

The Myrmidons,
sad at heart,
relate to Achilles
the disasters that
have befallen
them.

Overcome with
grief he cannot
sleep :

he longs to
avenge th« death
of his friends.

His love for
Polyxena soon
cools his anger.

(fol. 155 b.)

He remembers
his promise to
Priam and
Hecuba.

330 AGAMEMNON DEMANDS A TRUCE.

Book xxv. And the grekes horn agayn vriih a grym fare :

Seyuyn dayes somyn sesit J?ai noght.
Mony doghty vrith dynt vnto detlie yode,
10120 And mony in the mene tyme marrit of the grekcs.
AcMUes overcome Yet the lede in his loge vriih his loue hote,

abides in hu Neuer bownet vnto batell, ne to bright armys,

But in thoghtes full fro Jjrappit with hym-seluyn,
10124 As a mon out of mynd, mase't full euyll.
Agamemnon de- Jjan Agamynon the grete, by grement of all,

mauds a truce :

To the toun for a trew tristy men sent ;
flfor the murthe was so mykiill of j>e mayn grelces,
10128 Jjen dut hym the Duke for destany felle ;

Eut the troiens full tite of the trew hym denyet,
only time to bury Any tyme for to tary, for tene J>at might happyn,

granted. But a space for his spilt men spedely to graue,

10132 And bryng horn to berynes, and barly no more.

331

xxftj Bofte ; of tfje (xx) Batell of tfje
Cite,

Tjffhen paste was the pes, parties were gedirt (foi. isea.)

ffro the tenttes & the toun, takyn the feld :

Asseinblit were sadly soudioura full noble,
10136 And in a stoure, fat was stith, stuernly f ai foghtyn.

Menelay met vpon mayn Paris, Jousting between

That bothe were f ai backeward borne of fere parjs>'
horses,

With the lippe of fere launsis so launchet J>ai

somyn.
10140 Polydamas the pert preset to Vlixes, Poiydamasand

With the caupe of a kene swerd kerue on his
helme.

The freike with a fauchon fendit hym well,

And faght with the fuerse knight felly agayne.
10144 Menestaus the mighty with a mayn dynt, Mnestheus and

Antenor,

Antenowr in angwr angardly stroke,
Unhorset the here, hade hym to ground,
With the lip of a launse, fof hym lothe were.
10148 Philmen the fuerse kyng with a fyne speire, pyhemenes and

Agamemnon,

Gird to Agamynon, & the gome hit ;
Greuit hym full gretly, gert hym to stoupe,
)3at he wauerit jterwith, & weikly he sete.
10152 Telamon come tyte, & the tother met,

Bare hym oner backeward with a big dynt,

332

DEFEAT OP TIIE MYRMIDONS.

Antilochus and

li hm or.

Troilus avenges
tlie death of
Bianor;

Book xxvi. Wound.it hym wickedly, & the we halpe.

Achilacus, a choise son of the cheffe Nestor,

10156 Presit to a pme son of Priam, the kyng,
One Bynowr the bold, as the boke sais,
And the lede with a launse out of lyue broght :
ffor the dethe of this dere myche dole rose.

10160 The Troiens with tene toiled full hard,

'With a Rumowr full roide & a roght hate ;
And to Troiell was told, hym tenyt fyerwith.
With a fouchon full felle fuersly he stroke :

10164 Mouy britnet the bold for his brother sake,
Of the grekes in his grem, & to ground cast.
All the pepull hade he put to J?e pure flight,
!N"e hade the Mirmydons mightely his malis vfith-
stonnd.

10168 Than Troilus with tene tumjt hym swithe,

Mellit with the Mirmydons, marrit horn thicke,
Gird hom to ground and to grym dethe,
Woundit hom wickedly, walte hom besyde.

10172 His dynttes so dedly durit so longe,

J3at all the Mirmydons men meuit hym fro,
ffell to the flight and the feld leuyt :
Hyet hom hedlynges, & )>aire hold toke.

10176 Troiell with the troiens twrnyt hom after,
Woundit hom wickedly in hor wale tenttes,
ffellyn to fote, foghten full sore,
And mony at the mene tyme murtherit to dethe.

10180 The clamour was kene, crying of pepull,

ffor the murthe was so mykill amonge the grekes,
The (skiew),for pe skrykyng & skremyng of folke,
Redoundet with dyn drede for to here.

The clash and 10184 A he noyes noise neghit to Achilles,

clamour are

heard by Achilles. As he lay in his loge, of ledis were hurt :

He spird at those specially, that spede hom to fle,
The cause of hor care & the crie hoge.

(fol. 156 6.)

kills and wounds
many of the
Myrmidons, and
at last puts them
to flight.

He pursues them
to their tents, and
cuts them down.

(MS. has
•'tkreto.1

ACHILLES RUSHES TO BATTLE.

333

10188 Thai told hym full tyte, the troiens with forse
Gird doun the gtekes, & the ground wan ;
Takyn Jjere tenttes, turny t horn vnder ;
Oppressit horn with payn & with pale strokes ;

10192 And J?ai no pouer hade plainly to put horn abake.
" And 30, that hopyn in hele here for to leng,
Sekir of your selfe, & no sore J>ole !
Hit shall hap you to haue in a hond while,

10196 ffyfty thowsaund fell folke out of Troy,

To take you -with tene & time you to ground.
Mony of your Mirmydons marrit for euer :
Thai haue no forse horn to fend, faire fos are so
kene ;

10200 Wz't/iouten socowr of suremen J?ai sothely bene

dede ! "

Achilles for angur angardly swat ;
So hatnet his hert in a hote yre,
]3e loue of his lady fan left was behynd,

10204 "Welt into wodnes, wan to his armys,

Strode on a stith horse, stroke into batell.

He fore with his fos in his felle angur,

As a wolfe in his wodenes with wethurs in fold :

10208 He hurlit of helmys, hedis within,
Rent thurgh ribbis, russhit vnfaire :
Tenyt so the troiens with his tore weppon,
That Jje bent was on blode blent with the erthe,

10212 ffor britnyng of buernes with his bright sword.
Jjan Troiell with tene the towrfer beheld,
Knew well the kyng by caupe of his hond,
Eeiches his Reynis & his roile strykes,

10216 Caires to fe kyng with a kant wille.

The kyng met hym with mayn, macchit hym

sore;

Derf dynttes ]>ai delt J?o doghty betwene,
"W-it/i J>aire fawchons fell, femyt of blode.

10220 Troiell carue at the kyng with a kene sword,

Rook XXVI.

Enraged by the
slaughter of his
soldiers, he for
gets his lady
love;

(fol. 157 a.}
mounts his
horse ; and rushes
upon the Trojans.

Combat between
Achilles and
Troilus : both are
wounded.

334 ACHILLES IS WOUNDED.

Book xxvi. Woundit liym wickedly in wer of his lyf,

Jjat he was led to the loge, laid as for dede,
But he langurd with lechyng long tyine after.
10224 Troiell in the toile truly was hurt,

But not so dedly his dynttes deiret as Achilles.
ends the Thus bai bykirt on the bent till the bare night,

battle.

Jjan left bai for late, lordis and other,
10228 Turnyt vnto towne & the toile leuyt.

HERB FAGHT JJAI XXTI DATES TO-GEDUR.

Xxli dayes by dene \fiih dynttes in feld,
Jjan mett bai with mayn, & mony were kild :
Jjat neuer restid bo Renkes fro Eisyng of sun,
10232 Of bat noyus note, till be night come.
Priam is grieved ban Priam, the pn'se kyng hade payn at his

that Achilles has

broken his hert,

pledge.

ffor Achilles by chaunse hade chaungit

wille,

And breme was in batell his buernes to qwelle.
10236 He blamyt full bitterly ban his blithe qwene,
J?at euer he tentit hir tale for trifles of hym.
He said bat his suranse sothely was fals,
(foi. 1576.) And done for dissait, demit he non other.

Poiyxena too is 10240 Polexena the pert hade pyne in hir thoght,

disappointed. ......

ffor ho pwrpost plainly in hir pure hert,
Hym to husband haue hade, and hir hap shope.
In Sex monys, at the most, be mighty Achilles
10244 Was hole of his hurt he hade in the feld,
Of Troiell in the toile, as I told haue ;
Bothe sound & saf, set for to fight.
J?an hatnet his hert in a hote yre :
Aci.iiies resolves 10248 To Troiell with tene, bat turnit hym vnder,

to kill Troilus.

And woundit hym wickedly, bes wordes said ;
" Doutles with dynttes he deghes of my hond,
And er he fare out of fight haue a fowle end."

TREACHERY OP ACHILLES. 335

Book XXVI.

THE DETHE OF TROILUS, BY ACHILLES TB4YTURLY SLAYNE
IN THE XXJ BATELL.

10252 When hit turnyt to pe tyme torfer shuld rise,
Tho mighty on mold metton to fight,
With thaire batels full breme, bret full of pepull ;
And mony bold were fere britnet vpon both
halues.

10256 Achilles the cfhloise kyng chargit his knightes, Achilles instructs

his knights how

Er pai busket to batell for baret on erthe, to capture

Troilus.

))at pai holly on a hepe held horn to-gedur,

And mynd of no mater for myschef ne othir,
10260 Saue Troiell to take -with torfer pat day ;

Prese hym with pyne in parties aboute ;

Cacche hym fro company, close hym w^tMn,

In myddes his mirmydons pat mighty to hold ;
10264 Stuff hym -with strenght pat he ne stir might,

But hym-self hym to sle sleghly -with hond.

When he meuyt his men pis malis to wirke,

He fore to pe fight with his felle knightes :
10268 All his mirmydons mightely meuit hym after,

And put hym in prz'se his pMrpos to hold.

J?an Troiell full tidely turnyt into batell,

With a folke pat was fell, fuerse of assaute,
10272 Hardy men of hond, hede knightes all,

And wonderfully wroght on hor wale fos.

Troiell the tru, with his triet strenght, (foi. iss a.)

So britnet with his brond, & brisit the grekes, The Greeks are

driven back.

10276 J?at pai foundyt to flight for ferd of hym one,
And lefton the lond, pof horn lothe thught.
Then the Mirmydons mightely meuit in hole, The Myrmidons

corning forward,

Two thowsaund by tale, as taght horn Achilles, rally them.
10280 His comaundemerct to kepe kaston horn pen,
And assemblit on a sop sadly to-gedur.
The Troiens witft tene pai tirnyt to ground,
Kyld of hor knightes & comyns full mony ;

33G

DEATH OF TROILUS.

Many fall on both
sides.

The Myrmidons
surround
Troilus ;

he defends him
self bravely.

Book xxvi. 10284 Wet horn -with wouiidis, warpit hom doune,
And myche baret on bent to f e buernes did.
))an the grekes agayne getton the feld ;
ffell was the fight foynyng of speires.

10288 Miche harme, in fat hete, happit to falle

On aither parte with pyne, fat put were to

dethe.

The Mirmydons hade mynd of f e mayne troiell,
And laited hym on the laund as the lede faght ;

10292 The compast the knight, closit hym Within,
On yche syde vppon hepes hastely strikon :
But mony of fo Mirmydons J>e mayn knight

slogh,
& woundit hom wofully a wondurfull noumber.

10296 }3ai hurlit of his helme, hade hit to ground,
Harmyt the hode, fat was of hard maile ;
Eofe hit full Eoidly, rent hit in peses,
Jjat all bare was the buerne aboue on his crowne ;

10300 Yet he fendit hym fuersly, fele of hom kild,

And gird hom to ground, fat greuyt hom most.
Than Achilles with angwr come angardly fast,
Segh the hathell all to-hurlit, & his hede bare,

10304 And no helpe of his hynd (men) hastid him to.
With a fauchon felle he flange at the knight,
Slough him full slawthly -with sleght of his hond,
And hade of [his] hede vndwr horse fete.

10308 He light doun lyuely, leuit hym not so,

ffestnyt hym vp fuersely, by his fete euyn,

Hard by the here of his horse tayle,

And hurlit hym with hethyng f urgh f e hoole

through the

field. OSt.

Achilles slay
him:

(MS. has
"mend.")

binds the dead
ffoi! iss 6.)

Homer is re
proved for
representing
Achilles as the
not>le»t of
knights.

10312 Thow Omer, fat oft-tymes openly writis

Of fat buerne in f i boke, as best of his hondes,
Or wegh fat is worshipfull, & wight of his dedis,
He comendith hym kyndly as a knight noble ;

HOMER NOT TRUSTWORTHY.

337

10316 How be reason, or right, or rewle, may \>ou

preue

To deme hym so doghty in dedis of armys 1
And nomly in f is note, so noblely f ou sayes,
Thurgh strenght of his strokes, stroyet he hase

10320 Two EC tors eger, & to end broght : —

The praise of fat prouynse, fat no pere hade,
And Troiell the triet knight, his owne tru

brother,
One, the strongist in stoure, fat on stede rode.

10324 Lelly fi lesynges f ou lappis full faire,

Thurgh affection & faithe fou fest with the

grekes ;

As fou said by f i-selfe, f urgh sibradyn first,
Thou was aliet to fat lynage, as by lyne olde,

10328 Or ellis wodenes fe wrixlet, & fi wit failet,

And no reason by rewle fat Renke to comend.
!N"e fell he not first "with his fals trayne,
Honerable Ector, oddist of knightes,

10332 The strongest in stoure fat euer on stede rode :
]3at mon hade no make of might in his lyue,
Ne so worthy in world, wist I neuer sithen.
When he caght hade a kyng, as come hym by
chaunse,

10336 And to pull hym of prese paynit hym fast,
With all besenes aboute & his brest naked,
His shild on his shulders shot was behynd,
He hedut no hathell, ne no harme thoght,

10340 Saue the kyng to his company clenly to bryng.
Hade the prinse of his purpos persayuet before,
He hade keppit hym full cantly, cawpit -with

hym so,
Jjat f e grekes shuld haue greuyt, & f e gre lost.

10344 And troiell, the tru knight, trayturly he slogh,
JsToght furgh stowrenes of strokes, ne with
strenght one ;

22

Book XXVI.

His partiality
accounted for by
his descent.

(" sibradyn "=
sibreda, kindred,
relationship.)

Did not Achilles
slay Hector
treacherously ?

And did he not
slay Troilus when
he was sur
rounded and
exhausted ?

338

THE TROJANS STRIVE TO RECOVER

Book xxvr. But a M. fro knightes frong hym aboute,

)?at noyet fat noble, & naked his hede,
(foi. 169 a.) 10348 And shamfully a shent mon lie shope to the

dethe.

There he found no defens, ne fightyng agayne ;
But as a ded mon to deme, fat deiret no wight.
Neuer hond vnto hond harmyt he nother,

10352 But as a caiteff, a coward, no knighthode at alL
Now, loke if f is lede soche longyng be worthe,
As f ou wn'tis in f i wordes, or were to alow
)3at so worshipfull a wegh, as f e wight Troilus,

10356 j?at was comyn of a kyng, fe clennest on lyue, —
ISTeuer a bettur of blode borne on J>is erthe, —
Shuld traile as a traytor by the taile of his ho:
Hade monhode hym meuyt maynly witft-in,

10360 Or gentilnes iugget iustly his werkes,

Sum pytie hade pricket, his pwrpos to leue,
Jjat neuer so filthy a fare hade fallyn in his hond.

Truly, if any
nobleness had
been in him, he
could not have
treated Troilus as
he did.

Grief and mourn
ing for Troilus :

the Trojans,
striving to recover
his body, are
driven back.

King Memnon
presses to
Achilles:

reproaches him
for his ignoble
conduct :

When Paris persayuit the plit of his brother,

10364 How he was dolfully ded, and drawen in the os
Ofte he swonet for swym, as he swelt wold ;
And myche dole was fat day, J>e Duke to behol
The troiens with tene trauailed full sore,

10368 ffor the body of fat bold -with baret was slayn
The corse to Recouer, & kary to toune.
But the grekes were so grym, f ai gird horn abak
And wtt/istode horn full stithly, stonyt hom
euyll.

10372 The mighty kyng Menon mikill sorow hade ;
ffor f e dethe of fat dere -with dole at his he
He chefe to Achilles with a chere felle
And warpit f es wordis in a wild yre : —

10376 "Thou traytor vntru, fat trust was in neuer,

ffor shame may fou shunt, as .shent of all
knightes !

THE BODY OF TROILUS. 339

How found bou bat iiltlie in bi fals wille, Book xxvi.

Of so dogget a dede in bi derf hert,
10380 So worshipfull a wegh, & worthiest of blode,

bat is comyn of a kyng, the clennest on lyue,

To tegh as a traytor, and traile vpon be erthe,

And hurle at J)i horse taile in hethyng of vs ?
10384 Leue me now lelly all bi lyfe after,

Neuer kepis bu bi corse out of cold angur." foi. 159 6.)

ben be kyng at hym caupit with a kene speire, hurls at him with

Hurt hym full hidusly, harmyt hym sore,
10388 bat bisi was be buerne to bide in his sadill,

Or olofte for to lenge in his large sete.

ben he swange out a sword swicly with fat, then with a

Hurlit thurgh be helme, hade hym to ground : SWOT! dashes him
10392 "With a wound fat was wikkid wait of his horse,

Half lyueles on the laund light vnder fote.

ben be troiens with tene tokyn be body The body of

Troilus is

Of Troiell, be tru knight, & to toun led. recovered.

10396 be Mirmydons baire maistur, masit on be grene,
Lyfton vp lyuely, led hym away,
Horsit hym in haste, hade hym a lofte.
His strenkith restoris stithly agayn, Achiiies recovers,

and again fights

10400 And he fore to be fight wi't/i a fell wyll, withMemnon.

Machit hym monly to Menon be kyng

And he keppit hym full kenly : bai caupit to-
gedur.

Menon was myghtier, & met on hym so,
10404 bat he greuit be greke, and geue hym be worse.

ben be batels come bigli vppon bothe haluys,

Sundrit horn sone, bai soghtyn in twyn.

be day wex dym, droupit be sun, Night ends tho

battle.

10408 be lyght wex lasse, and be laik endit :
Soghtyn to the site, & sum to be tentis,
And logget be long nyght, layd hom to rest.

Then seuyn daies somyn, sothly bai met,

340

THE DEATH OF MEMNON.

Book XXVI.

10412 Bateld on bent as horn best likid.

ffell was j?e fight J>o fomew betwene,
And mony derf per was ded er ]>e daie past !
Jje vij day sothly, saise me the lyne,
instmcts 10416 Achilles thurgh channse was cherit of his won

his Myrmidons -r... ,.- ., ,-,.-,, , ,

.King Menon to mare with Malys he foght,
And bounyt into batell with his buernes all.
He meuyt to his Mirmydons in maner before,

10420 )3e kyng to vmbcast, & close hym with-in ;
Asaile hym on yche side, til hym selfe come
His vilany to venge, and his vile hurt.
J?en J>e stour was full stithe, sturne mew wei
slayn ;

10424 Buernes on Jje bent blody be-ronen ;
(foi. leo a.) And mony hathill, in J?at hete, of his horse felL

to surround
Memnon, and
engage him till
he come up.

Combat between
Achilles and
Memnon.

The Myrmidons
surround
Memnon ;

and Achilles
steals upon him
and cuts him
down.

He could not
have slain him
single-handed.

THE DETHE OP MENON JjE KYNG, BY ACHILLES VNMON-
FULLY SLAYN.

Achilles hym chefe to fe choise Menon,
And monly Jmi met with hor mayn speris.

10428 }3e dentis of po derfe derit horn so,

Jjat ayther light on jje laund, leuyt Jjaire horse
Swange out swordys, swappit togedur ;
And ffelli on fote fughtyn J?ai bothe.

10432 Jje Mirmydons to Menon myghtily )>ronge,
Vmbset hym on yche side, sesit hym onon ;
Hewt hym in hond for no help conies,
Ne no rynk hym to rescow, but his ronk fos.

10436 ))en Achilles come chaseondwit7i a choise wepyn, j
Segh Menon w^t^ his mew myghtile holdyn :
He stroke hym full stithly mony store dynt,
Till he britnet pe buerne, & broght hym to deth.

10440 Hit was not lik ]>at J>e lede, thurgh lust of hym>

one,

Schuld haue killit pis kyng with his clenj
strenkith ;

DESPAIR OP THE TROJANS.

341

Syn Menon vfitJi myght hade marrit hym ofte,
)?at ffro f e hede to f e hele f e hote blode ran :

10444 And lie likkir be lost fen to lyue after.
Jjerfore ses of f i saghis, f ou sore homer,
Jjat writis of hym worchip, fat worthy is non ;
Neuer kyld no kyng, ne no knight ^et,

10448 J?at a-countid was kene, but with cast treson :

And if treson with trume/i be told as for worchip,
J?en is fat lede worth e lose for his lichir dedis.

JMLenelay with myght meuyt in fen,

10452 Diamed fe dughti, and derf Telamoniws :
f es gird in full grymli with a grete ost,
ffrusshet to f aire fos with a fell sthoure,
Greuit horn gretly, gird horn to fote.

10456 ffull mony were marrit, & may my t for euer !
Jjen ffled all in fere, and f e feld leuyt,
Soghtyn to the Cite, with sorow f ai hade.
Theire fos on horn folowet, fell horn full thicke,

10460 Hew on with hard stele, hurt of horn fan,
And mony kild on f e cliffe vnto cold dethe.
J?ai wan in wightly, warpit to f e yates,
Barrit horn full bigly with boltes of yerne ;

10464 Braid vp the brigges in a breme hast :
The tothir to the tenttes tumyt agayne.
)5an was sorow in the Cite, sobbyng of teres,
With Pn'am the pn'se kyng, & his pure wyfe ;

10468 Wailyng of wemen, weping of knightes,

ffor the losse and the lure of f e lele childer,

Honerable Ector, oddist of dedis,

D embus the doghty, & the derf Troilus :

10472 Now dem fai no dede but the dethe fole !
)3an Pn'am, the pn'se kyng, prestly did send
To Agamynon the gret, for graunt of a tru :
And he assentid full sone, asurit with hond,

10476 And affirmyt hit fast with a fyne othe.

Book XXVI.

Henelans,
Diomedes, and
Telamon with a
great company
drive the Trojans
within the walls.

(fol. 160 6.)

The grief and
dismay of the
Trojans.

Priam demands
a truce ; which is
granted.

342

THE DEATH OP ACHILLES.

Book XXVI.

Sepulchres are
erected for
Troilus and
Memnon.

Wit/tin the tyme of fe true, for troiell was made
A Sepulcre Solempne, set full of stones :
fibr Menon, the mighty, was made fere another,
1 0480 And the corse of fat cleane close[t] f erein.

Hecuba plans
how to slay
Achilles.

She consults
with Paris,

(fol. 161 «.)

and advises that
he be slain, as he
had slain her
sons, —
treacherously.

She proposes to
request Achilles
to meet her in the
temple of Apollo :

THE DETHE OP ACHILLES IN THE TEMPLE, BY PAKIS
SLAYN.

"VWtAin the tyme of f e tru, as the trety sayes,

Honerable Ecuba, Ectors moder,

ffor the dethe of hir dere sonnes moche dole hade,

10484 With sykyng and sorow selly to here.
Jjat worthy, in hir wit, warly bethoght
On all wise in this world f e worthy for to sle,
Jjat hir greuit so gretly, and to ground broght

10488 All Jo fuerse men in fight, with his fals cast.
Parys full pn'uely sho pulled into councell ;
Thies words to fat wegh wepyng she said : —
" Dere son, myche vs deres the dethe of fi
brether,

10492 J>at falsly in fight are fellit by Achilles,
ffirst, Ector -with envy evill he dyssayuet,
Dang hym to dede ; & the derfe troilus,
Jjat my lykyng hase lost, & left but the none

10496 Of all my semly sons, fat my solas was in ;
Therfore, sothely me semes, o J>e same wise,
)3at he with treason were takyn, & tirnyt to dethe,
And done for to dregh, by domys of right,

10500 Soche wirdes & wo, as he wroght has.

He has sere men send, and sadly me prayed,
And deply desyred my doghter to wed,
Pollexena the pert, by pwrpos of olde.

10504 I will hete hym full hertely his hest for to kepe,
My doghter full dere to his due wyf.
A sonnd will I send by a sad frynd,
On all wise in this world warn hym fro me,

10508 To Appollo pure temple pertly to come,

THE DEATH OF ACHILLES.

343

}?at we may speike of our specie specially fe;-c.

Thus I will fat Jjou wirk, wete Jwu for sothe :

Sure knightes of assent assemble fe to,
10512 Tttmys into the temple trystily enarmyt;

Kepis you in couer, cleane out of sight,

Tyll the kyng and his company by corny n -within;

ffallys on hym fuersly, frap hym to dethe,
1 05 1 G That he pas not your pouer for prayer ne other ! "

The knight, at fe comaundemerct of his kene
moder,

With sykyng & sorow asentid J>e;io.

He dressit for J>e dede, by dom of f e qwene,
10520 xxli knightes full kene of his kyd fryndes.

Choise of his chere men, chargit hym-selfe

His councell in couert to kepe for the tyme.

J?an Paris and his pepull past to the temple,
10524 Keppit horn in couert, aclosit horn ferin,

Armyt at all pesis, abill to fight,

And a-bode till fe buerne vnto burgh come.

))en Ecuba esely ordant a message,
10528 Sent to fat souerain by a sad frynde ;

Spake to hym specially to spede of his erend,

To turne to the temple, and tary not longe.

Than the hede kyng vnhappely hasted belyue,
10532 Laburd vrith loue, fat lodly dissayuis,

And mony worthy and wise hase to wo broght,

Put vnto pouert, and to pale dethe.

Achilles with Archilagon chefe on f e way,
10536 The noble sun and next heire of Nestor the Duke,

Soghtyn to the citie somyn onon,

And to Appollyns aune temple angardly yode.

Paris with his pert knightes presyt hym agayn,
10540 With all his might & his malis the mon for to
sle.

Swordis out swiftly fai swappit belyue,

And vmset hym full sore vpon sere halfes.

Book XXVI.

and that Paris
should have
knights ready to
slay him.

Paris assents :

he selects a band
of knights ;

and goes to the
temple.

Hecuba sends a
messenger to
Achilles.

(fol. 161 6.)

Along with
Archilochus he
goes to the
temple :

is attacked by
Paris and his
knights, and
slain.

344

THE DEATH OP ACHILLES.

Paris orders the
bodies of Achilles
and Archilochos
to be thrown to
the dogs and
vultures.

Book xxvi. Achilles braid out a brand with a brem wille,

10544 And fast vmbe his fist foldit his mantill.

All bare was the buerne, out of bright wedis,
Yet seuyan of fat sorte he slew with his hond.
Parys cast at the kyng with a kene will,

10548 Jjre darttes noght dole, and dedly hym woundit.
There kyld was the kyng, & the knight bothe,
And by treason in the temple tirnyt to dethe.
Jjan Paris to the pepull prestly comauwdit

10552 The bodies of f o bold to britton onone,

And cast horn to curres & to kene foghles,
On fere flesshe horn to fede on a foule wise.
The corses of f o kant men were kast into strete,

10556 Iche lede on to loke, as fai lust hade,
fiayne of fat fare were the felle troiens :
To se f e corse of fat kyng, fat horn care wroght,
Be dongen to dethe for deiryng of other.

10560 Agamynon the gret, by gremewt of all,
To Pn'am, by pn'se men, pertly he send,
J3at he wold graunt to f e grekes, by grace of

hym-selfon,

The bodies of J>o bold to bery as horn liked.
10564 Archilagon, the choise knight, was chere to his

fader,
(foi. 182 a.) The noble Duke Nestor, fat noyet full sore.

Myche sorow hade his Syre the sun to behold,
And oft swonyt that swete, & in swyme felle.
Priam allows the 10568 The kyng graunttyd fo gr&kes fo grete for to

Greeks to carry ,

off the dead naU6,

The bodies to f e bastell barly to lede.

ffor the choise kyng Achilles fai cherit horn

euill,
Wttfc mych dole for his dethe, and drede of

horn more.
10572 fai hopid full hertely, for fat hed losse,

A COUNCIL OF WAR.

345

r the cite for to sese, ne hor Sute haue.
ffor the losse and the lure of pat lele kyng,
Myche water pai weppit, pat worthy to mysse.

10576 J?an pai pwruait of pn'se, witJi precious aray,
A Sepulcre solempne, set full of stonys :
Praying to Pn'am, po pme men all,
Within the Cite to "be set, with suflerans of hym.

10580 He grauntid po grete a graunt for to haue

In the entre of the est halfe, euyn at the yate,
That troiens in old tyme Tyboria did call.
fare pai tild vp a toure, triedly wroght,

10584 Meruelously made with masons deuyse,

With Jemmes, & iuwells, & other ioly stonys.
There closit pai the kyng vpon cleane wise,
With mykill sorow and sykyng, and soghtyn
agayn.

10588 j)aii Agamynon all the gret gedirt onon,
i Kynges into counsell, & ope?- kyd dukes,
Erles, & all men oght of astate.
Thies wordis to po worthy warpit pe pn'se : —

10592 " Lokes now, lordes, our lure is full hoge,

On the mysse & the murthe of pe mighty

Achilles.

Whethur is bettur in batell abide in this lond,
Or kaire to our cuntre, and the kythe leue 1 "

10596 Iche whe, in pis werke, has for wit kast,

Jjaire domes were full dyuers, doublit full picke :
Sum lordes to lenge lusty pai were,
Sum frike to pe fare pere fryndes to se.

10600 0 sythen, po souerains were of asent hole,
])erein batell to byde, & the burghe sege.
]3of horn auntrid Achilles with angur to lose,
And fail horn in fight with his fyn strenght,

10604 Jjaire goddis will not gab, pat grauntid horn first
The cite to sese, as horn selfe lyked :
Troy with his touris tyrne vnto ground,

Book XXVI.

Achilles is buried
at the Thym-
bni'un gate : a
gorgeous sepul-
clire is erected.

Agamemnon calls
a council,

and asks whether
the siege is to be
continued, or
raised.

All determine to
continue the
siege,

(fol. 162 6.)

and rely on the
promise of the

346

THE GREEKS SEND FOR NEOPTOLEMUS.

Book XXVI.

Ajax proposes to
send for the son
of Achilles,—
Neoptolemus,

for without him
they could not
succeed.

Menelaus is sent
to fetch him from
king Lycomcdcs.

(MS. has
"Icengyng")

(MS. has

The summer
solstice.

(fol. 163 a.)

And hewyn vppon horn, fat f e hold kepis.

10G08 ))an Aiax the Auntrous atlet to say,

In myddes of f o mighty meuit to stond ; —
" Lorde-s, yf hit like you, lystyn my wordis,
And hedis me \fith heryng, herkyn a litle !

10612 Jjof auntrus Achilles, abill of dcdis,

Be drepit with dethe, and done fro our hclpe ;
Let send for his son, a sad mon of hond,
Oddest in armys, & auntrus in were,

10616 A fuerse mon in fight, & in frike youthe,
Our knightes to comford & our kid pepull :
Of f is toun, ellis truly, tidis vs non end,
On no wise forto wyn, ne our wille haue."

10620 Then affirmyt hit fast all fe fyn councell,
And assentid to f e sound f o souerains all.
On fis message was made Menelay the kyng,
By agrement of J>o grete, as for graith holdyn.

10624 He was chosyn for chere of his choise wedis,
Neptolyn, the nobill son, naitly to seche,
Of f e duke fat was dede, doghty Achilles.
He was (lengyng) in lond \fiih Licomed the
kyng,

10628 He was graunser of fat grete, & for graith
holdyn.

OFF THE (XXII) BATELL.

Now hit tide for to tell ]>e tyme of j?e yere.

The sun vndwr ^odiake set was olofte,

At J>e poynt forto passe, & put into canser ;
10632 When j?e season of some?' was set at the last,

And the day of J>e dreight dryuyn vppo long ;

By domys of deuynow-rs, fat delyn f erwith,

Abill of astronomy, fat auntris on se,
10636 Sadmen of Syens, fat settyn horn ferto,

Solstacion, for sothe, sayn hit to hat.

In the monyth to mci'ke, the myddis of loyne,

THE TROJAXS ARE LED BY PARIS.

The sextene day sotliely, sais me the lyne,
10640 The bold.in.en to bent bounet full ficke,

Sadly on aither syde soghtyn to ffild.

The grekes horn greithed, the grettist & other,

Dyomede the doughty, & derf Menestaus ;
10644 Agarnynon also auntrid hym with ;

Menelaus among meuit to field.

All buskes hor batels on hor best wise,

And past furth to the pase, )>o pouer togedur.
10648 )3an Pr?'am, the pn'se kyng, puruait onon

His knightes in companyes cantly to wend,

Vndur gouema?mce graithe how Jjai go shuld,

And assignet horn hym-selfe, as souerain & lord.
10652 Moche dole and doute )>o doghty men hade,

Syn horn lacked the lede of the lorde Ector,

)5at was stithist of stoure, stabill of hert,

And the wit, fat horn wantid, of the worthy

Deffibus,

10656 With the truthe and the trist of TroieU the
knight.

In defaute of tho fuerse, the fyne Duke Paris

fibre to the fight with a fell pouer.

Myche watur he weppit of his wale ene,
10660 Ouer-flowet his face, fell on his brest,

With streamys out straght Jmrgh his stithe
helme.

The murmur was mykill of his mayn knightes,

With gronyng & gref for Ipere gret angur,
10664 Ay in doute of the dethe, dredyng hom-seluyn.

Than Polidamas full prest put next after ;

Philmen, the fuerse kyng, with a folke hcge ;

Esdyas also auntrid horn with ;
10668 Eneas also after horn went ;

All the ledis to the listes on the laund past.

Paris with the percians, pme of all archers,

Assemblit full sone with a sad pepull.

347

Book XXVI.

The Greeks are
led by Diomedes,
Mnestheus,
Agamemnon, and
Menelaus.

The Trojans are
disheartened by
the loss of Hector,
Deiphobus, and
Troilus.

Paris leads them,
weeping as he
goes:

Polydamas,
Pylemenes,
Ai trust us, and
.<Eneas, with their
companies, follow.

348

THE PERSIAN ARCHERS GIVE WAY.

Book XXVI.

Ifol. 168 6.)

Mnestheus jousts
with Polydamas.

Ajax, though
unarmed, cuts
down many
Trojans, and
escapes without
a wound.

The Persians
break and flee.

10672 Mony wondit fat wegh of fe wale grekes,

And mony slogh in fat slade with slight of

bowe.

Dyamede full dernly drof to the kyng,
Phylmyn the fuerse, with a frike wille ;

10676 Hyra keppit fat kant on a kene speire.

With prise of f e pafigons, his oune pure men,
Mony grekes f o grym vnto ground broght ;
Woundit full wickedly, wait horn to dethe.

10680 Jjai hurlet horn full hard with hor hoge dyntt
J5at Diamed full dernly was dryven abacke.
Menestaus, f e mighty maistwr of Athenes,
Presit Polidamas & put hym of horse,

10684 With a spar of a speire in dispit felle.

Jjan he braid out a brand, bikrid hym hard,
Wold haue kyld the knight to the cold erthe ;
But fat Philmyn, fe fuerse kyng, fell to fe
duke,

10688 Halpe hym of hondes, hade hym away.
Paris full prestly put horn to ground,
With sharpnes of shot, shent mony knightas,
And greuit full gretly f e grekes fat day.

10692 J;an Aiax, the auntrus, come angardly faste,
WitJi bornysshed brand britnet his folke :
Mony troiens with tene he tirnit to dethe,
And angart horn euyll, vnarmyt f ai were ;

10696 And he vnwoundit, I-wis, out of wothe paste.
To the percians he put hym, fat Paris did lede
Britnet of f o bold, & myche bale wroght,
Jjat all flagh hym in fere for ferd of his dyntt

(MS. has "in")

Paris wounds
Ajax with a
poisoned arrow.

THE DETHE OF AIAX, BY PARIS SLAYNE.

10700 Paris (with) pyne was pn'cket at his hert,

To se his men so be-mard, & murtherit to detht
With the birr of his boAve, & a big arow,
Jjat put was in poison, he pairet his armwr,

DEATH OF PARIS AND AJAX. 349

10704 Eut burgh his rybbes, rent hym -with in, Book xxvi.

Betweene the lyuer & the lightes launchit hym
Jmrghe,

Jjat all blackonet his blode, & his ble chaungit :

J)an feld wele the freike fat he fey was,
10708 And ded of J>e dynt or be day past. (foi.i64 a.)

THE DETHE OP PABIS, BY AIAX SLATNE.

He presit vnto Paris in his pale angwr,

And as he faght in the feld, to be freike said : —

" Paiis, bou prestly hath put me to dethe, Aja* in revenge

rushes on Paris,

10712 And shent me with shot of bi sharp geire, and cleaves MS

But I degh of bi dynt, and damp into helle,

]3ow shall first go before, and fraite of our way.

Hit is reason and right for bi Ranke loue,
10716 Jjat bou part now with pyne fro bi pn'se Elan,

J?at is cause of bis care, and this cold angwr ;

And mony doghty ben dede of Dukes &
Knights."

Than he bere to be buerne with a bigge sworde,
10720 Hurlyt burgh be helme & the hard chekys,

And he girt to be ground & the gost yalde : Pans and Ajax

fall to the ground

Euyn ded of be dynt, deiret no mo. dead.

Jpan Aiax also, angardly swithe,
10724 ffell of his fole, flat to be erthe,

flbr payne of his pale wound passit o lyue,

Euyn ded of be dynt, & to dole went.

The troiens, with tene for tirnyng of Paris,
10728 Myche mournyng & myschefe in hor mynd hade ;

The korse bai rekoueryt with baire kant fight,

And broght hit to burgh with bale at bere hert.

Dyomed the Duke, & Derfe Menestaus,
10732 With a folke bat was fuerse, felly wz't/i-stode,

Till be troiens with tene tz/rnyt the backe. The Trojans are

driven within the

The sun in his sercle set vnto rest, gates.

And the day ouer-drogh to be derke night,

350

THE TROJANS ARE DEFEATED.

Book XXVI.

(fol. 16t 6.)

During the night,
Agamemnon
causes the
Greeks to encamp
close to the walls.

The body of Paris
is carried to the

The Trojans de
spair and mourn.

Helen swoons
again and again
over the dead
body of Paris.

10736 The troiens with torfer into toun entrid,

With myche lure & los of hor lefe knightes.
Jjai jarkit to f e yatis jepely onon,
Ban-it horn bigly on hor best wise ;

10740 Passit on prestly with payne to fere Innes.

When the light was lesse, the ledes with-oute,
Thurgh gouernawnce graithe of Agamynon the

Laidon wacche to f e wallis, fat no wegh past ;
10744 Pavilions and pure tenttes pightyn aboute,

And fere logget horn to lenge, while horn lefe
thoght.

The troiens in toures, & on toun walles,

Laidon spies specially, & spekon hom to,
10748 On all wise for to wacche & waite on hor fos,

ffor gawdis, othir gile, fat hom grefe might.

JLhe same night sothely, sais me fe lettur,

The corse caried was to courtte of the knight

Paris,
10752 "With myche weping & wo of his wale fryndes :

And sorow in the Cite was selly to here.

Now all the brether with bale were britnet to
dethe,

Jjat the folke shuld defend, & hor fos harme :
10756 Was no lede, fat hade lust, on lyue for to be,

Ne hope of hor hele in hor hert thoght !

Myche pite* was of Priam & his pn'se qwene,

With sobbyng of syster, fat semly were euer :
10760 And Elan, of all wemen, angardly fast

Swonyt full swiftly, & in swym fell.

XXti tymes hit tide truly fat night,

)3at was draghen fro the Duke all in dede swone.
10764 Myche leuer, for fat lure, out of lyue passe,

}5an any longf^r to lyffe, & hur luffe want.

Hir wordes & weping, wo to be-hold,

MOURNING FOR PARIS.

351

Of care & complaint, coldyng in hert,

107G8 Hit wold haue persit vfith pyte any pure sawle,
And tendrit with teres hor torfer to se.
Hit were labur to long hir lotis to tell,
Or any wegh for to wn'te, pof he wit hade,

10772 The sorow of pat semly, as sais me the lyne.

Beth of kyng, & of kythe, & the cleane qwene,

Abriget of baret, for bale fat sho polet ;

And hade pitie of fat pure, hir payne for to here.

10776 ffor the luff pat she laid on pere lefe sun,

And the dole, pat she dregh, for his dethe one,
Thai worshippit pat worthy as pere wale

doghter ;
And lelly no lesse louyt hir in hert.

10780 Jjan in lono ioly temple, as the iest tellis,
Atyret was a tabernacle, triet .for pe nones,
Made all of marbill, of mason deuyse,
With mony staryng stone stondyng aboute.

10784 Therein Paris was put wt't/i prestis of pe laghe,
And closit vp his corse vpon clene wise,
With Sacrifice and solenite suche as pai vsit,
And come to corupcwuw, as his kynd asked.

Book XXVI.

(fol. 165 a.)

Paris is en
tombed in the
temple of Juno,
with great
ceremony.

352

Ejje xxfcij Bofte : of (xxiij) iSateil of j?e Cite
of

(MS. has "Parts"
nnd "Priamus"
written above.)

For two months
the gates of Troy
are not opened :
the Trojans are
hopeless.

Agamemnon calls
on Priam to fight
or surrender.

(fol. 165 6.)

Priam waits for
the coming of
Penthesilea,
queen of the
Amazons.

Amazon, a
province where
only women
dwelt.

10788 Priamus, for pite" of his pure sons,

Hade no wille for to weire, ne the wallis pas.
Two monethis with might, er he meue wold,
The yates to yeme he yepely comaundit.

10792 The troiens in the tyme, as the text sais,

"With myche sorow in the Cite, sobbyng vnfaire,
Hade no hope of fere hele : fan fere hert failet,
And f ai drepit in dole, as f ai degh shuld.

10796 Agamynon, by graith men, to f e gret send
Oft-sythes, for sothe, in the same tyme,
Bade hym send furth his soudioun's, assembl

to feld,
And buske vnto Batell, or his burgh yelde.

10800 The noble hym denyet, for noy fat might happoi
He drede hym full depely for desteny feble,
Lest his folke in the feld were fynally distroyet
And for hope fat he hade of a helpe sone.

10804 Of Amysones auntrus atlet the qwene,

Jjat was born to the burghe in the bare tyme,

Honerable Ector in armes to helpe.

There out in the Orient, in old mens dayes,

10808 A prouynse of pn'se, fat prestly was cald
Amysone -with all men, aftwr full longe,
There wond in no wcgh but wemen allone,

AMAZONIA AND THE AMAZONS. 353

Wtt&outen mon, owther make, to medill horn Book xxvir.

vrttJi.

10812 Jjai were strong of hor stature, stitliest in armys,
And well enformet of the fete, bat to fight longit.
Euen "before in be frunt of fat faire yle,
"Was a prouynse of pn'se, & praty men in : near which was

a province where

10816 ffull of all frute, and fode of the best, only men dwelt.

Wond bere no \vemen, lie no wegh ellis,

But men on bat mold, & mony bai were.

Now the maner was most of bo rnylde wemen,
10820 Thre mones w^tA mirthe bo men for to viset; in April, May,

and June, the

Euermore in Auen.ll auntrid horn so, women visited

the men.

the monith of May, & the mery lone,

There to leng vfith hor louys in lykyng a while.
10824 Oft in wanton werkes wex bai with childe,
And sithen of solas soghton to bere londes.
When bo "burdis baire birthe hade borne of bere

sjdes,
If hit a woman were, \\ith worship hit keppit, If the child was

female it was

10828 And fostred hit furthe vppon faire wise ; kept; but if male,

.. „ ** WaS 8en' *° *ne

And if bat sain had a sun of hir selfe borne, father.

Hit shuld be keppit full cleane, as be clause
tellus,

Thre yere thristely throngen to end,
10832 Than sent to be syre, and soiowme with hym.

Thus tide hit bat tyme, as I telle of,

There was a lady in bat lond, bat be lyne aght

All the kythe, & the crowne, & the kleane

soile, —
10836 A maidon full of might, & monly in armys,

Boldest in batell, best of hor hondes, —

Pantasilia, bat pert prestly was cald,

That honerable Ector od myche louyt, (foi. 103 a.;

10840 ffor his prowes of p?7se, and his pert dedis,

And for wightist in wer of bis world ben.

Hit was told with a true of a tryct ost
23

354

THE TROJANS LED BY TEXTHESILEA.

Book XXVII.

Pcnthesilca
brings 1000
Amazons to
Assist Priam.

Her grief on
hearing that
Hector was slain.

She prays Priam
to allow her to
lead the Trojans.

Pylsemenes,
./Eneas, and
Polydamas, with
their companies,
follow Pen-
thesilc.i.

A fierce battle
ensues.
Menclaus is
unhorsed by the
Queen.

(fol.1666.) 10876

Diomedes and
Peuthesilea.

Of grekes fat were gedrit to f e great troyo,

10844 Pr/am to oppresse, & his pure londes ;

And ho come for fat cause, fat kyng for to helpe,
"With hir maidons full myld, mightily in armys,
A thowsaund full fro, f repand in wer.

10848 ffor loue of fat lede, fat was of lyue past,
To f e Cite ho soght with hur sute hoole,
Noght knowing the case of f e kyd pn'nse,
Jjat the doghty was dede & drepid for ay.

10852 Whan fat worthy hit wist of his wale dethe,
Myche sorow & sykyng sanke in hir hert,
And mony dayes for dole fat doghty can wepe.
This lady at the last lefte of hir sorow,

10856 And prayt vnto Praam all witJi pure wordes,
His buernes vnto hatell bainly to ordan,
And pull vp a port, let horn passe furthe.
Sho pwrpost hir plainly with hir pure maidons,

10860 The grekes to greue, & she grace hade,
In fight for to fele of hir fell dynttes,
And of maidyns might make horn to know.
Jjan Pn'am his pn'se men prestly comaundit,

10864 Philmen, the fuerse kyng, & his feres all,
Eneas also, abill of dedis,
Polidamas the pert, with a pn'se batell,
With Pantasilia the pure prestly to wend.

10868 Dardan to vndo fe doghty comaundit,
And all fore to f e fight in a frunt hole.
The grekes gird horn agayn with a grym fare,
And with launses on the laund lepyn to-gedur.

10872 Breme was the troche in the "brest fan !
Pantasilia so p resit proud Menelaus,
Jjat ho gird hym to ground wit7i a grym dynt.
The horse of fat hathell hent ho helyue,
And raght by the Eeynes to a ranke maiden.
Dyomede the derfe drofe to f e qwene,
Wt't/i a course of his caple, and a kene speire.

THE GREEKS ABE DRIVEN BACK. 355

}3at mighty hym met with a mayn stroke, Book xxvu.

10880 bat he bend in the backe to fe bare sadell,

Ynneth held hym on horse for harme fat he
folet.

Ho raght to hym radly, reft hym his sheld,

And betoke [hit] full tite to a triet maiden.
10884 Telamon with teno ttmiyt to be lady, she hurls Teia-

mon to the

To venge of hir velany, & voide hym of harme. ground;
He launchit to fat louely with a light wille,
And ho keppit the kyng, kest hym to ground,
10888 TiU his head with the hard yerthe hurlit full

sore.

So faght fat freike with hur fyne strenght,
bat ho knowen was for kene with kaupe of hir

swerd,
And myche dut for hir dynttes or fe day

endit.
19892 So bat worthy in wer wroght at bat tyme. captures, and

leads him away.

bat Telamon ho toke, & twrnyt away.

Diomede, bat Duke was duly beside, He is rescued by

Diomedes.

wode of his wit for f e wale kyng ;

1 0896 So he fore f ere in fight with his fell strokes,
bat the lede fro the ladis lawse away past.
ban Pawtasilia the pert with a pure steuyn,
Criet on hir company with a cant wille ;

10900 Assemblit hir sorte on a sad hepe,

And so fuersly f ai faght with the felle grekes,

Thurgh helpe of fat hynd, and hir hed maidons,

bat all fell to be flight, & the feld leuyt. The Greeks break

and flee before

10904 The wemyn, as the went, welt horn to ground, the Amazons.

~With swappis of hor swordes swelt mony
knightes ;

Chasit horn with choppis f o chyuallurs ladis,

To the side of the sea, or f ai sesse wold.
10908 There the grekes with grem had the gre lost, The prowess of

Ciomedes saves

And endit for euer, euyn at fat tyme, the Greeks from

destruction.

356

ARRIVAL OF NEOPTOLEMUS.

Hook XXVII.

(fol. 167 a.)

The Amazons and
Trojans return to
the city.

The joy and hope
of Priam.

Hade not Dyomede witJt dynttes done with
hondes,

So wondwrly well at the water side.
10912 There delt fai with dynttes, till the derke night

All left fai for late & lackyng of Sun.

Pantasilia the pert, and hir prise maidnes,

Kyng Philmyn the fuerse, with his fyi

knightes,
109 1C The prise men of Pafigon fro fe prese went,

Soghtyn to the Cite witJi hor sute hole,

Entrid full esely onon, as horn liked.

Jpan Pr/am was proude, & prestly beleuyt
10920 ffor to couer of care thurgh hir kyd helpe.

HERE FAGHT j)AI TWO MONETHES.

Two monethis with might fai metton on bent,
Bothe the batels full breme, as the boke sais,
Duly yche day delton fai strokes,
Meneiaus returns 10924 Till Menelay the mene tyme hade the mere past

with Neoptolemus

—called also To Lycomede, J>e lell kyng, & the lede broght, —

Neptolon the noble, next to Achilles.
He was sun to fat same, as I said ere,
10928 J?at is Pirrus in proses prop?«'ly cald.

Two nomys had fat noble, Jjot I neuynt haue,
Knowen in his cuntre, kyndly by aither.
When he come to J>e cost fere J>e kynges lay,
10932 Hym welcomyt tho worthy, as a wegh noble ;
And the mirmydons mighty, for maist?<r hyn

toke,

Were glad of fe gome, & gretly hono?fryt.
The grekes fayne of fat freike, and with a frunt

Hght,

10936 Retaynit hym with Eeue?*ence, fo Riche men all,
And honeret hym by ordinawnce with order of

knight.
Telamon full tyte, tristy of dedis,

Joy of the Greeki
and Myrmidons :

Neoplolemus Is
knighted,

REJOICING OF THE GREEKS.

357

Gird hym full graidly with a gay sworde,
10940 Bad hym nait hit nemly, and noy of his fos,

And dere for the dethe of his dere fader.

Two spurres full spedely spent on his helis,

Jjat were gaily ouer-gilt, fo grete with hor

hondes ;
10944 Jjai betoke hym the tent of his tried fader,

And all the harneis hoole of fat hed kyng.

There fai fourinyt a fest with a fyne wille,

Serten dayes by-dene, duly to hold ;
10948 With Sacrifice solemne soghten fere halowes,

And all glad were j>o grete of f e gome fan.

THE XXII & XXIH BATELL OF THE CITE.

When hit drogh to f e day, the Dukes wi't/i-oute

Busket vnto batell, and the burgh alse.
10952 Tho mighty with mayn metton in the ffeld,

And girdon to-gedur on a gryra wise.

Pirrus vnto prese put hym anon,

In the hone7-able armys of his avne fader.
10956 Polidamas he preset with a pn'se swerd,

With sleght for to sle, & slyng vnto ground ;

But hit passit his pouer, for his pure helpe

Of Phylmen, the fuerse kyng, fendit hym wele.
10960 Pirrus, that proud kyng, presit so fast,

J5at he gird hym to ground of his gret horse.

He macchit hym with might fe mon for to
take,

As by witnes in wer, & away lede :
10964 But the Pafigons prudly put hym agayn,

Thaire lord to deliuer wit?t his lyf hoole.

The Mirmydons mightely mellit horn with,

)?at f ai caght not the kyng, f of f ai care f olit.
10968 Pantasilia come pertly with hir pure maidnes,

Biusshet into batell with a breme fare.

(All f aire coloum by corse were of cleane white,

Book XXVII.

and receives the
tent and armour
of his father.

(fol. 167 6.)

Pyrrhns jousts
with Polydamas ;

unhorses, and

captures

Pylsemenes.

The rescue of
PyUemenes.

Penthesilea and
her Amazons
rush upon the
Myrmidons.

353

THE MYRMIDONS AND AMAZONS.

Book XXVII.

Telamon fights
with the Queen,

who hurls him to
the ground.

(fol. 168 a.)

The Myrmidons
are driven back
by the Amazons.

Pylsemenes set
free.

Pyrrhus rallies
the Myrmidons.

As the glyssenond glemes pat glenttes on J>o
sknowe.)

10972 Tho myld -with the Mirmydons mellit so hard,
Jjat mony worthy Jjai woundit, & warpit to dethe.
jjaii Telamon come tyte -with a tried wille,
To Pantasilia preset with a proud dynt.

10976 He gird hir to ground, and greuit hir yll,

And ho stithly in the stoure start vppon fote,
Turnyt hir to Telamon tite with a swerd,
Hit hym so hetwrly with a hert wille,

10980 J?at he hurlit down hedlonges to the hard erthe,
And lay gronond on ground with a grym noyse.
Than the maidnes with might, at the mene tynie,
Theire lady vppolofte lyftyn onon,

10984 J?at was iFrike to the fight & of fyne strenght,
And as lion on the laund launchit aboute.
pat worthy was war of J>e woo sone,
How Philmen the fre kyng was fongid in hond ;

10988 Sho macchit hir manly the Mirmydons to,

With hir maydnes of might, & of main strenght.
So fo wemen in wer welton doun the knightes,
Deyrit horn with dynttes, dryvon horn abacke,

10992 J?at aU fled horn for fere, ferd of hor dethe.
Pirrus Jjis prowes pertly beheld,
How his Mirmydons with might were mellit to

ground :
Philmen the fre kyng, fat he in fyst hade,

10996 He lete to J>e large, lause of his hondes.

He criet on his knightes with a kene wille : —
" Ne shamys you not shalkes to shunt of pe fild,
if or the weiknes of wemen woundis a litell !

11000 Twmes yow full tyte, & taries a while,

Let vs wend to yon wemen, wait horn of horse ;
With swyng of our swerdes swap horn in sonder,
And dyng horn to dethe for deyring of other."

11004 Pantasilia the pride of Pirrus ouer-herd ;

PENTHESILEA AND PYHEHUS. 359

Of his mote, & his manas, not mykell ho roght. Book xxvn.
When he neighed hur negh, naitly ho said Penthesiiea defies

Pyrrhus.

}5es wordes to the wegh, bat he well herd : —
11008 " I am not ferd of bi fare, ne bi fell speche,

bof bi fadur with falshed, & with foule treason,

Honerable Ector egurly slogh :

Whose vilany to venge, & be vile dede,
11012 All the world shuld wilne, wemen & oder.

And we, fat in wer, wemen ye call,

Of owe dynttes dedly shall dele with you sone."

Pyrrus \vex pale at hir pure wordes,
11016 And come witJi a course of his kene yre, (foi. i686.j

bat doghty to dere with a dede stroke. They flsht

together.

The womon was war of his wille sone,

And keppit hym full cantly : bai caupit to-gedur,
1 1020 ~With baire glaiues full grym, on the grene laund,

bat Pirrus with pyne was putto be erthe,

And his speire vntto sprottes sproungen on be
qwene.

He launchit vp lyuely, lacchit a swerd,
11024 Bere to bat bold with & breme fare ;

And ho keppit hym full kantly, kobbit with
hym sore,

Woundit hym wickedly in hir wode angur, Penthesiiea

wounds Pyrrhus:

Wold haue dongyn hym to dethe, hade pai delt

long.
11028 ban be Mirmydons, his men, mightely corny n, the Myrmidons

rescue him.

Lepyn to ]>cre lord, lugget hym away,

Halpe hym to horse in a hond qwhile,

Thurgh streught of bat stoure, & of stithe fight.
11032 ban Agamynon the grete, with grekes ynow,

Dyomede drogh nere with a derfe pepull ;

Antenor also auntrid to batell,

^With a company clene of kyd men of armys.
11036 Phylmen be freke, bat fuersly wit/itakon,

bat passit fro Pirrus by the prise qwene,

SCO

PEXTIIESILEA AND PYRRHUS.

Book XXVI I.

Pylsemenes
thanks Penthe-
silea for saving
his life.

A fierce
skirmish.

Glaucus slain by
Pyrrhus.

(fol. 160 a.)

The Queen and
Pyrrhus.

Polydatnas
revenges the
death of his
brother.

Pyrrhus, Tela-
mon, and
Diomedes rally
the Greeks.

Lut to fo lady, & of his lyff Jjanket,
Mony sithes for sothe, er he sese wold.

11040 ])an he semblid his sorte on a sop holl,

And Pantasilia full pertly all hir pn'se maidnes,
Palidamas, the pert knight, ]>at put was to fote,
"Was Jjrast Jjrough the frong, & of frepo past,

11044 Horsit in hast, highit agayne,

With fuerse men in fight a full fell nowmber.

Eneas also with angardly mony,

Kyng Eemys the Eiche, with a roghe batell,

11048 Thies hurlet on a hepe with a hard shoure.
Dynttes full dedly were delt horn among,
And mony freike vndwfote frunt of hor horse.
Pyrrus hym paynet to pyne of his fos,

11052 And the wemen wightly Walton doun f»e grekes.
On (Glaycon), a gome, gird was to dethe
With Pirrus in pn'se, Polidamas brother,
Antenor avne sun, aldist but he,

11056 Gettyn in his gamyn on a gay lady.
Pantasilia presit Pirrns full fast,
And the freike hym defendit with a fyne chere.
So burly J>o big brusshit to-gedur,

11060 pat backe to J?e bent borne were ]>ai aither ;
Stithly pai start vp, strekyn to-gedur
Tyll the prese of the pepull partid horn sender.
Polydamas, for payne of his pure broder,

11064 Gird doun the grekes, and myche grem did :
With woundes full wide wait horn of horse,
And wond?^rfully wroght to wreke of his grem.
Thurgh helpe of his hond, & the hede qwene,

11068 The grekes of J)e ground were gird to J?e flight :
}5ai folowet fast on J?e fare, with hor fell dynttes
Dang horn to dethe, & deiret horn mekill.
Pirrus, with pyne, and the proud Thelamon,

11072 Dyamede the doughty, dernly wz't/i-stode,

Gert the grekes with greme on the ground starl,

During this time
sides.

PENTHESILEA AND PYRRHUS. 361

Jpat fled were before, & the fild leuyt. Book xxvu.

]3an the sun wentto set, seset the fyght,
11076 Aither halfe to fere hold highet onone, —

Bothe to toun & to tent, — taried no lengur •
ifor the derke vp drogh, and the day endit.

HERE THAY FAGHT A MONETHE

Than a moneth with might f ai met in the fild,
11080 With strokes full stith starf mony knightes.

With-in tyme of f is toile, tellis the story,

Ten thawsaund by tale were tirnyt to ground,

In batell on bothe haluys, fat on bent lay ;
11084 And mony of hir maidnes missit the qwene,

jjat were lost on the laund or fat laike endit.

Aftur a moneth & more, on a myld day,

Bothe the batels to bent bounet full swithe :
11088 Kestorit full stithly opon strong wise,

Shot into sheltrons shoggond full f icke.

Kene was the crie with crusshyng of weppyn :

Stedes doun sticked, stith men vnder !
11092 Pantasilia & Pirrus presit to-gedur,

With dynttes full dedly in hor depe hate.

The roddis all to-Eoose right to f aire hond,

And in hor sadles full sound setyn f ai still.
11096 But a trunchon of a tre with a triet hede,

Abode in the body of the bold Pirrus.

Jjan the crie wex kene for care of f e grekes :

Mony preset with pyne to the pert qwene,
11 100 To dere hir with dethe for dole of his hurt.

}3ai frusshet hir so felly with hor fyne swerdes,

J?at f e haspis of hir helme hurlit in sender.

THE DETH OP PAOTASILIA. BY PYRRUS

Than Pirrus with payne, in his pale angur, Pyrrhus, heed-

•niAj fc n .i/u i. ft. -i -u less of his wound,

1 1104 nor all the trunchyn of fe tre, fat tenit hyrn rushes on the

Penthesilea and
Pyrrhus again
(fol. 1GO &.)
fight.

Pyrrhus is
severely wounded.

The Greeks
surround Pen
thesilea.

362

DEATH OF PENTHESILEA.

and with a
swing of his
sword cuts her
arm off by the
body.

Book xxvn. Noght hedit his liarine, ne his hurt meuyt,

And meuyt with mails to f e myld qwene.
Sho was bare of hix breast to f e bright niayll,

11108 Hade no hehne on hir hede fro harmys to Aveire ;
Yet sadly ho sete, sewit hym agayne,
Thoght the freike with a fouchon first for to

strike.

But Pirrus hym paynet with all hys pure
strenght,

11112 And flang at hir felly with a fyne swerd ;
Share of f e sheld at a shyre corner ;
Vnioynet the Jawmbe of f e iust arme,
)3at hit light on f e laund lythet full euyn :
she fails dead. 11116 J?en deghit fat doghty, dolle to be-hold,
ffell of hir fole to f e fiat erthe !
And Pirrus with payn puld of his brest,
The spyll of his speire, in a space short :

11120 Myche blode of his body bosshet out after,
And he gird to f e ground gronond full sore,
Halfe dede of fat dynt drogh into swone !
The Mirmydons mightely fere maistwr fan toke,

11124 With the shalke on a sheld shoke to his tent;
As a lede out of lyue laid hym to ground,
"With weping and wo for his wale harme.
The maidnes of f e mighty qwene masit were all

11128 ffor the dole & the dethe of hor dere lady.
Thai afforset horn felly with hor fyn might,
The vilany to venge of f e vile grekes.
)3ai mellit with the mirmydons, fat maistwrles
were,

11132 Put horn doun prestly, pallit horn furgh,

Slogh horn full sleghly for sleght fat f ai couthe,
And other grekes, in hor greme, gird to f e deth :
Two thawsaund, full froly, f ai f rang out of lyue,

11136 So fuersly fai fore in hor fell Ire,

ffor the losse of hor lady, fat horn lede shuld.

Pyrrhus falls
down as dead :
is carried on his
shield to his tent.

The Amazons in
revenge fall upon
the Myrmidons.

(fol. 170 a.)

DEFEAT OF THE TROJANS.

363

But what fortherit the fight of J?o fell maidyns,
Syn the grekes on honi gedrit in so gret
nowmbers 1

11140 There murtherit were mony of the mayn troiens :
All the bent of j?at birr blody beronnen.
As Dares of the dede duly me tellus,
X. M."4, full proly, in the J? repe endit.

11144 j?an flagh all in fere, & the feld leuyt;

Twrnyt vnto toune with tene at Ipere hert.
All the worthy Jjere were, wemen & other,
The yates with yomeryng 3epely fai stake,

11148 Barrit horn full bigly on hor best wyse,

Neuer in pwrpos with prise to pas at horn efte,
To no batell on bent, but the burgh kepe.

Book XXVII.

The Trojans are
outnumbered :

10,000 are cut
down:

they retreat to
the city, and shut
the gates in
despair.

3C4

xtfritj iSofce : of tfje Counsell of lEneas
autj &ntenor. ©f tfje treason of tfje (Cite.

The only hope of Now be troyens, wftA tene, all be toun jatys

in guarding the 11152 Keppit full cloyse, w^t/i care at hoi1 hertes ;

"WYtAouten hope of any helpe holdyrc horn

Or any socour to "be send out of sere londys.
(foi. no &.) All the burgh is full bigge, ouer the brode

wallis,

11156 "VVacchemen for to wale, wacches to kepe,
Of trewmen in towres, for treason of other,
The Cite to saue fro saute of hor fos.
ffor the heght is so hoge of the hegh touris,
11160 With dykes so depe draghen a-boute,
Only famine Jjat no werriowr hit wyn may to be worlds end,

cuuld conquer the

city. But Jmrgh failyng of fode, bat fainttes be pepulL

flfor Pantasilia the pert pytie was made,

11164 jjat oflfendit be?-e fos with Mr fyne strenght.
Mony doghty bat derfe vnto dethe broght,
And britnet on the bent with hir bale maidnes.
Myche tene hade the troiens for be tryet lady,

11168 ffor bai the corse might not cacche, as be kynd

wold,

ffor to bery in the burgh, hor bale was the more,
Ne to forther bat fre "with fynerall semys.
The grekea gedrit full grymly to be gret yates,

THE TREASON OP ANTENOR AND .ENEAS. 3G5

11172 Of sure men in soppes sadly enarmyt, Bookxxvm.

The close for to kepe, when care was on hand,
Jpat no freike vpon fote forther shuld pas.
The corse ban bai comaund of be clene qwene, The Greeks

propose to cast

11176 To be cast vnto curres and to kene fowles. the body of

Penthesilea to

But Pirrus bat purpos pertly w^t/^.-stode, the dogs:

-r, , , ,111 1-1 • Pyrrhus resists.

Bade bery the burd on hir best wise,

As was due to the dede, to delue in be erthe.
11180 Dyamede the derfe demyt non othir.

" Hit is vnsytting," he said, " bat hit so be,

ffor the worthy, bat wicche hase wastid to dethe,

Of our grekes on ground, & to grem broght ;
11184 Let hir bones with baret abide in this aire,

As a caren vncleane, for hir curst dedis."

Jjan the gret of the grekes agreit horn all,

The corse for to cast in a clere terne, They agree to

11188 Vndwr a syde of the Cite, & synke hit berin, —

A stanke full of stynke standyng besyde.

hen the troiens in be toune were tyrnet berin,
With myche wandreth & wo in wer of hor hele,
11192 Antenor & Eneas, with baire avne sons, Antcnor, Mneas,

and their sons

Serchid by hom-seluyn in sauyng hor lyues, plot to save their

..,,,, <? ,1 j P i lives by betraying

ffor deiryng with dethe of the derfe grekes : the city.
And yf bo weghes on no wise might of wo pas, (foi. m a.)
11196 The toune to be-tray, truly, bai thoght.

And the gome to be-gyle, bat the ground aght,

bai pwrpost with Pmm preuely to speike, They conclude to

advise Priam to

The kyng for to counsell in the case so, make peace with

the Greeks,

11200 ffor to proffer horn pes or he payne bolet ;

And to Restore bem stithly all the store harmes, and to restore

With the deire bat was done by the Duke
Paris,

In Sytheria, for-sothe, at Sesyng of the qwene ;
11204 And the lady to hir lord delyuer agayne.

If bo gret wold agre for bat grym dede !

366

THE TREASON OP ANTENOR AND AENEAS.

Book XXVIII.

All the disasters
that befell Troy
and the Trojans
might have been
avoided had
Priam made
peace at first.

A true proverb. 11216

But will the
Greeks now con
sent to peace ?

(fol. 171 b.)

The traitorg
advise Priam to
treat with the
Greeks.

But happy were fat hede kyng, & he hauo

might
This acord in the case wit/i-outen care more.

11208 ffor all the deth and the dere of his dere sons,
3et the lord in his lond might lyue in his age,
"With his worthy win0, & his wale doghtwr,
And his noble sonnes nature!!, fat hym next
were,

11212 With souerains of the Cite" & other sad pepull !
This accord might the kyng hauo cacchit "before,
When the grekes, hym to grefe, were on his

ground euyn,

And tenydon hade takon, as I told haue !
Hit is said oft-sithes, and for sothe holdyn,
He is happy, fat a harme hastely amendes,
Or any perties haue pyne, or put vnto dethe,
Or be trauailed with tene, or tyne of fere goodes.

1 1220 Who hertely might hope, or hold in his mynd,
J?at the grekes wold agre, or graunt to f is end,
ffor the losse and the lure of hor lege kynges ;
And the harmys full hoge of hor hed knightes ?

11224 And nanily now, when noght may horn let,
All the worship to wyn, & hor will haue ;
The toune for to take, & time to f e ground ;
All the bildynges to bren, & the buernes qwell.

11228 Therfore cast is hit cointly by thies kene tray-

tours,

Vnder proffer of pes, pryam to lose ;
Hor Cite to dissaiue in sauyng hor lyuis,
And all Troy to be-tray, and the triet londis.

1 1 232 X han the kyng into counsell fay cacchyn onone,
And his son was besyde at the same tyme,
Amphimake, a freike of the fre brether,
And other bold of the burgh, fat aboute were.

11236 Jjan the tmytours vntrew told to fe kyng,

How the best was fro bale his burgh for to kepe,

PRIAM AUD THE TRAITORS.

367

ffor to trete for a trew, or we tene f ole,
And to proffer horn pes, or we payn dregh.

11240 Whan Priam persayuit in his pure hert,
The fare of f o faitowrs with fere fals cast,
Euer hit meuyt hym in mynd f e malis f ai f oght,
J)at the cast of f o cointt men come for no loue.

1 1244 He onswart full esely efter his entent : —

" I will haue counsell in this case, & corny n

with other,

Sertan days for doute, er I do more,
On all wise in this world, & wirke to f e best."

11248 Kantly, to fe kyng, fen carpis Antenor : —

" If f ou will mel of this mater, mene hit till vs ;
Of oure talis take tent, trist fat we say ;
And if Jwu hold horn not holsom, herkyn an
other."

1 1252 )?en fe kyng full of care carpyt agayne : —

" I repreue not $our pwrpos, ne $our prose

counsell ;

Hit is lelly me lef to lyston jour wordis :
And, as 30 demyn, to do, if hit be one best.

1 1256 And if hit be not fe best, but to bale worth,
Wrath $ow not wheghis, f of I wale other."
J)en f e traytur Antenor titly con ryse,
fferkyt on fote, & to f e fre sayde : —

11260 " Sothly, Syr kyng, hit sittis not now,

3owr discresion to dem with no du reason.
jour self and jour cite is set all aboute,
With jour fomen fuerse, foldyn with in.

11264 }?ai kepyn the cloyse of this clene burgh,
With jep men at f e yatis jarkit full f ik :
In qwose cumpany kide are kyngis full nobill,
ffifte full fell & of furse dukis

i 11268 )3at noght wilnen in word, ne waytyn to haue,
But f i sete to sese, and f i selfe alse.
And we, no folke of defense, ne no fyn stuf

Book XXVIII.

He suspects their
designs.

Priam will listen
to their advice if
it be good.

Antenor repre
sents the power
of the Greeks,
and their
determination to
take the city :

(fol. 172 a.)

3G8

AMPIIIMACHUS AND ANTEOR.

Book XXVIII.

that Priam has
now no means
to prevent them,
nor hope of
succour.

Therefore, of two

evils choose the

less:

make peace with

the enemy.

Ainphimachus
declares Antenor
a traitor :

(fol. 172 b.)

that 20,000 men
shall fall before
such advice be
followed-

Aeneas declares
they have failed
in war, and must
now try peace.

Haue in this holde fro harmys to were ;

11272 ]STe so derfe of oure dedis on dayes fro now,
Any port fforto pas, or to put opyn ;
!N"e jow sechis no socour, ne no sad helpe
Of no lede vppon lyue fro no lond straunge ;

11276 Ne no conford to cache of no kyngis once.
Syn your sones ar slayn, & $our sure helpes,
And $our pupull all perichit vnto pale deth ;
Syn vs cheuys this chaunse of a choise febill,

11280 }?e les euyll forto laite, and leng fer- vppon ;
Er we degh in this daunger, & to dol passe,
Let vs proffer horn pes & hor pn'se qwene ;
Jjat myld vnto menelay, as make to restore,

11284 jpat myche dere has vs done for hir dede one,
Syn Paris, hir<s pure loue, is pertid of lyue,
Jjat hir wait as his wyf, qwil wirdis hym demyt."
Jjen Amphimacws fursly vppon fote rose,

11288 A nobill sone natwryll of fe nayt brother,
"Wrathit at his wordis, & wightly he sayde
To f e traytur full tit, all in tru wyse : —
" Qwat hope may we haue of f i helpe now,

11292 J)at fi kyng and his cmwpany castyn to dissayue ;
J)i cite and fi sib-mew settis by-hynd,
Jjat fou loue schuld Vfith lewte, and fi

spend ?
Now we se fe be set on a sliper ground,

11296 Of j)i fotyng to faile, and fi faith breke,

And J>i nome, fat was nobill, noiet for euer.
ffull hard is J>e heryng of fi high wordis,
And the tale, fat f ou tellis, of f i trist feble.

11300 xxu M. full thro shall in threpe end,
Er hit pas to the plyt f i pwrpos is in.
ffor no luff hit is, lelly, f ou lappis thies tales,
But for treason & trayn, trust we non other."

1 1 304 Eneas efter f is egurly said,

Kefraynit AmphirnacMS of his frike wille : —

THE TRAITORS REPROVED BY PRIAM.

3G9

" Agaynes the giekes to go, vs gaynes no more,
To no fight in the fcld, ne oure fos mete,

11308 Xe to pas of pis place, ne no port opun.

Hit nedis vs another way now for to laite,
And proffer horn pes oure pepull to saue."
The kyng at his karping cast was in Ire,

11312 To Eneas & An tenor Egurly said : —

" How may ye Jms meane you with malis, for

shame !

Youre dedis me dullis, & dos out of hope ;
And all coldes my comford, by cause of your
willes.

11316 Syn I did neuer dede, duly to tell,

Ne plainly no pwrpos put vnto ende ;

Ne never comynd in Jjis case vnknowing .to

you;

And ay wroght by jour witter, witnes your-
seluyn.

11320 Truly, Antenor, J>es tales you knowes :

When fi-selfe for Exiona soght into grese,
Made on a message in mene fro vs all,
And come fro jjat countre vnto court home,

11324 Thy councell was kenely kyddest of other,
That Paris by pwrpos shuld pas oner the se
The grekes to greue, and get if he might
Sum lady of the londe, & lede into troye.

11328 The cast, ne the couytise, come not of me,
In pes & prosperitie to put me to wer,
But of falsyng & flatery -with Jri fer cast,
And j>i curset counsell, fat comburt vs ofte.

11332 And J?ou, Eneas also, angardly fast,

Of all buernes in Jjis burgh byset ferfore,
When ]>ou passit vrith Paris tho parties vnto,
And ertyd hym egurly Elan to bryng,

11336 Hade J>ou counceld the contrary, & comynd hit

Book XXVIII.

Priam reproves
them, and replies,
that he had never
moved in the
matter without
their advice:

that Antenor had
been one of the
most urgent for
the raid into
Greece:

that jEneas had
been one of the
most active in
carrying it out :

(fol. 178 a.)

fan,

24

370

PRIAM COUNSELS AMPHIHACUUS.

Book XXVIII.

therefore, their
present counsel
was the vilest
treason ; and he
would not follow
it.

TKnoas replies
with much
anger :

the council is
broken up.

Shuld neuer lady of fat lede vnto fis lond

comyn.
And now, after the dethe & deire of my dcro

sones,

Thou rises as a rebell to my ranke harmys !
11340 Syche counsell, as fou kytlies, kepe I none of,
Jjat will lede me to losse, & my lond hoole :
Neuer of shame to be shunt when shalke is on

lyue."

Eneas witJi envy egurly Eose,
11344 And kantly to fe kyng karpis agayne ;

Mony wordis in wrathe warpes full loude :
And so parted the prise all in pale augur.

The grief of
Priam :

lie resolves to cut
off the traitors.

They must fall
into the pit they
have digged for
their king.

Ampliimachus is
instructed to
assassinate them :

HERB THE KYNG COUNSELD HIS SON TO SLE ENEAS AND
ANTENOR.

The prise kyng Pn'am was prickit with sorow,

11348 And myche water he weppit of his wale ene ;

ffor he se hit him-seluyn, the sorow was the more,
The trayn of f o traytours, fat truly were fals.
He pwrpost hym plainly, for perell to come,

11352 Tho faitoMrs with falsyng to fonge yf he might
He said to his son, on a sad wise,
Amphymake, the fre fat hym faith aght : —
" Dere sun, I haue doute fat dethe vs depart,

11356 J?at of lyue & of loue are lappit to-gedur !

Syn I am fourmyt f i fader, & f on my fre chile
Let us suffer our-self with sufferawnce of godde«. |
I Avotte hit full wele, thies wicked men hothe

1 1 360 Haue pwrpost horn plainly to perisshe our lond<s«,
Our cite to sell, & our-selfe alse.
Hit is nedefull for noy, fat neghis on hond,
J)at f ai droppe in the dike f ai deghit have for vs. |

11364 I haue takon intent fo traytowrs to sle,

Er f ai begyle vs with gawdis, & ger vs to degh. j
To morn when f o men are meuyt to counsell,

AXTEXOR AXD AENEAS ARE WARNED.

371

Book XXVIII.
(fol. 173 6.)

he consents.

I will fou be wise, & wirke as I bid :
11368 Kepe ye in couert -with knightes a few,

Of ledis, bat vs loues, of lewte to forther ;

Kacche hom ban kenly, & bryng hom to ground."

He assentid full sone the sagh to perfourme,
11372 And to kepe hit as in councell kenely assurit.

But oftsythes hit is sene, & sum men hath feld,

Jjat spokyn is in speciall, spredes o fer.

In yche company is comynly a claterer of

mowthe,
I 11376 J?at no councell can kepe, ne no close talis.

To bes traytours was told the entent of be kyng,

On what wise in this world, no writ me declaris.

]2ai assemblit full sone of assent other,
1 1 380 Jjat knew of hor cast, & comynt to-gedur.

All sweire bai. full swiftly, vpon swete haloues, and resolve to

go to the council

"Neuer to councell to come, but in cleane armes, with an armed

TT7-- n /» BSCOrt.

With a pouer of pepull pwrpos berfore,
[11384 If euer the souerain hym-self sent for hom efte.

This Eneas, of abell men was angardly grete,

Of kyn and of cosyns, & kydmen of strenght :

He hade fryndes full fele, fild of all goodis,
111388 And as plentuws of pepull as Priam, hym-seluyn.

Antenor also was abill of fryndes,

Large of aliaunce, louet wft&in :

A Riche mon of Renttes, Relikes ynow,
111392 And fele of affynite, bat folowet hym after.

Thies curset of be case hade comynt -with the They had already

engaged to betray

grek.es, the «ty.

Hom-seluyn to saue & hor sad fryndes,
Hor renttes, hor Riches, hor relikes also,
1396 ffor daunger, or deire, depely assurit.

Jx an the kyng vnto councell comaund hom bothe, Priam calls i

m • i • council :

lo appere in his presens bat purpos to end,
ffor to trete of a trew.qwill the tyme hade,

372

PUIAM SUBMITS TO SUE FOR PEACE.

(fol. 174 a.)

The assassination
is delayed.

.Sneas advises
the citizens to
sue for peace :

ignorant of the
treason, they
assent.

Book xxvin. 11400 And to dere horn with dethe, yf destany wold.
J?an )?ai comyn to Jje kyng with company grete,
Of armyt men all somen, abill to fight.
This Priam persayuet of the pn'se hoge,

11404 And sent to his son to ses at fat tyme.

The next day anone, the noble kyng Prz'am

Somond all the cite somyn to appere,

To carpe of a councell, & kyth hym hor wit,

11408 And to mell in the mater with his men all.

When thei comyn were to courtte, this curset

Eneas

fferkit vppon fote and to j?e folke said : —
" Now, sz'rs, hit is sothely, me semes, for J>e best

11412 ffor to proffer horn pes, and purvey perfore."
All his citizens, sothely, assentid tyerwith,
ffor J>ai knew not the caste of the curset chefe.
The kyng to the komyns carpit agayne ;

11416 To put of }?at pMrpos he paynet hym sore.
Eneas with Envy egurly saide : —
" Sir kyng, of this case carpe J?ou no ferre !
We wull treate of a trew, I tell the for sothe,

11420 Whether fou will, or J>ou wilnot, wit J>ou f<

sothe ! "

Than Priam, persayuit all the pepull hertis,
And feld well hit fortherit not the freike to

wzt^-stond :
Hym was letter to the ledis lelly assent,

11424 Than grucche fere agayne, & greue hym Jje farre.
He said horn full soberly with a sore hert,
" Dos of fis dede as you dere thinke,
I assent for my-selfe, and sadly afferme."

11428 Jjan J>ai comynd in the cas, castyn hor wittes,
And with charge of J?at choise erend chos;

Antenor,

As grettist by agrement, w^t7i the grekes to tre
And pursew for pes : this pwrpos fai tokyn.

Priam, finding he
cannot prevent
the treaty,
submits.

Antenor is chosen
to treat with the
Greeks.

ANTENOR IN THE GREEK CAMP. 373

11432 J5an fe troiens, full tyte, tmi\ji to fe walles, Bookxxvin.
"WYt/i braunches full brode all of bright Olyue, The Trojans

„ crowd on the

As in profier 01 pes puttyn O lofte, walls with olive

All the ledis on to loke, fat lay in f e feld.
11436 Than the grekes, by agrement, gyffen horn a signe, The Greeks con-

T> J 4/u i p t.j.1. T . seut to treat.

.By cundeth to come, & carpe what horn liste.

Than went fro the walles worthy Antenor, (foi. 174 &.)

_^ Anteuor passes

Vast at a port to the pale tenttes. from the city,

11440 The grekes on the grene greidly hym met : the Greekl. y

To Agamynon gay tent gone all in fere,

And present hym prestly to J>e pn'se kyng,

Agamynorc the grete, & the grekes all.
11444 To Dyamed the Duke, & doghty Ylixea, Diomedesand

A ,.j f ,, ,, ,, ,, Ulysses are in-

Assentid lull sone all the sad pepull, stmcted to treat

To trete with Antenor trustid horn fan.

This forward to fulfill faithly thai swere,
11448 Vppon solempne sacrifice, soche as j>ai vset.

)5an the kynges into counsell caghton Antenor,

And menyt of faire mater more at fe tyme,

There he hight horn to haue, holly at fere wille, He promises to ,
11452 All the toun Jmrgh his trayne, & the true kyng, if himself, ^ne'as,

ffor to bete dotui & bren vnto the bare erth. prop'ert'y, a7e a"

Hym-seluyn to saue and his sib fryndes,

And Eneas al o and all his sute hoole,
11456 With Eenttes, & Eiches, & all his Ranke godes.

This in counsell to kepe fro knowing of other,

Lest hit put of hor pwrpos, & paire at fe end,

All affermyt in faith of f o faire soueryn, The terms are

11 jffn A i i *i. • L -L u agreed upon ; and

11460 And knit vp fere couenazmte in couert to hold, secrecy is sworn.

Kyng Taltill f ai toke as tristy to seme,

J5at was greuit on ground, groattnd in age,

ffor he shuld lightly be leuyt with ledis of troy.
11464 Be-cause of his corage was kelit with age,

He shuld twrne to the toun, f o traytowrs
all,

To spir at horn specially of hor spede fer ;

374

ANTEXOR RETURNS TO TROT.

Book xxvin. If f ai hade wille to f e werke, wete horn to say,

1 1468 "WYtA-outyn gawdyn or gyle, glose hit not lengur,

And what godes fai wold gyffe to the gret

harmes,

To affirme hit as fast, fynally for euer.
Antenor demands A ntenor also angardly desyret

the body of

(foi. 175 a.) 1 1 472 The body of the bold qwene, fat in the burne lay,

Penthesilea. ^ ... . .

-Pantasma, win pyne to put into graue :
With myche labur, at the last, f o lordes hit

grauntid.
}3an the traytor vntrew, trust me for sothe,

11476 Toke leue at the lordes, & lowted horn all,
With Taltillus, J>at other fat I told first,
And soghtyn to f e Cite somyn belyue,
Past vnto Pn'am, present hor wille,

11480 All the case of hor come, cantly witA mowthe.

Priam convokes
the people to
hear the terms
obtained.

Antenor describes
the great power
and resources
of the Greeks :
and the weakness
of Troy.

J. he secund day suyng, sayes me the lettur,

Przam, the pn'se kyng, prestly comaundit

All the buernes of the burghe, bacheler & other,
11484 To appere in his presens the prefer to make,

And the tale of Antenor vntristy to here,

Of his message by mouthe, what he mene wold.

"When fai comyn were to court, comyns & other,
1 1 488 Antenor his tale tombly began.

He thoght his falshed to feyne, vndwr fai
wordes,

And his cautels to colour vnder coynt speche.

He said in his sermond, fat sothely the grekes
11492 Were of pepull & pouer plaintius mony ;

And how fai depely desyret -with a due hert,

To haue suertie full sad of a syker pes.

Thus sotelly with sothyn he set horn a cas,
11496 What fortune might falle -vndttr fals colour.

)3an nemrayt he what noy, the noble men of troy

Enduret on dayes, dole for to se :

.01,

,:

TERMS OF THE GREEKS ACCEPTED. 375

With weping & waile, wo to be hold, Book xxviu.

11500 And myche sykyng & sorow on our sad kiiightes.

" To abstene of pis stoure & our stithe harnies,

Soche langowr to let, & lotis vnfaire,

Hit is wit, as I wene, wayes to seche, He urges the

11504 Soche dole & deire to dryue to an end." the terms pro-

J?an he said in his saw, pat sothely the grekes

Wold not agre to pat graunt,but for a gretesowme

Of gold, & of godis, & of gay luellis,
11508 With stuff to restore for hor stith harmys. (foi. 175 &.)

Wherfore, to qwheme & to white vs of skaithe, and to set about

-„ , -, , ,.-1 collecting the

Euery buerne in Jns burgh, pat is best storit amount of gold,

Of meblys, & money, & of main syluer, required"*1 8™n

11512 Helpis now hertely pis harme to redresse :

ffor bettur is a buerne by hym sum pes,

Jjan in wandreth & woo to wepe all his lyue.

And for he kowth not by course come to an end,
11516 All pere wille for to wete at pe wale tyme,

He couet at the kyng, & all the kyd pepull,

Eneas eftsones pat erend for to wend

With hym-seluyn, for-sothe, on pe same nedis,
11520 All pere wille for to wete & wayne at pe last,

And for pe grete of f>o grekes shuld no gawde
wene,

But leue hit more lelly & listyn the bettur.

All the pepull in pat presse, pat the prose herd, The Trojans

ttKoA A p j. i_ -i. j? i j_ i f -I • t consent: jEneas

11524 Alermyt hit as fyn pat pe ireike said. goes with Anteuor

Eneas after this, euyn wiih pat other, *° the Greeks>

And Taltilus, tombly to pe tenttes yode.

1*11 the councell fro kourtt was clenely depertid.
11528 Pn'am with pite pan past to his halle,

Myche water he weppit wringyng his handes.

Hit was dole to the dethe pe Duke to behold, Priam laments

Euer hedyng in hert of the hegh treason,
11532 j?at was cast for pe kyng, of his kyde fryndes;

376

PRIAM BEWAILS HIS SAD FATE.

Book XXVIII.

He must give up
all his wealth to
the Greeks :

anl has no se
curity for his life.

(fol. 176 a.)

Helen pleads with
Antenor to re
concile her to
Menelaus.

He undertakes
to do so.

And for the losse and the lure of his leue sons,
))at so dawly were ded, and drepit for ay,
So worthy in wer, & so wale knightes.

11536 Jpat he left was o lyue his lure was so hoge !

"And now is nedfull for noye, fat neghis at

hond,

All my gold for to geue, fat I getyn haue,
Kepid in hurd, holdyn full long ;

11540 And I vnsure of my-self, my sorow is the more.
Jjus in pouert am I pyght, put vnder fote,
J)at makes me full mad, & mournes in my hert ;
And yet this lure were but litle, & our lord wold

11544 )?at I might leng in my laund, & my lyf haue."
Thus Pn'am with pite playnet hys doole,
On what wise for to wirke wist not hym-seluyn.
He was forset vnfaire to folow fere wille,

11548 )?at pwpost horn plainly to put hym to dethe.
Elan fat euermore was egur of sorow,
Herd tell of the trety was takyn with the grekes.
}5at noble on a night, fat no man persayuit,

11552 To talke with Antenor toke ho the gate.

Sho prayet hym pourly with hir pure hert,
Of Menelay, hir maistM/*, to make hir a frynde ;
And proker hir pes with his prise wordes,

11556 Jjat she might at fat myschefe to mercy

takyn.

All grauntid the gome to f e gay qwene,
ffor to proker hir pes, & pyne hym f erfore :
jjan ho lowtid the lede, & hir leue toke,

11560 And past to the palis of the pn'se kyng.

-in the tyme fat I tell, fe tru-sun of

Pn'am, —

Glaucon, was grauyn in a gay towmbe ;
And the body of fe bold qwene broght vnto

toune,

ANTENOR AND .ENEAS TREAT WITH THE GREEKS. 377

11564 Pantasilia, wiih petie of hir prise maidons. Bookxxvin.

Hit was ordant of all men by oppon assent,
)3at Phil men the fre kyng shuld ferk hit hym Pyiemenes is

. . appointed to take

Wll/l, the body of

• IT. i i i • i IT Penthesilea to

And bryng on a bere to hir burgh home, her own land.

11568 To be enterit in a towmbe, as a triet qwene,

And laid by hir legis, fat the lond aght.

Eneas eftir Jjis Egur of will,

Antenor, also, angardly fast Antenorand

11572 To the grekes on fe grene girdyn on swith, thec^kPcamp°

ffor to trete of hor tmyne as traytouns vnleU. £££* out their

There met fai J>o men, fat I mynt first,

J?at were grauntid by the grete of the grekes all,
11576 ffor to mell in )>e mater, & meue to an end.

The towne to betray truly fai foght :

And of Elan, euermore, egerly fast Meneians

< • -L -»*- i *. j/i promises to

]3ai meuit vnto Menelay at the mene tyme ; forgive Helen.
11580 And had graunt of fat grete \fiih a good wille,

All hir gilt to forgiff, and to grace take.

Than Agamynon, as grettist, fo grete for to (foi. 176&.)
wend, —

Dyamede he demyt, & doughty Vlixes, — Diomedes and

11584 Wiih tho worthy to wend to the wale towne, toTroya^g"

n p n i with Antenor

As in maner of message fro the mayn grekes. and &neas.

When f ai comyn into courtte the comyns were
fayne,

ffor fai wise were of wit, & worthy men bothe.
11588 )3ai hopit well the heldur to here of an end,

And the traitur fai trist of a tm pes.

The next day onone, as the night past,

By comaundement clenly the councell was gedurt, Next day the
11592 All the pepull to the palis of the prise kyng caiiedTopmincii

Were assemblit full sone, set all aboute. at the palace'

Vlixes full lyvely vp olofte said : — uiysses states tho

,, m, , f , , terms of peace :—

" The grekes for hor greme vnto gre asken
11596 Gret somwes, for-sothe, to hor sad harmes,

378 ULYSSES STATES TIIE TERMS OP PEACE.

Book xxvin. Bothe of gold & of goodes, er f ei go wille,

Certain large ffor the losse & the lure of hor lef pepull ;

suras of gold and .

silver, and that And Amphimakws, the fre sun of the fyn kyng,

Amphimachus be . .. ,,,.„ ™ , ., , f „ „ ,

banished from the 11600 lo be exiled for euermore, as Enmy of toune,
Neuer in plit to Repaire to his pure fryndis,
Ne the Cite to se, while hym-selfe lyues."

The exile of This piokcrt full prestly with prayer before,

Ampliimachus

had been asked 11604 Ihe traytor Antenor to the tru kynges ;
revenue for' *" ffor fat noble hym denyet naitly or fan,

thwart htapkns. When he proffert to pn'am pes for to make.

Lo ! how fortheris a freike vfith a fyne wit,
HOW perilous it 11608 ffor to kepe hit in close, & carp hit no fer ;

is for one to

speak the truth in To speike in despite & Spedis no more,

sedition : But hyndres full heghly & harmys hym-seluyn.

Lo ! Amphimac the fre, for his fell wordes,
11612 Was dampnet in-dede, J>of fai du were ;

Ellis the traytor Antenor hade truly no cause
ffor to procur his payne, and his pale harme.
but God often But god, fat all giltis godely beholdis,

(foi. m'a.) 11616 And wrangis in his wrathe writhis to ground,

as we have meted .-.«, .,-, . ,, ... , „ nl

to others. Olt-sithes in the same settis to fall

nhnseif'exued by -^ man wz^ f^ mesure ^e metis till another !

To Antenor hit tide, tellis the story,
11620 An exile for euermore efter a while,
Thurgh Eneas, fat egurly exit ferto,
As I shall tell full tite, when the tyme askes.

)nr hile thies kynges were in councell, fat comyn

fro f e grekes,
AS they sit in 11624 Within the palis of pn'se, as the prose tellus,

council a horrible

cry is heard. There was an orible noise, fat noyet horn full sore,

As a clamowr or a crye of a cant pepull,
As f ai satyn all somyn sodainly come,
11628 Vne playne in the place fere fe prise met.

ffor doute of hor dethes, tho doghty men bothe

Ulysses are afraid TTT , ,, ., „

of their lives. Were a-ferd of the fare and the fell noise,

THE COUNCIL SUDDENLY BROKEN UP. 379

Lest the troiens for tene hade takon horn sone, Book xxvnr.
11632 And dungen to dethe for dole of the knight,
Amphimaco&s the fre, bat the freikes louet,
ffor ertyng his exile in ernest before.
Hit was aspiet full Specially, & spird all abowte, No °ne can ten

i r> n /» rm whence the noise

11636 The cause of the one and the cant noise : came.

There was no wegh in this world, fat hit wete

kowth,

"Ne to meue in hor mynd what hit mene shuld.
The kyng & the councell cantly can rise ; The King

dismisses the

11640 Depertid the pepull, past to be toune assembly.

Bothe knightes & comyns, and the court voidet.

THE TJMYTOR ANTENOR toke into counsell,

Dyamede he drogh furth, & dughty Vlixes,
11644 In a place bat was priiiey & no prese in,

To forther his foule wille, fat no freike herd.

Vlixes to this other vtterly said : — uiysses blames

Antenor for

" Why draghes bou on dregh bes dedis so ferr ] delaying to cany

114/10 u 4. i. u 11 l, l 4- -U u -U-.L i>i out his promises.

llolo pat bou vs heghly hase het, hold hit onone I

pan talkes the traytowr truly agayne : — Antenor declares

the hindrance ia

" Cmrgoddisknowenfullkyndly becastof myhert, not by him,
That no dede I desyre so depely in thoght, (foi. 177 6.)

11652 As your hestes to hold w^t^ helpe of Eneas.

Lelly, the lett. bat vs long taries, but by the

Palladium.

Is a statur full strong of a stith god :

pat ye shall lelly me leue, & yow list herkon,"
11656 Diamede said duly ; — " bou do vs to wete,

Vs likes full lelly to listyn bi wordis."

Antenor ban talkis, & told on bis wise : —

" Hit is lelly no lesyng, leue if ye will !
11660 There was a kyng in this cost, bat the kith aght,

Honerable, auenawnd, & Vlus was callit.

Here foundit he first the faire place Ylion ;

After the nome of bat noble, nemyt hit is. in the time of

11664 Here he tild vp a temple of a trew godde, palladium came

/-VP T-> i -i ji -i • ru down from

Of Palades the pure, as promt is of old. heaven,

380

THE PALLADIUM OF TROY.

Book XXVIII.

stuck in the wall
of the temple of
Pallas, and has
remained ever
since.

None but the
keepers of the
temple can
remove it.

So long as it
remains within
the temple, or
even within the
city, Troy can
not be taken.

(fol. 178 a.)

Diomedes
confesses that the
labour of the
Greeks is in
vain:

but Antenor tells
how he has
prevailed on the
keeper to steal
the Palladium,
and to deliver it
to him for a great
sum of money.

Whan the walles were wroght to J?e wale rofe,
All clanly by course vncouert aboue,

11668 A selly Jjere sene was wit7i seremen aboute,
Gird to fe ground fro the grete heuyn,
A ffygur full fyne, festnyt in the wall,
Wonderfully wroght by wit of a god.

11672 At the end of the auter etlit to stond,

Euer sithen, for-sothe, to this selfe tyme.
Neuer buerne was so big to beire hit away,
Saue kepers of the kirke, for craft vppon erthe.

11676 The mater hit is made of is most of a tre,

But no clerke is so corious to ken vs the nome ;
Ne on what wise hit is wroght can wit shew,
But JjurghPalades the pure god,apperit Jjer Jmrgh.

11680 Seche trust haue the troiens truly Jjerin,

While hit keppit is in kirke, or in clos walle.
"With-in the cercle of fe Cite, as said is of old,
Neuer the toune shalbe takonw?'t7i tene of hor fos,

11684 Ne care fro the corone, ne the kynd aire.
Thus lelly beleuyn the ledis of j>e toune,
And neuer dowtyn no dethe to dere horn w/t7i-in.
The nome of j?is noble, fat naitly is keppit,

11688 Paladian the pure, with pepull is callid."
Than Diamede the Duke duly can say : —
" IS thy saghes be sothe, & sad to beleue,
All our labur is lost, & our long sege,

11692 If Paladian -with pwrpos may put vs away."
Antenor alstite amet to speike : —
" If ye meruell so mekyll we make you non end,
And high not with hast our hestes to kepe,

11696 This is truly the entent we tary so longe.

I haue comynt w^t7i the keper, & cumpast aboute,
The stature to steile stithly by night,
ffor a certain somme of syluer & of gold :

11700 And full prestly J?e prest hase puruayet Jjerfore.
When hit laght is lelly, leuo me for sothe,

AN TENOR PROMISES IT TO THE GREEKS. 381

Hit shalbe sentto yowr-selfe, seche hit no ferther : Book xxvnr.
pan hope may ye hertely, to haue in a while
11704 The Cite and the soueran, sese as you likes.

But kepis this in councell, for cas bat may falle, Meantime,

, . ,. secrecy must be

pat no wegn in pis •world wete of our cast ; preserved.

And I will kaire to the kyng for a cause yet,
1 1 708 And feyne me with fare to forther our werkis.

I will telle hym with trayne, be trist of our ernde

Is holly in his hond hengand aboue.

I haue knawlache in be case & comyng with yow,
11712 What sommys in certayn be sent you to take."

Thus -with lowtyng & leue the ledis depertid ;

The grekes agayne ar gon to bere tenttes : Diomedes and

Ulysses return to

The traytur full tomly tumyt to be kyng, camp, and

11716 His falshed to forther : the fend hym distroy ! the King.

THE ORBING CTNCE OP THE TRYBUTE.

Than carpis to the kyng curset Antenor,

All the Cite to assemble hym-seluyn before.

When comyn were the knightes, comyns, & all, At an assembly

of the Trojans

11720 Thes wordes he warpit bo worthy vnto : — Antenor reports

. -,i I-, that the Greeks

" I haue comynt in this case, knowith hit jour- demand 20,000

1f . marks of gold,

Blle ) the same number

To the grekes bus vs gyffe, to graunt vs for pes, of sUver»
Twenty thowsaund thristy, prungyn to-gedur,
11724 Markes full mighty, all of rnayn gold, (foi. 178 6.)

and 10,000

And of Syluer, for-sothe, the same bai dessyre : quarters of

mi c i i ».••!_ wheat, within a

To whyte vs, of whete, qwarters pai aske certain time

X. M. proly, to thring in hor shippes."
11728 This oponly is ordant po odmen betwene,

And specially spokyn to spede horn away, Tlie terms are

accepted.

Be a tyme for to take, & twrne to pe sea.
Gedrit was the goode, & gon for to kepe (" aon "= given.)

11732 To Sure men & certen bat sowme to deliuer,
And take sikernes sad the Cite to leue,
Of the grekes agayne for the grete somme.

382

HOW THE PALLADIUM WAS OBTAINED.

Book XXVIII.

Antenor goes to
the priest and
bribes him to
give up the
Palladium.

(" getter " =
keeper, warden,
guardian, see 1.
11716.)

No one will
know thereof:
and his risk is as
great as the
priest's.

"Send the
Palladium to
Ulysses; and
we'll say he stole
it."

(fol. 179 a.)
The priest yields;
and the Palladium
is sent to Ulysses.

this gode was in gederyng the grettes
among,

11736 Antenor to the temple trayturly yode ;
Preuely the prest puld into councell,
(Thoantes, me tellys the text, J>at he heght,
J3at was geeter of the god, fat the gome yernyt.)

11740 With a gobet of gold, a full gret somme,
And Thoantes betaght, tarit no lengwr.
Thies wordes to the wegh warpit onone,
In a place out of prese, priuely there : —

11744 " Lo, of gold, & of good here a gret nowmber,
The to lyue with in lykyng, & thy leue ayris.
The god, j?at fou geetis, gyf me fer-ffore,
Jjat I may beire fro the burgh, shall no buerne
wete.

1 1 748 Thou art no farder, in faith, thy fame for to lose,
Jjan I my lyffe were leuer leue in J>e plase,
Er any troiens with truthe might telle suche a

fawte,

Or soche a point on me put in perlament her-
aftwr.

11752 Therfore, priuely, by pwrpos Paladian Jjou send
To honorable Vlixes, vtwith the toune.
If any fawte \er funden be, we faithly may say,
The pure kyng Paladian pn'uely stale :

11756 And we excusit of skathe, yf sclaunder shall

Rise."

Prestly the prest his pwrpos Wit^-stode
All the night -with noy, till negh at J?e day,
Till he caght was in couetouse, & cumbrit hym
seluen.

11760 Than grauntid he the god to the grym tray tor,
And toke hit fro the temple, tariet no lengur,
Sent hit furth sodainly by a sad frend,
To Vlixes vtwith, egerly fan.

11764 Hit was noiset onon in the nowble toune,

ULYSSES CHARGED WITH STEALING IT. 383

Jjat the kyng, burgh his comyng, by craft had« Book xxvm.

hit gOten, The Trojans are

•^ , , . told that it was

Paladian, the pure god, pertly away ; 8tolen by him.

And the troiens betrautid with his triet wit.
11768 A ! God of bis ground, who graidly may trist who can be

trusted, when

Any lede on to leng, as for lele true, even this priest

0 . . . , n . j- proved a traitor

Syn tins prest bus pnset the pepull to dissayue, to MS country?

As a kaytiff, for couetoise to cumber his land ?
11772 This poynt is not prynted in proces j?at are
now :

Hit lenges not so long tho ledis within,

To be cumbrid with couetous, by custome of old,

That rote is & rankist of all the rif syns.
1 1 776 There is no greuawnce so grete vndw god one, There is no sin »o

As the glemyng of gold, fat glottes bere hertis : covetousness.

Hit puttes the pouer of pn'sthode abake,

And forges to the fend a forslet with-in. r/or»iet"=

11780 Couetous men comynly are cald aftwr right, ' fort, a strong-

A temple to the tyrand, bat tises to syn.

HEN THE GOLDE Was all gotyn, & the grete The gold, silver,

and wheat are
SOmmeS stored in the

Of qwhete, & of qwhite syluer, qwemly to-gedur, Minervaf

11784 Into Myner mykell temple maynly was broght,
And put vnto pure men till payment were made ;
Hit plesit to Appollo, the pure god aboue,
"With Sacrifi.se solemne, besoght at bat tyme, While the

11788 With bestis, & briddis, britnet full mony, sacrificing to

And the carcas full clanly kowchit on be auter. omens'arT "
When ffyre shuld be festnet in bat fyne offrond, observed-
Two meruellis on mold maynly were shewid. First, the altar

11792 The first was to fele, no fyre wold be light, quenched.

j)at assait was full sothely of sere men full ofte :
Ten tymes be-tyde, tellis me the lyne,
J?at hit fest was on fyre, & flappit out onone

11796 Vnto smorther & smoke, and no smethe low, (foi. 179&.)

384

CASSANDRA INTERPRETS THE OMENS.

Book XXVIII.

Second, an eagle
screaming wildly
swoops down
upon the
entrails, and bears
them away to the
ships of the
Greeks.

The Trojans,
amazed and
terrified, seek
counsel of
Cassandra,

She declares
Apollo is wroth
because his
temple was
denied with the
blood of Achilles,

and they must
fetch fire from his
tomb.

(J'rugh = through,
a stone coffin, a
tomb.)

The second omen
reveals that the
city is betrayed
to the Greeks.

ffor all the craft fat fai kowthe, & the coynt

sleght.

The secund, for-sothe, I said you before,
When the bestis were britnet & broght to fe

auter,

11800 With the entrell euermore euyn vppo lofte,
Come an Erne, fat was Eger, euer on a crye,
Light downe lyuely fro the low ayre,
Braid vp the bowels, & bere horn away,
11804 And showvet to the shippes of the shene grekes.
The troiens merueld full mekyll of f e mayne

foghle,

All stonyed fai stode, starond aboute.
Thai wist fere goddes were greuit with a gret

11808 And wrothe at the werkes, but wist fai no cause.
Cassandra to councell, fen call fai belyue,
To haue a dom of fat dede, if the dere kowthe.
The first signe, ho horn sayd, sothely was this :

11812 )3at Appollo, the pure god, was put into wrath e,
ffor tene of his temple was trasit with blode
Of Achilles the choise, fat chaunsit to be slayne :
" j?at mys to amend, is maistz^r ye go

11816 To the corse of fat kyng in his clearie towmbe,
Light fere a lowe lyuely with honde,
ffecche fere your ffyre, & festyn on f e auter,
And fat bren wull full bright in the b:
temple."

11820 Than passid the pepull to the pure frugh :
As kend horn Cassandra fai kyndlit a fire.
Of the secund, for sothe, ho saide o this wise : —
" This towne is betrayed, trist ye non other,

11824 And grauntid to the grekes by gomys of your

owne."

Calcas the curset, fat comynt with the grekes,
Bisshop of the burgh, as I aboue told,

OF CALCAS AND THE BRAZEN HORSE. 385

"When he wist of thies wondres, thies wordes he Book xxvm.

Said : Calcas makes the

11828 « Yonder towne wilbe taken in a tyme short." SSSST
Jjan the grekes hom graithet to a gret Sacrifice,
Thurgh biddyng of the bisshop & a bold pn'st,
In honour of Appolyne angardly thicke.*

[Amongst these things, Calcas and Crisis the Priest, counselled Calcas and Crisis

the Greeks that they should make a great Horse of Brasse, and counsel the

that must be so great as might hold within it a thousand Greeks to make a

knights armed : and they said unto him that it was the pleasure capabte^Hioiding

of the godes. This horse was made by a passing wise Master, a thousand

as Apius was, whose name was Sinon, and he made it so sub- knights,
tilly, that no man could perceive any entry or issue, but within
it was easie for them that were inclosed within for to issue out
when they would.

When the great horse was fully made, and the thousand The Greeks

knights therein, by the counsell of Crisis, they prayed the King desire that Priam

Pryamus, that he would suffer this horse to enter into the city, wil1 allow it; to ^

and that it might be set in the Temple of Pallas, forasmuch as temni^f Paiia
they said, that they had made it in the honour of Pallas, for a
Vowe that they made for restitution of the Palladium, which
they had caused to be taken out of the same Temple.

Among these things, the Princes that were yet within Troy, The allies of

when they saw that the King had so shamefully treated with Troy> disgusted

the Greek es, they went away out of Troy, and tooke their men treaty with the*

with them, and the King Phylomenus led no more but two enemy, depart

hundred and fifty men, and threescore maydens of Amazones, from the city,

that were left of a thousand that came thither with the Queen The Amazons,

Penthasilia, and carryed the body of her with them, and ca^ngwith

. , , ,.„ ,v ,;_ . .-, them the body of

trauelled so long till they came to their owne Country. their Queen> are

led home by
Pylsemenes.
* Fol. 180 is awanting in MS. See Note.

386

ftfje xxix 33oftc : ©ff tfje tafyjng of t jje totme,
anti tjje tietfj jof

The Greeks and Then came the day that the Greeks should sweare the peace

Trojans meet to fainedly vpon the plaine field vpon the Sanctuaries. King

ratify the treaty. priamus issued out of the City and his people, and sware there

each party to hold the peace firmely from thenceforth on : and

Diomedes swore first to the Greeks : after, when they had

broken the peace that they had treated with Anthenor of that

thing that they concluded after, and therefore they maintayned

that they were not forsworne by that colour,] *

(foi. isi a.) 1 1832 But in prouerbe hit is put vriih pn'se men of wit,
' Who bat sweyres to be swike, he forsworne

worthes.'
The Greeks swear Thus the grete of the grekes grymly bai sware

to keep the treaty

faithfully : ffast pes to afferme, & nit of the londe.

then Priam and 11836 Priam on his part, & his pn'se knightes,

his knights swear.

Sweryn all swiftly, & no swyke thoghtyn :
So wend he full wele, bo worthy kyngis all
Hade no malis in mynd, ment at the tyine.
Priam delivers up 11840 Jjan honerable Elan bat abill deliuert,

Helen, and pleads

that she may be Comendyng bat clere all witA cloise wordes,

Pmyng the pn'se men -with [his] pure hert,
They all promise hat no harmys bat hend shuld haue of hir lord.

to do so.

11844 Thai heght hym full hyndly his hestes to kq>o,
And his desyre for to do, bo dukes ychon.
The grekes for-gete noght of the grete trayne,

• Guido di Colonna : from TJie Ancient Uistorie of The Destruction*,
Of Troy. Sixth Ed. London, 1635.

PRIAM CONCLUDES THE TREATY. 387

Prayd to Pr/am for a gret vow, Book xxix.

11848 ffor to hale in a horse has'tely of bras, They ask Priam

-nil i M.I t • f AT. to allow them to

Jralades to pies with, er pai passe lurtn, bring in the

A j i. nr i i 1. -i. i j brazen horse, and

And at Myners mayn temple make hit to stonnd. to ^ it up at the
This couet fo kynges, & the cause made temple of paUa8'

11852 ffor the palladian thai pullit of fe pure temple,
J?at Jjai Sayle might in sound, & hor sute hoole,
Lest the goddes in greme gert horn to lose
Bothe hor flete & hor folke with a felle storme.

11856 Pn'am, at Jns prayer, aperit not soue, Priam hesitates.

Ne grauntid not the grekes fat the

Eneas fan ertid Egurly fast, jEneas and

. . , Antenor urge him

And Antenor also, the abill kyng to : — to grant the

11860 " Hit is due to be done, & doutles," J>ai saide,

" The sight is full solemne, the Cite to haue

Ay lastond to long, fat ledis may knowe

J?at soche acord was here knyt with kynges for

euer."

11864 The kyng affirmet the faitours, & no fraud Priam consents :
thoght ;

j?aire dessire for to do demyt onone.

Jjan payet kyng Pr?'am all the pure sowmes he then pays over

to the Greeks the

Of gold, & of gay syluer, & of goode whete : amounts of gold,

im/>o » n «. • -I. j. • i T_- -L- silver, and wheat.

11868 All fai shot into ship on J>e shire water,

And made horn Eedy to Eode on fe rough

ythes.

All the grekes horn gedrit, the grettist & other,
WitJi Sacrifice solemne, synging of prestys : (foi. isi 6.)

1 1872 With profession & prise puld furth the horse ccremony^he
To a Side of the Cite, and set at j?e yate. to tife'waS^f

Hit was so borly of brede, & of brem heght, Troy'
There was no entre with ease abill ferfore :

11876 Jjan the warpit downe the walle, & the wale Partofthewaii

is pulled down to
toure, admit it t

Bothe obreade & aboue brekyn the yates,
Tyll hit might entur at ease, euyn as horn list.

388 THE BRAZEN HORSE, AND

nook xxix. Jjan J>e Citasyns, with song & solemnete grete,

the Trojans drag 11880 Halit furth the horse to be hegh temple.

it to the temple

with shouts of Hit is said oftsythes with sere men of elde,

The last Toy of ioly men loynys with sorow.
Thies buernes of the burgh blyndit were euyll,

Their rejoicing 11884 Jjai halit in no horse, but hor hard deth,

soon turns to

sorrow. Oppression and payne, pyte for euer ;

And ay lastond lure for lakkyng of wit !

1/ne Symon, a sure mon, assignet was be key,
11888 J?at was of gouernawnse graith, by the grekes all,
To warp up a wicket, & waite on the tyme,
And the durres to vndo of the dregh horse.
when the Trojans But so first the Cite were on slepe fallyn,

sm™ iTtoTptn 11892 And broght into bed, as hom best lyked :
hoTse antuet the J3an ^e ffreike shuld frusshe out, & a fyre make,

Greeks issue out. An(j light yp ft low w^ a light

Jjat the ost might haue entre euyn as hom liked.
11896 And the bettur in the burgh bale for to wirke,
TO deceive the The same day, sothely, the Cite was takon,

Greeks'pretend To Priam, the pnse kyng, thai puruait a

they are about to

•ail for Tenedos. >sage,

Said hom-seluyn wold saile samyn fro troy,
11900 And turne vnto tenydoun, & tary bere a qwyle,
Preuely the pert qwene by pwrpos to take,
ffor clanmr & crie of the comyn folke : —
The murmwr was mykell of be mayn pepull,
11904 Lest bai dang hir to dethe in hor dull hate.
Hit plesit well Pn'am bat purpos to hold,
ffor he hedit no harme, ne no hate thoght ;
To be gawdes of the grek&s gefe he no kepe,
(foi. i82a.) 11908 But all semyt hym full sothe the sawe of be

The Greeks set

sail from Troy : kynges.

Jjan the grekes by agrement gird into shippe ;
With proses and pres puld vp bere ancres ;
Launchit fro the laund to the low sea ;

THE TREACHERY OF THE GREEKS.

389

11912 And fayne were the freikes of J?e faire towne.
J5ai turnet vne to tenydon, & tariet all J>ere,
Before the settyng of the sun, says me the lyne,
With melody, & myrthe, & myche lowde songe,

11916 And there tailed on the town till horn tyme

thoght.

When the day ouerdrogh, & the derke rose,
All bownet horn bigly in hor bright wediS
With Silens full soberly, — was no soune herd, —

11920 And soghtyn furth to the Cite on a sop hole.
This Symon, for-sothe, I said you before,
Jjat hade the keyes to kepe of }>e cloise horse,
When the buernes of the burgh were broght
vpon slepe,

11924 He warpit vp a wicket, wan horn wz'tA-oute,
Light vp a low, the ledis might know.
)?an gedryt the grekes to J>e graith tokyn,
ffrushet in felly at the faire yates,

11928 ]3at brokyn was on brede for the bright horse.
The knightes in the closet comyn out swithe ;
Settyn into the Cite all the sad grekes ;
Brentyn and betyn doun all the big houses ;

11932 The pepull with pyne puttyn to dethe;
Buernes in hor bednes britnet all naked,
Jjat hedit no harme, ne no hate foght.
Noght dred Jjai the dethe ne dere of hor fos :

11936 Droghen vp durs, dungyn doun yatis;

Brekyn into bildyngas, britnet the pepull ;
Wemen & wale children walton to grounde :
Hade no pyte of the poure, put all to dethe ;

.1940 Robbet J?ere Riches, reft hom hor lyues,
Gemmes, & Jewels, lobbes of gold,
Pesis, & platis, polisshit vessell,
Mony starond stone, stithest of vertue.
.1944 Twenty thowsaund, froly, fai jjrong to the dethe
Jjat tyme in the toun, as the tale shewes !

Book XXIX.

before sunset they
arrive at Tenedos.

As soon as it is
dark, they arm
and secretly
inarch back to
the city.

When the
Trojans are
asleep, Sinon
opens the wicket
ill the brazen
horse, and lights
the signal fire.

The Greeks rush
In through the
broken \f at! ; join
those who have
issued from the
horse ; break into
the houses ;
massacre the
people ;

andearry
off all their
valuables.

(fol. 182 6.)
Twenty thousand
perish before day
break.

390

TROY PILLAGED AND PRIAM SLAIN.

Book XXIX.

Priam, roused
from sleep by the
shrieks and
waitings of his
people, seeks
safety in the
temple of Apollo.

At daybreak
JEneas and
Antenor lead the
Greeks to the
palace:

all are put to
death.

Pyrrhns finds
Priam in the
temple, and slays
him:

bespattering the
altar with hia
blood.

Hecuba and
Polyxena, fleeing
for safety, and
not knowing
where to hide,
meet JEnesa.

The Queen
reproaches him
for having
betrayed his
king, his country,
and his friends.

The dyn & the dite was dole for to here,

Of men fat were murtheret at the meane tyme

11948 Kyng Pn'am the pite persayuit onone,

The rewerd & the russhyng of f e ranke sorow

Of Eneas, fat egerly ertid his harme.

He russhit vp full radly, raght to his clothes,

11952 Soche as happit hym to hent, hade he no wale :
He highit of his halle hard to the temple
There appollyne was onered, he etlid to bide :
Wt't/i-outen hope of his heale heturly he weppit,

11956 When the derke was done, & the day sprange,
The grekes by fere gydes of the great traytoum.
Entrid into ylion egerly fast :
!N"o defence f ai fere found in the faire place,

11960 And dyden all to the dethe w/t7i-outen dyn

more.

Pirrus to the pn'se temple preset full hard,
Of honerable Appollyne, as Antenor bade,
There, Pn'arn the pn'se kyng prestly thai founds,

11964 Abydyng his bone & his bale dethe.

Pirrus full prestly, w*'t7? a pn'se swerd,
Brittoned the bold kyng & his blod shed,
)?at the stremys full stithly stert on f e auter.

11968 On seand the same mon the souerayn betray
Ecuba the honerable egerly flogh
With Pollexena the pert, hir pn'se doughter ;
But f ai wist not, I-wis, on no wise where

11972 ffor to hide horn fro harme : J>an happit horn to

mete

The tmytor -with tene, vntristy Eneas.
Thies wordes fat worthy warpit hym to : —
" A I traytor vntrew, how toke f cm on honde

11976 )jat trew to be-tray, fat trist in fe euer, —
Thy lege & f i lord, fat the louet wele,
And myche good hase f e gyffen of his gold red

POLYXENA AND ANDROMACHE RESCUED. 391

Thou hase led to f i lord, Jjat hym lothe was, Book xxix.

1 1980 His fomen full fele thurgh falshed of the ;

And done hym to dethe dolefully now, (fol- 183 <*•)

)?at thy-selfe shuld haue socourd, hade f ou ben

sad tru.
The burgh, there f ou borne was, baillfully dis-

troyet,
11984 To se hit leme on a low, laithis not J>i hert?

}et haue pytie & compassion of this pure maidon ; she pleads with

T> , i- • , „ . , /.-IT him to res(lue

rut hir in some place fro perisshyng of hondes, Poiyxena ;

J?at the grekes hir not get, ne to grem brynge,
11988 Ne defoule hir vnfaire, & in filth holde !"

The wordes pn'cket hym with pite of f e p?'i'se
qwene.

Pollexena, the pert he puld out of f rong, <ind moves hlm

Hid hir in a howle vnder a hegh towre,
11992 And keppit hir full close, fat clere out of sight.

Telamon full tyte to the temple yode Teiamon rescues

Andromache and

Of Myner the mighty, with a mayn fare, Cassandra.

And drogh out Andromaca, fat in drede was, —
11996 "Worthy Ectors wife, & a wale maidon, —
Cassandra the clene, & keppit horn bothe.
And Menelay the mighty his myld qwene Elan, Meneiaus with

„. , , . great joy finds

nro the pales he puld 01 the prise kyng, Helen.

12000 ffull glad of fat gay, & of good chere,
As mery of fat myld as a mon thurt.
J3an the grekys full glad gyffon to red, The Greeks set

T, . nl the city on fire

llion to ouerturne angardly sone,
12004 And the bildynges bete doun to the bare erthe.

All the cite vnsakrely f ai set vppon fyre,

With gret launchaund lowes into the light ayre ;

Wroght vnder walles, wait horn to ground ;
12008 Grete palis of pn'se put into askys,

"WWi flammes of fyre fuerse to behold ;

And all the Cite vp soght to f e sad walles.

In the burgh f ai forbore byldynges mony,

392

AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITY.

Book XXIX.

but the houses
of JKnuiis and
Anterior are
reserved.

(fol. 183 &.)

Agamemnon
assembles the
nobles in the
temple of
Minerva.

They agree to
keep their
promise to the
traitors, and to
divide the spoil
Justly.

Ajax urges them
to put Helen to
death.

Agamemnon,
Menelaus, and
Ulysses plead for
her.

The eloquence of
Ulysses saves her.

Cassandra is
awarded to
Agamemnon.

12012 There as certain seignes were set vppolofte,
Of the tray tor An tenor, & his tru fere,
Eneas also : anger horn betyde !

THE COUNSELL OF J?E GKEKES AFTER JjE DYSTRUCT10N
OF THE TOWNE.

When the Cite was sesit & serchet to the last,
12016 Agamynon the grekes gedrit to a counsell,

Into Miner mayn temple f o mighty bedene,

ffor to speke of hor spede in a space fere.

J)en fraynet the freke at f o fre kyngis,
12020 Wethir fai couenand wold kepe to fe kene
traiturs,

}3at betoke horn f e toun by treson to haue ;

And f e gode, fat was getyn, graidly to part

Amonge men of might, fat most had disseruyt.
1 2024 Jje onswar of all men was openly f is,

Euew the couenand to kepe, as f e cas was,

Jjat betrat horn f e toun, & hor truth hold ;

And f e ryches full ryf, fat robbet was fere,
12028 To be delt to fe dughti vppon du wyse,

As fai sothly desseruyt with hor sad strenkith.

Aiax to Elayn was awgardly wrothe,

Demyt hir to f e dethe with dole at f e tyme,
12032 ffor f e worthy in were fat wastid were furgh hir

And mony kyng in fe case his counsell alowet.

Agamynon f e grete, and his gomys all,

With f e might of Menelay, & f aire mew hole,
12036 All fe here fat fai hade, with helpis of othir,

Were byse* fro bale deth f e burd for to saue ;

ffor all f e company clene were cast f er agayn.

But Vlixes, eumnore egerly fast,
1 2040 Declaret horn f e cause with his clere voyc,

)3at f e grete by agrement grauntid hir lyue.

)5e Emperour Agamynon angardly swith

Couet Cassandra, be cause of reward, —

I

ANDROMACHE AND HER CHILDREN SET FREE.

393

1. 2044 Pn'ams pure dughter, pertist of wit, —

And all grauntid f e grete with a gode will

As £es kynges in counsell were comynyng to-

gedwr,
Eneas egerly, euyn with Antenor,

12048 Put hym in przse & profferit to say :
Jje dede of Andromaca duli f ai told,
And how Elynus egerly ertid f e lordis
To pursu for f e pes to f e pure grekis ;

12052 And how at praier of fat pure fe prise kyng

Achilles,
Was grauntid to be grauyw, & gyuyn to his

toumhe :

);at worthi Jjai wilnet of wo to delyuer,
And grauntid f o grete with a glad chere.

12056 ElynMS egerly for Ectors childwr

Praiet to f o prmses, and hor pure modwr :
And f e lordis to f o litill f e lyuys han grauntid,
Namly Pirrus, fat pwrpost to put hom to deth,

12060 Assentid to fat same with a sad graunt.

Jjen ordant afterward fes honoMrahle kynges,
J)at all fe worchipfull weme?z of fe wale toune,
)3at left were on lyue, haue leue forto wend,

12064 Lause at hor lykyng, no lede forto hanne.
Jjen purposi J?ai playnly to pas oute of land,
ffro troy forto twrne, & tary no lengwr ;
But fe stormys were so stith, & stiryng of
wyndis,

12068 More fen a moneth myght fai not pas.

))en come fai to Calcas J?e cause forto wete,
Of J?e wedwr so wikkid, & fe wan stormys.
He said hom, forsothe, f e sayntis of hell

12072 Were wode in hor werkis for wreke of Achilles ;
Jjat no dere for his deth was don $et ynogh,
tfor he with treson in f e temple vntruly was
slayn.

Book XXIX.

JEneas and
Antenor plead
(fol. 184 a.)
for Andromache
and Helenas.

Their request Is
granted.
Helenua and
Andromache
plead for Hector's
children : the
request is at once
granted by all
except Pyrrhus.

The noble women
of Troy at liberty
to depart or stay.

The departure of
the Greeks
delayed by
storms,

because the death
of Achilles is
still unavenged.

394

POLYXENA MUST BE SLAIN

Book XXIX.

Polyxena, who
was the cause
or his death,
must be slain.

Pyrrhus makes
search for
Polyxena :

(fol. 184 6.)

Agamemnon
inquires at
Antenor regard
ing her : but all
without success.

After many days'
search, Antenor
discovers her in
an old tower.

She is sent to
Pyrrhus, who
prepares to
slay her on his
father's tomb.

" 3ow most sle ffor fat same, $our sayntis to
. plese,

12076 Jjat was cause of his cumbranse, & keppit is on

lyue."

Jjen Pirrus w't/i pyne put hym. to serche
Of Polexena f e pert, in pn'uete holdyn,
J?at was cause of f e cumbranse of his kynd
fadwr ;

1 2080 And nothir takyn fat tyme, ne tyrnyt to deth.
Agaminon full graidly gos to Antenor,
ffraynyt at hym frikly of fat fre mayden :
He denyet hym onon, fat noqwere he knew

12084 J2at commly be keppet, ne in cloese haldyn.
)?en wrathid f o worthi for wont of f e burde,
And tenyt full tite for tarying so longe.
Antenor, after f is angMr, persayuyt

12088 J;at f o kynges ffor f at clere had caght hym in

hate,

And f oght fully his faulshed folow to an end.
He besit hym barly f e burde forto seche,
Thurght f e cite hym-selfe, and ser mew of hest,

12092 ffele dayes bedene, or he fat dere fonde :

Till he aspiet hir vfitJi spit, by speryng of othir,
Doune in a dungion, don for to kepe,
A tyme for to tarie, of a toure olde.

12096 ])e losell to fe lady launchid full s withe,
Braid hir out bigly bi f e bryght arrays,
Present fat pert to f e prise kynges.
Agaminon fat gay gert forto send

12100 To Pirrus fat presound, prestly onone;

And he cast hym fat coumly to cut into pesis,
ffull tite on f e toumbe of his tru fad?/r.
As this lady was led tell hir last end,

12104 Kingis comyw cantly fat cumly to se.
Jje pupull had pite, & p?-esit full f ik
To se fat louely be lost, fat no lak did.

TO ATONE FOR THE DEATH OP ACHILLES. 395

All be folke were vnfayn, & of fyn will Book xxix.

12108 To haue reft hir the rynke, for ruth bat bai had. The people are
Hit hade doutles ben done, and hire deth voidid, her:

Had not Calcas be cursit carpit before.

declares the

J5at neuer bo lordis to hor londis lyuely shuld (foi. issa.)

tempest will
Wyn, not cease till

12112 Till ho duly were ded & dressit in pesis.

When bis burd was broght to be bare toumb,
Ho askewsit hir of skath, & sklaundw of his

deth ;
}5at neuer ho wist of be werke, ne in will boght she denies

12116 }?at be dughti shuld degh, till hit don was. knowledge of.

}3e kyngis and be comyns had care at baire hertes, the death of*
To se bat fre be fforfaryn, bat no faut did : Achilles-

All bai sparit bat speciall to spill at be tyme,

12120 To periche bat pure pite bai had ;

But ho doutid no deth in [hir] du ryght,

ffor hit laithit hir les few on lyue be.

Syn ho borne was a burd of a blod nobill, But she win

rather die than

12124 Comyw of a kyng & a clene maydyn, be wedded to

TT. , . * . i j n i <«» inferior,

Hir was leuer in hir lond out of lyue pas,

])&n be defoulit in filth with febill of astate ;

Or be led of hire lond with a lede straunge ; or live with

those who have

12128 Set vndar sentage and sorow for euer, BiamuUher

Witfi be fose of hir fadur, & hir fre kyn,

And liir brethir had britnet, & broght vnto end.

" Me is leuer," quod bat louely, " in my lond

degh,
12132 Jjen be exild for euermore, erdond in sorow;

In othir prouyns & pertis pouert to suffer ;

In bronge and in braldom brepe with be werld.

Jjerfore welcum, I-wis, is my wale deth !
12136 My maydynhed I merk to myghtifull goddis :

Accepte hit as sacn'fise, & my saule to !

j?is holly with hert here I beseke !"

When be lady had leuyt of hir loud speche,

396

POLYXENA IS SLAIN BY PYRRHUS.

Book XXIX. 12140

Pyrrhus smites
her with a

(fol. 1856.)
sword ; cuts her
in pieces, and
scatters them
over his father's
tomb.

Hecuba swoons,
and becomes
mad.

In her wildness
she wounds
many of the
Greeks.

She is bound,
and taken to
Aulis, where she
is stoned to
death.

A splendid tomb
of marble is
erected for her.

Pirrus with a pale sword p?-esit hir to ;
Britnet f e burde brightest on lyue,
At f e tumbe full tit of his triet fadwr ;
Gyrd hir in gobettis & on his graue cast.

12144 Hire blod all aboute aboue hit was sched,
And strawet in J>e strete strenklit full Jjik.
Honourable Ecuba, fat was hir aune modwr,
Segh hir doghtwr with dol be delt into peses :'

12148 Scho welt into wodnes, & hir wit leuyt,
And ran furthe rauis rathe to beholde.
Scho bete horn bittwrly with hir bare teth,
And with stonys in f e strete strok horn to
ground ;

12152 Jjis lif scho lad lelly fat day,

And myche gremyt f e grekes in hir grete angwr.
J3ai toke hire full tit, and teghit hir hondis,
Send hir sone by soume of hire men,

12156 Into the He of Aulida angardly swythe;

And stithly with stonys steynyt hir to dethe.
The grekes for the grete graithet a toumbe,
Of a heght fat was hoge, all of harde marble ;

12160 And broght hir to berenes, as horn best foght.
In mynd of fat mighty, to myn hit for euer,
The plase all of penawnce, the pepull hit calles,
The lede in hor langage, fat lengys f erin,

12164 Duly to this day, as demys the boke.

397

xxx Bofce* ©f £trgfe of ftfjelamon anti
Flixes, & of l?e Uetfje of Efjelamon,

All this tyme in be toun, tellis be story,
Jje grekis were togedwr for be grete stormys
Of wyndis full wikkid, & waues of be se : (foi.i86a.)

2168 No shalke went to schip on be schir water.

J)e tor kyng Thelamow, tide of hondis, ' Teiamon com

plains to the
Before J>e grete of be grekis, — Agamyno?& & Greek nobles

, . against Ulysses

Otmr, holding the

To Vlixes, in augur, angardly speke, SS™ it *>

2172 ffor dole to fe duk of >e du goddes, *e'rev^raf for Wl

j)at was sesit in ]?e Cite at ]?e same tyme.

ffor paladian of prise was put to Vlixes,

He wratliit hym, I-wis, & to J?e wegh saide : —
2176 " Jjat gyfte is to grete of fat god nobill ;

And my-seluyn for-sothe haue seruyt hit better,

And more worthi to weld for my wale dedis.

I haue besit me full boldly, & my blode sched,
.2180 Oure folke forto filsyn qwen oure fode lakkid ;

And in were vrikJi my wepyn wondM/i'ulli don,

Ofte fellit oure foe with my fyn strenkith.

Polimwestor. be proud kyng. I put vnto deth, He had slain

Polymnester,

L2184 ]3at was of riches full rif & myche red gold. Poiydonw, and

many other

}3e sun of be sam kyng I slogh wtt/i my leaders of the

, , . enemy :

hondis, —
Polidariw* be pert, bat Pn'an did kepe,

398

THE STRIFE OF TELAMON AND ULYSSES

Book XXX.

he had brought
much gold to
Uic treasury ;

and had added
many provinces
to Greece ;

and by himself
and Achilles
Troy was taken.

(fol.1866.)

" Ulysses has
never aided us
in battle ; he is
strong only in
falsehood, flattery,
and treason.

We might have
won Troy by
arms, and had
glory:

through him
we have taken
it by treason,
and are covered
with shame."

~With all fie gold & pe gode of his gay fadw?1.

12188 All pes meblis & mo, thurgh myght of my-selfe,
I wan vs in were thurgh my wight arme,
J?at has socourd vs with solas in oure sad

hunger.
J)e fell kyng of Frigie I ferkid of lyue,

12192 And mony othir myghti mew of astate.

I haue aproprid to oure partis prouyns besyde,
"With my labur full longe, and my lei wyt.
Jje Tore rem of Targason, & tyde Aruwdyna ;

12196 Cepesyn I sesit, & pe sid Larris ;

And othir prouyns & plasis of pertis of Troy.
Thurgh my wightnes, I-wysse, & worthi Achilles,
We haue wonew in were pe worchip with hond ;

12200 And getyn to pe grekis pis ground -with oure

help.

This Vlixes, pat vtwith aunterit hym neuer
With no course for to come, as a knight shuld ;
But with falshed & flatery, feynyng of wordes,

1 2204 And callis hyin the cavse of cacchyng pis toune.
But witA treason & trauntis of his vntreu fare
He fortherit neuer a fyge Vfith his fight ^et.
There we the toune shuld haue tane with on
triet strenght,

12208 And haue wonyn hit in wer with worship OUTY

seluyn,

All oure lose hase he lost thurgh his lither dedu
ffor to take hit by treason & trantis of hym.
Thurgh the craft of pat cursed, knighthode ma
shame

12212 And wary all oure workes to the worldes end."
Tliies wordes he warpit po worthy before,
And pan sesit he of his saw, & set hym to
ground.

FOR THE PALLADIUM.

399

VLIXES.

Rook XXX.

Ulysses denies
the claim of
Telamon.

Then answard Vlixes, & vtterit his speche,
12216 "Wrothe at the wegh, in his wille feble,

Said the Citie was sesit, & the sad pepull,

Thurgh hardines of hym, & the hegh wit.

But thurgh his wiles of wer, & his wight dedis,
12220 With his gouernawnce graithe, & his gret helpe,

All the Cite, for-sothe, & the sure knightes

Hade sitton here full sound, & hor selfe keppit.

" Therefore, Telamon, truly with J?i tried

strenght

12224 "Was neuer Paladian, the pure god, puld fro J?e
temple ;

Ne the grekes had hit getten for gode vpon erth.

I hade knowlache, by crafte, of his clene vertue, He insists that

While the stature was stithly stokyn with-m. skiiund "
12228 We were vnsiker of oure-selfe the Cite to wyn, p^jadimn was

Or to deire hit in dede the dayes of oure lyue ; °btained-

And I comynd in the case with my clene wit,

With the troiens to treate for takyng ferof ;
12232 And so wan vs oure worship, & oure will bothe."

THELAMON.

Than Thelamon, fe tore kyng, tenfully spake
Grete wordes & (greme), all in grym yre :
And he froly witJi j?rong wil freppit agayn,

12236 Till pai hatid in hert, as any hed fos.

Jjen Thelamo?i truly told hym on hight,

)3at other duly schuld degh for his derf wordis.

Hit was tretid fat tyme, po tore kynges bothe

12240 Schuld lynge in hor leute, & light on a dome
Of Agamynon J>e grete, & his gay brothir —
Menelay J>e mighty, as a mene frend.
Jjes duly schuld dem J)o dukis by ryght,

12244 Qwiche wegh )>e wale god is worthi to haue.
J?en spekyn Jjai specially for sped of j>o two,

Telamon replies
in great wrath,
(fol. 187 c.)
(MS. has "grene")

and threatens
him with death.

They are to
abide by the
decision of
Agamemnon and
Menelaua,

400

THE PALLADIUM AWARDED TO ULYSSES.

Book XXX.

who award
the Palladium to
Ulysses; but
they favoured
him because he
had saved Helen
from death.

All the other
kings think
Telamon should
have it.

Telamon menaces
Agamemnon,
Menelans, and

they keep
together and
surround them
selves with
knights.

Telamon is found
in bed murdered.

(fol. 187 6.)
Agamemnon and
Ulysses are
suspected to have

caused it.

Pyrrhus charges
them with the
crime, and

And ordant Vlixes more abill fer-fore,
And worthy at his will to weld hit for ay :

12248 (ffor fe kyng, vfiih his cast & his coynt speche,
Honourable Elan of angw delyueryt
ffro Thelamon in tene & othir tore kynges,
)3at demyt hir to deth on dayes before.)

12252 )?en Thelamow was tenfull, & titmyt into yre,
ffor pis god, by fo grete, was grawntid vlixes
Aganys reson and right, as the Renke thught :
Syn all the kynges, by course, of the clene grekes

12256 Had demyt hit by dome duly to Thelamon,
Saue barly J?o brether, fat I aboue said.
Thus Thelamon for tene, in his tore angur,
Mony wordys out warpit to fo wale dukes,

12260 And manast horn mightily as his mayn fos.
Because of the kyng & his kyd hate,
))ai keppit horn in company w/t/i knightes

enarmit
Tho brether full bigly wiih bold men ynow,

12264 And Vlixes also vfiih angardly mone.

Onone come the night & neghit vppon hond,
And yche Eenke to fere Rest, as J>ai rede toke.

Un fe secund day, sothely, er J>e sun rose,
12268 The tall kyng Thelamon, tellis the lyne,

Was founden bare in his bed, britnet to dethe,
And his body for-bled buernes hit segh.
The noy of fat noble was noyset thurgh the ost,
12272 And mykell dole for fat duke doutles was made.
To Agamynon gomys geuyn the wite ;
And Vlixes by ordinanse, all men saiden,
Gert the duke to be dede, (thus demyt tho

lordes)

12276 And his lyf to be lost thurgh hor lethur dedis.
Pirrus hade pite of the pure kyng :
(He louit hym full lelly, as his lefe brother.)

ULYSSES STEALS AWAY FROM THE GREEKS.

401

Myche manast tho men in the mene tyme,

12280 ffor the dethe of fat dughty, as his dede fos,

Vlixes douted his dethe, & dred hym full sore ;

Stale fro f o stith men stilly "by night,

With his men, in the nierke, for the more harme.

12284 Paladian the pure, he put for to kepe

With Dyamed the derfe, fat was his dere

frynde,

And halit on full hard vnto the hegh Sea.
Jjan Pirrus with pite gert put into fyre,

12288 The body to bren of the buerne Thelamon :
Consumet the course vnto cleane askys,
And graithit horn full graithly in a gay vessell,
All glissonawnd of gold & of good stones ;

12292 And so cariet the corse into his kith horn.
Agamynon the gret, & his gode brother, —
Menelay the mighty, & mo other kynges,
Keppit horn full cloise for cacchyng of harme

12296 Of Pirrus, full prest, fat purpost horn skathe.
But the traytor Antenor tretid horn with,
Made f o kynges to kysse & comyn to-gedur.
He festid full faire all f o fre lordes,

12300 And the grete of f e grek&s with gyftes honowryt.

Book XXX.

threatens
revenge.
Ulysses steals
away by night :

and leaves the
Palladium with
Diomedes.

Pyrrhus causes
the body of
Telamon to be
burnt :

collects the ashes
in a golden urn,
and carries them
to his own
country.

Antenor
reconciles
Pyrrhus,
Agamemnon,
and Menelaus.

THE EXILE OP ENEAS AND ANTENOR.

The grete of f e grekes gedrit into counsell,
And spake in hor speche the spite of Eneas :

The Greeks in
council condemn
.iEneas to

Said the traitowr vntrew hade his trowth broken; for having '

concealed
Polyxena.

12304 ffor Pollexena the pert he put into hidlis,

Thurgh whom Achilles, f e choise kyng, chansit

his end.

There f ai demet f e duke, as by du right,
All his londes to lose, & launche out of towne.

12308 He prayet horn full pitusly, with his pore hert,
ffor to graunt hym to gyffe, of hor gode wille,

Tho shippes to shilde o fe shyre whaghes,
26

(fol. 188 a.)
.Sneas earnestly
pleads for the
ships with which
Paris made his
raid into Greece.

402

THE EXILE AND REVENGE OF .ENEAS.

These are
granted; and
four months are
allowed to fit
and provision.

./Eneas plans how
he may cause
Antenor to be
banished from
Troy.

Book xxx. Jjat Paris vfith past into the pure yle

12312 Of Sythera, the samtyme he sesit the qwene ;
And tyrn horn to takle, & trusse for the sea ;
To stuffe horn with store of his stith godis,
And fode for his folke to fille on J?e water.

12316 This grauntid tho grekes vtith a gode chere,

ffawre mones, at the most, the men for to lenge,
His fraght & his fode to fille as hym list,
And pan his godis to gripe, & his gate halde.

12320 Eneas vrith anger was angardly heuy

With Antenor the traytor, vntrew of his werke ;
if or his dedis he was duly dry von fro troy,
Thurgh the lady pat the lede lugget of pe toure.

12324 He cast hym full cointly, & compast in hert,
How to bryng hit aboute vrith his bare wit,
To ert hym on exile euer of the londe.
Eneas egurly after onone

12328 Assemblit in the Cite the sure men of troy,
All J>at left were on lyue, lengand pat tyme.
He said horn full soberly, all on soft wise : —
" Now, fryndes, in faith, syn fortune hath
grawnted

12332 )?at yow is happit so hard, & jour hede lost,
Ye se well your-seluyn the sothe at your egh,
Hit is no bote here to byde for baret wi'tA-oute,
Of fos pat are fuerse vpon fele sydes,

12336 "WMouten helpe of a hede, & a hegh wit,

In case yow to comforth, & counsell witA-all.
Syn I banysshed am barly, pis burgh for to leue,
Chose you sum cheftane, & charge hym perwith ;

12340 ffor wete other weghes, pat wonyn besyde
(foi. 1886.) In castels, and cuntres, & in cloise townes,

Jjat ye left bene in land, and lakkys a hede,
Jjai will fall on you fuersly, fong of your godes,

12344 Put you in pn'son, pyne you to dethe.
Hit is sittyng, me semys, & you so like,

He assembles the
Trojans, and
urges them to
choose as king,
one who can
govern and
protect them.

ANTENOR ELECTED KING. 403

Tite for Antenor truly to send ; Book xxx.

Make hym kyng of bis kith by comyn assent, He advises them

to send for

12348 ifor to kepe you fro care with a cleane wit; Antenor, and

-,,,.,,,,,, , , make him their

In this lond for to lyue lengyng to-gedur, king.

Your fos to offend, & fylsyn jour lyues."

All liked the lede for his lefe counsell, They accept MS

counsel, and

12352 }5ai soght thurgh the Cite, & sent for Antenor; appoint Antenor.
And he come to pe comyns with a cant wille.
Eneas with anger, after belyue, .Eneas strives to

"Wold haue dungyn hym to deth, & deiret pe fals,

12356 ffor he was bigger in the burgh, boldir of kyn,
Of ledys vppon lyue, lelly, fen he.
J)an ros pai full radly, all the ronke pepull,
Somyn on a sop soghtyn to Eneas, The Trojans

" . plead with

12360 ffor to sese of his sute, & his sad yre : .Eneas not to

Syn horn happit so hard in hast per before,
~With hor fos to be felly ferkit to dethe,
J?at no deire, ne no dethe, shuld dull horn

12364 To stir with no stryue, ne stroy horn no more.

J. hies wordis to pe weghis warpit Eneas : —

" There is no lede vpon lyue may so long suffer -^neas declares

no one could

Soche a traytor for tene, bat treason hase suffer such a

traitor to live.

wroght,
12368 And fowle with his falsyng hase feblit vs all,

In dole to endure the dayes of oure lyue.

With his gyle & his gawdis, the gay Pollexena,

Jpat was comyn of our kyng, & a cleane maidon,
12372 He made to be martrid purgh malice of hym :

And I, pat am outlawhit for euer of pis lond,

ffro frendes & felowes, pat me faith ow ;

J?at wold haue leuyt here my lyue in langozw

& woo,
12376 And haue counceld the comyns in hor case feble,

Thus am flemyt to flight thurgh his false caste." (foi. 189,7.)

404

ANTENOR DOOMED TO EXILE.

Book XXX.

The Trojans
consult together,
and determine to
exile Antenor.

Antenor with a
great company
Beta sail from
Troy.

They are
attacked and
plundered by
pirates.

They reach Gela,
in Sicily,
where Tetides is
king.

Antenor founds a
city;

surrounds it
with walls ; and
names it
Meleena.

JLhan the comyns toke counsell, knightes &
other,

And the traytor Antenor. from the towne flemyt,
12380 Neuer the Cite to se, ne his sute after ;

And grauntid hym his gode & gate by a tyme.

Antenor full tite fan twrnyt to ship,

With riches full Eife, & Eelikes ynow ;
12384 Shot on the shyre waghes shalkes full mony,

And soght furth on the se with the softe windes.

Tho pure men with payne on the pale sea,

Met with a menye, & mart of horn fele ;
12388 Kobbet faire Eiches, & refte of fere godes,

And myche torfer & tene tide of faire hondes.

ffro tho ledis at the last lawsit f ai were,

With sorow & sad fight sailit away,
12392 Till they come to the coste of a cleane yle,

Jpat Gelanda aioynet was to the iust nome.

There was a kyng in f e cost, fat the kith aght,

Hight Thetides truly, tellis the writ,
12396 Jjat his prouyns & pepull peasably keppit

Mony wintur I-wis, & in wele leuyt.

There Antenor truly ttwnyt to lond

With a few of his feres, as fell hym by chaunse,
12400 On a plentious place, pleasaund to se

There fildis were faire, fresshe watwr in,

And woddes to wale with wellis full clere.

There aboue on the bonke he bild vp a towne,
1 2404 By leue of the lord, fat the lond oght,

With Eiches full Eife & Eelikes of troy,

)3at he broght in his barge to the bare yle.

}5an he wroght vp a walle wightly abowte,
12408 With toures full tore the towne to defend.

)?ai cald hit a coynt nome, comyns & all,

Menelon, by mouthe, mighty & other.

When hit knowen was the case with comyns of
troy,

THE GREEKS CONSULT CASSANDRA.

405

Cassandra be
wails the loss of
all her kindred.

12412 Of the plentius plase & plesaund of lyue, Bookxxx.

Mony weghes thedur went, & wond in the toune, it thrives well ;
And Eeplenisshed the place & the playn londis. becomes second
The kyng was full curtas, fat fe kith aght, (foi.i89&.)

12416 Myche louyt he the lede & the lell pepull.
ffor the wit of the wegh, & his wale dedis,
He was chosynwit^ fat choisechevest of councell,
And wele louit with the ledis of the lond all.

12420 Wow turne wyll I tite, & take fere I leuyt,
To the grekes agayne in the gret toune.
Cassandra the clere, the kynges owne doughter,
Jjat abode in the "burgh, with bale at hir hert,

12424 Hir modur & hir myld Suster mertrid to dethe,
Myche water ho weppit, wailyng in sorow :
Hit was ruth any renke, fat Eioll to se !
When ho sesit o sicken, & sorow abated,

12428 The kynges into councell callit hir fan,
To spir of hor spede, spekyn hir to :
)3an pwrpast f ai plainly to pas out of londe.
The maidon to tho mighty menerly saide,

12432 Horn shuld happen full hard in a hond while :
Agamynon the grete shuld grymly be slayn
"With meneye of fat mighty, fat he most louet ;
And othir fuersly be flemyt, & fallyn into angwr.

12436 All happit horn to haue as the hynd saide,

As I shall tell you full tite, & tary not long.

The Greeks
consult her
regarding their
return to Greece.

They will pass
through many
perils, and
Agamemnon will
be slain.

J. his Thelamon I told of, fat trayturly was slayn,
Two sonnes of hym-selfe, sothely he hade,

12440 J)at he wan on his wyfes, as f e writ sais.
The first of f o fre faith ly was cald
Emynent the mighty, with men fat hym knew,
Of Claustra the clere qwene, clennest of other :

12444 Antissas fat tothir, tellis the story,

Ethimyssa his make to the mon bere.

(See Note.)

406

DEPARTURE OP AGAMEMNON AND MENELAUS.

Book XXX.

(fol. 190 a.)
Agamemnon and
Menelaus advise
the Greeks to
return home.

The Greeks will
not be advised by
them;

but allow them
to depart, if they
please, while
the whole fleet
is making ready.

Thies were gyuen to the goueracmnce of a gay

kyng,

Heght Teucra, lull tru, as the tale shewes,
12448 Tho noble to norisshe in hor nait yowthe,

Till pai waxen were of wit & of wight dedis,
And abill vntill armys, as fere astate wolde.

L hen Agamynon the grete & his gay brothir
12452 Asket leue at the lordes & the lege kynges,

fibr to wende to the watur in hor wale shippes,
And iur&Q out of troy & the toune leue ;
But the grekes to J?o grete grauntid hit noght,
12456 flbr Jjai hadon horn in hate & in hert straunge,
ffor the dethe and the deire of the duke Thelamon,
Syn Vlixes vfith vtteraunse auntrid to flight.
Yet J?ai grauntid fo grete the gate to the sea,
12460 And abide on the buernes in hor big shippes
Till all barges were boune & buernes vrithin
And draghen furth to the depe as horn due thoght.

407

xxxj ISofte: ©f tlje Passage of tfje
ffireftgs ffro

Hyt fell thus by fortune, J>e fairest of J?e yere

1 2464 "Was past to the point of the pale wintur ;
Heruest, with the heite & the high sun,
Was comyn into colde with a course low ;
Trees, thurgh tempests, tynde hade jjere leues ;

12468 And briddes abatid of hor brem songe ;
The wynde of the west wackenet aboue,
Blowyng full bremly o the brode ythes ;
The clere aire ouercast with cloudys full thicke,

12472 With mystes full merke mynget with showres ;
fflodes were felle thurgh fallyng of Eayne,
And wintur vp wacknet with his wete aire.
The gret nauy of the grekes & the gay kynges,

12476 Were put in a pwrpos to pas fro the toune.
Sore longit ]>o lordis hor londys to se,
And dissiret full depely, doutyng no wedur;
Jjai counted no course of the cold stormys,

12480 Ne the perellis to passe of the pale windes.
Hit happit horn full hard in a hond qwile,
And mony of J>o mighty to misse of hor purpos.
Thus tho lordes in hor longyng laghton J>e watur,

12484 Shotton into ship mong shene knightes,.

With the tresovvre of fe toune, pai token before,
Relikes full Rife, & miche ranke godes.

Autumn was
becoming colder ;

trees had lost
their leaves, and
birds had ceased
to sing ;
westerly winds,
and clouded
skies, with mist,
and rain, and
floods, told that
winter was near,

(fol. 190 &.)

when the fleet
was ready to sail.

Longing for
home, and
suspecting not
the approaching
perils,

they set sail with
all the treasures
of Troy.

408

A STORM AT SEA.

For four days
all goes well;

but on the fifth,
the wind rises,

the sky darkens ;
thunder rolls ;
(fol. 191 a.)
and lightning
flashes over the
whole heavens.

The storm
raises billows
like hills ;

tosses the ships
from crest to
crest, and
scatters them.

The waves dash
over-board, and
sweep all before
them.

The ships of
Telamon's band
are burnt by
lightning; and
all on board
perish.

The ships of
< >ilms Ajax,
thirty-two in
number, are also
lost.

Clere was the course of the cold flodis,

12488 And the firmament faire as fell for the wintw.
Thai past on the pale se, puld vp hor sailes,
Hadyn bir at fere backe, and the bonke leuyt.
ffoure dayes by-dene, & hor du nyghtis,

12492 ffull soundly fai sailed with seasonable windes.
The fyft day fuersly, fell at the none,
Sodonly the softe winde vnsoberly blew ;
A myste & a merkenes myngit to-gedur ;

12496 Athonerand athickeraynefrubletintheskewes,
"With an ugsom noise, noy for to here ;
All flasshet in a ffire the firmament oner ;
Was no light but a laite, fat launchit aboue ;

12500 Hit skirmyt in the skewes with a skyre low,

Thurgh the claterand clowdes clos to the heuyn,
As the welkyn shuld wait for wodenes of hete.
With blastes full bigge of the breme wyndes,

12504 Walt vp the waghes vpon wan hilles :

Stith was the storme, stird all the shippes,
Hoppit on hegh with heste of the fflodes.
The sea was vnsober, sondrit the nauy ;

12508 Walt oner waghes, & no way held ;
Depe7'tid the pepull, pyne to be-hold,
In costes vnkowthe ; cut down fere sailes,
Eopis alto rochit, rent vp the hacches ;

12512 Topcastell ouertwmyt, takelles were lost.

The night come onone, noye was the more !
All the company cleane of the kyng Telamon,
With fere shippes full shene, & fe shire godis,

12516 Were brent in the bre with the breme lowe
Of the leymond laite, fat launchit fro heuyn :
And euyn drownet in the depe Dukes & other !

llelius Aiax, as aunter befelle,

12520 Was stad in the storme with the stith windes,
With his shippes full shene and the shire godes :

THE DESTRUCTION OF AJAx' FLEET. 409

Thrifty and f riuaund, thretty and two Book xxxr.

There were brent on the buerne wiih the breme

low,
12524 And all the freikes in the flode floterand aboue.

Hym-seluyn in the sea sonkyn belyue, Ajax himself is

washed ashore,

Swalprit & swam w^t^ swyngyng of armys : almost dead.
$et he launchet to londe, & his lyf hade,
12528 Bare of his body, bret full of water.

In the Slober & the sluche slongyn to londe,

There he lay, if hym list, the long night oner,

Till the derke was done & the day sprang. (foi. 191 &.)

„ . . Next morning

12532 And than wonen ot waghes, w^t^ wo as fai he is discovered,

. i , and revives.

might,

Jjare sum of his sort, fat soght were to lond,

Laited fere lord on the laund syde,

If hit fell (hym) by fortune the flodes to passe. (MS. has "hmn")
12536 J5an found fai the freike in the fome lye,

And comford hym kyndly, as fere kyd lord :

Wiih worchip & wordes wan hym to fote,

Bothe failet hym the fode and the fyne clothes.
12540 Thus fere goddes with gremy vrith fe grekes Thus was

Minerva avenged,
because Telamon

Mighty Myner[v]a, of malis foil grete,
ffor Telamon, in tene, tid for to pull temple-

Cassandra the cleane out of hir cloise temple.
12544 Thus hit fell horn by fortune of a foule ende,
ffor greuyng fere goddes in hor gret yre.
Oft-sythes men sayn, & sene is of olde, often, for the sin

of one, many are

J)at all a company is cumbrit for a cursed shrewe. punished.
12548 Now of kynges, & knightes, & othir kyd dukes,
J?at past of this perell in pes to fere londes,
I will tell how horn tyde, while I tyme haue ;
And how fortune, full fell, forget fere end.

410

xxxtj 23ofte: ©f tfje ILespg J?at foas
malre to Itgng $afole ; antr of fcetfje of in*
son

At this time 12552 Thys ylke tyme of the toile, tellis the story,

there lived in m

Greece a king Ihere wont a kyng on the coste, in a cuntre of

called Nauplius,

rich and grece,

Hight Naulus to nome, an old man of age.
(foi. 192 a.) He hade londes full long, & of leue brede,

12556 And the grettist of Grise, of gronnde & of pepull.
After a syde of the sea, sothely to telle,
Was a-party a prouynse, pight full of hilles,
With roches full rogh, ragget with stones,
12560 At the full of the flode net all aboue,

By the bourdurs aboute, bret full of rokkes.
He had two sons This noble kyng Nawle hade naite sons two

with the Greeks . _, . . ... , ,,

at Troy. At Troy in the tone the toune for to wynne,

12564 Comyn in company of the kyde greko?,

And fuerse men in fight, fell of hor djnttes.
The eider was The first of bo fuerse, and his fre ayre,

Palamedes,

Was Palomydon fe pert, a prise mon in were :
and the younger, 12568 And the yonger of yeres yepely was calde
Othe with all men, abill of dedis.
Palomydon the pure, a pn'se mon of armys,
With a nauy full noble fro Naulus his ffader,
12572 Past with a pepull prowde of aray,

And twrnyt vnto Tenydon, as I told haue.
The grekes, for his gretnes & his grym knightes,

THE LESING MADE TO NAUPLIUS. 411

Ordant hym Emperowr by opon assent, Book xxxn.

12576 And Agamynon degrated of his degre ban, The Greeks

appointed

pat charget was for cheftan of bo chere all. Paiamedes their

. _ , leader, instead

pan Palomydon w^trt. Fans put was to dethe of Agamemnon.

Wiih the birre of his bow, as I aboue rede, by Paris, but
12580 (But ay ledis wit h lesyng louys to noy,

In baret to bring, & buernis to hyndur :

So happit hit here), bat hannyt the grekes,

And mony doghty w*t7i dole vnto dethe broght.
12584 To this noble kyng Naule naitly was told some one told

Kauplius that he

bat Palomydon, his prise son, put was to dethe had been siam

treacherously by

Vntruly by treason of his trist fryndes, MS friend

... Diomedes, at the

And noght in batell on bent as a buerne noble, order of uiysses.
12588 Thai said Diamede the Puke hade don hym of

lyue,

By ordinawnse of Vlixes, to vtterauns for euer.
Thus lytherly bo lyghers lappit bere tales, (fol- 19S 6-)

And forget a faint tale vnder fals colowr.

12592 Thai said Agamynon with gawdes, & be gay 'That Agamem
non, Diomedes,

Dyamede, Menelaus, and

ir i M.r T a. -1.1 TTV Ulysses had

Menelay wit h mans, & mighty Vlixes, forged a letter

Thies ffoure in hor falshode had forget a lie, offering0^ betray
And writen hit in wordes by bere will all. forgoTdf8

12596 The tenure to telle truly was bis ; —

' pat Palomydon the pure had pwrpost an end,
ffor to treite wi't^ the troiens in trayn of be

grekes,
pat no whe shuld hit wete till horn wo happit ;

12600 ffor a gobet of gold, to gripe of be Cite,

All the Grekes to be-gyle, & to ground bring.

Thies letturs bo ledis lete forto bynd This letter they

attached to a

To a buerne on the bent, in batell was slayne. knight lying

dead on the field.

12604 pan Vlixes the lord, licherly bai saide, That uiysses

„ _. . . . . bribed a servant

' Preset to a pure mon of Palamydon the kyng, to place a sum
And of gold he hym gaf a full grete soume, gu

ffor to wirke o this wise, as the wegh bad : tte letter)

412

THE LESING MADE TO NAUPLIUS.

Book XXXII. 12608

under the pillow
of Palamedes.

The servant did
so:

and was slain
by Ulysses, lest
he should tell
of the treason.

The letter was
found on the
dead knight, and
read to the
Greeks, who
at once went to
the tent of
Palamedes;
found under his
pillow the exact
sum of gold ; and

(fol.l93a.) 12628

charged him
with treason.

Me asserted his
innocence, and
demanded the
ordeal of combat.

No one dared to
accept it, and he
was assoiled.'

)3at he wold bogh to the bed of the bold kyng,
And hade at his hede, Jjat he haue shuld.
J?an he fot horn of florens a full fuerse soume :
The gome grippet the gold, &, his gate held ;

12612 Twnyt to the tent of his tru lord ;

Presit to Jje pelow, & put hit euyn under.
Jpan the freike, in his fare, fore to Vlixes,
And said, all duly was done as the Duke bad.

12616 J?an Vlixes, with vtteraunse, vne at the tyme,
Gert britten Jje buerne with a bare sword,
J?at he no talis shuld tell of treson was cast.
Jjen Jje letters on Jje laund, to Jje led boundyw,

12620 Were foundyw with a freke of Jje fyn grekis,
And red to Jje rynkis, as Jje roll saide,
Of J>e cast by Jje kyng, & knawen with all.
J?en Jje grete of Jje grekis, & Jje gay kynges,

12624 tfull heghly in hate hadyn Jje pn'nse.

Wightly JJQ wale kynges wan to his tent,
ffund a bag full bret, all of bright gold,
Happit at Jje hede of his hegh bed.
Vne the selfe and the same sowmet before,
As the ledis, in the lettur on the lande, fond.
Jjan Jjai presit Palomydon with a proude fare,
As a traytor vntrew, Jjat treason had wroght :

12632 But the freike hym defendit with a fyn chere
With batell on bent, barly hym-seluon,
To trye out the truthe with his trist hond,
On what buerne so was bold Jje batell to take.

12636 And when no freike was furse to fight with hym

one,

Of all the grekes so grym thurgh the gret oste,
Jjan Ylixes the lord, with his lefe wordes,
Askewset the skathe & sklandwy with all :

12640 He plesit the prince, & purgit his fame,

And the folke with his flatery falsly dissayuit.'
Yet thies lyghers vnlell, with hor laith speche,

THE LESINQ MADE TO NAUPLIU8.

413

Saidon the same kyng sone after Jus ; —

12644 l])at Dyamede be derfe, & doghty Vlixes,
To Palomydon in pr/uete p?-esit to-gedur :
Jjai toldyn hym full truly, in hor trayn feble,
]3at, doune in the dongyn of a dry pit,

12648 Was a gobet full grete, all of gold, hid,

Of tresoure of the toune, for takyng with fos.
Yf hym-self wold assent be soume forto gete,
In pn'uete to part, fat no prise wyst ;

12652 Onon, at be nyght, bo nobill,' bai saidyn,

' Wold boune to be bonke barly hom-seluyw,
All f e gold forto gripe, if hym gode likid.
Jjen be soueran assentid with a sad will ;

12656 Dred no dyssait of his dere kynges.
Past furth to f e pit prmely all,
Vne aboue to be bordur, & bodyn fere all.
Jjen bai fraynet qwiche freke, fat schuld first
enter :

12660 And Palamydon, fe pn'se kyng, put hym ferto ;
Cast of his clothis cantly & wele,
And his hose in hast, highit hym doun.
When f e pn'nse was past to f e pit bothum,

12664 Jje buernes on fe bonk bet hym with stonys,
And euyn dang hym to deth in f e derk hole,
Left hym f er lyond, & lurkit to f aire tentis.'

J^us told was f e tale, & full tru made,
12668 To f e nobill kyng Uawle, of his nayt sone, —

Lappit with a ligher in his laith hate,

Jjat derit mony dughti, & drepit for ay.

Kaule fen onon, for noy of f is tale,
[12672 "With Othe his othir son, ordant belyue

Jje grekis for to greue, & to ground bryng,

ffor f e sake of his sone, vppon sum wise.

Hit was told hym for tru, in tyme of f e wynter,
576 )5e grekis with hor grym ost were gon to fe se,

Book XXXII.

The same liars
told N'uuplius
that Diomedea
and Ulysses
shortly after
wards wiled
Palamedes to a
pit, wherein,
they said, much
gold was hid.

That, Palamedes,
dreading no guile,
offered to go
down first.

(fol. 193 6.)

But as soon as
he reached
the bottom,
they beat him
dead with stones ;
and stole back to
their tents.

Naupliur, and
(Eax determine
to avenge the
death of Pala
medes.

They learn that

the Greeks are

returning from

Troy,

414

WRECK OF AGAMEMNON'S FLEET.

Book XXXII.

and must pass
by their coasts.

The king orders
fires to be lit at
night on the
hills along the
coast.

The Greeks
sailing past by
night, see the
fires, and make
for land.

Two hundred
ships are dashed
on the rocks ;

the treasures and
all on board are
lost.

The crash and
cry warn the
vessels following ;
they

(fol. 194 a.)
make for the
open sea, and
are saved.

Amone those
saved were
Agamemnon,
Diomedes, and
Menelaus.

(Eax is chagrined
by the escape of
Agamemnon and
Diomedes : and
plans another
mode of revenge.

In sound for to saile, & seche to faire londis,
AVi'tA all f e tresour of troy, & f e toune leuyt :
Be any wise in f is world, wend horn behode

12680 By fe cost in J>e cuntre fer kyng dwellit.

Jjen f e kyng, thurgh )>e kyth, comand his men
ffaire fyris & furse to ferke vppon hillis,
By a side of f e se, fere f ai saile most,

12684 On fe mowntans mony in fe myrk nyght.
When J)is done was in-dede, as f e duk bad,
Jje grete nauy in f e nyght come onon after ;
Segh f e fires so faire fast at here honde ;

12688 Euyn bounet to fe bonke barges & othir,
fiforto rest in f e rode of fie rugh ythis ;
Letyn sailes doune slide sleghli & faire,
Rut euyn to f e rokkis \vith a rank will,

12692 J)er were spandit & spilt in a spase litill,

Two hundreth hede schippis in a hond qwile ; —

All drownet with dole, dukis & othir,

With all f e gold & f e godes, f at f ai getyn hade.

12696 Jje remnond, fat rode by fe rugh bonkis,

Herd f e rurde & f e ryfte of f e rank schippis,
]5e frusshe & ]>e fare of folke fat were drounet,
And held horn on hofe in the hegh sea :

12700 All the skathes thai skepe of J?o skire hylles.
Among whiche menye, to myn hom by nome,
There was Agamynon the gret, & the goa

Dyamede,
Menelay the mighty, & mony other kynge« ;

12704 Thies passet the perellis of the pale ythes,
Houit on the hegh sea, held hom o ferre.

I his Othe, I er said, the od sun of Naule,
Dissiret the dethe of the derf kynges, —
12708 Agamynon to grefe, & the gay Dyamede, —

And to hyndwr hom in hast, & hit hap might,
And fai past to fere prouyns & no payn f ole.

THE DECEIT AND REVENGE OF (EAX.

415

This Othe, with ournyng, ordant belyue

12712 Letturs, by a lede fat lie leell trist,

To Agamynon gay wif, gert hym to beire,
J)at Clunestra was callid, as the clause tellus.
To hir he certifiet sothely in his sad lettur,

12716 Jjat Agamynon had goten to his gay spouse,

Of Pn'am a pn'se doghter, prayset full mekull :
Hir he broght in his barge to his burgh horn,
J?at faire forto feffe in his fre londes :

12720 And ho mvn douteles be dede, & done fro hir

right.

Jjaii he counseld Clunestra, er fat cas fell
To be war of fat wegh, & wait on hir-seluyn.
The lady leuit the lettur fat the lede sent,

12724 And fonkit hym froly with fonks in hir hert :
She compast by course, in hir clene wit,
How this vilany to venge, & voide of hir hanne.

OFF THE DETHE OF AGAMYNON AND JJE EXILE OF
DYAMEDE BY J)E«E WYUYS, FFOR THIS LETTUR.

When this worthy of wothe wan to his

reame,
12728 Oute of perell and pyne of the pale ythes,

Clunestra, that clere, come hym agayne,

His worshipfull wife, with a wale chere ;

Resayuit hym with Reuerence, as Renke to his

owne,
12732 WitJi a faynond fare vndwr fals thoght.

This Clunestra the clere, as the clause tellus,

ffor lacke of hir lord laiked besyde.

Whille he faryn was to fight in a fer lond,
12736 Sho spilt hade hir spousaile, sparit ho noght :

And lodly in hir law the lady hade synnet.

Engest, with his Japis, hade Justilet hir

And getyn in his gamyn on the gay lady,
L2740 A doghter fat was dere, in hor derne play.

Book XXXII.

He informs
Clyttemnestra,
wife of Agamem
non, that her
husband had wed
a daughter of
Priam;

and was bringing
her home to be
his queen instead
of herself.

He counsels
her to provide
for her own
safety.

Clytfflmnestra
believes the story,
and thanks (Eax.

Clytemnestra,
on Agamemnon's
return, receives
him with great
show of love
and reverence :
(fol. 1946.)

but she had
been false to him
during his
absence.

She loved a man
named .Sgisthus,
by whom she had
a daughter.

416

THE DEATH OF AGAMEMNON.

Book XXXII.

He is of low
degree, yet she
loves him more
than Agamem
non.

She arranges
with him to
murder her
husband while
he sleeps.

Agamemnon is
murdered by
jEgisthus, who

afterwards be
comes king of
Mycenae.

Orestes, the son
of Agamemnon,
is sent by
Talthybius to
Idomeneus, lest
Clytaemnestra
should murder
him.

(fol. 195 a.)

(Eax sends a
letter to .ffigiale,
the wife of
Diomedes,
stating that her
husband had
wed a daughter
of Priam.

Nawther comyn was fat kyde mon of no kyng

riche,

Ne duke fat was doghty, ne no derfe erle ;
Yet ho heght hym to haue, hole at his wille,

12744 All the Eioll rewme with renttes ynow.

This Clunestra vnclene cast with hir loue,
By assent of hom-selfe, sone at J>e night,
The bold kyng in his bed britton to dethe :

12748 All Slepond to Sle with sleght of horn bothe.
And so fell hit by falshode, fer in the night,
When the bold in his bed was broght vpporc

slepe,
J3an entrid this Engist, euyn as hym list,

12752 And, with a thricche in the throte, throtlet the

kyng.

When this Duke was dede, & done unto graue,
Clunestra at kirke couplit onone
This Engest, with Jolite to hir iuste spouse :

12756 Of Mechenas she made hym maistwr & syre.
This Agamynon the gret hade a gay sone,
Consayuit of Clunestra, fat cald was Oresties
He was yong & yepe, of yeris but lyte.

12760 Kyng Taltill hym toke for trist of his lyue,
And send hym full sone to a sure frynd,
Ydiraiws, for doute lest the derfe qwene
Mortheret hym with malice in the meane tyme.

12764 He was keppit full close, & wit7i cleane hert,
And worshippit on all wise as fere wale son,
Ayre to fere herytage aftwr hom-seluyn.

L his Othe, I ere said, od son of !N"aule,
12768 To Egea, afturward egurly send,

The dere wife of Dyamede, dernly a lettur :
Gert the lady beleue on a laithe wise,
He hade pwruait a prowde wife of Pr/aiuesj
doghter.

DIOMEDES AND ^GIALE. 417

12772 This Egea, the gest sais, was a iust lady, Uookxxxn.

To Polence, the prise kyng, vne a pure doghter, (Poiymces, King

(Kyng of Argonen cald in cuntres aboute)

And hade a brother full bold, & barly no moo.
12776 ffaire on Mr fader syde, as fell horn by chaunse,

All the londes full large of the lefe kyng,

Polence of pn'ce, fat was hir pure fadur,

Lefte to bo litle, as his leue heires.
[2780 )?an partid was prestly the pn'se Eewme of Argos was left by

Polynices to
Argon, ^ffigiale and

Betwene Assandrus for-sothe, & his suster Egea. brother.
This Egea ajoinet to hir iust spouse,
Dyomede the dughty, with hir due part.
12784 Assandrus, for-sothe, sais me the lettur, Assandrus and

ITT • 7 T\ Diomedes, when

W ^th Dyomed dernly dressit to wend conducting their

To the terage of Troy with a tore ost ;

And er bai comyn to the company of be clene

grekes,
i2788 There all semblet were sothely at be same tyme,

Jjai past by a perty of be prouyns of Boys,

There Thelafus bat tyme was a tore kyng.

There bai bowet fro be barge to be banke syde, go into the
.2792 To solas horn a season w*t7i sum of hor pepull. Teiephus.

Thelaphus with tene toke hit to hert, Provoked by tins

j)at bai Hght on his lond, & no leue hade : attacks' them.

He fore to fat folke vfith a fell chere,
.2796 W/'t7t a company clene, kyde men of arrays.

There faght bai in fere \fiih a felle wille, A fierce battle

ensues, and

And kild of bere knightes to be cold erthe. many fail on
This Assandrus, I said you, wi't/t a sad weppyn

12800 Mony dong to the dethe of his derf knightes : (foi. MS 6.)

There-at Thelaphus hade tene, & twrnet belyue, Assandrus is

slain by

Caght to a kene spere, cuttyng before, Teiephus.

Caupit euyn with the knight ; kyld hym to
dethe.

12804 jjan Dyomede wM dole drogh hym vp sone,
27

418

DIOMEDES AND ^GIALE.

Book XXXII.

Thus was
Assandrus slain :
Diomedes carries
off the dead body;

but JEpiale is
told that
Diomedes slew
him in order to
possess the whole
kingdom.

Because of this
report, and of the
letter sent by
(Eax, ^giale
assembles her
subjects, and
instructs them to
prevent Diomedes
from landing.

He lands at
Salamis, where
Teucer rules,

who, knowing
that Diomedes
had aided in his
brother Telemon's
death, seeks to
slay him ; but he
makes his escape.

Demophoon and
Acamas are
exiled by their
wives.

Hade hym fro horse fet with helpe of his
knightes ;

And myche water, I-wis, weppit f erfore.

This was clerely the cause of fat knightes dethe,
12808 Yet his suster, fat I said, sothely was told,

J?at Diamede with dethe had done hym away,

ffor to wyn by his wyff all the wale rewme.

The lady for the losse of hir leue brother,
12812 Myche mowmyng ho made in hir mynd fan :

Hir hade leuer haue lost all hir lond hole,

J3an hir brother ho best louet of buernes olyue.

Thus heuet Jjat hynd to hir hede lord,
12816 ffor tithinges hor tolde were of hir tru brother,

And the lettwr with the lesyng, fat the lede
send,

(Naulus the noble, by his naite sun)

Ho assemblit hir suremen in a sad oste,
12820 And warnet horn wightly the mater to kepe,

And Diamede on f e depe dryue from f e lond.

Thus the bold kyng was banisshet fro his
big yle,

All will of his wone his werdis to laite.
12824 And Sythen, vnto Salerne he soght on his way,

There Teucro, the tall kyng, tan was for lorde,

J)at was Brother of birthe to fe bold Thelamon.

To Teucro was told of Thelamons dethe,
12828 That Dyamede, the Duke, had dernly conspiret

With Vlixes the lorde, fat hym of lyue broght,

Gert take hym full tite in his tore angur :

But he stale fro fat stithe stilly by night,
12832 Wan into watur, & away past.

Demaphus the du kyng, & dughty Athamas,

On suche wise, with fere wiues, were wernet
fere londes.

)3an come fai to Cartage, with care at fere
hertes,

DEMOPHOON AND ACAMAS. 419

12836 There the noble Duke Nestor naitly horn toke, Bookxxxn.
And welcomyt tho worthy on a wise faire, (foi. i96a.)

~Wiih all hor company clene, as fere kyd ffrynd. Bloomed by
There pwrpost f o pn'se men, with a prowde oste, Nestor»

12840 Thaire owne londes to lacche, & the ledes qwell:

But the noble Duke Nestor onon to horn who instructs

them how to

Said : recover their

kingdoms.

" Ames you of malice but a mene qwile ;

Sendis fro youre-seluyn to jour syde londis ;
12844 Tretis horn truly all with tried worries ;

Hetis horn hertely to haue all hor hert wille,

Of ffredom, & ffranches ; fret with horn so,

And all jour will shall ye wyn, & no wegh

harme."
12848 So hit happit J>o hynd in a hond qwile,

To com to hor kyngdomes & hor kyth home,

~With fauowr and frendship of freikes w/t/i-in,

And were welcome, I-wis, to wyues & other.

12852 Eneas, fat afterward auntred to leng

In Troy for a tyme, as I told haue, .Eneas, while

preparing to

His gold & his godis to gedur into ship, depart from

Troy, is attacked

And his fraght on the node fully to make, — by banditti.
12856 Ofte faght fat freike & folke of the Cite,

*With Enmys enerdand in ylis aboute.

When the toun was takon & turnjt to ground,

The kyng & his knightes kild to the dethe,
2860 There come out of castels & of cloise townes

ffro the bowerdurs aboute, fat horn bale wroght,

Pilours and plodders, piked fere goodes,

Kyld of f e comyns, & myche care did.
[2864 Eneas fan aft^rvv'arde egurly counseld, He counsels the

Trojans to send

Syn he was banysshed fro the burgh, & bode for uiomedes, to

assist them and
fere no lengMr, to become their

)3at f e pepull by pwrpos prestly shuld send
ffor Dyamed the dughty, with his du helpe,

420

THE TROJANS SEND FOR DIOMEDES.

(fol. 1966.)

Diomedes comes
to Troy.

Book xxxii. 12868 To fight with hor fo-men & forther J>e loncl.
The troiens full tite token his rede,
Sendon for the sure kyng in a sad hast,
Where the fre might be foundyn, & fet hym to
Troy ;

12872 .And he come to )>at cuntre with a cant wille.
All the ledys of the lond lyuely were fayn,
)3at were helples & hard stad, & ]>ere hede lost,
)3at Eneas was also euyn in the toune,

1 2876 ^"oght faryn vrith his flete, ne the flode takyn.
}3an fai busket to batell, J>o bold men in fere,
Armet at all pes, with abell to werre,
J3at were left vppon lyue, logget within.

12880 Seuyn days, sothely, sais me the letter,

J?ai faght in the fnld with ]>ere fuerse enmyes.
Dyamed full dughtile did with his hondes,
And mony britnet on the bent of hor breme fos :

12884 Mony toke he fat tyme and to toune led,

And hongit horn in hast vpon high galowes.
The fyfte day of J>e fight so fuersly he wroght,
J?at no buerne was so bold his birre to with-
stond,

12888 But all fled of the feld, & fongit were many j
And ay hongit Jjo harlottes, as ]>ai hent were,
Bothe on galous full grym, & on gret trees,
J5at none left were on lyue in the lond sone.

1 2892 Owther captains of castels, or kepars of tonnes,
Herd suche hardship happy n to falle
Of freikes vnfayre, that fore to |>e Cit6,
And all the costes full clene keppit horn away,

12896 And neuer did horn no deyre, ne no dole after.

Along with
./Eneas he
musters the
Trojans and
attacks the
banditti.

Many are killed
in battle, and
many are hanged.

After seven days
they are all cut
down or
scattered.

yKneas departs
from Troy with
his father
Anchises, and all
his wealth.

Ene hade all thing ordant at wille,
His Shippes on the shyre water shot full of

goodes,
Eelikes full ryfe, & myche red gold,

DIOMEDES AND JEGIALE RECONCILED.

12900 "With Anchises his choise (fader) chefe into

flete,

And halit furth hastely to f e high see,
As hym demyt was by dome by dukes before.
He not wist, in this world, what wayes to hold,

12904 "Se, what cost, ne cuntre, come vnto laund.

At the last, as our lord wold, he light into

hauyn,

After in Itaile, as aunter be-fell,
Tegh vnto Tuskan, & twrnyt to londe.

12908 Now what worthe of fat whe, & his wale

godis,

ffro he Tuskan had takyn, tellis hit not here.
Of his wondzwfull werkes who wilnes to know,
Go loke at the lede, fat his lyfe wroght.

12912 Virgell, full verely, fos vertus can tell,
In a boke fat buerne of fat bold made,
])at Enyodos, with noble men, is to nome cald.
The Dere wife of Dyamede of his dethe herd,

12916 How he t-wmyt vnto troy, & the tonne keppit
Of his ffrikenes in fight & his fyne strenght :
Ho dout hir full deply, for drede of f e kyng,
Lest he raght to his rewme with a roid fare,

12920 Kyld all hir knightes & comyns by-dene,
And hir-seluyn ouerset, & sesit the londe.
}3an Egea, full iointly, with hir ioly knightes
Toke counsel! in the case, & comynt to-gedur.

12924 The lady by lettur fan louely send

ffor Dyamede f e derfe, fat was hir du lorde :
Jjan he turnjt fro Troy to his triet Eewme.
"With myche worship his wife welcomyt hym
home,

12928 And his Arguens also, all were fai fayn.

Othir kynges of f e kith, fat comyn fro troy,
}5at were put fro fere prouyns, Eepairet agayne,
Recounscld to f eve cuntre, comyns & other,

Book XXXII.

(MS. has
' moder.')

At length he
settles in Italy.

(fol. 197 a.)

For an account of
his voyages,
trials, and
adventures,
consult the
JEneid of Virgil.

jEgiale is told
how Diomedes
has succeeded at
Troy.

She dreads his
vengeance, and
consults with
her knights.

Diomedes is
invited to
return home.

Other kings,
similarly exiled,
are welcomed
home.

422 TJIE EXILED KINGS RETURN.

Book xxxii. 12932 And were welcopi, I-wis, to wyuis & all.
Their cities are Jjan )>ai Byld vp hor Burghes & hor "big tounes,

fortified with the j?at were enfeblet before for faute of jjaire hedes,

With the Tresors of Troy, & the tore Eelikes,
12936 And other Eiches full rife, and restid horn fan.

423

f&ere Respites tfje mttj Bofte : $?ofo ©rcste
tofce tagtanse for fjts fatter fcetfje.

Agamynons hawne scne abill of ^eris,

J?at ydumiws tlie dere kyng only had kcppit

ifor ferd of his fos, fat his fader slogh,

12940 Engestus with lapis shulde luge hym

dethe,

Was waxen full wele & wight of his dedis.
xxu wintur, I-wis, the wegh was of age,
And further by foure, fuerse of his strenght.

12944 Jjan honered hym fat od kyng with ordur

knight ;

Gaf hym of his gold, & his gay stedis,
And hight hym of helpe wit7i a hede pepull.
Orestes fat onerable offcymes prayet

12948 To fnlsyn hym w^t^. folke his fo to dystroy,
His cuntre to kouer, & his kid rewme,
And to deire for the dethe of his dere fader.
The kyng grauntid agayne with a gode wille.

12952 A thowsaund fro knightes, frepond in wer,
He assignet for hym-selfe to his sad helpe :
And so luffet was the lede in the lond fan,
)5at as mony able men after was grauntid.

12956 ]3an Orestes full rad w?'t& his ronke knightes,
Come to the Croeze, the cuntre within
There Forenses the fre kyng fairly can dwell.

(fol.1976.)

Orestes, son of
Agamemnon,
desires king
Idomeneus to
tO assist him to
recover his
kingdom, and to
avenge the
murder of his
father.

Of

The king grants
him a thousand
brave knights :
and his own
influence raises
another thousand.

424

OUESTES AVENGES THE DEATH

Book XXXIII.

Forensis, an
enemy of
.Sgistlms, offers
to assist Orestes,
and to bring
three hundred
knights with
him.

(fol. 198 a.)

In the month of
May,

Orestes, Forensis,
and their forces
move upon
Mycenae, and
besiege it.

Apollo had
promised that
Orestes should
succeed: and
should put his
mother to death.

Orestes, on
learning that
JRg\ sthus Had
gone to procure
aid, lays an

He was neghbur full negh to f e noble yle,
12960 There Agamynon the gode gouernaunce hade ;

And was Enmy full euyn to Engest with-all,

And held wer w?'t/i fat wegh winturs full mony.

This Forenses with fyne will faithfully prayet,
12964 J?at he might ryde with fat Orest & his ranke
oste,

To loyne with Engest for his vniust werkes,

With f re hundrith f rifty, all of f r[i]ed knightes :

And he f riftely, with fro hert, f anket the kyng.
12968 And so busket the bold fro the burgh sone.

Hit was the moneth of May when mirthes
begyn ;

The Sun turnyt into tauro, taried fere vnder ;

Medos & mountains mynget with floures ;
12972 Greues wex grene, & the ground swete;

Nightgalis with notes newit fere songe,

And shene briddes in shawes shriked full lowde.

Orestes full rad, with his ranke knightes,
12976 And Forenses, the fuerse kyng, faryn of toune.

J)ai nieuit vnto messan wit?i fere men hole.

All refusit horn the folke of f e fyne plase.

When he segh fat the Cite sate in defens,
12980 He besegit hit full sadly vppon sere halues,

Jpat no buerne of the burgh durst to bent come :

And so keppit he the close of his clene Cite.

He had answare of Appolyn abill before,
12984 J)at he his fomen shuld fell & his folke wyn,

And his moder for hir malice martwr to dethe,

ffor all the helpe fat ho hade & the hegh walles.

This Engest with lolite & lournay was gone,
12988 To secche hym sum frekes with hor fyn helpus,

Of Bachelors & bowmen the burgh to defend.

Orestes full radly the Eenke hade aspiet,

What way fat he went, as weghes hym told.
12992 He purpast hym praiely in pathes to lye.

OF HIS FATHER, AGAMEMNON.

425

Knightes, at his comyng to kacche hym olyue,
)5at mckill were of might, & of his men qwelle.
The Cite he assailet with a sewte ofte,
12996 Jpat the folke to defend failet o sythes.

Thai werit of fere werke f e wallis to kepe,
And no "buerne of f e burgh fere aboue stode.
The XVtene day fuersly he felle to f e toune,
13000 He toke hit full tite, & tomly he entrid,

With all his company clene of kyd men of

armys.

He comaundit his knightes for keping the yatis,
ffor Eepaire at the port, or presyng the yatis.
13004 He past to the palas of his prise ffader,

There caght he Clunestra, fat closit was in.
He put hir in pn'son, prestly to kepe,
And all the Eebellis full rad rappit to dethe,
13008 jpat were assent to the slaght of his sure fader.
The same day, sothely, the Cit6 was takyn,
Engeste with loly men aioynet agayne
The Cite for to socowr with his sad help.
L3012 Noght warre of the weghes, fat waited his

harme,
Past furth thurgh the pase with his proude

knightes :

A busshement of bold men breke hym vpon ;
Kyld all his kant men, kaghtyn hym seluyn ;
13016 His hond bounden at his backe, hym to burgh

led.

The secund day suyng, sone in the morne,
Orestes his renkes radly comaundet,
Bare to the barre bryng hym his moder,
L3020 Hir hondes bounden at hir backe bigly with

ropes.

Than he went to fat worthy in his wode yre,
And the pappis of the pure puld fro hir brest
With a knyfe fat was kene, cast horn away ;

Book XXXIII.

ambush to
capture him as
he returns.

After fifteen days'
siege the city is
taken.

(fol. 1986.)
Clytsemnestra is
imprisoned : and
the rebels are
put to death.

On the day the
city was taken,
^Jgisthus
attempts to
succour it.

He is captured
by the ambush
of Orestes, and
hia knights are
killed.

Clytremnestra is
brought to
Orestes naked
with her hands
bound behind
her back.

He cuts off her
breasts, and
kills her with a
sword :

426

DEATH OF CLYMMNESTRA AND ^IGISTHUS.

Book XXXIII.

then commands
her body to be
cast oat as
carrion.

jEgisthus is
stripped naked,
drawn through
the city, and
then hanged
along with the
other traitors.

Thus did Orestes
avenge the death
of his father,—
the good and
great Agamem-

(fol. 199 a.1

Menclnus, after
many perils by
sea, arrives at
Crete with
Helen.

He is told of his
brother's death,
and of the
murder of
Clytsemnestra.

The nobles of
Crete crowd to
the city to see
Helen.

13024 And with the swing of a swcrd swappit hir to

dethe.

He comaund the corse cacche vp onone,
And hurle with a horse to the hegh feldys,
And cast hit as karyn vnto kene foles.

13028 There the lady on the lond lay for to rest,

Till the flesshe of fat faire was fret of the bones,
To draghen be with dogges & othir derfe briddes.
Engest he adiuget, for vniust werkes,

13032 Nakid thro the noble tonne onone to be drawen,
j)an in hast for to heng vppon hegh galowes,
"With all the traitowrs vntru, fat he toke fere.
Thus he vengit the velany, & the vile grym

13036 Of the dethe, fat hym deiret, of his dere fader.
Thus the lady was lost for hir lechir dedis,
J?at vnhappely for horedam hastyd to sle
Agamynon the goode, the grettist of kynges,

13040 And most worthy to wale while the world last,
ffor ho keppit not hir klennes with a cloise hert,
Thus fell hir by fortune to haue a foule end.

HOW MENELAT WAS WBOTHE FFOR THE DETHE OP

CLUNESTRA.

When Menelay the mighty & his men all

13044 "Were comyn out of care of the cold ythes,

With houerable Elan, fat was his aune wife,

To the cuntre of Crete fere the kyng dwellit,

Hit was told hym full tyte of his tru brother,

13048 Jjat done was to dethe with a derf traitor;

And how Orestes full rad, with a roid fare,

Hade marterid his moder for malice f erof.

All the comyns of Crete & the kyd lordes,

13052 On the lady to loke longit full sore,

ffor whom the grekes so grymly were to ground

broght.
So Eger were all men Elan to se,

THE TRIAL OP ORESTES THE MATRICIDE.

427

ffor to waite on fat worthy went f ai belyue.

13056 Then the Seniowr full sone, with seasonable

windes,

Cairet fro Crete with his clene nauy,
Meuit vnto Mecayne with his men all,
And faire Elan his fere ferkit hym with.

13060 To Orestes his aune cosyn angardly sade,

Noght to rest in his Rewme, ne by right haue
. The heritage of auncetry after his fader,
ffor the murthe of his moder, he martired so foule.

13064 J)an the grettist of grese were gedirt f erfore,
Bothe of kynges full clene, & of kid dukes,
To Attens, fat abill toune, angardly mony,
ffor to meue of fat mater, & make fere an end.

13068 Then praises full prest, and the pure kinges,

Saydon Orestes be right shuld render his londes,
And be exiled for euermore, as orible of dede,
)3at so doggetly had done to his dere moder.

13072 Jjan alleggit the lede to the leue praises,
All the dere fat he did vnduly to hir,
Was barly by biddyng of his bright goddes,
Jjat enformet hym before of the fete euyn.
3076 The Duke of Attens full derffe dressit to say,
ffor the right of Orestes radly he proffert
To proue with his person & his pure strenght,
To the boldest in batell vritk his bare hond,
3080 J)at he had right to his rewme, & no renke ellis ;
And all the dedis he dyd were done vppon

reason,

Evyn wroght by the wille of hor wale goddes :
There was no buerne with fat bold the batell

to take,

The right to derayne with the ranke duke.
By counsell of kynges & comyn assent,
Thai qwite claymit the qwerell, & qwit hym
fere all,

Book XXXIII.

From Crete
Menelaus sails
to Mycense to
Orestes, whose
cruel deeds, he
said, should
exclude him
from holding
his kingdom.

The kings and
nobles of Greece
assemble at
Athens, and
decide that
Orestes should be
deposed and
exiled.

(fol. 1996.)

Orestes declares
he acted as his
gods had
commanded.

The Duke of
Athens offers
to be champion
in the cause
of Orestes.

No one dares
to accept the
wager, and
Orestes is
acquitted, and
acknowledged as
king.

428

ORESTES AND MENELAUS RECONCILED.

Book XXXIII.

Hatred arises
between Orestes
and Menelaus ;
but they are
reconciled by
Idomeneus and
Forensis ;

and Orestes
marries
Herraione,
daughter of
Menelaus.

And as right to his rewme restorit hym agayn.
13088 Jpan fai coroned hym kyng of J?at kyd yle,

In the Cite of Syre set hym olofte.

All the ledis of his lond lelly were fayn ;

And he wrothe as the wynde to his wale erne.
13092 Idunms the derfe kyng, & his dere cosyn

fforenses, the fre fat hym faith aght,

To Macanas fo men meuit all somyn,

And accordit fo kynges in the kith euyn, —
13096 Menelay the mighty & his mayn nephew,

Orestes the renke, of hor ranke yre.

This accord was knit & in course made,

Jjat Orestes the rich kyng radly shuld wed
13100 Ermonia, the maydon, his owne my Id cosyn,

His Ernes doghter full dere duly to wyf.

Made was this mariage )>o mighty betwene,

With Solenite & Sacrifice the Cite wit/i-in,
13104 ~Wiih ffastyng and fare of the fre pepull,

And lyuet furth in Lykyng a long tyme after.

429

xxxtttj 2$ofce : $ofo jit fjapptt Ulixes (fol 200n)
aftur tlje

Vlyxes the Lord, that lurkyd by nyght uiysses, having

lost all his fleet,

nro the Cite to the see, as I said Ere, arrives at Crete

13108 When Thelamore, with tene was trayturly slayn, tfi\ps.WO

All bare in his bed & blody beronen,

With tAvo schippis full schene, fat J?e schalk
hiret,

He come vnto Crete as J?e course fell.
13112 All his nauy full nobill naytly were lost,

And refte fro the rynke, as I rede schall.

Telamon tor son toke hym with hond,

He refte hym his riches & his renke schippis, He had lost a11

his wealth, and

13116 And wold haue honget j?e here vppon hegh galos ; barely escaped

But hit auntrid Vlixes vne for to skape,

Thurgh wiles & wit wan of his hondis,

And past of his pouer to pouert ynugh.
13120 Of all his wallond wele wait he no gode,

And J?of he passit with pyne J>e pouer of hym,

3et happit hym full hard in a hond qwile.

The noble kyng !N"aule naytly hym toke,
13124 And pwrpost wit7i pyne to put hym (o) lyue, (Ms.has"o»zjw!")

ffor the tale of the treson, I told jow before,

Of the pn'se kyng Palomydon, his aune pure son ;

But thurgh wilys & wit he wan of his daunger. escapes from

King Nauplius.

13128 Ynpairit of his pemm pmiely he stale. (foi. 2oot>.)

430

THE MISFORTUNES OP ULYSSES.

Book XXXIV.

Idomeneus
welcomes him ;
and inquires
regarding his
present state
and past
adventures.
(MS.has">a«")

Ulysses relates
how he departed
from Troy with
a large and
rich fleet.

That he sailed
to Maronea in
Thrace ;

thence to the
country of the
Lotophagi, on
the coast of
Lybia,

Having left
this district, the
fleet is caught by
a storm.

By what lapis or gen, aiuges not here,

Jjat he skope fro the skath of thies skathell men

But full pore of his pride, & in plite febull,

13132 To Iduim^, the du kyng, doutles he come,
)3at had meruell full mekill of his myshap,
And welcomyt fat worthy on a wise faire.
He spird hym full specially of his spede feble,

13136 ffor to tell hym the truth how hym tid hade.
()3an) he grauntid the gret with a good wille,
His dissyre for to do, & dressit to say : —
" Soth hit is, sir kyng, & so ye well know,

13140 After the takyng of Troy me tid for to haue
Mony schippis full shene, shot full of godes,
With Relikes full rife, and red gold ynogh :
Mony seruandes me suet, & sad pepull als ;

13144 Knightes in my company, & kide men of were.
So went I to watur, hade winde at my lust,
Past to a port pleasond and faire,
Jjat, "with men of fat marche, Murna was cald :

13148 jjere launchit I to laund, a litle for ese,
Restid me rifely, ricchit my seluyn.
Non hedit me Vfith hething, ne no harnie did,
Nbwther barge, ne bote, ne buerne vppon lyue.

13152 Jpan toke I my tide, tumjt to ship,

Hade winde at my wille & the wedur calme,

To Colofages I flet, & my feres all,

And fere restid in the rode, as I red toke.

13156 Whan I hade lengit qwile me list, I launchit or

swith,

And all the calme ouercast into kene stormes.
ffull wodely the windes wackont aboue ;
A myst & a merknes mynget w/t/i rayn,

13160 Jjat wilt vs in were & our way lost.

Knew we no costis for cauping of ythes,
Ne no lond on to light, fat vs lefe was.
O sithes, vnto Cisile I sailet at the last,

THE MISFORTUNES OF ULYSSES.

431

13164 There me happit full hard in a hond qwile.
The same tyme in Cicill, somyn f <?re were
Two kyngas fere wone, fat the kyth aght :
Eothe were f ai brother, & bold men of hond,

13168 And fell men in fight, fere found I my part.
Stigeta, a stuerne man & stalworth, was one,
And Ciclophe the secund : so were f ai cald.
j)ai fell to me fuersly, & my folke slogh ;

13172 Eobbet my riches, & reft me my godes;
Spoilet me dispitiously, sparit me noght.
Two sons, for-sothe, of the same kynges, —
ffuers men in fight, & fell of hor dinttes, —

: 131 76 Kyld of my knightes, kid men a hundrith,
And sesit my self, & my sure felow,
Alphenor, a freike, fat me faith aght.
In a castell full cloise keppit vs bothe,

[13180 And put vs in prison prestly to-gedur.
Poliphemas, the pert, had a pn'se suster,
ffairest of fetur, fresshe to be-hold,
Clere as the cristall, & a cleane maidon :

1.3184 Whan Alphenor the freike faithfully can se,
He was lappit vriiJi loue & lusty dissire,
Negh wode of his wit went in f e plase.
Sex mones, fat mighty made me to leng

1 3188 As pn'soner, wz'tA pyne, in his prowd castell.
Jjan pite of my person pn"kket his hert,
He deliuert me lowse, & my lefe felow,
Alphenor the freike, fat fallyn was in loue.
J192 This Poliphemas me plesit, & putto me fan
Giftis of gold, & greatly honowryt.
Alphenor, in faithe, foundit full ofto
The woman to wyn, & away lede.
5196 So he spake of his spede fat speciall vnto,
J?at onone in the night, fat noble he stale
ffro the souerain hir Syre, & soght with hir
forth.

Book XXXIV.

(fol. 201 a.)
He reaches the
coast of Sicily,
where his fleet is
plundered by
two kings,

whose two sons
kill one hundred
of his knights,

and imprison
Alphenor and
himself.

Alphenor falls in
love with the
sister of
Polyphemus.

After six months
the prisoners
are released :
and prepare to
depart.

Alphenor elopes
by night with
the sister of
Polyphemus.

434

THE MISFORTUyES OF ULYSSES.

Book XXXIV.

He sets sail

(•:. ! ; .V-^T ti
the island of
the Sirens,

who are half
fish, half won

• t:.e hUh s, r.g
of bliss oat of

If the passing
sailor listens to
it, he is lulled
•deep; and the
Sirens sink his
•hip beneath
the waves.

Uljaatsand

his companions
are beset by
the Sirens; bat
they resist

And we went of this world, what worthe of our

saules.

To all thing he answarit abilly me thoght,
Bot of our sawles, for-sothe, said he me noght.

13268 Than went I to watur, & a winde rose,

Shot forth my shippes on the shyre ythes.

To a perellus plase past I fro thens,

And sailet Jmrgh a sea J»ere Syrens were in :

13272 flro the navell netherward noght bot a fisshe,
And made as a maidon fro J>e myddes vp,
Bothe of face & of fetors as a fre woman.
The songe of J>o Syrens was selly to here !

13276 Witt a ledyn fnU losty & likyng witft-all,

The myrthe of )>aire mowthes mosyk was like,
As to here ont of henyn the high song of blisse.
There folis J»t faryn by fer costes,

13280 £at heron the melody, so mekill are masit

hert,

Lettyn sailis doun slyde, & in slym fallyn :
Nowthir stightill Jwti stere, ne no stithe ropes.
So synkes in hor sawle the song of J>o bestis,

13284 Thai have no dainty of drynk, ne of den

meites,

Bot derkon enon down on a depe slomur.
When the Sirens this sene, sone oponone
J>ai wyn to the wale ship, & walton all vnder 3

13288 And the folke in the flete felly J>ai drownen :-
Jjai dump in the depe, and to dethe passe.
My-self in thies Sirens sothely was stad,
WtUi my felowes in fere, & my few shippes ;

13292 And wiih crafte of my conyng I keppit v

wele,

J)at no wegh, }>at I wist, hade wille for to sle
We faght wit^ horn felly, and flait horn so,
Jjat a thawsaund witft threpe we throng vni
dethe ;

THE MISFORTUNES OF ULTSSES.

435

13296

13300

13304

13308

5312

3316

320

And noght hedit horn wttA heryng for hanne of

CM re-self e.

Sro thies perels I past, &• no payne tholit !
But me happit full hard in a honde whyle !
null swift to the swalgh me swinget the node,
But fyftene forlong failit I jerof,
flfele of my fraght were before past,
Draghen into the depe, drownet belyue,
The more halfe of my men & my mayn shippis,
There tynt I full tite & turnyt away.
Jjan I soght hy the sea : to Senyse I come,
There a ferlyful folke I fond, & a cursid !
Thai mvrtherit my men wit/i hor mayn dynttes.
The most parte of my pepull put to J?e dethe.
)3ai left me but lite fat on lyue were.
Jjai toke vs full tite, teghit oure hondes,
And put vs in prison, pyne for to fole.
All the godes fai grippit of the gret vessell,
And robbed vs full radly, right as horn liked.
At the last fai me lausit, by leue of our goddes,
AV/'tA a few of my felowes, J>at me fore -with.
Xo gode )>ai me gaf but graunt of my lyff,
And lete me go with my gyng on j>e gray water !
Thus in pouert & payn I past on the sea,
TT/tA myche baret all aboute the bourders of

Inde.

At the last, in this lond b'ght am I here,
Xaked, & nedefull, as J>ou now sees.
Xow I told haue the torfer, fat me tide hose,
Syn I t«>-nyt fro troy, of tempast & other."

Bookxxxrv.

Having pimad
the perils of
Sirens about
fifteen furlongs,
half his men
and ships are lost.

He next sails to
Trinaoria, where
the natives
rob him and
mnrder most
of his men :
then cast him
and the other
survivors into
prison.

At last they are
liberated, and
sent away.
After many
wanderings he
conies to
Idomeneus,
naked and
needful.

^ IdimiMs the du kyng, J>at his dole herde, laamvam,

Hade pite of his pouert & plesit hym mykelL "(foi.so «.)
Moche gode he hym gaf of his gold red,

And refresshit his fflete wt'tA a fyn wille. «irf on his

departure pives

> \NTien the kyng oute of Crete cast hym to fare, him two ship*

434

THE MISFORTUNES OF ULYSSES.

Book XXXIV.

He seta sail
and passea to
the island of
the Sirens,

who are half
fish, half woman.

Their music is
enchanting as
' the high song
of bliss out of
heaven."

If the passing
sailor listens to
it, he is lulled
asleep ; and the
Sirens sink his
ship beneath
the waves.

(fol.2036.) 13284

Ulysses and
hia companions
are beset by
the Sirens ; but
they resist
and overcome
them.

And we went of this world, what worthe of our

saules.

To all thing he answarit abilly me thoght,
But of our sawles, for-sothe, said he me noght.

13268 Than went I to watwr, & a winde rose,

Shot furth my shippes on the shyre ythes.

To a perellus plase past I fro thens,

And sailet Jmrgh a sea J>ere Syrens were in :

13272 ffro the navell netherward noght but a fisshe,
And made as a maidon fro J?e myddes vp,
Bothe of face & of feturs as a fre woman.
The songe of jjo Syrens was selly to here !

13276 With a ledyn full lusty & likyng wft/t-all,

The myrthe of Jjaire mowthes musyk was like,
As to here out of heuyn the high song of blisse.
There folis fat faryn by fer costes,

13280 £at heron the melody, so mekill are masit in

hert,

Lettyn sailis doun slyde, & in slym fallyn :
Nbwthir stightill J>ai stere, ne no stithe ropes.
So synkes in hor sawle the song of fo bestis,
Thai have no dainty of drynk, ne of dere

meites,

But derkon euon down on a depe slomur.
When the Sirens this sene, sone oponone
J)ai wyn to the wale ship, & walton all vnder ;

13288 And the folke in the flete felly )>ai drownen : — •
Jjai dump in the depe, and to dethe passe.
My-self in thies Sirens sothely was stad,
"With my felowes in fere, & my few shippes ;

13292 And with crafte of my conyng I keppit vs

wele,

J)at no wegh, J>at I wist, hade wille for to slepe.
We faght with horn felly, and flait horn so,
J?at a thawsaund with threpe we throng vnto
dethe ;

THE MISFORTUNES OF ULYSSES. 435

.3296 And noght hedit horn with heryng for harme of Bookxxxiv.

owre-selfe.

ffro thies perels I past, & no payne tholit ! Having passed

But me happit full hard in a honde whyle ! sirens about

ffull swift to the swalgh me swinget the flode, hair his "Hen""8'

3300 But fyftene forlong failit I berof, and 8hips are lost'
ffele of my fraght were before past,
Draghen into the depe, drownet belyue.
The more halfe of my men & my mayn shippis,

3304 There tynt I full tite & ttirnjt away. He next sails to

, T -, , •• , i T Trinacria, where

pan 1 soght by the sea : to oenyse 1 come, the natiVes

There a ferlyful folke I fond, & a cursid ! muni™ most

Thai mvrtherit my men with hor mayn dynttes. ^hlsmei'-

then cast him

•3308 The most parte of my pepull put to be dethe. andthe other

survivors into

pai left me but lite fat on lyue were. prison.

pai toke vs full tite, teghit oure hondes,

And put vs in pn'son, pyne for to pole.
331 2 All the godes fai grippit of the gret vessell,

And robbed vs full radly, right as horn liked.

At the last fai me lausit, by leue of our goddes, At last they are

With a few of my felowes, fat me fore with. sent away.

5316 No gode fai me gaf but graunt of my lyff, wanderings he

And lete me go with my gyng on be gray water !

Thus in pouert & payn I past on the sea,

With myche baret all aboute the bourders of

lude.

•320 At the last, in this lond light am I here,
Naked, & nedefull, as bou now sees.
Now I told haue the torfer, Jjat me tide base,
Syu I twnyt fro troy, of tempast & other."

the du kyng, bat his dole herde, idomenens,

rr i •>.' c\.- 4. o. T -4. i. in pitying Ulysses,

Hade pite of his pouert & plesit hym mykell. (foi. 20 a.)

Moche gode he hym gaf of his gold red,

And refresshit his fflete with a fyn wille. and on his

»no -n departure gives

5 When the kyng oute of Crete cast hym to fare, him two ships

436

Book XXXIV.

well found, and
sufficient money
for the voyage.

Departing from
Crete he visits
king Alcinous,
who receives him
joyfully.

He is told how
faithful Penelope
had been.

His son
Telemachns
visits him, and
confirms the
tidings : he
informs him
regarding the
state of his
realm.

(MS. has "tyro.")

At the request
of Ulysses, the
king assists him
to drive out his
enemies.

TELEMACHUS VISITS ULYSSES.

Two shippes full shene shot full of godys,
And of syluer a sowme, sothely witA-all,
The kyng of the cost kyndly hym gaffe,

13332 Jjat might Suffise the syre forto saile home.
Jjan he prayet hym full prestly, fat he p

wold

To Antenor on all wise, fat ay had dessyred,
Jjat was a kyng in his coste, & couet
mekyll,

13336 Ylixes, of long tyme, on lyue forto se.

Jjan laght he his leue, & the lord Ranked,

Past vnto port, puld vp his sayles,

To Anthenor the tore kyng twrnyt belyue.

13340 And he, war of fat worthy, welcomet hym fi
Mykell cherissht the choise kyng with a c!

noble,

And welcomd fat worthy, as he wele couthe. I
There were tythynges hym told of his trie
realme,

13344 And of Penolope, his owne pure wyf,

Jjat had keppit hir full cloise as a cleane lady,
"With myche worship & wyn, fat hym weL

lyked.
Thelamoc, his tru sun, tythingas had herd,

13348 Jjat his fader in fere was ferkit to lond

With Antenor the tru : he trussit hym thedur,
And all tythinges hym told of his tried mod
How Enmyes were egurly entrid his rewme,

1 3352 ffor to hold hit -with hond, & -with hole strengh
Jjan Vlixes full lyuely the lege (kyng) prayet,
To kaire in his company wit/z, knightes a few,
His fomen to fell vritJi his fyne helpe :

13356 And he assenttid full sone, sowmet his pepull,
Past into port, puld vp fere sailes ;
Hade wind at fere wille, & the w&tur calme,
Sailet to the Oite somyn in the night.

ULYSSES WELCOMED HOME.

437

3360 Euery lede to the lond laglityn fere gayre.
Jjan hurlet into howses all tlie lied knightes,
By the ledyng of a lede, fat the land knew,
When the fomen were fast fallyn vppon slepe.

15364 There brittnet f ai the huernes in hor bed naked,
And none left vpon lyue, fat horn lothe were.
Whan the day vp drogh, & the derke voidet,
Jpan the past to the palas of the pn'se kyng.

1 53 6 8 Bothe the souerayn hym-selfe & his syb frynd,
And were welcom, I-wis, on a wise faire !
A ! what wise was Penolope proude at hir hert,
And gladly ho grippet to hir gode lord,

1 372 Jjat ho had depely dessyret on dayes before
In sound for to se, mony sad winttur !
The pepull of the pn'se toun presit full thicke,
ffor to loke on hor lord longit full sore.

1376 Gret gyfte.s f ai hym gaffe of gold & of Syluer,
And moche worsshippet the wegh all his wale

pepull.

He was enhaunsyt full high in his hed toune,
And so treated vfiih Antenor, fat Thelamoc

his son,

Nauca, the noble doghter naitly can wed
Of Tyde Antenor, as the tale saise.
There fourmyt f ai a fest on a faire wise,
ffele dayes to endure, as horn dere thoght.
584 Antenor full tyte fan twmyt to his rewme,
And Vlixes with lykyng leuyt at home.
Mony dayes he endurit, all in due pes,
And had rest in his rewme right to his dethe.

Book XXXIV.
(fol. 201 &.)

They reach the
palace.

The joy and
welcome of
Penelope.

The people flock
to the palace to
welcome their
lord, with gifts of
gold and silver.

Nausicaa,
daughter of
Alcinous, to wed
his own son
Telemachus.

The joy and
feasting that
followed. •

Alcinous returns
home.

Ulysses spends the
rest of his days
In peace.

438

xxxb iSofte :

(Col. 205 a.}
Pyrrhus, son of
Achilles by
Diadamia,
daughter of
Lycomedes, son
of A cast us.

Acastiis hates
Pyrrhus,
but for what
reason, the story
tells not.

Having driven
Peleus from
Thessaly, he lays
wait for Pyrrhus
on his return
from Troy.

X ^grrus atrtr of fits
ffrom Erog,

13388 NOW, of Pirras by proses I purpos to telle,
When he timiyt fro Troy how hym tyd after.
To Achilles the choise he was a chere sun,
And Dyamada doutles his own du moder.

13392 She was a doghter full dere of the derf kynj
Lycomede, a lord fat he louyt wele.
Two worthy had the wegh to his wale grau
Bothe,kynges in hor kythe with coroneanoyn

13396 This Lycomede hy lyne was a leue ayre

To Ascatus the skir, fat skathill was in elde
He was of winturs, I-wis, waxen full mony,
Ournond in Elde, eger of wille.

13400 He hade hate in his hert to fe hed kyn
Of Pirrus progeny, and prestly to hym.
What causet the kyng to his cleane yre,
Tellis not the trety, ne trespas of olde.

13404 This Ascatus "with ska the skerrit of his re
Pelleus, with pouer, fat the prouyns held
Of Thessaile truly, as the trete sais ;
And a-waited with wyles f e wegh at his co

13408 Pirrus with pouer to put vnto dethe.

^fter the takyng of Troy and the tried gode
Pirrus passed furth to f e pale ythes.

THE MISFORTUNES OP PYRRHUS. 439

He was stithly be-stad with stormes on J>e sea, Book xxxv.

13412 And for wothe of the worse warpet oue>--burde Pyrrhus, driven

Mikill riches & relikas reft fro the toune. casts overboard

With long labur, at the last he light in a hauyn, ^"om Soy,

Jpat Melaus the men of the marche callyn, ™£Sht£ffleulty

13416 With his shippes alto-shent, sheuerit the harb°urof

Molosse.

helmys,

And the takill to-torne, tynt of hor godes.
There lengit he a litill his ledis to refresshe,
His cogges & his cables of crakkyng to ricche, while refitting

13420 And his tacle to a-tyre, pat he tynt had. informed LOW

There hym happit to here of his hanne first, his grandfather
How his graunser with greme was gird fro his e ^ 205 6 ^

right,
Pelleus, with pite fat persit his hert ;

13424 And how he pwrpost hym plainly Pirrus to sle and had spies

lying in wait to

By his special! espies, if he spede might. slay wm

Pirrus heivet in hert for his hegh chaunse,

And myche dut hym for deth of his derf He determines to

depart secretly.

graunser.
13428 Pirrus hym pwrpost to pas in the night,

Jjat no wegh shuld be war, ne his werk know.

When Pelleus of his prouyns put was by Peieus conceals

, i, himself in a

Strenght, wilderness.

And skapit fro Askathes, fat hym skathe did,

13432 ffor-ferd of the freike and his felle sones,

He went till a wildernes, & wond fyere full longe.
This Askathes, the skathill, had sket sones thre : Acastus
The first was Lycomede the lord, and his leue
ayre,

13436 Jjat was graunser in degre to the gode Pirrus.
And suster, for-sothe, of ]?e same Lycomede,
Hight Tetide, as I told haue tomly before, Thetis, sister of

Lycomedes,

}3at Pelleus in his pride purchest to wyue, wife of Peienu,

.,, and mother of

13440 And was moder to the mon, mighty Achilles. Achiiiea.
There were sones vpposyde, semly men two,

440

PELBUS, EXILED BY ACASTUS,

Book XXXV.

Philomenes and
Melanippus, sons
of Acastus,
purpose to slay
Pyrrhus on hia
return from Troy.

(MS. has
"buerne")

(fol. 2060.) 13460

Peleus conceals
himself in an old
ruin and
anxiously waits
for the coming of
Pyrrhus.

Pyrrhus
returning from
Troy determines

To Askatlies full skete, skethill of hor hond :
The ton freike of the fre, Philmen was cald ;

1 3444 The tothir mon of J?o mighty, Menalipes heght.
Thies keppit horn in company wiih knightes

full mony,

Till faire cosyn wold come fro contre of troy ',
And put horn fan prestly Pirrus to sle.

13448 ffro the cite, the same tyme, sothely to tell,
Of the tonne of thessaill, as the tale shewes,
Was a buyldyng on a banke, busshes wit^-in,
By a syde of the sea, set in a holt.

13452 Betwene the biggyng on J?e (burne) & fe burgh

riche,

Was a wildernes wide, & wild bestes in,
Thedur kynges wold come, by custom of olde,
ffor to hunt at the hert by the holt sydes :

13456 Hit was of long tyme beleft, & no lede there,
Ouergrowen with greues, & to ground fallyn.
There was Kaues, by course, of j?e kid walles,
And mony holes in the howses ~with hurdes

aboue,

Ouergrowen wt't/i greues and Mfith gray thornes,
Euyn thestur and thicke, thricchet of wode,
Wiih an entre full n[o]yous, narow olofte,
Goand downe by a grese thurgh the gray
thornes.

13464 In Jjis logge, w-iih his lady, lurkit Pelleus,
Euer in doute of his dethe durst not appere.
Oft went fat wegh to the water syde,
The Sea for to serche, if he se might

13468 Pirrus wt'tA his pepull & his prise shippes,
Come by the coste to the kyd rewme.
When Pirrus vrith his pray, & his prise

knightes,
Hade mightely at Melapsa mendit his geire,

13472 He turnyt vnto Thessaile, his tene for to venge,

IS DISCOVERED BY PYRRHUS.

441

Of the skaith & the skorne Ascatits hym did.

His beayell aboue on f e burne syde,

On his modur halfe, f e myld, fat I mynt first,

13476 "Wisly to wirke he his wit preuyt.

Two spies full spedely he sped hym to gete,

Triet men & tru, tristy with-all :

Thos he sent to Assandra, a sure mon of olde,

13480 A trew mon of Thessaile, fat he trist mekyll,
A ifreike fat his fader faithfully louet,
And mekyll was of might in the mayn towne.
There f ai wist all the werke & the wild craft,

13484 How the pwrpos was put Pirrus to sle.
J?an f ai lurked to f e lord lyuely agayne,
Made hym wise of the werke, fat f ai wiste hade.
}?an Pirrus full prestly presit into shippe,

13488 To twrne vnto Thessaile, truly he thoght ;
But a tempest hym toke o the torrit ythes,
Jjat myche laburt the lede er he lond caght.
Jpan hym happit in haste, thurgh helpe of his
goddes,

13492 To hit into havyn with his hoole flete,

ffro the towne of Thessaile, to telle hit full evyn,

Eght furlong, I fynd, & fully no more.

The hauyn, fat he hit to, was hard by the cave,

13496 There Pelleus in pouert pn'uely lay.

Pirrus, wery of the water & the wild ythes,
Launchet vp to f e laund to laike hym a qwile.
Eomyng on the Eoces in the rough bankes,

13500 fforto sport hym a space, er he sped ferre,

Hit happit hym in hast the hoole for to fynd,
Of the cave & the clocher, fere the kyng lay.
}jan he glode f urgh the greues & the gray f ornes,

13504 To the hed of the hole on the hext gre,
Sore longet the lede lagher to wende,
Sum selkowth to se the sercle wit7i-in.
When he come to the cave fen the kyng rose,

Book XXXV.

to punish
Acastus ; and by
means of spies he
discovers the
plots of his
enemies.

(MS. has" of a
might.")

He makes for
Thessaly, and
lands near the
ruin in which
Peleus then lay.

(fol. 206 6.)

Roaming about
the shore he
discovers the
entrance to the
cave.

Curiosity leads
him within ; and
he comes upon
Peleus, who
recognizes him

442 PYBRHUS AND THE SONS OF ACASTUS.

Book xxxv. 13508 Wele his cosyn he knew, & kaght hym in arniys.
by his likeness to By the chere of Achilles he chese hym onone :

So lyke was the lede to his lefe fader.

ffuersly the freike fongit him in hond.
(MS. has 13512 (With) myche wepyng & waile, wo for to here,

"whiche.") v ' J

}3an he told hym full tite f e tene fat he f olet,
And the skathe of Aschates, fat he skapt fro.
Pyrrhus is moved Pirrus heivet in hert for his hede graunser,

by the story of

the wrongs done 13516 And so fai past fro the pitte to fe pure bonke.

to him.

JL irrus full priuely persayuit onon,
By a spie, fat especially sped for to wete,
Having learned Jjat hys Ernes full cgurly etlit to wode,

that the sons of

Aeastuswere 13520 fforto hunt in the holtes, & hent of fe dere : —

preparing to hunt «r ' i v j*. e i. • i 1/1

in the forest, Menalphes the mon, & his mayn brother,

Policenes, full prest, prati men bothe, —
To Askathes the skathell fai were sket sons.
13524 J)an Pirrus full prestly put of his clothes ;
Toke a Roket full rent, & Ragget aboue,
Cast ouer his corse, couert hym f erwith ;
Gird hym full graidly -with a grym swerd :
13528 WM-outen whe to fe wod went all hym one.
As he glode thurgh the gille by a gate syde,

He comes upon There met he tho men, fat I mynt first,

them in the

(foi. 207 a.) The sones of the same, fat hym sle wold,

to their inquiries, 13532 Thai fraynet at hym freckly who the freike

replies that he is

a Greek returning Was .

from Troy : WheduT he welke in the wode, wete horn to saj

Pirrus said horn full sone hym-selfe was of :
With his company carefull comyn out of troy,
13536 Wold kaire to his cuntre & his kythe horn ;
that he had been And fere ship was to-shent in the shyre wawe

and* waTtne ' ffast by at the banke of the bare lie,

Ms^company And all drownet in the depe, saue duly hym-

that reached gelf

land:

13540 ffyue hundreth in flete wt't/i the node lost.

PTEEHUS AND THE SONS OP ACASTUS. 443

" Thus I skope fro the skathe with skyrme of Book xxxv.
my hondes,

And -with wawes of the water wagget to bonke :

Halfe lyues on londe light I myn one.
13544 The salt water sadly sanke in my wombe,

bat I voidet with vomettes by vertu of goddes,

And wayue?*and, weike, wan to the lond,

Thurgh the slicche and the slyme in fis slogh

feble,
13548 There tynt haue I truly myche tried goode. that he had lost

everything, and

And now me bus, as a beggar, my bred for to must now beg

. , . his way home.

thigge

At doris vpon dayes, fat dayres me full sore :
Till I come to my kyth, can I non othir.
13552 Iff ye haue ferkit any fode to fis frith now, He beseeches

_ „ . ., , them for food :

Bes gracius, ior goddes loue, ges me som they bid him

, , „ follow them.

part !

" ffolow vs fan furth," f o fre to hym saide,
" Thou shalt haue meite for a mele to mirth the

13556 ban se fai besyde, in the same tyme,

A grete herte in a grove, goond hym one. A hart appears

Menalpes full mightely meuit hym after, Meianippus

Left Pirrus in playne with his pn'se brother. Laving8 MS

13560 There the freike on his fowle folowet the hert, S^y
Thurgh the londes on lenght with a light wille. pyrrhus-
His broder, fat abode with the bold Pirrus,
ffell vnto fote, & his fole esyt,

13564 And hym-selfe on the soile set hym onone.

ban Pirrus full prestly puld out his swerd, Pyrrhus slays

him.

And the lede on the launde out of lyuo broght.
Than tite come the tothir, and no trayn thoght : (foi. 207 &.)
13568 Pirrus gird hym to ground & to grym deth. Meianippns

returning is also

Thus britnet fat bold the brethir, his Ernes, slain.
And went on full wightly, & his way held.
ban he met with a mon of the mayn kynges,

444

PYRRHUS AND THE SONS OF ACASTUS.

Rook XXXV.

Pyrrhus hastens
to his ship,
arrays himself in
rich clothes, and
returns to seek
the king.
They meet.

Pyrrhus tries to
slay Acastus :

Thetis prevents
him, and
Intercedes for
his life.

13572 And fraynet at hym fuersly where the freiko

was.
" Here at hond is fat hery," the hend to hym

saide :

J3en he gird to f e gome wiih a grym swerde,
And slogh hym downe sleghly by sleght of his

hond.

13576 Pirrus full prestly few past to his shippe,
Araiet hym full riolly all in ryche clothis,
And come, in his course, f e kyng forto mete.
J?en he fraynet at f e freke in his fresshe wede,
13580 Wat whe fat he was, wete hym to say.

Pirrus to the p?'ise kyng pertly onswart ; —

"I am a pure son of Pn'am, fe pn'nse out of

troy,

Pn'soner to Pirrus, fat pertly me toke."
13584 Aschatus fraynet fe freke on his faith fen,

"Were is Pirrus, fat proude, fat prowes has

done 1 "
" He is wery of f e whaghis," f e whe to hym

sayde,
"And here romys on fe rocis to rest hym a

qwyle,"

13588 J)en fai drogh to fe dike, fer fe duk lay,
And comyn by course to f e caue euyn.
Pirrus swappit out his sword, swange at fe

Wold hauo britnet f e bu[e]rne in hys breme yre.

13592 )5en come Tetid full tit, toke hym in armys,
His graundam full graidly grippit hym onone,
ModM/* to f e mon, myghti Achilles,
Wyf, as I wene, to worthe Pelleus,

13596 And doghter to fe duke, fat he dere wold.
J?es wordis scho warpit fat worthy vnto : —
" Dere cosyn and derfe, withdraw now f i hond,
}5ow has britnet my brether in f is brode wod,

ACASTUS SAVED BY PELEUS. 445

13 GOO J3at were pin emys full no"bill, nayt men of will ; Book xxxv.
And now Aschatus vrith skath wold skirme to

pe deth,

]?at is my fader so fre, and )>i first graunser."
Jjen Pirrus full pertly to pat prise saide : — (foi. aosa.)

13604 " Has not pi fader full foule flemyt myn ayell, mises to spare

T> n f-L.- ,- >tii his life if Peleus

Pelleus, of his promys, pin awne prae husbond. desires Mm to
Let cal vs pe kyng fro pe caue sone, ' 80'

If he will spare hym to spill, I spede me perto."

13608 Pelleus come prestly, praid for pe kyng : — Peieus pleads

" Hit sums," he saide, " pe slagh of his childwr,
Jje "bold, pat were britnet on pe bent syde."
)3en acord was per kny t po kyngis betwene, Peace is con-

13612 fFull frenchip and fyn festnyt with hond. become friend*.

J5er pai setyn on pe soile, po souerans togedwr,
The two kyngis full kant, and pe clene qwene,
And Pirrus, j?e pert knyght, prudly besyde.

13616 Aschatus pen skepe furth ~with his skire wordis,

))at was kyng of pe cost by conquest til pew : — Acastns, now

that his sons are

" I am febyll and vnfere fallyn into elde, slain, yields his

Any rem forto rewle, or to ryde furth : p^rrhus.

13620 My sons now are slayn, & slungyn to ground,

)3at I had pwrpost pis prouyns playnly to haue.

Now lengis per no lede, pat by lyne aw,

J?e soile and pe septwr sothly to weld,
13624 But Pirrus, of prowes pertist in armys.

Dernyst & derne, myn awne dere cosyn,

I releshe pe my ryght with a rank will,

And graunt pe pe gouernanse of pis grete yle."
13628 Pelleus hit plesit, & playnly he saide : — Peieusaiso

" And my ryght I renonse to pat rynk sone, government of

ffor it was playnly my pwpos pat Pirrus schuld p^h^. to
haue,

\)e terrage of tessayle and pe tryed corone."
13632 ]2en ros pai full radly, raght vnto horse,

Wanen vp wightly, wentyn to towne.

446

Book XXXV.
(foL 208 6.)

PYRRHUS IS MADE KING.

Pirrus full prestly a prati mow sende,
Bade his nauy come nere, negh into hauyn.

Acastus com
mands his
subjects to
acknowledge
Pyrrhus as their
king.

(MS. has "after
J>ai were."}

Pyrrhus is
crowned king of
Thessaly, and
becomes the
greatest king
in Greece.

OFF THE CORONYNG OF PYRRUS AND OF HIS DETHE.

13636 The souerayn hym-selfe, when he segh tyme,
Aschatus, to all men afterward send
Thurgh the cite fro hym-selfe, & the sycle lond,
Jjat yche lede to f e lord lyuely shuld come,

13640 With honowr & homage, (as fe right ay re,)
Proffer vnto Pirrus, as f aire pn'se lorde.
ffayne were f o freikes and the folke all,
And swiftly f ai swere, swagit fere herttes,

13644 To be leU to fe lord all his lyf tyme.

The secund day suyng, as said is of olde,
He was coroned to kyng in fat kithe riche,
By assent of the senio?«'S & the sure knightes,

13648 In fat souerain cite, vfith septur in hond.

}3an be fauer & frenship, fat fell to hyni after,
He enhaunset his hede heghly aboue
All the londis and the lordship, fat longed to
Gryse ;

13652 And his cuntre keppit in couert & pes
To the last of his lyf, as a lord shuld.

Here I turne from my tale, & tary a qwile,
Till hit come me be course to carpe of hym ferre.
idomeneus, king 13656 When Idumi?;.? was ded, doghty of hond,

of Crete, dies, and u A T A u r i. i • • V r

is succeeded by J)at I told of tomly in tymis before,

his sons, Merion m ., , , ,, , , „,

and Laertes. J-wo sones of hym-selfe suet nym. alter,

In his realme for to reigne, as his right ayres :
13660 Merion, a myld & mighty, was one,

And Laertus by lyne was his leue brother.
This Merion hade maistri but a meane qwile,
The lond to Laerte he leuyt as kyng,
13664 And after course of our kynd closit his dayes.
(foi. 209 o.) Telamecus, the tall son of tryet Vlixes,

THE ABDUCTION OP HERMIONE.

J)at Hausica had, fat noble nam vnto wife,
Dogliter of the du kyng, doghty Antenor,

13668 He gate on fat gay vne a gode sone,

j?at Dephebus duly was demyt to nome.
K"ow I pas will to Pirrus by proses agayne,
Of his dedis to deme, & his dethe after.

13672 Ascatus fe skete, for skath of his sones,
Miche water he weppit of his wan chekis,
Gert bryng hom to burgh, birit horn faire
In a precius plase, so Pirrus comaundit.

447

Book XXXV.

Telemachus and
Nausicaa and
their son
Ptoliporthus.

THE POETE : OF FORTUNE.

13676 Wen a mon is at myght, & most of astate,

Clommbyn all f e Clif to f e clene top,

Has riches full ryfe, relikis ynow,

All f e world at his will, weghis to seme,
13680 jjen fortune his fall felli aspies,

Vnqwemys his qwate, & f e qwele twmys ;

Lurkis in lightly with lustis in hert,

Gers hym swolow a swete, fat swellis hym after.

13684 QO Pirrus was pn'se, pruddest of kyngis,

Had welth at his will, f e worthiest of grice.

A longyng vnleffull light in his hert,

Gert hym hast in a hete, harmyt hym after.
113688 Ermonia, fe my Id, fat myghte dissifet,

Elanes aune doghter, abill of chere,

Jjat Orestes f e rynke richeli had weddit,

By mariage of Menelay, as I mynt haue.
3692 So he sped hym by spies, & spense of his gode, He causes her to

J?at f e lady fro hir lord lyiiely he stale,

Toke hir to tessail fro hir tru maister,

Orestes f e riche, that regnyt hir with.
I 3696 Pirrus *with that proude presit to fe temple,

Weddit fat worthi, & as wif held.

Jjen Orestes full ryfe had myche rank sorow,

Pyrrhns becomes
enamoured of
Hermione, wife
of Orestes.

elope with him
to Thessaly, and
there weds her.

448

HERMIONE AND ANDROMACHE.

Book XXXV.

Orestes in grief
and shame vows
vengeance on
Pyrrhus.

(foL 209 6.)

Pyrrhus goes to
Delphos to give
thanks to Apollo
for enabling him
to revenge his
father's death.

Andromache,
then with child
to Pyrrhus, and
her son
Laomedon are
left behind in
the palace.

Hermione
requests her
father Menelaus
to put

Andromache to
death.

Menelaus
attempts to slay
Andromache :

Schamyt with J?e schalke, that schent of his wife,

13700 And so dernely hym did dere & dispit.

He had playnly no power Pirrus to harme,
To his reme forto ride & reue hym fe qwene ;
But he cast hym by course, if a case fell,

13704 To venge of his vilany & his vile schame.
Jjen Pirrus by pwrpos prestly con wend
Into delphon a day, as J>e dule bad,
In honour of apolyn, fat abill to seche,

13708 And worchip with wyn, as a wale god,

W-i't/i sacrifice solemne & othir sere halows,
ffor offens of his fadwr, fat felli was slayne
With Paris, f e pert knyght, as preuyt is before.

13712 In aparell of prise, on a proud wyse,

He dight hym to delphon vrith dukis & othir.
In his palais of prise prudly he leuyt
Worth! Ectors wif, fat f e whe had,

13716 Andromoca, in drede, and her dere son
Lamydon f e litill, ]>at ho left neuer,
And ho boundyn with barne with f e bold Pirrus :
And Ermonia f e myld maynly was ther,

13720 J?at he had weddit to wyue, & in wrong held.
Wen Pirrus was past, f is proud in hir yre,
A mon vnto Menelay myghtily sende,
Bad hym turnQ vnto tessail in a tore hast,

13724 Andromaca to dere, & to deth put ;

ffor Pirrus of fat pert was pratly enamurt,
He had no daynte wiih dalianse his doghter to

loue.
J?e whe, at f e wordis of his wale doghter,

13728 Twrnet vnto tessale with a tore ffare.

He wold haue britnet f e burd with a bare sword,
And schunt for no schame, but hit schope faire.
Andromaca, for drede of f e derf kyng,

13732 Lamydon hir litill sun laght in hir armes,
Hyghet out of halle into hegh strete,

THE DEATH OF PYRRHUS.

449

Made an ngsom noyse, fat noyet f e pepull,
With wepyng and waile wo to beholde.
13736 J}e folk, for fe fray, fel to faire arnmr,
Cayrit after f e kyng in a cant hast.
}5en fled he for fere, fell to his schip ;
Past to his prouyns, of pzwpos he sailet.

THE DETHE OP PIRRUS, BY ORESTES SLAYNE.

13740 Orestes full radly of the Renke herd,

J)at Pirrus by purpos was past into delphon :
He assemblit of soudiors mony sad hundrith,
And met hym with mayn in the mekill He :

j 13744 There Pirrus with payne he put vnto dethe,

Slogh hym full sleghly, & slange hym to ground,
And britnet fat bold with a bigge sword.
Then Pirrus the proud e was pute vnto graue,

[13748 Orestes by right raght to his wife,

And led furth the lady to his lond horn.
Pelleus full prestly and his pure qwene,
Tetid, full tite tokyn Andromaca,
13752 Hir litill sonne Lamydon leddon hir with.
Jjai twrnet out of tessaile for torfer of other,
To melapsa fat menye mevyt to-gedur,
Was a Cite" full sure, fere soiornet f ai long,
13756 Till the lady was deliuer of a loue sone.
Andromaca fat dere fat duly conceyuit
Of Pirrus the prise kyng, as his pure wife.
The child with chere men Achilides was cald.
! 3760 Wex & wele threvan in winturs a few,

The corone & the kyngdome kyndly he gaffe
To Lamydon the lord, fat was his leue brother,
The abill sone of Ector, heire vnto Troy,
J764 And in Thessaile he was takyn for a tru kyng.
Thus Achillis achevit his awne choyse frendes,
Thurgh his prokuryng prestly all the pure

Troiens,

29

Book XXXV.

the people rise
in arms and
drive him away.

(fol. 210 a.)

Orestes with an
anned band goes
to Delphoa and
slays Pyrrhus.

He then goes to
Thessaly for his
wife, Hermione.

Peleus and
Thetis take
Andromache to
Molossis, where
she gives hirth
to Achillides.

Laomedon be
comes king of
Thessaly.

Achillides pro
cures the freedom
of the captive
Trojans.

450 A MARVEL OF NECROMANCY.

Book xxxv. )2at the grekes hade getton at the great toune,

13768 Were deliuert yche lede, & lause at hor willne.
And thus hit twrnyt, as I tell, in a tyme short,
Now is Lamydon lord, & the laund hase,

(foi. 210 6.) Bothe the corone & the kyth, and a kyng noble

13772 Of Tessaile truly, fere the toyle rose,

Jpat by Eritage of Auncetry ayre vnto troy.
Here the presses of Pyrrus I putto an end,
Of other maters to mene, fat in mynd falles.

HERE YE A MERUAYLE OF A LADY BY NYG-R^MANSY.

13776 When Troylus, the tru knight, was twnyt to

ground
or Troiius, By Achilles, as chaunset of fat choise kyng,

Achilles, and

Memnon. As ye iynd may before in the — & xx boke,

The mighty kyng Menon mainly Achilles
13780 Gird to fe ground wiih a grym hurt,

)3at the Myrmydons faire maistw?1 masit fau

toke,

And bare to his bastell on a brode shelde,
As for ded of f e dynt, dressit to lye.
13784 J?an hit happont in a hond qwile this hed kynfll

be slayne,

By the myrmydons vnmonly murtherit to dethejl
Whose body, as the boke sais, was beriet in "

toune
HOW the sister of By Troiellus truly in a toumbe riche.

Memnon came to -i o>ror> mi • •»«- n • i i

Troy, collected loToo Inis Menon the mighty hade a mayn suster,
gorgeous "esse* The fairest on fold fat any folke knew ;

and then Ho ^ ^ ^ Cii& sythen hur one,

vanished. »

To the toumbe of j?at tried truly ho yode,
13792 Toke the bones of hir brother, as the boke

Closit horn full clanly in a clere vessell,

All glyssonond of gold & of gay stonys ;

Evyne ymyddes all men, meruell to se,
13796 Waynyt vp to the welkyn, as a wan clowde,

A MARVEL OF NECROMANCY.

451

And neuer apperit to the pepull in fat place Bookxxxv.

efte.

The folke, for fat ferly, faithly hur holdyn
A Goddes full glorius, for grace fat hir fell,
1 3800 Or a doghter, fay demyt, of a due god.

So thies gentillis a-iugget, & for iuste held?

452

tfje J3etfje of Uitxcs

ijts

Ulysses in a
vision beholds a
lady of surpassing
beauty.

He eagerly
desires to
embrace her :

she shuns him ;
then returns and
declares the
awful penalty he
would incur.

Ulysses then
observes a drawn
sword in her

As Vlixes the lorde lay for to slepe,
Wi't/i-outyn noise on a night in his naked bed,

13804 He was drecchit in a dreame, & in dred broght,
)3at all chaunget his chere & his choise hert.
He segh an ymage full noble & of a new shap,
ffaire of ffeturs & fresshe, of a fre woman,

13808 Or ellis a goddes full gay, as the gome foght.
He dessyrit full depely fat depe forto hondle,
And fat bright for to bras in his big armes ;
But hym thught fat ho f roly f rappit away,

13812 And o fer fro the freike foundit to kepe.
To fat noble, onone, ho neghit agayne,
And spird at hym specially what he speike wold
" I wold dele with f e damysell," f e duke to
saide,

13816 " To know the full kyndly, as my clene luff."
Jjan the lady to Vlixes, as f e lede f oght,
Said hym full sone, all in sad wordes ; —
" Now full hard & vnhappy is f i hcgh lust,

13820 Jjat fou couetus vnkyndly to couple "with me :
Hit is nedfull, wit7i noye, onone afiur f is,
The tone dauly be ded, by domys of right."
Jjan hit semyt to f e souerain, fat f e sure lady

13824 Had a glaive, a full grym, grippit in honde ;

THE DEATH OF ULYSSES. 453

And a-boue hit ho bare, on the bright end, Book xxxvi.

A Grydell full gay, gret-full of fiche, hand, and on the

Corius & crafty, clene to be-holde. Of fish.

13828 pan hit semet, for-sothe, J?at )>e selfe woman

Wold haue faryn hym fro, but first ho hym said.

" This is a signe, for-sothe, of a sure, Empe?-our, She declares the

, meaning of the

And the conrunctou/z vniust is Joynit vs be- emblem and

vanishes.

twene,
13832 Is care for to come, with a cold ende."

Than waknet the wegh of his wan slepe, uiysses awakes

in doubt and fear.

Myche dut he his dreme, & dred hym ferfore. (foi. 211 6.)

Anone as the night past, the noble kyng sent
13836 ffor Devinowrs full duly, & of depe wit.

When fai comyn were to court, he the case told

Of the note in the night & the new dreme.

All wiston tho wise, by the weghis tale, The Diviners

13840 He shuld duly be ded of his derfe sone. perish by the

Hit fell hym by fortune of a foole end.

)3an Vlixes the lege kyng, of his lyf feerd,

Telamocus he toke, his tru sone, He causes

. Telemachus to

1J844 stake hym in a stith house, & stuerne men to be shut up and

, closely guarded.

.Kepe,

Wallit full wele, with water aboute.
Thus he keppit hym full cloise, & in care held,
Jjat no whe to hym wan but wardens full sure.

13848 Hit tide, as I told haue in tymes before,

J5at Vlixes with a lady in a lond dwellit,

High[t] Cerces, for-soth, as I said ere.

He hade a child with fat choise was a chere sone,
13852 J)at Telagoniws in his tyme truly was cald ;

-And none wist hit, I-wis, but his wale moder,

J?at consayuit of the kyng, & a knave bere.

When the ffreike had the fulle of xv*6"6 yeres, Teiegonns
13856 He fraynit at the fre, who his fader was, inquires of MS

T iii 11 i o • /• i i 11 mother <"1rce,

In what lond he was lent, & if he lyue hade. regarding hu

lither.

THE DEATH OF ULYSSES.

Book XXXVI.

After much delay
she informs him
Ulysses is his
father.

Telegonus
resolves to go in
search of his
father.

He sets Bail.

(fol. 212 a.)

He arrives at
Achaia, proceeds
to the palace of
Ulysses, and
insists on
entering.

The guards drive
him back harshly:

he kills one of
them, and scatters
the others.

Sho layuit hit full long, & list not to telle,

ffor the sake of hir sone, lest he soght furth.
13860 This mild of his moder so mainly dessiret,

)?at ho said hym o sycher, all in soche wordes,

J?at Vlixes the lord was his leue fader ;

And enfowrmet hym fully of fe fre rewme,
13864 J)at the worthy in-wonet, as a wale kyng.

Thelagoniws of the tale truly was fayne,

And depely dessyret the duke for to knowe.

He pz^rpost hym plainly to pas ouer sea,
13868 The souerain to seche, and he so myght.

The mon at his moder mekely toke leue,

fferkit to the node in a felle hast.

The lady hir leue son lyuely can pray,
13872 To hie hym in hast horn to his moder.

A he buerne vnto bote busket onone,
Past ouer the pale and the pale ythes.
So long had he laburt, & the lord soght,

13876 j?at he come to Acaya, fere the kyng dwellit.
There arofe he full radly, raght to f e bonke,
Past to the palais of the pure kyng,
There were kepars full cant at the close yatis,

13880 jpat no buerne was so bold febriggefor to ent:
Jjai denyet hym onone o no kyn wise ;
ffor thei kepe wold the comaundement of fere

kynd lord,
ffast prayet the praise, all wj't/i pure wordis,

13884 Of ffrenship, & fauour, and in faire wise.

ffull stuernly wiih strenght f ai stourket hym fan,
Bere hym bak on f>e brigge, bet hym wit/i-alL
Telagoniws, full tyte, tenet f erwith.

13888 When he suffert the sore in his sad yre,

He nolpit on vriih his !N"eue in the necke hole,
J)at the bon alto brast, & the buerne deghit.
Wiih the remnond full rade he rixlit unfaire,

1

THE DEATH OF ULYSSES.

455

13892 With gronyng & grym gert hym to stynt,
Cast horn oner clanly at the cloise brigge.
The noise was noyus the noble court f urgh,
Bold men to f e brigge bremly f ai yode,

13896 Telagoniws to take and tirne vnto dethe.

J?an he braid to the buerne on f e brig sone,
Ouerraght hym full roidly, reft hym his swerd,
ffaght with tho fuerse men felly agayne,

13900 Tyll fyftene were fay of his feU dynttes,

And he woundit full wickedly in were of his lyf.
J)an the ruerde wax ranke of fat rught fare,
Vlixes full lyuely launchit on fote,

13904 Hopet his sone was (out) slippit, fat set was in

hold,

And put downe his pepull as he past furth.
To the noise oponone neghit f e kyng,
Vne wode of his wit for the wale crye,

13908 'With a dart vnduU fat the duke bare,

Segh his men to be mart with a mad childe,
J3at hym-self neuer had sene, ne for sothe knew.
In offens of the freike, wit7i a fyn wille

13912 He drof at hym with fc dart, derit hym but

litle.

Telagoniws full tite toke hit in hond,
Cast euyn at the kyng with a cant will,
Kent f urgh his ribbes at the right syde,

1391G Woundit hym wickedly to the wale dethe,
Jjat he dusshet euen doun of his dede hurt.
All fleblit f e freike, fainted of strenght,
Wex pale of his payne, in point for to end ;

13920 And weike of his wordes, woinerond in speche,
He spird at horn specially, as he speike might,
"What wegh fat hit was, woundit hym hade
"With a dart to the dethe, & deiret full mony :

13924 So hit meuit to his mynd in his mekill noye.
Telagoniws full tite at a tulke askct,

Book XXXVI.

The noise brings
armed men from
within.

He wrests a
sword from one ;
fights till 15 are
killed, ind he is
severely
wounded.

Ulysses thinks '
Telemachus lias
made his escape :
(MS. has "at")

seizes a dart,
(fol. 212 &.)

and rushes at
Telegonus.

Ulysses receives a
deadly wound.

In great agony,
he remembers his
vision, and a-ks
who the youth is.

(In MS. 1. 13923
follows 1. 13927.)

456

THE DEATH OF ULYSSES.

Book XXXVI.

Telcgonus is
horrified to find
he has so wounded
his father Ulysses.

He falls to the
earth in a swoon.

He recovers ;

tears his clothes
and his hair ; falls

down at his
father's feet, and
declares himself.

(fol. 218 a.)

Ulysses tries to
comfort him:

sends for Tele-
inachus, who, on
seeing his father,
desires to slay
Telegonus.

Ulysses forbids 13956
him : and exhorts
them to be recon
ciled.

Who the freike was in faith, fat fraynit his nome.
The said the lord was Vlixes, fat he lost hade.

13928 When Telagon the tale of the tru herd,
Jjat his fader was fey of his fell dynt,
He brait out with a birr of a bale chere,
And said: — "Alas! for this lure, fat I lyue
shuld !

13932 I haue faryn out of fere laund my fader to seche,
Me to solas in sound, as a sone owe ;
And now I done haue to deth, in my derf hate,
Jjat my solas & socour sothely shuld be ! " .

13936 With fainttyng & feblenes he fell to fe ground
All dowly, for dole, in a dede swone.
Whan he wackont of wo, he wan vpo fote,
Ail-to rechit his robis & his ronke here ;

13940 ffowle frusshet his face with his felle nailes.
J?an he fell to f e fete of f e fre kyng,
And told hym full tyte, fat Telagon he was,
His son, fat on Circes sothely was getton : —

13944 " J?at fou gate on fi gamyn, as vngrate felle ;
And if f ou degh of this dynt, by destany f us,
Oure goddis graunt me fat grace, fat I go with,
And no lengw to lyue in no lond after."

13948 AVhen Vlixes fe lord lyuely persayuit,

Jjat he to Circes was son, fat hym-self gat,
He fauort hym more faithly, & frely comaundit,
To sese of his sorow, and sobur his cher.

13952 )3en for Telamoc, fe tothir son, tomly he sent,
And he come out of kepyng to his kid fadur;
Wold haue britnet his brothir with a bare sword,
fforto dere for f e deth of his du lord,
^et Vlixes on lyue, as f e led myght,
With gronyng and greue gert hym to stynt ;
Bad fe lede schuld hym leue, as his lofe
brothir,

TELEGOXUS RETURNS HOME.

457

And cheris hym choisly for cliaunse vpon vrthe.

139GO Tlire dais, in his dole, J?e dughti con lyue,
And then lefte he )>e lif, & fe lond bothe.
In the cuntre of acaya, J>er he kyng was,
Ys he birit in a burgh, & a bright toumbe,

13964 And Telamoce liis tor son takyn for kyng,
ffull sesit of )?e soile, with septur in hond ;
And Telagon, his tru brothir, tri[e]dly honowrit,
~With myche worchip & wele, in his wale court,

13968 Til a ^er was full yore, yarkit to end,
And a halfe, er J>at end happit to fare,
He made hym knyght in his court, & couet to

leng
All his lyf in his lond, "with lordchip to haue.

13972 Jjen letteris had pe lede fro his lefe modwr,
iforto high hym in hast, & his home laite :
So lefte he j?e lond of his lele brothir,
Soght horn to Cerces with solas ynogh.

13976 Miche worchip had J>e whe of his wale frendis,
Gay giftys and grete, qwen he go wold.
At J>e partyng was pite of J?o pure knyghtis,
Miche wepyng & wail, wetyng of lere.

13980 And so J>e bold fro his brothir into bote jode :
Into Aulida afterword abli he come,
To his modir full myld J?at hym mykill louyt.
Als fayne of the freike, as J>e fre might,

13984 Myche solast Mr the sight of hir sone pan,

To se the lede vppon lyue, J?at ho louet most :
Wende the wegh hade bene wait in the wale

stremes,
Euyn drownet in the depe, hir dole was the more,

13988 Or ellis fallyn in fight vritJt J>o felle buernes,
At the slaght of his Syre in the syde londts.*

Book XXXVI.

Within three days
he is dead.

Telemachus is
made king ; and
Telegonus is
greatly honoured
at his court.

His mother,
Circe, desires him
to return home.

Having received
many rich pre
sents, he parts
from Telemachus
and returns to
.Sea.

(fol. 218 6.)

* A few lines awanting.

458

OF TUB CHIEFS WHO FELL.

Of the Trojans
that followed
./Eneas and
An tenor.

Book xxxvi. There were fey in the fight, of the felle grekes,

(foi. 2H a.) Eght hundrith thowsaund fro throngyn to dethe,

Trojans slain 13992 And sex thowsaund besyde all of sad pepull.

The Sowme of the sure men, fat f e Cite kcppit,
Sex hundreth thowsaund, souyn hundreth &
sex, on the last.

Whan Eneas was exiled, euyn were his shippes
13996 Two hundreth full hole, all of hede vessell.

The troiens fro the toune, jrat twrnet with

Antenor,

"Were two thowsaund full thro, thristy men all,
And fyue hundreth fere, fat folowet hym after.
14000 All the Eemnond of Kenkes, fat raght fro fe

toune,
~With Eneas afterward etlid to see.

A he worthiest to wete, fat in wer deghit,
I shall nem you the nomes vponone here, —
14004 Bothe of grekes, er I go, and of gret Troy,

And who dight horn to dethe with dynttes of
hond.

THTES ECTOE SLOGH WJT-ff HOND, OF KYNG^S.

Tines, hone?-able Ector auntrid to Sle,

Er the doghty was ded, all of du kynges.
14008 Achilagon, a choise kyng, he choppit to dethe.

Protheselon, in prese, he put out of lyue.

Myrion the mighty, he martrid with hond.

Protroculura, Prothenor, the p?^'se knight slaght ;
14012 Othemen, also, abill of person :

Polexenu//, Paralanu??, Polibeton, also :

Kyng Philip, fat bold britnet with strokes.

Tedynur, in the toile he tyrnit to ground.
14016 Durion of his dynttes drepit was there.

Phephu/z, palamydon, the fuerse in the feld slogh.

Xansipun the souerain, with a Sore dynt.

Arcesilaus.
Protesilaus.
Meriones.

Patroclus.
Prothenor.
Ormenias.

Polyxenus.

Peneleus.

Polypoetes.

Diores.

Phidippus.
Palaraedes.
Antiphus.

OF THE CHIEFS WHO FELL.

Leenton the Lord, on the laund fellit.
14020 Humeriuft the herty, hew to the dethe,

And Famen the fuerse, fey with his hond.

THEZ PAEIS SLOGH IN THE FFELD.

Paris, palamydon put out of lyue,
And Frygie, the fell kyng, fonnget to dethe :
1402-4 Antilagon also, after forsothe.

Achilles the choise kyng, hym chaunsit to sle,
And Aiax, afterward, abill of dede.

THIES ACHILLES SLOGH IN THE FFELD.

Achilles, with his choppes, chaunsit to sle
14028 Emphemuw the fuerse, & the pme Emphorbiun :
Austeron the stith, out of state broght :
Lygomitt the lege kyng, launchet thurgh dint :
Ector the honorable, oddist of knightes,
14032 Troiell, with treason, & the true kyng Menon :
Neptolomon, with noy, of pat noble was ded :
Thies brettonit pat bold or he bale dreghit.

THIES ENEAS SLOGH.

Eneas also auntrid to sle

14036 Amphymak the fuerse, with a fyne speire;
And Neron the noble wj't^ a nolpe alse.

THIES PIRRUS SLOGH.

Pyrrus, the pert kyng, put vnto dethe
Pantasilia the pn'se qwene, pertest of ladies ;
14040 Kyng Pn'am, with pyne, Polexena his doghter :
Thies worthy to wale, as werdes horn demyt,
Were martrid in maner, as I mynt haue.

JN ow the proses is plainly put to an end :
14044 He bryng vs to the blisse, pat bled for our Syn.

459

Book XXXVI.

Leonteus.
Eumelus.
Firmeus.

(fol. 2146.)
Palamedes.

Antilochus.

Achilles.

Ajax.

Enphemns and

Knphorbus.
Asteropaeus.

Lycaon.
Hector.

Troilus and

Memnon.

Keoptolemus.

Amphimachus.
Nireus.

Penthesilea.
Polyiena.

AMEN1.

461

NOTES.

1. 1. Maislur in mageste, King of Kings, or Almighty King. That
maister had the meaning of chief, principal, greatest, there are many
proofs, as maister-street, the chief or principal street, maister-man, the
Lord or chief of a band ; and the names given to the chief officers of
the crown, as Master of the Household, Master of the Ceremonies, &c.,
&c. But the word in that meaning was much more common in Scot
land than in England, and is still so used. Even as late as the close
of the 16th century the Provost of Edinburgh was called the maister
Mair, or chief of all the Provosts or Mayors of Scotland. In an account
of the rejoicings in Edinburgh in 1590, we find,

" The nomi>er of thame that wer thair,

I sail descriue thame as I can ;

My Lord, I mene the maister Mair,

The Provost aue maist prudent man :

With the haill counsall of the toun,

Ilkane cled in a velvet goun."

Burel's Entry Q. 1590, Watson's Coll. II. 14.

1. 2. Endles and on, euer to last, = the One God, Infinite, and Ever
lasting.

1. 4. wysshe me with wyt, endow me with the needed gifts, or, in
struct and guide me. Observe the s becomes sh in wisse, as also in
slepe in 1. 6, and in a few other words throughout the work.

1. 6. slydyn vppon shlepe, fallen into forgetfulness : by slomeryng of
Age, through the negligence of the past, as in the expression, ' the sleep

11. 7-8. Compare with Morte Arthure, 11. 16 — 22. to wale in hor
tyme, to be found in their age. To Wale is to choose, to select, as in
11. 373, 1355, 13224 ; also, in plenty, as in 11. 340, 373 ; of all kinds, as
in 1. 332. Wale is an adj. in 694, 1329, 1727, 1943, meaning, choice,
good, dear, strong, deadly ; and in 1546 it means utmost, extreme : in
11952 it is a s. and means choice. In all its forms and uses there is
the idea of choice, selection, excellence, superiority : it is a very
common word in Scotland, and still has all those meanings. Thus
Burns, in ' The Cotter's Saturday Night,' has,

462 NOTES.

"Those strains that once did sweet in Zion glide,
He wales a portion with judicious care."

Again, in ' Halloween,'

" Then first, an' foremost, thro' the kail,
Their stocks maun a' he sought ance :
They stuk their een, an' grape, an' ivale,
For muckle anes, an' straught anes : "

again, in ' Auld Rob Morris,'

" There's auld Eob Morris that wons in yon glen,
He's the King o' guid fellows and wale of auld men : "

and Dean Ramsay gives an amusing instance of its use in " There's
waile o' wigs on Munrimmon Moor." Of its adjective sense, take tl
friendly salutation on a fine day, " this is wale weather." South of 1
Forth it is wale ; North, it is wile : as in the phrase will and wile, fre
choice. See Poems in the Buchan Dialect, p. 5.
. 9. drepit with deth, struck down by death.

11. SotJie stories ben stoken up, true stories are shut up, or put bj
& straught out of mind, and passed out of mind, and are forgotten.

12. swolowet into swym, passed away like a dream.

15. On lusti to loke, unattractive reading, lacking manliness.
18. sum feynit o fere, some are fictions entirely.
1. 19. as he will, as he likes best : warys his tyme} spends his time :
ware still means to spend or to expend.

1. 21. old stories of stithe, old stories of valiant men : J?a< astate held,
of high rank. Stithe is properly firm, steady, strong, sturdy, hence
valiant. "Als thai had

A lord that sua suete wes and deboner, —
And in bataill sa styth to stand, —
That thai had gret causs blyth to be."

Tlie Eruce, Bk 8, 1. 384 (Jamieson's Ed.).

1. 23. wees, men. The common form of this word is wye, from A.!
wiga, a soldier, a warrior, hence its meaning knight, man. The for
wee occurs in ' Awntyrs of Arthure,' 54. 3, and frequently in this wort
and means warrior, knight ; but as frequently it means man, and in
3356, lady. It is still used in the West of Scotland and applied to hot
sexes as a contracted form of wegh, wigh (the local pronunciation of
wight, wycht) : thus, when a person is worn out by hard work, he or
she will say, " 0, but I'm a weary wee ! " ; and Hogg in ' The Queen's
Wake ' makes the Witch of Fife say,

" Ne wonder I was a weary wycht
Quhan I cam hame to you."

Similarly the verb weigh is pronounced wee, and weights is wees, weghts,
wights : plough is ploo, or plew : a plough is a ploo, or a pleach : an eye
is an ee : and many more examples, in which the old pronunciation is
more or less retained, might be given. (See Specimens of Early
English by Morris and Skeat, p. xvi, § 3.)

NOTES. 40 3

1. 25. to Jcen all the crafte, to know all the particulars, to Teen is
here to know ; in 1. 1452, to be known or discovered ; and in 1. 8746,
known : it also means to be seen, or, to the sight, as in 1. 1567. The
word is still used in Scotland with all these meanings, and with
another, to make known, to instruct, to tell, as in Morte Arthure, 2619,

" Wille thow for knyghthede kene me thy name ? "

The part, kennyng is used as a s. meaning knowledge, as in 1. 2837 of
this work ; but it also means a very little, in the least degree, as in
Buros's ' Address to the Unco Guid,'

" Then gently scan your brother Man, •
Still gentler sister Woman ;
Tho* they may gang a hennin wrang,
To step aside is human : " &c,

1. 29. fele yeres, many years : fele is an adv. in 1. 1884. fele vertus,
very or intensely virtuous; and in 1. 2400 it is used as a s. the fairest
of ]>o fele, the fairest of the band, lit. of those many. The word is still
in use. .

1. SO.* myn hit, to recollect for the purpose of telling : I thmTce, I in
tend, or, I expect to be able, as in Wolsey's ' Speech to Cromwell,'
" Cromwell, I did not think to shed a tear
In all my miseries ; "

Myn, which occurs frequently in the above sense, also means to speak
of, to tell of, as in 1. 431,

" This Medea the maiden }?at I mynt first."

It is a good example of a peculiarity of the language of this work
which cannot fail to be noticed, — the dropping of the d and t sounds in
certain words, as in comaund (= commanded), 11. 2557, 2564, graunser,
1. 2169, a practice which is still very common in the West of Scotland,
as auV for auld, bauP for bauld, cauV for cauld, callan for callant,
buhher for butter, wahher for water, hree for three, &c. &c. \ readers of
Burns's Poems will be able to supply many examples. (See note to 1.
347 of William of Palerne, E. E. Text edit.)

1. 32. for lernyng of vs, for our instruction. Note the peculiar use
of learn : this is the sense in which it is still most frequently employed
in Scotland.

1. 35. jjara horn maister were, than they had authority for: maister
has here the same meaning as in the phrase, " he was master of his
subject."

1. 36. lympit of the sothe, fell short of the truth : as a lame foot in
walking falls short of the full step.

1. 37. menye, company, set (of poets) : in this sense the word is
used by Wickliffe, Langland, Barbour, Douglas, and Henryson ; but a
more common sense is, armed men, followers, from its original meaning
of domestics, retainers. (See Glossary to Douglas's Virgil, Ruddiman's
edition, and Wedgwood's Etym. Diet. s. v. Heiny.)

1. 38. haithill of dedis, prince of poets, lit. noble in (such) works :

1

464 NOTES.

haithitt, hathell, occurs frequently in this work as a s., as also in Morte
Arthure, and Poems on Sir Gawain, meaning a noble ; but it is pro
perly an adj., and as such is used in all these works. It also occurs
under the form athil = A.S. celpel.

1. 42. traiet J?e truth, betrayed the truth : trust ye -non other, believ
not otherwise, or, take my word for it, — a form of asseveration sti
in use.

1. 45. folke as ]iai were, as if they were men.

1. 46. vnable, impossible.

1. 48. olhir, others : a form of plural still used. onest were ay,
were always truthful and trustworthy : see note on onestly, 1. 281.

1. 49. verritfor nobill, approved for honour.

1. 54. graidly hade soght, had thoroughly inquired into : graidly
and greidly represent the pronunciation of graithly, a pronunciation of
th very common in the Lowlands of Scotland, and in the North of
England. Burns, in his ' Address to a Haggis,' says, —

" Weel are ye wordy o' a grace
As lang 's my arm."

Graithe, Graithly, Graithnes, as used in this work, and as still used, ex
press the idea of skill, ability, care, and consequently, preparation,
determination, completeness, success. See Glossary for examples.

1. 55. weghes he hade, authors he possessed : as one may say, " I
have got Shakespere."

1. 57. eulper, each of them, sawle, assault, siege ; so in Barbour, VI.
871. assemely, battle or battlefield : the word occurs in different forms,
semble, semely, semle (representing varieties of pronunciation still exist
ing), and is applied to a gathering, a council, a battle, a battlefield :
see Glossary, see with Ipere een, saw with their own eyes.

1. 60. Dares and Dytes, Dares Phrygius and Dictys Cretensis, re
puted authors of histories of the Destruction of Troy. A fair idea of
the value of the works may be had from the account of how and where
the manuscripts were found : still they must have made a deep impres
sion on the early French writers, whose works, through the influence
of the Crusades, were scattered over Western Europe. ' Le Roman de
Troie' of Benoit de Sainte-More, which Guido de Colonna so unblush-
ingly appropriated and merely rendered into second-rate Latin, is the
fruit of Dares and Dictys, and was the great romance of the Middle
Ages. A splendid edition of Ben'oit's work was issued by Prof. Joly of
Caen in 1870: the Introduction to this book is a fine specimen of
learned and exhaustive editing.

1. 63. tothyr, prop, the other, but here used for other, and still so
used in Scotland, where it is pronounced tother and tither. a Tulke, a
man, a soldier, — originally a talker, an interpreter, a mediator, as in
Danish tolk: an adj. form of the word still exists in Scotland in
tukhane, the name applied to the imitation calf which the milkmaid
employs to entice the cows to yield their milk.

1. 69. ouerraght, overhauled : it occurs again in 1. 13898, as

NOTES. 465

mastered, and is used by Douglas in his Virgil, 139, 28. & right horn
hym-seluyn, and wrote (a history) from them himself; but, as the next
lines inform us, the story was too much condensed.

1. 71. for likyng to here, to make it pleasing to hear : thus likyng is
used in the Houlale, III. 15, and in ' Chrysts-Kirk o the Grene,' 13. 8 ;
but in 1. 75 it means pleasure, delight, as in Barbour, Book I. 226 :
" Fredome mayss man to haiff liking"

1. 76. Grijdo it gate, Guido de Colonna got it : where he got it and
how he used it any one may satisfy himself who compares Guido's
' Historia Trojana ' with the works of Dares and Dictys, and the
1 Roman de Troie ' of Benoit de Sainte-More. Altogether it is one of
the most wonderful and most successful cases of literary robbery the
•world has ever known. See Introduction to 'Le Roman de Troie,' by
Prof. Joly, Paris, 1870. Dictys was edited in 1833, and Dares in 1835,
by Andreas Dederich of Bonn.

1. 80. How the groundes first grew = how the causes of the war
originated ; ground is still used in this sense, as, the grounds of their
quarrel.

1. 81. torfer and tene = mischief and sorrow: fyat horn tide aftur =
that befel them afterwards, tene is, properly, wrath, anger, but it also
means the origin, the purpose, the carrying out, or the result of the
wrath or anger. Golagros and Gawane, 1. 876, has "Ye sail nane torfeir
betyde : " and Morte Arthure, 1. 1976, has " — to tene and torfer for ever."

1. 84. derffe, daring, intrepid : doughty implies courage and en
durance ; derf, daring and intrepidity. Both words occur in Barbour,
Blind Harry, and Douglas, and are still used in Scotland.

1. 88. thedur droghe = assembled there. The use of d for th is fre
quent in this work, as in fader, moder, ledur, leddrit, &c., and is still
common in some of the rural districts of the Lowlands: it may be
noted in the works of Burns and Hogg.

1. 90. buemes (A.S. beorn), chiefs, but often throughout this work
it means men, soldiers, knights.

1. 92. throughe dynttes of hond. A peculiar phrase, suggestive of
encounters in the ring rather than in a famous siege, but in alliteration
the poet requires the utmost license. This phrase occurs frequently in
the Morte Arthure and in this Troy Book, and is one of the proofs that
they are the work of the same poet. For examples in the Morte
Arthure we find,

ffor thow salle dye this day thurghe dynt of my handez 1 1. 1073

Thow salle dy this daye thorowe dyntt of my handez ! 1505

Be gret Gode, thow salle dy with dynt of my handys ! 4228

Many dowghty es dede be dynt of his hondes 1 3024

and in this Troy Book we have,

And mony deghit }?at day fmrgh dynt of his hond. 1. 7795

Thow dowtles shall dye with dynt of my hond 1 8273

Doutles with dynttes he deghes of my hond 1 10250

Mony doughty were ded thurgh dynt of his hond. 5250

30

4G6 NOTES.

In these examples, and in many others where the word clynt occurs, as
in the phrases " derfe dyntes" " dynttes of swerdes," " derit horn with
dynttes" &c., the similarity is not confined to the phrase, it extends to
the whole sentence and even to the turn of it. Dynt occurs often in
Barbour's Bruce, as in Bk 1. 1. 769; 2. 427; 2. 532; 6. 139, &c. : it is
still in use and often confounded with dunt ; but dynt represents a
sharp blow as with a stick or a sword, while dunt represents a blow as
with the fist, or in a collision, and is used to express the palpitation of
the heart. It is so used in Ross's Helenore, and in Poems in the
JBuchan Dialect.

1. 95. all the ferlies ^>at fell = all the note-worthy events that
happened : ferly is properly a wonder, but it is also used to express
any sight, incident, or event that is unusual or that attracts attention ;
thus two friends meeting will say " let us walk thro' the toun and se
the ferlies." The word is used in both senses in this work, and is stil
so_used. unto theferre ende, on. to the very close (of the struggle) : tl\
far end is still a common expression in speaking of the close of a serie
or undertaking which is only begun, or proposed : see 1. 2247.

1. 97. ffraym will I fer andfraist of fyere werkes, now I shall search
out and speak of their works. Fraist appears asfraite in 1. 10714 with
the sense of to try, to find out ; both forms imply to make attempt upon.

1. 98. mater, subject of discourse, or, the materials of which it is
composed, or, the story itself : the word is still used in all these senses.

RUBRIC. Pelleus exit lason, Pelias enticed Jason : ax is still used in
the sense of to ask, to ask eagerly, and, to entice.

1. 105. walit, selected. See note on 1. 8.

1. 106. Tetyda, Thetis. In O.E. the names of people very often
followed the accusative form : as explained in Specimens of English from
1394—1579, by Skeat ; p. 448, note to 1. 4506.

1. 110. ne etill will I ferre, nor will I further attempt (to tell):
etill or ettle, to aim, to take aim, to attempt to propose, to purpose, to
design, is still used. Ramsay has in ' The Gentle Shepherd,'

" If I but ettle at a sang, or speak,
They dit their lugs, syne up their leglins cleek."

It is also used as a s., as in ' Tarn o Shanter,' where Burns says of the
witch Nannie, that she

" Hard upon noble Maggie prest,
And flew at Tarn, wi' furious ettle."

1. Ill refers to the story of ^Eacus, who, having lost his subjects
through a pestilence, entreated Jupiter to re-people his kingdom ; and,
according to his desire, all the ants which were in an old oak were
changed into men, and called by ^Eacus Myrmidons, from f.ivppn%,
an ant.

1. 113. prudest, most powerful, strongest : so Wyntown has it, IIII.
8. 50, and so it occurs again and again in this work : for its other
meanings see Glossary.

NOTES. 467

1. 114. born or hym-seluyn, born before himself, or, older than him
self : or is still used in this sense.

1. 117. stightill the Realme, guide or govern the realm : stightill
implies nerve and power sufficient to control and guide, in short
slitheness : in the same sense it occurs in Golagras and Gawane, 1. 460.
" Schipinen our the streme thai stlthil full straught."

1. 121. erdand, lingering, abiding : in 1. 923 it has the sense of
still found, and in 1. 2217, under the form erdyng, it means living,
abiding : in 1. 4233 we have erdis = abides, makes abode.

]. 123. Eydos. See Ovid, Heroides, Epist. xii.

1. 127. semly to wale, comely to look upon, or, as comely as one
could look upon : semliche berynes = comely bairns, occurs in Morte
Arthure, 1. 655, and is a common phrase still.

1. 129. fellist, fiercest, deadliest.

1. 130. mery of his wordys, hearty, kindly of speech : in 1. 3745 Aga
memnon is described as,

Meke as a maiden, mery with all;
and in 1. 3941 ^Eneas is

A man full of mekenes & mery of his chere,

1. 133. inwones aboute, (that) dwell thereabout. Perhaps it ought
to be ' in wanes aboute ' = in dwellings around, like the phrase, ' in
entris aboute,1 1. 1600 ; ' in cuntre aboute,1 Piers PI. (A) ii. 129.

1. 136. as ]>of, as though, or, as if; Jjq/" has also the sense of
although.

1. 138. lorde as he were, as if he were ruler : so Burns used as, —
" The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last." — Tarn o' Shanter.

1. 139. for doute fyat might falle, being afraid of what might happen,
— lit. for fear of what might befall : doute is fear or apprehension, or
the ground of fear or apprehension. Thus, in The Bruce, Bk 5, 1. 291
(Jamieson's ed.),

" Quhen thai saw me assailyet with thre
Off me rycht nakyn domt thai had."

and in Bk 9, 1. 82 of the same work,

" yone men will all wyn or de

For doute of dede thai sail nocht fle."

1. 147. full thicke, full frequently, full earnestly : tJiicke is still
!?o used, throo (A.S. Jjra). Cf. Scot, thraw, thrawn.

1. 149. Of a fame gaffer, of a rumour that was current.

1. 150. for a bare aunter, as a great wonder : bare has here, and
itill has, the sense of pure, simple, and at the same time uncommon.

1. 160. pride has here the sense of strength, prowess, elde, old age :
is in the old proverb, ' Eild and poortith 's sair to thole ; ' ' palsied eld,1
Jeas. for Meas., Act 3, Sc. 1 ; used also by Chaucer and Spenser.

1. 170. A nelue should be a nelne = an elne : so in 1. 153, a nyle =
'.n yh : cf. note to 1. 83 of William of Palerne, E. E. T. ed.

us

<•

4G8 NOTES.

1. 171. birre, violence, fierceness : for the different meanings of
birre see Glossary : they are still used. See note 1. 1902.

1. 172. bude wirke, must work : bude, a common word still, has
always the sense of compulsion or necessity, = behoved : so also bus
= behoves, in 11. 5168, 5643, 11722, 13549.

1. 173. Ayre, go, wend : occurs in Morte Arthure, and often in th
work : ' I'll ayre awa hame ', or ' I'll airt avva hame ', is still a common
form of speech, ayre in 1. 175 is a different word, and signifies to ear,
to plough.

1. 174. with striffe or with stroke, by main force or by blows.

1. 175. on ardagh wise, in ploughman fashion.

1. 179. ferlyfull, wonderful, marvellous, as in The Bruce,

" With && ferlyfull a mycht
Off men off armys and archeris."

1. 184. with-outen payne other, not to mention some others, or,
others besides.

1. 185. ferke it away, bear it away : for various meanings of fei
see Glossary.

1. 194. ay lastand, everlasting.

1. 196. sleght, craft, sletyng of wordes, cunning use of words,
cajolery (see note 1. 1251) : slete =. sleith is still used.

1. 198. He were seker, he would be certain, for sight of him euer}
never to see him again : for various meanings of siker, see Glossary.

1. 207. daintes ynogh, dainties in plenty, or, abundance of dainties :
the phrase occurs in Morte Arthure, 1. 199, and dainty, or, daintith, i
still used. However, dainty and daintith also mean regard, liki
relish, as in 1. 463 of this work, and in Wyntoun, IX. 1. 54 : dainty
means worthy, good-looking, lovely, as in Burns's song, ' Dainty Davi

1. 216. & Ipufurse holdyn, and thou (shalt be) esteemed a conqueror:
furse, fierce, has here the sense of overbearing, irresistible.

1. 223. me set, suit me, become me : set is so used in The B\
(Bk 1, 1. 394), in Henryson (Bannaiyne, Poems, p. 104) ; and in
Gentle Shepherd,' Madge says of Bauldy,

" It sets him weel, wi' vile unscrapit tongue,
To cast up whether I be auld or young 1 "

1. 225. flamond of gold, gleaming with gold : flamond so used
Barbour, 8. 196.

1. 232. best wise, best style, finest display : a common phrase st
Some say it is a corruption of the old law term ' best advise ' (see
Acts) : the French phrase ' at point devise] with the utmost exactn
countenances the explanation : best wise occurs in Bruce, Bk 8, 1.
and Bk 10, 1. 563.1

1. 248. with a sad wille, with a serious intention : for the vario
meanings and uses of sad, see Glossary.

1 When Barbour's Bruce, and Blind Harry's Wallace are quoted, refer
is made to Jamiesoris edition.

NOTES. 469

1. 258. He put noght vnpossible Pelleus wordes, he deemed the pro
mises of Pclias not impossible.

1. 2G4. He ertid, lie shaped his course, directed, hastened, erte
is still used in Scotland : for its different meanings in this work, see
Glossary.

1. 270. \e sliyre wayhes, the wild waves, the open sea : waghes
occurs in 1. 5585 as waches, with the sense of waters, soundings.

1. 273. abill of his crafte, skilful in his work : able is a common
term to express one's superiority in his work or profession, as, an able
workman, an able minister.

1. 278. foremast, greatest: is used to express the highest position
of place, power, ability, or value.

1. 281. althing, everything: see note, 1. 133. onestly, completely,
thoroughly : onestly has also the meaning decently, respectably, as in 1.
1600 ; also a meaning implying a combination of both complete or
thorough and decent or respectable ; and this is the meaning in that
phrase of Burns, " honest men and bonnie lasses."

1. 293. as I wene, as I wot, as I understand.

1. 298. wo \at trawe lyst, whoever believes (the story) may.

1. 299. helle yates, the gates of hell.

1. 300. coght, caught : often, caght : both forms still in use.

1. 301. the close of ^at curset In, the entrance of that cursed abode :
! a close is a narrow passage to a castle or stronghold, as in 11. 11173 and
12982, or, simply, an entrance, or gate, as here : also, the enclosure be-
,; hind a house. Every one who has visited Edinburgh will remember
! the closes and entries of the High Street and Canongate ; for In see
! note, 1. 2156.

1. 302. So dang he \at dog, he so beat that dog : dang is so used by

; Wyntoun, Barbour, Blind Harry, and indeed all the Scottish poets, and

I is still used. For the various forms and meanings of the word, which

occur in this work, see Glossary, Ding, Dyng, Dang, dynt of his

wappon, a stock phrase in the Morte Arthure and in this work, which

becomes dyntes of hondes, dyntes of swerdes, by way of variety.

1. 303. warlag, monster : so pronounced, and with the same mean-
j ing still : it is so used by Dunbar, and Lindsay as warlo, which is
; another pronunciation, wan atter = black venom, black gore, filthy
i blood : wan is so used by Blind Harry and Douglas, atter may be here
• rendered piss. For other meanings of atter, see Glossary : in 1. 2286 it
is a verb, to embitter, to cause sorrow or suffering.

1. 315. wan, conquered : occurs frequently in this work, and is still
in use. at his wille aght, held it in subjection to himself = ruled it as
lie pleased: so Wyntoun, VIII. 2. 9,

" Of Kyngis f?at audit {>at Eeawte,

And mast had rycht ^are kyng to be."
arjlit still implies possession and right of disposal.

1. 321. buernes, people, subjects-.

1. 322. pals, so in 11. 1378, 5610, = peles (pronounced peel and

470 NOTES.

pail), forts, towers, holds, or strongholds : so used by Barbour and
Wyntoun : in Lancashire such a building is called & pile, as the Pile of
Fouldery. Lesly, in his account of the Scottish Borderers, says, they
care little about their houses or cottages, but " construct for themselves
stronger towers of a pyramidal form which they call Pailes," which can
not be so easily destroyed.

1. 329. abasshet, bowed down, hanging : in 11. 2517, 7962, it is used
in the sense of abashed, confounded.

1. 330. shotes, clumps, patches: still used in the same sense, as "a
shot of ground." In 1. 3300 it occurs, meaning gushes, streams, ' spaits?

1. 332. to wale, of various kinds : see note, 1. 8 ; and compare 1. 373,
and Morte Arthure, 1. 181, "wylde to wale."

1. 342. swonghe or swoughe = sough (all these forms are still used),
gushing, purling, the sound of flowing water: sough is applied to
express the rustling of the wind, swough or swongh, the lapping or flow
ing of the water among stones ; thus, " The win' was soughin thro' the
trees;" "the burn was swoughin or swonghin along." sweppit, lapped,
gushed ; swep is dimin. of swap (see Gloss.), as tip is of tap or top.

1. 351. Sleppit up to a streite; a well marked Scotticism, and still
very common ; stepping up and stepping doun, express going to and
from a place, streght on his gate, may be either, (that was) straight
before them, or, (leading) direct to his destination : both meanings are
etill in every-day use.

1. 353. wilfulde, eager : occurs in 11. 725, 2872.

1. 357. yepe, eager, impulsive : yepe and yape are still used ; it
occurs in ' Christ's Kirk on the Green,'

" A yap young man that stood him neist
Soon bent his bow in ire," &c.

lynerus, also lenerus, should be yyuerus, yeuerus (see Gloss., derivatives
of yener, misprint for yeuer, A.S. gifer, greedy, rapacious) impetuous,
generous, kindly : this line represents one of the stock terms of our
author when speaking of a favourite knight : it occurs frequently,
sometimes word for word, sometimes with a little variation. This habit
of repeating himself forms one of the strong proofs of .the identity of
authorship of the Morte Arthure and this Troy Book.

1. 362. bowet, wended, marched, went. — the brode yate, the chie
gate or entrance : so called still. — or Ipai bide wold, before they woulc
stop or stay. The whole line = they went direct to the main er
trance.

1. 364. silet, swept, passed, as in 1. 1973 : in 11. 1307, 2680, sile —
to flow : both meanings are used in Morte Arthure, the first, in 1. 1297;
and the second in 1. 3794, in almost the same words,

" And thane syghande he said, with sylande terys."

1. 367. haspyng in armys, clasping in arms, embracing each other :
Jiasp occurs also as a s. (see Gloss.) : both forms are still common, as
also the meaning used in 1. 3899, — a hank, a fold.

NOTES. 471

1. 3G9. Gaid, went, passed : as ia Burns's song, ' Tibbie, I hae
seen the Day,'

" Yestreen I met you on the moor :
Ye spak na, but gaed by like stour."

1. 383. Be Ipan, by that time : so in Wallace, 5. 125, —

" Sternys, be than, began for till apper."
and in Douglas's Virgil, p. 324, 1. 18, and still used.

1. 386. Walid wine, choice wines, the best of wines. — to wete, for the
asking : wete is used in the same sense in Wallace, 5. 346.

1. 392. sought into sale, entered the room : in 1. 6644, sought = de
parted.

1. 394. etlit, intended, chosen, or designed as the one to succeed :
the word is so used in Douglas's Virgil, p. 13, 1. 34.

1. 399. the dene artis, as opposed to the black arts ; the former
implied education and ability, and claimed respect ; while the latter
implied fellowship with the devil, and inspired dread.

1. 406. in a hond while, in a short time, in an instant : the phrase
occurs frequently in this work.

1. 408. Merke, dark, or darkness : still used in both senses : in 1.
3195 it is a *., and in 1. 4286 a vb.

1. 414. yepely, quickly, cleverly : see note, 1. 357, also Glossary.
yarTce into Elde, change into old (men), or, put into old (age) : yark,
yerk, to do anything cleverly or quickly, as to toss, to upset, to strike,
to tie, &c. : still in use.

1. 425. flitton, changed, altered, varied : liter, removed ; in this
sense flit is still used.

1. 439. wit, judgment ; so in 1. 443.

1. 448. no bate, no good, no advantage, useless : bote is used as a vb.
in 1. 3391.

1. 453. Ene (eyes) ; this is one mark of the author's origin, tren-
dull, a hoop, a wheel : so in Burns's Inventory,

" Ae auld wheelbarrow, mair for token,
Ae leg an' baith the trams are broken ;
I made a poker o' the spindle,
An' my auld mither brunt the trindle."

]. 462. radly, severely, intensely : another form of roidly, fiercely :
see 1. 912, and Gloss. Roid, Roidly.

1. 464. Mr talent was taken, her inclination was taken away or gone.

1. 466. full, satisfied ; so used still.

1. 475. hardy, bold, brave : occurs often in The Bruce, and in
Wallace.

1. 478. derne hert, inmost heart, secret thoughts : derne is still used
as a vb. in this sense, as in ' The Witch of Fife,'

" We splashit the floode, and we dernit the woode,
And we left the shoure behynde."

1. 481. Shentyng, shrinking : occurs also as shontyng, shunlyng ; see
Glossary.

472 NOTES.

1. 482. Ipere worship to saue, to save their good name : worship
occurs often in this work, and generally in the sense of fame, renotcn, as
in 1. 655, &c.

1. 483. burdys, young ladies: so in Burns's 'Tarn o' Shanter,' and a
stock word in old ballads.

1. 486. burdes, tables ; liter, boards, pronounced burds, or, bairds.

1. 493. Wax (pret. of wax), grew, became : so in The Bruce, 4. 21,
and 7. 487.

1. 494. as the lowe hole, as hot as fire : lowe, flame, fire, is still in
use both as a s. and as a vb.

1. 495. sonet, pierced, vibrated, dirled : souet to the hert is a common,
expression still : in 1. 5284 the form soune occurs : both forms are used.

1. 527. Voidis me noght of vitius, shun or despise me not as vicious.
vilaus of tunge, of vile or foul tongue : vilaus occurs in Wyntoun, VII.
8. 242.

1. 543. yenernes, kind-heartedness = generosity : see note on 1.
357. Comers, cries, pleads : Coiner and garner are still used, but gener
ally to express the cry or plaint of a child : for various meanings see
Gloss.

1. 545. plite, position, circumstances, s£ate : still used to express
circumstances of difficulty, danger, or distress : if %e putte me in J>i»
plytte, occurs in Morte Arthure, 1. 683. your purpos to wyn, your end
to accomplish.

1. 561. wochis, watches, guards, hence, dangers, difficulties : for
examples, see Gloss.

1. 570. bydis ]>ere bir, faces their fury, attempts to resist their force :
for various meanings of byde, see Gloss. ; here, it is to withstand, as in
the old Scotch Song,

" Hap an' row, hap an' row,
Hap an' row the feetie o't ;
It is a wee bit wearie thing,
I downa bide the greetie o't."

1. 571. derfe and felle are favourite words in the Morte Arthure and
this Troy Book; so are the phrases derfe dedes, derfe dynttes, derfe
wepon ; while, the derfe Danamarkes of Morte Art., 1. 3610, is matched
in 1. 8364 of this work by the derfe Trojans; and, Derfe dynttys they
dalle (Mort. Arth., 1. 3749), by, Derf dynttes \ai delt, in 1. 10218 of this
work. So with the word/eZZe, and the phrases, felle dedes, felle dynttes,
felle loepon, felle sword, felle was the fight.

Both words are still used in the same senses as then, and in some
districts the word fell is used to express exceedingly good or bad, great
or small, fierce or gentle, &c. &c.

1. 577 = for assuredly the expedition can have but one end, —
your death.

1. 584*5. Or it were Jcnowen, rather than that it were known : or so
occurs in Golag. & Gaw., 1. 1110, and is still so used, shuldfie, could
do such a thing as flee, or could be so base as flee, or had to flee : this

NOTES. 473

is a peculiar, but not uncommon, use of should: for example, in the
West of Scotland when repudiating a certain line of conduct, a native
will say, " I'd do so and so, or it were kent I should do the like o' that."

1. 589. my payne thole, endure my suffering, run my risk, pay the
penalty : in 1. 950, no pyne tholed = received no hurt, was quite un
hurt, tholit paynis occurs in Barbour's Bruce, 2. 767, 3. 21, and 3. 435.

1. 597. till ye fay worthe, till you be killed : fay and fey occur fre
quently in Horte Arth. in the same senses as in this work (compare
Glossaries) : fay, fey are still used, but with a secondary meaning.

1. 617-8. \at aunter, that hardihood = will and power ; as is said
of a weakling, "he has nae aunter in him" quyclce, mortal. The
meaning of these two lines is, "Of all mortals, I only have the secret
of how to destroy the power of Mars."

1. 629. YIS wirdis to fall, (that) this (good) fortune should befall
me : wirdis is fate, luck, fortune either good or bad ; it occurs in Morte
Arthure, 11. 385 and 3889, and in Barbour's Bruce in this plural form ;
but it occurs also in the singular (see Gloss.), and both forms still exist.

1. 633. qweme, leal, willing, loving : see note, 1. 1809.

1. 646. on hor best wise, as best they may. See note, 1. 232.

1. 649. Bes, imper. of Be, be you : so in 1. 870.

1. 655. worship, fame, renown.

1. 656. gate and gouernaunse, undertaking and conduct, i. e. how
and by what means he should get to the place, and how he should act
when there: gate is so used in 1. 2239 and 1. 6138. See Gloss., and
note, 1. 1334.

1. 658. lykyng, will.

1. 662. fre buernes, noblemen.

1. 663. pas, a section, a division : so in Piers Plowman, and in
Wyntoun, V. 9.

" In fns next pas yhe sal se
Qwhat Empriowre fyrst tuk Crystyante."

1. 665. woso tentis after, may be either whosoever seeks after it, or
wishes to know, or, whosoev.er attends to what follows : tent has still
both meanings, to be concerned about, and to attend to j and it is used
as a s., as in 1. 2462. take tent — took heed.

1. 671. Janglyng, prating, prattling, chattering: so used in 'The
Cherrie and the Slae ; ' also in 1. 2873.

1. 673. ouerdroghe, liter, drew over = passed by : droghe is so used
in 11. 4664 and 7630, and by Burns in ' Tarn o' Shanter,'

" The night drave on wi' gangs and clatter."

1. 676. Waynet, raised, moved up ; from A.S. gewaenan, to turn :
still used in the sense of to wind up : wayne occurs in ]. 9783, = to re
move ; in 1. 13796 = to stretch up, to rise ; and in the ' Awnters of
Arthur ' = to raise, to remove ;

" He wayned up his viser fro his ventaile."
1. 678. the dregh of the derke night, the time of the greatest length

474

NOTES.

of darkness, i.e. midnight : so in 1. 10633, the day of the dreight, i. e. the
longest day. dregh, dreigh, is still used in the sense of long, weari
some, as a dreigh road ; and the dreigh is also used = the greatest part,
the most tedious portion, and the longest time : hence we have the
dregh o' the day, and, the day o1 the dreigh.

1. 713. he laid on his hond, he promised solemnly : to lay on is
here, and still means, to strike, as two parties do when they conclude
a bargain, — they strike hands ; and each party in this manner solemnly
promises: hence the saying "There's my han', I'll ne'er beguile ye,"
which is sometimes rendered, " There's my thumb, I'll ne'er beguile ye."
he laid on occurs also in 1. 934, = he struck.

1. 715. belirt, belied, deceived : so also in 11. 8134 and 8447.

1. 728. dawly, dolefully, with heavy heart : occurs again and again
(see Gloss.), and is dawlily (perhaps an error of the scribe) in 1. 9335.
It is used as an adj. by Douglas in his Virgil, and still exists as dowy :
cf. Fr. deuil, grief, hir distitur, liter, made herself destitute, bereft
herself.

1. 729. shunt, withdraw, shrink : this is rather a peculiar phrase.
In Morte Arthure we have,

" He ne schownttes for no schame, bot schewes fulle heghe." 1. 3715
and in this Troy Bool: we have,

Shentyng for shame to shew furth f?ere ernd. 1. 481

With shame may £ou shunt fro thi shire othes. 729

ffor shame may J>ou shunt as shent of all knightes. 10377

Ne shamys you not shalkes to shunt of J>e fild. 10998

Neuer of shame to be shunt when shalke is on lyue. 11342

And schunt for no schame but hit schope faire. 13730

1. 736. what myndes, thoughts, recollection : mynd is still so used,
as in, " I had na the least mind o 't ; " but it may also stand for pre
sence of mind.

1. 738. your sciense of Ipe seuen artes, your skill in the seven arts ;
which were, grammar, dialectics, rhetoric, music, arithmetic, geometry,
and astronomy : see Piers Plowman, ed. Wright, note, 1. 5911.

1. 741. loket not large, looked not beyond the present.

1. 751. busket, hurried, hastened : for different meanings of busk,
see Glossary. "This is a favourite word of our author, and many of the
phrases in which it occurs are common to all the works attributed to
him ; such as, buske thee belyve, buske to battle, buskes $ere battels; and
in Morte Arthure we find : —

" Buskez theire batelles, theire baners displayez," 1. 1618

while in this work we have,

"All buskes hor batels on hor best wise."' 1. 10G46

1. 758. be-daghe, befool, cover with shame : same as be-daffe in
North's Pint., p. 105: "Then are you blind, dull-witted, and bedaft:n
this word would be pronounced bedaght, like laugh, pron. lagh, rough,
rugh, &c.

NOTES. 475

I. 761. hcght, promised : another form of het, I. 995, in the same
way as not is often noght in the works of Scottish writers : see 11. 1823,
8485. Both forms are still in use.

1. 776. naite shulde, should use or employ : naite occurs again in 1.
6031, = require, need. It is used as a s. by Douglas in his Virgil, p.
122, 1. 2 ; and naitly, both adj. and adv., occurs in this work : see Gloss.

1. 777. white siluer, ought to be qwite siluer, and the same error
occurs in 1. 3028 : a proof that the scribe wrote to dictation at those
Hues, as indeed he appears to have done during the greater part of his
work, white spoils the alliteration in both cases ; but the mistake is
remarkable in 1. 3028, where the word occurs twice.

1. 797. When he his deuer hade done, when he had (so far) done as
directed = when he had fairly begun his work : deuer is still so used
by workmen in the West of Scotland : when hesitating over a difficult
piece of work one will say, " It will be a hard job, but let's da our
devor," meaning, " let us make a beginning." Jamieson gives an
example of this meaning : see under Deuore.

The omission of h in his is another proof that the scribe wrote to
dictation.

1. 807. clappe shall full dene, shall close quickly and completely :
clap still has this meaning, as in the common boys'-phrase, " he ran into
the house, an' clappit ta the door."

1. 808. dere hym a dyse, hurt him in the least : as in the phrase,
" no worth a dys " — not worth the smallest article.

1. 814. By the renke, by the time that the renke = when the renke :
Try same as be in 1. 383, be ]>an, by that time. See note.

1. 817. feynit with fare, pretended by his action.

1. 823. spird at hym specially, inquired particularly of him : to
spere AT a person, is, to ask him : to spere FOR a person, to inquire for
him, or regarding his welfare : to spere AFTER a person, to ask informa
tion regarding him, such as, where and how he is, and what he is
about. — what his spede were, what his errand was, what had brought
him there.

1. 825. longe am I here, I am long enough here : a common expres
sion still, when a person thinks it is high time to begin his work or
take his departure : sometimes it means, " I have been too long here."

1. 828. & your wille be, if it be your will, if you'll allow me.

]. 834. = to be blamed for your death, should you not escape ; to be
sclaundret of ones skathe, is, to be talked of as the cause of said disaster,
while in reality innocent thereof.

1. 855. atlet before, which had been provided beforehand, or, pre
viously provided (for this encounter).

1. 860. blasound of brunston, blazing with brimstone.

1. 870. to doll broght, brought to grief or destruction : doll, dole,
dol, doole (see Gloss.), is still used in all the shades of meaning from
that of simple sadness or suffering up to despair or destruction : pro
nounced dool. See note on da^ly^ 1. 728.

476 NOTES.

1. 882. $epely ^arkit Jiym Iperfore, quickly prepared himself for
using it.

1. 893. Hit stake up, it shut up : stake implies greater rapidity of
movement than steekit: thus "he steekit the door" implies simply
shutting it ; but, " he stake the door in his face " implies slamming it to.

1. 897. ymur & aire, belching (of flames) and breathing. In Gloss.
ymur is rendered fresh, wholesome fragrance, from Icel. ilmr, which cer
tainly does not convey the sense of this passage, and does not suit well
in 1. 1575 ; but if we take A.S. ymbren, circuit, course, passage, as the
root, the meaning in both cases becomes clear : here, it is the coursing,
rushing, or belching (of the flames), and in 1. 1575, passing to and fro,
passage, traffic. Here, aire = breath or breathing ; in 1. 1575, it means
ventilation.

1. 900. maistur behouet, mastery demanded, or could wish for :
maistur is so used by the early Scottish poets ; but it may have been
intended for maistri or maistre or maistre, as this contraction is very
variable in meaning ; or, it may represent the mystir of Wallace, Bk 8,
]. 235 = need.

1. 902. belyue, then : as in ' The Cottar's Saturday Night,'

" Belyve the elder bairns come drapping in."

1. 903. ploghe. See note, 1. 23.

1. 905. the gayre of the ground, the upturned earth of the field, i. e.
the furrows : a surface is said to be gaired when it is creased or fur
rowed.

1. 910. Skremyt vp to the skrow, bellowed up to the sky : skrow =
scroll, expanse, hence, the sky: the more common form is skew or
slciew ; but in 1. 10182 we find,

" The skrew for the skrykyng & skremyng of folke," &c.,
and the alliteration demands that the word remain as in the MS.
skryke ffelle, horrific yell : skryke is still used, pronounced skreek and
skraich.

1. 911. smult (lit. boiled, bubbled), rolled : pret. of smile, to fer
ment ,or boil : thus " the kettle's smilin' on the fire." Lines 910-1
afford another proof that this work was written by the. author of Morte
Arthure : observe that they have the same rhyme letter (s), which is
a very striking peculiarity throughout the Morte Arthure, to which the
Rev. Mr Skeat first drew my attention. The examples of this rhyming-
power to be found in this work are not so wonderful as those of the
Morte Arthure, p. 55, where there are sixteen consecutive lines and
only three rhyme-letters (11. 1852 — 1867) ; but they are plentiful : for
examples of double lines, see 11. 1245-6, 1247-8, 1263-4, 1517-8, 1520-1,
1997-8, 2009-10, 2011-2, 2075-6: for triplets, see 11. 3036-8, 3519-21,
9666-8, while 11. 3508-11 is an imperfect quartet. Observe too that
the favourite rhyme-letters are the same in both works ; as are also
the subjects and particulars on which the author spends his strength.
Still the Morte Arthure is the nobler and more finished poem ; which

'

NOTES. 477

suggests that it was the later of the two ; for any one who had written
this Troy Book must have acquired great mastery of rhyme by the
time he got to the "ferre end." See note, 1. 1271.

11. 923-4. erdand, see note, 1. 121. Isoder, Isidorus Hispalensis,
bishop of Saville, about 600 A.D., who wrote Origines, an encyclopaedia
of arts and sciences, smaragden hit hat, it is called stnaragdus
(emerald) : for a full account of the smaragdus, see Natural History of
Precious Stones, by C. W. King, M.A. (Bohn : London, 1870).

]. 925. du eddur, deadly serpent.

1. 933. pyne to beholde, horrible to be seen.

1. 934. full dregh, full wearisome = full many and severe : see
note, 1. 678, arid Jamieson's Diet, under Dreigh.

1. 939. juste were to-gedur, were tightly closed : juste is dashed,
tilted, clenched.

1. 954. fflypit of the fflese, stripped off the fleece : fiype is to pull off
anything, as a stocking, by turning it inside out — as a rabbit is
skinned. It is used by Lyndsay in his satire on Syde Taillis, and is
still in use.

]. 965. wee, a lord, a noble : in 1. 3356 = a lady. See note, 1. 23.

1. 985. on thefome, by sea : so in the ballad, ' Sir Patrick Spens,'

" To Noroway, to Noroway,
To Noroway o'er the faem," &c.

1. 1000. a Sourdyng with sourgrem, an increasing dislike and a
desire for revenge.

1. 1045. All redy to the Roode, lit. all ready for the road, i. e. the
expedition : in 1. 1180 the same phrase is applied to the soldiery of
Troy just assembled to repel the Greeks. From these and other
examples that follow the phrase seems to have been used in our author's
time, as it is still, to express ready for action whatever the undertaking
may be.

1. 1054. euyn like of a lenght, alike equal in length: a common
phrase still in the West of Scotland. The short description of Spring
to which this is the introduction, is a fair example of our poet's power
when treating such a subject.

1. 1061. Swoghyng of swete ayre, the ' souching"1 (sighing) of the
sweet air. Swalyng of briddes, the swelling (singing) of birds. This
line is a good example of onomatopoeia.

1. 1085. vnkeppit were Ipe costes, the coasts were unguarded.

1. 1089. Skairen out skoute-wacche, lit. divide out (scatter over their
lines) the patrols (the pickets) : in Morte Arthure, 1. 2468, the phrase
occurs with a different application of skaire, " Skayres thaire skottefers,
and theire skowtte-waches " = scatters their marskmen and their
pickets, i. e. drives them in : not " frighten their shield-bearers," as the
Glossary makes it. Skayre, skair, is to divide (Su.-Go. skaera), and is
still used in the sense of to share, as in the phrase, " skair even now"
i. e. share equally now : the pieces of a fishing rod are called skairs.
skoute-wacche occurs again in 1. 6042. The wacche, as in 1. 1561, is

478 NOTES.

the sentinel at or on a castle, or at the camp ; the sJcoute-wacche, is the
soldier on patrol, or picket duty : in 1. 7352, nightwacche occurs, in
cluding both the loacche and the skoute-wacche ; but it most frequently
represents the watchmen of towns, for skeltyng of harme, for the pur
pose of avoiding surprise : lit. for warning of danger. skelt is a
rumour, and skeltyng is spreading a rumour. The phrase occurs again
in 1. 6042.

1. 1092. warne, is " to give notice," and is still used : for example,
the town officer warns the magistrates of a meeting ; and the sheriff-
officer warns awa1 the tenant whom the landlord wishes to remove.

1. 1098. The word of your werkes, the fame of your works : word is
still used in this sense, as in the phrase, " he's got the word o't," i. e.
report says so of him : " word has come to town," i. e. a report or
rumour has reached town.

1. 1107. spede-fu.ll, helpful, expedient: so used by Barbour, as in 4.
486, and still in use.

1. 1117. rife, plenty, abundant: still used in this sense.

1. 1118. fraght, freight, cargo: again in 1. 5384; and in 1. 13301
it means fleet, a set of ships: both senses are still common ; and another,
the price of a passage, fare.

1. 1127. with-outyn threp more, without further assertion, threp
occurs both as a s. and a vb. in various senses (see Gloss.), and is still
so used.

1. 1131. In the ton, in the one, i. e. in the first (division) : ton
occurs often, so does father, and sometimes together, as in 1. 3911, " The
ton fro Ipe tother," which is an every-day phrase still : examples in The
Bruce, 11. 123-5, 14. 1064-5.

1. 1132. furse men of armes, a common phrase in this work and the
Morte Arthure, as at 11. 1537, 1897.

1. 1146. ^pat ojjer, should be fe tolper.

]. 1148. the forward to lede, to lead the van.

1. 1150. pursu on the laste, (shall) come last.

1. 1158. Hit liket well J?e lordes, it pleased the lords much : like has
still this active sense.

1. 1163. here was used by the early Scottish poets in various senses
(see Jamieson's Diet.), most of which occur in this work : see Gloss.,
and compare 11. 1432, 6188, 6253.

1. 1166. Silen to the Citie softly andfaire, wend to the city, &c. The
same idea is expressed in Morte Arthure, 1. 1297,

" Syland softely in, swettly by theme-selfene."

1. 1188. Compare the battle scene which follows with that given
in Morte Arthure in the attack of the Roman camp and the sack which
followed, pp. 62-8.

1. 1194. Shildes throgh shote shalkes to dethe : so again in 11.
6780, 9431,—

Mony shalke }>urgh shot with j?ere sharpe gere.
Shot Jmrgh the sheld & }>Q shene mayle.

NOTES. 479

Compare with Morle ArtJiure, 11. 1857, 2545, 3748, —

Schalkes they schotte thrughe schrenkande maylez.
Thorowe scheldys they schotte, and scherde thorowe mailes.
Thourghe the scheldys so schene schalkes they towche.

the last line is repeated in 1. 4116. Compare too with the battle scenes
in Golag. and Gaw., and in Awntyrs of Arthure ; and the result is a
conviction that those pieces are the work of the same author : for in
each of them the same particulars are dwelt on. looked at in the same
light, and expressed as only the same person could express them.

1. 1196. frusshe, dash, onset: so in Mort. Arth., 1. 2900, and in
Barbour : in all three it is used both as a s. and as a vb.

]. 1197. All dynnet $e dyn the dales aboute : so in Mort. Arth.,].
2031, " Alle dynned fore dyn that in the dale houede." dyn, noise ; and
dyn, to make a noise, to resound, are still very common words.

1. 1200. withouten sware more, without a struggle, and never moved :

sware, sweir, is still used in the sense of reluctant, making much to-do, as

in "man, ye're deid sweir" = man, you are very reluctant, or, make

much to-do about it. The word occurs in Gol. and Gaw., 1. 1053, in a

i similar connection, " Mony sweit thing of sware swonit full oft " =

| Many a young lady through horror (of the sight) swooned again and

again.

1. 1217. Alse wode, &c.: see 11. 3810, 5257, 6404, 6523, and com
pare Mort. Arth., 11. 3817, 3837. wode, mad, furious, enraged; thus in
The Bruce, Bk XL 1. 804,

" — thai ran rycht as thai war noud"
;and in Burns's ' Scotch Drink,'

" When neebors anger at a plea
An just as wud as mud can be."

1. 1219. topsayles ouer, topsy turvy : so Burns in 'Green Grow
the Rushes,'

" And warly cares and warly men
May a' gae tapsal teerie 0 ! "

1. 1224. He with-drogh hym a draght, he fell back a short distance,
,3r, he drew forth a trumpet. t& a dyn made, and blew a blast, sounded
i call. So Douglas in his Virgil, p. 230, 1. 35,

" Be this thare armour grathyt and thare gere,
The dr audit trumpet blawis the brag of were."

1. 1230. consayuit his come, observed his approach, saw him coming
)n, keppit hym swithe, quickly prepared himself (to meet him) : kep
nay here mean, to arrest, to stop, or, to prepare to catch or receive ;
poth meanings are still common, and examples from Wyntoun, Barbour,
md Douglas are given in Jamieson's Diet, swithe, sometimes swice,
wwiiee, see Gloss.

1. 1234. the rod all to-roofe, the shaft shivered to pieces.

1. 1237. caupe, blow, shock, (O.F. coup) : for various meanings of
i |7awpe, see Gloss.: the word is still in use, and pronounced coup.

480 NOTES.

1. 1238. a warchand wound, wide, gaping, hence, deadly : the phrase
occurs in Wallace, Bk 8, 11. 732, 858.

1. 1241. And flange, &c., and struck, &c. : this line is repeated at 1.
5253; and^an^e is still used to express rapid or sudden striking.

1. 1244. With a bir, with a thrust or blow, bir is properly force,
impetus, but is still used to express a blow given with great force,
rapid motion or whatever causes rapid motion, or, the sound made by
anything in rapid motion. See Gloss, and note, 1. 1902.

1. 1245. foole, a horse : fole occurs in 11. 6400, 6451, and foale, in 1.
8341, with the same meaning : nagge also occurs in 1. 7727, — " he neyt
as a nagge." Both words are still used in the same way ; Burns, iu
' Tana o' Shanter,' says,

" — every naig was ca'd a shoe on,
The smith an' thee gat roaring fou on."

1. 1248. The bourder of his basnet brestes in sonder : so in Mart.
ArtTi., 1. 4211,

" The bordoure of his bacenett he bristes in sondire."
The bourder of the basnet (from this, and other mention of it further
on) was either the peak of the ventaile, or the rim or collar that joined
the basnet and cuirass : it is mentioned again and again in Gol. and
Gaw. See Arms and Armour, by Boutell, London, 1869.

1 1254. hurlet hym, dragged him : hurl occurs in 11. 1969, 6660,
10311; and harle in 2968, 5834: both forms are still in use, and
examples of harle are given by Jamieson from Douglas and Lyndsay.

1. 1257. nolpit to ground, knocked or dashed to the ground : nolpe,
both a"s a s. and a vb., is still used, as in " he ga'e him a nap wi' his
neive," " he nappit him wi' his neive," — the expression given in 1.
13889, " He nolpit on with his neue."

1. 1258. roile, charger : the roile was the great, large-boned horse
of Flemish breed on which the full-armed knight rode at tournament or
in battle.

1. 1265. caupyng, exchanging of blows, conflict, (O.F. couper,
strike). See note, 1. 1237.

1. 1270. haspes, clasps : hasp is still used both as a s. and as a vb.
See Gloss., and note, 1. 367.

1. 1271. With a swinge of his sworde swappit hym in ]>e fase, with a
swing of his sword struck him on the face : swing and swap are favourite
words of our author, and are varied in every possible way both here
and in the Morte Arthure. Having to express the action so often every
variation or shade of variety had to be resorted to, and after so good a
training as the Troy Book gave him he was well fitted to dash i
those splendid battle scenes in the Horte Arthure. As a specimen
of the variations of expression in this case take, with the line above,

Swordis out swiftly \>&\ swappit belyue. 1. 10541

Swange out swordys, swappit togedur. 10430

Swappit horn with swordes till the swalt all.
With swappis of nor swordes swelt mony knightes. 10905

NOTES. 481

Pirrus swappit out his sword, swange at the kyng. 13590

With swyng of our swordes swap horn in sender. 11002

and compare with Morte Arthure, 1. 1464-6,

Swyftly with swerdes they swappene there-aftyre,

Swappez doune fulle sweperlye sweltande knightez,

That all swelltez one swarthe that they ouer swyngene.

Swappede owte with a swerde that swykede hym neuer. 1. 1795

with a swerde egge
The swyers swyre bane he swappes in sondre. 1. 2958-9

These are but a few of the examples of our author's variety of expres
sion : he gives at least sixteen distinct variations of swinging or swapping
the sword ; and if any one wishes to extend the comparison given above,
he may turn to 11. 1889, 6699, 7274, 7340, 7769, 9561, 9668, 10390, 13024,
13419, of this work, and to the examples in the Morte Arthure.
1. 1278. ffrochit, another form offrusshit, dashed, rushed.
1. 1282. hym o Hue broght, killed him on the spot : occurs again in
1. 1443; and in Mori. Arth., 1. 802, we have "broghte hym o lyfe:n it
varies in both works to " broghte oute o lyue."

1. 1289. on a soppe hole, in one body, in one mass : soppe occurs in
Mort. Arth., The Bruce, and Douglas's Virgil, in the same sense ; and
it is still used in the West of Scotland, as in the phrase, " a good sup
rain," or, " a good sup water in the well."
1. 1290. a home : see note, 1. 1308.

1. 1292. for chaunse vppon vrthe, for the sake of all they hold dear.
1. 1296. Slogh horn downe sleghly & slaunge horn to grounde, Killed
them right and left, and dashed them to the ground : sleghly is cun
ningly, hence, cleverly : slaunge, flung with force, or dashed, thrust, or
knocked. Both words are still used as here. This line presents
another of our author's favourite expressions : there are two forms of it
common to his works, which are varied in every possible way, as in
the case of 1. 1271 : one is given here, and one at 1. 9038,

Slogh horn doun sleghly with sleght of his hond,
while in Morte Arthure we have,

ffor he slewe with a slynge he sleyghte of his handis. 1. 3418

And the tother slely slynges hym undire. 3855

That they bee sleyghely slayne, and slongene in watyrs. 4321

From these we find that all the variations are got from three forms
with the rime-letter s, viz. slay, sleght, and slyng ; and by introducing
tlade (a narrow valley, a den), we get in Troy Book,

Miche slaght in }>at slade of j?o slegh kuightes. 1. 6955

Myche slaghte in the slade ^slyngyng of horse. GOOG

Gret slaght in J?e slade & slyngyng to ground. 7G93

and in Morte Arthure, 11. 2977-8,

There is slayne in that slope, be elagere of his hondes,
Sexty slongene in a slade of sleghe men of armes.

1. 1297. warpide horn under, tossed them down : warp is still used

31

482 NOTES.

in this sense, as in speaking of a wrestling match, " they warpit aither
doun : " it also means to speak angrily, tauntingly, or vehemently, as
in 11. 360, 2683, and as Douglas in his Virgil, p. 62, 1. 3, and p. 143, 1.
53, — in this sense it is generally followed by a preposition : it also
means to raise, to wind (but still implying to cast or throw), as in 1.
11924, "he warpit up a wicket; " and so Douglas's Virgil, p. 432, 1. 4,
"warp up the ports:" and in 11. 10462, 13412, to throw or toss from
one, thus, " warpit to the yates," " warpet ouer-burde mikill riches &
relikes," and as Barbour in The Bruce, Bk 3, 1. 108, and Bk 8, 1. 606.

1. 1307. And siket full sore with sylyng of teris ; so in Mort. Arth.t
1. 3794,

" And thane syglumde he saide with sylande terys."
Again in 1. 2680 of this work we have,

" All in siking & sorrow, with syling of teris
Ho brast out with a birre."

1. 1308. Henttes his Jiorne, seizes his horn, hastily blawes, quickly
sounds it : so in Wallace, Bk 6, 1. 823,

" Leit doun the brig, and blew his home on hycht."

1. 1313. Kest vp his egh, raised his eyes — looked : the phrase is
still used : note, the noun egh is sing.

1. 1314-5. Segh a batell come prickand, saw a company coming dash
ing on : so in Barbour, Bk 9, 1. 142,

" That on stedis of mekill prid

Come prikand," &c.

Again in 1. 1317, we have " come girdand" as in ' The Gentle Shepherd,'
Act I. Scene 1,

" I saw my Meg come linkin' oer the lee."
The idiom is still in use.

1. 1316. blusshed, looked intently : occurs again in 11. 2428, 9446,
and in Mort. Arlh., 1. 116.

1. 1319. to be stad so, to be so situated, to be so fixed : stade is so
used in Mort. Arth., 1. 1926 ; and is still so used.

1. 1328. on bothe halfes, on both sides, i. e. before and behind : so
in Mort. Arth., 1. 1980, " on iche halfe; " and "sere halfes" is a phrase
often used in both works, blody beronyn, streaming with blood :
occurs again and again here, and in the Mort. Arth., 11. 3946, 3971.

1. 1331. Pricket furthe into prise: so in The Bruce, Bk 2, 1. 236,

" Thai prikyt then out off the press."
prise, conflict, me!4e, as in 1. 1201.

1. 1334. fled of his gate, fled out of his way : this idiom is still
common.

1. 1342. sobbyng of teres, should be sobbyng & teres.

1. 1347. dite & \e dyn, shouting and noise : dite, a saying, a story,
whether long or short, spoken or written.

1. 1348. with tene turnyt $e bak, in despair gave way, or, with
bitterness of heart gave way : to turn the back is still used to express

NOTES: 483

Bhying or running from an enemy or a contest : in 1. 9474 the action
is expressed by " to gyffe bake," a phrase which is used by Barbour in
The Bruce, Bk 6, 1. 790, and Bk 12, 1. 315 ; while in Bk 8, 1. 737 ; 10.
756; 11. 822; 11. 860, it is expressed by " to take the back.'1

1. 1353. When the Grekys hade the gre & the grounde wonen, when
the Greeks had won the victory and the position : " to win the gre " is
a common Scottish phrase still used to express " to be victor," " to win
the prize," " to come off first," " to excel all competitors : " " to bear
the gre " is to hold the first place, to bear off the highest honours :
thus, at a rifle match the one who has the highest score is said " to
have won the gre ; " and after the match he " bears the gre," and will
do so till some one else excels" him.

1. 1360. of Jpere wit past, lost their wits, became insane: the phrase
is still in use.

1. 1361. bames on brest, infants : a phrase in every-day use : as
thus, — " What age is the bairn ? " " he's jist on the breest yet," i. e. he
i is a mere infant.

1. 1374. Wele wantid no wegh, no one lacked wealth or spoil : wele,
wealth, property, occurs again in 11. 1696, 2717, 3356, and is a common
word still, wale what horn liste, (they just) chose and took what
pleased them.

1. 1379. byggynges, buildings, houses : common to all our Scottish
writers.

1. 1394. Syn the fortune felle \at faire into honde, since fortune (of
war) gave thee that fair lady as a captive.

1. 1401. to lede, to live with, to hold : to lede is to keep safely, to
cherish, to take charge or care of, and came to be a common term to
express the relation of husband to wife : in the same sense lede is used
» as a s. in 1. 10653, = leadership, guidance ; and this use of the word
is still common.

1. 1404. Wer wakyn, war (shall) rise : in 1. 404, wakyn means to
[raise, to stir up ; and in 1. 2046, to wackon up = to spring up, to begin
to act. Both meanings are still common : thus, " ye'll waken strife wi'
that story," "the fire 's waknin up now." The Morte Arthure, 1. 257,
[has, "Now wakkenyse the were."

1. 1433. letis bele in his brest, allows to fester in his heart : to bele is
| to suppurate, to fester, as a wound, hence its use here.

1. 1434. mynnes, minds, remembers, broods over, is of mynd past,
gone from (the) memory (of the one who uttered it), or, gone from

recollection (of every one else).

1. 1438. ffele folke forfaren, many people made to perish : forfare is

used by Barbour in The Bruce, Bk 1, 1. 478 ; and in Wallace, Bk
10, 1. 521 ; also in Gude & Godly Ballates, p. 167 (ed. 1868). forfaren
curs again in 1. 12118, = killed: it is still used in the sense of
llected, destitute, as in Thorn's ' Mitherless Bairn.'

1. 1452. to ken, to be known, to be imagined, to speak of: fere no

se was to ken = where there was no cause at all. To ken is still so

484 NOTES.

used, as in the phrase, " There's naething to ken o' " = there is
nothing worth speaking of.

1. 1469. here Ipat he wait, men that he had under him, as a chief or
leader : wald, to wield or manage, also to possess : it is used in both
senses by Wyntoun. See Jamieson's Diet.

1. 1482. Jtrivand in Armys, prosperous, hence renowned in arms, a
famous warrior : the phrase occurs again in 11. 2742, 5435, and is
varied into " ]>rifty in armes " in 11. 5450, 5454, which occurs in Morle
Arthure, 1. 317,

" Thyrtty thosannde be tale thryftye in armes."

1. 1484. a fyne man of lore, a very able man of learning : fine is
still used in this sense.

1. 1485. Jje seuyn Aries ; see note, 1. 738.

1. 1495. of ]>e suster, of the sisters : this pi. form is not yet gone
out of use. feire should beferre.

1. 1496. clennest, most gifted, lit. completest.

1. 1503. color, should be colour, complexion, clennes, lit. purity
(of shape), symmetry.

1. 1506. in should be on.

1. 1513. syde londis, far away lands : syde is wide, large, or long,
as in Lyndsay's Satire on Syde Taillis, i. e. long skirts.

1. 1515. Soche sikyng and sorow sanke in his herte ; compare with
Mort. Arth., 1. 3983,

" Was neuer sorowe so sof te that sanke to my herte."

1. 1518. horn, home.

I. 1522. thriccing should be thricching, pressing, wringing.

II. 1530-1. Wise wrightis to wale, skilled carpenters many, werkys
to caste, to devise plans, to lay out the works, qwariours qweme, skilful
quarrymen. qwaint men of wit, men of long experience : qwaint, (O.F,
coint) skilled, experienced, sage.

1. 1533. raght vpon rowme, reached the foundations, cleared the site.
rid vp J>e dykis, cleared out the ditches : rid is pret. of red, to clear, to
clean, to make tidy, as in the common phrase, " to red up the house" to
put it in order, dyke is here = ditch, as in 1. 1566, or = wall, as in
1. 13588; then the passage means " cleared out the old walls:" the
word is still used in both senses.

1. 1535. of, from : is frequently used.

1. 1544. selly were ]>ik, were wonderfully thick.

1. 1563. beste, should be bestes. babery : see Halliwell's Diet.

1. 1565. wikked to assaile, difficult of assault.

1. 1567. semly to ken, beautiful to be seen, or, to behold.

1. 1575. ymur & aire, passage and ventilation : see note, 1. 897.

1. 1577. aylyng of shoures, fending from showers.

I. 1579. for wetyng of rain, because of the wetting of the rain, i. e.
to be safe from a wetting by the rain.

II. 1580-3. stallis by fe strete, booths along the sides of the street:

NOTES. 485

stondyng for peopull, placed for the benefit of the people. werJcmen in
to won, (for) workmen to abide in. and fyaire wares shewe, and display
their wares, bothe to selle and to se, both for Bale and to be seen : this
expression is still used when working folks speak of goods exposed in
shop windows, as Tpaim selfe lyked, as they (the people of 1. 1580) felt
inclined : observe the form " Ipaim selfe," the " them-sell " of the present
time, just as himself, herself, are himsell, hersell. to ken, known, exist
ing, as ^ere course askit, each after its own fashion.

In this description of Troy our author takes great liberties with his
text, and gives for the most part a city of the 14th century. Indeed,
the graphic picture given in these four lines is exactly that of the main
street, then called Market Street, of Old Edinburgh : along which were
ranged the stalls or booths of the various craftsmen or " maister men "
(who, as stated in 1. 1600, " onestly " lived in "entries" near" by), and
the slim erections of the " barburs bigget in bourders of the stretes "
leading into it. Besides, the list of craftes given by our author is not
that of Guido, nor of the author Benoit de Sainte-More, but almost ex
actly that of the Guildry of Old Edinburgh : for a full account of which
see Maitland's History of Edinburgh; also, The Constitution of the City
of Edinburgh, edit. 1826.

1. 1584. Glouers, glove makers : who made also various articles of
dress, such as leather breeches, leggings, shirts, bags, pouches, and
purses : in short, every article for dress or ornament that was made of
soft leather. Sir Walter Scott has given us a sketch of a glover of that
age in his Simon Glover of The Fair Maid of Perth. Girdellers noble,
the noble crafte of Girdellers, or, rich Girdellers : the Girdellers, with
the Goldsmiths, belonged to the Incorporation of Hammermen (see
Maitland's Hist, of Edin., pp. 299-300), and were so called from the
girdles, round plates of iron used in cooking, which formed a large and
important section of their work. Besides these they made all kinds of
utensils of plate iron : see note, 1. 13826.

1. 1585. Souters, shoemakers : still used, but most commonly to
denote workmen of inferior ability, of low character. The word at
once recals to mind the Souters of Selkirk, and Burns's Souter Johnny.
Semsteris fyn, first-rate embroiderers, ornamental sewers : in our author's
time there must have been a great deal of such work both on leather
and cloth.

1. 1586. Turners ofvesselles, turners of (wooden) dishes : almost all
the dishes used by the common "people were then made of wood ; and
many such are still used : even in the houses of the richest they were
to be found.

1. 1587. Wrightes, wrights (of all kinds) : as house-wright, mill
wright, wheel-wright. Observe that carpentours are given in 1. 1597 as
a separate craft from wrightes ; and among the lower classes of Scotland
they are still so reckoned : with them carpenters are builders of wooden
ships or vessels of all sizes. In our author's time coopers would be
reckoned among the carpenters, for we find that craft incorporated with

486 NOTES.

the wrights in 1489. (See Maitland's Hist, of Edin., p. 301.) Wel-
sters, weavers : a common name still, walkers of clothe, fullers of
cloth : there were then various articles besides cloth subjected to fulling.

1. 1588. Arowsmythis with Axes of iverre, manufacturers of arrows
and war axes : archery was never much cultivated in Scotland, hence
the workman who made arrows had to make other implements of war
as well. Observe, the arrowsmith did not wing or feather the arrows :
that was done by the " flecchour " of 1. 1593, who probably also made
the shafts of the arrows : for, the parliament of James II. that sat in
1457 enacted " that there be a lower (a bowmaker) and a fledgear (an
arrow-maker) in ilk head town of the schire." The arrowsmith, then,
made only the iron or steel tips for the arrows.

1. 1590. ATonymakers, coiners and money-dealers : a necessary call
ing where almost all the money in circulation was in coins of foreign
countries, and exchanges would, consequently, be frequent.

1. 1591. Parnters, most probably a contracted form of parementers, de
corators of clothes or furniture, or both : a very necessary craft in that
age of wild grandeur and chivalry, pynners, pinmakers : they made pins
of all kinds and sizes, from the bone, brass, and steel pins for ladies to
the strong pins for heckles and harrows. As division of labour became
better understood, and more delicate articles were produced, the work
of the pynner became more and more limited, and the craft decayed till
we find the term applied to common jobbing carpenters or wrights
employed by the authorities to set up and take down the scaffold and
gallows at public executions. It occurs thus in the City of Edinburgh
Accounts for the year 1565-66 : " Item, the thrid day of Apryle, to J>e
pynouris for J>e bering of dailies & pouncheons fra J>e blakfreris to J>e
Croce, with J>e gibbett & inaidin, to mak ane scaffold & awayitiug
J> airon J>e day quhen thoma Scot was justefeith — vij s."

1. 1592. Backers, butchers, bladsmythis, bladesmiths : makers of
sword blades, daggers, spear-heads, knives, &c. baxters, bakers.

1. 1593. fferrers, furriers : then a very important craft, flecchout
arrow-wingers : see note on Arrowsmiths, 1. 1588.

1. 1594. tapsters, sellers of liquor, chiefly ale.

1. 1595. Sporiors, spur makers, spicers, grocers, dealers in spices.

1. 1596. Cokes, cooks, keepers of eating houses, condlers, candle-
makers : tne vulgar name for them still.

1. 1597. coucheours fyn, first-class upholsterers, or perhaps, cabinet
makers and upholsterers. Perhaps iulayers and stone-setters are in
cluded.

1. 1598. barburs bigget in bourders of the stretes, barbers situated at
the corners of the streets : a peculiarity of position to which the barbers
of the present day cling. Note the use of bigget here : = placed, set,
situated ; a common use still. For particulars anent the craft of
barbers, and their connection with the surgeons, see Maitlaud's Hist, of
Edln. , p. 313 ; also, Constit. of City of Edin.

1. 1599. maisler-men, chief workmen, workmen who employ journey-

NOTES. 487

men, chief men of the town : in short, burgesses and owners of the
booths or stalls before mentioned.

1. 1600. onestly enalit, live respectably: douce, honest folk, in
entris aboute, in adjoining entries : and so they do still. The entry is a
common entrance to the stairs that lead up to the several flats of the
houses or lands (as they are called) : on each flat one, two, or more
tenants reside, and hence in speaking of any one's residence it is noted
as in such and such an entry. "He lives in that entry" will be the
reply to an inquiry for one's residence, although you may find it in
the attics.

I. 1G01. meuyt a water, flowed a river: water is still the common
name of a river in Scotland : Pennant notes this in his Tbwr in Scot
land in 1769, thus : — "Rivers in Scotland are very frequently called
waters."

II. 1621-8. the chelcJcer, the game of chess: here said to have been
invented in Troy, while the legend is that it was invented by Pala-
medes to while away the long night-watches of the Greeks while
encamped around Troy.

Hie draghtes, the game of draughts : now a much more common
game than chess all over Scotland : chess being considered a game for
the higher classes.

other dregh gaumes, other tedious or heavy games : dregh has
various applications (see Gloss.), but here it implies slow and long.

the tables, backgammon, tregetre, tricks, magic, jugglery : tragetis,
tricks, deceits, is used by Douglas in his Virgil, p. 98, 1. 10.

mekill \ai usii, they busied themselves much.

qwaintans, quintains : which quintain, or what game is here meant
by quintain is a difficulty : even in the author's time it was considered
a qwaint (old fashioned) game.

For interesting particulars concerning most of the games here men
tioned, see Wright's Manners and Sentiments in England: and Strutt's
Sjiorts and Pastimes.

1. 1630. of a sete riall, for a royal residence : as in a country scat, a
country residence.

1. 1633. etlyng, selection, intention, purpose : see note, 1. 394, and
Gloss.

1. 1634. crustrit, an error for clmtrit, thick set.

1. 1640. to houe, to halt, to rest, to tarry, to linger : in the same
sense as our present hover. The word is so used by Barbour and
Douglas, also in the ' King's Quair.' See Jamieson's Diet.

1. 1649. shene is- tisually an adj., but is here used as an adv.

1. 1663. the cheffe, the upper end, farthest from the door : the chief y
because the seat of honour.

1. 1668. With taste for to louche the table aboute, with scent (strong
enough) to be felt (by all) about the table : taste, both as a noun and
a verb, is used to express the exercise of any of the organs of sense,
but especially those of taste and smell.

488 NOTES.

1. 1670. pigkt full of perrieris, thickly set or studded with precious
stones. Douglas, Virgil, p. 318, 1. 24.

1. 1671. of Eyntayill fyn, of fine drapery : in this sense entayle is
used by Piers Plowman, Crede, 1. 398 (Wright's ed.), and by Douglas
in the Police, of Honour, pt 1, 39 ver.

1. 1672. lather hede, the other end, i. e. opposite the cheffe.

1. 1677. pase, steps : note the sing. form. Cf. Fr. pas.

1. 1680. Insert [a] between of and god.

1. 1691. as yt most nede, as it could not fail to do : this phrase is
still used.

1. 1696. See note, 1. 1374.

1. 1698. A remorec of maters, a deep regret concerning events. J)a<
hym mys lyket, that caused him to despise himself, or, that he greatly
disliked : mislike, which is still used in the West of Scotland, has both
these meanings, as in the phrase, " it mislikes me sair" means either,
' it sorely humbles me,' or, ' it greatly displeases me.' For the first
sense, see Jamieson's Diet. Suppl.

1. 1704. as horn wele aght, as well they ought, or, as it well became
them : the expression is still common.

1. 1707. was oute, was away : there is another meaning of oute
which occurs in 1. 2175, = in existence, alive : both are still common.

1. 1717. lefe, should be lese, less, of lower standing in rank, as in

I. 2025.

I. 1720. gremy, perhaps should be gremfy : see note, 1. 3491.

II. 1721-2. me and myne, myself and those related to me. yow and
yours, yourself and your relations : so in The Bruce, 6. 690. thaim &
tharis : these are still very common expressions, jomeryng, sorrow,
cause of mourning : from A.S. geomor, sad, sorrowful ; geomrung, a
lamentation, which it also means in this work : see Gloss.

1. 1726. sik, should be sib, by relation, nearly related, which is in
common use.

1. 1732. renttes, lands or properties that yield rent : it occurs also
in the sense of rental, income from property : bo<h senses are used in
the Acts of Paris, of Scotland, and are still common.

1. 1736. Thes redurse to riche, to wreak or right those acts of
violence : redur, from O.Fr. roideur, and that from roide, fierce, violent,
is used by Douglas in his Virgil, p. 376, 1. 54, and occurs again and
again in this work.

1. 1750. our mys wreke, wreak or avenge our wrong : mys, from
Goth, missa, error, occurs in Wallace, Bk 4, 11. 746, 762 ; and in
Douglas's Virgil, p. 11, 1. 25.

1. 1751. feghters, warriors : occurs in Wallace, Bk 1,1. 324, and Bk

II, 1. 866, in this sense; but here it evidently means quarrelsome
persons or bullies, those who love fighting and settle their quarrels by
it. The meaning of the line (which is a form of a well-known pro
verb), then, is, " but our fate may be that of bullies, — ' a fell chaunse'
(a terrible defeat)." The proverb referred to is, "Feghters are sure

NOTES. 489

to meet \vi' their match : " when the best of it is a good thrashing,
and defeat is disgrace.

I. 1752. And slker were, and it would be surer, i. e. safer, better : a
common expression still.

II. 1757-8. But it likis you, but if it be in keeping with your will,
or, but if it please you better : this contracted form is still in use. at
a lite wordys, in a few words, or, without further ado. thus gate to

to begin on this wise, ferre, farther.

1. 1763. To qwit claym all querels, to forget all our quarrels : to
quit claym is to renounce claim, qiveme, close, loving, good : see
Gloss, and note, 1. 1809.

1. 1775. wille Iperto, willing, hearty besides : wille occurs again in
7713.

1. 1778. This line is almost as in Piers Plow., 2. 154. (Clarendon
Press Series.)

1. 1790. tome, time = leisure : is so used in Piers Plowman, and is
still common.

1. 1802. for eld, for generations, or ages : so used by Wyntoun, Bk
I, prol. 1. 5, and Bk 2. 9. 75.

1. 1805. redurs : see note, 1. 1736.

1. 1809. to qweme qwit of all other, in order to become quits in all
)ther things, or that you may be freed from all the other offences.

1. 1818. hethyng, scorn : occurs in Mort. Arlh., 1. 1843 : Wallace,
Bk 5, 1. 739 : Douglas's Virgil, p. 118, 1. 48.

1. 1822. untomly, not leisurely, hurriedly, without delay.

1. 1829. that tyme, at that time : a very common phrase in Scotland.

1. 1831. arghly, timidly, with reluctance : his previous experience
certainly gave him good cause.

1.1837. umbly, should be tumbly, leisurely, calmly: for tomely ;
md is another indication of dictation.

1. 1841. as be lyne olde, a descendant of her ancient monarchs, or,
sprung from her ancient kings.

1. 1849. to more \en yourselfe, to a greater than yourself.

1. 1851. mase, make : prop. = makes ; but here it is 2nd pi., and in
i. 1402 it is 2nd sing. : but it was used by Scottish writers with each
|)f the pers. prons. and in both numbers ; and vulgarly it is so used
ktffl.

1. 1855. mart, marred, injured, degraded : or it may be for mar-
rowed = mated, matched with yourself: the word is still used in both
neanings.

1. 1860. a dene yre, a perfect rage : dene is similarly employed
•till, as in ' the man 's dean wud.'

1. 1863. Be, sir, should be Ben, shew, being, sir.

1. 1865. ne acoyntaunse of my cors has, nor has any personal know-
edge of me, nor has ever seen me.

1. 1889. Compare this line with Mort. Arth., 11. 1465-6.

1. 1894. lofe should be lose.

4:90 NOTES.

1. 1900. Lut not the lede, bowed not to the man, made no obeisanc< i
to the fellow : lut, from A.S. hlutan, to bow.

1. 1902. Hade bir at his bake, had a strong favourable wind : this]
phrase is very common in Scotland, and is very expressive. Bir ij
used in various senses (see Gloss.), all more or less connected with]
rapid motion, what causes it, or what it produces: as in, 'the boal)
birred thro' the water;' 'it gaed thro' wi' a birr;' ' gie your stroke
birr;' 'he's a man of some birr;' 'the arrow birs thro' the air, ana
wi' a loud birr, gied him a birr on the breast.' Sometimes it becomes!
' birle,' as ' a birr on the breast, or, a birle on the breast,' as in 11. 1224JI
9061. Bir is said to be derived from A.S. beran, to bear, to produce])
to carry, to excel ; and I have set it so in the Gloss., but its applica-l
tions by the old Scottish writers, in this work, and at the present time,
connect it more closely with Isl. byre, a strong wind, a tempest, an«!
Su. Goth, boer, the wind, or with Isl. fioer, life, vigour. See Jamieson's'
Diet, and Suppl. under Beir, Bir.

1. 1919. onryng should be orryng, an error for ouryng, a form «•
ournyng, shrinking, wincing : prob. from A.S. or-wen, hopeless. In ,
the West of Scotland ourne is still used meaning to hang back, to
shrink from, to be dowie and sad ; and oorie meaning cold, chilly,'
shivering, shrinking : see Burns's ' Winter Night,' stan. 3., For other)
meanings of ournyng, see 11. 2203, 2540, 4767, 12711, and GKW

1. 1920. at sad wordes, in plain words : at is so used in 1. 1757.

1. 1928. vs qwemes noght, in no way entice us, do not at all concern)
us : qweme, from A.S. cweman, to please, to delight, has various mean-i
ings in this work : see Gloss.

1. 1939. for and Jjou do, for if you do : and is often used so through
out this work.

1. 1945. Braid vp a brode saile, hoisted a broad sail : compare
various meanings of braid given in Gloss.

1. 1952. mekyt should be mefyt.

1. 1961. vnsell, lit. misfortune, mischance; but here implies
which caused the misfortune, viz. silliness, stupidity.

I. 1976. with austerne wordes, on account of (those) angry wor
austerne, stern, severe, from L. austerus, or A.S. styrn, stern,
phrase occurs in Mort. Arth., 1. 306.

II. 1977-8. fere should be ferd ; and next line, ' Lest the tyrand
his tene, hade turnyt hym to sle.'

1. 1983. The passage which begins here is a fine specimen of
poet's power. Scenes of battle and tempest are his delight, especia
the latter ; and again and again he seizes on what in the original is
mere statement or outline, as in this case, and elaborates a splenc
scene. Observe too on every such occasion the marked change in the
language and measure : he seems to adopt the language of an earlier
period that he might have fuller scope and freer measure : indicating
that the trammels of translation were irksome, and that the style was
assumed for the occasion. In short, when working at the story be

NOTES. 491

employed the language of books and the style of a favourite author ;
and when he had a sketch to fill in, he laid aside the Dictionary and
the author, and adopted the speech and style of the educated higher
classes. For examples of what is here alluded to, compare the ordinary
story with passages headed, The Poete, A Prouerbe, A Tempest on.
jje See, &c.

on \e torres Jiegh, on the high sea : lit. on J?e high hills : torres, pi.
of tor, a hill ; no doubt from its towering.

1. 1984. a rak, a thick mist : in Norfolk called a roke. The word
occurs in Douglas's Virgil both as raJc and roik, — p. 203, 1. 26 ; p. 74,
1. 12 ; p. 432, 1. 19. See rug, 1. 9652.

1. 1986. routond, roaring, rushing, bellowing.

1. 1988. a leuenyng light, a gleaming or flashing light : — as a low
fyrc, like that of a blazing fire, or, as of a flaming fire.

h 1993. Jja< no lond hade, that was not on the land, or, that was on
the sea.

1. 1995. dent hille, rocky or precipitous hill : dint and dinty are
still used in the Lothians, and in the same sense : dinty clewes occurs
in Doug. Virg., p. 200, 1. 15 ; and dinty craigs, in Ramsay's Poems.

1. 1996. dump, rush down, sink : dump in Ipe depe occurs again in 1.
13289 ; and damp into helle, in 1. 10713 : dump is still so used in
Scotland.

1. 2002. to seke, to go on pilgrimage to.

1. 2003. ]>rappit, contended, strove, battled : from A.S. Ipreapian.
Compare 1. 8362 with 1. 2152.

1. 2026. gayne-come, return, ' back-come.'

1. 2031. rekont by row, reckoned (recounted) one by one, or,
related seriatim.

1. 2036. fere, fear, or cause to be afraid.

1. 2046. wackons vp werre, war arises, or war bursts forth : waknys
wcr occurs in Wallace, Bk 7, 1. 185.

1. 2061. wrixlit, from A.S. wrixlan, to change ; but here evidently
to cause to change, to overbear, to master.

1. 2064. to myn on, to recall and dwell on, to brood over: the
phrase is still common. See note, 1. 30.

I. 2071. to hit, to come true, to be verified : hit is still used in this
sense in Scotland : for other meanings, see Gloss, tas, takes : of the
same form as mase, gals.

II. 2080-1. \ar not, needs not, has no cause : from the A.S. fyearf,
need, cause. Up, slip, stumble, fall : still used in the East of Scot
land.

1. 2086. dungen to dethe, hurried to death, worried to death, killed :
a common phrase still, and with many applications : see 1. 2135.

1. 2089. ges matir, givest cause : in common use still. Note the
various applications of matir in this work ; the word is so used
throughout the Lowlands of Scotland, mony day after, for many a
year to come : note the absence of the prepos. here, and often through-

492 NOTES.

out the work : the idiom is very common still : see in 1. 2340, many
day past.

1. 2126. icintors, should be icinleris.

1. 2128. no faute, no want, no lack, or, lack of nothing: faute also
means fault, offence, as in 1. 4850.

1. 2140. Similarly in Mort. Artli., 1. 298,

" Of this grett velany I salle be vengede ones."

1. 2156. Jjere ynnes, their homes : generally implies temporary place
of abode ; but often used for dwelling, place of abode.

1. 2159. ican, begat : for other meanings, see Gloss.

1. 2178. the slaght, the slaughter : occurs again and again : is slayh
in 1. 13609. The word is still used.

1. 2203. ournand, sinking, drooping : see note, 1. 1919.

1. 2217. any erdyng in erthe, any inhabitant of the earth, any one
on earth, euenyng to us, equal to us (in rank), or, really our match, —
as in the common expression, ' dinna strike the laddie ; he's no an
evenin' to you : ' see euyn, equal, just, fair, in 1. 2287.

I. 2219. Ipat the mysse tholis, that endures the insult, or to whom
the indignity is done.

II. 2239-40. our gate, our conduct or plans, ne no torfer letyde:
compare Mort. Arth., 1. 356, ' Hym salle torfere betyde;' and compare
the line with Mort. Arth., 1. 1956, ' to tene and torfer for ever.'

1. 2247. the fer end, the conclusion : see note, 1. 95 ; and compare
with ' the last end ' of 1. 2254. We still speak of ' the fore end,'1 or
beginning ; ' the far end,' or conclusion ; and ' the last end,1 or result,
outcome, the afterwards.

1. 2261. to wisshe you with wit : see note, 1. 4.

1. 2286. Or all so myght, &c. = or to embitter for ever all who
might so venture for her.

1. 2293. The same idea in almost the same words in M. A., 1.
1693.

1. 2341. leut, left, or lent, dwelling, abiding, — as in 1. 13857.

1. 2354. hym one, all alone, by himself: like Scottish ' his lane.'

1. 2359. / wilt, I wandered : see note, 1. 2369.

1. 2363. I tynt hym belyue, I by-and-bye lost him, or, I soon lost
him : the expression is still used.

1. 2369. wyll of my gate, lost in error as to my road, wandered : so
in 1. 12823, will of his wone, at a loss for a home, all homeless : icill or
wyll is astray, or, to go astray ; left to one's own will, or, to follow
one's own will, hence, to wander, to be in want of: from 'A.S. wild,
following one's own impulse or will, hence, wilder, bewilder. A com
mon expression in Scotland regarding one who has lost his senses is,
' he's clean wile,' or ' he's clean will,' or ' he's will o' wit.' The word is
used by Wyntoun, Barbour, Blind Harry, Douglas, and Ramsay : see
Jamieson's Diet, for illustrations. Barbour has, in The Bruce, ' will of
wane,' Bk 1, 1. 328, and Bk 5, 1. 525 ; and it occurs in Blind Harry's
Wallace, Bk 6, 1. 182.

NOTES. 493

1. 2374. ouer-hild, overspread, covered ; so in Douglas's Virgil p
169, 1. 45.

I. 2406. That ye faithfully shall falle, that you shall assuredly get:
similarly in 1. 8953, l who shuld falle it.1 Both forms are used by
Burns, " Fair /a' your honest, sonsie face ; " and, " Guid faith, he
mauna fa' that ! "

II. 2437-8. / wackonet with Ipat, thereupon I awaked : the expression
is still common in Scotland : with ]>at = then, afterwards, thereupon,
&c., is very common, grippet my gayre, seized my weapons : gayre,
gere, geire, goods, property, dress, armour, arms (see Gloss.), is still
common : it occurs in The Bruce, Wallace, and Mort. Arth. ; and
Burns has, among other examples,

" But, Davie, lad, ne'er fash your head

Tho' we hae little gear." — Epistle to Davie.

& my gate held, and held on my way, resumed my course : when start
ing on a course or journey, it is, ' toke the gate,' as in 1. 2877 ; and in
' Tain o' Shanter,'

"And folk begin to tak the gate."

1. 2446. faynhed, gladness : observe the number of words with the
termination hed, hede = hood, which our author uses.

1. 2462. toke tent, took heed, considered : still used.

1. 2478. eftesones, afterwards, next in order : in 1. 7424 we have
eftirsons.

1. 2481. warpet these wordes, uttered these words : to warp words,
and to wavp out words, are forms used both in this work and in Mort.
Arth. See 11. 360, 2683, and Mort. Arth., 11. 9, 150 : also note, 1. 1297.

1. 2483. you blenke, deceive you : the expression is perhaps founded
on the effect which the dazzling of the sun produces on a person looking
at anything immediately after : the word is still used in the sense ' to
deceive.'

1. 2512. Seyit furth, fell back, withdrew : seyit, from A.S. sigan, to
fall, to incline, to sink down, to drop away : hence the various mean
ings in Gloss. ; and in 1. 6579 we have, ' sodenly he seit doun ; ' and in
1. 7129, ' \ai seyn to ]>e yates.1

1. 2536. shuld be graithe, should be skilled, sure, or certain: graithe,
from A.S. geraedian, to make ready, teach, instruct : hence, gerad,
ready, instructed, learned, skilled. In Piers Plowman we find ' fye
graith gate' = the direct road (Pas. 1, 1. 203 : Claren. Series).

1. 2541. ournes, shrinks : see note, 1. 1919.

1. 2549. redy to rode, ready for the voyage : see note, 1. 1045.

I. 2572. Shapyn in shene ger, arrayed in bright armour.

II. 2608-12. This is very like what Arthur says in Mort. Arth., 11.
144—151.

1. 2617. Ipat at longis to lenge on, that which is bound to rest on, or,
that which in the long run must rest on, or, that which is to remain,
for long, on : according as ' at longis ' means, that belongs, or, at long
ia = in the long run is, for long is.

494 NOTES.

1. 2622. A praty man of pure ivit, a worthy man of the highest
knowledge ; or, a splendid rnau-of-genius : a pretty man means either a
graceful, dignified, worthy man, or, a highly accomplished man. '• We
are three to three : if ye be pretty men, draw ! " (Scott's Mob Roy.)

1. 2630. nomekowthe, famous, renowned : occurs in Douglas's Virgil,
p. 163, 1. 21,

"The namckouth hous quhilk Labyrinthus hait."
In 1. 2638, nome kouthe = name well-known or famous.

1. 2635. ye mon surefynde, you must (by-and-bye) find true, or, y<
must assuredly experience : the expression is still used : mon is mun
11. 3477, 12720.

1. 2649. wheme, sometimes queme, qweme (see Gloss.), good, lovei

1. 2674. at par y s to wende, that Paris should set out, or, with Pai
for proposing or intending to set out : this idiom is well known
Scotland, as in the common parental monition, " I'm no pleased at y<
to gae there," which means, I am displeased that you should go thei
or, I am displeased with you for purposing to go there. However, the
first rendering seems to be the one intended, for next line tells that the
people ' affirmyt. hit fully.1

1. 2681'. with a birre, with a loud cry of horror and dismay : the
expression is still used regarding such an outburst : so in Douglas's
Virgil, p. 116, 1. 11,

" With langsum yoce and ane full pietuous lere ; "
and in 'Christ's Kirk of the Green,'

" Quhyn thay had berit lyk baitit bullis."

1. 2693. on sum qwaint wise, in some strange, unusual, or long 01
of-mind way.

1. 2717. wond in his weile, abode in its grandeur, lived or lasted
its glory.

I. 2744. on the shyre water :• in Morte Arth., 1. 3600, " ouer tl
schyre waters."

II. 2757-8. the grete, the request, the prayer : refers to the command
in the preceding lines.

And shape horn, &c. : in Morte Arth., 1. 3599,

"And thane he schoupe hym to chippe & schownes no lengure."

I. 2784. Our knighthode to kythe & our clene strenght : similarly
Morte Arth., 1. 1652,

" Wille kythe for hir kynge lufe craf tes of armes ? "

1. 2835. J?ai girdon o rowme, they hold away from it, they give il
wide berth : see rowme in Morte Arth., 11. 1454, 3470.

1. 2837. hade kennyng of other, had knowledge of the other =
any notice of the other, or paid any attention to the other.

1. 2852. waited vppon hor wirdes, sought out their fortunes, i. e. went
(to the temple) to inquire what was their fate : going to a fortune
teller is still called waiting one's wirdes. for wynnyng of godys, in
order to secure the favour of the gods or goddess.

NOTES. 495

1. 2877. toJce he Jje gate, he took the road : see note, 1. 2438.

1. 2939. comonyng in company, promiscuous mingling when in a
company, or, promiscuous mingling in company : see 1. 2964.

1. 2942. ertes, tends, turns, ernyst, earnest = grief, sorrow mis-
:hief. ' It's fun now : 'twill be earnest ere long.'

1. 2948. les wemen, women of lower rank.

1. 2950. shene, seen, or, shown : according as h is or is not an
illiterative license.

1. 2965. ouer all, above all. fyere onesty, their good name, their
•eputation : still used, attell to saue, strive to preserve.

1. 2968. Halyt, hauled : as in the expression, ' the boat hauled
ishore.' harlit with ropes, dragged by ropes : there are two forms of
his verb used by our author, and still common in Scotland, harl, hurl
see Gloss.), to drag, to pull, to drag along the ground, to move
apidly in any direction.

1. 2970. Shall not into fame, should be, ' Fall not into fame,' as the
illiteration requires.

1. 3025. the proud/all, the front hair which falls or is folded over
;he ears.

1. 3028. Quitter to qweme, whiter in comparison : qweme, from A.S.
'ecweman, to come opportunely, to please, to fit ; gecweme, pleasing,
,cceptable, fit : hence the idea of comparison. The orthography of this
ine forms another proof that the scribe, at least occasionally, wrote from
dictation : compare with 1. 3055.

1. 3029. noulper lynes ne lerJces, neither lines nor wrinkles : this ex-
•ression is still used as here, and Allan Kamsay has,
"tSome loo the courts, some loo the kirk,
Some loo to keep their skin frae lirkes."

1. 3030. browesfull brent, brow very full and smooth : as in ' John
mderson My Jo,'

" Your locks were like the raven,
Your bonnie brow was brent."

1. 3034. brent gold, burned gold = refined gold : brent is so used
the Scots Acts anent the coinage, reign of James III.
Bk 3035. wull-full onest, extremely beautiful ; ? Well full, euyn,
xact.

1. 3055. Alse qwyte, <&c. = as white and evenly as any whale-bone,
e. ivory : much of the ivory in common use was got from the tusks
f the walrus : hence the mistake as to its being whale-bone. Dunbar,
i ' None may assure in this Warld,' has,

" Toungis now ar maid of quhyte quhaill bone,

And hairtis are maid of hard flynt stone."

1. 3076. as a nepe white, as white as a turnip : nepe is still used in
)untry districts of Scotland. A.S. naepe.

1. 3077. The brede of hir brest, the surface of her breast, her whole
Dsom : similarly, " he fell on the brade o1 his bade"
1. 3078. pluttide a litull, slightly pimpled, i. e. covered with minute

496 NOTES.

points, as such skin is when healthy : in 1. 3837 we have pluccid : both
forms are still used ; but pluccid generally implies larger pimples, such
as are seen on the face of gross-living persons.

1. 3094. full thrange, full busily: so still, as in 'You're working
awa'/w' thrang there,' or in, ' I sit here full thrang doin' naething.'

1. 3121. Ayther vnto ofyer, each to the other : so again in 1. 3340:
in Morte Arth., 1. 939, we have, ' aythyre after other.'1

1. 3123. festoned \ere forward, sealed their promise, pledged each
other: in Piers Plowman, Pas. 2, 1. 123, ' Jjow hast fest hire to fals;'
in The Bruce, Bk 14, 1. 643, ' maid festnyng of frendschip ; ' and in .
Wyntoun, Bk 9, ch. 25, 11. 61-4, ' trewis wes takyn and fenn\y fesfnyt.1 i

1. 3163. and a gai qwhene, a gay queen, or, a splendid lady :
qwhene, a queen, or, a young or dashing lady : the phrase is still used,
as ' she's a gay queen,' meaning, one who is showy in person or m
dress. See ' gay ladys,' 1. 3202.

11.3171-2. r ad ^ radly. fairer, better, and wefer soght, although
we should search far : fer = far, far and near, to the farthest : the ex
pression is still used in this sense.

1. 3220. braid, rushed, bright gere, bright weapons : see note, 1.
2438. buskit homfurthe, got ready and set out : for various meanings
of busk, see Gloss.

1. 3222. kyd, famous, noble : a favourite word of our author, occurs
again and again both in this work and in the Morte Arth.

1. 3242. ythes, waves, cogges, boats. Both words occur in Mortf,
Arthure ; and cog and coggle are still used in Scotland as names of
small boats : also coggly = unsteady.

1. 3279. Jjus bemournet, thus (she) bewailed, no meite toke, took no
food : meat is the word most used in Scotland for food, sometimes too
for meal, repast, as in 11. 2558, 7843.

1. 3296. ne hopis JJOM not, do you not suppose, or, do you not believe :
hope is still used in this sense, as in, ' I'm trying to hope he's a' safe.'

1. 3330. all hor senndes, all their awards, all they are pleased
send ; a present is sometimes called a send.

1. 3332. full leell, full steadfast, true-hearted : leel is still used
term of endearment, as in, ( my leel guidman,' and,
" It's a' to pleasure our guidman,
For he's baith leal and true."

It is also used in the sense of honest, upright, faithful, as in ' Tr
bides in a leal heart ; ' and in 1. 12712, ' a lede fat he leell trist '
man that he trusted was honest.

1. 3372. an euenyng to me, had or held equal rank with me ;
yng, equality.

1. 3404. As qwemetfor a qwene, as was becoming for a queen, or,
suited the rank of a queen, qwaintly, gorgeously, beyond what
usual in beauty or grandeur : qivaint, from O.Fr. cointe, elegant.

1. 3422. takand tomly o fyere way, lit. taking leisurely their way,
moving slowly along.

NOTES. 497

1. 3456. lyuys, lively, all alive : = on lyue, and so used in 1. 13543,
halfe-lyues, half-alive, or as now, half dead : however, it may also be
rendered, they lice (continue).

1. 3487. you besefor to se, you are doomed to see : the expression is
still used in this sense.

1. 3491. gretyng, weeping, wailing : still used. In 1. 8677 it is grete,
•which is also used, gremy perhaps should be grem\, bitterness, anger,
rage, as in Wm. and Werwolf, where Sir F. Madden refers it to O.N.
grimt. The word occurs in 11. 1720, 4754 ; and certainly in 1. 1720
gremb suits the measure better.

I. 3523. teghit her in yrnes, bound her in irons.

II. 3538-42. This passage is somewhat confused. Perhaps the lines
have been displaced : if so, 1. 3541 should be set between 11. 3538-9 as
a parenthesis.

11. 3550-1. Compare Morte Arthure, 11. 715-16,
" And then cho swounes f ulle swythe when he hys-swerde aschede
Twys in a swounyng, swelte as cho walde."

where twys is an error for swys, which the alliteration demands, and
which occurs two or three times in Morte Arth. : then the line cor-
' responds with 1. 9454 of this work,

" Sweyt into swym, as he swelt wold."

'• It is interesting to compare the various settings of this picture as given
; in this work and in the Morte Arthure ; and to note how the different
I attitudes are suggested or represented. See 11. 5753, 8046, 8704-6,
1 9454, 10365-6, 10566-7 ; and Morte Arth., 11. 715-16, 1466-7, 2960-1,
! 2982, 3969, 4246, 4272-3 : as has been observed before, the touches in
the M. Arth. tell that the hand has become firmer.

1. 3640. salus, salutations, greetings : salus occurs as a vb. in
Wallace, Bk 6, 1. 131,

" He salust thaim, as it war bot in scorn."

1. 3656. ilke-a-dele, every part, every particular : is still used :
from A.S. aelc, each ; and dael, a part, a portion ; hence degree,
1 quantity, amount, as in Chaucer, 'she was sumdele deaf (Wife of
\ Bath) • and in Barbour, Bk I, 11. 383, 393.

1. 3688. Compare the passage which begins here with the similar
ones in pp. 65, 150-1, 314 ; and note the striking examples of onomato-
! pceia which occur, especially in this case in 11. 3691 — 3700.

1. 3693. ropand, quick or fast beating, hence (according as the

motion, the sound, or the effect, is made prominent), rushing, roaring,

j crashing : in 1. 1986, a routond rayn. Rapping ram, rain rapping down,

! are expressions still in use, and in all the senses given above : in

Douglas's Virgil, p. 143, 1. 12, we have,

" Als fast as rane schoure rappis on the thak : "
and in Ross's Helenore it occurs in the sense of pattering, gushing,
" Now, by this time the tears were rapping down
Upon her milk-white breast, aneth her gown."

32

498

NOTES.

In Su. Goth, rapa, to rush headlong ; A.S. hrepan, to cry, to shout, to
scream ; Moeso-Goth. hropjan, to call out, to cry out.

1. 3697. J>e bre, the water : still used, and applied to any liquid ir
common use, as in ' Willie brew'd a peck o' maut.'

" The cock may craw, the day may daw
And aye we'll taste the barley-Jre."

Also in ' The Barrin' o' the door,'

" Wad ye kiss my wife before my face,
And scaud me wi' puddin' bree 0 1 "

1. 3700. fore, fared; hence, fore as afijre = glowed, blazed.

1. 3703. caget to-gedur, caught, warped (through shaking and shif
ing among each other) : the phrase is still used for ropes in that state :
and cage, or cadge, is common in the sense of to shake, to toss.

1. 3746. wild as a lion : in 1. 3810, wode as a lyon : in 1. 6405,
as a wild lyon : in 1. 6523, wode as a wild bore ; and in Morte Arth.,
3837, wode alls a wylde beste. See note, 1. 6523.

1. 3758. a streuglit loke, or a strenght loke, = a straight (steady,
staring) look, or a strong (clear, searching) gaze.

1. 3772. gleyit a litill, squinted a little. The expressions in this
line are exactly such as would still be used. It is noted of Achille
^Eneas, and Cassandra, that they were ' gleyit a litill : ' see 11. 394
3995.

1. 3793. no make, no match : from A.S. maca, a mate, a husband
hence, a companion, an equal : the word occurs in ' The King's Quair,'
Can. 2, sts. 39 and 45 ; and in ' The Cherrie and Slae ' it is mayocl
wordijc should be wordys.

1. 3802. vnlell of his trouthe, unfaithful in promise.

1. 3825. stutid, stuttered : stot, stoit, stut, and stutter, are still us
in Scotland to express stumbling either in speech or walk : stoit, how
ever, is usually expressive of staggering, reeling : in 1. 3881 it is stotid.

1. 3838. pluccid, pimpled ; see note, 1. 3078.

1. 3842. presit after seruys, looked sharply out for his servic
(allowance of food at meals), was greedy at meals.

1. 3895. swat neuer, never sweated, i. e. perspired through fear : the
expression is still used, and means, as here, ' was never afraid.'

I. 3911. The ton fro $e tother, the one from the other.

1. 3956. faffure should be fassure, colour of the hair, complexion :
A.S. facx, hair of the head : allied to which is fasse, a tassel, A.S./aa,
a fringe.

1. 4062. was an, was one : Scot. ane.

1. 4097. od shippes, great ships, ships of the largest class : od, or
odd, is a law term in Scotland applied to the umpire in a case ; and
from this usage comes the one here (chief, greatest). Od sliippes, bigge
shippes, and barges, seem to be different names for the largest vessels
then known. See od in 1. 4165.

1. 4137. Nawlus son the grete, son of Nawlus the Great.

1. 4138. graidly — grailhly, readily, properly, in due time.

NOTES. 499

1. 4176. alate or olate : throughout the MS. this prefix is very hard
to determine, owing to the cramp style of writing.

1. 4185. Compare Mort. Arth., 1. 298.

1. 4212. eght = aght, from A.S. agan, to own, to possess.

1. 4274. appollus daughter, Apollo's daughter : in all Teutonic
•Slanguages the sun is feminine, e. g. A.S. sunna : but in 1. 4370, our
•author contradicts himself regarding the moon.

1. 4301. myrtlit, in 1. 4312, myrtild, crumbled : mirle, or murle, a
contracted form of this word is still common in Scotland, as in, ' the
iwall is mirlin' down : ' also mirlin, and moolin, a crumb, a small portion.

}. 4312. This is perhaps the shortest complete line possible in this
(alliterative measure. Note also, the rirne letter is a vowel : examples
:of this kind are plentiful in this work, and in the Morte Arth. they are
JQot uncommon.

I. 4336. berynes, burial : occurs in Barbour's Bruce, Bk 3, 1. 562,
r And syne wes broucht till berynes : ' also in Wallace, Bk 4, 1. 498.

II. 4379-80. ayJcewardly, awkwardly, stupidly. Note the use of y
[aere, and often throughout the work, for w : indicating that the MS.
Lad been copied, or dictated, or both, from an older MS. in which the
(Saxon w was used.

on him, i. e. Minerva : gender not very strictly defined, nor perhaps
(definable as regards the ' maument.'

11. 4395 — 4421. This passage agrees with one in Piers Plowman

|», P. 12-

his sete he wold make full noble in Ipe north ; compare with ' ponam
liedem in aquilone,' in Piers Plow. ; and see an interesting article in
lyo/fs and Queries, 3rd Series, vol. XII, p. 110.

1. 4439. wavloghe, a monster : is used as an adj. in 1. 6425 ; as also
11 ' The Evergreen,'

" A bytand ballat on warlo wives,

That gar thair men live pinging lives " ;
lind in Hogg's ' Witch of Fife,'

" The warlock men and the weird wemyn

And the fayes of the wood and the steep."

1. 4500. ^rus-gatis, in this manner : a more common form is \us-gate.
1. 4541. beldid were ]>en, encouraged, strengthened : beld, is to pro-
lect, to cover ; then, to support, or anything that will tend to support,
•IF carry forward. In 1. 5864, it is used in the sense of ' to rest in order
lo recover strength,' or, ' to shelter : ' the word is used by the earlier
fccottish poets- both as a noun and as a vb.

1. 4589. pullishet, revolved, circled : in Scotland a pulley is still
•felled ' a pullishee ; ' and Ramsay has,

» — wedges rive the aik: aadpullisees
Can lift on highest roofs the greatest trees."

1. 4605. has, imperat. pi. of have, but still used as here = take.
Bast, throw, and pronounced ' haese.' Thus Wyntoun, Bk 9, ch. 8, 1,
• 27, ' Hawys annys hastily,' and Barbour has,

500 NOTES.

" sen it is sua

That ye thus gate your gate will ga
Hawys gud day 1 "

highes, imperat. pi. of hie, bnt still used, like has, in different senses :
here, = haste ye, or hoist ye : in 1. 4608, = drive on, hurry on.

1. 4622. Hade bir at hor bake, had a favourable wind : see note
on 1. 1902.

1. 4648. Emperour, commander, captain. This is a test-word for
the authorship of this work : the word is uncommon in the sense here
used, although it is clearly the most literal : L. imperator, a commander.
It is so used in the Morte Arth., 11. 307, 1326, 1957, 2291, &c., and is
the very word upon which Wyntoun expatiates, and excuses Huchown
for using, because it is used in this sense. The Morte Arthure cor
responds exactly with the description Wyntoun gives of Huchownl
Gest Hy story ale of Arthure ; it uses the word Emperour as explained
by him ; and this work has every indication of having been composed
by the same author, so far as words, phrases, peculiar expressions and
modes of expression enable us to judge; and here, and at. least five
times else, occurs the word Emperour used in the same way. For the
other instances of its use, see Gloss.

1. 4743. Whappet in wharles, lashed, drove, shot in quarrels, u-hap
is still used to express rapid motion or action ; also, wap, which occurs
as a noun in 1. 6405, and as a vb. in 1. 7297. Observe the interchange
of wh and qu in wharles = quarrels : as before in icheme = queme,
&c., and now in whellit ~ guellit : in country districts of Scotland it is
still common.

1. 4773. bare as a bast, as bare as a mat. In the Rom. of Alexander
the Edit, renders ' a bast,1 the stem of a linden tree : more probably it
should be, the mat made of the inner bark of the linden, which is much
used by gardeners, &c., for packing, and certainly is as bare and
smooth as possible. The phrase, bare as a bast, is still common, and
used in the same sense as here.

1. 4776. dusshet into the diche, tumbled into the ditch : dush,
push, to drive, to overturn, is still used, diche, pron. ditch or dik
(see Gloss.), is still common : for examples, see Jainieson's Diet.

1. 4787. menye, company : see note, 1. 37.

I. 4795. boue should be bone.

II. 4849-50. lewte, loyalty : here used in the sense of humility. Th
reference here seems to be to the story of Nebuchadnezzar. Micah vi
8, and Dan. xii. 3. fylyng of pride, humbling it to the dust : fyle,
defile, is still common.

1. 4857. ertid, heartened, strengthened.

1. 4871. tofilsom,to further: lit. to fill or fulfil: for different form
of this word, see Gloss. It occurs in Morte Arth., 11. 881, 1975 ; and in
the West of Scotland filse, filsh, fulse, fulsh, are used in the same sense ;
and when a sack is well filled it is said to befilshed up, or , filshed fu\

1. 4951. Lightyn at the low, alighted at the portal or lodge : the low

,

NOTES. 501

(A.S. loh, a place, a stead), may be, as it still is, the lodge, or the lodge
g ite, of a gentleman's seat ; hence, where there is no such lodge, the
entrance might be so called.

I. 4973. Kuijt, white : probably spelled qwite or qwit in the MS. from
which this one was copied and dictated. Most probably it was qwit, as
in 1. 8522, which occurs in a portion of the MS. which is in the copying
hand ; and the scribe, not sure of the word by its sound, had it spelled
to him, and confounded the qwi with kuy. There are many such indi
cations throughout the MS.

II. 4990-1. = And — one enemy to another — naught beseems it,
; saluting or courteous speech with bared head : i. e. enemies do not

salute and take off their hats.

11. 5001-2. hit doghis the bettur, lit. it thrives the better = so much
the better (for you), set noght, regard not, or, set at nought.

Dogh = dow, is still common both in Scotland and the North of
England, and is used in different senses : from A.S. dugan, to profit,
to avail.

1. 5048. wetheruns, mortal enemies : from A.S. wffierwinna, an
1 adversary in battle or combat ; and hence the word suggests all the
ideas of hate and revenge connected with enmity.

1. 5071. full swice should befulls-wice — fool's-wise, like a fool.

1. 5075. blym of hor brathe, cease of their wrath : blym should be
llyne, from A.S. blinnan, to rest, to cease. In Morte Arth., 1. 1931,
" That I sulde bli/ne fore theire boste."

1. 5106. Insert [me] between deme and to.

1. 5132. waynet, lightened, lessened, curbed : wayne, from A.S.
/jrwaenan, to turn, hence, to lift up (as in 1. 676) ; or, from wanian, to
diminish, to lessen.

1. 5186. to stall, to satisfy : is still used, both in this sense, and, to
.surfeit : thus Burns, in his ' Address to a Haggis,' has,
" Is there that o'er his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staie a sow."

I. 5199. Kuit, quiet = quietness : another mark of dictation.

II. 5231-91. Compare this battle-scene with any of those in the
\Morte Arth., but specially with the one after the defeat of Modred's
Seet : the reader will thus get an idea of the author's mode of viewing
such a scene. Some of the most striking similarities are given below.

1. 5242. Morte Arth., 1. 2143.
1. 5249. Morte Arth., 1. 1813 :

" Schotte thorowe the schiltrouns & scheuerede launces."

I. 5250. Morte Arth., 1. 3024 :

" Many dowghty es dede be dynt of his hondes."

II. 5254-6. Morte Arth., 2228-9, 2911-2.

1. 5284. sounys, seeks, rushes, vibrates : see note, 1. 495.
1. 5285. Morte Arth., 1. 2178 :

" That he was dede of fe clynte & done owte of lyfe."

502 NOTES.

1. 5414. fultlie, plenty, abundance : the word is still used, and pro
nounced boihfulthe andfouth, as in Burns, ' On the late Capt. Grose,'
" He has afoutft o' auld nick-nackets."

1. 5437. Compare Morte Arth., 1. 317. ' be tale1 occurs in this worl
1. 2746 ; and ' thrifty in armes ' in 1. 5450.

1. 5553. martrid, mangled, tortured : like Fr. martyriser.

1. 5587. = Or to get to the walls, (which were) watched, as the
thought.

1. 5638. wynnyt should be wyn yt.

\. 5728. big bowes of brake, great cross-bows. There are thre
different explanations of the term bowes of brake, which of course de
pend on the meaning of the word brake. 1. Bows with a brake, i.
with an instrument for breaking the tension of the bow, or for making
the arrow break away from it. In support of this explanation, allt
sion is made to the flaxdresser's brake, and the farmer's brake-harro\
for clayey soil. 2. That the brake was the crank or handle which the
soldier worked when using the bow. In support of this, allusion is
made to the brake, i. e. the handle or lever of a ship's purnp : but there
are breaks where there is no handle at all, as brakes for wheels, &c.
3. That bows of brake were bows for breaching : just as a war-ship is
called a man-of-war, or a ship-of-war. In support of this it is said that
cross-bows were first used for that purpose, and that it was long after
their use as breaching engines, before they were used as hand weapons ;
and that when they were adapted to hand use they still retained their
old name. From a review of these explanations the question comes to
be, were they so called from the machine with which they were pro
vided, or from the use to which they were first applied. (See Wedg
wood's Etymol. Diet,, and Boutell's Arms and Armour.)

1. 5732. shout should be shont, shrunk, withdrew.

1. 5810. Compare with Morte Arth., L 3831.

1. 5932. Morte Arth., 1. 1796 :

" Wroght wayes full wyde & wounded knyghttez."

1. 5939. Morte Arth., 1. 2975 :.

" Sleyghly in at the slotte slyttes hyme thorowe."
Compare also 11. 5936-40 with Morte Arth., 11. 2252-4.

I. 5998. mony warchond wound, many painful wounds : the phr
occurs in Wallace, Bk 3, 1. 204 : warchond, from A.S. waerc, pain.

II. 6037-8. beccyn, blaze : beik is generally transitive, but her
neuter, tendlis, resinous splints used in early times as candles wer
afterwards : from A.S. tendan or tyndan, to set on fire.

11. 6051. qwistlis,reed instruments, as the shepherd's pipe, the clarione
&c. qwcs, fifes, other qwaint gere, other instruments of the olden time.

1. 6063. felous should be felons, fierce, cruel, infuriated ones : from
A.S.felle, fierce, fell: Fr. felon, fc lion. The word occurs often in Tht
Bruce, as an adj. ; in Wallace, Bk 6, 1. 292 ; in Douglas's Virgil, p.
118, 1. 44 ; and in Golag. and Gawane, 1. 670.

NOTES. 503

1. 6127. vnwyly should be vnwysly.

1. 6133. leue should be lene, lend, grant ; from A.S. Icen, a loan.
1. 6176. The vb. loute (A.S. hlutan) is used both with and without
the prep, to following : here, and in 11. 6213, 6235, without it ; but in

I. 6251, with it.

1. 6186. takell, weapons, bows and arrows : sometimes means an
arrow, as in Doug. Virg., p. 300, 1. 20 ; < Christ's Kirk,' st. 10 ; Chau
cer's Cant. Tales, Prol., 1. 106. The word is still used in Scotland in
the sense of arms, instruments; and is common among workmen when
speaking of the tools with which they work.

1. 6256. fer, contr. forferre, further.

1. 6258. stert vpon stray, begin to move, attempt to stir out of his
proper place : the phrase is capable of different applications, and occurs
twice in Golagros and Gawane (11. 19 and 992).

1. 6265. bes (imper. pi.), be ye. ware, wary. By combination we
have our present form, beware.

waytys (imper. pi.), watch, carefully attend. Wayt occurs as a sb.
in 11. 6270, 7352 : in 1. 6270 = a watch, a guard ; and in 1. 7352, we
have wattes — watchmen, or, the watches : — the word is still used in
both senses.

1. 6325. qivat should be \at ; but the line is still imperfect: pro
bably it should be, " And Jjat so tendit to J?e [ton, jje] totheris was all "
= and what harmed the one, was the other's harm too.

1. 6368. Polidarius the porknell : see 11. 3837-42.

1. 6394. Toke his horse with his hells = struck the spurs into his
steed : toke is thus used again and again in this work, as in 1. 7508,
toke hym in the face ; 1. 8224, toke hym on J?e hed, &c. These expres
sions are still in use.

1. 6407. Compare with Morte Arthure, 1. 2069.

1. 6409. Compare with 11. 5939, 7004, 7340, and with Morte Arthure,

II. 2254, 2975.

I. 6439. for wepyn or other = in spite of all opposition : for is still
used in this sense.

II. 6510-17. Compare with Morte Arthure, 11. 1792-9, 2086-92.

1. 6613. at probably should be had : a very likely mistake for a
scribe writing to dictation.

1. 6640. jop, more commonly ype : see Glossary.

1. 6663. Luggit, dragged (Su.-Goth. lugga) : is still used.

1. 6730. luKkit to ground, dashed to the ground, laid flat on the
earth : lusk seems like the Ger. lauschen, to lurk, to lie flat, to lie
in wait.

1. 6745. odmony, a great many. For the various meanings of od, see
Glossary : some of them are still in use.

1. 6789. Mony lyue of lepi : compare with Morte Arthure, 1. 2084,
some leppe fro the lyfe.

1. 6822. gyuen bake, turned about, gave way : "see 1. 6860.

1. 6823. fight should be flight, fay worthit, were cut down.

504

NOTES.

1. 6838. rcfe hyn hisfos, snatch him from his foes : the omission of
the preposition in such phrases is pretty frequent in this work.

1. 6865-6. no noy feld, felt none of the brunt, baners on brea
occurs in Morte Arthure, 1. 3646.

1. 6941. in holl qwert, safe and sound : in qwert seems to have beer
used as the phrase "hale and hearty" is now: it occurs in 'The
Awntyrs of Arthure,' 1. 244, and in Golagros and Gawane, 1. 586 ; am
Sir F. Madden, in his Glossary to these pieces, renders quarte, quert
good spirits, joy.

1. 6992. said ought to be sad, as in 11. 1277.

1. 6998. Issit, rushed, dashed : in 1. 5784 it occurs as ysshit : see
Glossary.

1. 7U05. Jje slade moue, the mouth or entrance of the valley : moue
the mouth, is still common.

1. 7033. blody beronyn, run over with blood, i. e. covered with it
It occurs in ' Death and Liffe ' in the Percy Folio MS.

1. 7049. wirdis, destiny, fate : cf. Ger. werden, to become.

Rubric. By Ector, with reference to Hector.

1. 7107. tuk of a trump, blast of a trumpet. Tuck of drum IB
phrase still used : see Jamieson's Diet.

1. 7122. And ay worth vnto werre, and always became worse anc
worse.

1. 7149. for, on account of — i. e. as a provision against.

1. 7171. Venus: the alliteration here makes it Wenus, as in 1. 2987.

1. 7197. syttyn, sitting- — i. e. fitting, suitable : see, under Sitt<
Glossary.

1. 7207. J>e tru vp = the (time of the) truce run out : as in ' tlu
time 's up.'

1. 7273. dernly ought to be deruly =z derfly, quickly, hastily.

1. 7302. launchand, rushing, bounding : in 1. 5810, the vb. is launse,
and in William of Palerne, 1. 2755, it is launce. Cf. Fr. se lancer.

1. 7308. Compare this line with Morte Arthure, 11. 979, 1388, 2182,
2201 : indeed, the whole passage (7304-10) may be compared witl
M. A., 1382-90, and 2197-2203.

1. 7346. hondqwile = hand-while, commonly hanla-while = handy-
while, a short time: just as a hand-full = a small quantity, a sins
number. See Jarnieson's Diet.

1. 7398. stere = stir, commotion, strife : is still used. Compar
the next two lines with Morte Arthure, 11. 2095-6.

1. 7430. swagit = swacked : similarly, haggit = hacked, 1. 1002!:
Both words are still used in Scotland.

1. 7458. In Morte Arthure, 1. 2079,

" The stede and the steryne mane strykes to the grownde."
Compare also 1. 11091 with M. A., 11. 1488, 3823.

1. 7491. nailed ]>ere strenght, plied their strength, exerted themselve
to their utmost. See Jamieson's Diet, under Nate, Note : Ger. nutzen.

1. 7496. caupit : see note, 1. 7533.

NOTES. 505

1. 7507. aykewara = awkward, i. e. sideways.

1. 7512. sad: for various meanings see Gloss., and Gloss, to Wm.
of Paler ne.

1. 7533. Keppit the caupe, received the stroke, arrested the blow :
Jeep is still so used, caupe = Ital. colpo, a blow, is the root of the
verb caupit in 1. 7496.

1. 7551. sute, pursuit : in 1. 6014, suet.

1. 7570. oure side londes, our wide, or, broad lands : side, A.S. sid.

1. 7619. skewes, clouds, heavens : A.S. scua, a shade, a shadow.
See Gloss.

1. 7621. waynit, rushed, gushed. Compare this meaning with that
in 1. 676, which is still used; and for other meanings in this work, see
Gloss. : see also Gloss, to Wm. of Palerne.

1. 7628. teghit, tugged, pulled : A.S. teon.

1. 7651. reueray, clamour, scolding : Fr. resverie, idle talking, raving.
See Jamieson's Diet.

1. 7724. his stepe loke, his deep-set eyes, or, his out-shot, glaring
eyes : stepe is still used in both senses. See 1. 3758, and Chaucer's
Prologue, 1. 747.

1. 7733. Compare with Morte ArtTiure, 1. 449.

1. 7758. Ifawhown, monster, devil : a term of opprobrium that tells
of Crusading times, and is still applied to the devil, as in ' The Deil's
Awa Wi' the Exciseman,' by Burns.

1. 7766. Vnbest = un-beast, i. e. misshapen beast.

1. 7861. maitles, perhaps should be maicles, matchless. The line
seems to run thus : — ' And though we are (by entertaining the pro
posal of a truce) ruining our superiority, let us do so no longer.'

1. 7895. bone, prayer, request.

I. 7904. chaped, escaped: like scaped in Wm. of Palerne, 1. 2752.

II. 7926-7. brand egge = brand's edge, feld of = felt some of.

1. 7937. [were], MS. has where : in Wm. of Palerne the same form
occurs three times ; viz. in 11. 261, 502, 2750.

1. 7945. wonsped = wan-speed = failure of good speed. Cf. wan-
hope = failure of hope, despair.

1. 7983. Omit the comma after have.

1. 8029. Bresaide : this is surely a muddle between Briseis and
Cressid.

1. 8037. ses hym, make him to cease.

1. 8046. Compare with 11. 8705, 9454, 10365, 10567, 10761-2, and
these with Morte Arthure, 11. 715-16, 2961-2, 4247, 4273.

1. 8053. fir, probably should before = further, as in 1. 4782.

1. 8120. file = de61e. The line runs thus : — ' Every man will
blame you, and defile your fair fame.'

1. 8176. yomeryng, sorrowing (at their parting), yettyng, shedding :
A.S. gedtan : Moes.-Goth. yiutan : Dutch, gieten.

1. 8194. thristy, bold, brave : thristliche, boldly (used poetically)
occurs in Wm. of Pal erne, 1. 191.

OUO NOTES.

1. 8231. Hony ledes with his launse out of lyfe broglit. Compare
with 11. 7683, 8633, 9892, 10158, and with Horte Arthure, 1, 1820,—

" Many lede with his launce the liffe has he refede."

The phrase, out of lyfe broght, is in Horte A., 11. 1775, 1800, 3520,
broghte owte of lyfe : also, in 1. 1282 of this work, we find, and hym o
Hue broght ; and in M. A., 1. 802, and broghte hyme o lyfe.

1. 8296. dernly, a misprint for deruly, fiercely.

1. 8313. tes, raises, elevates ; hence, adores : is still in use. See
Jamieson's Diet.

1. 8341. foale, a horse : still a common word among farmers and
horse-dealers.

1. 8386. Rowchet, a mistake for cowchet = inlaid, set, — which the
alliteration demands. See Kowchit in 1. 11789.

1. 8418. How odd ! — a Parliament of Kings, Lords, and Commons
during the siege of Troy ! Evidently, from the way in which our
author speaks of them here and elsewhere, such a parliament was the
only kind he had known : note too the mode of affirming the truce.

1. 8437. by tale = in order.

1. 8444. unfitting should be unsittyng.

1. 8653. shot = cast, flung.

I. 8677. gawlyng, yelling, lamenting : still in use in the form gowl-
ing. See Goulen in Gloss, to HaveloJc (ed. Skeat) : also Jamiesou's Diet.

II. 8695-6. woke, watched : in the same sense as at the Irish wake.
Remyng, crying, lamentation : A.S. hreman, to cry, to weep, to lament.
rauthe = reuthe, ruth : A.S. hredw, reow, grief, sorrow.

1. 8732. to fele, to perceive, to smell.

1. 8753. As a gate, as a way, i. e. the steps were a way to go up by.

1. 8810. fynet not to bren, ceased not to burn, never went out.

1. 8850. what dem Jjar us ellus = what (part of our) destiny must
we yet work out : far = need, as in the Prick of Conscience, 1. 2167
(Morris).

1. 8884. tofylsy, to swell out, to increase : the word is still used as
an adj. — filschy. See Jamieson's Diet.

1. 8924. gyng, gang, followers : A.S. genge, a flock.

1. 8963. unfitting, should be unsittyng = unseemly.

1. 8970. pase = passus.

1. 8994. ]>ere fos found for to greue, (they) go with the design of
punishing their foes.

1. 9024. triet, great, splendid : see Gloss, to Wm. of Palerne,
under Trie.

1. 9049. fforset = for-set, hemmed in, cut off, prevented (in the olc
sense of the word) : the alliteration suggests that the accent is on set.

1. 9061. birlt & Ipirlet are still used. Compare with Morte Arthit
11. 1413, 1858, 2167.

1. 9085. entiret = interred : in 1. 9106 we find entierment = burial.
In some of the country districts of Lanarkshire both words are still so
pronounced.

NOTES. 507

11. 9127-33. sourcJier = sour-cher, evil cheer, sadness, choking
agony, facid = defaced: see facing, 1. 9215. vn = on.

1. 9141. moron or moru mylde : in Dunbar's ' Twa Maryit Weraen,'
1. 513, we find, — ' The morow myld wes and meik,' &c.

1. 9153. hatnet, heated, inflamed.

1. 9159. grym is here = grief: more commonly anger, and in the
form greme. See Gloss.

1. 9210. dreghly can syle, slowly began to compose himself.

I. 9242. In fyat at = in that which, as far as.

II. 9268-70. seruet = deserved, ekys = increases : eke is still used
both as a verb and a noun = to add to, an addition.

1. 9320. This line is another proof that our author had read Piers
Plowman : in Wright's ed., p. 10, we find : —

" And comen to a counseil for the commune profit."
1. 9337. leuet = lived, remained : see also in 1. 9358.
1. 9406. He gird hym thurgh the guttes with a grym speire. In the
Morte Arthure, 11. 1369-70, we have, —

" He gryppes hym a grete spere, and graythely hym hittez
Thurghe the guttez in-to the gorre he gyrdes hym ewyn."
Compare also 11. 10704-5 with Morte A., II. 2167-8; 11. 9431-2 with
M. A., 4116-7 : and 11. 9539-40 with M. A., 4251.

1. 9448. me tenys, (which) pains me. of = out of, from.

I. 9454. Siueyt, slipped, sunk. Swe (to swing, to swing round, to
swing gently backward and forward,, hence, to turn over gently, to slip,
to sink) has been omitted in arranging the Gloss. : it is still used
as here.

II. 9465-9. Compare this passage with Morte Arthure, 11. 2123-5 :
also 11. 9481-3 with M. A., 1771-4.

11. 9511-3. chrickenede, were terrified : Ger. schrecken, to terrify.
This word is wrongly rendered in the Gloss.

scrive, noise, roar (of the flames) : any rushing noise is still called
a scrive or screve. wappond, lashing, dashing in all directions, loghys,
in 1. 9512, may be rendered either lowes = flames, or, loivcs = lodges,
tents, as in 1. 4951.

1. 9625. the gre, the degree, highest place, ppst of honour : still in use.

1. 9639. Donkyt} damped, suffused : compare with 1. 512 of Duubar's
' Twa Maryit Wemen.'

I. 9707. Ne was hit not, nay, was it not, or, was it not : like the
French, n'etait il pas.

1. 9794. Evidently this is another line from Piers Plowman : see
Wright's ed., p. 44 :

" Than laughte thei leve, thise lordes, at Mede."

1. 9903. Perhaps hym should be inserted before titly.

1. 9928. but no wothe in = but not mortally, or, but not deeply.

1. 10022. Pa/lit, drove, cut their way : compare with mallyng, in 1.
9520, and both verbs with the term pell-mell.

508 NOTES.

I. 10084. for late of Jje night, on account of the lateness of the night :
for late occurs again in 1. 10227.

II. 10131-2. to graue, to bury : occurs in Havelok, 1. 613. (See
Gloss, to Havelok : also Jamieson's Diet, under Graif.) barly no =
barely any.

1. 10184. noyes = noyous : see Gloss.

1. 10210. swat, sweated, perspired : Burns in ' Tarn o' Shanter ' has,

" Till ilka carlin snat and reekit."

1. 10218. Derf dynttes fyai delt occurs in Horte Arthure, 1. 3749.
1. 10388. bisi was fye buerne = he had much ado.

I. 10548. noght dole, in 1. 13908, vndull, not dull, not blunt, sharp.

II. 10629-41. The sun was in its summer solstice (1st point of
Cancer) in our author's time, on the 12th of June. On the 16th, it
would be in the 4th point of Cancer, only a very little past the solstice.
The change of style accounts for the reckoning here being different
from what it would be now.

11. 10704-6. Rut \urgh, &c. : compare Morte Arthure, 1. 2271.
Between the lyuer, &c. : compare M. A., 1. 2168.
his ble chaungit : compare M. A., 11. 3558, 4213.

I. 10795. as Jjai degh shuld = as if they were about to die.

II. 10804-9. Observe that, in four of these six lines the alliteration
dwells on vowels. Such lines are very scarce in William of Palerne
and Piers Plowman, but pretty common in this work and the Morte
Arthure. In a previous note attention was called to the number of
couplets and triplets with the same rime-letter : another example of
each is given in 11. 10813-14 and 10818-20. See note, 1. 14035.

1. 10985. Compare with 1. 5810, and both with Morte Arthure,
11. 3832-3.

1. 11029. Lugget: see note to 1. 6663.

I. 11091. Stedes doun slicked, steeds fell mortally stabbed : compare
with Morte Arthure, 11. 1488, 3823. This picture is given again and
again in The Bruce: as in Bk 6, 1. 321 : 7. 717 : 8. 602 : 9. 101, &c.

II. 11246-7. for doute = because of the difficulty of the question.
& wirke to J>e best = and then (I shall) act for the best, or, and (that
I may) act for the best.

1. 11322. in mene = as mediator or representative.

1. 11375. a claterer of muwthe, a tale bearer : see Jamieson's Diet,
and Supp.

1. 11428. castyn hor wittes = laid their heads together, i. e. con
ferred with each other : the phrase is still used.

1. 11437. cundeth, a safe conduct : occurs in Morte Arthure as con-
dethe, coundyte, cundit (see Gloss.) ; and in Wallace as condyt, Bk 6, 1.
864, and cwndyt, Bk 6, 1. 888.

1. 11621. exit, asked, demanded : see Eubric to Bk 1.

1. 11753. vtivith, without, outside : see Outwith in Jamieson's Diet.

1. 11789. Kowchit, laid : see 1. 8386 and note. The word is still
in use.

NOTES. 509

1. 11837. swyke, deceit, treachery: A.S. side.

I. 11934. ne no hate poght = expecting nothing of the kind : Jiate
the smallest thing, quantity, or degree, from Isl. haete, haeti. See
Jamieson's Diet.

1. 11941. lobbes, pieces, articles: but as pesis occurs in the next
line, perhaps jubbes (jugs holding about a quart) are intended.

1. 11949. rewerd, in 1. 12697, rurde, in I. 13902, ruerde, noise,
tumult, confusion : see Jamieson's Diet, under Reird.

1. 12093. by speryng of othir = by inquiring of the people
(about her).

1. 12148. hir wit leuyt = lost her wits, became rnad.

1. 12212. wary, curse, ban, despise, speak ill of: occurs in Wiclif
Matt, xxvi ; Chaucer, Man of Lawes, 1. 1492. See Prompt. Pare, and
Jamieson's Diet, and Supp.

1. 12424. mertrid : see note to 1. 5553.

1. 12529. slober, foam, foul drift, sluche, slush, muddy water, or,
watery mud ; in 11. 5710, 13547, slicche.

1. 12609. hade, would hide or conceal.

1. 12627. Happit, covered over : as in the old song,
" Hap and row, hap and row,
Hap and row the feetie o't," &c.

1. 12842. Ames you of malice, moderate your malice : see Jamie-
son's Diet, and Supp. under Ameise and Meis (Ger. massen). An old
proverb has, 'Crab without cause, and mease without mends.'

1. 12934. faute of tyaire hedes = lack of their chiefs.

1. 13019. the barre, the band of flannel with which an infant is
swaddled, a girdle ; also, the undermost dress of a female : A.S. beer,
naked, because worn next the body. The word is still so used : see
Jamieson's Diet, and Supp.

1. 13120. wallond wele, lit. well-selected wealth = hard-won riches,
one's whole riches, wait he no gode — he had nothing left.

I. 13254. the Sea occian, the great, wide sea : in Douglas's Virgil,
p. 21, 1. 48, occurs ' the octiane se.'

II. 13502-6. clocher = clough, a cleft in a rocky hill, a strait
hollow between precipitous banks, or, as Verstegan has it in Restit. Dec.
Ind'lL, "a kind of breach down along the side of a hill :" it is here
used — place of concealment, the hed of the hole = the beginning of
the entrance, the hext gre = the topmost step : hext = highest.
Iwjlicr = laigher, lower, selkowth, strange, but used as a s. = a wonder.

I. 13633. Wanen (3rd pi. pret. of Win), got : wan is the form most
i used throughout this work ; but both forms are still common.

II. 13680-3. aspies, seeks out, watches for an opportunity to bring
; about, meditates, vnqwemys his qwate = upsets his judgment, turns
I his head. Gers hym swolow a swete, engages him in some enticing

speculation. \at swelles hym after, that costs him dear, that ruins him.
1. 13826. Grydell = girdell, a girdle : Su.-Goth. graedda, to bake.
!See Gloss, under Girdiller.

510

NOTES.

1. 13889. nolpit = nappit, struck fast and fiercely : nap is still used
to express striking with a hammer, and a nap = a blow, as in 1. 6437.

1. 13902. rught = rugh, rough. Note the t after yh here as ir
sirenght, strenJcyght (1. 6270), lenght, &c.

I. 13908. a dart vndull, a dart not dull, i. e. blunt = a sharp dart ;
see 1. 10548.

II. 13920-7. In the MS. these lines are quite confused: 1. 13922
comes after 1. 13927, and no sense is possible. Perhaps the said ought
to be he said, in 1. 13927.

1. 13953. Icepyng, imprisonment : see 11. 13842-5.

1. 14035. This is another very short line, yet quite complete : com
pare with 11. 4313, 8989. Observe also, that in the thirty lines, 14006
36, the alliteration dwells on vowels six times.

D. D.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

The text presents so many varieties and irregularities of spelling, that it
•was found necessary to adopt the modern English characters in the compilation
i of the following Index.

A, adj. one, 6324; all, 8205;

prep, on, upon, as a lofte, a bac/ce ;

an interjection, for ah !, 3473, 3482,

3490.
Abaist, v. to frighten, to terrify,

7902.
Abake, adv. back, backward,

3225, 5889.
Abasshet,jpar£. (from A.N". dbais-

ser) bowed down, covered, 329 ;

terrified, confounded, 2517.
Abate, v. (A.N.) to oppose, to try
! to hinder, 5686 ; to lessen, 10104.
ibide, Abyde, v. (A.S:) to await,
' 1112; to wait, 1151.
libill, Able, Abull, adj. able,
I skilful, 273 ; fit, ready, 943 ; suit
able, needful, 1744, 2316.

\billv, adv. skilfully, suitably,

1577.
jVbout, Aboute, adv. near by,

around, 1600, 5810; round, all

round, 1657, 1666.
kbrode, adv. away, 3714.

ibimtlaunt, Abundonet, part.
abounding, 1695, 3347.
Jbute, adv. about, 1509.

Accord, v. (FT.) to make of one
mind, to reconcile, 13095.
chates, s. (A.N.) an agate, 790.

chevc, v. (A.!N.) to accomplish,
to obtain, 13765.

Aclose, v. to enclose, to keep
close, 10524.

Acord, s. concord, 11863.

Acoyntaunse, s. acquaintance,

1865.
Acoynte, v. (A.N.) to acquaint,

to accustom, 2931.
Adout, v. (A.K) to fear, to shrink

from, 1097.
Aferd, part. p. (A.S.) afraid, 853,

11630.
Afferme, v. (A.N.) to confirm,

2675, 8420.
Afforce, Afforse, Aforse, v. (A.JST.)

to rouse, to compel, to strengthen,

228, 5687, 6471, 6557, 6593.
Affraye, v. (A.K) to attack, 1084.
Affroi, s. attack, affray, 4746.
Afinytie, Affinyte, s. (L.) family

connection, relationship, 9081 ; re
latives, 11392.
After, prep. (A.S.) afterwards,

273 ; unto, 1613.
Agayne, prep. (A.S.) against, 907,

1188; Agayn, 7315; adv. again,

1033.

Age, s. (A.K) time, 6.
Agh, Aght, v. (A.S. agari) to owe,

to possess, to own, to acknowledge,

315, 378, 1704, 2991, 13093 ; prtt.

and part, aght ; "as horn weleac/hl"

as they were in duty bound, 1704.

512

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Aght, adj. (A.S.) eight, 3243,

3466.
Aire, s. an heir, 11684; Ayre,

9038, 11745.
Aither, pron. (A.S.) either,

10930 ; both, 11060 ; each, 65.
Ajoinet, Ajoynet, Ajoynit, part.

p. called, 128, 291 ; joined, added,

1135.

Ajoyne, v. (L. ) to go to, 350,

974; to appoint, to allot, 2197.
Alate, adv. lately, 4176.

Alblast, Alblaster, s. (A. 1ST.) an
engine for shooting arrows, a cross
bow, 4742, 5727.

Aid, adj. (A.S.) old; sup. aldist,
11055.

Alie, v. to he related, 1284 ; to
agree, to, consent, 3190.

All, adv. (A.S.) entirely, 8816.
Frequently joined with other words
to form an adverbial phrase, as " all
with pert wordes " = unblushing-

ly, 977.

Ail-to, Alto, adv. completely,
thoroughly, 1264, 7629, 10010.

Alose, v. (A.N.) to praise, to com
mend, 9731.

Alowe, v. (A.IST. allouer) to praise,
to approve, 4611, 8865.

Als, Alse, conj. (A.S.) also, like
wise, 1505, 13143 ; adv. like, as,
as if, 178, 900, 1217, 3318, 6040.

Alsmony = as many, 4125.

Alstite, adv. (A.S.) quickly,

11693.
Althing = everything, 281.

Ame, v. (A.N. aemer, aesmer, L.
aentimo) to think, to plan, to devise,
762, 1679 ; to trace, to carve, 1562,
8758; to count, to reckon, 2270;
to take to, to go to, 2023 ; to make
for, 7227.

Amese, v. (A.N.) to calm. " Ames
you " = calm yourself, 12842.

Amirous, adj. amorous, 3926.

Amyddes, prep, amidst, in the

centre of, 8774.
An, conj. and, 2328; adj. one,

4062 ; as a v. = han, kane, had,

3372.

And, conj. if, 581, 606, 610,
1440, 12709 ; before, 12710 ; but,
nevertheless, 1398 ; adv. while,
2967.

Angard, s. impetuosity, 9745.

Angardly, Angarely, Angarly,
Angurdly, adv. angrily, fiercely,
eagerly, 7441, 7470, 9104; very,
exceedingly, 6996 ; " angarly
mony " = very many, 4683.

Angre, v. (A.S.) to anger, to pro*
voke, 4571 ; to be angry, to be
come angry, 6909, 7327 ; to wound,
6013.

Anoisyt, part. p. made famous,

much talked of, 220.
Anone, adv. immediately, 1955.
Answare, v. to answer, 1862.
Aparty, adv. partly, 3842.

Apere, Appere, v. to appear, to

come forward, 1215, 1643 ; to

yield, 11856.
Aperte, adv. (A.N.) openly,

100.
Apoint, s. finish, range, extent,

401.
Appere, v. See Apere.

Appres, v. to compel, to force,
3390.

Apreve, pret. of Aprove, to ap
prove, to sanction, 8914.

Aproche, v. to approach, to come
on, 1276.

Apropre, v. to conquer, to annex,
12193.

Archet, part. p. arched, covered
over, 1577.

Ardagh, adj. (A.S.) fallowin;
ploughing; " on ardagh wise"
as if be were ploughing, 175.

Are, adv. lately, 8876.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

513

Argh, adj. (A.S. earg) timid,

fearful, 2540.
Arghe, v. (A.S. eargiari) to wax

timid, to be terrified, 1976, 3121 ;

to terrify, 5148.

Arghly, adv. timidly, 1831.
Arghnes, s. (A.S.) timidity, 2203.

Armurer, s. (A.N.) an armourer,

1588.
Arrays, s. pi. armour, 1304.

Arofe, Arove, pret. of Arive,

arrived, 1947, 3249.
Arowsmyth, s. a maker of lance

aud arrow heads ; also, a maker of

arrows, 1588.

Art, pi. artes, artis, s. an art, a
branch of knowledge, 1485, 1497.

— as if, 138; like, like to,
1818 ; so that, 2671.

lye, s. See Assay.

ike, v. (A.S.) to ask, to require,
420, 1583 ; to suit, 7067, 11622.

:es, Askis, Askys, s. Ashes,
570, 1428, 2646, 7150.
skewse, v. to excuse, to acquit,
12114, 12639.

jie, v. (A.N.) to espie, to
watch, 7945 ; to discover, to seek
out, 11635, 13680.

iy, Asaye, s. (A.N.) the pro
cess of drawing a knife along the
belly of a deer to try how fat he is ;
it was called, taking assay, 3903.

,y, Assaie, v. (A.N.) to try,
to prove, to attempt, to set out,
382, 2489, 11793.

^.ssele, v. to seal, 5358.

issemely, s. a gathering, a
council, 57.

Assent, s. (A.N.) consent, agree
ment, 1880, 2103.

Assign, v. to assign, to allot,
1136,1709.

Istate, s. (A.N.) rank, position,
grandeur, 21, 251.

Astone, Astoyne, v. (A.K) to
confound, to stun, 1203, 2520.

Astony, v. (A.K) to astonish,
1319, 5871, 9488.

Astoyne, v. to stun, to bruise, to
shatter, 1203.

At, prep, according to, 1633 ; in,
upon, " at sad wordes " = upon
oath, 1920; for, 2674 ; by, out by,
9300.

At,pron. that, 2617, 4734, 9881.
Athel, s. See Hathel.

Atire, Atyre, v. (A.N.) to prepare,
to fit out, 2013 ; to dress, to deck,
3026 ; to repair, 13420.

Atle, Attell, v. to array, to ar
range, 855, 2376, 4304; to aim, to
attempt, 2965, 5727. See Ettle.

Atter, Attur, s. (A.S. after) poi
son, dregs, 920, 926; "wan atter"
= piss, 303.

Atter, v. (A.S.) to embitter, to

sour, 2281.

Attle, v. See Ettle.
Atyre, v. See Atire.
Aumber, Aumbur, s. amber, 1666,

6203.
Aun, Aune, Awne, adj. own, 276,

6211, 6808, 13045.
Aunsetre, Aunsetry, s. (A.N.) an

ancestor, 5 ; ancestry, 6319, 9362,

13062.
Aunter, Auntre, v. (A.K) to

venture, to hazard, 314, 724; to

happen, 742, 2862.

Aunter, s. an adventure, a hap, a
chance, 5, 67, 827, 1707 ; a marvel,
a wonder, 150, 153, 2856.

Auntrus, Antrus, adj. bold, dar
ing, adventurous, 537, 1121, 2186.

Aurthewert, 6887, Aurthwart,
6796; Aurthwert, 7676; Aurth-
ward, 7325; Awrthwert, 1862;
Awterwart, 4892 ; adv. angrily, in
anger.

Anther, conj. either, 6528, 7761.

33

514

GLOSSAU1AL INDEX.

Authwart, Awthwert, adj. angry,
I960, 9801.

Avenaund, Avenond, adj. (A.K.)
beautiful, lovely, 3073, 3368.

Avente, v. (A.N.) to open the
aventaile for the purpose of breath
ing, to admit air to, 7090.

Aventur, s. chance, opportunity,

4601.
Averys, s. avarice, 194.

Avowe, s. (A. 1ST.) a vow, an oath,
2973.

Avowe, v. (A.N.) to vow, to make

a vow, 261, 2002.
Aw, Awe, v. (A.S.) to be hound

by duty, 2179, 2987 ; to owe, 533 ;

to claim, to have by right, 13622.

Awhlaster, s. an arbalest or cross
bow-man, a crossbow; in 1. 5707
means, arrows from the crossbows,
the "w&arleg" of 1. 4743. See
Note.

Awkewardly, adv. senselessly,
stupidly, 4379.

Axe, s. (We. ax) an axe ; hut
applied also to arrow-heads, spear
heads, and swords, 1588.

Ay, adv. always, ever, 48, 194,

1728, 1814.
Ay ell, s. (A.N.) a grandfather,

13604.
Ayle, v. to shelter, to protect,

1577 ; part. Aylyng.
Ay re, v. to go, 173, 531 ; to rush

upon, 7312.

Ayre, v. (A.S.) to plough, 175.
Ayre, s. an heir, 9088, 11745;

Aire, 11684.

Ayre, s. the air, 1639.
Ayther, pron. each, "both, 7006.

Bahery, s. an architectural orna
ment, 1563.

Bachelor, s. pi. Bachelor, 9718,
11483.

Baillfully, adv. (A.S. leal) miser
ably, 11983.

Bailusly, adv. (A.S.) sadly, bit
terly, 9446.

Bainly, adv. readily, at once, im
mediately, 135, 3370, 8082, 10857,
13220.

Bak, Bake, s. the hack, 1902 ;
" turnyt the bake " = fled, 1348 ;
" t° ff2/ffe bake " = to retreat,
9474.

Baldly, adv. "boldly, fearlessly,
9742.

Bale, s. (A.S. beal) mischief, evil,
destruction, 497, 1433, 2136.

Bale, adj. deadly, sad, miserable,
926, 1388, 2234, 2681.

Balefull, Balfull, adj. evil, bane
ful, deadly, 169, 899, 945.

Ballit, adj. bald, 3848.

Balsamom, Balsaum, s. (Fr.) bal
sam, 8777, 9119.

Bame, s. /See Baume.

Ban, v. (A. IS".) to curse, 4935 ;

Banne, 1388.
Bane, s. (A.S. bana) a murderer,

7926.
Banke, s. the shore, the coast,

1069, 1902.
Barbur, s. a barber, 1598.

Bare, adj. (A.S.) curt, short, 74;
mere, simple, 150, 828 ; purpose
less, unproductive, 2502; com
plete, 483 ; late, last, 10805 ; bare
headed, 2018 ; unarmed, 5065 ;
adv. alone, deserted, 1320 ; s. the
naked skin, 5821.

~Bare,pret. of Bore, pierced, bored,
9432.

Barely, Barly, adv. wholly, en
tirely, 68, 2780, 12090.

Baret, s. (A.N.) strife, contention,
5274, 9336 ; trouble, sorrow, 4167,
5872.

Barge, s. a war-vessel, 90, 9720.

Bargen,s. contention, strife, 2502.

GLOSSAIUAL INDEX.

515

Early, adv. barely ; " barly no
more'' = barely so much, or cer-.
taiuly not any more, 10132.

Barn, Barne, s. (A.S.) an infant,

a child, 1361, 8143.
Baronage, s. (A.N.) barons, an

assembly of barons, 211, 232.
Barr, s. a bar, a bolt, 6018.

Barre, s. the girdle (properly, the

under petticoat), 13019.
Barre, v. to shut close, to bolt,

6018, 10463.

Basnet, s. abassenet, 1248, 5255.
Basson, ,9. a basin, 3169.

Bast, s. a mat, matting made of
straw, 4773.

Bastel, Bastell, s. (A..N.) a tower,
a fortification, 9490, 10569, 13782.
The Bastel or Bastile was a movable
•wooden tower used in warfare;
latterly, any tower or fortification
was so named.

Bate, s. (A.S.) contention, debate,

strife, 5276, 5526.
Bate, v. to attack, to contend

with, to rush at, 5914.
Batell, s. battle, 1216 ; v. to fight,

945, 1322.
Batell, Batel, s. a company, a

division, a host, 1151, 2131.
Baume, Bawnie, Bame, s. balm,

8777, 8780, 8804, 9119.
Baxter, s. a baker, 1592.

Be, prep. (A.S.) by, 383, 1291,
8601 ; as be = through or by right
of, 1841.

Be, pres. tense of the verb, 8906 ;

part. p. 8913.
.Beayell, s. a grandfather, 13474.

Beccyn, v. to beacon, to blaze,
6037.

Become, v. to become, to be be
coming (pret. become), 1712,

1714.

Bed, pret. of Bidde, commanded,
6103.

Bedaghe, v. (A.S.) to expose, to
befool, 758 ; same as Bedaffe.

Bede, v. (A.S.) to prefer, to offer ;
" amendes to bede " = by way of
amends, 5027 ; to order, to bid,
389.

Bedene, By dene, adv. (A.S.) im
mediately, at once, suitably, be
comingly, 429, 1656.

Begile, Begyle, v. to beguile, to
deceive, 8153, 9279, 11197.

Begonnen, part. p. begun, 1620.

Behode, pret. o/Behove, behoved,
required, 12679.

Behove, v. (A.S.) to require, to

behove, 900.
Beid, s. a bead, pi. a necklace,

pearls, 7044.
Bein, part, being, 9717.

Beire, v. to bear, to bud, 412 ; to
bear, to carry, 1772.

Beiryng, s. bearing, manners,
4116.

Bekir, v. to skirmish, to battle,
7714.

Bekur, s. a skirmish, a battle,
8363.

Belde, v. (A.S.) to build, to
build up, to strengthen, to en
courage, 45 41 5 to recover strength,
5864.

Bele, v. to settle, to fester like a

boil, 1433.
Belefe, v. (A.S\ belifan) to remain,

to be left ; part. p. Beleft, forsaken,

13456.
Belefe, s. belief, 1686, 4287.

Belirt, pret. of Belere, belied,
deceived, 715 ; part. p. Belirt, Be-
lirten, 8134, 8447.

Belive, Belyve, adv. (A.S.) im
mediately, presently, quickly, by
and by, 1163, 1175, 2226, 13206.

Belmaker, s. a bellmaker, 1589.

Belt-stid, s. that part of the body
at which the belt is fixed, 5940.

516

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Be-mard, part. p. damaged,

wounded, 10701.
Bemoth, s. Behemoth, the great

monster, the devil, 4427.
Bemourn, v. to bemourn, to

lament, 3279.
Ben = Been, part. p. 891, 1439 ;

have been, 9, 1728.
Bend, v. (pret. Bend) to bend, to

fit a bow, 9475.
Bent, s. a plain, a common, a

field, a battle-field, 91, 913, 1192,

5864.
Bere, v. (A.S.) pret. bere, to bear,

to carry, to drive, 1279, 1333,

1361.

Bere, s. (A.S.) a bier, 9084,
11567.

Berenes, Berynes, s. burial, sepul
ture, 4336, 9619, 10132, 12160.

Berie, Beiy, v. to bury, 7148,
7174, 8399, 9690, 13786.

Beronnen, Beronyn, Byronnen,
part. pres. 8f p. running, flowing,
swimming, covered, overrun, 1328,
7033, 9052, 9635, 11141 ; blody
beronyn, covered with blood.

Berslet, s. a slender bough, a
wand, 2196.

Bes, Bese, pres. t. of Be, 870,
3389, 3487 ; imper. of Be, 649,
6265, 6947, 13553. See Note, 1.
870.

Besenes, s. eagerness, 10337.

Beside, Besyde, ado. around,
1221.

Best, Beste, s. (A.N.) a beast, an
animal, 4428, 11788.

Bestad, part. p. beset, circum
stanced, surrounded, 5849.

Bet, pret. o/Beat, 12664.

Betaght, pret. fy part, of Beteche,
gave to, assigned, entrusted to,
6100, 7310, 11741.

Betake, v. (A.S. betecan) to as
sign, to hand over, to deliver, 5371.

Bete, pret. of Bite, (A.S.) bit,

12150.
Bethink, v. (A.S.) to recollect, to

ponder, 143, 147.
Betide, Betyde, v. (A.S.) to

happen, to arise, to befal, 2240,

2722, 2729, 9949;^. $- part. p.

Betid.

Betoke, pret. of Betake, gave,

1391.
Betraut, v. to betray, 731, 11767;

pret. betrat, 12026.
Bi, prep, by, 12097.
Bickre, Byccer. See Biker.

Bide, Byde, v. (A.S. bidan)
stop, to stay, to dwell, to abide, i
endure, 362, 570, 2254, 3483, 5677,
7186, 8126 ; pret. Bode.

Big, Byg, adj. great, noted, re
nowned, 1029, 1032. Comp. Bigger,
stronger, 2121.

Bigge, v. (A.S.) to build, to set

up, 1598, 5216.
Bigger, adv. better, 2199.
Biggyng, s. (A.S.) a building,

13452 ; Byggyng, 1379.
Bigli, Bigly, Bygly, adv. boldly,

strongly, manfully, 691, 6018,

6035 ; in force, 10405.
Biker, Bikere, Bikre, Bicker,

Bycker, Byccer, Bickre, Bykre, ».

(A.S.) to battle, to batter, 2944,

5728, 7271, 7294, 7400.
Biker, s. a battle, a fight, 4722.

Bild, Byld, v. (A.S.) to build,
282, 321, 1535, 1569, 1603 ; part,
p. bild, bilde.

Bioustious, adj. See Boistous.

Bir, Birr, Birre, s. (A.S. or O.F.

hirer) force, impetus, 171, 570 ;

wind, a strong wind, 1982, 12490;

a thrust, a blow, 1244 j a struggle,

a battle, 11141.
Birie, v. to bury, 13674, 139G3.

Birle, v. (A.S.) to strike, to thrust
with force, 9061.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

517

Birthe, s. a child, a babe, 10826.

i Bisk, Bisi, adj. busy, 6047 ; with

difficulty, 10388.
Blab, v. to lie, to deceive.
Blackon, v. to become black,

8038.
Bladsmyth, s. a maker of swords,

1592.

, Blake, adj. (A.S.) black, 3780.
' Blase, v. to blaze, to flame, 1989.
Blasound, part, blazing, flaming,

860.
Blawe, v. to blow, 1308, 4622.

I Ble, s. (A.S. Heo) colour, com
plexion, countenance, 7888, 9134.
Blenke, v. to deceive, 2483.

Blent, pret. fy part. p. of Blend,
mingled, 1695, 3493.

Bleryng, s. blearing, defiling,
9134.

Blisse, s. (A.S.) happiness, com
fort, 1695, 2483.

Blissful, adj. happy, 2256.

Blithe, adj. kind, affectionate,

2342.
' Blithe, s. face, favour, 2196.

Blithe, v. to gladden, to please,

2554.

. Blithely, adv. properly, honour
ably, 9109.

Bloberond, part, bubbling, gurg
ling, 9642.

lilody, adv. with blood, 1328,
7033, 10424, 11141.

Blonke, s. (A.S.) a steed, a war-
horse, 2371.

Blusshe, v. to look, 1316; to gaze,
2428 ; to shine forth, 4665.

Blym, v. for Blynn, to cease,
5075.

Bobb, v. (A.S.) to strike, to beat,

7316.

Bocher, s. a butcher, 1592.
i Bode, s. (A.S.) delay, 2568.

Bode, pret. of Bide, stopped,
stayed, 5940, 5954, 6939.

Bodeword, s. (A.S.) a message,
6262, 8315.

Bodyn, pret. of Bide, stopped,
stayed, 12658.

Bogh, s. a bough, a branch, 2371.

Bogh, v. to wend, to steal away,

12608.
Boght, pret. of Buy, bought,

1882.
Boistous, adj. Bioustious, rough,

boisterous, 4116.
Bokebynder, s. a bookbinder,

1589.
Bold, Bolde, adj. used as a s. in

1210, 1405, 7679, 9464, a bold or

brave man.

Bolde, v. (A.S.) to embolden;

part. Boldyng, emboldening, 14,

1182
Boldly, adv. boldly, fearlessly,

978 ; unquestionably, 840.
Bole, s. the body or trunk of a

tree, 4960.

Bolne, v. (A.S.) to swell, 5052.
Bolnet, adj. swollen, 3839.
Bolnyng, s. swelling, 5066.
Bond, pret. o/Bind, 7527.

Bone, s. (A.S.) a request, a com
mand, 505, 4795, 7895.

Bone, s. arrest, seizure, 11964.

Bonke, s. a bank, a shore, 2807.

Borde, s. (A.S.) a table, 1657,
2562. See Burd.

Borly, adj. large, great, burly,
3769, 4964.

Born, part. p. of Bere, brought,
10805.

Borne, part. p. of Bere, born,
10826.

Boss, v. to carve, 1564.

Bossh, v. to gush, to flow, 11120;
pret. Bost, spread, 3022.

518

GLOSSARIA.L INDEX.

Boste, s. a menace, a threat, 79G2.

Bot, Bote, s. a boat, 958, 1299,
1942.

Bote, s. (A.S.) gain, profit, ad
vantage, 448, 12331;.

Bote, v. to help, to profit, 3391,
8854.

Bcumon, s. an archer, 5536.

Boun, Bonne, Bo\vne, v. (A.S.)
to make ready, to prepare, to dress,
827, 2756 ; to rush, to dash, 6899,
6905, 6997 ; adj, ready, going,
2136, 2745, 2816, 6920.

Boun = bound, compelled, 9474.

Boundyn = abounding, great,
13718.

Bourde, s. (A.N.} a joke, a jest ;
pi. conversation, 3112. •

Bourder, s. edge, border, 329,
1248 ; a corner, 1598.

Bourdfull, adj. (A.N.) sportive,
free, 3952.

Boure, s. (A.S.) a chamber, 505,
8449.

Bove, v. to behove, 5115.

Bow, Bowe, v. to bend, to bow,
to submit, 507, 2511, 8147, 13220 ;
to go, to come, to wend, 362, 775,
851, 978 ; to retreat, 9490.

Bowande, part, of Bow, bending,
obedient, submissive, 901.

Bowe, s. a yoke for oxen, 901.

Bowe, s. a bough, a branch, 412,
1059.

Bowerdur, s. a border, a district,
12861.

Boyste, s. (A.N.) an ointment,
883; properly, " Loyste" means
"box" and is here used in the
same sense as when we say a cup,
& glass, and mean the contents of
the vessel.

Brade, adj. (A.S.) broad, large,
383.

Braid, Braide, v. (A.S.) to turn
up, 904; to pull, to pull up, to

raise, to hoist, 1945, 2807, 9551,
9917, 10464 ; to rush, to drive, to
knock, to shear, 5696, 9553; to
burst, 13930.

Brait, pret. of Braid, burst,
13930.

Brake, v. to beat, to crush, 6922.

Brake, s. that which breaks or
breaches, artillery engine, a balist,
" big bowes of iira&e"=Arcoballis-
tae, or huge crossbows mounted on
stand, with crank, 5728.

Bras, v. to embrace, 13810.

Brasier, s. a brazier, a bronze-
worker, 1589.

Brast, v. to burst, to break, 3711,
8255; pret. Brast, 865, 2681, 3469.
Brathe. See Brethe.

Braunch, v. to spread, to shoot out,

8750.
Bre, s. water, the sea, 3697,

12516.
Brede, v. (A.S.) to spread over,

1172 ; part. p. Bred, spread, laid

out, 383 ; pret. Bret, 8794.
Brede, s. breadth, spreading,

4964; "upon brede "^extensively,

3022 ; " borly of brede " = of great

extent, very wide, 11874.

Bref, s. a writing, a parchment,

794.
Breff, adj. (A.N.) brief, short, 74.

Bregh, s. (A.S.) the eyebrow,

3780.
Breke, v. to crash, to rush, 5827,

13014.
Brem, Breme, adj. (A.S. brem)

great, wonderful, 1563, 3714;

vigorous, fierce, cruel, 860, 1314,

5872, 9632.

Bremnes, s. fierceness, fury, 1066,

4665.
Bren, Brenne, v. (A.S.) to burn,

171, 570, 889, 1379, 1989, 7113;

pret. fy part. p. Brent, Brente.

Brent, adj. burnt, refined, bright,
3034.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

519

Brent, adj. full, smooth and

high, 3030.
Brest, s. the breast, 1361 ; the

front, 5930.
Breste, v. (A.S.) to burst, 1248,

9425.
Bret, adj. fy part, from Brede,

spread out, crammed, 10254, 12561}

fixed, set, 4960.
Bret, pret. of Brede, spread,

passed, soaked, 8794.
Brethe, Brathe, s. rage, anger,

5066, 5075 ; wind, 1945, 3697.

Brethe, v. to smell, 9777, 9119,

9685.
Brother, pi. of Brother, 8400,

13167, 13599 ; Brother, 8368.

Bretton, v. (A.S.) See Britten.

Breve, v. to write, to record, 14,

65, 3736.
Bridde, s. (A.S.) a bird, 345,

1061, 11788.

Brig, Brigge, s. a bridge, a draw
bridge, 7130, 10464, 13880, 13886,

13897.
Bright, adj. beautiful, lovely,

1657.
Bright, v. to illumine, to light

up, 815.
Brise, v. to bruise, to shatter,

7929, 10275.
Britten, Britton, Bretton, v. (A.S.)

to dash, to batter, to kill, 1210,

1971, 2234, 14034.
Broche, v. (Fr.) to pierce, to

transfix, 6503 ; to spur, to dash,

7690, 10033.
Broche, s. a thrust, 10872.

Brode, adj. broad, great, large,
362, 1299; on brod = abroad,
over, through, 8780.

Broght, pret. Sf part. p. of Bring,
brought, hurried ; oflyue broght =
killed, 1443, 8633.

Brond, s. (A.S.) a sword, 10275.

Brother, s. pi brothers, 8368 ;
Brether, 8400, 13167, 13599.

Brunston, s. (A.S.) brimstone,
sulphur, 860.

Brush, Brussh, v. to rush, to dash,

1192, 1216, 10969.
Bude, v. impers. = must, to be

bound to, "buck wirke" = must

work, 172.

Buern, Buerne, Barne, s. (A.S.) a
child, a man, a person, a soldier, a
noble, 90, 91, 170, 321, 324, 2887,
8143 ; pi. people, 321 ; Burnes,
486 ; Burnys, 6111.

Buffette, s. a blow, 9674.

Bult, pret. of Belt, tumbled head
long, 7476, 9992.

Burbele, Burbull, v. to bubble, to
mingle, 3697; to choke, to be
choked, 5760.

Burd, Burde, s. (A.S.) a board, a
table, 211, 383, 486 ; the wood, or
wooden portion of a shield, 5827 ;
a shield, 5836.

Burd, Burde, s. (A.S. ~bryd) a
lady, 483, 683, 3298; Burdde,
3984, 12037, 12085, &c.

Burgh, Burghe, s. a town, a city,
815, 1112 ; luernes of the burgh =
burghers, 9612; burgh-men, 8570.

Burion, v. (Fr. bourgeon) to bud,

1059 ; s. a bud, 2736.
Burly, adj. See Borly; adv.

stoutly, furiously, 11059.
Burn,s. (A.S.) a streamlet, a ditch,

11472, 13454.
Burnys, pi. of Buern, 6111.

Bus, v. pres. t. behoves, must,
5168, 5643, 11722, 13549.

Buske, v. (Icel.) to busk, to go,
to array, to make ready, 683, 757,
1186, 1322, 2568, 12968 ; to hide,
to lie hid, 1168.

Busshement, s. (A.N.) an ambus
cade, 13014.

Bustious, adj. See Boistous.

520

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

But, co??/. unless, 879, 927 ; so
thai-, i3730; but if = if only,
8620, unless, 7369.

Buyldyng, s. a house, 1519.

"By, prep. by, for, with, of; beside,
along with, 11569; adv. by the time
that, when, 814, 1074 ; by wisshyng
= flowing past, 1606.

By, Bye, v. to abide, 2230 ; to
pay for, 4865 ; to buy, 11513.

Byccer, v. See Biker.

Byde, v. See Bide.

Bydene. See Bedene.

Bydon, part. p. of Bid, directed,

ordered, 4534.
By-flamede, pret. blazed, burned,

888.
Byg, adj. See Big.

Bykre, v. See Biker.

Byld, v. See Bild.

By neithe, By-nethe, adv. beneath,

downward, 1609, 5529.
Byronnen. See Beronnen.

Byse, v. (A.S.) to busy, to work

earnestly, 11333.
Bytell-browet, adj. beetle-browed,

with, prominent brow, 3824.

Cable, s. a cable, a rope, 1944.

Cacchen, Cacche, Cache, v. (A.S.)
to catch, to attach, to take, 489,
1077, 2876; to press, to push,
2710 ; to capture, to seize, 1467,
97665ij9W#. Cacht, Caght, Kaght
= derived, obtained, 2155 ; Coght
= caught, 300.

Cage, v. to catch, to entangle by

shaking, or warping, 3703.
Caire, v. See Kaire.

Caitif, s. (A.N.) a wretch, a
dastard, 1393 ; Caiteff, 10352.

Cald,part. p. called, 1490, 2844 ;
Calt, 388.

Can = began to (used as an aux

iliary before verbs in the infinitive
to express a past tense), 374, 9916.

Cant, adj. strong, hearty, courage
ous, 1191, 2267.

Caple, Capull, s. (A.N.) a horse,
5530, 7720, 9895, 10878.

Care, s. grief, vexation, 1306;
fear, 5997; concern, 427, 2464.

Caren, Karyn, s. carrion, a dead
body, 1972, 11185, 13027.

Carle, s. (A.S. ceorl) a low fellow,
a marauder, 9766.

Carpe, v. (Lat.) to talk, to tell,
to speak, to discourse, 829, 2450;
part. Carping.

Carpentour, s. a carpenter, 1597.

Carve, Karve, v. to carve, to cut,
to hack, to hew, 1268, 1650 ; pret.
Karve, 9468.

Case, s. (A.N~.) chance, event,
2537, 2932 ; case, matter, purpose,
532, 11480.

Cast, adj. rank, vile, 10448.

Cast, Caste, s. reach, extent,
1447 ; reason, reasoning, 7951,
11241 ; a plan, a contrivance, a
plot, a stratagem, 714, 1184,10488,
11241, 11243, 11328.

Cast, Caste, Kast, v. to contrive,
to plan, 144, 204, 1530 ; to con
sider, to determine, 259, 4601 ; to
set one's self, to volunteer, 5953,
6223 ; part. p. cast, thrown, 11311.

Caupe, s. a blow, a stroke, 1237,
5264.

Caupe, Cawpe, v. (Fr. couper,
Ital. colpire] to exchange blows, to
strike, to fight, 1262, 6486, 7775,
10342. See Coup.

Cauping, Caupyng, s. fighting,
fight, 1265 ; part, tossing, tum
bling, 13161.

Cause, s. a case, matter, 1004 ;
occasion, 1105 ; reason, 2896.

Cautel, s. (A. 1ST.) a scheme, a
device, 11490.

Cayre, v. See Kaire.

GLOSSAEIAL INDEX.

521

Certcn, adj. certain, a few, 1709.

Chaltrede, Chaltrid, j?a?-£. p. com
pressed, bound, overcome, 894,
9159.

Chape, v. to escape, to be passed
over, 7904.

Charbokill, s. (A.N.) a carbuncle,
3170.

Charge, s. (A.IT.) a message,
1772 ; charge, command, 8952.

Charge, v. to value, to make ac
count of, 1931, 2720 ; to select, to
entrust, 8944.

Chaseond, part. pres. rushing,
dashing, 10436.

Chateryng, s. talking, 1967 ; silly
talk, 1931 ; in both cases the word
conveys the idea of boastful speech.

Chauffe, v. (A.K) to warm, to
heat, 7996.

Chaunce, Chaunse, s. chance,
accident ; by chaunce = afterwards,
as it turned out, 108; an under
taking, 1009, 1292; a mishap, 1751.

Chef, Chefe, v. See Cheve.

Chefe, Cheffe, adj. chief, choice,
main, 1663 ; the cheffe = the upper
end, 1663.

Chefely, adv. particularly, earn
estly, 1292.

Chekker, s. (A.N.) the game of
chess, 1621.

Chele, adj. cold, 7958.

Chene, s. a chain, pi. Chenys, 894.

Chere, s. (A.'N.) countenance, be
haviour, entertainment, 366, 1186,
1356, 13509 ; lot, condition, 8683 ;
of no gre chere = not of sufficient
rank, or excellence, 7197.

Chere, adj. dear, noble, faithful,
1772, 5286, 7197.

Chere, v. to hearten, to strengthen,
8643 ; to revive, to recover, 10416.

Cherys, v. to cherish, to entertain,
509 ; Cherisshyng, part, fondling,
8177.

Chese, v. (A.S.) to choose, 1772,
2299, 8952 ; to recognize, 13509 ;
pret. dies, 9627 ; part. p. Chosen,
Chosyn.

Cheve, Chef, Chefe, v. (A.N.
clievir) to accomplish, 16 ; to obtain,
395 ; to happen, to befall, 518, 708,
5985; to result, to turn, 525, 947,
1007 ; to go, to haste, to enter,
370, 6019, 8265, 9331.

Chevere, v. to shiver, to quiver,

9370.
Childer, Childre, Children, Chil-

dur, pi. of Child, 1356, 1383, 1418,

1499, 2099.

Chivaler, s. (Fr.) a horseman, a
knight, 6019.

Choise, adj. fine, 1356; elegant,
beautiful, 490.

Choisly, adv. completely, cer
tainly, 894, 1621.

Chop, Choppe, s. (A.S.) a blow,,
7701, 8265, 8643; v. to pierce,
1967 ; to rush, to drire, 7259.

Chosen, Chosyn, pret. and part,
p. of Chese, gone, entered, 490,
670; liked, esteemed, 1621; pre
pared, fitted up, 1663.

Chricken, v. (A.S.) to shriek, to
crackle, 9511.

Chynyng, s. shining, gleaming,
919.

Chyvallurs, adj. chivalrous,
knightly, 10906.

Cicill, s. Sicily.

Clanly, adv. thoroughly, clearly,
truthfully, purely, 53, 1918, 9616,
9620.

Clappe, v. to shut, to close,
807.

Claterand, adj. clattering, bellow
ing, 12501.

Claterer, s. a tale-bearer; a
claterer of mowthe = one who can't
keep a secret, 11375.

Claterre, v. to clatter, to rattle, to
resound, 4626, 5787.

522

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Cleane, adj. See Clene ; s. a
lady, 1914 ; ado. entirely, 9468.

Clede, v. pret. Clede, to clothe,
1639.

Clene, Cleane, Kleane, adj. pure,
clean, 164, 399, 1395, 9468 ; in
most, secret, 467 ; distinct, separ
ate, 1634; whole, 10835 ; polished,
finished, 77 ; super. Clennest, 1496.

Clenly, adv. properly, 774.

Clennes, Klennes, s. purity,
modesty, 523, 13041 ; clearness of
skin, 1503.

Clense, v. to cleanse, 1608.

Clent, adj. steep, high, rocky,
1995.

Clepe, v. (A.S. clypiari) to call,
292.

Clere, adj. resplendent, bright,
409 ; pure, 534 ; adv. clearly, pre
cisely, 77.

Clergy, s. (A.N.) science, learn
ing, 8104.

Clerk, s. (A.N.) a scholar, 53.

Clese, s. pi. clothes, 774.

Cleufe, Cleve, v. (A.S.) to cleave,
to pierce, 4034 ; pret. Clefe, clove,
5938, 7318.

Clip, Clippe, v. (A.S.) to clasp,
to embrace, 474, 552 ; to be
eclipsed, 426 ; part. Clippyng, em
bracing, 2931.

Clippis, s. an eclipse, 409.

Clocher, ,9. a covering ; a place
of shelter, 13502.

Close, s. the passage or enclosure
between the gate and the building,
301 ; an entrance, 11173, 12982.

Close, Cloise, adj. secure, secret,
privy, 781, 1949 ; walled, 12341 ;
Cloyse = shut, 11152.

Close, v. to be situated within,
268 ; to surround, 1509, 1634 ; to
enclose, to bury, 4337, 7159, 9616,
9620.

Closet, s. an enclosure, the inside,
11929.

Cloyse, adj. See Close.

Cluster, Clustre, v. to set in
clusters or groups, 1634, 1647,
5476 ; to adorn, 8752.

Clynke, s. the sound of blows,

5853.
Cobb, v. to lay about one, to

fight, 8285 ; Kobb, 11025.
Cogge, s. (A.S.) a boat, a vessel,

1077, 3242.
Coght, pret. of Cache, caught, 300.

Coint, Coynt, adj. (A.'N.) cun
ning, skilful, curious, 125, 187,
191, 7715.

Cointly, Coyntly, adv. cunningly,
skilfully, 164, 204, 11228.

Coke, s. a cook, 1596.

Cold, v. (A.S.) to grow cold, 1306.

Colde, pret. of Can, could, was
capable, 2529.

Cole, adj. cold, 1076, 9255.

Coler, s. the collar, the neck,

7318.
Color, Colour, s. colour, a banner,

the ground of a shield, 5462,

10970 ; v. to colour, to gloss, 523,

1063 ; Colowr, 7852.
Combir, Combur, Cumbre, v. to

trouble, to vex, 2065, 11331,

11759.
Combraunse, Cumbranse, s.

trouble, misfortune, 2281, 9109,

12076.

Come, v. (A.S.) to go, to come,
to reach, to arrive at, 193, 1021,
1071, 1101, 1300; to become,
2181 ; pret. Come, Comen, Comyn ;
part. p. Comyn = descended, 1847.

Come, s. coming, approach, ar
rival, 375, 975, 1142, 1230, 2026.

Comely, Comly, Coumly, Cumly,
adj. beautiful, 474, 1395 ; as a *. a
lady, 552.

Comford, Comfford, v. pret. Com-
ferd, to comfort, to reassure, 532,
2011.

GLOSSAIUAL INDEX.

523

Comonyng, verbal s. or part.
Communing, assembling, mingling,
2939, 2961.

Compas, Cumpas, s. form, ap
pearance, 523 ; plan, determina
tion, 2710 ; v. to surround, to get
hold of, 10292.

Comyn, pret. and part. p. of
Come, 1847.

Comyn, v. to cornrrmne, to talce
counsel, to consult, 502, 1003,
11318 ; part, fy s. Comyug, Comyn,
Comynyng, 4023, 11711, 12046,
12245.

Comyn, Komyn, adj. (A.N.)
common, 2075, 9320; as a s. pi.
the commons, the people, 2268,
11415.

Cornyng, part, of Come, becom
ing, seemly, 3032.

Comynly, adv. commonly, con
tinually, 3293.

Con, v. (A.S.) can, is able, 5128 ;
fret. Con = began, 11258, 13705.

Conceyve, Consayve, v. to per
ceive, to observe, to understand,
1230, 1256, 1918.

Condler, s. a candlemaker, 1596.

Coning, Conyng, adj. learned,
1885, 8104; s. skill, knowledge,
wit, 399, 2412.

Conjuracioun, s. (A.N.) conjura
tion, 13216.

Connse, for Comse, s. (A..N.) an
undertaking, a beginning, 2065.

Core, s. the centre, the heart ;
the core hete = the centre of the
flame, 892.

Core = Care, v. to vex, to annoy,
9686.

Coriour, s. (Fr. corroyetir, bas
Bret, correour) a currier, 1596.

Corious, Corius, adj. curious, in
genious, skilled, 1885,3921, 11677.

Cornell, Cornol, s. crenelle, a
battlement, 1647; an embrasure
on the walls of a castle, 4752.

Coron, s. a crown, 1028.

Cors, Corse, s. (A.N.) a body, a
dead body, 3082, 5530, 9686 ; the
person, 1865 ; force, impetus, 9895.
See Course.

CoTve,pret. of Carve, 6674 ;part.

p. Corvyn, carved, cut, 3052.
Cosyn, s. (A.K) a cousin, or

kinsman, 1285, 13508.
Coste, s. (A.N". from L. costa) a

country, a region, a territory, 157,

1012.

Costius, adj. costly, 3777.

Coteler, s. (Fr.) a cutler, 1597.

Coucheour, s. (Fr.) a jeweller, or
stone setter, 1597. SeeThe Preface.

Coucheour, s. perhaps a couch-
maker or upholsterer, 1597-

Coup, v. to tilt, to fight, 7231.
See Caupe.

Couple, v. to have carnal inter
course, futuere, 13820.

Coupull, v. to join, to settle, 8013.

Cours, Course, Coursse, s. plan,
purpose, scheme, 144, 1105 ; kind,
1583 ; a body, a dead body, 415,
874, 896, 12289 ; expanse, 269 ; a
course, a rush, impetus, 1266,
10878, 11016 ; be course, by course
= properly, naturally, 892, 1343,
1498 ; in course = in order, 1644.

Couth, Couth e, Kouthe, v. pret.
of Con, could, knew, possessed,
125, 1251, 1529, 3093, 8036.

Covenable, adj. suitable, reason
able, 7951.

Covenaund, s. a promise, a pledge,
999.

Covert, s. security, defence,
13652.

Covetous, s. covetousness, 193,
259, 1808 ; Covytise, 11328.

Covetus, v. 2 sing. pres. Ind. of
Covet, 13820.

Coynt, Coyntly. See Coint,
Cointly.

524:

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Crafte, s. skill, device, 125, 162;

a craft, a trade, 1583.
Crafty, adj. (A.S.) well matched,

Crakkyng, part, cracking, snap
ping, shattering, 5852, 8720,
13419 ; crakkyng of fyngurs =
wringing of hands, 8720.

Criste, s. a crest, a helmet, 5852.

Cristenmen,s.pZ. Christians, 4327.

Crowne, s. the head, the crown
of the head, 10299.

Crusshyng, part, crashing, clash
ing, 4752, 5852.

Cumbranse, s. See Combraunce.

Cumbre, v. to trouble, to harass,
to entangle, 4214, 11759.

Cumly, adj. See Comely.

Cundeth, s. a safe conduct, 11437.

Cuntre, s. a country, 1437, 9766.

Cure, s. (A.K) duty, office, 9161.

Curre, s. a dog, 1972, 10553,
11175.

Currour, s. (L.) a runner, a mes-
sager, 3648.

Curtasly, adv. courteously, 829.

Curtes, adj. (A.N.) courteous ; as
a s. a noble, 5306.

Dainte, s. (Wei. dant) a delicacy,
pi. luxuries, 207 ; Derate, 385.

Damp, v. to sink, to descend,
10713.

Dampne, v. (A.~N.from~L.damno)
to condemn, 50.

Dang, Dange, pret. of Ding,
struck, beat, thrashed, struck
down, overcame, 302, 931, 5813,
9010.

Dank, v. pret. Dank, Donk, to

wet, to suffuse, 7997, 9639.
Danke, adj. damp, misty, 2368.
Dase, v. to stun, to stupify, 7654.
Dauly, Dawly, adv. duly, cer

tainly, abidingly, for ever, 728,
870, 13822 ; slowly, 9595 ; lately,
11534 ; full dauly = frequently,
everywhere, 9522.

Dawhly, adv. slowly, surely,

5359.
Dayre, v. to vex, to try, 13550.

Ded, Dede, adj. (A.S.) deadly,
1339, 2066, 11017 ; ado. 6528.

Dede, s. result, conclusion, 577 ;
work, 274.

Dedly, adj. mortal, deadly, 4013.

Dedmen, dead men, 7659.

Defaute, s. (A.N.) want, scarcity,
9376.

Defense, s. (A.N".) prohibition,
4715 ; for the purpose of guarding,
or defending, 1740 ; ability to de
fend, means of defence, 2128 ;
offence, defiance, 2692.

Degh, v. pret. Deghit, part. p.
Degh,to die, 427, 921, 1523, 3212,
10250.

Deghit, part. p. of Dig, 11363.
Deghter, s. pi. See Doghter.
Degrate, v. to degrade, 12576.
Deie, v. (A.S.) to die, 4723 ; pret.

Deid.

Deinte", s. See Dainte*.
Deintithe, s. liking, desire, 463
Deire. See Dere.
Dele, s. a part, a portion ; ilke-a-

dele = every particular, 3656.
Dele, v. (A.S.) to bestow, 6547 ;

to fight, i. e. to deal blows, 11027 ;

future, 13815 ; pret. and part. p.

Delt ; pret. Dulte, gave forth,

uttered, 5646.

Dell, v. to dally, to delay ; part.

Belling, dallying, 7068.
Delt, Delte. See Dele.

Delve, v. (A.S.) to dig, to bury,

11179.
Delyver, adj. (A.N.) active,

nimble, 3958.

GLOSSARIAL I If , EX.

525

Deme, v. (A.S.) pret. Demyt,
part. p. Dem, to judge, to think,
528, 606, 12243; to adjudge, to
doom, 583, 3141, 14011.

Demyng, s. judgment, 2419.
Dene, by dene, be dene. See

Bedene.
Dent, s. a blow, a stab, a thrust,

10428.
Deny, v. to refuse, to reject,

8009.
Depe, adj. deep, 1876 ; s. the

deep, the sea, 1781 ; the mysterious

one, 13809.
Depely, Deply, adv. greatly, much,

3982, 13809.
Depert, v. (A. 1ST.) to divide, to

distribute, to part, 1181, 3025.
Depnes, s. depth, 4441.
Derayne, v. (Med. Lat.) to try by

combat, 13084.
Dere, Deire, Deyre, v. (A.S.) to

injure, to avenge, 808, 1185, 1260,

1293 ; to fell, to wound, 10991.
Dere, Deire, s. harm, suffering,

injury, 146, 227, 4254; poison,

920 ; hatred, 967.
Dere, s. pi. (A.S.) wild animals,

deer, 331 ; a deer, 2361.
Dere, adj. (A.S.) dear, precious,

385,1683; dire, deadly, 920 ; adv.

solemnly, assuredly, very, 583, 761,

2391 ; as \>e dere thinke = as you

solemnly believe, or, as you think

best, 2391.
Derely, adv. regardless of expense,

3463.
Derfe, Derffe, adj. fierce, daring,

noble, 84, 528, 1336 ; angry, ter
rible, deadly, 166, 183, 580, 1005 ;

as a s. a monster, 176.
Derfenes, s. hardihood, impud
ence, 5110.

Derffly, Derfly, adv. fiercely, 1339.
Derk, Derke, adj. (A.S.) dark,

secret, 1448 ; s. darkness, 673

1054, 1079, 1137.

Derkon, e. to sink, to slip, 13285.

Derlynge, s. a darling, 3277.

Derne, adj. (A.S.) secret, 478,
8816, 12740 ; small, 3060 ; a form
of Darren, noble, daring, 3653,
13625 ; super. Demist, Dernyst.
See Derrest.

Derrest, Derrist, Dernyst, adj.
super, of Dere, dearest, noblest, 39,
5407, 13625.

Des, Dese, s. the chief table in a
hall, or the raised part of the floor
on which it stood ; properly, the
canopy over the high table, 385,
501, 1656, 4966.

Desteyne, v. (A.N.) to appoint, to
ordain, 2673.

Destyne, s. (A.S.) destiny, 2522.

Det, s. debt, duty, 534.

Deuly. See Duly.

Dever, s. (A.K) duty, endeavour,
234, 590.

Devinour, s. a deviner of dreams,
&c., 13831.

Devyse, s. (A.N".) device, design,
1576, 3053 ; v. to observe, to espy,
1678.

Dew, adj. related, bound, allied,
61.

Dewly. See Duly.

Deynte", s. liking, desire, good
will, 967.

Deyre, v. See Dere.

Diche, s. (A.S.) a ditch, a inoat,
4776 ; Dyche, 8155.

Didyn,j>ntf.o/Do, 1413, 11960;
Dydden, 1381.

Diffens. See Defense.

Dight, v. (A.S.) to adapt, to suit,
to put, to set one's self, 3313, 8636,
14005 ; to ordain, 3495 ; pret. &•
part. p. mounted, 3415 ; supplied,
3560 ; done, 9558 ; handled, 10087.

Dike, Dyke, s. (A.S.) a ditch,
1566, 11363; an old wall, 1533,
8328, 13588.

520

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Ding, Dyng, v. to smite, to strike
violently down, to dash, 2135,
11003 ; pret. Dang, Dong, Dung ;
fart. p. Dongen, Dongyn, Dungen.

Dint, Dynt, Dynte, Dyntte, s.

(A.S.) a blow, 92, 302, 1213,

6547, 8253.
Dispende, v. to expend, to waste,

7615.
Dispit, Dispite, s. (A.N.) spite,

anger, 7945, 10684, 13700.
Dispitiously, Dispitously, adv.

very angrily, passionately, cruelly,

4744, 7652, 13173.

Dispitus, adj. excessively angry,

6494.
Dissait, Dissayet, s. deceit,

treachery, 1185, 4291.
Dissever, v. to divide, to separate,

1602.
Distitur, v. (Fr.) to make destitute,

to cast off, 728.

Distracte. part, distracted, 3219.
Distrye, v. to destroy, 1155.
Dit, Dite, s. (A.N.) a saying, a

remark, 1347; a shout, 5788,

8680, 11946.
Diting, Dyting, s. a writing, a

story, 3732, 3850, 7392.
Doble, v. to spread on each side ;

doblit on brede = spread abroad,

'4966.
Dogget, adj. base, unworthy,

10379.
Doggetly, adv. doggedly, meanly,

basely, 1398, 13071.
Dogh, v. to thrive, to grow, to

result, 5001.

Doghte, adj. strong, brave, stal
wart, 5438.
Doghtenes, s. bravery, daring,

9314.
Doghter, Doghtur, Doughter, s.

pi (A.S.) daughters, 1474, 6302,

11210 ; Deghter, 1489.

Dol, Dole, Doll, Doole, s. (A.N.)

grief, despair, sad fate, sorrow,
870, 1347, 2596, 3529, 4776, 6910,
11545.

Dole, adj. duU, blunt, 10548.

Dolnes, s. faint-heartedness, de
spair, 9854.

Dom, Dome, s. (A.S.) fate, judg
ment, decision, 743, 2419, 5646,
7123, 11810, 12240.

Domysday, s. doomsday, 3529.

Don, adv. down, 1210, 5912.

Done, part. p. of Do, put, placed,

done, 1459, 1895, 6584.
Dong, Dongen, pret. of Ding,

struck down, 4745, 5763, 5858.
Dongen, Dongyn, part. p. o/Ding,

struck down, 10559, 11027.
Dongyn, s. (A.jST.) a dungeon, the

bottom, 12647.

Donk, v. (A.S.) See Dank.
Doole, s. See Dol.

Dorse, s. pi. of Dor, a door, or a
contraction of Dorsers, hangings,
tapestry, 4966.

Dos, v. 3rd sing. pres. Ind. of Do,

does, 2654, 11314.
Dos, v. 2nd pi. Imper. of Do, do

ye, 11426.

Dose, v. = prepares, 846.
Doubull, adj. full, teeming, 1566.

Doughter, Doghter, Dughter, s.

a daughter, 389, 12044; pi.

Doghter, 1474, Doghtur, 11210,

Doughter, 6302.
Doughtili, Dughtile, adv. boldly,

bravely, manfully, 12882.
Doughty, Doughti, Doghte,

Doghty, Dughti, Dughty, adj.

brave, bold, powerful, skilful, 84,

1037, 2570, 5438, 10851, 12116,

12867.
Doute, s. fear, dread, 139, 1977,

2793 ; difficulty, 11246.
Doute,v.todread,to expect, 3495,

12121, 12281.

GLOS3AIUAL INDEX.

527

Doutid, adj. dreaded, to be
dreaded ; doutid in fild = terrific
iii battle, 6350.

Dowly, adv. overcome, in despair,

13937.
Dowtyn, pret. o/Doute, 11686.

Draghe, v. to draw, to lead, 2945,

11160.
Draght, s. a space, a distance,

1221 ; pi. the game of draughts,

1622.

Drapred, adj. decked, draped,
1656. Mistake for Diapred.

Draw, v. to stretch, to hang by
the neck, 1970 ; to follow, to
press on, 1448.

Drecche, v. (A.S.) to vex, to op
press, 13804.

Drede, v. (A.S.) pret. Dred,
Drede, to fear, 1185, 10801 ; s.
fear, terror, 1359 ; adj. dreadful,
166.

Dregh, s. the length, the fore
part, 678 ; adj. long, tedious,
1622; great, 11890; manifold,
935, 9314 ; on dregh = to a dist
ance, or further and further, 10043,
11 647 ; why draghes ]>ou on dregh ?
=why dost thou delay ?

Dregh, v. to endure, 3513, 3583 ;

pret. Dregh, 10777, Dreghit, 1 4034.

Dreghly, adv. slowly, 2379, 9210.

Dreight, s. length ; the dreight =
the greatest length ; the day of ]>e
dreight = the longest day, 10633.
See Note.

Drem, Dreme, s. a dream, 8425,
8429.

Drepe, v. (A.S.) to drop, to sink,
to fall, to overcome ; to kill, 9,
929, 2290, 9854, 10795, 10851.

Dresse, Dres, v. (A.N.) to set, to
prepare, to apply, 274, 441, 1128,
13076- to stretch, to lay out,
5835 ; to address, 7659.

Dreve, v. to drive, to tend, 7123.

Dro, pret. of Draghe, 5290.

Drogh, Drughe, pret. of Draghe,
drew, approached, 88, 2361, 3115,
8075, 8090; Droghen, 10043,
droghen up durs = broke open
doors, 11936; Drough, burst,
5054.

Dromoudary, s. a dromedary,
6207.

Drope, v. to droop, to abate,
921.

Droun, v. to drown, 5866.

Droup, Drowp, v. to droop, to
sink under, to pine, 122, 1523,
4392 ; part.pres. Drouping, pining,
3291 ; part. p. Droupyaite, worn
out, sunk, 122.

Droup, s. a drop ; pi. perspiration,

7997.
Drow, Dro we, pret. of Draghe,

drew, approached, 797, 906; fell,

2379 ; dragged, 6207.
Drughe. See Drogh.

Drure, contraction for Druery,
s. (O.Fr. drurie) love, gallantry,
illicit love, 3350.

Du, contr. for Dule, adj. deadly,

poisonous, bitter, 3299. Or,
Du sopis = Dew or water drops.

Du, Due, adj. due, right, proper,
correct, true, mean, present, cer
tain, 2673, 2723, 6584, 9089, 9095,
11612, 12867; for due = for
certain, what must be.

Dubbed, Dubbit, part. p. decked,

ornamented, 1683, 6205.
Duche, s. a duchy, 9757.
Dughter. See Doughter.
Dughty. See Doughty.
Dule, s. the devil, 921, 4392.
Dulfull, adj. sorrowful, doleful,

2170.
Dull, Dulle, adj. (A.S.) stupid,

foolish, 50, 7868; v. to stupify,

11314 ; to soften, 5131.
Dulte, pret. of Dele, 5646.
Duly, Deuly, Dewly, adv. truly,

528

GLOSSABIAL INDEX.

in order, slowly, thoroughly, 60,
64, 234, 771, 3732, 7068.

Dump, v. to rush down, to sink,
1996, 13289.

Dung, Dungen, Dungyn, part. p.
of Ding, crushed, smashed, beaten
down, 2086, 3229, 11632.

Dur,Durr,s. (A.S.) a door, 11890,

11936.
Dure, v. (A.N.) to endure, 2005 ;

to delay, to linger, 5594 ; s. wrong,

harm, offence, 1764.
Dussh, v. to dash, to throw down,

to fall down, 4776, 5786, 6410,

13917.
Dut, v. pret. of Doute, dreaded,

feared, 10128, 13427, 13834 ; ex-

pected, 8347.
Dyche, s. See Diche.
Dydden, v. pret. of Do, did, put,

1381.

Dye, v. to die, 6528.
Dyke, s. (A.S.) a waU, 1533 ; a

ditch, 4755, 8328.
Dympull, s. a dimple, 3060.

Dyn, s. noise, bustle, clamour,
shouting, mourning, wailing, 274,
1197, 1347, 6910, 8675, 8680.

Dyn, Dynn, v. to make a great
noise, to resound, 1197 ; to clamour,
to scold, 7659 ; part. Dynnyng,
noise, wailing, 3437, 9618.

Dyng, v. See Ding.

Dynt, Dynte, Dyntte, s. See

Dint.
Dysasent, Dyssaisent, v. to refuse

assent, to disapprove, 8016, 9369.
Dyse, s. (A.N.) a fragment, a bit ;

never dere hym a dyse = never

hurt him in the least, 808.

Dyse, s. the game of dice, 1622.

Dysese, Dyssese, s. annoyance,

vexation, 3326, 4206.
Dyshoner, s. dishonour, disgrace,

1005.
Dyting, s. See Diting.

Ease, s. ease, comfort, 1556.
Easement, s. ease, relief, 7988.
Ed, adj. head, chief, famous,

5324, 5950 ; super. Edist, Eddist.

See Od, another form.

Edder, Eddur, s. (A.S.) a serpent,
or adder, 925, 4432, 4453.

Een, Ene, s. (pi. o/Ee) the eyes,
1958, 2422, 2695, 9595.

Eft, Efte, adv. (A.S.) after, 808,
1996, 9780 ; again, 7624, 9778.

Efter, adv. after, afterwards, 1439.

Eftirsons, adv. immediately after,
7424.

Eftsones, Eftesones, adv. (A.S.)
immediately, 2478, 6456.

Eger, Egor, adj. eager, fond, 3753,
5445, 10320 ; v. to become eager,
to rouse, 7329.

Egerly, Egurly, adv. eagerly, hur
riedly, 264, 1390.

Egge, s. an edge, 7926.

Egh, s. (A.S.) an eye, 1313,

3015.
Eght, v. pret. of Agh, owed,

owned, 4212, 5325.
Eghted, adj. eighth, 6223.
Eire, s. an heir, 5315.
Eke, v. to add, to increase, 9270.

Elde, adj. (A.S.) old, aged, 126;

s. old age, 160.
Elit = elected, chosen, 1491.

Ellis, adv. (A.S.) else, otherwise,
1154, 10328, 13080.

Elue, for Elne, s. an ell, 170.

Erne, Em, s. an uncle, 135, 1285,
13101, 13519.

Emperour, Emperoure, s. a chief,
a captain, a commander, 6021,
8829, 8955, 9705, 12042, 12575.

Enabit, v. to dwell, to live, 110,
1600 ; pret. Enabit ; part. p.
Enabit, peopled, 101, 2858; re
sorted to, 2856.

Enarmed, Enarmyt, part. p.

GLOSSAU1AL INDEX.

armed, 87, 1179, 1236, 10512,
11172.

Enbowet, adj. (part. p. of En-
bowe) bent, or bowed down,
rounded, 3034.

Encline, v. (A.N.) to bow to, to

salute, 2305 ; to follow, 2245.
Encres, v. to increase, 6432.

End, Ende, v. to finish, to com
plete, 4, 272 ; to end, to result,
194 ; s. an end, conclusion, 1438,
1439.

Endlauge, along.

Endles, adj. infinite, 2.

Endure, v. to live, to wear out,

2661.
Ene, s. pi. See Een.

Enerdand, Enerdond, part, of

Enerde, dwelling, inhabiting, 4117,

12857.
Enfecte, v. to infect, to cause to

repeat, 936 (see Note) ; poisoned,.

2979 ; pret. Enfecte.

Enforce, v. to overcome, to sway,

10103 j pret. Enforce.
Enforme, Enfourme, v. to inform,

to instruct, 654, 809, 3011 ; part.

p. Enformet, Enfourmet, skilled,

3223, 6186, 10813.

Enhaunse, v. (A.N.) to raise, to

elevate, 13378, 13650.
Enjoyne, v. to enjoin, to work

out, to accomplish, 416.
Enmy, s. an enemy, 1528.
Enny, adj. any, 1528.

Enon, adv. anon, straight, direct,

1946.
Enournet, part. p. adorned, set

up, 1675.
Enow, adj. enough, in plenty,

332.
Enpaire, Enpare, v. to impair, to

injure, 787, 2115, 8886, 9784.
Ensample, s. (A.N.) example,

model ; in ensample = after the

model, 1610.

Entaile, Entayill, s. (A.K) sculp
ture, or carving, 1650, 1671.

Entend, s. (A.K) understanding,
ideas, 2634.

Entent, s. (A..N.) intention, pur
pose, understanding, reason, 27,
1716, 2709, 6724, 8647, 11244,
11377, 11696.

Entierment, s. interment, funeral,
9106.

Entire, v. to inter, to bury, 9085.

Entre, Entur, v. to enter, 9107,

11878.
Entre, s. (A.N.) entrance, 1556,

11875, 11895 ; a beginning, 2248 ;

an entry, or common passage in a

building, 1600.

Entrond, adj. absorbed, entranced,

3844.
Enys, adv. once, at last, 873,

7925.

Er, adv. before, 1091, 1128, 1137.
Erde, v. (A.S.) to inhabit, to

abide, to be found, to be sunk, 121,

923, 4233 ; Erdond, Erdyng, part.

sunk, or bowed down, 7128, 12132 ;

Erdyng, s. a. living being, a mortal,

2217.

Erding, s. burial.
Ere, adv. before, previously, 1416.
Ere, s. (A.S.) an ear, pi. Eris,

1964, 2650.
Erende, Ernd, s. (A.S.) an errand,

a purpose, an end, 481, 522, 1936.
Eritage, s. heritage, right, 13773.
Erne, s. an eagle, 11801.
Ernyst, adj. earnest, serious ; =

grief, sorrow, 2942.
Erst, adv. (A.S.) before, 4319;

first, 7233.
Ert, Erte, v. to lead, to bring, to

guide, to direct, 264, 2725, 2942,

4857; to hearten, to encourage,

5602 ; Ert = art, 5121.
Ese, s. (A.N.) ease, pleasure ; v.

to rest, to refresh, 7132, 8381.

84

530

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Esmint, s. ease, comfort, 3338.
Espie, s. a spy, 13425.

Etlyng, s. (A.S.) intention, pur
pose, desire, 1633.

Ettle, Ettill, Etill, Etle, Atle, v.
to intend, to aim at, to attempt, to
tell, 110, 394, 6399, 6456, 7424;
Etlit = went, followed, 8989; =
had gone, 13519.

Euther, pron. either, each, both,
every, 57, 2018, 2357.

Evensangtyme, s. the hour of
even-song, or vespers, 8919.

Evenyng, adj. equal, of the same
rank, 2217 ; s. equality, 3372.

Ever, adv. (A.S.) always, con
stantly, 143, 961 ; Ever more =
always, 294.

Evyll, adv. sorely, severely,
abominably, 1265, 9685.

Evyn, s. evening, night, 978.

Evyn, adv. at once, immediately,
accordingly, 1633, 1980; finely,
correctly, perfectly, 436, 1635 ;
full evyn — completely, perfectly,
11115 ; adj. even, level, flat, 2078 ;
just, fair, 2287.

Ewther, cor/j. either, 1479.

Ex, v. to ask, to seek, to wile,
Bk. I. title, 11621.

Exchewe, v. (A.N.) to eschew,
4910.

Exin, s. oxen, 568 ; oxin, 877,
949.

Experyment, s. charms, 13217.

Explait, s. furtherance, promo
tion, 3661.

Extaint, v. (Old Fr. estaindre) to
extinguish, to calm or still, 4927.

Face, v. to soil, to deface, to dis
figure, 9129, 9215 ; part. Facyng.

Faciund, Facound, s. (A.N.) elo
quence, 3748, 3792.

Eade, v. to cause to fade, to
weaken, to quench, 785, 9188.

Faffure, MS. for Fassure, icJiich

see.
Faght, v. pret. of Feght, fought,

5410, 6839, 7441, 8404.
Failyng, s. failure, lack, 11162.
Faint, adj. false, 12591.
Faint, Faintte, v. to weaken,

9567, 11162.
Fainting, Faintyng, s. languor,

weakness, 116, 338.

Faintis, Faintes, s. (A.N.) deceit,

treachery, 241, 594.
Faintly, adv. cowardly, 585.

Faire, adv. (A.S.) comely, fair, o:
light complexion, 129, 2885 ; glori
ous, 4407 ; Fairer, the better, the
upper hand, 4507, 6882 ; Fairest,
best, for the best, 1119; upon
faire wise = openly, without ap
pearance of foul play, 145.

Faire, adv. plainly, evidently, he-

comingly, 82, 4337.
Fairhed, Fairhede, Fairehede, s.

beauty, splendour, honour, glory,

1501, 3014, 4409, 4414, 8382,

9144.

Faith, adj. truthful, truthlike,
241 ; faith, trust, fealty, promise,
533, 548, 599 ; in faith = cer
tainly, assuredly, 735.

Faithfully, adv. honestly, truly,
654 ; assuredly, 1890.

Faithly, adv. truly, properly, com
pletely, 632, 11447, 13950.

Faitour, s. (A.N".) a deceiver, a
scoundrel, 11241, 11864.

Fall, Falle, v. to befall, to happen,
to come, to spring, to begin, 421,
1425, 2406, 2867, 11617; to fall*
to = to happen, 2719 ; to attain
to, 8953 ; to commence, to begin,
4685 ; to fall on = to attack,
11515. Fallus = befalls, 1116}
Fallys, 2nd pi. imper. 11515.

Fall, s. chance, opportunity, 8117.

Falshed, s. (A.S.) falsehood,
33.

GLOSSAIUAL INDEX.

531

Falsly, adv. treacherously, -wick
edly, 1723.

Falsyng, s. lying, falsehood, 11330,
11352, 12368.

Fame, s. a report, a story, tradi
tion, 149 ; good name, character,
fame, reuown, 759.

Fantasy, Fantasi, s. musing, rev-
ery, 2669, 9575.

Fare, v. (A.S.) to go, to proceed,
to wend, to come, 29, 485, 1148,
1189 ; to proceed, to act, 654, 760 ;
to fare, to suffer, 1222 ; pret. Fer,
149, Fore, Faren, Faryn ; part. p.
Faren, Faryn.

Fare, s. entertainment, 485 ; con
duct, behaviour, appearance, bear
ing, 446, 817, 966, 1188, 1295,
5S83 ; purpose, plan, scheme, ad
venture, 1109, 1511,2036,11241;
a crowd of runners, a route, 11069.

Faren, Faryn, pret. fy part. p. of

Fare.

Fase, s. the face, 1271.
Fassure, «<?. bearing, appearance,

complexion, 3956.
Fast, adv. (A.S.) very near, close,

326 ; securely, solemnly, 2149,

8420.

Fast, v. (A.S.) to fasten, to affirm,
7985 ; fret. Fest, part. p. Fest,
Festyn. See Fest.

Fauchon, Fawchon, s. (A.N".) a
sword, or falchion, 8763, 9655.

Faurty, adj. forty, 1751.

Faut, Faute, Fawte, s. a fault,
want, scarcity, 2128, 4850, 12118,
12934.

Faver,s. backing, assistance, good
will, 1746.

Faveret, adj. liked, esteemed,
3868.

Fawre, adj. four, 12317.

Fawte, ,9. a crime, fault, failing,

11750, 11754.
Fay, v. to delay, linger, put off,

5616.

Fay, adj. (A.S. f&cje, IceL fvlyr)
doomed, or fated to die, dead,
mortally wounded, 597, 956, 1154
6590 ; many, 7967. See Fey.

Fayn, fayne, adj. (A.S. fayn)
glad, proud, happy, 639, 898, 1412;
adj. gladly, 5755.

Fayn, Fayne, v. to feign, to dis
semble, to conceal, 241, 253, 594,
994 ; to adorn, to embellish, 34 ;
part. Faynyng ; as an adj. = de
ceitful, 966. See Feyne.

Faynhed, s. gladness, 2446.

Faynond, adj. glad, gladsome,

affectionate, 12732.
Faynte. See Fainte.
Fe, s. a reward, 2400.

Febill, Feble, adj. (A.K) feeble,
weak, miserable, ]356, 1438; v. to
become feeble, to wax weak, 5956,
6058, 13918.

Fecche, v. (A.S.) to fetch, 185,
614, 6032 ; part. Fecchyng, bring
ing in, welcoming, 1626.

Fed, part. p. of Fede, nurtured,
reared, 623.

Feffe, v. (A.N.) to enfeoff, to en
dow, 12719.

Feftis, MS. for Festis, fastens or
takes, 7125.

Feght, v. to fight, to battle, 1152;
part. Feghtyng, fighting, 9054;
pret. Faght, Foght ; part. p.
Foghtyn.

Feghter, s. a fighter, a pugnacious

person, a bully, 1751.
Feghur, adv. comp. of Feck, fewer,

7822.

Feile, v. to fail, 266.
Feire, adj. fair, 7990.
Feith, s. faith, 1154.
Fel, adj. See Fell.
Feld, Fild, Filde, Fyld, s. a field,

a battle-field, battle, 326, 1187,

1318, 5961, 8404 ; the ground of

a shield, 6290.

532

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Fold, prct. of Fele, felt, 6865,

10707.
Fele, adj. (A.S.) many, 29, 149,

1438 ; adv. very, intensely, 1884 ;

t lie fairest of \>o fele = the fairest

of those beauties, 2400.

Fele, v. (A.S.) to feel, to perceive,

6865, 7927, 11792.
Feliship, s. fellowship, 2800.

Fell, A. (A.S.) the skiu, the hide,
7719, 8795.

Fell, Felle, Fel, adj. keen, cruel,
fierce, fearful, base, 129, 910,
1304, 1990, 6595, 13944; huge,
great, 5221 ; comp. Feller, more
cruel, more relentless, 2055.

Fell, Felle, pret. of Fall, happened,
befell, 116, 500, 1323, 1343, 2345 ;
brought, gave, 1394.

Fell, Felle, v. (A.S.) to fell, to

strike down, to kill, 6512, 7967;

pret. Felle, 3233.
Felly, ado. fiercely, cruelly,

6786.
Felnes, .<?. fierceness, fury, cruelty,

9471,

Felous, adj. fierce, warlike, 6063.
Feltymes, adv. many times, often,

3014.
Feme, v. to foam, to gush, 7261,

8043, 10219.
Femyne, s. woman-kind, 6669.

Fend, fende, s. a fiend, the fiend,

or devil, 4429, 8138, 11716.
Fend, v. to defend, to ward off,

3324, 10142, 10300.
Fens, s. a defence, a bulwark,

7363.
Fenyond, adj. dallying, uncertain,

4576.

Fer, pret. of Fare, went, was re
ported, 149.

Fer, adj. far ; Ferre, further, 78,
95, 216 ; the fer ende = the con
clusion, 2247; of fer caste = far
reaching, 1447 ; adv. dearly, 4339 ;
*. the utmost, the end, 8272.

Fer-caster, s. a far-reaching, fa

seeing person, 3950.
Ferd, Ferdon, pret. of Fare, went

fared, 5142, 5409.
Ferd, Ferde, part. p. of Fer

afraid, terrified, 222, 831, 2293.
Fere, s. (A.S.) a companion,

wife, 350, 706, 1097; companj.

suite, 1132 ; in fere, in company,

together, 759, 1349, 6940.

Fere, v. (A.S.) to fear, tofrightei
to be afraid, 859, 1929, 2142 ;
cause to be afraid, 1977 ; adt
downright ; o fere = out and out
completely, 18.

Fere, I. 1977, should be Ferd.
Ferfull, adj. grim, haughty,

tant, 3868.
Ferke, v. to proceed, to hasten,

start up, 1036, 11259 ; to put,

cut, to strike, 145, 5260 ; to cam

185, 614, 6032.

Ferly, s. a marvel, a wonder,
261 ; adj. strange, wonderful, 35f
970; adv. wonderfully, 5224.

Ferlyfull, adj. wonderful, horril

179, 13306.
Fernet, adj. (a form of Frenyit)

frenzied, wild, 5883.
Ferre, adv. (A.S.) further, IK

875, 1375.

Ferrer, s. a farrier, 1593.
Ferther, adv. farther, 11702.

Fertheryng, s. a furtherance, aic

1041.
Fess, v. to confess, 10325.

Fest, v. to fasten, to bind, to cor
elude, to seal, to pledge, CM],
8390, 11795; pret. Test, 10111;
part. p. Test, 7874.

Fest, s. a feast, 205, 3463 ; v. to
feast, 12299.

Festen, Feston, Festyn, Festnen,
v. to fix, to arrange, to fasten, to
bind, to ratify, to conclude, 636,
1427, 3123, 8375, 9081, 13612 ; to
rouse, to waken, 1429.

GLOSSAFUAL INDEX.

533

Fete, s. work, deed, practice, skill,
533, 1529, 6186, 10813, 13075.

Fetis, adj. (A.K".) neat, elegant,

306S, 3075.
Fetur, v. to fetter, to bind,

3518.
Feturs, s. pi. features, complexion,

129, 1018, 2952.
Feum, s. fume, smell, stench,

1609.
Feveryere, s. (A.N.) February,

4010.
Fey, adj. (A.S.) fated to die,

mortally wounded, dead, 2935,

5242, 8998, 9691, 13924; many,

3478. See Pay.
Feyne, v. to faint, to succumb,

1239.
Feyne, v. (A.N.) to dissemble, to

invent, to imagine, 18, 41, 419.

See Fayne.
Feynit, adj. invented, imaginary,

44.
Fiche, Fyche, s. pi. fish, 1590,

13826.
Fight, s. difficulty, struggle, 228,

11138.
Fild, pret. of Fill, filled, loaded,

1617, 5384.
Fild, Filde, Fyld, s. See Feld.

File, v. to defile, defame, to sully,
2669, 8120.

Fille, v. to fulfil, 602 ; Fillyn,
1109.

Filsyn, v. to aid, to assist, to in
crease, 5613, 9242, 12948 ; to sup
port, to maintain, to preserve,
9383, 12180, 12350; Filsom, 4871 ;
Tylsy, 8884.

Filth, Filthe, s. baseness, trea
chery, wickedness, 732, 1609,
8121.

Firko, s. a thief, a plunderer,
6128.

Firre, adv. (A.S.) comp. of Fer,
further, onward, forward, 4782.

Flagh, Flaghe, pret. of Fie, fled,

6001, 7746, 11144.
Flamme, v. to flame, to gleam,

to glitter, 156, 1958 ; part. pres.

Flamond, 225; Flauinond, 168;

Flam my ng, 970.

Flang, Flange, pret. o/Fling, cast,
thrust, cut, struck, 1241, 5253,
11112.

Flapp, v. to strike, to slash, 7674 ;

to flap, to be blown, 11795.
Flatt, s. a hollow in a field, 10004.
Flaumond, part. See Flamme.

Flay, v. to frighten, 4593 ; to

weaken, 13294.
Fie, v. pret. Flagh, Flogh,Floghen,

Fleddon, to flee, to fly, 1349, 4732,

6850, 8602, 11969.

Flecchour, s. (A.N.) an arrow-
maker ; properly, one who makes
and sets the feathers on arrows,
1593.

Fleme, v. (A.K) to flow, 10004 ;
to drive away, to exile, 12377,
12379, 12435, 13604.

Flese, s. a fleece, 156, 225, 970.
Flete, v. to flow, to float, 278,

1609; to sail, 13154; pret. and

part. p. riet ; part. p. = over
flowed, covered, 12560.
Flit, v. to remove, to change

one's residence, 425, 11835.
Flode, s. flood, water, the sea,

278, 1990.
Flogh, Floghen, pret. of Fie,

4732, 8602, 11969.
Flore, s. a floor, 1660.
Florence, s. florins, money, 1367.
Flote, pret. of Flyte, scolded,

taunted, 7324.

Flowen,^. o/Fle, 10077.
Flype, v. to pull off, as the skin

is pulled off a rabbit, 954.
Flyte, v. (A.S.) to scold, to taunt,

to upbraid; pret. Flote, 7324;

part. Flytyng, 7658.

534

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Fnast, v. (A.S.) to "breathe hard,

to rush, to roar, 108, 878.
Foale, Fol, Fole, Foole, Fowle, s.

a horse, 1245, 6400, 6451, 8341,

9469, 13560, 13563.
Fode, s. food, victuals, 5170,

7854.
Foghle, s. a fowl, a "bird, 10553,

11805.
Foght, Foghtyn. pret. of Feght,

fought, 6859, 7785.
Folde, v. to surround, 11263.

Fole, s. a fowl, a bird, 13027.
See Foale.

Fole, s. a fool, 1817, 4931, 13279.

Folily, adv. foolishly, rashly, 574,
5101, 7613.

Folle, s. folly, rage, anger, 1957 ;
Foly, 1425.

Folut, pret. followed, 6854.

Fome, s. the sea, the waves, 985.

Fomen, 8. enemies, 11263.

Fond, v. (A.S.) to try, to strive,
6659.

Fonde, pret. of Find, found, dis
covered, 1386.

Fonge, v. (A.S.) to take, to seize,
to accost, to meet, 366, 956, 962,
1367, 10017 ; to undertake, to aid,
599 ; Fonuge, to batter, to beat,
14023.

Fonnet, adj. (A.S.) foolish, 3473,
4207, 7127; bewildered, helpless,
4691.

Fonnge, v. See Fonge.

Foole, adj. foolish, 13841.

Foole, s. a horse, 1245. See
Foale.

For, as a prefix to verbs, adds in
tensity to the signification, some
times completion, sometimes op
position, as for-blede, to bleed
copiously; for-faryn, completely
gone, killed; for-shape, to trans
form ; for-bode, to forbid.

For, Fore, prep, for, 1737, 1854 ;

through, because, 193, 1444, 6604,
11847; against, 1528; in spite of,
890, 6439.

Forbede, v. to forbid, 5681 ; to
prohibit, 5725, 6428 ; pret. For
bode ; imperat. Forbode.

For-bled, part. p. covered wit

blood, 12270.
Fbr-do, v. to undo, to ruin, to

destroy, 2940.
Fore, pret. of Fare, went, fared,

rushed, 93, 853, 887, 898, 1209,

9554; dealt, wrought, 44, 12 L3,

8519, 10896.

Fore, adj. front, 884 ; prep. See

For.
For-faren, For-faryn, part. p.

perished, killed, 1438, 12118.
For-ferd, part. p. terrified, 10276,

10G99.
Forfet, s. loss, punishment, 2298 ;

v. to forfeit, 4450.
For-fonnet, part. p. of For-fon,

become silly, senseless, 632.
Forge, v. to devise, to plan, 12551,

12591.
For-juste, v. to decide, to sett!

296.
Formast, adj. foremost, larges

278.
Forne, Fourme, adv. direct,

straight, right, 6784, 7759.
Forray, s. plunder, 6426.
Fors, v. to force, to urge, 1929.
Forsec,pre#. o/For-seon, despised,

forsook, 721.
Forset, v. to beset, to surround,

to besiege, 1924, 7671.
Forshape, v. to transform, 13221.
Forslet, s. a stronghold, 11779.
Forthe, adv. forwards, onwards,

till now, 1628.

Forther, adv. forth, 680, 11174.
Forther, v. to further, to aid, to

assist, to benefit, to honour, 5743,

8884, 11138, 11170, 11708, 11716

GLOSSAMAL INDEX.

535

part. Forthoryng, assisting, of
benefit, aiding, 4576.

Forthi, conj. (A.S.) because, 1085.

For-thinke, v. (A.S.) to repent, to

rue, 9312.
Fortune, s. chance, 1464.

Forward, s. (A.S.) a promise, a
pledge, 548, 602, 2440, 3123,
9312 ; an agreement, a covenant,
2727; the front, the van, the
attack, 1148, 5860.

Forwise, adj. prescient, far-seeing,

2539, 3950.
For-wroght, part. p. over-worked,

worn out, exhausted, 5861.
For-yete, v. to forget, 869 ; pret.

For-yet, 882 ; part. p. For-yeten,

2291 ; Eor-yeton, 2068, 9959.

Fose, 8. pi. o/Foe, 5169.

Fot, v. to fetch ; pret. Fot,
12610.

Fote, s. a foot, 356, 1824.

Fotyng, s. footing, position, secu
rity, 2077.

Fouchon, s. a falchion, a sword,
5260, 11110.

Found, v. to intend, to design,
13812 ; to invent, to originate,
1628 ; to accomplish, to succeed,
1154.

Fourme, v. to form, to build,
1540; *. manner, 1954.

Fourme, adv. See Forne.

Fourt, adj. fourth, 5446.

Foutly, adv. foolishly, 5079.

Fowle, s. a horse, 13560. See

Foale.
Foyne, v. to push, to thrust, to

fence with a spear, 10081, 10287.
Fraght, s. freight, cargo, 1118,

5384, 9388, 12855 ; a fleet, 13301.
Fraist, v. to try, to prove, 261,

6533, 6947 ; to inquire, to examine,

to seek out, to consult, 97, 1119.
Fraite, v. to inquire, to seek out,

10714.

Frap, v. (A.N.) to strike, to beat,
10515.

Fray, s. an attack, an affray, 1279,
2141.

Frayne, v. (A.S.) to ask, to in
quire, 97, 358, 1794, 2893, 12019.

Fre, adj. (A.S.) liberal, noble,
358, 525, 11234 ; *. a familiar term
in narrative or conversation applied
to both sexes = a person, a man, a
woman, 533, 1386.

Freeltie, s. (A.N.) frailty, weak
ness, 8723.

Frek, adj. (A.S.) quick, eager,
hasty ; comp. Frekir, 9862.

Freke, s. (A.S.) a man, a fellow,
145.

Frele, adj. (A.N.) frail, 831.

Frenship, s. friendship, good-will,
1777.

Freshe, Fresshe, adj. bright, 225,
997.

Fresshe, s. the flood, or overflow
of a river ; a press of men, an on
set, 4730.

Fret, v. (A.S.) to adorn, to deck,
434, 3409; part. p. adorned,
spread, 1660.

Frete, v. (A.S.) to consume, to
destroy, 9691 ; part. p. Fret, con
sumed, decayed, 13029 ; imperat.
Fret, deal, dally, 12846.

Frickly, adv. eagerly, heartily,
8994, 9880.

Frigie, adj. as s. Phrygian, a
Phrygian, 2918, 2981.

Frike, adj. (A.S.) another form
of Freke (both forms are still in
use in the West of Scotland ; Frike
is generally applied to qualities and
moods of the affections, and the
mind ; Freke, to the manner and
conduct, but they are often used
in the same sense); hearty, glad,
1189, 2918; keen, eager, 2055,
6949; frike age = courageous
times, the age when one is ready
for any undertaking, 2204.

536

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Friknee, s. readiness, eagerness,
rashness, 6120.

Frith, s. (A.S.) a wood, a coppice,

13552.
Froch, v. to rush, to dash, to

push, 1278. See Frush.
Frothe, v. to froth, or foam at the

mouth, 1957.
Frunt, s. the front, the "breast, the

fore-part, 9150, 10814; a mass,

one body, 10869.
Frunt, v. to strike, to wound, 6923,

6984; to rush, to drive, to tumble,

to fall, 6887, 6890, 8327, 8551.
Frush, Frusshe, v. to bruise, to

crush, to break, to tear, 1196, 8335,

13940 ; to push violently, to dash,

3225, 5931 ; a rush, a crash, an

onset, 5830, 8998.
Frut, s. fruit, 4972.
Fryke, adj. hearty, 1050. See

Frike.
Frynde, s. a friend, a relative,

1039.
'Fuerse, Furse, adj. fierce, strong,

brave, 216, 569, 785 ; great, 1617 ;

immense, 2271 ; as a *. 888.
Fuersly, Fursly, adv. fiercely,

eagerly, quickly, 261, 1245.
Fughtyn, pret. of Feght, fought,

70S7, 10431.

Fulfaire, adj. handsome, 3155.
Full, adj. satisfied, 466.
Full swice should be Fulls-wice,

Pool's wise, like a fool, 5071.
Fulsom, adj. very large, very full,

3068.
Fulthe, s. abundance, plenty,

5414.
Fur, Furre, adv. further, 1107,

7103. See Firre.
Furde, s. a band, a company,

4164, 7217.

Furder, adv. further, 2982.
Fursnes, s. fierceness, bravery,

9771.

Furst, adj. first, 1557, 4330.
Furth, Furthe, adv. forth, onward,

onwards, 22 i2, 2744,6904, 13105;

at once, 2984.

Furthe, adj. the fourth, 2007.
Fyche, s. See Fiche.
Fyfte, adj. fifth, 1486, 6338.
Fyge, s. a fig, J2206.
Fyld, Fylde, s. See Fold.
Fylyng, s. (part, of Fyle) defile
ment, 4850. See File.
Fylsy, Fylsyn, v. See Filsyn.

Fyn, Fyne, adj. good, great

clever, learned, keen, 400, 5

8375 ; ado. completely, 7168.
Fynde, s. a fiend, 597, 4290,

8125.
Fyndyng, s. the founding, tl

origin, 4296.
Fyne, v. to finish, to cease, tc

end, 8810.
Fyst, s. the fist; in fi/st = in his

grasp, a hold of, 10995.
Fyt, s. a measure, a section of a

story, 8420.

Gab, Gabbe, v. (A. 1ST.) to jest, to
lie, 4303, 10604.

Gaf, Gafe, Gaffe, pret. of Give
804, 1250, 6102, 6491.

Gaid, pret. of Ga, went, 369.

Galos, Galous, Galowes, s. th
gallows, 12885, 12890, 13033
13116.

Gam en, Gamyn, s. frolic, inter
course, 107, 1506, 11056.

Gan, pret. began.

Gar, Ger, v. (Icel.) to make, to
cause, to compel, 197,1937, 2928;
pret. Gart, 9394 ; Gert, 1616, 1629,
4347, 6657, 8399. Both forms
are still used in Scotland.

Gat, Gate, pret. of Get, got, ob
tained, 1529, 3553; begat, 107,
1506, 13944.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

537

Gate, part. p. of Geet, guarded,
superintended, 566.

Gate, s. (A.S.) a street, way, road,
351, 1334, 5946 ; manner, conduct,

' undertaking, 612, 2239, 5207,
G138 ; gird of his gate =.Jlecl of his
gate = fled out of his way ; so gat
= in the same way, similarly, 5207 ;
in our gate fur the = in our conduct
from tins day forth, 6138 ; all agrcit
to \>e gate = all agreed to the plan,
3649.

Gaude, Gawde, s. a jest, a trick,
a pretence, 603, 9279, 10749; pi.
. Gawdyn, 11468.

Gaume, s. a game, a merry
making, 1620, 1622, 2937.

Gawlyng, s. (part, of Gawl, Gowl)
shouting, wailing, 8677-

Gay, s. a gay person, a lady, 2679.

Gayn, Gayne, adv. near, -over
against, 2813, 4226, 8004, 8089.

Gayne-come, s. return, i. e. com
ing back again, 2026.

Gaynist, super, of Gayn, fore
most, first, 2996.

Gayre, s. 905, 13360. See Geire.

Gedre, Gedir, v. to gather, to col
lect, 1174, 1225, 10133; pret. 8f

fart. p. Gedret, Gedrit.
Geet, v. (Fr. guet, a ward) to

guard, to keep, 11746 ; part. p.

Gate, 566.
Geeter, Geter, s. a keeper, a

guardian, 972, 11739.
Geire, Gere, Geyre, Gayre, s.

goods, weapons, instruments, dress,
' armour, 905, 1081, 6051, 6547,

6565, 8477, 13360.
Gem, s. a gem, a precious thing,

1368.

Gematry, s. geometry, 8394.
Gen till, s. a noble, a knight, 128 ;

a lady, 437.
Gentris, s. gentility, manners,

conduct, 131.
Ger, v. 1937. See Gar.

Gert, pret. of Ger. See Gar.
Ges, 2 sing. pres. ind. of Gie,

givest, 2089; imperat. give, 13553.
Gest, Geste, Gyste, s. (A.N.) an

event, 2026; an adventure, 620;

a deed, 3286 ; a history, or tale

286, 12772.

GetjV. to keep, to preserve, 2113.
Geter, s. See Geeter.

Getton, Getyn, part. p. gotten,
begotten, 290, 1017.

Gevyn, pret. of Give, gave, in
flicted, 944, 1214, 5946.

Gewell, s. a jewel, 1368.

Geynde, part. p. join, adjoining,
5223.

Geyre, s. -See Geire.
Giaund, s. a giant, 5503.

Gide, Gyde, s. a guide, a chief, a

ruler, 4053, 8881.
Gif, Gyf, conj. (A.S.) if.
Gilde, adj. golden, yellow, 3989.

• Gile, s. deceit, surprise, stratagem,
10749.

Gille, s. a narrow rocky valley, or

glen, 13529.
Gilt, s. guilt, crime, 1814, 11581.

Gird, Girde, Gyrd, v. to strike, to
pierce, to thrust, to dash, to pull,
177, 938, 940, 1332, 1377; to
spring, to rush, to dash, to fall, 169,
854, 880, 1232, 1317, 2072, 2322,
8072, 9017; to cut, 12143; pret.
Girdyn ; part. Girdaud, Girdoiid.

Girdiller, s. a maker of girdles,
1584. The girdillers, or girdlers,
formed a section of the "hammer
men." The girdle is a round iron
plate used in baking cakes; and
the sauce-pau used in cooking fish
is still often called a girdle, or
gridle, as in 1. 13826, "A grydell
full gay gret-full of fiche."

Girdyn, pret. o/Gird, 4740.

Glade, v. (A.S.) to make glad,
6126.

538

GLOSSARIAL IXDEX.

Glaive, Glayve, s. a sword, a
broad-sword, also, a weapon com
posed of a long cutting blade at
the end of a staff, 4740, 13824.

Glayre, s. a bright dazzling light,

5926.
Gleme, s. a light, a gleam, 3067,

10971 ; v. to shine, to gleam, 3943.
Glentte, v. to glance, to glitter,

3067, 10971.
Gley, Glie, v. to squint, 3772,

3943, 3995.
Glissen, Glisson, Glyssen, v. to

glitter, to sparkle, 3067, 5296,

10971 ; part, in ond and and.
Glod, Glode, pret. of Glide,

glided, went, proceeded, 2996,

6096, 6292.

Glogh, v. to gaze, to stare, 2922.

Glose, v. (A.S. glesari) to falsify,

to hide, to conceal, 11468.
Glotte, v. to glut, 11777.

Glover, s. a glover, a maker of
gloves, shirts, breeches, &c., made
of leather, 1584.

Glyssenond, part. See Glissen.

Goand, Goond, part, of Go, going,
1676, 4978, 13463, 13557.

Gobbett, Gobet, Gobett, s. (A.K)
a piece, a nugget, 190, 2882,
11740 ; in gobettes = in pieces,
12143.

Godarde, s. a gutter, a drain, 1 607.

Goddes, Goddis, s. a goddess,
3016, 4661.

Gode, Good, Goode, s. a sum of
money, money, wealth, 972, 11731,
11735 ; pi. Godes, Godys, Goodes,
goods, property, household goods,
1406, 1408.

Godely, adv. goodly, freely, 381.
Goldsmyth, s. a goldsmith, 1584.

Gome, s. (A.S.) a man, a person,
54, 1332, 8371, 10149; pi. folk,
people.

Gome, s. the gum, 3057.

Gon, pret. of Go, went, 6112;

part. p. of Gic, given, 11731.
Good, Goode, adj. rich, valuable,

1366; s. riches, wealth, 159, 972,

1305, 11731.
Goond, part. See Goand.

Gorge, s. (A.K) the throat, 169,

5829.

Gos, 3 siiig.pres. ind. of Go, 5403.
Gosshe, v. to gush, to flow, 1607.

Gost, s. (A.S.) spirit, life, 8216,

9189.
Goter, s. a gutter, 3072 ; a vein,

8791.
Goulis, Goulys, s. gules, in

heraldry, 5927, 6291.
Governance, Governaunce, Go-

veruanse, Governaunse, s. courage,

conduct, guidance, control, rule,

229, 422, 656, 6278, 12220.
Grace, s. (A.N.)luck, chance, 76 ;

fortune, 224.
Graide, v. (Icel.) to build, to

erect, 6025; part. p. Graid, 1664;

Gret, 1659.
Graidly, Greidly, adv. (Icel.)

carefully, eagerly, gladly, at once,

54, 656, 3133, 11440.
Graithe, Graythe, adj. ready, de
termined, skilled, steady, 229, 1706,

2536, 10623.
Graithe, v. (Icel.) to work, to

push on, 1081 ; to quarrel, to

fight, 1444 ; to dress or prepare,

12158; pret. Graithid, Greithed,

Grethit.
Graithly, adv. (Icel.) readily,

speedily, eagerly, 930.
Graithnes, s. readiness, skill,

promptitude, 4509, 8943.
Grase, s. grace, favour, 826.
Graunser, s. (A.~N.) grandsire,

2169, 10628, 13394, 13422.
Graunt, v. (A.N.) to grant, to

agree, 260 ; to promise, 979 ; part.

p. Graunt, granted, offered, 631,

1106.

GLOSSAKIAL INDEX.

539

Graunfc, s. an agreement, 2 03 ; a
promise, 4488 ; a vote, 8915 ; a
grant, allowance, 9941.

Grave, v. to bury, 10131 ; part
p. Gravyn, buried, 11562.

Gre, s. (A. 1ST.) a step of a stair,
13504; degree, rank, 7197; hon
our, prize, mastery, 1352, 4531,
4G07, 9626.

Gre, v. to agree ; pret. Gright,
agreed, 9315, 9367 ; unto gre = to
bring about an agreement, by way
of treaty, as indemnity, 11595.

Grecfull, adj. crowded, full, 331.
See Gret-full.

Gredy, adj. greedy, 1370.

Grefe, s. grief, ruin, 1720 ; anger,
6440 ; to grefe = grievously, un
naturally, 3044.

Greidly, adv. See Graidly.
Greithed, pret. of Graithe, 10642.

Greme, v. (A.S.) to grind the
teeth, to be enraged, to curse,
1006 ; to provoke, to rouse, to
enrage, 12153.

Greme, Grem, Gremy, s. (A.S.)
grief, sorrow, anger, rage, 603,
1720, 1755, 2545, 3491, 4754.

Grement, s. agreement, consent,
9384.

Gremy, s. 2545. See Greme.

Grene, s. a field, a plain, 7732,
7814, 11440.

Grepe, v. to grope, to search for,

to consider, 2455.
Grese, s. Greece, 2117.

Grese, s. (A.N.) a step, steps, a
stair, 369, 1664, 1676, 8752,
13463 ; pi. Greses, Gresis.

Gret, Grete, Grett, adj. (A.S.)
great, chief, 107, 1178, 1455 ; as a
*. a great one, a person of rank, a
person of wealth, 1858, 7018,
11735 ; super. Grettyst, 1006 ;
Grettist, 10642.

Gret, pret. o/Graide, built, 1659 ;
grew, became, changed, 9643.

Grete, s. a command, an order,
2757 ; crying, wailing, 8677.

Gret-full, adj. quite filled, full,
13826 ; Grecfull, 331.

Grethit, pret. See Graithe.

Grettenes, s. greatness, 3312.

Gretyng, s. crying, wailing, 3491.

Grevance, Grevanse, s. strife,

vexation, 1403, 1814.
Greve, v. (A.N.) to grieve, to vex,

to injure, 572, 1431, 2143, 8535.
Greve, s. grief, 13957.
Greves, s. groves, bushes, 331,

1060, 2738, 12972, 13457.

Gricche, v. to grudge, to with
hold, 7072.

Grice, s. Greece, 40.

Gright, v. See Gre.

Grippe, v. (A.S.) to ~ seize, 930,
1340, 1370, 12319 ; to dig, 1377 ;
to haul, 1784. Gryppe, 938.

Grippe, s. a grip, a foundation,
1543.

Grise, s. Greece.

Groaund, part, growing, advanc
ing, 11462.

Grond, Gronnd, Ground, adj.
great, chief, 1403, 1431.

Grone, s. a groan, 9017.

Groo, v. to grow, to increase, 1403.

Ground, Grounde, s. ground, land,
field, 1174, 1352 ; a floor, a plat
form, 1664; a foundation, origin,
cause, as applied to disputes or
quarrel, hence, a dispute, quarrel,
or strife, 80, 296.

Grucche, Grutche, v. (A.S.) to
grudge, to withhold, 8374, 9956.

Grusshe, v. to crush, to gash, to
lay open, 9482.

Grydell, s. a girdle, 13826. See
Girdiller.

Grym, adj. (A.S.) grim, fierce,
terrible, 177, 907, 1188, 1317 ; as
a s. a monster, 880.

540

GLOSSARIA.L IXDEX.

Crymly, Grimli, adv. grimly,
fiercely, wrathfully, 10453.

Grynde, v. to grind corn, 1604.

Gryppe, v. See Grippe.

Gryse, s. Greece, 1026.

Guttes, s,pl. the "bowels, 9406.

Gyde, s. See Gide.

Gyf, conj. See Gif.

Gyle, s. See Gile.

Gyn, s. a snare, wile, pretext,
197.

Gyng, Gynge, s. (A.S.) a com
pany, followers, 1225, 2882, 8924,
13317.

Gyrd, v. See Gird.

Gyrt, v. to lash with words, to
gibe, to taunt, 5118.

Gyste, s. a deed, an adventure,
620.

Hacche, s. a hatch, a cover for

the hold of a ship, 2005.
Hade, would have, 1251.
Hade, would hide, or conceal,

12609.

Hagge, v. to hack, 10023.
Haile, v. to haul, to lift up, 1086.
Hailsen, v. (A.S.) to salute, 1792,

4557 ; part. Hailsyng, as a s. 367.
Haithill, adj. great, worthy, or

famous ; Haithill ofdedis = famous

for his stories, 38. See Hathel.

Hald, v. (A.S.) to hold, to keep,
to fulfil, 1110 ; part. p. Haldyn,
held, believed to be, 2951.

Halde, s. (A.S.) a hold, a strong
hold, a fortress, 4786.

Hale, v. (A.S.) to pull, to draw,
to haul, 1782, 2847, 2968, 5847 ;
to tear, to scratch, 9137.

Half, Halve, s. a half, a side, a
set, 1328, 1353.

Haloghe, adj. holy ; as a s. pi,
gods, 650; Haloes, 8419; Halowes,
2001, 2946, 10948.

Halp, Halpe, pret. of Help,

helped, assisted, 1280, 5734,

8047.

Harne, s. home, 9337.
Han, v. to have, 569, 12058.
Hap, Happe, v. to happen, to be

certain, 1102, 1438, 7553, 10195;

to set on, to fix on, 919S ; to cover

over, to conceal, 12627 ; s. fortune,

chance, 1789.
Happon, v. to happen, to befal,

1157; pret. Happynt, 3142.
Hard, adj. deep, intense, 3820 ;

painful, 11298 ; ado. with difficulty,

5318 ; fast, quickly, 5874, 11953 ;

Harde, keenly, fiercely, 8215.
Hardgrem, s. hardship, injury,

4897.
Hardlaike, Hardlayke, s. injury,

affront, disgrace, 2213, 2769, 3476,

8124.

Hardly, Hardely, adv. hardly,

scarcely, 1866, 1934.
Hardy, adj. strong, bold, brave,

475.
Hardynes, s. boldness, courage,

238, 257 ; strength, 2195.
Harl, v. to drag, to hurl, 2968,

5834.
Harlotte, s. (A.N.) a rascal, a

robber, 12889.
Harme, s. guile, injury, wrong,

252, 1421, 1719.
Harnes, s. covering, defence,

4605.
Has, imperat. of Have, have, put,

4605.
Hasp, v. to fix, to clasp, to lock,

8593 ; part. Haspyng, as a *.

clasping, embracing, 367.
Haspe, s. a clasp, a fastening,

1270, 5254, 11102; a hasp, a hank

of any textile material, so called

from the manner in which it is

fastened, 3899.
Hast, Haste, s. haste, 1276, 3688,

13973 ; v. to haste, 4225.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

541

Hastines, s. impetuosity, rash
daring, 299.

Hat, v. to call, to name, 4276,
4370 ; to be called, to be named,
924, 10637; fret. §• part. p.
Heght.

Hat, adj. hot, 9156.

Hate, s. hate, scorn, rage, 1448,
1818, 6594.

Hate, s. (Icel. haefe) anything,
the smallest conceivable, 11934.

Haten, Hatne, v. to heat, to be
come hot, 9153, 9304, 9958 ; fret.
Het, 2054.

Hathel, Hathell, Hathill, s. a
prince, a noble, 3857, 3953, 6987,
8333, 9818, 10339.

Haunte, v. (A.K.) to practise,
1628 ; to frequent, to keep by,
2963.

Have, v. to endure, 1719.

Haven, Havin, Havyn, s. a port,

a seaport, 1049, 1072; as an adj.

1789.
Hawbergh, s. (A.N".) a coat of

mail, 5828, 6184.
Heale, s. (A.S.) welfare, safety,

601, 8688.
Hede, v. to heed, to notice, to

attend, 252, 2188, 3017, 10339;

to fear, to guard against, 2080.

Hede, s. heed, thought, 1365,
2052; the head, 1270; extremity,
end, 1672 ; a chief, 12934.

Hede, adj. chief, of highest rank

or value, 1925 ; Hed, 10902.
Hedet, adj. headed, 300.

Hedlynges, adv. headlong, 7485,

10175.
Hedstoupis, adv. head foremost,

6638, 7249, 7434.
Hedur, adv. See Hiclur.

Hefe, Heive, Heve, v. to rouse, to
stir, to be stirred, to tremble, to be
vexed, 4603, 8962, 12815, 13426,
13515.

Hegh, adj. high, great, proud,
headlong, 238, 255, 833, 1983.

Heghly, adv. assuredly, solemnlv,
709, 2020.

Heght, v. to name, or call, 106,
1559 ; to promise, 761, 1007, 4544;
pret. Sr part, p. Heght, Sight. See
Hete.

Heght, s. height, 1636.
Heldur, s. 11588. See Holdur.

Hele, s. (A.S.) health, safety, 844,
1756 ; the whole, 2301 ; in hele =
wholly.

Helme, s. a helmet, 1198.
Helpe, s. an aid, an ally, 10803.

Helping, s. assistance, the purpose

of assisting, 2988.
Helply, adv. helpful, 3579.

Hend, Hende, adj. (A.S.) gentle,
polite, high, noble, 718, 3017,
3851, 8380. See Hynd.

Hendly, adv. politely, kindly,

1792. /SteHyndly.
Henge, pret. of Hing, hung, was

kept hanging, 8089.

Hente, Hentte, v. (A.S.) to seize,
to take hold, 1308, 3334, 7969,
9721,9739; Hent, 11952.

Hepe, s. (A.S.) a heap, a mass,

1990 ; a company, 991.
Hepe, v. (A.S.) to heap up, 3696 j

to increase, to grow, 1450, 3548 ;

to become thick, 3688.
Herchyn, v. See Herkyn.
Herde, part. p. o/Hear, 1866.

Here, s. (A.S.) a man, a person,
1432, 6188 ; a company, forces,
1163, 6253. Hery, a person,
13573.

Here, Hore, s. hair, 3021, 3023,
3820, 3989.

Here, v. to hear, 151, 1516; to
obey, 8892.

Herit, Horit, adj. haired, 3757,
3780, 5531.

542

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Herkyn, Herchyn, v. to hearken,

5115, 7553.
Herne-pon, 6'. (A.S.) the skull,

8775.
Hernes, s. harness, armour, 108G,

2935.
Herre-hond, Herhond, s. the

upper baud, mastery, 1102, 7075,

7983, 9571.
Herse, 6'. a frame set over the

coffin on the sepulchre, 8753.
Hert, Herte, s. a hart, a deer,

2353, 13455, 13557, 13560.
Herte, s. heart, mind, desire, 142,

11421 ; as a v. to encourage, 4597 ;

as an adj. hearty, 10979.
Hertely, adv. eagerly, earnestly,

1844.
Herty, adj. ready, forward, eager,

8203, 10053.

Hervest, s. harvest, 12465.
Hery, s. See Here.
Heryng, s. hearing, listening to,

11298.
Hest, Heste, s. (A.S.) a promise,

639, 995, 1110, 7104 ; a command,

12091.

Het, v. See Hete.
Het, pret. of Haten, heated, in
flamed, 2054.
Het, v. to hit, to strike, to steal,

2913.
Hete, Het, v. (A.S.) to promise,

to undertake, 240, 573, 591, 995,

2020, 2435, 10504 ; to name, to be

named or called, 1975,4257; fret.

^ part. p. Het.
Hete, s. heat, 509 ; a hout, a

burst, an effort, 9523, 10288.
Heterly, Hetturly, Heturly, adv.

eagerly, fiercely, furiously, 3499,

3548, 5254, 5826, 11955 ; Hitturly,

6498.

Hethe, s. a heath, 1350.
Hething, Hethyng, s. contempt,

insult, degradation, 1753, 1818,

1925, 2594, 10383.

Hethyn, adi\ (A.S.) hence.

Hethyngfull, adj. contemptuous,

3953.
Heve, v. See Hefe.

Hevenys, s. affliction, disaster,
1800.

Hevy, adj. heavy, severe, scorn
ful, 5567.

Hevyn, v. to bend one's whole
strength on something (as when
the sailor cries heave, boys .') ; hence,
to be absorbed in ; to hecyn on )>i
harme = to think only of your
wrong, i. e. to seek to be avenged
for it, 2083.

Hew, s. (A.S.) hue, appearance,

3296, 3409.
Hext, adj. (A.S.) highest, 13504.

Hidlis, s. (pi. o/Hidle, a hiding-
place) ; put into hidlis = put into
hiding, concealed, 12304.

Hidur, Hedur, Hydur, Hider,
Hyder, adv. here, 627, 1103, 1105,
1134, 1838, 1887, 3344.

High, Hygh, Hie, Hye, v. (A.S.)
to haste, to hie, to wend, to sail,
299, 991, 1163, 2027, 3245, 3581,
4608 ; to hoist, 4605 ; pret. Hit,
Hyt ; Highit.

High, adv. highly, "boldly,
boastfully, 1967.

Hight, pret. fy part, p. of Heght,
and Hete, called, was called, 115,
316, 1243, 1263, 1462 ; promised,
761, 1040, 9970.

Hild, Hilde, part. p. of Hile,
covered, clad, 2374, 2738.

Hir, Her, Hur, pron. her ; Hir,
most frequently.

Hit, Hitte, v. (A.S.) to hit, to
strike, 5937, 5943 ; to go, to turn
into (as a vessel into harbour),
13492, 13495; to come true, to
be verified, 2071.

Hit, Hyt, pret. of Hie, High,
2027, 3245; pret. (/Hit, 4671.

Hit, pron. it.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

5-13

Ilitturly, adv. See Heterly.
Ho, pron. she.

Hode, 6\ the hood, a mail covering

for the head, 10297.
Hof, pret. of Hove, heaved up,

lifted, 5259.
Hofe, v. See Hove ; on hofe =

hove to, 12699.
Hoge, adj. (A.S.) huge, immense,

189, 1173.
Hoke, v. to pick one's way, to

work, 4621.
Hold, v. to hold, to keep'; to

abide by (as in a bargain), 11618 ;

pret. Held ; part. p. Holdyn, held,

kept, 1421, 1467 ; believed to be,

972 ; cherished, 1426.

Holdur, Heldur, s. (contr. for
holerdur) ribaldry, 2919, 11588.

Hole, Holl, Holle, adj. (A.S.)
whole, entire, 132, 1289, 3257,
6852; sound, unhurt, 6888 ; unde-
faced, 8729 ; on a sop holle = in
one body, or mass, 1309.

Holly, Holy, adv. wholly, 235,
995.

Holsom, adj. prudent, safe, com
fortable, 2246, 5758, 11251.

Holte, s. (A.S.) a wooded knoll,
333, 1059, 2353, 13451, 13455 ; as
an adj. mountainous, 1350.

Holy, adv. See Holly.

Horn, pron. them, 24, 33 ; them
selves, 1362; him, 1374, 1518.

Horn, s. home, 1518, 1854, 5836,
13975.

Hom-selfe, pron. himself, 983.

Hond, s. a hand, freq. ; at liond
=. ready, ripe, 396 ; of his hond
past = got out of his reach, 1979.

Hond, adj. short, handy, 1157,
1450, 1748, 3696, 7346 ; a hond
while = a short time, 1157.

Hondle, v. to embrace, to copu
late, 13809.

Honest, Onest, adj. (A.N.) truth

ful, noble, free, 48, 1646; open,
beautiful, 3035.

Honestly, Onestly, adv. honestly,
readily, suitably, respectably, 281,
1600, 1919.

Honowre, s. obeisance, 4659.
Hoole, adv. wholly, 6948 ; s. See
Houle.

Hope, Hoope, v. to hope, to
imagine, 2292; to be comforted,
9573.

Hoppe, v. (A.S.) to leap, 12506.

Hor, pron. their, 8, 984.

Hore, s. a whore, 1402, 1851 :

hair, 3989. See Here.
Horedam, s. whoredom, 1421,

13038.

Horit. See Herit.
Horse, v. to mount on horseback,

1280, 6470, 11044 ; pret. 8f part.

p. Horset, Horsit.

Horse-fete, Horsfet, the feet of the

horses, being trampled on by horses,

5834, 6560.
Hote, adj. hot, keen, strong (p.

16, 1. 6), 2054, 9377 ; ». a promise,

8067.
Houle, Howie, Hoole, s. a hole, a

cave, a dungeon, 1362, 11991,

13501.

Hove, v. ("W. hqfio) to halt, to
hover, to linger, to remain, 1640,
2847, 3127, 3531, 12705 ; to hie,
to push towards, 4525.

Howie. See Houle.

Hue, v. to hew, to hack, 7C81.

Huet, Huyt, adj. coloured, of the

same hue, 3021, 3899.
Hundrethe, Hundrith, adj. 4055,

4135, 4171.
Hur, pron. her, 716, 1855, 10889,

11006.
Hurd, s. hoard, or hoarding,

11539.
Hurdes, s. (A.N.) a hurdle,

branches, 13459.

544

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Hurl, v. to drag, to pull, 1254,
1969, 6660, 10311 ; to rush, to
dash, to fall, 1220, 1365, 6638 ; to
crash, to dash, to drive, 1198,
5828, 6650, 6675, 6743.

Hurtelyng, s. (A.N.) clashing,

jousting, 10053.
Huyt, adj. See Huet.
Hyd, pret. o/Hide, hid, 1362.
Hyde, s. the skin, 3909.
Hygh, s. haste, 7783.
Hym, pron. him, himself, 2532-4.
Hym-selvon, pron. himself, 1236.

Hynd, Hynde, adj. kind, courte
ous, 475, 2292 ; s. a lady, 1396,
1844.

Hyndly, adv. kindly, 621.

Hyndward, adv. backwards, over
the hind quarters of the horse,
8553.

Hyrne, Hyerne, s. a corner, 1362,

8390.
Hyi,pret. o/High, or Hit, hasted,

or turned, 4671.

Ich, IchQ,pron. each, every, 1177,

2893, 4611, 4614.
Ilke-a, pron. every, 423 ; Ilke-a-

dele = every particular, omitting

nothing, 3656.

In, prep, in, of, 343 ; through,
by, by means of, 421, 494 ; for the
purpose of, 442 ; into, 743 ; during,
1866.

In, Inne, Tnne, s. (A.S.) a house,
a lodging, 301, 2156, 2675, 7345,
10740.

Indityng, s. writing, description,
account, 5423.

Intent, s. purpose, resolution,
11364.

Into, prep, within, in the form
of, 14; unto, towards, 990.

Inwone, v. (A.S.) to dwell, to in
habit, 133, 13864.

Isse, Ysse, Ysshe, v. to go forth,

to rush, to shoot, 5784, 6631, 6998.
I-wise, adv. indeed, truly, cer
tainly, 897.

Jamne, Jawmbe, s. (Fr.) a pro
jection, a joint, 939, 11114.

Janglyng, s. prating, bandying,
conversation, 671, 2873.

Jape, s. (A.N.) a jest, a trick,
mirth, 210, 416, 2873; a device,
an appliance, 890.

Jawmbe, s. See Jamne.

Jobbe, s. a piece, an article, 11941.

Jocund, adj. (A.N.) merry, lively,

316.
Join, v. to enjoin, to request

437, 512 ; to measure, to reckon,

1538.

Jointly, adv. continuously, 153£

Joly, adj. joyful, gladsome, 210,
249, 316 ; rich, precious, 1368.

Jorney, s. (Fr.) a journey, ai
undertaking, 937; a day's marcl
1538.

Joy, v. to gladden, to rejoice
214 ; s. joy, success, good fortune,
890, 2385 ; the joy = destiny, 1685.

Joyvely, Joifully, adv. gladly,

successfully, 374, 993.
Juge, Jugge, v. (A.N.) to adjud^

2407 ; to guide, to regulate, 1036C
Just, Juste, adj. great, noblt

famous, 214, 291.
Justile, v. futuere, 12738.

Justis, s. (A.N.) an administrator
of justice ; a just is of joyes = a
queen of pleasure, 2385.

Justly, adv. properly, suitably,
becomingly, 512.

Kache, v. See Cacche.
Kaght, Kaghten. See Caght.

Kaire, Kayre, Caire, v. to go, to
set out, to depart, to wend, 280,
363, 836, 2575, 6908, 9894; to
take to, to set to, 2012.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

515

Kant. See Cant.
Kantly. See Cantly.
Karpe. See Carpe.
Karve, pret. of Carve, 9468.

Kary, v. to carry, to convey,
10369.

Karyn, s. See Caren.

Kast. See Cast.

Kaupe. See Caupe.

Kele, v. to cool, to subdue, 11464.

Ken, v. (A-S.) to know, to know
by sight, to distinguish, 25, 1583,
2896, 3911 ; to be known, to be
discovered, 1452; to teach, to
direct, 951, 5663, 11821 ; part. p.
Kend ; to ken = to the sight, 1567 ;
known, 8746.

Kendly, adv. kindly, 657.

Kene, adj. (A.S.) sharp, keen,

1076, 1268; eager, loud, 1206;

fierce, ravenous, 11176; adv.

keenly, determinedly, 1467.
Kenly, adv. keenly, eagerly, 496,

5270.
Kennyng, s. (A.S.) an inkling,

knowledge, 2837.
Kepe, v. (A.S.) to keep, to guard,

191, 994, 6045, 10827, 11173 ; to

care for, 874 ; pret. Kepid, Keppit.

Keppe, v. to stop, to arrest, 1230,
6875 ; pret. Keppit, 8354; Kept,
8332 ; = preserved, saved, 726.

Kepyng, s. imprisonment, 13953.
Kerve, v. to carve, to hew, 9832.

Kervond, adj. cutting, sharp-
edged, 8640.

Kest, v. to cast, 1313; to set
one's self, to plan, to prepare, 4612 ;
pret. Kest.

Kever, v. to reach, 269 ; to re
cover, 5978.

Kid, adj. See Kyde.

Kilt, Kylde, Kylt, part. p. killed,
1343, 1405.

Kith, Kithe, Kyth, Kythe, s. a

35

country, a kingdom, 103, 120,
1420.

Kithe, Kythe, v. (A.S.) to make
known, to manifest, 556, 2784 ; to
expend, to test, or try, 3144, 7815 ;
to attend to, to follow out, 460U,
4644; part. p. Kyd, 5187.

Kleane. See Clene.

Klennes. See Clennes.

Knagged, adj. fastened by means
of nails, 4973.

Knappe, s.,(A.S.) a blow, 6437.

Knave, s. (A.S.) a male child,
13854.

Knawe, v. to know, 8523, 12622.
Knawlache, s. knowledge, 1083,

11711 ; knowlage, 1865.
Knawyng, s. knowledge, 8396;

knowyng, 1175, 1498, 13199.
Know, v. to obtain knowledge, to

be instructed, 354.
Knowlage, s. knowledge, 1865.
Knowyng, s. knowledge, 1175,

1498, 13199.
Knyt, v. to knit, 4618.
Kobb, v. to spar, to fight, 11025.
Komyn. See Comyn.
Korse, s. a corpse, 8729.

Kouth, Kowth. See Couth, 125,

11515.
Kouthe, adj. known, famous,

2638.

Kowche, v. to lay, 11789.
Kowlt, s. a colt, 7722.
Kuit, s. quiet, peace, 5199.

Kuyt, adj. white, 2737, 4973.

See Quite.
Kyde, Kyd, Kid, adj. (A.S.)

dear, famous, well known, 213,

243, 1285, 1718, 1741, 1923;

needful, necessary, 5386; super.

Kyddist, 2124.
Kylde, Kylt. See Kilt.
Kyn, s. ancestry, family, 1725.

540

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Kynd, Kynde, s. nature, 2892,
8725, 10787 ; natural state, 8729 ;
race, 4300; as an adj. family, 70;
natural, 8797.

Kyndly, adv. naturally, 399 ;
possibly, 2412; easily, 8601; earn
estly, heartily, 2014.

Kyndull, v. to kindle, 1449.

Kynnesmen, s. kindred, country
men, 1734.

Kyrt, adj. short, 836.
Kythe, v. See Kithe.

Labur, v. to vex, to exhaust,
13490.

Laburd, Lahurt, part. p. "bur
dened, overcome, 3131, 10532.

Lacche, v. (A.S.) to take, 811,
1024, 2574 ; to strike, 5729 ; pret.
Lacchet, 5729; Lacchen, G191;
Lagbt, Laghton, Laghtyn, Laugh-
ten.

Lacke, v. (A.S.) to blame, 9941.

Ladde, pret. of Lede, led, 899.

Laghe, adj. low ; comp. Lagher,

9152.

Laghe, s. (A.S.) law, 10784.
Laghe, v. to laugh, 5084, 8059.

Laght, part. p. of Lacche, taken,

captured, seized, 2289, 3156, 4900,

11701.
Laghton, Laghtyn, Laughten,

pret. of Lacche, took, 12483,

13360, 6162.
Laid, pret. of Lay, beat, 1274;

part. p. buried, 11569.
Laiful, adj. allowable, 2948.

Laike, Lake, v. (A.S.) to do, to

act, 7046, 13493 ; to fight, 9998 ;

to say, to express, 9S07.
Laike, Laik, s. a play; hence a

fight, danger, struggle, 7811, 9658,

9847, 10408.

Laisure, s. leisure, time, 3119.
Laite, adj. late, 891.

Laite, Layte, v. to seek, to search
for, 7988, 9190, 9751, 12823,
12929, 13973 ; to watch, to follow,
10291.

Laite, s. lightning, 3690, 4630,

12499, 12517.
Laithe, adj. horrible, loathsome,

1351, 1573.
Laithe, v. to terrify, 7726, 12122 ;

to be disgusted, 8123.
Laithly, ado. wickedly, unjustly,

4900.

Laithnes, s. wickedness, 2949.
Lak, s. (A.S.) blame, mischief,

7617 ; a fault, harm, 12106.
Lake, v. 9807. See Laike.

Lakke, v. to lack, to be wanting,

7854.
Langur, s. suffering, mourning,

2656.
Langur, v. to linger, 10223.

Langwis, Langwisshe, v. to lan
guish, 9154, 9194.

Lapp, v. to wrap up, to fold, to
enshrine, to hold, 236, 465, 2891,
3058 ; to gloss, to invent, 10324,
11302 ; imperat. Lap, keep, in
dulge, 1424 ; part. Lapping, fold
ing, 476 ; part. p. Lappit, absorbed,
overcome, 3375, 9983.

Large, adv. carefully, on all sides,
741 ; to the large = free, 10996.

Largenes, s. extent, breadth, 318.

Larke, s. conflict, battle, 7694.

Las, adj. less, 5961 ; of lower

rank, 6026 ; Lasse, 10408.
Lasshe, v. to beat, to clash, 6789.

Last, s. the end, the outmost,

12015.
Last, v. to endure, 1415; part.

Lastand, Lastoon, lasting, 194,

9218.
L'ate, s. lateness, 9679, 10227,

10913 ; ado. lately, 4887.
Laughten. See Laghton.

GLOSSAIUAL INDEX.

51;

Launche, v. to rusli, to dash, to
throw, to shoot, 1229, 4408, 4630,
5844, 6811, 9510 ; part. Launcliant,
Launchoud.

Launde, s. (A.N.) a plain, a park,
an open place iu a wood, 334.

Launse, v. to dash out, to spring,
to rush, 5810.

Lause, Lawse, adj. loose, free,
10024, 10897, 10996, 12064 ; v. to
loose, 280G, 5641, 7884, 13250,
13314.

Law, s. conduct, walk, 12737.
Law, Lawe, adj. low, 3071, 6952 ;

immense, 4441.
Layte. See Laite.

Layve, v. (A.S.) to leave, to hide,
13858.

Le, s. the shore, 2806 ; adj. shel
tered, 4675.

Leale. See Lele.

Leche, s. (A.S.) a physician, 7525.

Lechernes, s. uncleanness, 8059.

Lechery, s. uncleanness, 1401.

Lechir, Lechur, adj. base, un
clean, 715, 13037.

Lechyng, s. doctoring, nursing,
10223.

Leddrit, part. p. covered with
leather, 5500.

Lede, Led, s. (A.S.) a man, 62,
75, 1274, 6441; people, party,
1326, 1930 ; leadership, 10653 ; "in
lede = among the people, in the
land, 5345.

Lede, s. a lid ; Ledys = eyelids,

3759.
Lede, v. to hold, to live with,

1401 ; to take, to carry away, 1915.
Ledur, s. leather, 1596>
Ledyn, s. a song, 13276.

Leel, Leell, adj. leal, loyal, 3332.

See Lele.
Lefe, s. leave, good-bye, 1823,

1900. See Leve.

Lefe, v. to live, 3512; to leave,

3587. See Leve.

Lefe, adv. lately, already, 6857.
Lefe, Leve, Lefie, adj. dear, 393,

768 ; fit, proper, right, suitable,

407, 1927, 7594, 11254; great,

immense, 12555.

Lefe-sals, Lef-sales, s. pi lattices,
bowers, 337, 1167. Chauc. letesel.

Lefie, adj. 5676. See Lefe.

Lefully, adv. as adj. lawful, 2976.

Lege, s. a king, 134; a repre
sentative, 1951; a subject, 2148;
ancestor, forefather (of the blood
royal), 11569.

Lege, adj. liege, loyal, lawful, 1417.

Legh, s. (? lee) ease, leisure, 9399.

Leghe, v. to lie, to lean, 8243.

Leght, s. light, 9269.

Leifull, adj. lawful, right, 2301.

Lele, Lell, Leel, adj. (A.N.) leal,
true, honest, loyal, 239, 2859,
3332, 13974; good, 9056; as an
ado. perfectly, thoroughly. 3029.
12712.

Lelly, adv. truly, honestly, 420,
519.

Leme, v. (A.S.) to gleam, to
blaze, 699, 8747, 11984; *. a ray,
a flash, a gleam, 1129, 1684.

Leme, s. a limb, 3805, 8771.

See Lime.
Lemond, Leymondj part. o/Leme,

shining, flashing, 459, 12517.
Lenge, v. (A.S.) to dwell, to rest,

to linger, to delay, 1432, 1823,

1937, 2617, 10823.
Lenght, s. length, 318, 1681.
Lengur, adv. longer, 307, 1294.

Lent, part. p. of Lende, settled,
abiding, 13857; Lenton, p ret. gave,
submitted, 4329.

Lepyn, pret. o/Lepe, leapt, 2017.

Lere, s. (A.S.) countenance, face,
398, 480, 10023, 13979.

548

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Lerke, s. a wrinkle, 3029.

Les, Lesse, adj. less, of lower

rank, 1618, 2025, 2918.
Lese, s. pi. o/Lee, lies, 3778.

Lest, adj. least, 10043 ; by the
lest =. to say the least, 7623.

Lesyng, Lesynge, s. (A.S.) a
falsehood, a lie, 8134, 10324,
11659.

Let, Lette, v. (A.S.) to hinder, to
withhold, to spare, to leave off, to
delay, 712, 934, 1381, 2174, 6441,
6458 ; to allow, 1433 ; to desire,
7100 ; as he let to leoe = as he
wished to be believed; jpret. Let,
Lettid, Lettyd.

Lete, v. to account, or esteem,
3599.

Lethur, adj. wicked, 12276.

Lett, s. hindrance, 11653.

Lettyng,s. hindrance, delay, 1937.

Leve, Lefe, v. to leave, 987, 1220,
1299, 3587; to believe, 239, 3354,
4327, 7100 ; to dwell, 13385 ; to
live, 3512.

Leve, Lefe, s. leave, good-bye,
987, 1823; adj. right, proper,
suitable, 407, 1927, 7594, 11254;
great, immense, 12555.

Leven, v. to lighten, to blaze, to
glow, 7723.

Levenyng, s. lightning, 1988,
4421.

Lever, adj. rather, better, 587,
8114, 12131.

Levt, part. p. of Leve, left, 2341 .

Levys, s. pi. leaves, 1140;

imperat. o^Leve= believe, 9847.
Lewd, adj. (A.S.) ignorant, 4424.

Lewte, Leute, s. (A. 1ST.) loyalty,

uprightness, 4849, 7854, 12240.
Leymond. See Lemond.
Liaunse, s. an alliance, 1747.
Libard, s. a leopard, 1573.
Licherly, adv. basely, 12604.

Lichir, adj. base, vile, 10450.

Licker, adv. comp. more likely,
2254.

Licrus, adj. lecherous, 2977 ;
Likrus, 444.

Lif, s. mode of life, rank, 8939.
Ligh, v. to lie, to deceive, 7854.
Ligher, s. a liar, 12669 ; Lygher,

12590, 12642.
Light, Lyght, v. to light up,

6038 ; to alight, 1273, 6990, 74:57,

9498, 11115 ; pret. Light, Lyglit.
Light, adj. light, slight, small,

easy, 1424, 2912, 9351; glad,

rejoicing, eager, 1229, 1411, 2025 ;

as an adv. brightly, clearly, 6010,

8747.
Lightes, s. pi. the lungs, 10705.

Lightly, adv. gladly, joyously,

1409.
Likandly, adv. according to one's

liking, 3355.
Like, Lyke, v. to please, 382, 825,

1158, 1757, 1768.
Like, Lik, adj. like, similiar to,

1613; becoming, 10440; likely,

true, 420.

Likkir, comp. of Like, more like
ly, 10444,

Likyng, Lykyng, s. delight, plea
sure, desire, will, 20, 75, 444, 465,
1449, 1927, 10823 ; adj. delightful,
or yielding delight, 71, 334, 476.

Lime, Lym, Lyme, Leme, s. a
limb, 3744, 3762, 3776, 8771, 8835|

Lip, s. a slip, a miss, 2081.

Lip, Lippe, s. a lip, the sharp end,
the head of a lance, 10139, 10147;
pi. Lippus, the lips, 3050.

List, Lyst, s. a boundary ; pi. the
lines of an army "or of a camp,
10018, 10669.

List, Liste, Lyst, v. (A.S.) to like,
to be ready, to be willing, to please,
20, 239, 298, 1374; to incline, to
desire, 2611.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

549

Lite, Lyte, adj. little, few, 1312,
1757, 13242.

Lithe, Lythe, adj. gentle, calm,
smooth, 4586, 9706 ; v. to become
supple, 11115 ; lieth, 9345.

Litlier, adj. (A.S.) wicked, 12209.

Litherly, Lytherly, adv. wickedly,

12590.

Litill, s. a small thing, 1449.
Litt, v. to dye, to colour, to tinge,

3988, 7374 ; fret. ^ part. p. Littid.
Litterure, s. literature, 3940.
Lodge, s. See Loge.

Lodly, adv. miserably, wickedly,

10532, 12737.
Lofe, adj. natural, illegitimate,

13958.
Lofte, s. the sky, 3719.

Loge, Logge, s. (A.N.) a house,
lodging ; pi. tents, quarters, 813,
1369, 6026, 7627, 13464; Lodge,
6059.

Loge, Logge, v. (A. IS".) to lodge,
to dwell, 1615 ; to cluster, 1140.

Logh, s. a flame, a blaze, 168,
9512. See Low.

Loke, v. (A.S.) to look, to ob
serve, to examine, to read, 15,
1554, 1641, 1937 ; part. Lokyng,
26 ; Lokond, 6811.

Loke, s. look, gaze, 7724.

Lond, Londe, s. (A.S.) land, coun
try, people, 62, 1042, 1077, 1129.

Lone, s. shelter, rest ; on lone =
at rest, 1078.

Long, Longe, v. (A.S.) to belong
to, 1111, 1615, 10039.

Long, adj. whole, 1078 ; many,
1688.

Longyng,s. praise, flattery, 10353.

Loodly, adj. loathsome, horrible,
934 ; \>at loodly = that loathsome
brute.

, s. (A.S.) learning, 398, 868,
1484.

Lose, Los, s. (A.N.) praise, fame,
good name, 199, 4878 ; v. to praise,
to natter, 11229.

Losell, s. (A.JST.) a scoundrel,
12096.

Losse, Lose, Los, s. loss, mis
fortune, poverty, 1440, 1719,2091,

5588, 9781.

Lote, s. (Icel.) gesture, appear
ance, look, 10770, 11502.

Lothe, adj. (A.S.) spiteful, per
verse, set against, opposed to, 3811,
6441, 13365.

Loue, s. a flame, 9304. See Lowe.
Loue, adj. 2650. See Low.
Loup, s. aloop, arope, a cable, 2806.

Lour, v. (A.S.) to lour, to scowl,
1959.

Lourekand, adj. vengeful, 1001 ;
lourekand lust = a desire of venge
ance.

Loute, Lowte, o. (A.S.) to bow,
to make obeisance, 845, 2574,
3125 ; to submit, 8865, 8909.

Louting, Loutyng, Lowtyng, s.
bowing, obeisance, 393, 661.

Love, v. (A.S.) to praise.

Love, v. (A.S.) to like, to love,

132, 138, 8105.

Lovely, adj. beautiful, 1631.
Lovesom, adj. lovely, 658.

Lovyng, s. (A.S.) praise, fame,
4878.

Low, Loue, adj. low, humble,
willing, 1778, 2650.

Low, s. a portal, entrance, 4951.

Lowe, v. to praise, to thank, 7594.

Lowrand, adj. shrinking, hesitat
ing, 3778.

LoAvse, adj. loose, free, 13190.

Lowte, v. See Loute.

Luff, s. love, 1882.

Lufiable, adj. lovable, 3097.

Luffly, adj. lovely, 1541.

550

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Lugg, v. to drag, G6G3, 11029,
12323.

Lure, s. loss, shame, downfall,
waste, destruction, wrong, 581,
1440, 1446, 2091, 2174, 2241, 8691.

Lurk, v. to slip off, to steal away,
813, 13106; to hide, to lie hid,
1167 ; to abide in the heart, hence
to work, to fester, 1430.

Lurnyt, adj. learned, 3940.

Lusk, v. to tumble over, to throw

down, 6730.
Lust, s. desire, mil, delight, 1001,

3317, 8852.
Lusti, Lustie, adj. pleasant, 15,

337.
Lut, Luttyn, pret. of Loute,

bowed to, saluted, 1900, 6176,

6213, 9253, 11038.
Lychernes, s. See Lechernes.
Lyf, v. to live, 8114.
Lygher, s. See Ligher.
Lyke, v. See Like.
Lykyng, s. See Liking.
Lyme, s. See Lime.
Lymp, v. to lack, to fail, 36.
Lynage, s. lineage, descent, 1847,

4768, 10327.
Lynde, s. the loin, the leg, 8800.

Lyne, s. a story, a book, 8401,
8407, 9628 ; a line of descent, de
scent, succession, the crown, 1841,
10834, 13622, 13661.

Lynge, v. to remain, to continue,
12240.

Lysse, s. a lass, a young woman,
1499.

Lyste, v. See List.

Lyte, adj. See Lite.

Lythe, adj. See Lithe.

Lytherly, adv. See Litherly.

Lyve, s. on lyve = alive, 1326.

Lyvely, ado. cheerfully, at once,
368.

Lyver, v. to deliver, to free,

3227.
Lyves, Lyvys, adj. alive, 13543;

happy, exultant, rejoicing, 3456.
Ly vyaton, Lyvyatan, s. leviathan,

4423, 4438, 4446.

Macche, Mache, v. to match, to
contend with, to test an enemy's
powers in battle, 6546, 7042, 82S8,
8997, 10021, 10217 ; *. match, con
test, struggle, 1324.

Mad, adj. angry, foolish, 736.

Maden, Maydon, s. a maiden,
1373, 13S3.

Mainly, adj. manly, stalwart,
13779 ; ado. See Maynly.

Maister, s. (A.N.) a master, a
lord, a husband, 8430.

Maister-men, s. pL skilled work
men who employ others, craftsmen,
1599.

Maistre,s. (A.N.) an extraordinary
performance, a wonder, 417, 2202 ;
pi. as an adj. wonderful, marvellous,
8769.

Maistri, Maistry, s. mastery,
upper hand, rule, 2785, 13662.

Maistur, s. (A.N.) chief, 1 ; a
master, 1599 ; a skilful artist,
8733 ; adj. necessary, imperative,
11815. Maister = husband, 8430.

Maisturless, adj. without their
leader, 11131.

Maitles, adj. matchless, no longer
a match for, 7861.

Make, s. (A.S.) a companion, an
equal, 3793, 10333 ; a husband, a
wife, 10811, 11283, 12445.

Make, v. to make up, to build, to
construct, 275, 1629 ; to cause,
618.

Malis, Malys, s. malice, 1434,
10417.

Mall, v. to beat, to crash, 9520.

Manas, s. (A.N.) a threat, threat
ening, a boast, 2037, 5027, 11005.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Manas, v. to menace, to threaten,
2041, 4394, 12260 ; fret, fy part,
p. Manast.

Maner, s. kind, race, 102.

Manly, adv. manfully, bravely,

7042.
Mar, Mare, Marr, v. to spoil, to

disable, to ruin, 720, 5553, 7861,

9532, 10417; part. p. Mart,

2940.

Marbill, Marbull, Marbyll, s.
marble, 1532, 1548, 1572, 1645,
1659.

Marchand, s. a merchant, 1590.
Marche, s. a boundary, a district,

13147, 13415.
Mark, s. a coin of the value of

13*. 4rf.
Mart, part. p. of Mar, spoiled,

disabled, ruined, denied, 1855,

2940, 6128, 13909.

Marter, s. a ravager, a murderer,

3488.
Marter, Martur, v. to murder, to

mangle, to kill, 5553, 12985, 13050;

part. p. Mertrid, killed, 12424.
Mase = makes, 1402, 1851,

3292.
Mase, v. to confound, to astonish,

to stun, to stupify, 8268, 8430,

9748, 10124; part. p. Maset,

Masit.
Mason, adj. masonic, 1645.

Massely, adv. largely, massively,
3923, 3975.

Mate, v. (Fr. mater) to over
whelm, to render useless, 9532.

Mater, s. subject, discourse, cause,
event, 98, 1445, 1698, 2089.

Maument, Maumette, s. an idol,
4312, 4320, 4380; Mowmette,
2021, 4389.

Maumentre, Ma\vmentry,s. spells,
evil power, idolatry, 780, 4301,
4456.

Mawhown, Mawhownus, s. Ma
homet, 4312, 7758.

Maydon, s. See Maden.
Maydynhed, s. virginity, 12136.
Mayn, s. force, strength, 5825 ;

adj. chief, first, great, powerful,

6915, 10294.

Mayn, v. to maim, to injure,
10012.

Maynly, adv. directly, 3255 ;

Mainly, earnestly, eagerly, 13860.
Me, pron. myself, 2485.
Meane, v. to mean, to signify,

1451; to demean, 11313. See

Mene.

Meane, s. a mean, a medium,

3051 ; adj. 3069.
Meblis, Meblys, s. pi. movables,

goods, furniture, 11511, 12188.
Mecull, adj. 10. See Mekil.
Mede, s. (A.S.) a reward, 238,

620 ; v. to reward, 5124.
Medill, Medull, adj. middle,

mean, 3767, 7586.
Medill, v. to meddle, to have

carnal connection, 10811.
Meite, s. See Mete.

Meke, adj. gentle, kind, affable,
215 ; meek, obedient, 900.

Mekil, MekeU, Mekull, Mecull,
Mykull, Mykyll, adj. great, much,
10, 159, 900, 1445, 1456, 1477,
1529; Mykill, s. greatness, size,
6246 ; Mekyll, as an adv. much,
greatly, 213.

Mekyt, should be mefyt, moved,
1952.

Mele, v. to speak, to talk, to com
mune, to relate, 209, 515, 1923,
2021, 9252.

Melle, Mell, v. (A.N.) to meddle
with, to relate, to exercise, to
practise, 109, 3185, 3782, 9577;
to bear, to conduct, to demean,
2532, 6571 ; to fight, or contend
with, 5243, 10966; to beat, to
strike, 10994 ; variation of Mall.

Mend, v. to mend, to recover,
1525 ; to reward, 2404.

552

GLOSSAIUAL INDEX.

Mene, adj. mean, present, 637,
1324 1892, 7560; Meanc, 3069.

Mene, v. to speak of, to tell of,
1454, 1715 ; to remember, to re
call, 1799; to recount, 2560; to
refer, to counsel, 3284, 11249 ; to
demean, to conduct, to be ac
customed, 1750, 2773, 4276; to
bemoan, to complain, 7612, 9328
(part. Menyng, complaining,
grumbling, 9328) ; to menace, to
threaten, 7111.

Menerly, adv. politely, 12431.

Mengit, part. p. mixed, mingled,

3049. See Mynge.
Menske, v. (A.N.) to honour, to

suit, 1855.
Ment, pret. of Mene, mentioned,

450.
Menye, Meny, s. men, company,

band, 37, 4787, 524"3, 12387,

12434.

Mere, s. a marsh, 10924.

Merke, s. darkness, 3195, 5482 ;
adj. dark, 408 ; v. to darken, to
make dark, 4286.

Merke, s. a mark, a point, 7696 ;
». to note, to wit, 10638 ; to aim,
to rush at, 5196, 7034 ; to strike,
to wound, 7325 ; Merk, to devote,
to bestow, 12136.

•Merke, v. to darken, to overspread,

5477.
Merkenes, Merknes, s. darkness,

1985, 13159.
Mertrid,^>ar£. p. o/Marter, killed,

12424.

Mervel, v. (A.N\) to marvel, 971.
Merveli, s. a wonder, 1985, 5482.
Mervellus, adj. wonderful, 1572.

Mervelously, adv. wonderfully,

1456.
Mery, adj. merry, 4787.

Mesure, s. (A.N.) caution, skill,
806 ; measure, thickness, 1545 ; in
a measure = after a fixed plan,
regularly, 1648.

Met, pret. of Mete, dreamed,

8430.
Mete, s. food, a repast, a meal,

7843, 7856 ; Meite, 6427 ; Mevte,

2558.

Mete, adj. ripe, fit, 1383.

Mete, v. to name = to boot,
5482.

Metely, Metly, adv. evenly, be
comingly, 3033, 3069.

Meve, v. (A.N.) to move, to flow,
to go, to come, 30, 1601, 1691;
pret. 8f part. p. Mevyt, Mefyt,
1952.

Middis, Myddes, Myddis, s. the
middle, the midst, 1548, 1575,
1601, 2242.

Might, Myght, s. power, force,
strength, device, 618, 2773, 5825,
6246, 7815.

Mirmydon, s. a Myrmidon, one of
the soldiers of Achilles; Mermy-
don, 9372 ; Myrraaidons, 8666 5 pi.
Mirmyden, 9994.

Mirth, Myrthe, s. mirth, a game,
1064, 6052 ; v. to rejoice, to enjoy
one's self, 7910.

Mischefe, Myschefe, s. (A..N.)
disadvantage, 6493 ; disaster, in
jury, 9055, 11556.

Mishap, s. accident, mishap,
2069.

Misrewle, s. carelessness, foolish
ness, 7952.

Mo, adj. (A.S.) more ; o]>er mo
=: others, some more, 819 ; Moo,
1162.

Mode, s. (A.S.) mood, composure,
1525 ; story, 515 ; undertaking,
plan, 2205.

Mode, adj. See Mody.

Modre, s. (A.S.) a mother, 3485.

Mody, Mode, adj. moody, high-
minded, 3008, 7449.

Molde, s. (A.S.) ground, earth,
159, 1599, 4774 ; on molde = in
the land, 159, 1599.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

553

Momlyng, s. mumbling, foolish

speech, 1864.
Momurdotes, s. pi. the sulks,

9088.

Mon, s. a man, 595.
Mon, v. must, 2835; Mone, 8499.
Mone, s. the moon, 3195.
Mone, s. a month, 1064, 10243.
Mone, s. lamentation, 3562.
Moneth, s. a month, 1625, 8403.
Monfull, adj. manly, able, 2202.
Monger, s. a seller, a dealer, 1590.
Mony, adj. many, 251, 284.
Monymaker, s. a coiner, a lender,

or exchanger of money, 1590.
Moo, adj. more, 1162. See Mo.
More, adj. (A.S.) greater, of

higher rank, 1849.
More-halfe, s. greater portion,

larger number, 13303.
More-Ynde, s. India, 8631.

Mornyng, Mournyng,s. mourning,

1363, 9079.
Moron, s. morn, morning, 9141.

Most, adj. greatest, largest, 275 ;

adv. chiefly, 1477, 1548.
Most, v. must, 1691, 12683.

Mote, v. to discuss, to reason, to

reply, 609.
Mote, 6-. a command, an order,

11005.
Mowmette, s. 2021. See Mau-

ment.
Mowthe, v. (A.S.) to speak, to

whisper, 6S6 ; *. speech, by mowthe

= orally, 1917.
Mowthly, adv. by report, orally,

3538.
Mun, v. must, 3477, 12720.

Murthe, s. murder, slaughter,
5983, 6008, 8406, 9055, 13063.

Musycke, adj. mosaic ; after
must/eke = in mosaic style, 1662.

Mut, v. must, might, 4865.
Myddelerthe, s. the world, 4301.
Myddes, Myddis, s. See Middis.

Mydward, adv. towards the mid
dle, 7325.

Myghtifull,ad/. almighty, 12136.
Mykill. See Mekil.

Mylde, adj. gentle, lady -like,

510.
Mylne, s. a mill, 1604.

Myn, Mynne, v. to recollect, to
remember, 30, 37 ; to speak of, to
mention, to recall, 431, 669, 1434,
6463, 11574; pret. frpart.p. Mvnt,
431, 669.

Mynd, Mynde, s. thought, memo
ry, recollection, 769, 1434, 1477,
3528 ; mention, notice, 9074 ; in
tention, 736; reason, mental
faculty, 1363.

Mynd, v. to muse on, to think

upon, 9305.
Myne = my folks, or relatives,

1721.

Mynge, v. to mix, to mingle, to
deck, 1062, 6546, 12472.

Mynour, s. a miner, a quarrier,

1532.
Mynt, pret. fy part. p. of Myn,

431, 669.
Mynt, s. an aim, a blow, 8268.

Myrtle, Myrtil, v. to crumble, to
be shattered, 4301, 4312.

Mys, Myse, Mysse, s. (Goth.
missa) fault, wrong, crime, mis
fortune, loss, 1750, 2219, 3371,
6707, 10593, 11815.

Mys, Mysse, v. to miss, to fail,
6915 ; to lose, 10575. See Note.

Mysdo, v. to spoil, to hurt, to in
jure, 5088.

Myslyke, v. to dislike, to be vexed
for having done, to regret, 1698.

Myst, Myste, s. mist, 1985,
12495, 13159.

554

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Nagge, s. a horse, 7727.

Nait, Naite, adj. fine, superior,

3378, 8212; super. Naitest, most

noted, 1038.

Naite, Nait, v. (Icel. njota, to en
joy) to use, to employ, 776, 6031 ;
to exert, to ply, 7491, 10940.

Naitly, adv. quickly, at once,
2427; Naytely, 2746.

Nakid, s. the skin, the bare body,
6403.

Name, pret. o/Niine, took, 792.

Namet, part. p. named, 104.

Nase, s. the nose, 911, 7031.

Naturell, Naturill, adj. illegiti
mate, foster, 6770, 6844, 6932,
7786.

Nauther, Nawther, adj. neither,

2837, 4326, 4923.
Naytely, adv. See Naitly.

Ne, conj. (A.S.) nor, 420, 1865 ;

adv. nay, 1866.
Nede, v. (A.S.) to need; most

nede = must needs, 1691.
Negh, adj. near, 929, 1553.

Negh, v. (A.S.) to approach, to
come near, 672, 1964 ; pret.
Negbit, 13813 ; Neght, 672 ; part.
Neghyng, 885.

Neght, pret. of Negh, 672.

Neght, s. night, 3194.

Nelue, or Nelne, s. 170. See
Elue, or Elne.

Nem, v. to tell, to relate, to name,
153, 1115, 2746 ; Nemme, 11497.

Nemly, adv. nimbly, 1226; skil
fully, 10940.

Nene, adj. nine, 2638.

Nepe, s. a turnip, 3076.

Netherward, adv. under, below,
7717.

Nethur, adj. lower, 3076.

Neve, s. (Icel. nefi) the fist, 13889.

Neven, Nevyn, v. (Icel. nafri) to

name, to call, 5444, 6792, 6844;
part. p. Nevenyt, Nevynt.

Newe, v. (A.S.) to renew, 12973.

Newly, adv. anew, once more,

1842.
Neye, v. to neigh, 7727.

Nightwacche, s. a night-watch, a

sentinel, 7352.
No, adj. no, 1365, 1367; ne no

= nor auy, 1367, 1368.
Nobill, Noble, adj. noble, grand,

of the first rank, 49, 340, 347,

1584; powerful, 782, 883 ; Noble

= noblemen, 284.

Nobilte,s. nobility, 1842; honour,

1965.
Noblay, Nobley, s. nobility, rank,

splendour, 3372, 3450.
Noblely, adv. nobly, famously,

10318.
Noght, s. nothing, 8374, 9212;

adv. not, 934, 1823, 8485.
Noie, v. to trouble, to annoy, to

injure, 2653, 11297; Noye, 1439,

1701, 2591, 7578.

Noie, Noye, Noy, s. (A.N.)
trouble, annoyance, injury, grief,
1075, 1257, 1965, 3537, 3564;
noye for to here = fearful to be
heard!, 3701.

Noise, v. to report, 1173.

Nold, contr. for ne wolde, would
not, 7585; pret. of Nil.

Nolpe, v. to strike quickly, or
fiercely, 7475, 13889; to strike
dowu, to fell, 1257, 6580, 6613.

Nolpe, s. a blow, 6753, 14037.

Nomber, s. number, 1147.

Nome, s. a name, 37, 291, 1097 ;
v. to name, part. p. Nomet, 7305.

Nomekowthe, adj. (A.S.) famous,
2630.

Nonest, s. the occasion, 104, 284,
6195 ; Nonyst, 1502. The phrase
for the nonest is a corruption of the
A..S.for \>an ones = for the occasion.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

555

NoqAvere, adv. nowhere, 12083.
Not, s. naught, 2594.

Note, v. a form of Naite, to help,
to aid, 402 ; s. undertaking, event,
284, 2461, 7305 ; esteem, 792.

Nowther, conj. neither, 1930,
6213. See Nauther.

Noy, Noye. See Noie.

Noyes, adj. See Noyous.

Noyous, Noyus, adj. great, fear
ful, difficult, 4731, 8212, 9026,
13462, 13894 ; Noyes, 10184.

Nurtur, s. rearing, upbringing,
1885.

0, prep, of, 6623, 12427; on,
2401, 3145, 13489 ; out of, 1282.

0, adj. one, 2236.

0-backe, adv. backward, 5796.

Obit, s. funeral ceremonies, burial,
5357, 9089.

Obreade, adv. on each side, 11877.

Obrege, Obrygge, v. to lessen, to
shorten, 1811, 5030.

Occian, s. the ocean ; adj. wide,
great, 13254. See Note.

Od, adj. chief, great, 4097, 6404 ;
famous, renowned, 4165, 4401 ; as
an adv. specially, uncommonly,
7466, 10839 ; certainly, 9597.

Oder, adj. other, 11012.

Odir, s. odour, smell, 8732.

Odly, adv. nobly, bravely, 6859.

Of, prep, by, 290, 1692 ; out of,
1254, 5913, 12727; from, 1245,
1820, 12689 ; on account of, 5788 ;
for, 11038 ; adv. off, 938, 7065.

0-fer, adv. afar, 280, 1642.

Offence, Offens, s. resisting, op
posing, 9700, 13911.

Offerond, Offrond, s. an offering,
2021, 4468, 11790.

Oftsithe, Oftsythes, adv. often,
2144, 10797.

Ogh, v. to be due, 5357.

Oght, s. aught, anything, 2786,
8036, 10590.

Oghter, adv. in the least, at all,

1898.

Olofte, adv. aloft, standing, in
existence, 349.

On, adj. one, 2, 13889 ; prep, on,
upon, over, 336, 342, 1156, 1312 ;
during, for, 1827.

One, similar to the affix self, as
in hym one = himself; hir one =
herself, 685 ; adv. alone, particu
larly, 1389, 2888 ; one best = the
best, 11255.

Onest, adj. honest, truthful, re
liable, 48, 1471; decent, respect
able, 2858.

Oneste, s. respect, 2861 ; Onesty,
good name, 2965.

Onestly, adv. suitably, respect
ably, 281, 1600.

Onsware, v. to answer, to reply,
1121.

Oon, adj. one, 8590.

Openly, adv. openly, clearly,
boldly, 1646; Opunly,'3657.

Opon, Opun, Opyn, adj. open,
1575, 3759, 4268.

Oppon, prep, upon, 1679.

Opponon, adv. thereupon, there
after, 9809.

Opynond, part, opening, reveal
ing, 553.

C)T,prep. before, 114; conj. (o]>er)
else, 1821 ; adv. (cfr) ere, before,
1475, 8938 ; or if were knowen =
rather than it should be reported,
584.

Ordand, Ordant, pret. of Ordain,
ordered, appointed, 281, 8139;
ordant alyue = brought to life
again, 9831.

Orible, adj. horrible, fearful,
151, 8732 ; Oribull, 165.

Orient, s. (A.N.) the east, 151.

Ornyng, Ournyng, s. shrinking,

556

GLOSSAR1AL INDEX.

wincing, chagrin, terror, 1919,
4767, 12711.
Ost, s. a host, an army, 2056.

Other, Othir, pron. sing, $ pi.

other, others, 4767, 10749, 11245,

11257, 11483.
Ought, pret. of Ough, or Ow,

owned, possessed, 103. See Ow.
Ourn, v. to droop, to sink, to

shrink, 2203, 2540 ; to wince, to

cause to wince, 4857, 6404; part.

Ournand, 2203 ; Owrnond, 13399.

Ournyng, s. See Ornyng.

Oute, adv. out, away, 1707; in

the world, alive, 2175.
Outlawhe, v. to outlaw, 12373.

Outrage, adv. very, exceedingly,

3774.
Over, pi'ep. away from, from off,

280, 1640; beyond, above, 265,

2965.
Overdrogh, Overdroghe, pret.

passed, was done, ended, 673,

4664, 7630, 9932.
Over-hild, pret. of Over-hele,

overspread, 2374.

Over-loke, v. to look over, to ex
amine, 2241.
Over-passe, v. to pass by, to be

overlooked, 1424.
Overput, part. p. glossed over,

subdued, 160.
Overraght, pret. of Overreche, or

Overrax, overhauled, re-examined,

69; overcame, 13898.

Overthwert, adv. in secret, at the

same time, 8059.

Overtyrn, v. to overthrow, 1406.
Overwalt, part. p. overturned,

8155. See Walt.

Ow, v. to possess, to own, 4914.
Owkewardly, adv. contrariwise,

falsely, 8139.
Owre, s. an hour, 707.
Owther, conj. or, either, 924,

6798.

Paire, Payre, v. (A.N.) to impair,
to injure, to fade, 7902, 9128,
9227 ; part. p. Pairet, Peire,
3588.

Pal, Pale, s. a fort, a fortress,

322, 5610, 9870 ; pi. Pals, Pales,

1378.
Palais, Pales, Palys, s. (A.N.) a

palace, 322, 1385, 1629, 13878.
Pale, s. a boundary, a country,

13874.
Pale, adj. white, foaming, 2004,

13874.
Pale, v. to pall, to deck with

hangings, to drape, 8385.
Pall, v. to cut, to thrust, to

crash, 10022, 11132.
Pall, s. a kind of fine cloth, 435.
Palladian, s. palladium, 11852.
Panys, s. (A. 1ST.) the panache, or

plume on the top of a helmet,

5722.
Pappe, s. the breast, the teat,

8485.
Parnter, s. (Parmentier or per-

mentier, parator) a decorator or

embroiderer. See Note.

Part, v. to divide, 1130.
Part-taker, s. a partaker, a sharer,

2183.
Partie, s. (A.1ST.) a part ; pi.

regions, countries, 2162.
Pas, Pase, s. (A.1ST.) a section, a

division, 663, 8970; a step of a

stair, M77 ; a pass, 13013 ; to the

pase = in step, 10647.
Pass, Pas, v. (A.N.) to excel, to

exceed, to surpass, 626, 2384 ; to

leave, to pass from, 1409, 1710 ;

to succeed, 8295.
Pay erne, s. pagandom, 2162.

Payment, s. a pavement, a side
walk, 352. Chauc. pament.

Payne, s. pain, agony, suffering,
1364.

Payne, v. to busy, to urge, 10336.

QLOSSARIAL INDEX.

557

Pece, s. See Pes.
Peire, s. a pear, 3080.
Peire, v. See Paire.
Pelow, s. a pillow, 12613.
Pelur, s. a fur, 435.

Pepull, Peopull, Pupull,s. people,
multitude, 1034, 1159, 1184, 2025.

Peradis, s. Paradise, the Garden
of Eden, 5496.

Pere, s. (A.IST.) a peer, a brother,
a companion, 3673, 7154.

Perel, s. peril, danger, 184.

Perfourme, v. to complete, to
finish, 2022.

Perisshe, Periche, Perysshe, v. to
perish, to lose, to destroy, 7614,
11278, 11360.

Perlanient, Perlement, s. a par
liament, a council, 2095, 9379.
Peril, s. a pearl, 1674.
Per louse, adj. perilous, 564.

Perrieris, s. pi. (A.N".) jewels,
precious stones, 1670.

Persayve, v. to perceive, to under
stand, 1815.

Perse, v. to pierce, 1286, 10768.

Pert, adj. subtle, cunning, clever,
113, 812, 977 ; of good appear
ance, lovely, 542, 1462.

Pert, v. to part, to separate,
2156.

Perte, Pertie, s. a part, a district,
217, 305 ; the fore perte = the
breast, 884.

Pertly, adv. (A.JST.) quickly, 1033,

1130.
Pertnes, s. neatness, trigness,

9205.
Perysshe, v. See Perisshe.

Pes, s. a piece, a point, a place,
181, 943, 1164 ; pi. Pesys, pieces
of money, coins ; Peces, points,
1164.

Pes, v. to place, to seat, 1096.

Pese, s. peace, 1713; v. to appease,

3809.

Petie, s. pity, 8686.

Pight,pret. placed, fixed, fastened
or yoked, 310, 903 ; part. p. set,
fixed, held, 1578, 1670, 2079,
4056 ; pic/ht on theprinse = aimed
at the prince, 8258.

Pike, Pyke, v. to plunder, to rob,
1371, 3199, 12862.

Pilde, pret. of Pill, 903.

Pile, s. (Lat.) a javelin, 6976.

Piler, PyUer, s. a pillar, 310,

1578.
Pill, Pil, Pyll, v. to pillage, 2282,

5000 ; to turn up, to plough, 903 ;

pret. Pilde.

Pilour, s. a robber, a plunderer,
12862.

Pisshes, s. the sign Pisces,
4039.

Plain, Plaine, Playn, Playne,
adj. clear, smooth, level, fixed,
423, 1578, 2079; *. play, satis
faction, 1331.

Plaint, Playnt, v. to complain, to
bewail, 3554, 8095; *. wailing,
8686.

Plaintiose, Plaintiouse, Plaintius,
adj. plentiful, abundant, 3153,
3314, 11492 ; plainlius money =
very abundant.

Playne, v. to complain, to bewail,
3471, 8871, 11545; part. Play-
nond.

Playnt. See Plaint.

Plentius, adj. copious, abundant,

fertile, 341, 12412; Plentious,

12400.
Pies, v. to appease, to pleasure,

11849, 13325.
Plesaund, adj. pleasing, joyous,

gladsome, 2885, 12412; Pleasaund,

12400.

Plesauns,s. (AN.) pleasure, 2311.
Plete, v. (A.K) to plead, 9596.

558

GLOSSARIAL IXDEX.

Plite, Flit, Plyt, s. position, con
dition, appearance, state, circum
stance, undertaking, 545, 4778,
8019, 9714, 10363, 11301.

Plodder, s. a bully, a "brave,
12862.

Ploghe, s. a plough, 903.

Pluccid, adj. pimpled, covered

with pimples, 3837.
Pluttide, adj. rough, like the skin

of a plucked fowl, 3078.
Plyt, s. See Plite.

Pointe, Pointte, s. a deed of arms,
position, 540, 564 ; a sneer, a
nickname, 7900.

Poite, s. a poet, 306 ; Poyete, 31,
47, 289.

Pore, adj. poor, 1807 ; weak,
low, 9596.

Porke, s. a pig, 3837.

Porknell, s. a little pig, one as
fat as a pig, 6368.

Port, s. carriage, behaviour, 9148;
a gate of a town or a castle, 9172,
9300, 10858, 11273; a harbour,
13146, 13338.

Possessiant, adj. possessing, pos
sessed, 2627.

Post, s. a courier, a runner, 6271.

Pourly, adv. beseechingly, 11553.

Povert, s. (A.K) poverty, 2587.

Power, s. a great number, a force,

a company, 1227, 10658 ; as a s.

pi. 10647, \>o pouer = those forces.
Poyete, s. See Poite.
Praty, adj. good-looking, comely,

clever, 2622, 10815 ; Prati, 13634.
Pray, s. prey, booty, spoil, 3166 ;

v. to plunder, to spoil, 1371, 2134,

2643.
Prech, v. to utter, to speak, 2207.

Prese, s. (A.N.) a crowd, 2868 ;

the thick of the battle, 8317.

Presse, 2157.
Present, v. to represent, 2190.

Prest, adv. hard, fast, quickly,

1315.
Prest, s. a priest, 11700, 11737.

Prestly, adv. quickly, eagerly,

1092.
Preyse, v. to praise, to extol,

2151.
Price, s. (A..N.) value, worth,

1674, 3445. See Prise.
Prick, v. to pain, to sting, 142 ;

to record, to relate, 289, 306 ;

Prikkit, part. p. 418 ; to spur, to

dash, 1281, 1315, 8555 ; Prickond,

part.

Prickyng, s. remorse, regret, 2183.
Pride, s. strength & courage, 160.
Print, v. to imprint, 195.

Prise, s. note, worth, renown, 47,
322, 1099, 10815; risk, hazard,
hazardous attempt, 1201, 2034,
2838.

Prise, adj. good, noble, valiant,

206, 289.
Prishede, s. valour, renown, 2907.

Prist, adj. great, noble, valiant,
renowned, 33, 312, 2752, 2871.

Pristly, adv. quickly, earnestly,
skilfully, 330, 1043 ; truly, 1015.

Proces, s. a story, a relation,
247; Prose, 11523; Presses,
13774.

Procur, Proker, v. to procure, to
obtain, 11555, 11558, 11603,
11614.

Profer, Proffer, s. an offer, a pro
posal, 250, 262.

Professi, s. (probably for profes
sion) declaration, statement, 2667.

Proffer, v. to set forth, to offer,
to expose, to risk, 1096, 2139.

Proker, v. See Procur.

Prokuring, s. procuring, manage
ment, 13766.

Propurty, Propurk', s. value,
worth, propriety, 626, 2530.

GLOSSARIAL IXDEX.

559

Prose, s. See Proces.
Presses, s. See Proces.

Proude, Prude, adj. proud, glad,
strong, valiant, splendid, powerful,
113, "262, 322, 435, 1378, 6718,
8385.

Proudfall, s. the fore-locks, the

front-hair, 3025.
Proudly, Prudly , adv. beautifully,

splendidly, to advantage, 371, 1651,

1661, 8385.

Proues, s. prowess, 5169.
Provyns, s. a province, a country,

the people of a country, 217,

1642.

Prude, adj. See Proude.
Prudly, adv. See Proudly.

Pullishet, part p. polished, bright,
4589. Pullyske playne. — Lydg.

Pupull, s. people, band, force,
6877, 11278. See Pepull.

Pure, adj. fine, nice, 1690 ; full,
3013 ; complete, thorough, 1817.

Purpos, s. plan, business, work,
1629, 1710.

Purpos, v. to purpose, to be in
clined, 1690 ; Purpas, 1868.

Pursu, v. to follow, 1150.

Pursuet, s. desire, eagerness,

8882.
Purvey, v. (A.N.) to provide,

2132.
Purviance, s. provision, 1043.

Put, v. to put, to set, to set forth,
to send, to set out, to go forth,
33, 267, 1016, 1796, 8987; to
think, to deem, to award, to divide,
258, 1146, 2410, 4874.

Pyke, v. See Pike.

Pyne, Pyn, s. pain, torture, 195,
1516, 8686; pyne to behold =
horrible to be seen, 993 ; pyne for
to here =• painful to be heard,
1516.

Pyne, v. to punish, 2325 ; to

exert one's self to the utmost, to

do one's best, 11558.
Pynner, s. a pin-maker, latterly a

jobbing carpenter, 1591. See Note.

rynour, a labourer, a scavenger.
Pyte, s. pity, 1516.

Quern, adj. See Qweme.
Quit, mistake for Put, 2655.
Quite, Q \vite, Qwyte, Kuyt, adj.

white, 2737, 3028, 4973.
Quycke, adj. See Qwicke.
Qwaint, adj. strange, ingenious,

old fashioned, 777, 1531, 1627,

2693, 6051 ; *. a cunning plan, or

trick, 13245.

Qwaintan, s. a quintain, a game

at tilting, 1627.
Qwaintly, adv. neatly, skilfully,

becomingly, 3404.
Qwait, Qwate, v. to await, to

watch, 13245.
Qwalle, s. a whale, 3055.
Qwatjpron. what, 1794.
Qwate, s. peace, quietness, e. g.

of mind, hence, judgment, 13681.
Qwat-so, pron. whatsoever, 6325.
Qwe, s. a fife, or pipe, 6051.
Qwele, Qwell, s. a wheel, 7126,

13681.
Qwelle, 11 to lay low, to kill,

1333, 12994.
Qweme, Qwem, adj. fair, bright,

pleasant, lovely, 633, 777, 3055;

apt, ready, skilful, true, 1531, 4202,

5351; Quern, 6973; close, sure,

true, 1763.
Qweme, v. to conclude, to settle,

to make friends, 1809, 11509; to

fit, to suit, to compare, 3028, 3404.
Qwemly, Quemly, adv. truly,

heartily, completely, 4378, 11783.
Qwen, adv. when, 1940, 12180.
Qwene, s. a queen, 1627 ; Qwhene,

a lady, 3163.

5CO

GLOSSAR1AL INDEX.

Qwerfore, adv. wherefore, 1928.

Qwert, s. health, spirits, 6941 ;

in /toll qwcrt = in perfect health.
Qwhene, 6-. See Qwene.

Qwhile, Qwhyle, Qwile, s. a while,

a time, 3102, 5003, 5420, 8381; a

hond qwhile = a short time, 5003.
Qwiche, pron. which, 12244,

12659.
Qwicke, adj. living, alive, 4378 ;

Quycke, 617.
Qwil, Qwill, adv. while, 2094,

11286 ; Qwyles, 3939.
Qwistle, s. a whistle, a fife, a

clarionet, 6051.
Qwit, v. to quit, to renounce, to

acquit, 1763, 13086; part. p.

Qwyt, quit, 1809.

Qwit-claym, Qwite-elaym, v. to
renounce, to abjure, 1763, 13086.

Qwite, Qwyte, adj. white. See
Quite.

Qwith, v. to bestow, to deliver,

6973.

Q\vo, pron. who.
Qwose, pron. whose, 11 266.
Qwyles, ado. while, 3939.
Qwyver, s. a quiver, 7730.

Ead, adj. quick, hasty ; a rad
haste = hot haste, 917 ; full rad
= full quickly, 1143, 9233, 13007.

Eadly, adv. (A.S.) readily, quick
ly, 462, 772, 2698.

Eadness, s. redness, 624.

Eafe, pret. of Eefe, Eive, tore,
took, 7629, 7788.

Eagget, adj. rough, rugged, rag
ged, 12559, 13525.

Eaght,^»'ei. of Work ; raglit vpon
rowme = cleared the ground,
1533. Or it may be

Eaght, pret. of Eache, Eax, took,
seized, tried, 3883, 6767, 8299,
10876; fled, 14000; Raught,?S6.

Eak, s. mist, 1984.

Eake, Eaike, Eayke, v. to pro
ceed, to wend, to go, to gush, to
rush, 2999, 4631, 6370, 6904, 93S6,
9652; to mingle, to blend, 3048.

Eanke, adj. strong, furious, head
long, 1392, 1879, 13902; steep,
rugged, 1991 ; abundant, 9204.

Eape, v. (A.S.) to haste, to hurry,

818, 1897, 4620, 7373.
Eape, s. violence, plunder, 4923,

4926.
Eape, s. a rope, a cable, 4620 ; a

band, a company, 5633.
Eappe, v. (A.S.) to batter, to

dash, 13007.
Eappe, s. a blow, 7680.

Eaught, pret. handed, gave, 786.

See Raght.
Eaunge, v. to range, to arrange,

5678.
Eauthe. See Euthe.

Eaviche, v. to snatch, 3722 ;

Ravisshe, to ravish, 2926,
Eavis, adj. mad, raving, 12149.
Eayn, s. rain, 1579.

Eealme, s. a realm, 243 ; Eeame,
221; Rem, 1906, 12195; llewme,

285.

Eech, v. to tear, 13939.
Eecounsel, v. to reconcile, 12931.

Eed, adj. red ; red gold = bright

gold, 1742.
Eed, v. to spoil, to plunder,

12002.
Eede, v. to say, to tell, to advise,

to counsel, 1906, 5129, 12579 ; to

be advised, 3308 ; pret. Red.

Eede, Eed, s. counsel, advice,
1736, 2668; wits, 2926; as \>ai
rede toke = as they pleased, 12266.

Eedie, v. to make ready, 5648;
pret. Redyn.

Eedounde, v. to give back, to re
turn, to echo, 10183.

GLOSSAIUAL INDEX.

561

Redur, s. (A.~N.) wrong, violence,

plundering, 1736, 1805, 1912.
Redyn, pret. o/Redie, 5648.

Refe, v. (A.S.) to tear, to snatch,
6838 ; pret. Refte, 10008.

Eefut, s. (A.N.) refuge, shelter,
5723.

Regne, v. (A.N.) to reign, 13695.

Rekon, v. to recount, 2031.

Releshe, v. to give up, to hand

over, 13626.
Relike, s. spoil, goods, property,

1412, 11391.
Rem, s. See Realme.

Reme, v. (A.S.) to cry, to moan,
to lament ; part, as *. Remyng,
8511, 8696, 9126; overflowing,
9982.

Remnond, s. remainder, 7149,

14000.

Remorce, s. remorse, regret, 1698.
Render, v. to give up, 13069.

Renke, s. (A.S.) a man, a knight,
814; Rynke, 7486; Rynk, 10435,
13629.

Rennyng, Renyng, part, fy s.

running, 2365, 7743.
Renttes, s. pi. income, resources,

estates, 1732, 11395.
Reprofe, s. a reproof, 2034.
Reprove, v. to chide, 1817.
Repugn, v. to resist, 2670.
Rescow, v. to rescue, 10435.
Resort, v. to return, to come,

3553.

Rest, Reste, s. a struggle, a con
test, 800, 886.
Restore, v. to re-collect, to rally,

5857.
Reve, v. (A.S.) to rob, to take

from, 1756.

Reveray, s. robbery, 7651.
Rewarde, s. (A.N.) regard, respect,

3087.

Rewerd, s. a burst, an outburst.

11949. See Rurde.
Rewle, s. rule, 6278.

Rewme, s. a realm, a country,

285, 1414.

Reyne, s. a rein, 1231, 1258.
Riall, Rioll, adj. royal, 1630; *.

a king, a prince, 1074, 7157.
Rially, Riolly, ado. royally, 355,

3009 ; Ryolle, 231.
Ribold, s. a ribald, a rascal,

7651.

Ricche, Riche, v. to adjust, to
right, to mend, to improve, 1231,
1258, 9257, 13149 ; to stretch, to
grasp, 2370, 6693 ; to avenge,
1736, 2059.

Rid, v. to clear away, 1533, 5343,
6478, 6733.

Rife, Riffe, Ryfe, adj. plentiful,
abundant, 1117, 1694, 5575, 8823,
11775.

Right, adj. true, proper, 1756;
adv. rightly, just, exactly, 1443 ;
right to = as far as, clear to, 1234,
5907 ; by right = correctly, 34 1.

Right, v. to correct, to re-arrange,
69.

Rightwise, adj. (A.S.) upright,
3888.

Rigour, s. determination, 9863.

Rinel, Rynel, s. a runnel, a small

stream, 5709, 7506.
Rink, Rynk, Rynke, s. a man,

7131, 7486, 10435. See Renke.
RioU, adj. See Riall.
Riolly, adv. See Rially.
Riolte, s. royalty, grandeur, 3464.

Ritte, v. to tear, to rend; pret.

Rut, 6977, 10704.
Rive, v. (A.S.) to rend, to split,

to tear; pret. Rof, 5907; Rofe,

10298 ; Roofe, 1234, 11094.
Rixle, v. (from A.S. rixlian) to

rule, to bear rule, to command, 221,

36

562

OLOSSAKIAL INDEX.

2726; to lead, to bring, 5129; to
wrestle, 13891.

Roche, v. to tear, to burst, to

shatter, 12511.
Rod, Rodd, s. a shaft, a spear,

1234., 11094.
Rode, s. a harbour, 5586, 12689 ;

road, journey, undertaking, 1180 ;

Roode, 1045.

Rogh, Roghe, adj. rough, wild,

1045, 2031 ; Roght, 10161.
Roght, pret. of Reck, cared,

minded, 11005.
Roicond,pir£. mingling, blending,

3771. See Roike, Rake.
Roid, Roide, Royde, adj. fierce,

angry, 1984, 4428, 7743, 10161.
Roidly, adv. fiercely, furiously,

912, 10298.
Roike, v. to streak, to blend,

3987 j part. Roicond, 3771.
Roile, s. a Flemish horse, a steed,

1258, 7787, 8337, 10215.
Roke, s. common soldiers, waifs,

7149.
Roket, s. a rochet, an overcoat,

13525.
Rom, v. to go, to roam, 818,

13587.

Romans, s. a romance, 5544.
Ron, pret. o/Run, 9233.

Ronk, adj. strong, 4783 ; noted,

5544.
Roode, s. See Rode.

Roofe, pret. of Rive, shivered,

1234.
Ropand, part. adj. crashing,

beating, 3693, 4631, 9637.
Rore, s. a cry, 8518.
Rote, s. (A.S.) a root, 11775.
Rother, s. a sailor, a boatman,

2999.
Rout, Route, Rowte, s. a band,

a company, 231, 355, 1143,

6604.

Routond, part. adj. rushing,
roaring, 1986.

Row, s. a row, order; rekont by
row •=. recounted in order, 2031.

Rowchet, mistake for Kowchet or
Cowchet, inlaid, adorned, 8386.

Rowte, s. See Rout.

Royde, adj. See Roid.

Rud, s. red, ruddy colour, 3048.

Ruerde, s. See Rurde.

Rufull, adj. heart-piercing, heart
rending, 8518.

Rug, s. mist, rack, 9652. See Rak.

Rugh, Rught, adj. rough, fierce,
3693, 6632, 12689, 13902.

Ruly, adj. obedient, 3888.
Rurde, Ruerde, Rewerd, s. noise,

shock, 11949, 12697, 13902.
Rut, v. ;o throw, to dash, 912,

3695, 5699, 9637, 12691.
Rut, pret. of Ritte, rent, pierced,

6977, 10704.
Ruthe, s. pity, compassion, 8511,

9982 ; ruthe to be-holde = pitiable

to be seen, 1986.

Ryfe, adj. See Rife.
Ryfte, s. a shattering, 12697.
Rynel, s. See Rinel.
Rynk, Rynke, s. See Renke.
Ryve, v. to tear, to pull down ;
part. p. Ryvyn, 4783. See Rive.

Sacramen, s. an oath, 3362.

Sad, adj. serious, solemn, intense,
severe, 248, 380, 455, 1263 ; great,
deep, skilled, learned, 679, 1277,
1485, 1544; many, 1738; as an
adv. secure, securely, 2078.

Sadly, adv. seriously, actually,
630; firmly, securely, 11109.

Saf, adj. safe, well, 10246.

Sagh, s. a saying, a proverb, a
story, 2075, 2954, 10445; Saw,
3191, 12214.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

5G3

Saglit, pret. of Seek, sought,

searched for, 7670.
Sale, s. (A.N.) a hall, a palace,

361.
Salue, v. (A. IS".) to salute, to

greet, 1909, 4981.
Salus, s. pi. greetings, 3640.
Sam, adj. same, 10829.
Samyn, adv. together, 752, 1176.
Sanct, s. a saint, 6279.
Sang, s. a song, 3474.

Sarre, adj. comp. (A.S.) sorer,

2074, 9156.
Sarrigold = pure gold, 9502.

Saul, Saule, s. the soul, 6324,
12137 ; Sawle, 10768.

Saut, Saute, Sawte, s. (A.N.) an
assault, 57, 85, 3532, 6869,
11158.

Save, prep, except, 1707.

Savyng, prep, for lack of, 1126;
with all respect for, 7587.

Saw, s. (A.S.) a saying, a pro
posal, 3191, 12214.

Sawen, part. p. of Saw, sown,
2463.

Sawte, s. See Saut.

Sawter, s. the Psalter, 4435.

Say, v. to tell, to relate, 374;
pret. Sf part. p. Said, 1073, 1416;
pret. Sayn, Sain, said, 277, 5203,
5214.

Say, s. a speech, a proverb, an

opinion, 8063.
Sayn, Sain, pret. of Say, said,

277, 5203, 5214.

Schalk, Schalke, s. See Shalk.
Schall, v. shall, 6900.
Schent, v. See Shent.
Schir, adj. See Shire.
Scho, pron. she, 12148, 12150,

12152 ; Sho, 10774, 13858 ; She,

10776, 10777.
Schope, v. See Snope.

Schuld, pret. of Shall, 10441,
12238, 12240, 12243, 12659, 13630.

Schyver, s. a shiver, a fragment,
6888.

Sclaunder, v. to slander, to blame,
834 ; s. blame, slander, disgrace,
11756; Sklaunder, 1810, 4932.

Scrive, s. a shriek, a noise, 9511.

Se, v. to see, to look on, to be
hold, 1643, 1985 ; imperat. 1422 ;
pret. Segh, Sogh, saw, 739, 1317.

Se, s. the sea, 1982; See, 1989.

Seche, v. to seek, 531, 11702,

12677.
Seche, adj. such, 11680.

Sedur, s. the cedar ; of sedur tre

= of cedar wood, 1658.
Seek, v. to agitate, to work upon ;

pret. Sought, 8716 ; Soght, 9127.
Sege, s. (A. S. ) a man, a noble, 9979.

Segh, pret. of Se, saw, beheld,

1222, 1246.
Seie, Seye, v. (A.S.) to turn, to

turnover, to fall down, 2512, 3398,

6579, 6644 ; pret. Seit, Seyit, Seyt ;

Seyn, shut, 7129.

Seigne, s. a sign, 3108.
Seke,ad/. (A.S.) sick, 6057,9175.

Seke, v. to go on pilgrimage, to
worship, 2002 ; pret. Soght.

Seker, Sekir, Sekur, adj. sure,
secure, 198, 7991 ; Syker, 1544.

Sekurly, adv. certainly, surely,
9979.

Selfe, adj. (A.S.) same, 13828.

Selkowth, adj. wonderful, 13506.

Selly, adj. (A.S.) wonderful,

marvellous, 10484, 10753, 13275 ;

adv. wonderfully, 1544 ; s. a marvel,

a wonder, 5153, 11668.
Sembland, Semblaund, s. (A.N.)

appearance, countenance, 469,

2700.
Semble, v. to assemble, to collect,

6992.

564

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Semble, s. an assembly, a council,
a battle-field, 3737 ; Semely, 7389 ;
Seraly, 4160.

Seme, v. to seem, to appear ; me
semys = it seems to me, me thinks,
1737.

Seinly, adj. comely, good-looking,
beautiful, 127, 1472, 8246 ; s. a
lady, a gentleman, 503, 1854;
Semely, 390, 560.

Semond, part, seeming, seen, ap
parent, 469.

Semple, adj. low, downcast, 8247.

Semster, s. one who does the
ornamental sewing on gloves and
other kinds of leather work ; hence
they are classed with sadlers and
souters; 1585.

Send, v. to send, to keep, to de
fend, 3510 ; pret. Send, sent,
10796 ; part. p. Send, sent, 105'01.

Seniour, s. a chief, 13056.

Senowe, s. a sinew, a muscle,

8794.

Sent, v. to assent, 6280.
Seond, part, seeing, 8094.
Ser, compar. of Sere, sure, 5627.

Serch, v. to turn up, to dig, 1 534 ;

to plunder, 12015 ; to test, to

measure, 1537.
Sercle, s. a circle, 1658; circuit,

course, 1052, 1555 ; site, situation,

335.
Sere, adj. several, many, 1413,

2000, 7160; all; on sere haluys

= on all sides, 1353, 1702, 6070,

12980; on sere halfe, 6054; sure;

comp. Ser, surer, more secure, 5627.
Sere, v. to serve, to worship, 2946,

or, as above, several, "to" redund.
Serklyt, adj. encircled, 3038 ; set

with, 3408.
Sertan, adj. certain ; in sertan =

assuredly, 9556.

Servage, s. (A.JST.) bondage, 1384.
Serve, v. to deserve, 550.
Ses, Seso, v. to cease, to cause to

cease, 941, 2259; to seize, 1153;

pret. Sesit, 1384, 1877; part. p.

Sesit, Sesyt, 1303, 1457 ; to give

seizin to, 119.
Sesyn, s. a season, 1442.
Sesyng, part, snatching, 2463.

Set, v. to fix, to put, to keep, to
settle, 379, 1419, 1728, 1828; to
deal, to give, 1263, 9016; to ac
count, to regard, 5002 ; to satisfy,
to suit, 223 ; pret. Set ; part. p.
Set, situated, seated, 1611, 1711,
2028; set up, completed, 1689;
arranged, disposed, 3031.

Sete,pret. o/Sit, sat, 11109.
Sete, s. an abode, a palace, 1630.

Sethyn, adv. (A.S.) afterwards,

455. See Sithen.
Sevyan, Seyvyn, adj. seven,

10118, 10546.

Sevynt, adj. seventh, 6215.
Sew, pret. of Sow, sowed, 941.
Sew, v. to proceed, to follow, 361,

1475, 11109 ; to sue, 1854.
Sewertie, s. surety, certainty,

9241.

Sewte, s. a company, 12995.
Sextene, adj. sixteenth, 10639.
Seye, v. See Seie; pret. Seyn,

shut, 7129.
Shake, v. (A.S.) to set out, to

roam, 2921, 3178.
Shalke, s. (A.S.) a man, 72, 89.

Shame, v. to be, or to become

ashamed, 7468.
Shap, s. shape, form, 1550.

Shape, v. (A.S.) to shape, to
form, 1649; to dress, to array,
2572; to cause, to bring about,
2073 ; to direct, to guide, 1 14t ; to
hie, to haste, — pret. Shope, 2758.

Share, v. (A.S.) to cut, to shear,
1233, 1269, 11113; piet. Share.

Sharpe, adj. quick, rapid, 2738.

Shaw, s. a thicket, a small wood,
12974.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

565

Shede, s. the parting of the hair
of the head, 3023.

Sheltron, Sheltrone, Sheltrun, s.
a squadron of ships, 3239 ; a body
of soldiers, 5249, 5804, 10047.

Shemere, v. (A.S.) to glitter, to
shine, 4974.

Shend, v. (A.S.) to destroy, to
shatter, 2544, 5249, 5697; pret. 8f
part. p. Shent ; to excuse, to par
don, 8119.

Shend, a form of Send, v. pret.
defended, answered in defence,
8144.

Shene, a form of Sene, part. p.
seen, 89, 2950.

Shene, adj. (A.S.) bright, splen
did, beautiful, 330, 1408 ; noble,
exalted, 600 ; as a s. fair one, lady,
8144 ; as an ado. well, seemly, 1649.

Shenship, s. confusion, disgrace,
ruin, 4176, 8119.

Shent, part. p. excused, pardoned.
8119 ; ruined, shattered, exhausted,
10348, 13416. See Shend.

Shentyng, part, shrinking, shun
ning, withdrawing, 481. See Shone.
Shevere, v. to shiver, 1264.

Shew, v. to appear, to offer, to
display, 801, 1581 ; to look upon,
1456, 1550.

Shilde, s. (A.S.) a shield, 889,
1194; v. to shield, to defend,
12310.

Shire, Shyre, adj. (A.S.) clear,
bright, fresh, sparkling, 270, 330,
346, 1269, 2373; great, solemn,
729 ; Schir, 12168.

Shodere, Shodure, v. to shudder,
to burst, to break, 1335, 3706.

Shogge, v. to attack, to thrust,

11089.
Shok, Shoke, pret. went, passed,

1980, 3132 ; carried, 9907, 11124;

rent, split, 6888.

Shold, pret. of Shall, should, 7558;
Shuld, 10795.

Shone, v. to shun, to shrink, to
rush from ; pret. Shont, 919, 1335.
5732 ; Schunt, 13730.

Shont, pi'et. of Shone.

Shope, v. pret. made, shaped,
made for, prepared, put, fell, hap
pened, 72, 1780, 2758, 3245
10242, 10348 ; Schope, 13730.

Shot, pret. fy part. p. entered,
passed, put, set, filled, 1901, 5564,
9509 ; rushed, 5933.

Shote, s. a clump, a group, 330 ;
Shotte, a flood, a stream, 3300.

Shottyn, pret. shot, tossed, 1408.

Shoure, s. a shower of rain, 1577;
a conflict, a combat, 5804, 11048.

Showve, v. to fly away, 11804.

Shrike, s. a song, a carol, 346 ; v.
to sing, 12974.

Shuld, pret. of Shall, should,
were about to, 10795.

Shunt, v. to shun, to shrink, to
withdraw, to retreat, to desist,
600, 729, 10377, 10998 ; to free
from, to protect from, 2544 ;
Schunt, 13730.

Shyre, adj. See Shire.

Sib, Syb, s. (A.S.) a relation,

5449, 5461.
Sib, Syb, Sibbe, Sybbe, adj.

(A.S.) related by blood, near, 2057,

5019, 70SO, 7090.

Sib-men, Syb-men, s. relatives,

kinsmen, 1802, 2588, 11293.
Sibradyn, s. (A.S.) relationship,

10326.

Siche, adj. such, 7585.
Sicken, Sykyng, part, sighing,

866, 12427. See Sike.
Sighkyng, part, falling down,

hanging, waving, 3900.
Sight, s. sight-seeing, curiosity,

2874.
Sike, v. to sigh, to sob, 1 307 ;

part. Sikyng, 1515, 2680 ; Sykyng,

495, 866.

5G6

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Siker, adj. certain, sure, expert,
2075, 3903 ; (Sekir, 6950 ; Syker,
1544; Sycher, 13861;) compar.
safer, better, 1752.

Sikernes, s. security, 11733.

Sikyng, Sykyng, s. sighing, sob
bing, 1515, 2680, 8032, 8452.

Sile, Syle, v. to drop, to fall, to
flow down, 1307, 2168, 2680; to
compose one's self, 372, 9210 ; to
pass, to move, 364, 1973.

Sir, s. a sire, a father, 7894 ; a
knight, a noble, 9470.

Sit, probably for Set, 2730.

Sital, 8. a stringed musical instru
ment, 3435. Chauc. citole.
Site, s. a city, 10409.

Sith, adv. since ; s. a way ; no

sit A = in no way, 9535.
Sithe, Sythe, s. (A.S.) time, 188,

11039, 12996.
Sithen, Sythen, adv. (A. S.) since,

after, afterwards, 66, 176, 4558,

13790; Sethyn, 455.

Sitte, v. to become, to suit, to
concern, to befal, 530, 2130, 2284;
Syt, 2552 ; part. Sittyng, becom
ing, suitable, more becoming, 1737,
2962, 12345.

Skaire, v. to divide, to send forth,

to set here and there, 1089.
Skant, adj. deficient, imperfect,

4067.
Skape, v. to shape, to lead to, to

bring, 8897; to escape, 834, 13117,

13130.

Skathe, Skather, v. to skathe,

to harass, 2111, 5557.
Skathe, Skath, s. injury, damage,

danger, 834, 1810, 2725, 13130.
Skathell, Skathill, adj. fierce,

cruel, 4067, 13130.
Skathill, adv. grievously, far

gone, 13397.
Skelte, v. to warn, to report,

1089, 6042 ; part. Skeltyng.

Skepe, pret. of Skape, escaped,
12700 ; burst forth, 13616.

Skerre, v. (A.S.) to scare away,
13404.

Sket, Skete, adj. swift, fierce,
headlong, cruel, 13434, 13442,
13523, 13672.

Skethill, adj. 13442. See Ska
thell.

Skewe, Skiew, s. the sky, the
heavens, 9637, 9932, 10182, 12496,
12500.

Skire, Skyre, adj. fierce, cruel,
angry, 8897, 12500, 12700, 13397,
13616.

Skirme, v. to battle, to flash,

12500, 13601.

Sklaunder. See Sclaunder.
Sknowe, s. snow, 10971.
Skope, pret. of Skape, 13541.
Skorne, s. contempt, 1874.
Skoute-wacche, Scowte-wacche, s.

a sentinel, 1089, 6042.
Skowre, s. a score, 2638.

Skreme, v. to scream, to bellow,
910 ; part. Skremyng, 10182.

Skrow, s. the sky, 910; Skrew,
10182.

Skryke, s. a shriek, 910; v. to

shriek, 10182.

Skylle,s. skill, opportunity, 1874.
Skyrme, s. battle, struggle, 13541.

Slade, s. (A.S.) a ravine, a narrow
way, a valley, 6006, 6601, 6795,
7005, 7693, 10673.

Slagh, Slaght, Slaghte, s.
slaughter, murder, 2178, 6006,
7693, 9270, 13008, 13609.

Slange, Slaunge, pret. of Sling,

dashed, 1296, 13745.
Slawthly, adv. skilfully, quickly,

10306.
Sle, v. (A.S.) to slay, 1978, 10957.

Slecynge, s. rheum from the
nostrils of a beast, 908.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

5G7

Slegh, adj. skilful, far-reaching,
3849; neatly formed, 3063.

Sleghly, Slely, Slighly, adv.
slyly, cunningly, skilfully, cleverly,
swiftly, 196, 789, 1251, 1296,
6409.

Slegh t, s. (A. S.) skill, contrivance,
the knack of doing anything, 196,
1251, 1296, 9186; perfection,
beauty, 3063 ; Slight, 10673.

Sleppit, part. p. slept, 817.

Sletyng, verbal s. sleight, cun
ning use of anything, 196.

Slicche, s. mud, wet, plashy
ground, slush, 5710, 13547;
Sluche, 12529 ; Sliche, 5763.

Slighly, adj. See Sleghly.

Slight, s. See Sleght.

Sling, Slyng, v. to cast, to cast

do\vn, to dash, 8851 ; prei. Slange,

13745; Slaunge, 1296; Slong,

4215.
Slip, Slyp, v. to glide, to fall, to

slip, 8096; fret. Slypped, 2378;

part.f. Slippit, 8428.
Sliper, adj. slippery, 11295.
Slit, v. (A.S.) to cleave, to cut

through, to rip, 5939, 6409, 7004,

7340.

Slithe, s. for Sliche. See Slicche.
Slober, s. foam, drift, 12529.
Slogh, s. a slough, 13547.
Slogh, pret. of Sle, slew, killed,

1218, 1296, 9038; Sloght, 9728 ;

Slough, 10306.

Slomer, v. (A.S.) to slumber, 6,

8428 ; part. Slomeryng.
Slomur, s. slumber, 13285.

Slong, Slongen, Slongyn, Slungen,
pret. of Sliug, cast, dashed, 3201,
3217, 4215, 12529.

Slote, s. the throat, 908 ; the
hollow in the throat above the
breast, or, the pit of the stomach,
3063, 5939, 6409.

Slough. See Slogh.

Sluche, s. slush, foam, 12529.

Slym, Slyme, s. slime, mud, quick
sand, 5710, 13547 ; a snare, a trap,
13281.

Slyme, v. to do anything care
lessly, to pretend ignorance, 8096.
Slyng, v. See Sling.

Slyngyng, part, casting down,

slaughter, 6006, 7693.
Slyp, v. See Slip.

Smaragden, s. a precious stone,

probably sardonyx, 924.
Smelt, adj. shining, polished,

bright (as if smelted), 1667.
Smert, adj. rough, uncut, 924 ;

sharp, fierce, 9512.
Smethe, adj. (A.S.) smooth,

polished, clear, 924, 1667, 11796.
Smorther, s. a suffocating smoke

or smell, smut, 911, 3511, 9512,

11796

Smult, pret. of Smile, boiled,

bubbled, rushed, 911.
Soberly, Soburly, adv. earnestly,

248, 380.
Soche, adj. such, 1364; so great,

so noble, 1725.
Socur, s. (A.N.) succour, help,

1344 ; allies, 9700 ; v. to succour,

to help, 6447.

Sodenly, adv. suddenly, 1697.
So-gat = in such manner, 5207.
Sogh, pret. of Se, saw, 739.
Soght, Soghton, Sought, Sought-

on, pret. of Seek, sought, searched,

invented, 1623 ; went, pushed on,

rushed, poured, 964, 1353, 5903,

9127; rose, 1091; fell, 4315;

came, entered, 392, 1376, 8716;

departed, 6644, 13209; part. p.

driven, forced, 1513.
Soiourne, v. to sojourn, to abide,

382.
Solas, s. (A.N.) comfort, good,

1605 ; v. to solace, to amuse, 1620 ;

to enjoy, 1752 ; to entertain, 9704.

568

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Solempne, adj (A.K) solemn,

1630, 2915.
Solempnite, s. performance, 2884;

Solenite, sacred rites, 9094.
Solly, adj. sad, dismal, 8713.
Solstacion, s. the Solstice, 10637.
Som, Soum, s. a sum of money,

189, 4469 ; pi. Sommys, 192.
Somer, Somur, s. summer, 1626,

1627.
Somon, Somyn, v. (A.N.) to

summon, 205, 1702, 2579.
Somyn, adv. (A.S.) together, 66.

Son, Sonne, Sun, s. the sun,
1539, 2730.

Sender; in sonder = asunder,
2747.

Sone, adv. (A.S.) soon, at once,
940, 2668 ; comp. Soner, sooner,
2182 ; super. Sonest, soonest, fore
most, 1877, 2184; Sonyst, 1155.

Sop, Soppe, s. a "band of men,
1309, 1311, 6054, 6739, 6758 ; a
soppe holle = one mass, 1289, 9986.

Sope, s. a draught, 3299.

Sopertyme, s. supper-time, 3398.

Sor, Sore, s. a sore, a wound,

9193, 9270.
Sore, adj. great, 1259 ; severe,

1266 ; adv. sorely, 1307.
Sore, Sory, adj. sorry, worthless,

wicked, 4467, 10445.
Sorgrym, s. See Sourgrem.

Sorili, Sorily, adv. miserably,

certainly, 754.
Sorow, s. sorrow, grief, 1457,

1515.
Sort, s. manner, 4326 ; a set, or

company, 5782.
Sossynge, s. fondling, cajolery,

wheedling, 2932.
Sot, s. (A.K) a fool, 1961.
Sote, pret. of Sit, sat, 8266.
Sotell, adj. subtle, cunning, 1576.

Soteltie, s. a device, ingenuity,
1623, 8395.

Sotely, adv. skilfully, 3031.

Sothe, adj. (A.S.) true, 11 ; s.
truth, 36, 158, 188, 277.

Sothely, adv. truly, certainly,
altogether, 335 ; Sothly, 1019.

Sothyn, s. glossing, special plead
ing, 11495.

Sotly, adv. in truth, soothly,
4219, 4229.

Soudiour, s. a soldier, 1136.

Sonet, should le Sonet, grieved,
495. See Souue.

Sought, pret. of Seek. See Soght.

Soume, Sowme, s. a sum, a num
ber, a band, 1136, 2321, 4132.

Sound, Sounde, adj. safe, whole,
unhurt ; in sound = in safety, 547,
1813; adv. safely, 652.

Sounde, s. a message, 2102,
10506, 10621.

Soundismen, s. messengers, en
voys, 8866.

Soundly, adv. safely, 1826.

Soune, v. (Fr. soin, Jamieson,
Sonyie) to grieve, 5284 ; Sonet, 495.

Soune, s. a sound, 11919.

Sourcher, s. choking, agony, 9127.

Sourde, v. (A.N.) to swell,
5051.

Sourdyng, s. dislike, hatred, 1000.

Sourgrem, Sourgreme, s. venge
ance, revenge, 1000, 2053, 3505 ;
Sorgrym, 9042.

Soveran, adj. (A.K.) excellent,
1125.

Soverans, s. assurance, protection,
3154.

Sowme, s. a number, 1291. See
Soume.

Spand, v. to break up, to shatter,
12692.

Spar, s. a blow, a thrust, 10684.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

5GO

Spar, Sparre, v. to aim, to hurl,

6494, 6502, 6690, 6914.
Spare, v. to spare, to leave, to

omit, 1274, 13173.
Spart, s. Sparta, 1011.

Spase, s. the open sea, 2811 ;

time, 12692.
Specially, adv. particularly, 1492,

10186.

Specyal, s. a favourite, a servant,
4292.

Sped, pret. o/ Spede, 13236.
Spede, Sped, s. haste, progress,

success, 823, 984, 1107, 1120,

2090, 13236.

Spede, v* (A.N.) to speed, to
hasten, to succeed, 233, 1776,
1968 ; fret. Sped, exerted, 13236.

Spede-full, adj. helpful, 1107.

Speire, Spere, Sper, s. a spear,

3698, 5852, 6887, 7007.
Speke, v. to speak ; part. Spek-

aud, 4292.
Spell, s. a spell, rapt attention,

2090 ; a season, an interview, 7917.
Spence, s. expense, 233 ; Spense,

13692,
Spent, pret. of Spend, spent,

hurled, 6502 ; fastened, 10942.
Spere, Spire, Spirre, v. to ask, to

inquire, 4297, 8161, 9555, 10186,

12093, 13135; pret. $y\i&; part.

Speryng.

Spicer, s. a grocer, 1595.
Spie, s. a spy, 13477.

Spille, v. (A.S.) to destroy, to
kill, to wreck, 1968, 8134, 12119,
12692, 12736 ; pret. $• part. p.

Spilt.

Spilte, adj. waste, bare, 4060 ;

dead, 6416, 10131.
Spire, v. to ask, 8161.

Spire, v. (Lat.) to rush up, to flow,

3698.
Spiritualtie, s. doctrine, 3100.

Spise, v. to despise, 3889.
Spite, s. spite, hatred, contempt,

1968, 12093 ; v. to hurt, to injure,

2114.

Spitiously, Spitously, Spitusly,
adv. fiercely, furiously, 3698, 6911
7479.

Sporior, s. a spur-maker, 1595.

Spousaile, s. espousals, marriage
vows, 12736.

Spred, part. p. spread, covered,
1428.

Sprent, pret. of Springe, shivered,
split, 7248.

Spret, s. a spirit, 13217.
Springe, v. to warp, to break, to

shiver, 1195 ; to dawn, to spread,

295, 1128, 1137.
Spritte, s. a spirit, 4297.
Spronge, Sprongen, Sprongyn,

Sproungen.jore^. of Springe, broke,

shivered, 1195, 5783, 96(56, 11022 ;

Sprongyn, part. p. 6406.

Sprotte, s. a fragment, a shiver,
1195, 5783, 6406, 7248, 9066,
11022.

Spurn, v. to beat, to drive, 4744.

Spyll, s. a splinter, a fragment,

11119.

Spynner, s. a spinner, 1595.
Stable, adj. sure, sound, 1423.
Stad, s. stoppage, delay, 4654.

Stad, v. to stand, to stop, 11073 ;
part. p. Stad, placed, situated, 1319,
9437, 12874; opposed, pitted,
2389 ; caught, 12520, 13290 ; pret.
Stad, sufficed, 4681.

Stake, pret. of Steek, Stick,
shut up, closed, 893, 11147, 13844 ;
stuck, caught, 9435.

Stale, pret. of Steal, stole, 988,
6455, 12282, 12831.

Stall, s. a booth, 1580.

Stall, v. to satisfy, to fill, 5186.

Stalle,ac7/. proud, obdurate, 9789.

570

GLOSSAUIAL INDEX.

Stalworth, adj. (A.S.) strong,
brave, 365, 9lS2.

Stalworthly, adv. bravely, secure
ly, 2076.

Stanke, s. a tank, a receptacle,
11189.

Starf, pret. o/Sterve, died, perish
ed, 7398, 9583, 9870.

Staring, Staryng, Starond, adj.
shining, glittering, 3037, 7349,
10783, 11943.

Statur, s. a statue, 11654.

Stele, Stel, s. steel ; as an adj.
9634.

Step, v. to march, to go, 351.

Stepe, adj. deep, full, 3758, 7724.

Stere, s. a rudder, 1981, 1997,

13282.
Stere, s. strife, struggle, battle,

7398.
Sterne, s. a star, 1057, 1498.

Stert, v. to start, to burst, 5871 ;

to begin, 6258 ; to leap, 942, 1240.
Steuyn, Stevyn, s. (A.S.) voice,

shout, cry, 3865, 10898.
Steynit, pret. stoned, 12157.
Sthoure, s. See Stoure.
Stick, v. to stab, to pierce, 11091.

Stid, s. position, posture, seat,
5767, 8627; palace, 9712, Stide,
1761.

Stiden, pret. of Stie, mounted,

leaped, 4948.
Stightill, v. to guide, to govern,

to work, 117, L997, 13282; to

subdue, 2193.

Stightly, adv. See Stithly.

Stilly, adv. quietly, noiselessly,
12831.

Stire, v. to wend, to direct, to
steer, 959, 4654, 4948, 9171; to
peruse, 4047 ; to rouse, to toss,
4169, 12505 ; pret. Stird.

Stirond, adj. unsteady, 3833,
8057.

j Stirryng, s. a bustle, a gathering,

a merry-making, 2928.
Stiryng, s. raging, 12067. (Pro
bably another spelling of last
word.)

Stithe, Stythe, adj. (A.S.) strong,
rank, broad, brave, heroic, noble,
7, 21, 251, 727, 922, 945.

Stithely, Stithly, Stythly, adv.
stoutly, greatly, 1240, 5871.

Stody, s. study, reverie, 2515,
9263.

Stoken, Stokyn, part. p. of Stick,

patched, compiled, 11; shut, closed,

9207; stuck out, prominent, 3758;

fixed, in its place, 12227.
Stondyng, part, standing, set,

1580.
Stonye, v. (A.N.) to astonish, to

confound, 2515, 10371, 11806.
Store, Storre, adj. (Icel.) strong,

great, 538, 1193 ; Stoure, 942.
Store, v. to restore, 727 ; to fill,

to choke, 8862.
Storven, part. p. o/Sterve, killed,

dead, 9634.

Stotie, v. to stutter, 3881. See
Stut.

Stound, s. (A.S.) a moment, a

while, 7910, 9770.
Stoupe, v. (Icel.) to stoop, to

shrink, 7256, 10150.
Stoure, s. (Icel. styrr) battle,

shock, onset, attack, 7, 28, 365,

1179, 7691; opposition, difficulty,

615 ; time, space, 4681.
Stoure, adj. See Store.

Stourk, v. to strike, to beat at,

13885.

Stoute, adj. great, lovely, 8388.
Stowrnes, Stowrenes, s. greatness,

excess, 9015, 10345.
Stoynye, v. to stagger, to reel,

7431.
Straght, pret. o/Streke, stretched,

swung, 9 15, 1240; extended, 302k

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

571

Strang, adj. strange, unknown,

9758.
Straught, part. p. of Streke,

stretched, passed, 11.
Straunge, adj. as a s. a stranger,

a foreigner, 2975.
Straungior, s. a stranger, 2879.
Straw, v. to strew, 12145.
Stray, s. straggling; stert upon

stray = begin to straggle, or to

desert, 6258.
Streglit, adj. straight, direct, 351,

959, 1574, 3024 ; vppo streaht =

upright, 3840 ; ado. straight, di
rect, 1354.
Streght, pret. of Streke, struck,

rushed, 1354.
Streit, adj. close, 2815.
Streke, v. to stretch, to extend, to

pull out ; pret. Straglit ; part. p.

Straught ; to strike, to fight ; pret.

Strekyn, 7786, 11061.
Stremes, Stremys, s. waters, the

sea, 283, 1603 ; gleams, fire, 7724.
Strenght, v. (A.S.) to strengthen,

to support, 283, 2127 ; Strenkyth,

7855.
Strenght, s. (A.S.) a stronghold,

a fortress, 3234 ; might, resistance,

1035, 6272, 6276, 12182; nature,

kind, 567; Strenkith, 12182;

Strenkyght, 6276 ; Streukyth,

6272.

Strenklit, part. p. sprinkled.
Strete, s. (A.S.) a street, 1354,

1574, 12145.
Streught, adj. straight, direct,

3758 ; a streught loke = a full,

bold gaze.
Striffe, s. struggle, quarrel, main

force, 174, 6787 ; Stryfe, 28.
Strike, s. a straight line, 3-024.

See Note.
Stronge, adj. great, unusual,

1574.
Stroy, v. to destroy, to spoil, 928,

2118, 10319.

Stuerne, adj. stern, strong, 538,
4169 ; s. a man. au enemy.
567.

Stuf, Stuff, s. material, might,
283, 6272, 6276; v. to fill, to
replenish, 7855 ; to occupy, to
take up one's attention, 10264.

Sturne, adj. stern, strong, 7450 ;
Styrn, 9511.

Sturnly, adv. sternly, firmly,
6852.

Sturnyst, adj. super, of Sturne,
3960.

Stut, v. to stutter, 3825.

Styfe, adj. strong, great, 1527.

Stylle, adv. quietly, noiselessly,
in secret, 988.

Stynke, s. foul water, 11189.

Stynt, v. (A.S.) to cease, to stay,
to hinder, 3S25, 4028, 7857, 9679,
13892, 13957.

Styrn, adj. See Stuerne.

Styrond, adj. See Stirond.

Sue, Sew, v. (A.X.) to go, to pro
ceed, to follow, 687, 820, 1422,
1475; to rush, 1243, 1259; to
seek, to sue, 1737.

Suerge, s. (O.F. cerge) a wax-
taper, 700.

Suet, s. pursuit, 6014.

Suete, s. See Sute.

Suffis, v. to suffice, 13609.

Suffrayn, s. a sovereign, a king,
5055.

Suld, should, 5413.

Sum, adj. $ s. some, 277, 1856,
9939, 11513 ; sum tyme = formerly,
1729.

Sun, s. a son, 6567.

Sundre, v. to sunder, to break up,
5945.

Suppouel, v. to supply, 2788.

Suranse, s. assurance, 10238.

Sure, adj. secure, safe, 687, 1689;
adv. surely, 277.

572

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Surfetus, adv. uncommonly, in
ordinately, 4219 ; Surffetus, 9352.

Surly, adv. securely, 1236.

Suster, s. (A.S.) a sister, 1284.

Sute, s. a suite, a company, 546,
3257, 11455 ; Suete, 8888.

Sutelly, adv. cunningly, skilfully,
3038.

Swage, v. to assuage, 579 ; to
pledge, 13643 ; to back, to cut at,
7430.

Swale, v. to swell as in music, to

sing, 1061.
Swalgh, s. a whirlpool, 13299.

Swalpre, v. to plunge, to toss

about in water, 12526.
Swalt, part. p. of Swelt, dead,

5753; fret, died, 1200, 6503,

7769.
Swalton, Swaltyn, pret. of Swelt,

died, fell dead, 5741, 8319.
Swang, Swange, pret. of Swing,

hurled, rushed, 10390, 10430;

struck, 13590.

Swap, Swapp, s. a blow, 5741,
10905.

Swap, Swappe, v. to strike
quickly, as with a sword, to cut,
1271, 11002, 13585 ; pret. Swappit,
4687, 5936, 6699 ; part, as a s.
Swapping, 5785; Swappyn, 9668,
Swappyng, 1889.

Sware, s. struggle, ado, 1200.

Sware, adj. square, "broad, 3967.

Swarve, v. to stretch, 2358 ; to
swerve, to glance off, 5785.

Swat, pret. of Sweat, perspired,
3895, 10201. See Note on 1. 3895.

Swayme, s. See Swym.

Swelt, v. (A.S.) to faint, to swoon,
to die, to fall dead, 1889, 3551,
8705, 10905 ; pret. Swalt, 1200,
6503; Swalton, Swaltyn, 5741,
8319 ; part. p. 5753.

Sweppit, pret. of Swepe, swept
along, gushed, 342.

Swerde, ,9. a sword, 1240, 3503.

Swerd, 8319.
Swcre, Swcyre,t'. to swear, 11833,

11837, 13643.
Swete, adj. sweet, pure, 10GO ;

sacred, 11381; as a s. a sweet,

13683.

Swetnes, s. sweetness, purity,

342.
Swice, adj. as an adv. angry,

5071. See Swike.
Swicly, adv. angrily, quickly,

10390.

Swike, Swyke, adj. (A.S.) de
ceitful, treacherous, false, 11833 ;
as a s. deceit, 11837 ; Swice,
angry, 5071.

Swing, Swinge, s. a dash, a blow,
a cut, 1271, 6699, 13024.

Swinge, v. to beat, to battle with,
13299.

Swinke, Swynke, v. (A.S.) to
work, to labour, 3604 ; s. work,
3895.

Swire, Swyre, s. (A.S.) the neck,
3301, 9136.

Swith, Swithe, adv. (A.S.) soon,
quickly, immediately, 1230, 1982,
2076, 5936, 10723, 13156.

Swogh, s. (A.S.) a swoon, a state
of insensibility, 3551, 8705.

Swoghyng, part. (A.S.) murmur
ing, sighing, 1061.

Swolow, v. to swallow, to sink,

12, 13683.
Swone, v. to swoon, 13683 ; s. a

swoon, 10763.
Swongen, part. p. of Swinge,

beaten, 3503.

Swonghe, error for Swoughe, a
murmuring, a purling, 342.

Swoty, adj. perspiring, 2366.

Swyke, s. deceit, 11837.

Swym, Swyme, s. (A.S.) forge t-
fulness, 12 ; a swoon, unconscious
ness, 3551, 5753, 8319, 10567',

GLOSSARIAL, INDEX.

573

fear, dread, terror, 2366, 3503 ; as
an adj. dazed, muddled, deadly.
3601, 9561.

Syb, Sybbe, adj. See Sib.
Sychen, part. 1524. See Sichen.
Sycher, adj. See Siker.

Syde, adj. (A.S.) long, wide, far
off, distant, 1513, 1843, 7670,
13989.

Sydelyng, adv. side-ways, 7320.

Syense, s. science, knowledge,

1485.
Syker, adj. See Siker.

Sykyng, part. § s. sighing, 495,

866, 8032, 8452, 10484.
Syle, v. See Sile.

Syling, Sylyng part, falling,

flowing, 1307, 8142.
Symylacres, s. idols, 4315.

Syn, Syne, adv. since, seeing that,
1106, 1865; after which, after
wards, 2551.

Synagod, s. a temple, 4467.
Syster, s. pi. sisters, 10759.
Sythe. See Sithe.
Sythen, Sython, adv. See Sithen.

Tabernacle, s. a canopy, a throne,

1671.
Tabill, s. a table, 1665.

Tables, s. the game of back
gammon, 1624.

Tache, Tacche, v. (A.N.) to fix,
to fasten ; to tache on =. to rush on,
to attack, 6717, 8297.

Taght, pret. of Teche, (A.S.)
taught, advised, counselled, 881,
6117,10279; Toght, 9232.

Tainted, adj. attainted, 8109.

Take, v. (A.S.) to take up, to

begin, 747; to attack, 10197;

part. p. Takyn, seized, 10197-
Takell, Takyll, s. tackle of a

ship, 3704; arms and armour,

6186.

lale, s. (A.S.) a story, a remark,
number, reckoning, 1941, 2619
2746.

Talent, s. (A.N.) desire, inclina
tion, 464.

Taliour, s. a tailor, 1586.

Tall, adj. fine, solemn, obsequi
ous, 3098.

Tally, adv. finely, elegantly, com

pletely, 8813.
Tane,Tan,j?ar#. j>. o/Take, taken,

1010, 2645, 9072, 12207, 12825.
Tapster, s. a seller of liquor, a

taverner, 1594.
Tary, v. to delay, 1508, 11653;

part. Tarying, as a *. delay,

hindrance, 1094, 1938.
Tase, Tas, pres. t. of Take, takes,

661, 7067.
Taste, s. smell, the sense of smell,

1668 ; with taste for to louche =

tested by the sense of smell.

Taverner, s. the keeper of a

tavern, 1594.
Taward, Tawardes, prep, with,

against, towards, 3324, 5072, 6097.
Tes, 3 sing. pres. of Te, to raise,

to elevate, hence to esteem, to hold

dear, 8313.

Tegh, v. to go, to haste, to hie,

1518, 1786, 2541, 12903; pret.

Tegh, Teght, Tight, 1358.
Tegh, v. to tie, to fasten, 3523,

10382, 12154.
Tegh, v. (A.S. te6n) to tug, to

draw, to pull, 7628.
Teler, s. (O.F. Teller) a linen

draper, a cloth merchant, 1586.

Temyn, part. p. of Teme, related,

of the same blood, 3306.
Tendle, s. a candle, a splint of

resinous wood used as a candle,

6038, 7353.
Tcndre, v. to make tender, to

melt, 10769.

574

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Tene, s. (A.S.) grief, anger, spite,
rage, injury, mischief, 81, 1978,
2718, 10079.

Tene, v. (A.S.) to grieve, to in
jure, to become angry or spiteful,
4567, 4600, 9448, 10078.

Tenful, adj. angry, spiteful,
12252.

Tenfully, ado. angrily, bitterly,
12233.

Tensiche, adv. ten times, 5966.

Tent, adj. tenth, 4480.

Tent, s. attention, heed, 2462 ; v.

to attend to, to beed, 665, 719,

2310, 2718, 10237-
Ter, pret. of Tere, 9501.
Tere, s. a tear, 1307.
Tere, v. to tear, to shatter, 1966 ;

pret. Ter, 9501.
Terne, s. a tarn, 11187.
Terne, v. to turn, to result, 2943.

Terage, s. (L.) land, territory,
realm, 154, 1072, 12786 j Terrage,
13631.

Teth, s.pl teeth, 177.

Text, s. foundation, cause, origin,
51.

Thai, pron. those, 1024.

Thaim, pron. them, 1582.

Thaire, pron. their, 1581.

Than, adv. then, 271, 2423, 2427,

10794 ; be than = by that time,

383.
Thar, impers. vb. it behoves,

2080.
That, adv. so, 934 ; pron. what,

1158, 11374; that = at that,

1829.
The,^row.thee, 1938, 2388, 6427,

8084, 10495 ; they, 8008, 10292,

11399, 13927.

Thedur, adv. thither, 88, 13454.
Thegh, Theghe, s. (A.S.) the

thigh, 8800, 9021, 9467.
Then, conj. than, 1849, 1882.

Therapon, adv. thereupon, 8447.

There, adv. Avhere, 1355 ; thence,
11818 ; there, 11817.

Therewith, adv. thereat, there
upon, 10162.

Thes, Thies, pron. these, 1454,
1736, 6859, 8269, 9416, 11048.

Thester, Thestur, adj. (A.S.)
dark, 2362, 4629, 13461.

Thethen, adv. (A.S.) thence, 8790.

Thewe, s. a sinew, pi. resolution,
pluck, 4016.

Thi, 2974, prob. for This.

Thick e, adj. as s. the thick part,
9021 ; adv. much, often, greatly,
thoroughly, 147, 8623, 9972 ; m
crowds, 2867 ; angardly thick = in
great crowds, 11831.

Thigge, v. to beg, 13549.
Thin, pron. thine, 7931.

Think, v. to intend, to resolve,

1883.
Thirle, v. (A.S.) to pierce through,

9061.

Tho, pron. (A.S.) those, 1312.
Thoche, adj. such, 3513.

Thof, conj. though, if, 136,
1253; Thogh,1312.

Thoght, Thoghte, s. mind, 144 ;
thought, purpose, 994; pret. oj
Thenke, thought, imagined, ex
pected, 10339.

Thole, Thowle, v. (A.S.) to bear,
to suffer, to endure, 577, 950,
1253, 1520, 2283, 8499, 9674.

Thondir, Thoner, s. a thunder
storm, 7619, 12496.

Thonke, v. to thank, 955 ; pret.
Thonket, Thonkit, 1024, 2152.

Thonre, v. to thunder, 1987j
Thunre, 3691, 4629.

Thos, pron. those, 1499.

Thow, pron. thou, 2070, 2086,

2089.
Thowle, v. See Thole.

GLOSSABIAL INDEX.

575

Thraldam, s. thraldom, 1399.
Thrang, pret. of Thring, crowded,

pressed, 8283, 9416 ; crushed,

battered, 11135.

Tli range, adj. as adv. busily,
heartily, 3091.

Thrappit, pret. o/Threpe, battled,
contended, argued, hurried, crowd
ed, 2003, 2152, 3691, 9641, 10098,
10123, 13811.

Thrast, pret. of Threste, (A.S.)
thrust, put, packed, 1399, 4129,
11043.

Thrat, adj. opened, wide, 3045.

Threpe, v. to assert, to contend,
to battle, 12134; pret. Threppit,
12235. See Thrappit.

Threpe, Threp, s. asseveration,
to-do, 1127, 6142 ; contest, attack,
melee, 5246, 9845, 9850, 11043,
11143.

Threpond, adj. determined, stal
wart, brave, 5475, 10847.

Threte, s. threatening, 2595.

Thretyng, s. threatening, threats,
4893.

Threvan, part. p. of Thrive, pros
pered, grown, 13760.

Thricche,s.astab,athrust, 12752.

Thricchet, adj. thick, dense,
packed, 13461.

Thriccing, part, of Thriche, press
ing, wringing, 1522.

Thrid, adj. third, 1482, 6113.

Thried. See Trie.

Thrifte, s. luck, fortune, success,

1883.
Thriftily, adv. neatly, nicely,

3045.
Thrille, s. (A.S.) a hole; pi. the

nostrils, 3045, 7727.
Thring, Thryng, v. (A.S.) to

crowd, to press, to thrust, to crash,

11727; pret. Thrang, Throng;

part. Thryngyng, 9641 ; part. p.

Thrungya, 11723.

Thriste, Thristy, adj. trusty,
4088, 13998.

Thristely, ado. certainly, surely,
10831.

Thrive, Thryve, v. to prosper,
4832 ; part. Thrivand, Thryvond,
successful, famous, worthy, 1482,
2742, 4103, 9508 ; part. p. Thre
van, 13760.

Thro, adj. (A.S.) eager, earnest,
bold, cruel, 147, 470, 1399, 6446.

Throly, adv. pertinaciously, 208 ;
vehemently, terribly, 1987.

Throng, Thronge, s. a crowd, a
melee, 1341, 11043 ; pret. o/Thring,
crowded, pressed, crushed, thrust,
2362, 6446, 6516 ; Thronght, 7040;
adj. strong, earnest, 12225.

Throtle, v. to throttle, to kill,

12752.
Thruble, v. to trouble, to rage,

7619, 12496.
Thrugh, prep, through, 1129;

Thurgh, 169.

Thrugh, s. a stone coffin, a sar
cophagus, 11820.
Thrungyn, part. p. of Thring,

pressed, close, 11723.
Thry, for J)rie or fries, thrice ; or

he rest thry = ere he rest thrice,

800.

Thryvond, part, of Thrive, 9508.
Thught, pret. of Think, thought,

9957, 10277, 12254; Thughten,

3189.

Thunre, v. See Thonre.
Thurgh, prep, through, 169.

Thurght, prep, throughout, 6958,

12091.
Thurt, impers. v.pret. (A.S.) need

be, could be, might be, 12001.

See Thar.
Thus-gatis, adv. (A.S.) in this

manner, 4500.
Tid, Tyd, adv. quickly, promptly,

7126, 8002.

576

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Tide, Tyde, v. (A.S.) to happen,

to befal, to succeed, 201, 265 ;

pret. Tide, Tyde, 81, 99 ; Tid, 1202,

4489.
Tide,s. ( A. S.) season, opportunity,

time, 1974, 13152.
Tide, adj. ready, apt, skilful,

10049 ; Tyde, 1202 ; super. Tidi
est, 1035.
Tidely, adv. cleverly, smartly,

6839.
Tight, pret. of Tegh, went, hied,

1358.
Tild, (A.S. telde)pret. $ part. p.

o/Tild, built, 1088, 1455, 1551,

11664; Tilde, 1560.
Tild, s. a building, 2687.
Till, prep, to, towards, 131,

11249.
Tilt, (Icel. tilla,pret. tylte) tilted,

shot, 914.
Tirghit, part. p. of Tirr, or Tirgh,

tired, become heartless, 4758.
Time, v. to turn, to throw, 1512,

10197.
Tise, Tyse, v. to entice, to beguile,

201, 11781.

Tit, adj. dear, loved, 7106.
Tite, Tyte, adv. soon, quickly,

immediately, 180, 256, 1819.
Tithaundes, Tithynges, Tyth-

andes, Tythondys, s. pi. tidings,

1141, 1301, 3006, 6263.
Titly, Tytly, adv. immediately,

quickly, 1094, 2030.
To, prep, by, 128 j towards, 1001,

1316 ; for, 1045, 1397 ; against,

12815.

To, adv. too, 3043, 3044, 10770.
Toght, part. p. of Teche, taught,

instructed, 9232.
Toile, s. the piece of armour

buckled to the tasset, and hanging

over the cuishes, 6420 ; struggle,

battle, 6958, 7435.
1oke,pret. o/Take, took, handed,

783 ; seized, 1279, 7802 ; take fiym
on \>e hcd = struck him on the
head, 8224.

Tokyn, pret. of Take, 2013,

4696.
Tokyn, s. instruction, direction,

881.
Tome, s. (Icel.) leisure, 43, 307,

644.
Tomely, Tomly, adv. leisurely,

1088, 2447, 3117; Tombly, 11488.
Ton, the one, one, 1131, 6420,

13206; Tone, 13822.
Ton, part. p. of Take, taken,

elected, 5191.
Too, prep, to, 312.

Top, s. a game of chance in which
a top is used, 1626.

Topsayles, adv. head foremost,
1219.

Tore, adj. (Icel.) difficult, irk
some, tedious, 644, 2782, 3911,
8717; sturdy, great, lofty, 1035,

i 1131, 1637, 3348, 6717 ; full, re-

'" plete, 3348 ; Toure, 320.

Torette, s. a turrit, 1560.

Torfer, Torfor, s. (Tcel. tor-fori)

harm, mischief, disaster, 81, 2033,

7435 ; pi. Tourfer, 5672.
Torne, part. p. of Tirn, turned,

driven back, 1208 ; or, sundered.
Torres, s. pi. towers, mountains

(of waves), 1983.
Torret, turreted, 1637.

Torrit, adj. tower-like, crested,

13489.
Tote, v. (A.S.) to gaze eagerly, to

observe, 862, 8178.
Tother, Tothir, Tothyr, adj. $ s.

the other, 63, 1672, 6325, 8015 ;

the ton fro the tother = the one

from the other, 3911.
Touch, v. to test, to try, 1668;

to open up, to explain, 1716;

Touchet, touched, 1337.
Toun, Toune, s. a town, 320.

GLOSSAKIAL INDEX.

577

Tour, Towr, s. (A.N".) a tower,

J531, 1634

Toure, adj. lofty, 320. See Tore.
Tourfer, s. See Torfer.
Tow, adj. two, 310.

Traie, v. (A.N.) to betray, to
twist, 42.

Train, Trayn, Trayne, s. treason,
treachery, stratagem, 94, 3789,
4449, 10330, 11303, 11709.

Trant, Traunt, s. a trick, a strata
gem, 12205, 12210.

Trase, v. to smear, to spatter,
11813.

Trauthe, Trawth, s. truth, honour,
pledge, 1749, 7874, 8000, 10110.

Trawe, v. to trow, to believe, 298,
3351.

Trayn, Trayne, s. See Train.

Tre, s. wood, 1658, 5499, 11676 ;
the shaft of a lance or spear, 9434,
9540, 11096.

Tregetre, s. trickery, magic, 1624.

Trendull, s. a hoop, a spindle,

453.
Trespas, s. offence, affront, 13403.

Tretable, adj. (A.N.) tractable,
reasonable, 3835.

Trete, v. (A.N.) to treat, to bar
gain ; fart. Tretyng, treating, bar
gaining, 7851.

Trety, s. a story, tradition, 154,
8383. Another form </Tretys.

Trew, 6-. (A.K) a truce, 2619,
8372. See Tru.

Trew, adj. true, faithful, trust
worthy, 8383, 11976.

Trewmen, s. pi. trusty men,
11157.

Treyne, s. See Train.

Triet, Tryet, adj. (super. o/Trie)
choice, the best, 1665, 9106 ; well
known, famous, 1840.

Tri fuls, s. pi. trifles, inventions,
fables, 43.

Trist, s. trust, hope, confidence,

8859, 11709.
Trist, v. to trust, 424, 5838;

fret. Trist, 256, 12712.
Tristy, adv. trusty, secure, 218,

1487.
Trouthe, Trowth, s. troth, pledge,

promise, 3802, 12303.
Tru, True, s. a truce, 7141, 7165,

7851.

True, adj. as s. a trusty person,
10842.

Truncheon, Trunchen, Trunchon,
Trunchyn, s. a splinter, a fragment,
9434, 9448, 11096, 11104.

Truse, s. a truce, 94.

Trusse, v. to pack up, to make
ready, to arrange, 3026, 4653,
12313 ; to go, to be gone, 1819,
13349 ; to carry off, 1733.

Trust, part. p. of Trist, trusted,

10110.

Tryet, adj. See Triet.
Tryetly, adv. most choicely, 3054.

Tuck, s. a blow, a stroke ; tuck

of trump =' blast of a trumpet,

7107.
Tug, Tugge, v. to tear, to pull

out, 8042, 9550, 9603.
Tulke, s. a man, a knight, 63,

13925.
Tung, Tunge, s. the tongue, 914,

1966, 8717; speech, 527.
Turner, s. a turner, 1586.

Tut, pret. of Tote, projected, pro
truded, 9540.

Twelmond, s. a twelve-month, a
year, 13230.

Twye, v. to turn, to turn back,
6360, 6378.

Twyn, adj. twain, two, 1181,
3706, 10406.

Twyn, Twynne, v. to divide, to
separate, 2747, 13230.

Tyde, Tyd, v. See Tide.

37

578

GLOSSAUIAL IXDEX.

Tyde, adj. See Tide.
Tylmen, s. husbandmen, 2462.

Tylude, part. p. of Tild, tilted,
shot, thrown, 3704.

Tyne, v. (Icel. tynd) to lose, 541,
587, 7573 ; pret. §• part. p. Tynt,
Tynte, 1208, 6818, 13206 ; Tynde,
12467.

Tynyng, part, as s. loss, destruc
tion, 7611.

Tyrand, s. (A.N.) a tyrant,
1978.

Tyre, v. to attire, to dress, to
deck, to erect, 2778, 3625, 8751.

Tyrn, v. to turn, to shut, to
throw, to overthrow, 1327, 5856,
6017.

Tyse, v. See Tise.

Tyte, adv. See Tite.

Tytly, adv. See Titly.

Ugly, adj. (A.S.) frightful, 8732.
Ugsom, Ugsome, adj. horrible,

disgusting, 877, 12497.
TJmb, Umbe, pret. (A.S.) about,

around, 320, 335, 876 ; as an adv.

round, 1455, 6832.

Umbcast, v. to surround, 10420.

Umbfold, Umfold, v. to surround,
to clasp, 1321, 8496.

Umbraid, v. to upbraid, 9903.

Umbset, v. to surround, 10433.

Umclose, v. to encircle, to sur
round, 4255, 9027.

Umqwhile, adv. sometime, by-
and-by, after, 2943.

Umset, v. to surround, to enclose,
1139, 6964, 10542.

"Un,prep. on, 9133.

Unable, adj. impossible, 46.

Unaspied, adj. unobserved, 1428.

Unblithe, adj. sad, sorry, 8029,
9608.

Unclene, adj. impure, 1639.

Unclose, v. to open, 807 ; adj.

open, 4688.
Underfonge, v. to undertake, 266.

Undifferent, adj. in no respect

different, 3915.
Undull, adj. not dull or blunt,

sharp, keen, 13908.
Une, adv. even, quite, completely,

1545, 5529, 13907.
Unfaire, adj. ugly, unseemly,

piteous, frail, weak, 2981, 3290,

6773, 9607, 10793; adv. in a

furious manner, 13891.

Unfayn, adj. sorry, 12107.
Unfere, adj. feeble, frail, 1357,

13618.

Unformet, adj. uninformed, 760.
Ungayn, adj. ugly, dreadful, 1 332,

Ungaynly, adv. to little purpose,
improperly, 9333.

Ungraidly, adv. needlessly, use
lessly, 7615.

Ungrate, s. a scoundrel, 13944.

Ungright, adj. as adv. ungrudg
ingly, 8868.
Unhappe, s. misfortune, 1402,

2686.
Unhardy, adj. timorous, afraid,

7598.
Unhyndly, adv. (Jiende) uncour-

teously, cruelly, wildly, 5024, 6729.
Unjoyn, v. to begin, to commence,

824 ; to separate, 939.
Unkeppit, adj. unguarded, 1085.
Unknowing, adj. unknown,

11318.
Unkowthe, adj. unknown,

strange, 12510 ; Unkoth, 531.
Unkynd, adj. hasty, angry, 1452.
Unkyndly, adv. with difficulty,

8523.
Unkyndnes, s. enmity, ill- will,

144, 1923.
Unkythe, adj. unfriendly, hosti le,

3325.

GLOSSAEIAL INDEX.

579

Unlaght, adj. unseized, unrifled,
3237.

Unlefe, adj. unlawful, 2949.

UnlefFul, adj. unlawful, 13686.

Unlefulnes,s, unlawfulness, 2976.

Unlell, adj. false, 3802.

Unliglit, adj. as adv. freely, with
out restraint, 3446.

TJnlusty, adj. unmanly, 8035.

Unmete, adj. unequal, unfair,
1324.

Unneth, adv. (A.S.) scarcely,
10881.

Unpairit, adj. unhurt, uninjured,
13128.

Unperisshit, adj. untried, uncer
tain, 2460.

Unpossible, adj. impossihle, 258.

Unqweme, v. to unsettle, to stir
up, 2693, 13681.

Unright, s. wrong, 1721.

Unsaght, adj. displeased, dis
satisfied, 5057.

Unsakrely, adv. heedlessly, reck
lessly, 12005.

Unsarkonly, adv. fiercely, un
sparingly, 5945.

Unsell, s. evil, mischance, 1961.

Unsemond, Unsemyng, adj. un
seemly, 3891, 1846.

Unsiker, Unsikur, adj. uncertain,
deceptive, 8063, 12228.

Unsittyng, adj. unbecoming,
8444, 8963, 11181.

Unslogh, adj. horrible, disgust
ing, 908.

Unsoberly, adv. cruelly, fiercely,
2506, 12494.

Unsounde, adj. unhealthy, hurt
ful, unwell, injured, 495, 1255, 9175.

Unstithe, adj. unsteady, unsafe,
117.

"Unthrivand, adj. unworthy, un
seemly, 4893.

Unthwyvond, adj. invincible,
6360, 6378.

TJntild, adj. uncovered, 9114.

Unto, prep, to, 1418.

Untomly, adv. hurriedly, 1822.

TJntrew, adj. false, 10110, 11975.

Untristy, adj. faithless, 11973.

Untruly, adv. unjustly, impro
perly, 723.

Unwar, adj. unaware, ignorant,
1145, 1183 ; unsuspicious, 7380.

Unwarnes, s. heedlessness, 445.

Unwarnyt, adj. unwarned, ignor
ant, 2137.

Unwetyng, adj. unknown to, 8594.

Unwrokyn, adj. unrepaid, 4195.

Unwyly, adv. incautiously, rashly,
6127.

Unyolden, adj. unrepaid, un
avenged, 2216.

Up, adv. upwards, 1548.

Upon, prep, during, throughout,

8684.
Upponone, adv. soon, at once,

immediately, 1204.
Upposyde, adv. besides, 13441.
Urle, s. an earl, 4068, 9676.

Urthe, s. the ground, the earth,
328, 903.

Use, v. to be wont, to be ac
customed, 1625.

Utteraunse, Uttranse, s. (A.N".)
extremity, utmost of any quality
good or bad, death, 5808, 7981,
12589, 12616, 12984.

Utterly, adv. plainly, unre
servedly, 11646.

Uttre, v. to put out of the lists,
to fell, to vanquish, 5819, 7076.

Utwith, adv. without, outside,
11753, 11763, 12201.

Vaute, s. an underground chan
nel, a drain, 1607.

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

Yenge, v. (A.N".) to revenge, to

avenge, 2072, 2545.
Venions, s. vengeance, 3502.

Ventaile, s. the vent of a helmet,

7030.

Venture, s. a chance, 1441.
Venym, s. poison, 784 ; pish, 915.
Ver, s. (Lat.) the spring, 4037.

Verrit, pret. of Ver, averred, de
clared, 49.
Vertue, s. power, efficacy, 8388.

Vertus, Vertuus, adj. virtuous,

1884, 2432 ; Virtuus, 49.
Victe, adj. as s. conqiiered, a

conquered one, 2145.
Vide, v. to divide, to cut through,

1249.
Vile, adj. vile, 2140; great,

tremendous, 1249.

Vile, adv. vilely, completely, 2145.
Vilaus, adj. vile, depraved, 527.
Virtuus, adj. virtuous, manly,

truthful, 49.
Vise, s. vice, 4842.

Viser, s. the visor of a helmet,
1249.

Vitaill, s. (A.N.) victuals, food,
5386, 5395.

Viteld, part. p. victualled, pro
visioned, 1745, 2126, 4710.

Vitius, adj. vicious, depraved, 527.

Voide, v. to avoid, to shun, 527,
764, 1765, 4017, 7617 ; to dismiss,
to get rid of, 497, 1524 ; to break
up, to scatter, to open, to depart,
491, 7030, 7045, 7092.

Voider, s. lit. an avoider, hence a
screen, an arbour, 339.

Wacche, v. to watch, 1138;

Wache, 5587.
Wacche, s. a watchman, a sentinel,

1561.
Waches, s. pi. the waters, cur

rents, 5585. See Waglics. Or
sentinels, spies.

Wackon, v. to waken, to raise, to
rouse, 2046, 2274, 5272, 8435,
13938 ; pret. Wackont. &e Wakne,
Wakyn.

Wag, v. to go, to bob, to struggle,

13542.
Waghe, s. (A.S.) a wave ; (pi.

the sea,) 270, 1410, 1992 ; Wache,

5585 ; Whaghe, 12310.

Waike, adj. weak, undecided,
somewhat pale, 3994.

Waite, v. (A.N.) to watch, to ex
pect, to examine, to survey, to
gaze at, to look, 876, 2421, 2888,
3222, 3739, 8241, 9476, 13055;
Wayte, 6265.

Waite, s. a watchman, a sentinel,

7352 ; Wayt, 6270.
Waithe, s. (Icel. vcidfi) prey,

game, 2350.
Waive, v. to put off, to give up,

to alter, 4839, 9950.
Wake, v. to watch, to mourn;

pret. Woke, 8695.
Waker, adj. watchful, ready,

7380.
Wakne, Wakyn, v. (A.S.) to

waken, to raise, to rouse, 404, 681,

13833. See Wackon.
Wakonyng, s. awakening, 8431.

Wale, v. to choose, to select, 8,
105, 127, 373, 1355, 13224; to
wale = of various kinds, in abund
ance, 332, 340, 373, 1530 ;wallond
toele = abundant wealth, immense
riches, 13120.

Wale, adj. good, dear, strong,
choice, excellent, outmost, deadly,
terrible, 694, 1546, 1727, 1943,
11210, 13082.

Wale, s. choice, opportunity for
choice, 11952.

Walker, s. a fuller, 1587.

Wallond, adj. well selected,
abundant, 13120.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

581

Walt, v. to totter, to fall, to over
throw, to throw, to rouse, to rush,
to wax, 1956, 3810, 4627, 4633,
4891, 7627, 8266, 8685; pret.
Walt, Walte, Welt ; as the welkyn
shold wait = as if the heavens
were rending, 909.

"Walt, pret of Wale, chose,
selected, 11286 ; retained, 13120.

Walt, pret, of Walde, governed,
ruled over, 1469.

Wan, pret. of Win, won, got,
begat, obtained, conquered, cap
tured, 315, 725, 1488, 2159, 4803,
10189 ; wan to his armys = seized
his weapons, 10204 ; wan upo fote
= rose to his feet, 13938.

Wan, adj. (A.S.) pale, sad., sor
rowful, 3602, 5870, 8034, 13833 ;
frightful, huge, 4633 ; wete of Ms
wan alter = wet with his own
filthy poison, 303.

Wan, adj. (A.S.) deficient, small,
3046.

Wandre, v. to "wander, to talk
incoherently, to rave, 8885, 10097.

Wandreth, s. (Icel.) difficulty,
trouble, 11191, 11514.

Wanspede, s. rashness, fool-hardi
ness, 9327.

Want, v. to lack, to be in want
of, 1696, 4016.

Wantonhede, s. wantonness, 2911.

Wap, s. a blow, 6405.

Wap, v. to beat, to dash, 7297 ;

part. p. Wappid.
Wappon, s. a weapon, a sword,

302.
Wappond, part, of Wap, lashing

about, rushing, 9513.
War, Ware, adj. aware, conscious,

148, 521, 876, 13429; wary, able,

2269.

Warchand, Warchond, adj. pain
ful, deadly, 1238, 5998, 6827,

10035.

Ware, v. to spend, 19.

Wares, s. goods, 1581.

Warlagh, Warloghe, s. a monster,
4439, 4444, 7765 ; as an adj. 6425.

Warly, adj. wary, 649 ; adv.
warily, 10484.

Warne, v. to give notice, to ad
vise, 1092, 4499, 10507.

Warne, v. to deny, to forbid, to
stop, to hinder, 5251, 6465, 6658.

Warnes,s. wakefulness, prudence,
6277.

Warp, v. to cast, to throw, to
utter ; pret. Warpet, Warpid,
Warpide, Warpit, 360, 1297, 2481,
2683, 7336, 10462, 10973, 11924,
13112.

Wary, v. to despise, to defame,
to curse, 12212.

Wast, s. (A.S.) the side, the

belly, 9902.

Wast, v. to waste, 9788.
Wat, pron. what, 6900.
Water, s. a river, 1601.
Wateryng, s. moisture ; wateryng

ofene = eyes wet with tears, 2167.
Wawe, ,9. (A.S.) a wave, 3G99.

Wax, v. (A.S.) to grow, to grow
up ; pret. Wax, 1206, 1414; Wex,
2009 ; Wox, 493 ; part. p. Wex,
13760.

Way, s. road, lane, passage, room,
1214, 5932.

Waylyng, part, of Wayle, gush
ing, flowing, 7155.

Wayne, v. to raise, to lift up, to
wind up, to rise, to rush, to gush,
to strike, 676, 7621, 7655, 9783,
11520, 13796; to lessen, to re
strain, 5132.

Wayt, Wayte. See Waite.

Wayve, v. to waive, to dismiss,

2251.
Wayveronde, part, wavering,

tottering, 8266.
Webster, s. a weaver, 1587.

582

GLOSSARIAL INDI

We. See "Wee.

Wed, v. to wed, 610, 1491, 3359.

Wede, s. (A.S.) apparel, cloth,

armour, 1238, 7556; a cushion,

372.

Wedo, s. a widow, 688.
Wedur, s. weather, 1998.
Wee, We, s. a man, a knight, 23,

965, 1212, 8106; a lady, 3356;

Whe, 8269.

Wegh, s. a man, a person, 55,

155, 360; Whegh, 11257.
Weike, adj. weak, frail, 13920.
Weifdy, adv. weakly, 10151.
Weile, s. See Wele.
Weir, v. to wear, 3777.
Weirdis, s. pi. courage, 1223.

See Werde.
Weire, v. to defend, 10789. See

Were.
Weld, Welde, v. (A.S.) to govern,

to sway, to wield, 1685, 1881,

3359 ; to bear, to carry, 8655 ; to

own, to possess, to enjoy, 477,

1888, 9767.
Wele, adv. weU, 233, 1569 ;

Well, 1745.
Wele, s. (A.S.) wealth, prosperity,

1374, 1696; Weile, 2717, 3356.
Welke, pret. of Walk, walked,

13533.
Welkyn, s. (A.S.) the sky, the

firmament, 676, 909, 7621, 9513.
Well, v. to bubble up, to well,

340.
Well, adj. happy, fortunate, 477.

Welt, pret. of Walt, overthrew,
threw, fell, rushed, waxed, 4418,
4891, 7488, 7490, 10204, 10904.

Welter, s. weltering, 3699.

Wen, adv. when, 1079, 7125,
13676.

Wend, Wende, pret. of Wene,
thought, deemed, 6653, 1183S,
13986.

Wene, v. (A.S.) to think, to sup
pose, to understand, 293, 2538,
6653 ; pret. Wend, Wende.

Wenge, v. to avenge, 4581.

Wepon, Weppon, Weppont,
Wepyn, Wappon, 302, 1212, 1259,
6771, 6791, 6961.

Wer, Werre, s. (A.K) war, 8,
319, 1038, 1180, 1487. See Were.

Werde, Weird, Wirde, s. fate,
decrees, end, luck, fortune, mis
chief, (gener. in pi.) 629, 737, 2710,
4188, 9212, 12823 ; courage, 1223.

Were = should he, 1176.

Were, Wer, s. doubt, uncertainty,
7498, 8266, 13160 ; defence, 13901.

Were, Weire, Wer, v. to defend,
to resist, to strive, to protect, 443,
3591, 4747, 4759 ; pret. Were.

Were, Wery, adj. weary, tired,
worn out, 4759, 5861, 5998, 13586.

Werke, s. (A.S.) work, a deed,
1520; as a t;., 1104, 1156.

Werkmen, s. pi. workmen, trades
men, 1581.

Werne, v. to deny, to refuse, 9956.

Werre, s. See Wer.

Werst, adj. worst, least worth,
1570 ; as a «. the devil, 1961.

Wery, adj. weary, tired out,
5861 ; wery for-wroght = com
pletely tired out.

Wesshe, v. to wash, 9214.

Wete, adj. wet, flowing, 1329,
1521, 2006; as a *. wetness, rain,
9653.

Wete, v. (A.S.) to wit, to know,
to think, to believe, to understand,
to instruct, 354, 561, 1145, 2608,
6187, 11467.

Wete, v. to wet, to make wet,
7336, 10284; pret. Wet, part.
Wetyng, wetting, 1579.

Wethir, conj. whether, 12020.

Wetherun, s. enemy, rascal,
scoundrel, 5048.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

583

Wethur, Whethur, s. a wether,

155, 161, 172.
Wex, part. p. of Wax, grown up,

13760.
Whaghe, s. 12310. See Waghe.

Whap, v. to strike rapidly, to
shoot, 4743 ; pret. Whappet.

Wharle, s. (A.N.) a square-headed
bolt for a cross-bow or engine,
4743.

Whe, s. a man, a noble, 8269.

See Wee.
Whedur, adv. whither, where,

1838.
Whegh, s. See Wegh.

Whelle, v. (A.S.) to quell, to lay

low, 4743.
Wheme, adj. dear, adored, 2649 ;

beautiful, 6203; (another form of

Querae).
While, s. time, season, space, 406,

1157, 1450, 4623, 7659, 11703;

Qwhile, 11030 ; a hond while = an

instant, shortly, immediately.

Whiles, adv. while, 1171.

Whipe, v. to wipe, to dry, 3380.

White, Whyte, v. to requite,
11509, 11726.

Who = whoever, 5943.

Whyle, s. See While.

Whylenes, s. madness, foolish
ness, 9327.

Whyte, v. See White.

Wicket, s. a wicket, a window,
11889.

Widre, v. to wither, to sink, 5301.

Wight, adj. (A.S.) brave, cour
ageous, famous, 536, 1098 ; super.
Wightist, 1297.

Wightly, adv. holdly, firmly,
securely, quickly, 701, 861, 876,
2008.

Wightnes, s. power, courage,
bravery, 12198.

Wild, adj. keen, furious, 1463.

Wilde, s. wild animals, game,

2347.
Wile, s. a wile, a snare, 4444.

Wilfulde, Wilfull, adj. eager,
headstrong, selfish, 353, 725, 2872.

Will, v. to wander, to be lost, to
go astray, pret. Wilt, 2359.

Will, Wyll, adj. wrong, astray,
lost, wyll of my gate = lost my way,
2369 ; all will of his wane = quite
homeless, 12823.

Will, v. to wish, to desire, to
command, 11367.

Wille, s. wish, desire, purpose,
disposition, determination, courage,
377, 455, 1156, 1392, 1918, 3917,
11018 ; Wylle, 4222.

Wille, Willy, adj. (A.S.) favour
able, hearty, eager, 1775, 7713.

Wilne, v. (A.S.) to will, to wish,
to desire, 9202, 11012; Wylue,
203, 482.

Wilt, pret. of Will, was lost,
wandered, 2359 ; entangled, per
plexed, 13160.

Winly, Wynly, adv. (A.S.) freely,
easily, quickly, 1165, 8655.

Wirde, s. fate, luck, evil, mis
fortune, 629, 4188, 4499, 7051.

Wirke, v. to work, to do, to use,
to dispose, 172, 576, 1881; imper.
Wirkes.

Wise, s. (A.S.) manner, style,
175, 232, 1156, 1177, 8387; ways,
— on \>ere best wise = as best they
could, 2018 ; on all wise = on all
ways, on every plan, 10486.

Wise, adj. wise, skilled, 1463,
1530 ; aware, 13486.

Wisshe, v. to flow, to wash ; part.
Wisshyng, flowing, 1606 ; or from

Wisse, Wisshe, Wysshe, v. (A.S.)
to teach, to advise, to instruct, 4,
2261, 8146 ; to know, to be aware
of, 13229 ; part. Wisshyng, as a *.
advice, warning, 8151.

Wist, pret. of Wit, knew, were

584

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

informed, 23, 2159 ; part. p. known,
1142.

Wit, Wyt, Wytte, s. mind, sense,
skill, ingenuity, 4, 148, 1217, 1496,
1632, 6277; of \>ere wit past =
went out of their senses, went
mad, 1360.

Wite, v. (A.S.) to blame, to re
proach, 4936, 7069.
Wite, s. blame, 12273.

With, prep. (A.S.) by, by means
of, for. in, on account of, 132, 330,
476, 732, 1976, 2891, 10809.

With-droffh, With-droghe, pret.
of Withdraw, 1224, 2008.

Withoute, adv. outside, 1637,

3432.
Withouten, Withoutyn, prep.

without, 184, 1761, 2992; with-

outen payne other •=. and no doubt

many more, 184,

Witterly, adv. truly, carefully,

certainly, 1893, 2429, 9180, 9341.
Witty, adj. (A.S.) skilful, 1463.
Wo, pron. who, 172, 298.
Wo, s. sorrow, death, destruction,

1404, 2137, 5935.
Woche, s. watch, guard, 561,

810.
Woche, s. (A.S.) mischief, evil,

danger, fear, 5050, 6122, 6736,

7756.

Wode, adj. (A.S.) mad, furious,

1217, 5877.
Wode, s. a wood, 330 ; Wodde,

1350 ; Wod, 13528, 13599.
Wodely, adv. madly, wildty,

3694.
Wodenes, Wodnes, s. madness,

fury, 2008, 6819, 10204.
Woghit, part. p. o/Wogh, wooed,

courted, 482.

Woghe, s. (A.S.) a wall, 4773.
Woinerond, part, wandering,

raving, 13920.
Woke, s. a week, 499.

Woke, pret. of Wake, woke,
burst out, awaked, 8695, 8885.

Wold, Wolde, pret. would, wish
ed, 1440, 1794 ; I wish, 472.

Wole, s. wool, fleece, 161.

Won, for Wone, v. (A.S.) to
dwell, 1581, 8127.

Wond, pret. of Wone, or Wonde,
2717, 12413, 13433 ; Wont, 12553 ;
imperat. of Wonde, refrain, 3380.

Wond, s. a wound, 10416.

Wonde, v. (A.S.) to refrain, to
be afraid, to desist through fear,
484, 590, 3380, 5048; pret.
Wondyn, 484.

Wonde, v. to wound, 1297.

Wonder, adj. wonderful, 1542 ;
ado. wonderfully, 9557; v. to sur
prise, to cause to wonder, 9821.

Wonderful, adj. very great, 1355.

Wonderly, Wondurly, adv. won
derfully, 161, 9828.

Wone, v. (A.S.) to dwell, to
abide, pret. Wond, 2717, 13433 ;
Wont, 12553.

Wone, s. a dwelling, a palace, a

city, 4780, 9857, 12823.
Wonen, pret. of Wyn, went, got,

reached, 1165, 4694 ; part. p. gone,

got, 7756; taken, captured, 8607;

Wonyn, 6963 ; Wonnyn, 4772.

Wong, s. (A.S.) the cheek, 1521.

Wonsped, s. rashness, daring, .

7945. See Wanspede.
Wont, s. want, loss, 12085.
Wont, pret. of Wone, 12553.
Woo, s. woe, despair, 1360.
Worche, v. to work, to result,

7873.
Worde, s. fame, talk, report, 295,

1098.
Wore, pret. of Were, defended,

6750.

Worle, s. the world, 9761.
Worm, s. (A.S.) a serpent, 1573.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

"Worse, adj. as a s. the worse,
9920.

Worship, s. fame, good name,
character, rank, renown, success,
reverence, 482, 655, 810, 1124,
1397,1488, 2261 ; Worchip, 13708.

Worthe, v. (A.S.) to be, to be
come, to follow, to drive, to press,
to suffer, 597, 789, 956, 1388, 1975,
2136 ; or \>aifay worthit = or they
were killed, 6823.

Worthely, adv. becomingly, suit
ably, 1632.
Wose, pron. whose, 5566.

Woso, pron. whosoever, whoever.
5551.

"Wot, 1 p. s. pres. of "Wit, I

know, deem, advise, 536, 629,

2487, 7944.
Wothe, s. danger, harm, wrong,

fear, dread, 1223, 6050, 8357,

9928.

"Wothely, adv. severely, 8826.

Wox, pret. of "Wax, grew, be
came, 493.

"Wrang, s. a wrong, 11616.

Wrappid, adj. hasty, angry, 1426 ;
misprint for Wrappid, or prob. for
Warppid.

Wrathe, v. (A.S.) to anger, to
become angry, 4206, 8442.

Wreke, s. vengeance, 1436,
12072 ; v. to avenge, to revenge,
1750, 1873.

"Wright, s. (A.S.) a workman, a
carpenter, 1530.

Writhe, v. to turn, to overthrow,

11616.
Wrixle, Wryxle, v. to overpower,

to overcome, to perplex, to bandy,

445, 2061, 3120, 9327.
Wroght, part. p. of Werke,

wrought, 1436 ; built, 1542.
Wull, v. will, 11419, 13221.
Wull-full, adj. (= wilful, but

used as an adv.) eagerly, intensely,

3035 ; prob.for well- full, very.

33

Wyde, adj. wide, 1329.

Wyle, s. a wile, a scheme, a de
vice, 148.

Wyll, adj. See Will.

Wylne, v. See Wilne.

Wyn, s. wine, 373 ; Wyne, 464.

Wyn, s. praise, fame, display,
13346, 13708.

Wyn, v. to get, to reach, to come
at, to obtain, to win, to take, 172,
377, 649, 953, 1138,1468,9212;
to manage, 3145 j to capture,
8607 ; pret. Won, Wan, Wonen ;
part. p. Wonen, Wonnyn, Wonyn.

Wynd, s. wind, breath ; \al wast
\>aire wynd = they talk to no pur
pose, 9788.

Wynly, adv. See Winly.
Wyt, Wytte, s. See Wit.
Wyvly, adv. as a wife, 3359.

Yald, Yalde, pret. of Yelde, to
yield, to submit, 1275, 6499, 7656.
Yalow, s. yellow, 5462.

Yark, v. to jerk, to cast, to
change, to rush, to pass, 414,
5595, 10738, 13968; to prepare,
882 ; to pack, to crowd, 11265.

3arpe, v. prob. for Warpe, 6081.

Yate, s. a gate, 299, 1555, 10738y

11151.
Yche, adj. each, 7878, 9683.

Ychon, s. (A.S.) each one, 5406,
11845.

Yelde, v. (A.S.) to yield, to sub
mit, to render, 1177, 8660 ; pret.
Yald, Yalde, 1275, 6499, 7656;
part. p. Yolden, atoned for, 7941.

Yeme, v. (A. S. ) to guide, to govern,
to keep, to guard, 136, 562, 615,
869, 1270, 10791 ; fret. Yemyt.

Yener, adj. eager, quick, 3955;

misprint for Yeuer, (A.S. ffifer).
Yenernes,s. frankness, generosity,

eagerness, enthusiasm, 543, 869;

jynernes, 1275 ; for Yeuerness.

586

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Yenerus, adj. free, generous,
kindly, 3917; jyneris, 1242;
^yuerus, 357.

Yepe, adj. (A.S. geap) smart,
nimble, brave, rash, 357, 902,
7870 ; Yep, 11265 ; as a s. a clever
one, a virago, 13231.

Yepely, adv. smartly, quickly,

eagerly, 414, 902, 6081, 10738,

10791; usually, 12568.
Yerne, v. (A.S.)to desire eagerly,

11739, 11857.
Yerne, s. iron, 894, 9133, 10463 ;

pi. irons, chains, 3523 ; Yrne, 6018.
Yerth, Yerthe, s. the earth, the

ground, 6817, 8345, 10888.
Yet, adv. still, 1628.

Yett, v. (A.S. geotan) to flow, to
gush ; part. Yettyng, flowing, 8175.

Yeverly, adv. quickly, willingly,
13231.

Yle, s. an isle, an island, 101,
153, 268.

Ylka, adj. any, 588.

Ylke, adj. same, 12552.

Ylkon, s. each one, 1614.

Yll, adv. badly, severely, 10976.

Ymagry, s. carving, sculpture,
1562.

Ymur, s. (Icel. ilmr) fresh, whole
some fragrance, 897, 1575.

Ymyddes, prep, in the middle of,
amidst, 4957, 7843, 13795.

Ymydward, in the centre, 8769.

Ynmast, adj. inmost, undermost,
6402.

Ynne, s. See In, Inne.

Ynogh, Ynow, Ynowe, adj.
enough, much, many, 373, 1215,
1414.

Yode, pret. of Go, went, walked,
fell, flowed, 884, 908, 1018, 1244,
3000.

Yoke, v. to yoke, 902.

Yolden, part. p. of Yelde, ren
dered, atoned for, 7941.

Yomer, v. to murmur, to lament,
to cry, 543 ; part. Yomeryug, as a
s. mourning, lamentation, regret,
1722, 2291, 8175, 9959.

Yond, adj. yon, 3160.

Yong, Yonge, adj. young, 1242,

6642.
Yop, adj. eager, courageous, 6642.

See Yepe.
Yore, adj. old, former, of yore,

9959 ; a ^er was fail yore = a year

had passed away, 13968.

Yours = your family and rela
tives, 1722. See Note to 11.
1721-2.

Yre, s. rage, ire, 1338, 1424.

Yreful, Yrfull, -adj. vengeful,

furious, 1330, 5445.
Ys, is, 4647.

Ysse, Ysshe, v. to issue, to go
forth, to rush, 5784, 6631.

Yssue, Yssew, s. issue, exit, re
sult, 1556, 2708.

Ythes, e. (A.S.) waves, the sea,
1045, 1066, 1992, 11869, 13161.

Yver, s. ivory, 1665, 6202.

jynerly, adv. quickly, promptly,
902 ; prob.for ^yuerly.

^ynernes, s. See Yenernes.

^ynerus, ^yneris, adj. See
Yenerus.

Zodias, s. the Zodiac, 3723,
3726.

JOHN CHILDS AND SON, PRINTERS.

BINDING SECT. MAY 1 9 1981

PR

1119

A2

no. 39

Early English Text
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