2555
2560
2565
2570
2575
2580
2585
L
2590
2595
2600
2605
2610
L
2615
2620
2625
2630
2635
2640
2645
2650
2655
2660
2665
2670
2675
2680
L
2685
2690
2695
2700
2705
2710
L
2715
2720
2725
2730
2735
2740
2745
L
2755
2760
2765
2770
2775
2780
2785
2790
2795
2800
L
2805
2810
2815
2820
L
2825
2830
2835
2840
2845
2850
L
2855
2860
2865
2870
2875
2880
2885
2890
2895
2900
2905
2910
2915
2920
2925
2930
2935
2940
2945
L
2950
2955
2960
2965
L
2970
2975
2980
2985
2990
2995
3000
3005
L
3010
3015
3020
3025
3030
3035
L
3045
3050
3055
3060
3065
L
3070
3075
3080
3085
3090
3095
3100
3105
3110
3115
3120
3125
3130
3135
3140
3145
3150
3155
3160
3165
3170
3175
3180
3185
L
3190
L
L
3195
3200
3205
3210
3215
L
3220
3225
3230
3235
3240
3245
3250
3255
3260
3265
3270
3275
3280
3285
3290
3295
3300
3305
3310
L
3315
3320
3325
3330
3335
3340
3345
3350
3355
3360
3365
3370
3375
L
3380
3385
3390
3395
3400
3405
3410
3415
L
3420
3425
3430
3435
3440
3445
3450
3455
3460
3465
L
3470
3475
3480
3485
L
3490
3495
3500
3505
3510
3515
3520
L
3525
L
3530
3535
L
3540
3545
3550
3555
3560
3565
3570
3575
3580
3585
L
3590
3595
3600
3605
3610
3615
L
3625
3630
3635
3640
3645
L
3650
3655
3660
L
3665
3670
3675
3680
3685
3690
3695
3700
3705
3710
3715
3720
3725
3730
3735
3740
3745
3750
3755
3760
3765
L
3770
3775
3780
3785
3790
3795
3800
3805
3810
3815
3820
3825
3830
3835
3840
3845
3850
3855
3860
3865
3870
3875
3880
3885
3890
3895
3900
L
3905
3910
3915
3920
3925
3930
3935
3940
3945
3950
3955
3960
3965
3970
3975
3980
3985
3990
3995
4000
4005
4010
4015
4020
4025
L
4030
4035
4040
4045
4050
4055
4060
4065
4070
4075
4080
4085
4090
4095
4100
4105
4110
4115
4120
4125
4130
4135
4140
4145
4150
4155
4160
4165
L
4170
4175
4180
4185
4190
4195
4200
4205
4210
4215
L
4220
4225
4230
4235
L
4240
4245
4250
4255
4260
4265
4270
4275
L
4280
4285
4290
4295
4300
4305
4310
4315
4320
4325
4330
4335
4340
L
4345
4350
4355
4360
4365
4370
4375
4380
4385
L
4390
4395
4400
4405
4410
4415
L
4420
4425
4430
4435
4440
4445
4450
4455
4460
4465
4470
4475
4480
4485
L
4490
4495
4500
4505
4510
4515
4520
L
4530
4535
4540
4545
4550
4555
4560
L
4565
4570
4575
4580
4585
4590
4595
4600
L
4605
4610
4615
4620
L
4625
4630
L
4635
4640
4645
L
4650
4655
4660
L
4665
L
4670
4675
4680
4685
4690
4695
L
4700
4705
4710
4715
|
Tercia Pars.
O cruel Mars ful of malencolye
And of thy kynde hoot, combust, and drye
(As the sperkes shewen fro so ferre
By the stremes of thi rede sterre,
In thy spere as it aboute goth),
What was cause that thow were so wroth
With hem of Thebes, thorgh whoos fervent ire
The cité brent and was sette afyre,
As bookes olde wel reherce konne,
Of cruel hate rooted and begunne
And engendred, the story maketh mynde,
Oonly of blood corrupt and unkynde,
B'ynfeccioun called orygynal,
Causyng a strif dredful and mortal,
Of which the meschief thorgh al Grece ran?
And kyng Adrastus alderfirst began,
Which hath hym cast a conquest for to make
Upon Thebes for Polymytes sake,
In knyghtly wise ther to preve his myght,
Of ful entent to recure his right.
And first of al he sette a parlement
And hath his lettres and massageres sent
Thorghoute Grece to many sondry kyngges,
Hem to enhast and make no lettyngges.
And rounde about, as maad is mencioun,
He sent also to many regyoun
For prynces, dukes, lordys, and barouns
To taken up in citees and in touns,
And chesen out the moste liklyest
And swich as wern preved for the best
As of manhode, and saude hem up echon,
And in her honde receyve her pay anon,
With Adrastus to Thebes forto ryde.
And tho lordes that with hym abyde
In houshold stille han her leve take
To ryden hom her retenue to make
In ther contrees as they wern of degré,
To stuffen hem and taken up meyné,
And make hem stronge with knyghtes and squyers,
With speres, bowes, and with ablasters
In al the hast possible that they may,
And to retourne in their best aray
At terme sette, ful manly to be seyn,
Toforn Arge mostren in a pleyn.
And as I rede, ful worthy of degré
Thider cam first Prothonolopé,
The which was, by recorde of wryting,
Of Archada sone to the kyng.
And ful prudent found in werre and pees
Ther kam also the kyng Cylmythenes.
And as I fynde, ful famous of renoun
Thyder cam ek the kyng Ypemedoun.
And passing all of knyghthode and of name
And excellyng by worthynesse of fame,
The noble kyng callyd Campaneus
Kam ek to Arge, the story telleth us,
Proved ful wel and hadde ryden ferre.
And thider kam the kyng Melleager,
Kyng Genor ek that helde his royal sete,
Myn autour seith, in the lond of Crete,
Kyng Laeris and the kyng Pyrrus,
And ek the kyng called Tortolanus.
And renomed in many regyoun
Ther cam the kyng ynamed Palemoun,
Oft assayed and found a manly knyght,
That with hym broght in steel yarmed bright
Ful many worthy out of his cuntré.
And Tideus most knyghtly forto se,
That manly man, that noble werreyour,
As he that was of worthynesse flour,
Maistere and myrour by prouesse of his hond
Hath sent also into the myghty lond
Of Calcedoyne of which he was hayr,
That is a kyngdam bothe riche and fayr,
Chargyng his counsale and officers also,
In al the hast that it may be do,
To seken out the beste werreyours,
Of famous knyghtes and preved sawdyours
Thorgh al the lond and layde on hem this charge
Withoute aboode forto come to Arge.
And they obeye ful lowly his biddyng,
Enhastyng hem, and mad no lettyng
But spedde hem fast uppon her journé.
And fro Thebes the myghty strong cité
Kam doune knyghtes with many another man,
Maugré the kyng, to help what they can,
Considred first his falshed and tresoun,
Ymeved only of trouth and of resoun,
Polymytes as they were sworn of yore
To his croune justly to restore.
And whan they weren at large out of the toun,
Unto Arge they be descendid doun
And, lik her oth and her assuraunce,
As they wern bounde only of lygeaunce,
To hym they cam in ful lowly wise,
Redy to don what hym list devise.
And whan he hadde her trouthe ful conceyved,
He hath to grace goodly hem receyved,
Assignyng hem her place mydde the hoste
Assembled ther from many diverse coste,
That fynaly in this companye
Ygadred was the floure of chyvalrye,
Ychosen out of al Grekes lond
The most knyghtly and manful of her hond,
That I trowe, sith the world began,
Ther was not seyn so many manly man,
So wel horsed with sper and with sheld
Togydre assembled sothly, in a feld.
Ther men may see many straunge guyses
Of armyng newe and uncouth devyses,
Every man after his fantasye,
That, yif I shuld in ordre specifie
Every pes longyng to armure
And therupon do my bysy cure,
It wer in soth almost a dayes werk,
And the termes also ben to derk
To reherce hem clerly and to ryme:
I passe over only for lak of tyme.
And telle I wil forth of her loggyng,
How Adrastus the noble worthy kyng
Hath every lord lik to his degré
Receyved wel withinnen his cyté
(And ther they hadde lik to her plesaunce,
Of what nedeth fulsom habundaunce,
For man and hors plenté of vitaylle),
Comaundyng that nothyng ne faylle,
That alle thise noble worthy werreoures,
Both high and lough and poor soudeoures,
Iserved weren of that they hadde nede.
For Adrastus prudently took hede
Ful lik a kyng, touching her terme day,
That thei toforn wer served of her pay.
He was so free hym list no thyng restreyn;
And no man hadde cause to compleyn
For hunger, thrust, nor for indygence.
And in a prince it is ful gret offence,
As clerkes seyn, and a gret repreef
Suffre his puple lyven at mescheef.
It is ful hevy and grevous in her thoght,
Yif he habound and they han right noght.
He may not both possede good and herte,
He to be riche and seen his puple smerte.
He may the body of power wel constreyne,
But her herte hath a ful long reyne,
Maugré his myght, to loven at her large.
Ther may no kyng on hertes sette a charge
Nor hem coherten from her lyberté.
Men seyn ful ofte how that thouht is fre.
For which eche prince, lord, and governour,
And specialy every conquerour,
Lat hym be war for al his hegh noblesse
That bounté, fredom, plenté, and largesse
Be on accord, that they his brydel lede,
Lest of his puple whan he hath most nede
He be defrauded; whan he is but allone,
Than is to late forto make his mone.
But in his courte lat hym first devise
To exile scarshed and covetise;
Than is he likly, with fredam yif he gynne,
Love of his puple evermore to wynne,
To regne long in honure, and contune
Ay to encresse be favour of fortune,
And his ennemyes manly to oppresse.
For love is mor than gold or gret richesse;
Gold faileth ofte; love wol abyde
For lyf or deth be a lordys syde;
And the tresour, shortly, of a kyng
Stondeth in love aboven alle thyng.
Farwel lordshipe bothe morowe and eve,
Specially whan love taketh his leve!
And whoso list a merour forto make
Of kyngly fredam, lat hym ensample take
Of Adrastus the manly kyng famous,
So liberal and so bountevous
Unto his puple at al tymes found,
Which mad hym strong his foomen to confound;
And love only his enmyes to werreye
Alle Grece made his bidding to obeye
Of oon accord knyghtly be his side,
Al attones to Thebes forto ryde
For t'avenge, sith they were so strong,
The gret injurye and the inportable wrong
Don to his sone and his next allye,
As ye toforn han herd me specifie.
But whil Grekes rest a whil in pes,
I will resort to Ethiocles,
Which in Thebes warly hath espied
Be his frendes, as he was certefied,
Of the Grekys hooly the ordinaunce,
Her purpoos ek, and her purveaunce,
And therof had in herte a manere drede.
And first he took his counsayle and his rede
Of the lordis and barons of the toun
And of the wisest of his regioun,
How he myghte maken resistence,
Manfully to stonden at diffence,
To be so strong that ther wer no doute.
And in the contrees adjacent aboute
And ek also in foreyn regiouns,
He hath withhold all the champiouns;
And therupon he sent out his espies
And his frendes and his next allies;
And alle the worthy dwellyng enviroun -
Yong, fressh, and lusty - he gadred into toun,
Maskowede his wallys and his heghe tours
And stuffed hem with manly sowdeours.
Round aboute he sette many gonnys,
Grete and smale and some large as tonnys.
And in his hasty, passing fervent hete,
He spent his tresour and gaf giftes grete
Unto knyghtes and worthy men of name;
And overmor to encres his fame,
He gaf to lordes juellis manyfold,
Clothes of velvet, of damask, and of gold,
To gete hym hertes sothly, as I rede,
To helpe hym now in his grete nede;
And prudently purveied hym toforn
Of flessh and fissh and of wyn and corn,
Sette his capteyns erly and ek late
With ful gret stuf strong at every gate,
And mad also be werkmen that were trewe
Barbykans and bulwerkes newe,
Barreris, cheynys, and diches wonder depe,
Makyng his vouh the cité forto kepe
Whil he lyveth, despit of all his foon.
And by his goddys of metal and of ston,
Ful ofte he swoor both of herte and thouht
That it shal first ful der ben abouht
And many a man with pollex, swerd, and knyff
Tofor this toune shal first lese his liff
And ther shal ek many sydes blede
Or his brother pessibly possede
The toune in pees, lich as Grekes wene.
But at the ende the trouthe shal be sene -
Lat hym be war and wel toforn provyde.
For Adrastus on that other side,
For his party was not necligent,
But on a day helde a parlement,
All his lordes sittyng enviroun,
To dryve shortly a pleyn conclusioun
And up t'apoynt the fyn of ther entent.
But some thoughte ful expedient,
Or they procede, to wirke be th'avice
Of on that was ful prudent and right wyce
And circumspecte in his werkes alle,
A worthy bisshop into age falle
And called was, sothly by his name,
Amphiorax, of whom the grete fame
Thorgh al the londe bothen est and south
Amonges Grekes passingly was kouth;
A man, in soth, of olde antiquyté
And most acceptid of auctorité,
First be resoun of his high estat
And ek for he was so fortunat
In his werkes and was also secré
With the goddys, knowyng her pryveté.
By graunt of whom, as bookes specifye,
He hadde a spirit of trewe prophecye
And cowde aforn ful opynly dyvyne
Thyngges begonne how they shulde fyne
And eke be craft of calculacioun
Gif a dome of every questioun;
And hadde in magik grete experience
And fynde cowde be hevenly influence
And by mevyng of the heghe sterrys
A fynal doome of contek and of werrys;
And wiste wel, as his goddys tolde,
That, yif Grekes forth her journé holde,
It turn shuld platly - this no fage -
To gret meschief and to gret damage
Of hem ychon and in especial
The moste parte of the blood royal
Thorgh al Grece - it may not be withdrawe -
In this viage shortly shal be slawe,
And yif hymsilf with the Grekes wente,
(Who that ever wepte hym or bymente,
This was the fyn and may nat be socoured)
Of the erth he shulde be devoured,
Quyk as he was - he knewe it in certeyn.
And for he saugh ther was non other geyn
To save his lif nor no bet diffence,
Than uttrely withdrawen his presence,
Preying his wiff for hym to provide,
Yif he wer sought, that she wold hym hide
And wommanly for to kepe hym cloos
And of trouth concelen his purpoos,
For al his trust touchyng his grevaunce,
Was fully sette in hir purvyance.
I hope to God that he thar not drede
Of no deceyt in hir wommanhede.
She was so trewe as wommen ben echon
And also cloos and mwet as a ston
That she ne wold, as the matier stood,
Discuren hym for no worldly good.
But fynaly the Grekes, of entent,
In al his drede han for this bisshop sent,
Thogh it was long er they myght hym fynde,
For cause his wif was to hym so kynde
That ful seurly hath lokked up his cors.
But for she hadde a maner of remors
In hirsilf, gervyng her conscience,
Dreding to falle in ful grete offence,
Lest her soule were in peryl lorn
Whan she be oth compelled was and sworn,
They requeryng yif she coude telle
Wher her lord the bisshop shulde dwelle,
Which to discure hir herte was ful loth,
Til tyme she gan remembren on her oth,
And coude a trouth of custom not denye,
And hadde also gret conscience to lye,
Wonder hevy with a sorowful face,
Maugré hir lust taught hem to the place
Wher as he was shet up in a toure,
Al alone havyng no socour.
They falle on hym or that he was war
And sette hym up in a ful riche char.
A fool he was to jupard his lif,
Forto discure his counsel to his wif;
And yit she was ful sory for his sake,
Specially whan she saugh hym take.
Bot I hope that her hevynesse
Gan asswage ful sone, by processe,
In short tyme whan that he was gon.
Ther is no tempest may last evere in on.
But this bisshope be verrey force and myght
Unto Grekes conveyed was ful right,
This hoore gray in his char syttyng.
And they ful glad wern of his comyng,
Havyng a trust and ful opynyoun
That, thorgh cause and occasioun
Of his wisdam and his sapience
And by vertue of his hegh presence,
They shuld eschewe al adversité
Possible to falle, as in her journé.
And as the story fully hath devised,
Ful circumspect and riht wel avised
He hath pronounced in the parlement
Toforn the lordes and the president
His cleer conceyte in verray sikernesse,
Nat entryked with no doublenesse,
Her dysemol daies and her fatal houres,
Her aventurys and her sharpe shoures,
The froward soort and unhappy stoundys,
The compleyntes of her dedly woundys,
The wooful wrath and contrariousté
Of felle Mars in his cruelté,
And howe by mene of his gery mood
Ther shal be shadde al the worthy blood
Of the Grekes - it may not ben eschewed,
If her purpoos be execute and swed.
"Ther is no more; this shal be the fyn:
The hegh noblesse shal drawe to declyne
Of Grekes blood in meschief, sorowe, and woo;
And with al this I mysilf also,
As my fate hath aforn disposyd,
Depe in the grounde I shal be enclosed
And lokked up in the dirke vale
Of cruel deth." Lo, this was the tale
That the bisshope to Adrastus tolde,
Hym counsayllyng his purpos to withholde
In eschuyng of mor meschief and sorowe.
For alle his goddis he took unto borowe,
Yif the Thebans and the Grekes mete,
The fyn therof shal be so unswete
That alle Grece after shal it rewe,
Warnyng hem yif thei the meschief knewe
That shal folowe, which no man may lette,
Thei wold abstene a siege forto sette
Unto Thebes and her purpoos leve.
With whos wordes the lordes gan hem greve
And therinne had but ful smal delit;
And everechon of hertly hegh despit
They abrayde and seide he was untrewe,
A controover of prophecies newe,
And ek also for al his longe berde
An olde dotard, a coward, and aferde;
And of rancour gonne to diffye
Both his kalkyng and his astronomye;
And shortly seide thei took therof non hede,
Ne wil no thyng governe hem after his rede.
This was the clamour and noyse in every cost
Of hegh and lough thorghout all the hoost
And specialy of the sowdeours,
And of lordes regnyng in her flours,
And of th'estates effectuely, I mene,
Which of age were but tendre and grene,
That ha not hadde by Martys influence
Of the werre gret experience.
Her, yif ye list, ye may considre and se
Of conceytes ful grete diversyté,
How that youth no peril cast aforn
Til he by meschief sodeynly be lorn,
Wheras age provydeth everything
Or he bygynne to casten the endyng.
Youth is governyd be a large reyne
To renne forth and can hym not reffreyn
But of hede set on al attonys,
As he that hurtleth ageynes harde stonys
Broseth hymsilf unwarly and parbraketh.
But age experte nothyng undertaketh
But he toforn be good discrecioun
Make a due examynacioun
How it wil tourne oyther to badde or good.
But youth, as fast as stered is the blood,
Taketh emprises of hasty wilfulnesse:
Joye at the gynnyng; the ende is wrechednesse.
The olde, prudent in al his governaunce,
Ful longe aforn maketh purveaunce;
But youth, allas, be counsail wil not wyrke,
For which ful ofte he stumbleth in the dyrke.
Thus selde is seyne, the trouthe to termyne,
That age and youth drawe be o lyne.
And wher that foly hath domynacioun,
Wisdam is putte into subjeccioun,
Lik as this bysshop, with al his hegh prudence,
For cause he myghte ha no audience,
All his wisdam and his profecye
Of the Grekes was halden but folye.
For thogh Plato and wise Socrates,
Moral Senek and Dyogenes,
Albumasar and prudent Tholomee,
And Tullius that hadde sovereynté
Whylom in Rome as of elloquence -
Thogh all thise, shortly in sentence,
Were alyve, most konnyng and experte,
And no man list her counsel to adverte
Nor of her sawes forto taken hede,
What myght availle, and it cam to nede?
For wher prudence can fynde no socour
And providence haveth no favour,
Farwel wisdam, farwel discrecioun,
For lakke only of supportacioun.
For unsupported with his lokkes hore,
Amphiorax sighen gan ful sore
With hede enclynyd and many evyl thouht,
Whan that he sauhe his counsayl stood for nouht.
For uttrely the Grekes, as I tolde,
Han fully cast her journé for to holde,
Made hem redy, and gonnen to hosteye
Toward Thebes the cyté to werreye,
And in Grece wil no lenger tarye;
And forth with hem Amphiorax they carye,
Sette in his char with a doolful herte,
Whan he wist he myghte not asterte
Of his fate the disposicioun.
And hosteying into the regioun
Of Lygurgus, Grekes gan approche
A sondy londe with many craggy roche.
But al the way, sothly, that thei gon,
For hors nor man water was ther non -
So dry weren the vales and the pleynys.
For al that yeere they hadden had no reynys
But ful gret drouht, as mad is mencioun;
And al the londe cerchyng enviroun
They nowther fonde welle nor ryver
Hem to refressh nor water that was cler,
That they, allas, no refut ne konne.
So inportable was the shene sonne,
So hoot on hem in feldes wher they leye
That for meschief man and hors gan deye,
Gapyng ful drye upward into south;
And some putten her swerdes in her mouth
And sperys hedes, in story as is told,
T'aswage her thirst with the yren cold;
And of his lif ful many on dispeyred
In this meschief and hom ageyn repeyred;
Tyl on a day worthy Tydeus
And with hym ek the kyng Campaneus
Of purpoos rood thorghoute the contré
Yif they myght eny water see
Fro coost to cost bothe fer and ner;
Til of fortune they entred an herber
With trees shadowed for the sonne shene,
Ful of floures and of herbes grene,
Wonder hoolsom both of syyt and ayr.
Therinne a lady which passingly was fayr,
Sittyng as tho under a laurer tre,
And in her armes a litil child hadd she,
Ful gracious of loke and of visage,
And was also wondre tendre of age,
Sone of the kyng born forto succede,
Called Ligurgus in story as I rede,
Whoos hertly joye and worldly ek disport,
Al his myrth, plesaunce, and confort
Was in this child of excellent fayrnesse.
And this lady, myrour of semlynesse,
Al sodeynly as she cast up her sight
And on his stede sauh an armed knyht,
Gretely abasshed gan anon remwe.
But Tideus after gan to swe
And seyde, "Sustir, beth no thyng dismayed,
In youresilf displesed, nor affrayed.
For we ar come only to this place
Yow to biseche of mercy and of grace
Us to socour in oure grete nede,
Declaring you how it stont in dede.
Her faste by, almost at the hand,
The worthiest of al Grekes land,
Kyngges, prynces ly logged in the feld
And many other with pollex, speer, and sheld,
Which in meschief, peryl, and gret dred
For want of water ar likly to be ded.
For ther was non of hegh nor lowgh degré
In all our host, now passed daies thre,
That drank, allas, excepting non estat;
Our viage is so infortunat:
Preying yow of wommanly pyté,
Benygnely, and graciously to se
How of Grece all the chyvalrye
Of her lyves stont in jupartie,
That ye wold of wommanhede telle
Yif ye knowe ryver, spryng, or welle,
Specially now in al oure care,
Of gentillesse unto us declare.
Lo, her is alle, yif ye list to here,
That I wol seyn, myn owne suster dere."
And whan this lady inly vertuous
The conpleynt herde of worthy Tydeus,
Of verrey pyté chaungeth cher and hewe,
And in her herte upon her woo gan rewe,
And ful goodly seyng his distresse,
Seyde unto hym in al his hevynesse,
"Certes," quod she, "yif I were at large
Touching this child of which I have charge,
I shuld in hast of al that doth yow greve
To my power helpen to releve,
Only of routh and compassioun,
And leve al other occupacioun,
Conveye yowe and be youre trewe guyde
To a ryver but lityl her besyde.
But I dar not so moche me assure
This litil child to put in aventure.
I am so ferdful from it to departe.
But for youre sake yet I shal juparte
My lif, my deth of trewe affeccioun,
To provyde for your savacioun."
Took the child and laide it in her lappe,
And richely in clothes gan it wrappe,
And couched it among the herbes soote,
And leyde aboute many hoolsom roote
And floures ek bothe blewe and rede.
And supprised with a maner drede,
With Tideus forth anon she wente,
As she in trouth that no treson mente,
And on hir way wolde nevere dwelle
Til she hym brouht to a right faire welle
And to a ryvere of water ful habounde.
But who was glad and who was tho jocounde
But Tydeus seyng the ryver,
Which in al hast sente his massager
To Adrastus and bad hym nat abide
But doune descende to the ryver syde
With al his host recur forto have
At this ryver her lyves forto save.
And thei enhast hem, makyng non abood,
All attonys to the ryver rood
Forto drynk; thei hadde so gret lust
Of appetit forto staunche her thrust.
And some dronk and fonde it did hem good;
And some wern so fervent and so wood
Uppon the water that in sikernesse,
Thorgh undiscret and hasty gredynesse,
Out of mesur the watere so thei drynke
That they fille ded evene upon the brynke;
And some naked into the ryvere ronne,
Only for hete of the somer sonne,
To bathen hem (the water was so cold);
And some also, as I ha yow told,
(I mene tho that prudent wern and wise)
The water drank in mesurable wyse,
That of the thrust they ha toforn endured
They were refresshed fully and recured.
And Grekes than of hegh and lowe degré,
For high profit and gret commodité,
Compas the ryvere cristalyn of sighte,
Of oon accorde they her tentys pyhte
To rest hem ther in relees of her peyne
Only the space of a day or tweyne.
And whylys Grekes upon the ryver lay,
This Tydeus upon the same day
Ful knyghtly hath don his diligence
This yonge lady with gret reverence
To Adrastus goodly to presente.
At whoos comyng the kyng hymsilve wente
Ageynes hir, she fallyng doun on knees,
All th'estates present and degrees
Of Grekes lond (absent was nat on);
And in his armes took hir up anon,
Thanking hir of her bysynesse,
Of hir labour and her kyndenesse,
Behotyng hir, lik as he was holde,
If eny thyng pleynly that she wolde
That he may don, she shuld it redy fynde.
And Grekes all, the story maketh mynde,
Of th'estatys beyng tho present,
Thanked hir with al her hool entent
For refresshyng don to many Grek;
And for her part they biheght her ek,
With her body and goodes bothe two,
What her list comaunde hem forto do
To be redy platly and nat faille.
And her myn autour maketh rehersaille
That this lady so faire upon to se,
Of whom the name was Isyphilé,
To Adrastus told, as ye may rede,
Lynealy the stok of her kynrede,
Whilom how she a kyngges doghter was,
Rehersyng hym hooly al the cas,
First why that she out of her contré wente
Shortly for she wolde not assente
To execute a conspiracioun
Mad by the wymmen of that regioun -
A thyng contrayr and ageyn al right -
That eche of hem upon a certeyn nyght
Be on accord shal warly taken kepe
Fader, brother, and husbond in her slepe
With knyves sharpe and rasoures kene
Kytt her throtes in that mortal tene
Unto this fyn, as Bochas telle can -
In al that londe be not founde a man
But slayn echon to this conclusioun,
That wymmen myght han domynacioun
In that kyngdam to regne at liberté
And on no partie interrupted be.
But for this lady passing debonayre,
To this mordre was froward and contrayre,
Kept her fader that he was not slawe
But fro the deth preserved and withdrawe,
For which, allas, she fledde the contré,
And of a pyrat taken in the see,
To kyng Lygurgus brouht in al her drede.
And for her trouth and her wommanhede
To hir he took his yonge child to kepe,
Which in the herber allone she left slepe
Whan Tydeus she broghte to the welle.
And by Jason some bookis telle
That this lady hadde sones two,
Whan that he and Hercules also
Toward Colchos by hir contré cam
For t'acomplyssh the conquest of the ram.
But who that lyst by and by to se
The story hool of Ysyphylee,
Hir fadres name of which also I wante,
Thouh some seyn he named was Thoante
And some bokes Vermes ek hym calle,
But to knowe the aventures alle
Of this lady Isyphilé the faire,
So feithful ay and inly debonayre,
Lok on the book that John Bochas made
Whilom of wommen with rethorikes glade
And directe be ful sovereyn style
To fayre Jane, the queen of Cecile.
Rede ther the rubrich of Ysiphylé,
Of her trouth and her hegh bounté,
Ful craftily conpiled for her sake.
And whan that she hath her lieve take
Of Adrastus, homward in her weye
Tydeus gan hyr to conveye,
To the gardyne til she is repeyred.
But now, allas, my mater disespeyred
Of alle joye and of welfulnesse
And destitut of myrth and alle gladnesse,
For now of woo gynne the sharpe shoures.
For this lady fond among the floures
Her litil child turned up the face,
Slayn of a serpent in the selve place,
Hyr taile burlyd with skalis silver shene.
The venym was so persyng and so kene,
So perilous ek the mortal violence
Caused, allas, thorgh her long absence:
She was to slouh homward forto hie.
But now can she but wepe, wayle, and crye;
Now can she nouht but sighen and compleyn
And wofully wryng her handys tweyn,
Dedly of look, pal of face and chere;
And gan to rende her gilt tresses clere,
And ofte sith she gan to seyn, "Allas,
O wooful wrech unhappy in this cas,
What shal I don, or whider may I tourne?
For this the fyn, yif I her sojourne,
I woot right wel I may it not eskape
The pitous fate that is for me shape.
Socour is non, nor ther may be no red
Lich my desert but that I mot be ded;
For thorhe my slouth and my neclygence
I have, allas, don so gret offence
That my gilt - I may it nat excuse -
Shal to the kyng of treson me accuse.
Thorgh my defaute and slouth bothe two,
His sone is ded and his heir also,
Which he loved mor than al his good
(For tresour non so nygh his herte stood
Nor was so depe grave in his corage),
That he is likly to fallen in a rage
Whan it is so, myn odyous offence
Reported be unto his audience -
So inportable shal be his hevynesse.
And wel woot I in verrey sothfastnesse
That, whan the quene hath this thing espied
(To myn excus it may nat be denyed),
I doute it not ther geyneth no pyté;
Without respit she wil avenged be
On me, allas, as I ha deserved
That fro the deth I may not be preserved
Nowther by bille ne supplicacioun;
For the rage of my transgressioun
Requereth deth and non other mede."
And thus, allas, she, quaking in her drede,
Non other helpe nor remedye kan
But dreynt in sorow to the Grekes ran,
Of hertly woo face and chere disteynyd
And her chekes with wepyng al bereynyd,
In hir affray distracte and furious.
Toforn alle she cam to Tydeus
And fille on knees and gan her compleynt mak,
Tolde pleynly that for Grekes sake
She mot be ded and shortly in substaunce
Rehersing hym the grete of her grevaunce,
First how be traynys of a fals serpent
The child was slawe whil she was absent,
In what disjoynte and peril that she stood.
And whan that he her meschief understood,
Unto hire ful knyghtly he behiht
To help and forther al that evere he myght,
Hir pitous woo to stynten and appese.
And forto fynde unto hir dissese
Hasty confort, he went a ful gret pas
To Adrastus and told hym al the cas
Of this unhappy wooful aventure,
Beseching hym to don his bysy cure,
As he was bound of equyté and right,
And adverten and to han a sight
How she qwit her to Grekes her toforn
Whan they wer likly forto ha be lorn,
The socour voide of her wommanhede;
For which he most of knyghthod taken hede
To remedien this unhappy thing.
And Adrastus lik a worthy kyng
T'aquyt hymsilf, the story maketh mynd,
To thys lady wille nat be found unkynd,
Neither for cost nor for no travaylle,
But bysy was in al that myght availle
To hir socour, considered alle thingges,
And by th'avice of alle the worthy kyngges
Of Grekes lond thei be accorded thus -
Prynces, dukes and worthy Tydeus
To hold her way and al at onys ryde
To Lygurgus dwelling ther besyde,
Of on entent: yif they may purchace
In eny wise forto gete grace
For this lady called Ysiphilé
They wold assay, yif it mighte be.
And to his paleys ful ryal bylt of ston
The worthy Grekes cam ryding everichon,
Every lord ful fresshly on his stede.
And Lygurgus, example of manlihede,
Anon as he knewe of her comyng,
T'aquyt hymsilf lich a gentil kyng,
Ageyn hem went to mete hem on the way,
Ful wel byseyn and in ful good array,
Receyvyng hem with a ful kyngly chere;
And to Adrastus seid, as ye shul here,
"Cosyn," quod he and gan hym to enbrace,
"Ye be welcome to youre owne place,
Thankyng hertly to your hegh noblesse
That so goodly of your gentillesse
Towardes me ye list you to acquite,
Youresilf this day your cosyn to visite,
In this castel to take youre loggyng,
That never yit I was so glad of thyng
In al my lif - and therto her my trouth.
And overmor ther shal be no slouth
That the chambres and the large tours
Shal be delyvered to your herberiours,
That every lord, as he is of degré,
Unto his loggyng shal assigned be.
Youre officers lat hymsilf devis
Yif the howsyng may largely suffise
To yow and youres strecchen and atteyn,
That non estaat ha cause to compleyn.
And alle your hoost logged her besyde,
Which in tentys upon you abide,
Lat hem fette be myn auctorité,
Vitayle ynoh her in my cité.
And alle that may socour hem or save
And, at a word, al that evere I have
Is ful and hool at your comaundement."
Quod Adrastus, "That is nat our entent
Nor on no parte cause of oure comyng.
For we be come al for another thyng,
A certeyn gift of you to requere,
Benygnely yif ye list to here,
Which may Grekes passyngly availle,
Of our request yif that ye nat ne faille,
Which we dar not opynly expresse,
Withoute that ye wold of gentillesse
Youre graunt aforn conferme and ratefye.
Than wer we bold it to specifye."
Quod Lygurgus, "Whatever thyng it be,
Nouht exceptid but only thingges thre:
The first is this - it touch nat my lif,
My yonge sone, pleynly, nor my wyf.
Take al my good or what ye list provyde
Of my tresour and sette thies thre asyde -
Al the surplus I count nat at a myte."
Than Adrastus astounyd was a lyte
Whan Lygurgus in conclusioun
Of his sone made excepcioun.
And whilis they entreten thus yfere,
Ther cam forth on with a wooful chere,
Of face and look pal and no thing rede,
Alowde crieth, "The kynges sone is dede,
Allas the whyl, that whilom was so fayr,
After Lygurgus born forto ben hayr,
The which, allas, hath yolden up the breth,
Of a serpent stonge to the deth
And with his wound newe, fressh and grene,
In th'erber lith, that pité is to sene,
And hath so leyne almost al this day,"
That whan Lygurgus herde this affray
And wist his child was ded and hath no mo,
Lytil wonder thogh that he were wo.
For sodeynly the inportable smerte
Ran anon and rent hym by the herte,
That, for constreynt of his dedly peyne,
Thorghoute he felte korven every veyne.
The rage gan myne in hym so depe
That he can not but sighe, sobbe, and wepe.
And with the noyse and lamentacioun
The qwen distrauht is descendid doun.
And whan she knewe the ground of al this sorowe,
Hit nedeth her no teeres forto borowe
But twenty tyme ny upon a rowe
Aswoune she fille unto the grounde lowe;
And stoundemele for this hegh meschaunce
Stille as ston she lyggeth in a traunce.
And whan the child into the courte was brouht
Tofore Lygurgus, allas, I wite hym nouht.
Upon the cors with a mortal face,
He fil atonys and gan it to embrace,
Soore grype and ageyn upsterte,
That whan Adrastus gan this thyng adverte,
Of kyngly routh and compassioun
From his eyen the teeres fille doun;
Ek kyngges, dukes that aboute stood
Only of pité which is in gentyl blood,
No power hadde the water to restreyn
That on her chekes doune bygan to reyn.
But al a day wolde not suffise
Alle her sorowes in ordre to devise,
First of the kyng and of the quene also;
To tellen all, I shulde never ha do,
Not in the space almost of an hour.
But whan the stormes and the sharpe shour
Of her wepyng was somwhat overgon,
The lytil cors was graven under ston.
And Adrastus in the same tide
Lygurgus took a litil out aside
And ful wisely with his prudent spech
(The qwen present) gan hym forto tech
That so to sorowe avaylle may right noght,
To mordre hymsilf with his owne thouht,
Sith loos of deth no man may recure,
Thogh he in woo perpetuelly endure:
Al helpeth nat whan the soule is go.
"And our lif her, who tak hed therto,
Is but an exile and a pilgrymage,
Ful of torment and of bitter rage,
Lich a see rennyng to and fro,
Swyng an ebbe whan the flood is do,
Lytil space abidyng at the fulle,
Of whos sojour the pope geveth no bulle.
Nor kyng is non, duk, nor emperour
That may hym shroude ageyn the fatal shour
Of cruel deth, whan hym list manace
To marke a man with his mortal mace.
Than geyneth nat to his savacioun
Neyther fraunchyse nor proteccioun,
And lit or noght may helpen in this caas
Sauffecondit or supersedyas.
For in this world, whoso look aright,
Is non so gret of power nor of myght,
Noon so riche shortly nor so bold
But he mot dey oyther yong or old.
And who in youth passeth this passage,
He is eskaped al the woode rage,
Al sorowe and trouble of this present lyff,
Repleveshed with contek, werre and stryff,
Which seeld or nevere stont in suerté.
Wherfor best is, as semeth unto me,
No man gruch but of hegh prudence
The sonde of goddis tak in pacience.
And ye that ben so wis and manly to,
Youresilf to drowne in torment and in woo
For loos of thyng, yif that ye list to se,
Which in no wise may recured be,
Is gret foly and undiscreccioun."
And thus Adrastus hath conveyed doun
The substaunce hool of that he wolde seye,
Til that he fond a tyme forto preye
Convenyent for Ysyphilee,
Bysechyng hym forto han pité
Of that she hath offended his highnesse,
Not wilfully but of reklesnesse:
First, that he wold his doomes to dyvide,
Mercy preferre and set right aside,
At request and preier of hem alle,
Of this unhappe and meschief that is falle
By hasty rigour nat to do vengeaunce
But thynk aforn in his purvyaunce,
Who to wreches doth mercy in her drede
Shal mercy fynde whan he hath most nede;
And sith he hath power, myght, and space,
Lat hym tak this lady to his grace,
For lak of routh that she nat ne dye.
But tho the quene gan agayn replye
And platly seide as in this matere,
Avayleth not requeste nor preyere,
Pyté, mercy, nor remyssyoun,
But yif it be by this condicioun -
That the serpent, cause of al this sorowe,
Thorgh her labour lay his hed to borowe.
This is fynal and utter recompense
To fynde grace for her gret offence,
Or ellis shortly sheede blood for blood.
And whan Grekys her answer understood,
Al of accord in her beste wise
Took on hem this aventurous emprise
For love only of Ysyphylee
And gan to ryde envyron the contré,
By hilles, vales, roches, and ek caves,
In dychis dirk and in olde gravis,
By every cooste cerchyng up and doun,
Til at the last ful famous of renoun,
The worthy knyght Parthonolopé
Was the first that happed for to se
This hydous serpent by a ryverside,
Gret and horrible, stern and ful of pride,
Undere a rocch by a banke lowe.
And in al hast he bent a sturdy bowe
And therin sette an arowe fyled kene,
And thorgh the body spotted blew and grene,
Ful myghtily he made it forto glyde,
Hent out a swerde hongyng be his syde,
Smoot of his hede and anon it hent
And therwithal gan the quene present,
Wherthorgh her sorowe parcel gan aswage.
And thus of prowesse and of hegh corage
This manly man Parthonolopé
Hath reconciled faire Isyphilee
Unto grace fully of the quene,
Hir ire avoided and her olde tene.
And by Adrastus mediacioun,
Kyng Lygurgus graunted a pardoun
To this lady, that from al daunger fre
She was restored to her liberté,
In his paleys al her lif to dwelle,
Thogh John Bochas the contrarie telle;
For this autour affermeth out of dred
That, whan this child was by the serpent ded,
She durste not for her gret offence
Never after comen in presence
Of Lygurgus but of intencioun
Fledde anon out of that regioun:
Att herte she took the childes deth so sore.
What fille of hir I fynd can no more
Than ye han herd aforn me specifye.
And the kyngdam, but yif bookys lye,
Of Lygurgus was ycalled Trace.
And, as I rede in another place,
He was the same myghty champioun
To Athenes that kam with Palamoun
Ageyne his brother that called was Arcyte,
Lad in his chaar with foure boolys whyte,
Upon his hed a wreth of gold ful fyn.
And I fynd ek how Bachus, god of wyn,
With this kyng was whilom at debat
Only for he pompous and elat,
Destruccioun dide to his vynys,
And for he first sett allay on wynys,
Meynte water whan they were to strong.
And this Bachus for the grete wrong
Brak his lymys and dreynt hym in the see.
Of Lygurgus ye gete no more of me.
But the trouth, yif ye lyst verryfie,
Rede Of Goddes the Genologye,
Lynealy her kynrede be degrees,
Ibraunched out upon twelve trees,
Mad by Bochas de Certaldo called,
Among poetys in Ytaille stalled
Next Fraunceys Petrak swyng in certeyn.
Now unto Grekys I wil retourne ageyn,
To telle forth shortly, yif I konne,
Of her journé that they ha begonne,
How Adrastus hath his lieve take
Of Ligurgus with his browes blake
And departyng with Seynt John to borowe
Mad his wardes on the nexte morowe
So wel beseyn, so myghty, and so strong,
Wonder erly whan the larke song
With a trompet warned every man
To be redy in al the hast they kan
Forto remwe and no letting make.
And so they han the righte way itake
Toward Thebes the Grekes everychon,
That such a nombre gadred into on
Of worthy knyghtes nevere aforn was seyn,
Whan they in fere monstred in a pleyn.
And they ne stynt by non occasioun
Til they be come even afor the toun
And pight her tentys proudly, as I rede,
Under the wallys in a grene mede.
And whan the Thebans were besette aboute,
The manly knyghtes wold han yssyd oute
And ha scarmosshed in her lusty pride
With her foomen on the tother side.
But be byddyng of Ethiocles
Alle thilk nyght thei kepte hemsilf in pes,
Be cause only that it was so late,
With gret awayt set at every gate,
Men of armys al the nyght wakyng
On the wallys be byddyng of the kyng,
Lest ther were treynys or tresoun.
And on the tours and in the chief dongoun
He sette up men to make mortal sowns
With brasyn hornys and loude clarions,
Of ful entent the wacches forto kepe
In his warde that no man ne slepe.
And Grekys proudly al the longe nyght
Kyndled fyrys and maad ful gret lyght,
Sette up loggyng upon every syde,
Lik as they shuld ever ther abyde;
Compas the toune ther was no voide space
But al besette her foomen to manace.
And whilys they afor the cité laye,
On every cost they sent out to forraye,
Brente townes, thorpes, and vilages,
With grete ravyn makyng theyr pillages,
Spoyle and robbe and broughte hom vitaille
And al maner soortes of bestaylle -
Shep and neet - and in her cruel rage
With houndes slowe al that was savage -
Hert and hynde, bothe buk and doo,
The blake beer and the wilde roo,
The fatte swyn and the tusshy boor -
Karying al hom for the Grekes stoor,
Whete and wyn for her avauntage,
Hay and otys, fodder and forage.
With this kalendis, as hem thynke dwe,
Grekys gan the Thebans to salwe,
Mynistring hem occisiones felle,
The sege sette, shortly forto telle,
Of ful entent in their hatful pryde,
For lif or deth therupon t'abide,
Whosoever therwith be agreved,
Til they fully her purpoos have acheved;
Ther may therof be maked no relees.
And of this ful war Ethiocles
Gan in party gretly to mervaille,
Whan that he saugh the grete apparaylle
Of the Grekes the cité rounde aboute,
And in hymsilf hadde a maner doute
Now at the poynt what was best to do.
For thilke tyme it stood with hym so
That to some abidyng in the toun
He hadde in herte gret suspecioun
List toward hym that they were unstable
And to his brother in party favorable;
For in the cité ther was variance,
Which unto hym was a gret meschaunce,
For in his nede shortly he ne wiste
Upon whoom that he myghte triste,
For they wer not alle of on entent.
For which he hath for his counsale sent,
Al his lordes and the olde quene,
Which as he dempte were pur and clene,
Hool of on herte and not variable,
Of old expert and alway founde stable,
Requeryng hem because they were wys
Al openly to tellen ther avis
Wher it was bet pleynly in her sight
With his brother to treten or to fight.
And some gaf a ful blunt sentence,
Which hadde of werre non experience,
Seyde it was best, and nat ben afferd
To trye his right manly with the swerd.
And some also that wer moor prudent
Spak unto hym by good avisement
And list nat spar but their conceyte tolde
How hit was best his covenaunt forto holde
And to parforn his heeste mad toforn
To his brother lich as he was sworn,
So that his word, the wors to mak hym spede,
Be nat founde variant fro the dede,
For non hatred, rancour, neyther pryde.
And tho the queen took hym out aside,
Tolde hym pleynly it was ful unsittyng
Swich doublenesse to fynden in a kyng,
And seide hym ek, althoh he were strong,
To his brother how he dide wrong,
"As al the toune wil record, in dede,
And ber witnesse, yif it kam to nede.
Wherfor lat us shape another mene
In this matere whil that it is grene,
Or this quarel, gonne of volunté,
Turne in the fyn to mor adversité.
For yif it be darreyned be bataylle,
Who tresteth most may ful likly faille.
And it is foly be short avisement
To putte a strif in Martys jugement.
For hard it is whan a juge is wood
To tret aforn hym without loos of blood.
And yif we put our mater hool in Marte,
Which with the swerd his lawes doth coarte,
Than may hit happe, wher ye be glad or loth,
Thow and thy brother shal repente both
And many another that is her present,
Of youre trespas that ben innocent,
And many thousand in cas shal compleyn
For the debat only of yow tweyn,
And for your strif shal fynde ful unsoote.
And for thow art gynnyng, ground, and roote
Of this injurie and this gret unright,
To the goddys that herof han a sight
Thow shalt accountys and a reknyng make
For alle tho that persshyn for thi sake.
And now the cause dryven is so ferre,
Sodeyn pees oyther hasty werre
Moot folowe anon; for the fatal chaunce
Of lif and deth dependeth in balaunce.
And no man may be no craft restreyne
That upon on platly of this tweyne
The soort mot falle, lik as it doth tourne,
Whosoever lawgh or ellys mourne.
And thow art dryve so narowe to the stake
That thow mayst nat moo delayes make
But fight or tret, this quarel forto fyne;
By non engyn thow canst it not declyne.
And hasty cas, as folk seyn that be wys,
Redresse requereth by ful short avys;
For trete longe now avaylleth noght.
For to the poynt sothly thou art brouht:
Ouyther to kepe thy pocessioun
Or in al haste devoyde out of this toun,
Wher thow therwith be wroth or wel apayd.
Now note wel al that I ha sayd,
And by my counsayl wisly condescende
Wrong, wrouht of olde, newly to amende.
The tyme is come - it may be non other.
Wherfor in haste trete with thi brother
And ageyn hym make no resistence
But to thy lordys fully gif credence,
By whoos counsayl, sith they be so sage,
Late Polymyte rejoyse his heritage.
And that shal turne most to thyn avail.
Loo, her is hool the fyn of our counsail."
And shortly tho for verrey ire wroth,
Thouh he therto froward was and loth,
Accorded is, heryng al the prees;
Yif he algate shal trete for a pes,
It moste be by this condicioun -
That he wol han the domynacioun
First in chief to hymsilf reserved,
As hym thouht he hadde wel disserved,
And save to hym hool the sovereynté;
And under hym in Thebes the cité
He to graunte with a right good cher
Polymytes to regne for a yer,
Than avoyde and not resoort ageyn;
For mor to cleyme was nat but in veyn.
This wold he don only for her sake,
And otherwise he wil non ende make
With the Grekys, what fortune evere falle.
And fynally among his lordys alle
Ther was not on of hih nor lowgh estat
That wold gon on this ambassyat
Out of the toune, nouther for bet nor wors,
Til Jocasta made sadyl her hors
And cast hersilf to gon for this treté,
To make an ende, yif it wolde be.
And this was don the morowe right be tyme,
Upon the houre whan it droh to pryme.
And with hyr went hyr yonge dohtres tweyne,
Antygoné and the feyr Ymeyne,
Of hyr meyné ful many on aboute;
At the gate she was conveyed oute,
And of purpos she made first hir went
On horsbak to kyng Adrastus tent,
He and his lordys beyng al yffere.
And they receyve hyr with a right glad chere,
Shewyng hyr lik to hir degré
On every half ful gret humanyté;
Polymytes rysyng fro his place,
And humblely his moder gan enbrace,
Kyssede hyr and than Antigoné
And ek Ymeyne excellyng of bewté.
And for that they passyngly were faire,
Gret was the pres, concours, and repaire
Of the ladyes forto han a sight.
And Jocasta procedeth anon ryght
To Adrastus hir mater to purpose,
And gan to hym opynly disclose
Th'entent and will of Ethiocles
And by what mene he desireth pes -
To hym reserved, as she gan specifie,
The honour hool and the regalye,
With sceptre and croune fro hym not devyded
But hool to hym as he hath provided
And Polymyte, be this condicioun,
Under hym to regnen in the toun
As a soget, be suffraunce of his brother.
But the Grekes thouhten al another,
And specyaly worthy Tydeus,
Pleynly affermyng it shuld nat be thus:
For he wil have no condiciouns
But sette asyde all excepciouns,
Nothyng reservid as in special,
But hool the lordship, regalye, and al,
Polymytes it fully to possede,
In Thebes crowned verrayly in dede
As rightful kyng putte in pocessioun,
Lich the covenauntys and convencioun
Imad of olde, assuryd, and asselyd,
"Which shall not now of nwe be repelyd
But stable and hool in his strengthe stonde.
And lat hym so platly undyrstonde:
And first that he devoyde hym out of toun
And delyvere the sceptre and the croun
To his brother and mak therof no more.
And, shortly, ellys it shal be bouht ful sore
Or this mater brought be to an ende.
For Grek is non that shal hennys wende
Or that our right, which is us denyed,
With lif or deth darreyned be and tryed:
We wil not arst fro this towne remewe.
And yif hym lyst al this thyng eschwe
And al meschief styntyn and appese,
To either part he may do gret ese;
Thus I mene for his avauntage:
Delyver up hool the trewe herytage
To his brother for a yeer t'endure
And Grekys shal fully hym assure,
By what bonde that hym list devise,
The yeer complet in our beste wise
To hym delyver ageyn pocessioun
Withoute strif or contradiccioun,
And to this fyn justly hald us to.
And yif it falle that he wil nat so,
Lat hym not wayte but only after werre.
The hour is come - we wil it not differre.
Lo, her is al, and thus ye may reporte
To hym ageyn, whan that ye resorte,
Fro which apoynt we cast us not to varye."
And yit to hym Amphiorax contrarye
Ful pleynly saide, in conclusioun,
This fyn shal cause a destruccioun
Of hem echon, yif it forth procede
To be parfourmed and execute in dede.
But thilke tyme for al his elloquence
He had in soth but lytyl audience.
For whersoevere he ment good or ille,
Kyng Adrastus bad hym to be stille.
And tho Jocasta, as wisdom did hyr tech,
Humble of her port with ful softe spech,
Gan seke menys in hyr fantasye,
Yif she myght the ire modefye
Of the Grekes to make hem to enclyne
In eny wise hyr rancour forto fyne.
She dyd hyr dever and hir bysy cure.
But tho byfel a wonder aventure,
Cause and ground of gret confusioun,
Grekys perturbyng and also ek the toun,
And it to telle may me not asterte.
For which a whil my styell I mot dyverte
And shortly telle, by descripcioun,
Of a tigre dwellyng in the toun,
Which fro a kyngdam besyden adjacent
Out of Egipte was to Thebes sent.
The whiche beest by record of scripture
Is most swift as of his nature,
And of kynd also most savage,
And most cruel whan he is in his rage;
And, as clerkys make mencioun,
He of body resembleth the lyoun,
And lik a greyhound the mosel and the hed,
And of eyen as eny fyret red,
Ek of his skyn, wryten as I fynde,
Lich a panter conversant in Ynde
With al maner hwys and colours
And is ful oft disceyved with merours
By fraude of huntys and fals apparence
Shewyd in glas withouten existence,
Whan his kyndles arn be sleight ytake
And he deceyved may no rescus make.
And lik a lombe was this tygre tame,
Ageynys kynde, myn autour writ the same.
And this beest, mervaillous to se,
Was sent to Ymeyne and Antigoné,
Which unto hem dide gret confort
And cowde playe and make good disport,
Lik a whelp that is but yong of age,
And to no wight dide no damage,
No mor in soth than doth a litil hound;
And it was worth many hundred pound
Unto the kyng, for ay in his grevaunce
Ther was nothing did hym mor plesaunce,
That for no tresour it myght not be bought.
For whan that he was pensif or in thought,
It putt hym out of his hevynesse.
And thilke tyme, the story doth expresse,
That Jocasta treded for a pes
This tame tygre in party rekkeles
Out at the gates, in sight of many a man,
Into the felde wildely out ran,
And casuelly rennyng to and fro,
In and oute, as doth a tame roo;
Grekys wenyng, that wer yong of age,
That this tygre hadde be savage
And cruelly besettyng al the place
Round aboute gan hym to enchace
Til he was ded and slayen in the feld.
The slauhter of whom whan that they byheld,
The proude Thebans, which on the wallys stood,
They ronne doune ful furious and wood,
Wenyng he had be slayen of despit,
Takyng her hors withoute mor respit,
Fully in purpos with Grekys forto fighte,
The tigres dethe t'avengen yif they myghte.
And out they rood withoute governaylle
And ful proudly Grekes gan assaylle,
And of hatred and ful heghe desdayne
Fyl upon hem that han the tygre slayne,
And cruelly qwitten hem her mede,
That many Greke in the grene mede
By the force and the grete myght
Of her foomen lay slayen in this fight.
The tigres deth so dere they aboughte,
So mortally Thebanys on hem wroughte
That al the host in the feld liggyng
Was astounyd of this sodeyn thyng.
And in this whil, of rancour rekkeles,
Out of Thebes rood Ethiocles
And with hym ek the worthy kyng Tremour,
Of his hond a noble werreour,
That made Grekes to forsak her place
And to her tentys gan hem to enchace.
And myd the feld as thei togyder mette
On horsbak with speres sharpe whette
Of verray hate and envious pryde,
Ful many on was ded on outher syde.
The whiche thyng whan Tideus espieth,
Wood as lyoun to horsbak he hieth,
As he that was never a del afferd,
But ran on hem and met hem in the berd;
And maugré hem, in his cruelté
He made hem fleen hom to her cité,
Hem pursuyng of ful dedly hate,
That many on lay slayen at the gate,
Gapyng uprightys with her woundys wyde,
That uttrely they durste not abyde
Tofor the swerd of this Tydeus.
He was on hem so passing furius,
So many Theban he roof unto the herte
That, whan Jocasta the slauhtre gan adverte,
Polymytes she gan prey ful fayre
To make Grekis hom ageyn repayre
And that they wolden styntyn to assaylle
For thilke day and cessen her bataylle.
At whoos requeste pleynly and preyeire
And at reverence of his moder dere,
Polymytes, her herte to conforte,
Grekes made hom ageyn resorte
And Tydeus to stynten of his chas.
And they of Thebes, hasting a gret pas,
Ful trist and hevy ben entred into toun.
And for the tygre, in conclusioun,
As ye han herd, first began this stryff,
That many Theban that day lost his lyff
And recurlees hath yolden up the breth
In th'avengyng of the tygres deth.
And al this while duely as she ought,
The quene Jocasta humblely besought
Kyng Adrastus only of his grace,
Some mene way wisly to purchace
To make a pees atwene the bretheren tweyn
And the treté so prudently ordeyne
On either party that no blood be shad.
And this Adrastus, avise and right sad,
For Grekis party answer gaf anon
That other ende shortly gete she non,
Lich as the lordis fully ben avisyd,
Than Tydeus hath aforn devisyd.
And whan she saugh it may non other be,
She lieve tok and hom to the cyté
She is repeired, havyng to hyr guyde
Polymytes rydyng be her syde.
And Tideus ladde Antigoné,
And of Archadye Prothonolopé
The worthy kyng did his bysy peyne
To ben attendaunt upon fair Ymeyne,
Whos hert she hath to her servise luryd;
And he ageyn hath purtraied and fyguryd
Myd of his brest, which lightly may not passe,
Hooly the feturis of her fresshly face.
Hym thouht she was so faire a creature,
And though that he durst hym not discure,
Yit in his hert as ferforth as he kan,
He hath avowed to ben her trwe man,
Unwist to hir pleynly and unknowe
How he was marked with Cupides bowe,
With his arwe sodeynly werreyed.
And to the gate the ladyes conveyed
Ben entred in, for it drow to eve,
Grekys of hem taking tho her leve;
Thogh some of hem wer sory to departe,
Yit of wisdam they durste not juparte
Under a conduit to entren into toun,
Lest it turned to her confusion.
Thouh some bookes the contrarye seyn,
But myn autour is platly therageyn
And affermeth in his opynyoun
That Tydeus of hegh discrecioun,
Of wilfulnesse nor of no folye,
Ne wold as tho put in jupartie
Nowther hymsilf nor non of his ferys.
And the ladyes with her hevenly cherys,
Angelik of look and contenance,
Lich as it is put in remembrance,
At her entryng from Grekys into toun,
Polymytes of gret affeccioun
The quen bysouhte thilke nyght not fyne
For t'asseye yif she myght enclyne
Ethiocles, of conscience and ryght,
To kepe covenaunt, as he hath behight
Ful yore agon with the surplusage,
List the contrayre tourne to damage,
First of hymsilf and many an other mo.
And thus fro Thebes Grekys ben ago
To her tentys and rest hem al that nyght.
And Lucyna the mone shon ful bright
Withinne Thebes on the chief dongoun,
Whan Jocasta made relacioun
Unto the kyng and told hym al the guyse,
How that Grekys uttrely despyse
His profre made be fals collusioun,
Only excepte the convencioun,
Of old engrocyd by gret purvyance,
Which is enrollyd and put in remembrance,
Upon which they fynaly wil reste:
Hym counsaillinge, hir thouhte for the beste,
To conforme hym to that he was bounde,
Lyst in the fyn falsnesse hym confounde.
But al hir counsayl he set it at no prys;
He dempt hymsilf so prudent and so wys,
For he was wilful and he was indurat,
And in his hert of malice obstynat,
And outtrely avised in his thouht
Withinne Thebes his brother get right nouht.
And in his errour thus I lete him dwelle.
And of Grekis forth I wil you telle,
Which al that nyght kepte hemsilve cloos.
And on the morow whan Tytan up aroos,
They armyd hem and gan hem redy make,
And of assent han the felde itake,
With the Thebans that day out of doute
Forto fighten, yif they yssen oute.
And Adrastus in ful thrifty wise
In the feld his wardys gan devise,
As he that was of all deceytes war.
And richely armyd in his char
Amphiorax cam with his meyné,
Ful renomyd of antiquité,
And wel expert because he was old.
And whil that Grekys, as I have you told,
Wer bysiest her wardys to ordeyne,
Myd of the feld bifyl a cas sodeyne,
Ful unhappy, lothsom, and odyble,
For liche a thing that wer invisible
This olde bisshop with char and hors certeyn
Disaperyd and no mor was seyne.
Only of fate which no man can repelle,
The erth opnede and he fille to helle,
With all his folk that upon hym abood.
And sodeynly the grounde on which he stood
Closyd ageyn and togydre shette,
That never after Grekis with hym mette.
And thus the devel for his old outrages,
Lich his decert, paied hym his wages.
For he ful lowe is discendid doun
Into the dirk and blake regyoun
Wher that Pluto is crownyd and ystallyd
With his quene Proserpina icallyd.
With whom this bisshop hath made his mansioun
Perpetuelly as for his guerdoun.
Lo, here the mede of ydolatrie,
Of rytys old and fals mawmetrye.
Lo, what avayllen incantaciouns
Of exorsismes and conjurisouns;
What stood hym stede his nigromancye,
Calculacioun, or astronomye;
What vaylled hym the hevenly manciouns,
Diverse aspectis, or constellaciouns?
The ende is nat bot sorowe and meschaunce
Of hem that setten her outre affiaunce
In swich werkes supersticious,
Or trist on hem: he is ungracious.
Record I take, shortly forto telle,
Of this bysshop sonken doun to helle,
Whos wooful ende about in every cost
Swich a rumour hath maked in the host
That the noys of this uncouth thyng
Is yronne and come to the kyng,
How this vengeaunce is unwarly falle.
And he anon made a trumpet calle
Alle his puple out of the feld ageyn;
And everychon assembled on a pleyn
Tofore the kyng and also rounde aboute.
Every man of his lyf in doute
Ful pitously gan to frowne and loure,
List that the grounde hem alle wil devoure
And swalowen hem in his dirke kav |