To all the grete of Grece, fro Agamynon & hym,
Vnder sailes of those souerains, samyn to wend
By currouris to yche cost, kynges to warne:
Line 3648
And all agreit to þe gate with a gode wille.
The first of þo freikes, þat to the fight come,
Was Achilles, a choise kyng & cheuallrus in armys;
And Patroculus the proude, a prise mon of werre;
Line 3652
With Diomed, a doughti mon & dernist 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 þo derfe kynges;
Line 3656
And opunly, by one assent þai ordant hom all,
With grym ost for to go & a grete nauy, [folio 57b]
Elan fuersly to fecche, and hor fos qwell,
And venge on þere velany & þere vile harme.
Line 3660
And for explait of þere spede, þai spekyn in fere
To chese hom a cheftayn to be chefe of þem all,
To be prinse in þat prise and þe prese haue;
All the ost for to honour & his hest kepe,
Line 3664
And be gouernett by this grete by grement of hom.
Þen by assent of þose souerans somyn, þai yode
And walit hom a wegh by wit, as hom thoght.
To Agamynon þai giffen þe gouernaunce hole,
Line 3668
ffor worthiest of wit þat worship to haue;
And ordant hym Emperour by opyn assent,
With power full playn þe pepull to lede,
And obey to þat bolde his biddyng to wirke.
Line 3672
THE DROWNYNG OF 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 þe se
With a nauy full noble anon by hom seluyn;—
Line 3676
The Troiens to take was þere intent euyn,
