Then the grete of the Grekes gone into counsell,
Line 5580
How þai best might in batell þe burgh to assaile. [folio 87a]
And þen þai purpast hom plainly, in the pure night
ffor to dresse for þat dede, er þa day sprange.
But the ffreikes were ferd of hor fre shippes,
Line 5584
ffor to caire by the coste, & knew not the waches;
Or to remeve fro rode for rokkes in þe se,
Or to wyn to þe walles, wachid, hom thoght,
ffor los of hor lyues and hor lefe knightes:
Line 5588
And so þai put of þat purpas, & past to another.
THE COUNSELL OF DYAMEDE TO STIRRE TO ÞE CITE.
When all counsels were kyde and carpit to end,
Þai didyn after Dyamede, & demyt hit þe best,
Þat said hom full sadly all in softe wordes:—
Line 5592
"Ye worthy to wale, wonder me thinke,
Of our dedis so dull why we dure here!
Now is ȝepely a yere yarket to end,
Syn we light in this lond & logget our seluyn,
Line 5596
And neuer dressid, ne drogh, to no dede ferre;
Ne so hardy, fro þis hauyn to hale on our fos,—
ffor to turne vnto Troy, ne on þe toun loke.
What dede haue we don, or dryuen to an end;
Line 5600
Or þe farrer in our fare fortherit our seluyn?
But ertid our Enmys, & angert hom noght;
Made hom wiser of werre, ware of our dedys,
And by compas to caste to conquere vs all.
Line 5604
We sothely haue sene, & our selfe knowen,
Syn we come to þis coste & cairet no ferre,
The Troiens haue atiret hom with myche tor strenght,
Þaire Cité to saue, and hom selfe alse,
Line 5608
With new wallis vp wroght, water before,
And pals haue þai pight, with pittis and caves,
