¶ Hic Greci mandauerunt post Pirrum ffilium Achillis.
To the kyng sir Lycomede, [folio 243a]
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To help hem In that gret nede,—
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That was so tyff & strong In stoure.
Agamenoun, here Emperoure,
Bad than his brother Menelaus
With his meygne wende afftir Pirrus;
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And he as sone wente to the see
With his men & his naue,
And sayled forth with mochel spede
Vn-to that lord Lycomede.
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¶ When he was comen In-to that hauen,
He bad sqwyeres, ȝomen, & knauen
Lede out here hors opon the sonde;
And he lepe vp & rode to londe,
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With Lycomede til he was met:
With curtais wordis he him gret
And welcomed him with loueli chere,
And sette hem doun to-gedir In-fere
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In his hye halle opon the dese.
Then seyde the kyng Lycomedes:
'SIr kyng, to me welcome thow art!
But me meruayles what [t]he has gart
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Come fro thi Grues thus fer to me?
And what thow wole In this contre?
What tydandes haue ȝe broght hidur?
And what thow wol with the haue thidur?
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For wele I wot: with-oute skille
Art thow not comen this lond tille.'
¶ Menelaus to him then sayde:
'Sir Licomede, so thow be payde!
Line 16484
I schal the telle myn erande, whi
That I come hedir sicurly:
The kynges of Grece alle In-fere
The gretes wele, as thow seis here,
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