For thei hadde filled bothe schip & barge [folio 272a]
Line 18427
Al the while thei durst hem charge.
Line 18428
ANtenor & Eueas
Be-soght the lordes of her grace:
"To graunte Heleyne hir lyff
And Andromede, Ectoris wyff,
Line 18432
For thei hadde ben al-weys
To hem bothe hende & curteys;"
'And whan Paris hadde Achilles sclayn
And let him ligge so foule be-sclayn
Line 18436
In-myddes the strete to rauen & rokes,—
Scholde haue to-drawen him with her crokes,—
¶ These two ffor him thei be-soght
That he myght to burieles be broght.
Line 18440
Wherfore it is worthi,
That ȝe here lyues to hem graunty.'
The kynges it graunt by comune assent,
And seyde it was gode Iugement.
Line 18444
Heleyne [MS. Helenus.] & Andromede
Bede tho alle those lordes swete
Off here mercy and thaire good wille,
That thei wolde not hir children spille.
Line 18448
¶ The kynges hadde of hem gret ruthe,
Thei swor alle by her treuthe
That thei scholde hem non harm do;
And thus saued thei the childryn two:
Line 18452
And sithen was on a kyng In Grece,
Off riche londes & riche fece,
Off alle the londes kyng Pirrus
And of the londes of kyng Pelleus.
Line 18456
¶ Thei ordeyned a-monges hem as blyue,
That alle that were lefft on lyue
Off ladyes, comen of genterye,
With-oute schame or vylonye
Line 18460
