The works of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer as they have lately been compar'd with the best manuscripts, and several things added, never before in print : to which is adjoyn'd The story of the siege of Thebes, by John Lidgate ... : together with The life of Chaucer, shewing his countrey, parentage, education, marriage, children, revenues, service, reward, friends, books, death : also a table, wherein the old and obscure words in Chaucer are explained, and such words ... that either are, by nature or derivation, Arabick, Greek, Latine, Italian, French, Dutch, or Saxon, mark'd with particular notes for the better understanding of their original.

How Ethiocles made him strong ayenst the coming of the Greeks.

Of the Lords and Barons of the toun, And of the wisest of his regioun, How he might maken resistence, Manly to stonden at defence, To be so strong that there were no dout: And in the countries adjacent about, And eke also in forreine regions He hath withhold all the champions, And thereupon he sent out his espies, And his friends, and his next allies, And all the worthy dwelling enuiroun, Young, fresh, and lusty, he gadred to the toun, Maskewed his wals and his toures, And stuffed hem with manly souldeours, Round about he set many gonnes, Great and small, and some large as tonnes, In his hasty passing feruent heat, He spent his treasour, and yaue yefts great Vnto knights, and worthy men of name, * And euermore to encrease his fame, He yaue to lords jewels manyfold, Clothes of Veluet, Damaske, and of gold, To get him hearts, soothly as I rede, To helpe him now in his great nede, And prudently purueyed him toforne Of flesh, of fish, of wine, and of corne, Set his Captaines early and late With full great stuff stonding at euery gate, And made also by werkemen that were trew, Barbicans and Bulwerkes strong and new, Barreres, cheines & ditches wonder deepe, Making his auow the city for to keepe, While he liueth, despite of all his fone, And by his gods of mettall and of stone, Full oft he swore both of hert and thought, That it shall first full deare ben ybought, And many a man, with polax, swerd, & knife, Before this towne shall first lese his life, And there shall eke many sides blede, Ere that his brother possibly possede The toun in pees, like as Greekes wene: But at end the trouth it shall be sene, Let him beware, and wele toforne prouide For Adrastus on that other side

For his party was not negligent, But on a day held his parlement, All his lords sitting enuiron, To driue shorteley a pleine conclusion, And vp tapoint the fine of her entent, But some thought it full expedient, Ere they procede, to werke by thauise Of one that was full prudent and wise, And circumspect in his werkes all, A worthy Bishop into age fall, And called was soothly by his name Amphiorax, of whom the great fame,