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.

THE Story of THEBES, Compiled by John Lidgate, Monk of Bury.

The Prologue to the Story of THEBES.

WHen bright Phebus passed was the Ram Midde of Aprill, and into the Bull came, And Saturne old, with his frosty face, In Virgine taken had his place, Melancolike, and slough of motion, And was also in the opposition Of Lucina the Moone, moist and pale, That many shoure fro heauen made auaile, When Aurora was in the morrow redde, And Iupiter in the Crabs hedde Hath take his paleis and his mansion, The lusty time, and joly fresh season, When that Flora the noble mighty queene The so••le hath clad in new tender greene, With her floures craftely meint, Braunch & bough with red & white depeint, Fleeting the Baume on hils and on vales, The time in sooth, when Canterbury tales, Complet and told at many a sundry stage Of estates in the pilgrimage, Eueriche man like to his degree, Some of disport, some of moralitie, Some of knighthood, loue, and gentillesse, And some also of parfite holinesse, And some also, in sooth of ribaudry, To make laughter in the company, Ech admitted, for none would other greue, Like as the Cooke, the Miller, and the Reue, Aquite hemselfe, shortly to conclude Boistously in her tearmes rude, When they hadden well dronken of the boll, And eke also with his pilled noll, The Pardoner beardlesse all his chin, Glasie eyes, and face of Cherubin, Telling a tale, to anger with the Frere, As openly the story can you lere Word by word, with euery circumstance, Echone ywrit, and put in remembrance, By him that was, if I shall not faine, Floure of Poetes, throughout all Bretaine, Which soothly had most of excellence In Rhetorike, and in eloquence, Rede his making, who list the trouth find, Which neuer shall appallen in my mind, But alway fresh been in mine memory, To whom be youe prise, honour, and glory Of well seeing, first in our language, Cheef Registrer in this pilgrimage, All that was told, foryeting nought at all, Feined tales, nor thing historiall, With many Prouerbes diuers and vncouth, By rehearsaile of his sugred mouth, Of ech thing keeping in substaunce The sentence hole, without variaunce, Voiding the chaffe, soothly for to saine, Enlumining the true piked greine, By crafty writing of his sawes swete, Fro the time that they did mete. First the Pilgrimes soothly euerychone, At Tabarde assembled one by one, And fro Southwerke, soothly for to sey, To Canterbury riding on her wey, Telling a tale, as I rehearse can, Liche as the host assigned euery man, None so hardy, his bidding disobey, And thus while that the pilgrimes ley At Canterbury, well lodged one and all, I not in sooth what I may it call, Hap or Fortune, in conclusioun, That me befell, to enter into the toun, The holy saint plainely to visite, After my sickenesse vowes to acquite, In a Cope of blacke, and not of grene, On a palfray, slender, long, and lene, With rusty bridle, made not for the sale, My man toforne, with a void male, That of Fortune tooke mine Inne anone, Where y^• pilgrims were lodged euerychone, The same time her gouernour the host, Stonding in hall, full of wind and bost, Liche to a man wonder sterne and fers, Which spake to me, & saied anon dan Pers, Dan Dominike, dan Godfray, or Clement, Ye be welcome newly into Kent, Thogh your bridle haue nother boos ne bell, Beseeching you, that ye will tell First of your name, and what countre, Without more, shortly that ye be, That looke so pale, all deuoid of blood, Vpon your head a wonder thredbare hood, Well arrayed for to ride late? I answered, my name was Lidgate, Monke of Bury, nie fifty yeare of age, Come to this toune to doe my pilgrimage, As I haue hight, I haue thereof no shame. Dan Iohn (qd. he well brouke ye your name, Thogh ye be sole, beeth right glad and light, Praying you to soupe with vs this night, And ye shall haue made at your deuis A great pudding, or a round hagis, A franche moile, a tanse, or a froise, To been a Monke, slender is your coise,

Ye haue been sicke, I dare mine head assure, Or let feed in a faint pasture, Lift vp your head, be glad, take no sorrow, And ye should home ride with vs to morrow, I say, when ye rested haue your fill, After supper sleepe will done none ill, Wrap well your head clothes round about, Strong nottie ale will make you to rout, Take a pillow, that ye lie not low, If need be, spare not to blow, To hold wind, by mine opinion, Will engender Colles passion, And make men to greuen on her rops, When they haue filled her maws & her crops, But toward night eat some Fennell rede, Annis, Commin, or Coriander sede, And like as I power haue and might, I charge you rise not at midnight, Though it so be the Moone shine clere, I will my selfe be your Orlogere To morrow earely when I see my time, For we will forth parcell afore prime, Accompany parde shall doe you good, What looke vp Monke, for by Cockes blood Thou shalt be merry, who so that say nay, For to morrow anone as it is day, And that it ginne in the East to daw, Thou shalt be bound to a new law, At going out of Canterbury toun, And lien aside thy professioun, Thou shalt not chese, nor thy selfe withdraw, If any mirth be found in thy maw, Like the custome of this company, For none so proud, that dare me deny, Knight nor knaue, Chanon, Priest, ne Nonne To tell a tale plainely as they conne, When I assigne, and see time oportune, And for that we our purpose woll contune, We will homeward the same custome vse, And thou shalt not plainely thee excuse: Be now well ware, study well to night, But for all this, be of heart light, Thy wit shall be the sharper and the bet. And we anon were to supper set, And serued well vnto our pleasance, And soone after by good gouernance, Vnto bed goeth euery manner wight, And toward morrow, as soon as it was light, Euery pilgrime, both bet and wors, As bad our host, tooke anone his hors, When the Sunne rose in the East full clere, Fully in purpose to come to dinere Vnto Ospring, and breake there our fast. And when we werne fro Canterbury past, Nought the space of a bowe draught, Our host in hast hath my bridle raught, And to me saied, as it were in game, Come forth dan Iohn, by your christen name, And let vs make some manner mirth or play, * Shete your ports a twenty deuill way, Is no disport so to patere and say, It woll make your lips wonder dray, Tell some tale, and make thereof a jape, For by my Rouncie thou shalt it not escape, But preach not of none holinesse, Ginne some tale of mirth or of gladnesse, And nodde not with thine heauy becke, Tell vs some thing that draweth to effect, Onely of joy make no lenger let. And when I saw it would be no bet, I obeyed vnto his bidding, So as the law me bound in all thing, And as I coud, with a pale cheare, My tale I gan anone, as ye shall heare.

Finitur Prologus de Thebes. Et sequitur quoque pars prima libri.

Here beginneth the History of the Destruction of the City of THEBES.

SIrs (qd. I) sith of your courtesie I entred am into your companie, And admitted a tale for to tell, By him that hath power to compell, I meane our host, gouernour and guide Of you echone riding here beside: Though that my wit barrain be and dull, I will rehearse a story wonderfull, Touching the siege and destruction Of worthy Thebes, the mighty royal toun, Built and begonne of old antiquitie, Vpon the time of worthy Iosue, By diligence of king Amphion, Cheefe cause first of his foundation, For which his fame, which neuer shall away, In honour floureth yet vnto this day, And in story remembred is and preised, But how the wals were on height reised, It is wonder and marueile for to here, But if you list, I shall you platly lere The manner hole, platly in sentence, Vnder support of your patience, As write mine author, and Bochas both two, Rede her bookes, and ye shall find it so, How this king, this prudent Amphion, With his sweetnesse and melodious soun, The city built, that whylome was so strong, By Armonie of his sweet song, And vertue onely of the werbles sharpe That he made in Mercuries Harpe, Of which the strengs were not touched soft, Whereby the wals reised were aloft, Without craft of any mans hand, Full yore ago, midde of Greekes land, Which is a thing of Poets told, Neuer yseine nother of yong nor old, But as Bocchas list to specifie, Cleare expouning this darke Poesie, Sith Mercury, god of eloquence, Yafe by the might of heauenly influence,

Vnto this King, at his Nativite, Through glad aspects, that he should be Most excellent, by craft of Rhetorike, That in this world was none to him like, Which signifieth, to hem that ben prudent, The Musical, the lusty instrument, I mean the harpe most melodious, Yove to this King by Mercurious, And his song, this author can you teach, Was nothing but the crafty speech Of this King, ycalled Amphion, Whereby he made the Countries environ To have such lust in his words sweet, That were so pleasant, favourable, & meet In her eares, that shortly there was none Disobeisaunt with the King to gone, Wheresoeuer that him list to assigne: His chere, his port was eft so benigne, That through his stering and exhortatioun With him they went first to build this toun, And forsooke ech man his country, By one assent to make this city Royall and rich, that liche was none, And thus the wals, made of lime and stone, Were reised first by singing of this king, Liche as Poetes feine in her writing, Passing rich, and royall of entaile, Here may ye see how much may availe The goodlihede, and the lowlinesse of a king, And specially in cheare and in speaking To his lieges, and to bearen him faire In his apport, and shew him debonaire, And not to been to strange ne solein, In countenaunce outward, ne disdein, Which causeth oft, who that can advert, Great hatred in the peoples hert, And therevpon prively woll rowne, When a Prince doth vpon hem frowne, Shortly deme for all his excellence, Emong hemselfe out of his presence, Everiche conclude liche his fantasie, And thus full oft gendred is enuy In folkes heartes, of soleinte and pride, For such as list not ones to looke aside, To reward hem when they low loute, * And againe kind it is out of doute, That any head, by record of the wise, Should the foot of disdaine despise, Which beareth him vp, who so can take heed, And susteineth in his most need, As his piller, and his supportaile: * For finally, ne were the pooraile Her bearer vp, and supportation, Farewell Lordship and domination, Throughout the Land, of every high estate: Wherefore me seemeth, more is fortunate Of Mercury, the soote sugred Harpe, Than Mars swerd whetted kene & sharpe, More accepted, with aspects good, Than is this God, with his lookes wood:

What the goodlihead of a Prince availeth, to win the hearts of his People.

* For humble speech, with glad countenance May a Prince soothly aduance, Emong his people hearts for to win Of inward love, which will not twin, Than gold, richesse, pride, or tyranny, Other disdaine, daunger, or surquedy, For of lords, clerkes can report, But that loue her crowne doe support, The fine is not, in conclusion, I take record of King Amphion,

Example good of King Amphion.

That built Thebes, by his eloquence, More than of pride, or of violence, Noble and rich, that like was no where none, And thus the wals made of lime and stone, Were reised first by singing of this king, Like as Poets feinen in her writing.

How, after the opinion of some Authours, King Cadmus built first the city of Thebes.

But soothly yet, some expositours Grounding hem upon old authours, Saine, that Cadmus, the famous old man, Full long afore the city first began, And the ground of building sette, And the bounds by compasse out mette, With thongs out kerue of a Buls side, Which enuiron, stretch might wide, To get in land a full large space, VVhereupon to build a dwelling place

How the Country of Boece took first its name of a Bulls skin, and after called Thebes. And how King Cadmus was exiled out of Thebes, by Prowess of King Amphion.

And called was the soile thus getten in, VVhylome Boece, of the Buls skin, The name after into Thebes tourned: But Cadmus hath not there long sojourned, Like in story as it is compiled, For shortly, he fro thence was exiled, Never after for to dwell in the toun, By the knighthood of this Amphioun, VVhich vp perfourmeth, rich for the nones, The city Thebes, of mighty square stones, As I you told a lite heretoforne, And Cadmus thus his kingdome hath lorne, Scepter and crowne, and his power roiall, Now have I told vnto you ground of all, That ye well know by information Clerely the pith and the exposition Of this matter, as clerkes can you tell, It were but vaine lenger for to dwell, To tarry you on this mattere, Sith my tale, which that ye shall here Vpon our way, will last a long while; The space in sooth as I suppose of vii. mile: And now ye know first how Amphion Built and began this city and this toun, Reigning there long after, as I rede. Of him no more, for I will procede To my purpose, that I first began, Not telling here how the line ran

How the Line of Amphion by descent was conveyed to King Laius.

Fro king to king, by succession, Conveying downe by the stock of Amphion Seriously by line all the discent: But leaue all this, plainly of intent To tell forth, in bookes as I rede, How Laius by processe gan succede

Here beginneth the Story of King Laius, and Iocasta his Wife.

TO beare y^e Crowne in this mighty land, Holding the scepter of Thebes in his hand, Manly and wise during all his life, And Iocasta called was his wife: Full womanly the story saith certaine For a time, though she were barraine, Till Laius in full humble wise, To have a child, did sacrifice First to Apollo in his chaire so bright, And Iupiter, that hath so great a might, Beseeching hem with devout reuerence, To graunt only through her influence, That his request executed may be, And specially to goddesses three, He besought Pallas, and Iuno, And Diane, for to help also, That he be not defrauded of his boon: And his prayer accepted was full soone, That finally through his rites old, Even like as his heart would, The Queen Iocasta hath anone conceived, Which when the King fully hath perceived, He made in haste, him list not to abide, Through his kingdome Messengers ride Fro coast to coast, the story can deuise, For Divinours and Philosophers wise, For such as were famous Phisiciens, And well expert Astronomiens, To come in hast vnto his presence, To find out shortly in sentence By craft onely of calculation, The childs fate and disposition,

How the Astronomiens and Philosophers of Thebes calcled out the fate of Edippus.

And thereupon to yeue a iudgement, The root I take, at the ascendent Truly sought out by minute and degre, The selfe houre of his natiuite Not foryet, the heauenly mansions, Clearely searched by smale fractions, First by seconds, terces, and eke quartes, On Augrime stones, and on white cartes Ipriued out by diligent labour, In tables correct, deuoid of all errour, Iustly sought, and found out of both two, The yeares collect, and expanse also, Considred eke by good inspection, Euery houre, and constellation, And each aspect and looke eke diuers, Which were good, and which also peruers, Where they were toward, or at debate, Happy, wilfull, or iufortunate:

The cursed Constellation and Disposition of the Heaven at the Nativity of Edippus.

And finally, in conclusion They found Saturne in the Scorpion, Heauie chered melancolike and loth, And wood Mars furious and wroth, Holding his sceptre in the Capricorne, The same houre when this child was borne, Venus direct, and contrarious, And depressed in Mercurious hous, That the dome and judgement finall Of these clerkes to speake in speciall By fatall sort, that may not be withdraw That with his swerd his father shall be slaw,

How the fate of Edippus disposed, that he should slea his own Father.

There may no man helpe it ne excuse, On which thing the king gan sore muse, And cast he would on that other side Againe her dome for himselfe prouide Shape away, and remedy toforne, Bidding the quene, when the child wer borne, Without mercy or moderly pite That he be dead it may none other be, And in all hast, like as he hath sent, She obeied his commaundement With wofull heart, and pitous looke, And face pale, her yong sonne she tooke, Tender and grene both of flesh and bones, To certaine men ordained for the nones, Fro point to point in all manner thing, To execute the bidding of the king, They durst not delay it, nor abide, But to a forest that stood there beside, They tooken her way, and fast gan him speed, The kings will to performe indeed, Hauing thereof passing heauinesse? But when that they beheld the fairenesse Of the child, and excellent beautie, In her heart they had great pitie, And plainly cast, emong hem was no strife, That the child should haue his life, And anone high upon a tree, In place that no man might it see, They heng him vp, the story can reherce, But first his feet they gan through perce, And on bowes tender, tough, and smale, They knitte him vp shortly this is no tale, Him to preserue from beasts wild and rage, And after that they tooken her voyage Toward Thebes, in all the hast they may: But of fortune, thilke same day With her hounds searching vp and doun, The hunts went of king Polibon Through the forrest, gan for to find Some aforne, and some come behind, And gan search and seeke wonder sore Emong the hills, and the holts hore, And as they rengen the trenches by and by, They heard a noise, and a pitous cry

How the hunts of King Polibon found the child in the forrest, and presented him unto the King.

Of this child, honging on a tree: And all at ones drough hem for to see, And left not, till they haue him found, And tooke him doune, and his feet vnbound, And bare him home vnto Polibon, King of Archadie the famous region: And when that he the child first can see, Of his wounds he had great pitee To behold his tender feet so blede, And called him Edippus, as I rede, Which is to saine platly, this is no fage, Bored the feet, as in that language. And first the king in his royall hall Made his men a norice for to call, This young child to foster and to keepe With her milke, that he mought ne weepe, And his Leeches he charged eke also, Till he were whole, her deuoir for to do, Fully in purpose, for this child was feire, After his day to maken him his heire, For cause onely, who so taketh heed, Sonne had he none, by line to succeed, And that he had a wife or none, I find it not, and therefore I let it gone, But by processe of daies and of yeres, This Edippus, emong his playing feares, Was in port passing full of pride, That none with him might in peace abide, In heart he was so inly surquidous, Melancolike and contrarious, Full of despite, and of high disdaine, That no wight durst shortly him withsaine, Till on a day, he gan with one debate, To whom he had specially great hate, Which of rancour, and of hasty tene, As he that might his pride not sustene, Gan vpon him cruelly to braid, And vnto him felly thus he said: Whereto (qd. he) art thou so proud of port, Contraire also euer in any disport, Froward and fell, lasting euer in one, As thou were lord of vs euerichone, And presumest fully in werking, Like as thou were sonne vnto the King, And descended of his royall blood? But whether so thou be wroth or wood, Thou art nothing, if thee list take hede, Appertaining vnto his kinrede, But in a forrest founden and vnknow When thou wer yong, therfore bear thee low, And vtterly remember thee if thee list, Thy birth and blood are both two vntwist, This is the fine shortly of my tale, Wherewith Edippus gan to wexe pale, And chaunge also cheare and countenaunce, And gan apeint in his remembraunce Word by word, and forgat right nought, And felly mused on this, and aboue thought, And cast he would, without more tarrying, The trouth enquire of Polibon the King: And when he saw oportune space, And the King in a secret place, He him be sought lowly on his knee, To his request benignely to see.

The request of Edippus unto the King Polibon.

And that he would plainly, and not spare, Of his birth the true ground declare, And make him sure of this thing anone, If he were his very sonne or none? And Polibon onely of gentillesse, When he beheld the great heauinesse Of Edippus, and the wofull paine, He gan dissimule, and in a manner faine, Liche as he had ben verely his heire: But more and more he falleth in dispeire, And downe ayen on knees gan fall, Him conjuring by the Gods all, To tell trouth and nothing to hide, Affirming eke, he will not abide Lenger with him, but riden and enquere, Till time he may the very sooth lere In any part of hap or of fortune, And for that he was so importune In his desire, the King without abode Curiously told him how it stode.

The Answer of the King unto Edippus.

In a forrest first how he was found Vpon a tree, by the feet ybound, And how he cast in conclusion To make him King of that region After his day, shortly for to tell, But Edippus would no lenger dwell, But tooke leaue, and in hast gan ride To a temple fast there beside Of Apollo, in story as is told, Whose statute stood in a chaire of gold On wheeles foure, burned bright and shene, And within a spirit full vncleane By fraud onely, and fals illusion, Answere yafe to euery question, Bringing the people in full great errour, Such as to him did false honour, By rites vsed in the old dawes, After the custome of Paganims lawes, And Edippus with full humble chiere To Apollo made his priere, Beseeching him on his knees low By some signe, that he might know Through euidence, shortly comprehended Of what kinred that he was discended? And when Edippus by great deuotion Finished had fully his orison, The fiend anon, within inuisible, With a voice dredefull and horrible, Bad him in hast take his voyage Toward Thebes, where of his linage He hearen shall, and he certified: And on his way anone he hath him hied By hasty journey, so is his horse constrained Day by day, till he hath attained Vnto a castle, Pilotes ycalled, Rich and strong, and wele aboue ywalled, Adjacent by site of the country And apertinent to Thebes the city, King Laius being there present, For to hold a manner of turnement,

With his knights yong and couragious, And other folke, that were desirous To preue hemselfe, shortly for to tell, Who that by force other might excell, Or get a name, through his prowesse, Euerich of hem did his businesse On horsebacke, and eke on foot, All be that some found it full vnsoot, Rather a play of warre than of peace: VVhere Edippus put himselfe in preace, As he that was aie ready to debate, Enforcing him to enter in at gate, Maugre all tho that him would let, And in the preace, of auenture, he met

How Edippus slough his Father by ignorance, at the Castle of Pilotes.

King Laius, and cruelly him slough, Though the story telleth not hough, Ne no wight can of all the company, By no signe, it verily aspy By whose hond the King was slaw, For Edippus gan him in hast withdraw, And kept him coy of entencioun, Great was the noise and pitous soun In the castell, for slaughter of the king, Dole and complaint, sorrow, and weeping. * But for they saw that heauines & thought, Ayenst death auaileth lite or nought, They ordaine with rites full royall, For the feast called Funerall, And eke the custome of the days old, The corps they brent into ashes cold, And in a vessell round made as a ball, They closed him in gold and metall, And after that did her busie cure, In Thebes to make a Sepulture, And richly, hem list no lenger let, The ashes they did enclose and shet, Of this matter there is no more to sayen, But to Edippus I will retourne ayen, Which him enhasteth aie from day to day, Toward Thebes, in all that euer he may, Brenning in hert as whote as any fire, The fine to know of his fatall desire, But for that he failed of a guide, Out of his way went fer aside, Through a wild and a wast countree, By a mountaine that stood vpon the see.

How Edippus passed by the hill where the Mon∣ster lay, that was called Sphinx.

Where that Monsters, of many diuers kind Were conuersant, in story as I find, Among which soothly there was one, So inly cruell that no man durst gone, For dread of death forth by that passage, This Monster was so mortall in his rage, Which had also by discripcion, Body and foot, of a fierce Lion, And like a maid, in soth, was head and face,

The destruction of the foul Monster.

Fell of his looke and cruell to manace, And odious of countenaunce and sight, And as I rede Sphinx that Monster hight, Worse than Tigre, Dragon, or Serpent, And I suppose by Enchauntement, He was ordained on the hill tabide, To slea all tho that passeden beside, And specially, all that did faile To expoune his misty deuinaile, His probleme eke, in words plaine and bare, Without auise fully to declare: Or with the life he might not escape, This is very sooth plainly and no jape: And if that he by declaration, Yaue thereupon cleare exposicion, He should in hast, there was none other mene, Slaen this Monster for all his cruell tene, There may of mercy be none other graunt. But of all this Edippus ignoraunt, This dreadful hill, stonding on a roch, Or he was ware, ful nigh gan approch, More perillous platly than he wend: And sodainly the Monster gan descend, To stoppen his way and letten his passage, Thus abreding with a fell courage

The words of the foul Monster.

Said, I haue in hert inly great disport, That fortune hath brought thee to my fort, To make a preefe if thou may endure The fatall end of this auenture, Set at a fine, soothly, by days old: And by and by all the case him told, Charging him to be well ware and wise, Get the palme and beare away the prise, Touching this thing set atweene vs tweine, Of life or death, which we shall dreine, And this Monster, with a dispitous cheare, His probleme gan thus as ye shull heare.

The Probleme that Sphinx put to Edippus.

There is a beast merueilous to see, The which in sooth at his natiuitee Is of his might so tender and so grene, That he may himselfe not sustene Vpon his feet, though he had it sworne, But if that he be of his moder borne, And afterward by processe of age, On foure feet he maketh his passage, And then vpon three if I shall not faine, And alder last he goeth vpright on twaine, Diuers of port and wonderfull of cheares, Till by length of many sondry yeares, Naturally he goeth ayen on three, And sithen on foure, it may none other bee, And finally this is the trouth plein, He recouereth kindly ayein, To the matter which that he came fro, Lo here my probleme is all ido, Muse hereupon without warre or strife, It to declare, or els lese thy life. And when Edippus can this thing aduert, VVell assured in his manly hert, Gan in his herte, serch vp and doun, And of prudence cast in his reasoun By great auise, what thing this may bee, Seing also, that he may not flee,

And how there was counsaile non ne rede, To tell trouth or els to be dede, And by full good deliberacion, Thus he answered, in conclusion: Thou Sphinx (qd. he) false and fraudolent, Thou foul Monstre, thou dragon, thou serpent, That on this hill like as I conceiue, Liest in waite folkes to deceiue, But trust well for all thy sleghty witt, Thy false fraude shall anon be quitt, Me liste not to whispre neither roune, But thy probleme I shall anon expoune, So openly, thou shalt not go therefro, Lo this it is take good heed thereto:

How Edippus expounded the Probleme that Sphinx put to him.

Thilke beast thou spake of here toforne, Is euery man in this world iborne, Which may not go his limmes be so soft, But as his moder beareth him aloft In her armes, when he doeth crie, or weepe: And after that he ginneth for to creepe On fower feet, in his tender youth, By experience as it is ofte couth, Aforne irekened his hands both two: And by processe thou maiest consider also, With his two feete for all thy fell tene, He hath a staffe himselfe to susteine, And then he goeth shortly vpon three, And alderlast, as it must needs bee, Voidyng his staffe he walketh vpon tweine, Till it so be through age he attaine That luste of youth wasted be and spent, Then in his hand he taketh a potent, And on three feete thus he goeth ayen, I dare affirme thou mayst it not withsein. And sone after through his vnweldy might, By influence of natures right, And by experience as euery man may know, Like a child on fower he crepeth low, * And for he may here no while sojourne, To yearth ayen he must in hast retourne, Which he came fro, he may it not remew, For in this world no man may eschew, This very sothe shortly and no doubt, When the whele of kind cometh about, And naturally hath his cours ironne, By circuite as doeth the shere sonne, That man, and child, of high and low estate, It gaineth not to make more debate, His time isette that he must fine, When Atropos, of malice doeth vntwine His liues thred, by Cloto first compouned. Lo here thy probleme is expouned, Af euery metyng as I toke on honde, To the law that thou must needs stonde, And in all haste of mine honds deie, For of reason thou canst it not withseie. And this Sphinx awaped and amate, Stood all dismayed and disconsolate, With chere doun cast heauy as any ledde, And Edippus anone smote of the hedde Of this fende stinking and vnswete, And the countree set holly in quiete, Whereby he hath soch a price wonne, That his fame in euery coast is ronne, Through al y^• lond y^• this monstre was slaw: And line right to Thebes he gan draw, Well receiued for his worthinesse, For his manhood and his prowesse, And for they seigh he was a seemely knight, Well fauoured in euery mans sight, And saw also Thebes, the mighty toun, Not onely they but all the regioun Were destitute of a gouernour, Ayen her foon hauing no succour, Hem to defend, but the Queene alone, Emong hemselfe making full great mone, For there was none as bookes specifie, The Sceptre and croune to occupie, For which the Lordes all by one assent, Within the toune set a parlement, Shortly concluding if it might been, Prudently to treate with the Queen, Namely they that held hem selfe most sage, To condescend by way of mariage, She to be joyned to this manly knight, Passing prudent and famous eke of might, Most holle man, as they can discerne, The worthy citee to keepe and gouerne: And through counsail of the lords all, To their desire plainly she is fall, And accorded without more tarying, That of Thebes, Edippus shall be king, By full assent was none that sayed nay, And time set, ayein a certain day, Emong hem selfe, and finally deuised, The wedding was in Thebes solempnized, Full rially, that needs must vnthriue, Onely for he, his moder tooke to wiue, Vnwist of both he was of her blood, And ignoraunt shortly how it stood, That he toforne had his father slaw, For which this wedding was against the law, * And tofore God is neither faire ne good, Nor acceptable blood to touch blood, Which cause hath be of great confusion In many a lond, and many a region, Ground and root of vnhap and mischaunce, The fine concluding alway with vengeaunce, As men haue sein by clere experience, And holy writ recordeth in sentence, How Herode falsly in his life, By violence tooke his brothers wife, For she was fayre, and pleasaunt to his sight, And kept her still by force through his might, Although to her title had he non, And for her sake the holy man sainct Iohn For his trouth in prison lost his hedde, Wherefore I rede euery man take hede, VVhether so he be Lord, Prince, or King, That he beware to eschue soch wedding, Ere y^• the swerde of vengeance him manace, Lest he lese hap, fortune, and grace, Taking ensample in all maner thing, Of Edippus, in Thebes crouned king, All be that he wrought of ignoraunce, Full derke and blind of his wofull chaunce, And if vnwist, that he of innocence, As ye haue herde fell in soch offence,

For which he was punished & brought low, What are they worthy that her errour know, And from the knot list not to absteine, Of such spousaile to God and man vnclene, I can not sem ne more thereof deuise, Demeth your self that prudent been, & wise, And eke Edippus, haueth emong in mind, Of whom the wedding like as ye may find, Vnhappy was and passing odious, Infortunate, and eke vngracious, I am werie more thereof to write, The hatefull processe also to endite, I passe ouer fully of entent, For Imeneus was not there present, Nor Lucina list not there to shine, Ne there was none of the Muses nine, But one accord to maken melody, For there song not by heauenly armony, Neyther Clio, nor Caliope, None of the sustren in nomber thrise three, As they did when Philolaie, Ascended vp high aboue the skie, To be wedded, this Lady vertuous, Vnto her Lord the God Mercurius, And as Matrician, inamed de Copelle, In his booke of wedding can you tell, There concluding in his marriage, The Poete, that whilom was so sage, That this Lady called Sapience, Iwedded was vnto Eloquence, As it sat well by heauenly purueiaunce, Hem to be joyned by knot of alliaunce, But both two soothly of entent, At wedding in Thebes were absent, That caused after great aduersity, For finall end of that solempnity, Was sorrow and wo, and destruction, Vtter ruine of this roiall toun, There may no man helpe it ne succour, For a time in joy though they floure.

The Names of the People, being at the Wedding of the King Edippus, and of Jocasta the Queen.

But at his wedding plainly for to tell, Was Cerberus, chief porter of hell, And Herebus, fader to Hatred, Was there present with his holle kinred, His wife also with her browes blacke, And her doughters, sorow for to make, Hidously chered and vgly for to see, Megera, and Thesiphonee, Alecto eke, with Labour and Enuie, Drede, Fraude, and false Tretcherie, Treason, Pouert, Indigence and Nede, And cruell death in his rent wede, Wretchednesse, Compleint, and eke Rage, Fearfull, Pale, Dronkenesse, croked Age, Cruell Mars, and many a Tigre wood, Brenning Ire, and vnkind blood, Fraternall hate deepe set in the roote, Saufe onely Death, that there nas no boote, Assured othes at fine Vntrew, All these folke were at weddyng new, To make the toune desolate and bare, As the story after shall declare: But aie in Thebes, with his walles strong, Edippus reigneth many a day and long, And as mine aucthor write in words plain, By Iocasta he had sonnes twain, Ethiocles, and also Polimite, And in bookes as sondry clerkes write, Doughters two, full goodly on to see, Of which that one hight Antigonee, And that other called was Imein, Of her beauty, inly souerein. Edippus aie deuoid of warre and strife, With Iocasta ledde a mery life, Till fortune of her iniquity Had enuy of his prosperity, For when he shone most rich in his renoun, From her whele she plunged him adoun, Out of his joy into sodein wo, As she is wont frowardly to do, And namely hem that setten her affiaunce Of hartely trust in her variaunce: For when the king passing of great might, Sat with the quene vpon a certain night, Casuelly, when his folke echone, Out of chamber sodeinly were gone, Ere he was ware Iocasta gan behold The carectes of his wounds old, Vpon his feet, emprented wonder depe, Tournyng her face brest out for to wepe, So secrely, he might it not espie, And she anon fell into a fantasie, Aie on this thing musing more and more, And in her bedde gan to sighen sore, And when the king conceiueth her distresse, He gan enquere of her heauinesse, Fully the cause and thoccasion, For he will wite in conclusion What her eileth, and why she fared so. My Lord (qd. she) without wordes mo, Percell cause of this sodein rage, Is for that I in my tender age, Had a Lord inamed Laius, King of this toune, a man right vertuous, By whom I had a sonne right wonder feire, Likely to been his successour and heire, But bicause his Diuinours told At his birth sothly that he should, If he had life, by fatall destinee, Slaen his fader it might none other be: For which the king his fate to eschue, Bad men in hast as him thought due, To slea the child, and haue thereof no roth, And I anon bad without sloth, To certain men vp pein of judgement, To execute the commaundement Of the king as I yaue hem in charge, And forth they gone to a forest large, Adjacent vnto this countree, Persing his feet, and heng him on a tree, Not performyng thexecution, On him they had such compassion, Left him there, and resorted home ayen, Beyng in doubt and vncertein, At their repeire as they tolden all, Of this child what afterward is befall, Saufe they said huntes had him found, Which ladden him forth & his feet vnbound,

But to what coast they coud not declare: Which percel is of mine euil fare, Ground and cause of mine heauy chere, Considered eke the woundes that appere Vpon your feet, and wot not what they mene: And o thing aie is at mine hart greene, My Lord alas but of new date, King Laius slaine was but late, At a Castell nigh this countree, Vpon your comming into this citee, All this yweied and rekened into one, Maketh mine hart as heauie as a stone, So that I can counsell none ne red, And with that word the king lift vp his hed, And abreid with sharpe sighes smert, And all this thing by order can aduert, Curiously by good auisement, And by signes clere and euident, Conceiueth well and sore gan repent, It was himself that Iocasta ment: And when the king sigh in maners pleine, By her Goddes she gan him constreine To shew out the cause of his affray And it expoune and make no delay, Croppe and roote shortly why that he Entred first into that countre, From whens he came, and from what re∣gion, But he her put in delusion, As he had doen it for the nones, Till at last he brast out at ones, Vnto the Queene, and gan a processe make, First how he was in the forest take, Wounded the feet, and so forth euery thing, Of his cherishing with Polibon the king, And holle the cause why he him forsooke, And in what wise he the way tooke Toward Thebes as Apollo bad, And of fortune how that he was lad Where that Sphinx kept the Mounteine, And how that he also slowe in certeine King Laius at Castell gate, Toward night when it was full late, And how to Thebes that he gan him spede, To find out the stocke of his kinrede, Which vnto him gan wexe couth, For by processe of his greene youth, He found out wele by rekening of his life, That she was both his moder, and his wife: So that all night and suyng on the morow, Betweene hem two began a new sorrow, Which vnto me were pitous for to tell, For thereupon yif I should dwell, A long space it would you occupy, But ye may read in a Tragedy

Tragediae Senecae de Egypto Reg. Thebax.

Of Morall Senek fully his ending, His dooll, his mischief, and his compleining, How with sorrow, and vnweldie age, This Edippus fell in dotage, Lost his witte and his worldly delite, And how his sonnes had him in despite, And of disdaine tooke of him no keepe, And eke bookes saine, his iyen out he wepe, And as mine aucthour liketh to deuise, As his sonnes rebuke him and despise, Vpon a day in a certaine place, Out of his hedde, his iyen he gan race, And cast at hem, he can no other boote, And of malice they trade him vnder foote, Fully deuoid both of loue and dread, And when Edippus for mischief was thus ded Within a pitt made in the earth low, Of cruelty his sonnes gan him throw, Worse then Serpent, or any Tigre wood, * But of cursed stock commeth vnkind blood, As in storie ye may rede heretoforne, Although the Rose grow out of the thorne. Thus of Edippus when he was blind & old, The wretched end I haue you plainly told. * For which shortly to man and child I rede, To be wele ware and take hede, Of kindly right and of conscience, To doe honour and due renerence

How every Man ought of Duty, to do Reve∣rence to his Father and Mother, or else there will fall Vengeance.

To father and moder of what estate they bee, Or certaine els they shull neuer thee: For who that is not to hem debonaire, In speach, in porte, for to treat hem faire, Hem to obey, in honesty and drede, And hem to cherish of what they have nede, I dare affirme excepting none estate, That he shall first be infortunate In all his werke both on Sea and lond, And of what thing that he take in hond, For the time froward to him and contraire, Wast of his goods plainly and appaire, Finde plenty of conteke, warre, and strife, Vnhappy end and shortnesse of life, And gracelesse of what he hath to do, Hatred of God, and man also: Therefore no man be thereof recheles, But make your mirrour of Ethiocles, And his brother called Polimite, Which in soch things greatly were to wite, As ye shall here of hem how it fill, And when we been descended doun this hill, As I passed here the lowe vaile, I shall begin the remnaunt of my tale.

Explicit prima pars istius Codialli.

Immediate sequitur secunda pars ejusdem.

PAssed y^• Thrope of Broughton on the blee, By my Kalender I gan anon to see, Through the Sunne, that full clere gan shine, Of the clocke that it drew to nine, And sawe also as siluer dropes shene, Of the dewe like perles on the grene, Vapoured vp into the aire aloft, When Zepherus with his blowing soft, The weder made lustie, smooth, and faire, And right attempre was the holsome aire: The same houre all the holle route Of the pilgrimes riding round aboute, In my tale when I gan procede, Rehearsing forth as it was in dede, When Edippus buried was and graue, How his sonnes the kingdome for to haue,

How the Sons of Edippus, debated for the Crown.

Emong hemselfe by full mortall hate, For the croune, gonne for to debate, Which of hem justly shall succede, And the Scepter of the toune possede, Auerting nought, neither to right ne wrong, But eche of hem to make his partie strong, And his querele proudly to susteine, From whose herts was deuoided clene, Of brotherhood the faithfull aliaunce, False couetise so made hem at distaunce, Fully werching into destruction, And ruine of this noble toun, So hote brent of hatred and enuy, Of both two through pompous surquedy, That neither would pleinly in a poinct, Other forbeare, they stode in soch disjoinct, Like as they had of birth been foreins: Till of the toune the noble citezeins, Knights, Barons, with many a worthy lord, Shope a way to make hem of accord, And to set hem in quiete and in pees: But for his part this Ethiocles, Alledge gan, that he was first borne, For which he ought of reason go toforne In the citee, to be crouned king, Sith by law there was no letting, For vnto him longeth the heritage By discent, and by title of age.

The controversie of the two Brethren.

But Polimite of full high disdaine, All openly gan reply againe, And for his part said in especiall, Reason was none that he should haue all, Both Regaly and dominatioun, And the lordship wholly of the toun, And he right nought out of the city, But liue in sile and in pouerty, Concluding without fere or drede, Rather than it suffer, he would be dede, And thus alas, through her enuious strife, At ende euerich lost his life, At great mischief as ye shall after here, But thilke time the Lords all in fere, Full besily did her diligence, By great auise, and full high prudence, To set hem in quiet and in rest, Counsailyng hem plainly for the best, To leue her strife, of wisedome and of reason, And condescend to some conclusion, Which to both might most auaile. And finally through her gouernaile

The common Union between these two Brethren.

The Lordes all, tho being present, Haue hem brought to been of one assent, Of one hert, as brother vnto brother, Euerich of hem to reigne after other, Yeere by yeere as it commeth about, So that the toun shall absent him out, Fully that yeere and himself gie, By his manhood and his chiualrie, Haunt himself, in deeds Marciall, While his brother in his See riall, Holdeth his Sceptre the citee to gouerne: And when the yeere his cours hath run yerne, And is come out, he shall haue repeire, To reigne in Thebes like as Lord and heire, There to receiue fully his dignitee, While that other voideth the citee, Paciently taking his auenture, Till he ayen his honour may recure, Thus enterchange, euery yeere they shall, That one ascendeth that other hath a fall, They must obey of hert and take it well, Like as that one resorteth of the wele, For this was holle the composicion Betwene the brethren, and conuencion Fully knit vp by great auisement, Tofore the Goddes by othe of Sacrament, Neuer after to grutche ne to varie, But accomplish shortly, and not tarie, Like as thaccord, enrolled in the toun, From poinct to poinct, made mencioun. But alder first by reason of his age, Ethiocles had the auantage, To reigne aforne, and weare the croune, Polimite him hasting out of toune, During that yere it may none other be, Whiles his brother satte in his rialte, Full richely vpon Fortunes whele. And rode him forth armed bright in stele. This Polimite sothly as I rede, Himselfe alone on a riall stede, Without guide all the long day, Being aferde to keepe the high way, In his hert hauing suspecion, To his brother, of malice and treason, Lest he pursue through fals & vnkind blood, To haue him dedde for couetise of good, That he alone might haue possessioun, During his life fully of the toune: For which in hast, hauing no felaw, Polimite aside gan him withdraw, By a forest joyning to the See, Knowing right nought the site of y^• countre, Full of hilles and of high Mounteines, Craggie Roches, and but few pleines, Wondre dreadfull and lothsome of passage, And therewithall full of beasts rage, Holding his way of hert nothing light, Mate and wery, till it draweth to night, And all the day beholding enuiron, He neither saw Castel, Toure, ne Toun, The which thing greueth him ful sore, And sodenly the see began to rore, Winde and tempest hidiously tarise, The raine doun bete in full grisly wise, That many a beast therof was adrad, And nigh for fere gan to wexe madd, As it sempte by the wofull sownes Of Tigres, Beres, Bores, and Liones, Which for refute, hem selfe for to saue, Euerich in hast, draweth vnto his Caue, But Polymite, in this tempest huge, Alas the while, findeth no refuge, Ne him to shrowde saw nowhere no succour, Till it was passed almost midnight hour

A large space, that the sterres clere, The cloudes voided, in heauen did appere, So that this knight out of the Forest large, Gan approch, into the londe of Arge.

How Polimite first came into the Lond of Arge.

Seing a palaice mighty of building, Of which Adrastus, called was the king, A lusty man, rich, and wondre sage, And yronne was somdel into age, Borne of the Isle that called is Chifon, And somtime Sonne of the king Cholon, And for his witte in story as is couth, He chosen was in his tendre youth, Of Arge to be crouned king, Thiefe of all Greece, be record of writing, Not by descente nor succession, And but alonely of free election, He held of Arge, the Sceptre in his hand, As most worthy of all Greekes land, Loued and drade, for wisdome and Iustice: And as the story plainly can deuise, This worthy king had doughters two, Passing faire, and right good also, It were to long, her beaute to descriue.

Argiue and Deiphile, the doughters tweine of King Adrastus.

And the eldest called was Argiue, Deiphile ynamed the second: And Adrastus, like as it is found, This worthy king had sonne none, To succede after he be gone, For which he was during all his life Triste in hert add passingly pensife, But holy his trust and his hope stood, By alliance of some worthy blood, Brought in by mene of his doughters twein, That he shal be relessed of his peine, Through recomfort of some high Mariage, And sothly yet full oft in his courage, He troubled was by occasion Of a sweuene and of a vision,

The Dream of King Adrastus of a wild Boar and a fers Lion.

Shewed to him vpon a certein night, For as him thought, his inward sight, While he slept, by clere inspection, A wild Boore and a fers Lion, Possede shul, these bestes in her rage, His doughters two by bond of Mariage, In short time within a certein day: Which brought his hert in full great affray. * But thing in soth that destine hath shape, Here in this world ful hard it is tescape, And marueilous a man to eschue his fate. And Polimite of whom I spake late, With the tempest bete, and all bereined, By grate onely the Citie hath atteined, Where Adrastus full stately of degree, Thilke time held his roiall see, The troubled might, merke and obscure, Hath brought this knight only by auenture Through the Citie enclosed with a wall, Vnto the palaice chief and principall, Where as the king in his chambre aloft, Lay in his bed and slept wonder soft, Eke al his folke had her chambres take, Like as Fortune parauenture had shape, The selfe time because it was so late, And casuely the porter at the gate, As it had by right for the nones, And in a porch built of square stones, Full mightely enarched enuiroun, Where the domes and ples of the toun Were executed, and lawes of the king, And there this knight without more tarying, Wery and mate, from his stede alight, Hanging the reine in all the hast he might, Vpon his arme, sure him for to keepe, And leid him doun and gan anon to slepe, As him semed that time for the best: And while that he lay thus for to rest, Of auenture there came a knight riding, One of the worthiest of the world liuing, Curteis, lowly, and right vertuous, As saith mine Auctour, called Tideus, Virous in armes and manly in werking, Of his birth Sonne vnto the king Of Callidoine, a lond of great renoun, As he alas, out of that regioun Exiled was, for he his brother slow, As the stage of Thebes writ the manere how, Al be that he to him no malice ment: For on a day as they on hunting went, In a forest for harte and for hind, So as he stood under a great lind, And casuely lete his Arow slippe, He slough his brother called Menelippe, Through mortall sort his hand was begiled, For which he was banished and exiled, As the law narow sette his charge: As for this caas he came first to Arge, Into the porch where Polimite did slepe, Of auenture ere he toke any kepe, The same night hidously besein, With the tempest of thondre and of rein, And felt also anoy and great damage, Through the forest holding his passage, As Polimite had do toforne, In perrell oft likely to be lorne, With bestes rage set on euery side, Till of grace without any guide, He rode through Arge the great mighty toun, Streght vnto the palaice, & to the chief don∣geon, Like as I told, where Polimite lay, And at his comming made a great affray, For he was blind through derkenesse of the night, And him to guie he ne fond no light, VVhen he came in, of priket ne of torche, Till he vnwarely entred in to the porche, And would haue take there his herbergage: But Polimite sterte vp in a rage, Sodenly awaked as I rede, With the nying of his proud stede, And first of all when that he beheld, A knight armed, and on his brest a sheld, And gan the manere of this ray aduerte, Of veray ire vpon his horse he sterte, And cruelly gan Tideus enquere, Whens he come, and what he did there,

And bad in hast his answere to deuise. And Tideus in full humble wise, Answered ayen of verray gentillesse, And said, in soth of high distresse Of the tempest and the derke night, He driuen was, like an errant knight, Of need onely and great necessity, And him constrained of great aduersity, To take lodging where so that he might, And in that Court therfore he alight, Without more thinking none outrage, Ne to no wight meaning no damage. Then Polimite of malice, and of pride, Told him shortly he should not abide, Ne lodge there, though he had it sworne, For I (qd. he) toke it vp beforne, And will it keepe during al this night, I sey thee platly maugre all thy might. (Qd. Tideus) then, it is no curtesie, Me to deuoid but rather villenie, Yef ye take hede that seeme a gentil knight, And as I suppose ye haue no title of right, To this lodging by way of heritage, More than haue I, for all your fell rage, And parde yet it shal be no disease, Till to morow though ye do me ease, Of gentillesse onely with your leue, To suffre me it shall but litel greue, But aye the more Tideus spake faire, Polimite was froward and contraire, And shortly saith, it geineth not to striue, That of force he shall deuoid bliue, Or vtterly atwene hem both two, This thing to try he must haue do. And Tideus seing no better mene, Ful like a knight in stele armed clene, Without abode fast gan him spede, Wondre liuely for to stride his stede, And thus these knights pompous and elate, For litel cause fellen at debate.

How Tideus and Polimite striuen for her Lodging.

And as they ronne togider on horsebacke, Either on other first his spere brake, And after that full surquedous of pride, With sharpe swerdes they togider ride, Full irously these mighty Champions, In her fury, like Tygres or Lions, As they hurtel, that al the palaice shooke, And king Adrastus out of his sleepe wooke, And made in hast his Chambreleins call, And through y^• Court his worthy knights al, Commaunding hem to descend and see, And report what it might bee, This wonderful noice in his Court by night, And when he seigh two strang knights fight, In plates thicke, and bright maile, Without Iudge, they had great meruaile, And were dismaied of this vncouth thing, And as they found told to the king, And Adrastus for darknesse of the night, From his chambre with many torches light, Into the Court is descended downe, All his meine stonding enuiron, Of these knights hauing great wondre, And of manhode he put hem first asondre, Hem commanding like a gentill king, To leuen her strife and cessen off fighting, And entred in with a knightly looke, And first from hem her swerdes both he tooke, Affirming eke as to his fantasie, It was a rage and a great folie, So wilfully her liues jeopart, Withouten Iudge her quarel to depart, And specially in the derke night, When neither might of other haue sight, Charging hem vp peine of her life, To disseuere and stinten of her strife. And tho Tideus in all the hast he might, Full humbly from his steed alight, And right mekely with chere & countenance, Put him holly in the gouernance Of Adrastus, in all manere thing, And Polimite eke made no tarying, To high him also, and would not withsey The kings bidding, lowly to obey, So as him ought with due reuerence: And as they stood both in his presence, He gan enquere first of her estate, The cause also why they were at debate, Of her Countrees sothly, and her age, And asked hem eke touching her linage, By descent of what stocke they were born? And Tideus, his answere yaue beforn, Told plainly and made no lesing, How he was sonne vnto the King, Of Calcidoine, and rightfull heire thereto, And of his exile the cause he told also, As ye haue herd in the story rad. And Polimite with chere and face sad, Vnto the king touching his Countree, Said he was borne in Thebes the Citee, And Iocaste the great famous queene, His moder was without any wene, But of his father whilom king and lord, For very shame he spake neuer a word, Onely, for yif I shall not feine, His fader was, and brother, both tweine, The which in soth he was full loth to tell, And eke the king would him not compell, Of gentillesse, but bad without blame, Of his birth for to haue no shame, For holly the caas he knew euery dele, Touching his kin he knew y^• ground fulwele, Like as it was by full cleere report: Enforcing him for to do comfort, With all his might, and all besie peine, This manly king, to these knights tweine, And to hem said, before him as they stood, He wist well that of full woorthy blood They were descended, touching her kinred, And made in hast his officers lede, The straunge knights being at debate, Through his palaice, to chambre of estate, Ech by himself for to take his ease, And euery thing in soth y^• might hem please, Was offred hem like her estates, And when they were disarmed of her plates, Cushens, Greues, and her Sabatons, Her Harneis voided, and her Habergeons,

Two mantels vnto hem were brought, Frette with perle, and rich stones wrought, Of cloth of gold and Violet crimsin, Full richely ••urred with Ermin, To lap hem in ayens the cold morrow, After the rage of her nights sorrow, To take her rest till the sonne arise, And when the king in full prudent wise, First of al he was not rekeles, The knights herts for to sette in pees, That euer after I dare 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it wele, Ech was to other trew as any stele, During her life both in word and dede, Vndre a knotte bound of brotherhede. And Adrastus the worthy king famous, A feast made rich and plenteous, To these knights, himselfe thereat present, And after mete full goodly he hath sent, This noble king, for his doughters dere, Of gentillesse for to make chere, To the knights come fro so ferre: And like in soth as Lucifer the sterre, Gladeth the morrow at his vprising, So the ladies at her in comming, With the stremes of her eyen clere, Goodly apport and womanly manere, Countenances, and excellent fairenesse, To all the Court broughten in gladnesse, For the freshnesse of her heauenly cheres, So agreable was vnto the straungeres, At her entree, that in especial, Hem thought it like a thing celestial, Enhasting hem in full knightly wise, Ayenst hem goodly to arise, And as they met with humble countenaunce, Ful conningly did her obseruaunce, Hem conueying in to her sitting place, But sothely I haue leiser none ne space, To reherse and put in remembraunce, Holly the manere of her daliaunce, It were to long for you to abide, But well I wot that the god Cupide, By influence of his mighty hond, And the feruence of his firy brond, Her meeting first fortuned hath so wele, That his arowes of gold, and not of stele, Yperced han the knights herts tweine, Through the brest with such a lusty peine, That ther abode sharpe, as spere, or launce, Depe yficched the point of remembraunce, Which may not lightly rased be away, And thus in joy they driue forth the day, In pley and reuel for the knights sake, And toward night they her chambre take, At ••ue time as her fader bad, And on her weie the knights hem lad, Reuerently vp by many a staire, Taking leue gan anon repaire To her lodging in ful stately a Toure, Assigned to hem by the herbeiour, And after ipices plenty, and the wine In cuppes great, wrought of gold full fine, Without tarying, to bedde straight they gon, Touching her rest wheder they sleepe or non, Demeth ye louers, that in such maner thing, By experience haue fully knowledging, For it is not declared in my booke, But as I find, the king all night wooke, Thoughtfull in hert the story specifies, Musing sore and full of fantasies, First aduerting the great worthinesse Of these knights and the semelinesse, Her lusty youth, her force, and her manhode, And how they were come of roial blode, And this he gan to reuolue about, And in his hert hauing a maner of doubt, Atwene two hanging in a balance, Wheder he should make an aliance Atween his doughters & the knights tweine, For one thing ay his heart gan constreine, The remembraunce of his auision, Of which aforne made is amencion, Touching the Lion, and the wild Bore, It nedeth not to reherse it no more, Casting alway in his fantasie, What it might clerely signifie, This darke dreame, that was hid and close. But on the morow Adrastus vp arose, And to the Temple the right way he tooke, And gan pray deuoutly on his booke, To the goddes of his dreme to specifie, And they him bede homward for to hie, And to behold in the knights sheeldes, The fell beasts painted in the fields, Which shall to him be cleere inspection, Full plainly making declaracion Of his dreme which he had on the night: And Adrastus enhasted him full right, In her sheelds wisely to behold, Where that he saw, as the goddes told, In the sheelds hanging vpon hookes, The beasts rage with her mortall crookes, And to purpos like as write Bochas, Polimite ful streite enbraced was, In the hide of a fierce Lioun, And Tideus aboue his Habergeoun, A gipoun had, hidous sharpe and hoor, Wrought of the bristels of a wild Boore, The which beasts as the story leres, Were wrought and bete vpon her baneres, Displaide brode whan they should fight, Wherefore the king whan he had a sight, At his repayre in hert was full glad, And with a face full demure and sad, With his lords that he about him had, To the temple he the knights lad, And whan they had with all circumstaunces, Of Rites old done her obseruaunces, Home to the Court they retourne ayein, And in hall, rich, and well besein, This worthy king of hert liberall, Made a feast, solempne and riall, Which in deintees surely did excell, But it were vein euery cours to tell, Her straunge sewes and other soteltees, Ne how they sat like her degrees, For lacke of time I let ouerslide. And after meate, Adrastus took aside The knights two, and like a prudent man, In secree wise thus his tale he gan.

How Adrastus spake to the Knights in secret touching the marriage of his Daughters.

Sirs (qd. he) I ne doubt it nought, That it is fresh & grene ay in your thought, How that first by goddes ordinaunce, And after next through fates purueiance, And by werking of fortunes hond, How ye were brought in to this lond, Both tweine, but now this last night, Of whos comming I am full glad and light, First in my selfe shortly to expresse, When I consider and see the likelinesse Of your persons with the circumstaunces, And holle the maner of your gouernaunces, Seing full well whereto should I feigne, Yee been likely hereafter to atteigne To great estate and habundance of good, Through your birth and your rial blood, Ye may not faile but ye haue wrong, For ye are both manly and right strong: And for to set your hertes more at rest, My purpose is I hope for the best, So that in you be no variance, To make a knot as be alliance, Atwene you and my doughters two, Yf your herts accord wele thereto, And for I am fully in despeire, To succede for to haue an heire, Therefore ye shall haue possession, During my life of halfe my region, Forth with in hond, and all after my day, There is no man that thereto shal say nay, And sothly after when that I am graue, Ech of you shall his part haue Of this kingdome as I haue prouided, This is to say, it shall be diuided Atwene you two euerich to be crouned, Your properties be equite compouned, So egaly, in euery mans sight, That ech of you enjoy shall his right, And in your witte ye shall the lond amend, And of manhood knightly it defend, Ayens our enemies and our mortall foon, And for the dayes passed been and goon, Of my desires and my lusty youth, I am full set for to make it couth, That ye shall haue like mine opinioun, The gouernaunce of all this Regioun. To this entent me seemeth for the best, Ye to gouerne and I to liue in rest, Fully to follow the lust of my desires, Hunte, and hauke, in woods and riuers, When so euer I haue thereto pleasance, And for to haue none other attendance Vnto nothing but to mine ease, For which shortly yif it agree and please, That I haue said to you that ben so wise, And be according vnto your auise, Delayeth not but in wordes plein, That you seemeth yeue answere ayen. And when Adrastus had his tale fined, Tideus with hed full low enclined, As he that was a veray gentill knight, With his power and his full might, Full humbly thanked the king, Touching his profre and so high a thing, And for his party said he would assent, Fully of hert neuer to repent, To all that euer the king hath said: And Polimite was also appaid, In the story as it is comprehended, On euery part fully is holle descended, The kings will to fulfill in dede, From point to point & there vpon procede, Whether so that euer they winne or lese, And Tideus made his brother chese, Of gentilnesse and of curtesie, Which that was most to his fantasie, Of the Sisters for to haue to wiue, And he in soth chosen hath Argiue, Which eldest was full womanly to se, And Tideus tooke Deiphile, Of her beaute most souereigne excellent. Adrastus throughout his lond hath sent, For his lords, and his Baronage, To be present at the mariage Of the knights, and make no letting, And they ech one come at his bidding, In goodly wise, meke and full benigne, Ayein the day that he did assigne, And thidre come full many a lusty knight, Full wele besein, and many a lady bright, From euery coste and many a fresh squier, The story seith and many a communer, To behold the great rialte, And the manere of this solempnite, But to tell all the circumstaunces Of just, reuel, and the diuers daunces, The feasts riche, and the yeftes great, The peinfull sighes and the feruent heat Of loues folke, brenning as the glede, And deuise of many a solein wede, The touches stole, and the amorous lokes, By sotell craft leide out lines and hokes, The Ielous folke to traien and begile, In their awaites with many a sondry wile, All this in soth descriuen I ne can, But wele I, the newe fame ranne This meane while with some swift passage, Vnto the Thebes, of this marriage, And be report trew and not fained, Tho when thereof the eares hath attained, Mine Auctour writ of Ethiocles, Touching the honour, and the great encres Of Polimite highly magnified, And that he newly was allied With Adrastus in the lond of Arge, The which thing he greatly gan to charge, Dreading inly, that this Marriage Shall after time turne to his dammage, Sore musing, and casting vp and doun The great power and the high renoun Of Adrastus, the which of Greeks lond Had all the power soget to his hond, Least that he for Polimites sake, Would vpon him a new warre make, But if that he like the conuentioun, At time set deliuer vp the toun To his brother, by bond of oth sworne, And by couenaunt assured here toforne,

If ye remember, late as I you told, Which he was in purpose for to hold, But for his best, cast him for to vary, And thereupon list no lenger tary, Liche his desires to shape remedies, And first he sent for his next allies, In whom he had his most affiaunce, For his lords that had gouernaunce Of his kingdome, to come to him anon, And when they weren present euerichon, He said plainly wening for the best, That his hert shall neuer be in rest, But in sorrow and in a maner of dread, Till his brother vtterly be dead, That he in Thebes in his roiall sete Might alone reigne in quiete, He meant himselfe, shortly and none other, Vnpertourbed of Polimite his brother, And at his counsell diuerse of entent, I find written thre folkes were present, Some in soth that faithfull were and trew, And some also that can change of new, And other eke that betwene tweine, Couertly could vndre colour feine.

Commendation of Trouth.

* THE first seid, aboue all thing, Trouth should long vnto a king, Of his worde not be variable, But plein and hool, as a contre stable.

How Trouth is preferred in the Book of Esdre aforne Kings, Women, and Wine.

For trouth first without any wene, Is chief piller that may a king susteine In joy and honour for to lede his life, For trouth sometime had a prerogatife, As of Esdre, the booke can specifie, Record I take of prudent Neemie, That worthy kings for all her great pride, Wine, and women, been eke set aside, With all power and dominacion, Hauing reward in comparison To trouths might, and trouths worthinesse, For as Esdre pleinly both expresse, Who so taketh hede in the same place, The influence sothly and the grace, Of trouth alone this old Neemie Gat him licence to reedifie The walles new of Hierusalem, Which is treasure chief of euery Realme, * For Salomon write, how y^• things tweine, Trouth, and mercy, linked in a cheine

Trouth and Mercy preserven a King from all Adversity.

Preserue a king, like to his decree, From al mischiefe and al aduersitee: Alas therefore that any doublenesse, Variaunce, or elles vnsikernesse,

Chaunge nor doubleness should not be in a King.

Change of word or mutabilite, Fraud or disceite, or instabilite, Should in a king haue domination, To causen after his destruction. Of kings redeth the story doun by rowe, And seeth how many haue ben ouertrowe Through her falshod, from fortunes whele, For vnto God, it pleaseth neuer adele A king to be double of entent, For it may happe that the world is went, Ful oft sith, by sleight of her werking, But thus the truth God seeth in euery thing, Right as it is, for there may be no cloude Toforne his sight, trouth for to shroude, It may be clipsed and derked by deceipt, By false engine ligging in aweite, As a serpent for to vndermine, But at last it will cleerly shine, Who y^• saith nay, & shew his bright beames, For it in soth of kingdomes and of realmes, Is bearer vp and conservatrice, From al mischief and sothfast mediatrice, To God aboue who so list to se, To keepe a king in prosperite, On euery side as I afferme dar, For which ye kings & lords beeth wele war, Your behests justly for to hold, And thinketh how Thebes, with his walles old, Destroied was platly this is no les, For the doublenesse of Ethiocles, That with his people sore after bought, Onely for that he nat by conseil wrought, Of hem that were both trew and wise, Him list not werke by her auise, But left trouth, and set his fantasie To be gouerned by false flatterie,

The Counsell of false Flatterers.

That bad him thinke how he was a knight, And to hold of force more than of right, During his life the lordship of the toun, And not to lese his possession, For no bonde nor hestes made toforn, * But let his brother blowe in an horne Where that him list, or pipe in a rede: This was the counseil platly and the rede Of soch as list not to say the soth, But falsly flatre, with her words smoth. And whan they hadde holle her tale fined, Ethiocles fully is enclined, Whosoeuer therat laugh or weepe, Like her counseil, possession to keepe, Who that saith nay, or grutcheth there ayein, Him to contraire, him thought was but vein.

How the year was come out that Ethiocles reigned in Thebes.

But in this while that the sheene sonne, The xii. signes round about had ronne, Sith Ethiocles by just rekening, In Thebes was crouned lord and king, Holding the Sceptre and the Diademe, That by reason as it would seeme, The time was full complete and the space Of couenant he should void his place, And Polimite eke his journey make Toward Thebes possession to take, Of due title but he had wrong, Which thought in soth, the yere was wondre long:

Of his exile or that it come about And for he had in hert a maner of doubt, Least in his brother were falsehed found, To acquite himselfe like as he was bound, To Adrastus he gan declare his herte, Beseching him this matter to aduert, And therevpon to yeue counsell sone, Touching his right what was best to done, Whether it were best to go or to abide, Or like a knight, manly to ride Himself alone and make no message, For to chalenge his rightfull heritage, Within Thebes either by pees or strife, And thereupon to jeoperd his life, Thus was he set, for all his fers brother: But Adrastus sothly thought another Bet was to send, than himself to gone, Lest he were trapped among his mortal fone, Hauing his brother suspect in this caas, That by fraude or by some fallas, He would werke his destructioun, If he were hardy to entre into the toun, For which he had him prudently take heed, Fully concluding how it were more speed That some other be to Thebes sent, To perceiue fully thentent Of Ethiocles inward by some signe, And if that he his crowne will resigne, For thilke yeere like as he made his oth, And whan he knew how his purpose goth, Thereupon to werken and procede, And thus Adrastus wisely gan him rede.

How Tideus took upon him to do the message of Polimite his Brother.

And while they treat vpon this mattere, Tideus with a manly chere, Said vtterly for his brothers sake, This message he would vndertake, With whole themprise of thenbassiate, Were it welefull or infortunate, He will not spare whatsoeuer betide. But Adrastus, on that other side, And Polimite in conclusion, Were contraire to that opinion, And said soothly as hem thought right, Sith that he was so well a proued knight, And discended of so worthy blood, That they nold for none yearthly good, For all Thebes with the regalty, Put his body in such jeopardy: But al this thing auaileth him right nought, For he wil forth, how deare that it be bought, Taking leaue first of all the estates, And armed him in maile, and sure plates, And shope him forth vpon his journie, Who made then sorrow, but Deiphile.

The sorrow of Deiphile, when Tideus went to∣ward Thebes the City.

With bitter teares dewed all her face, Full oft sithes, swouning in the place, Trist and mourning in her blacke wede: And when she saw that he tooke his stede, So inwardly encreased gan her mone, Seeing her lord so riding forth alone Vpon his way, this worthy Tideus: And in all hast, the story telleth vs, He speedeth him so, making no delaies, That in the space of few daies The high toures of Thebes he gan see, And entred is into that citee, Wisely enquiring where the pallaice stode, And like a knight thider streight he rode, Marked full well in many a mans sight, Like Mars himselfe, in stele armed bright, Till he attained hath the cheefe dongeon, Where as the king held his mansion, And throgh the palaice with a knightly looke, Into the hall the right way he tooke, From his stede, when he light adoun, Not aferde, but hardy as Lioun, Where as the king, with lords a great rout, In the hall sitting round about, He entred in, most manfull of courage, To execute the fine of his message, And as him thought, conuenient and due, Full cunningly he gan the king salue, Requiring him of kingly excellence, In goodly wise to yeue him audience, And not disdaine, neither in port ne chere, Sith he was come as a messangere From Polimite his owne brother dere, Ginning his tale thus as ye shall here.

How wisely and how knightly Tideus did his message.

QVod he, vnto your worthinesse My purpose is breefly to expresse The effect holly, as in sentement, Of the message, why that I am sent, It were long processe to make, But of my mattere the very ground to take, In eschuing of prolixity, And void away all superfluity, Sith your selfe best ought to vnderstond The cause fully, that we haue on hond, And eke conceiue the entent of my meaning, Of rightwisenesse longing to a king: First considered, if that ye take hede, When Edippus the old king was dede, How that your selfe, and your brother bliue, For the crowne contagiously gan striue, As mortall foen, by full great hatrede, Which of you two should first succede, Till that ye were by meanes reconciled, Ye to reigne, and he to been exiled Out of this toune for a yeares space, And then ayeine resort into his place, To reigne as king, and ye to voiden out, So as your tourn by processe cometh about, Eueriche of you patiently tendure Thentrechaunging of his auenture, Who were put out, or stood in his estate, Thereupon to make no debate, Liche the couenaunt and conuentioun, Enrolled vp by lords of the toun, Which of reason may not be denied, Sithen ye haue a yeare occupied:

The request that Tideus made in the name of Polimite, under the title of Convention.

Polimite requireth you of right, To acquite you as a true knight, In eschuing of mortall warre and strife, Sith ye had a prerogatife, As eldest brother, for to reigne aforne, And thinketh how that ye arne sworne Your oth to keepe, and make no tarrying, Holly aduerting, liche a prudent king, * That trouth is more in comparison, Than all the treasour of your region, More acceptable vnto God and man, Than all the richesse that ye reken can, Wherefore in hast, and let there be no slouth, Quiteth your selfe justely in your trouth Vnto your brother, auoiding this citee, And let him reigne in his royall see, The crowne of Thebes a yeare to occupie, Then will all Greece praise and magnifie Your high renoun, and may say none other, But ye acquite you justly to your brother: This whole theffect of all that I will sain, Answer expectant what ye will send ayain. Whan Tideus had told his tale, Ethiocles triste and wonder pale, His conceit first in maner hath refreined, Dissimuling vnder colour feined, Shewing a chere in maner debonaire, To his intent wonderly contraire, Inward in hert wood and furious, Tourning his face towards Tideus, He gan abreid and at last out spake, And euen thus vnto him he spake.

The Answer of King Ethiocles.

I haue great marueile (qd. he) in my thought, Of the message which that thou hast brought, That my brother, as thou hast expouned, Desireth so in Thebes to be crowned, Hauing regard to the abundaunce, The great plenty, and the suffisaunce, That he hath now with the king of Arge, That me seemeth he should little charge To haue Lordship or dominioun In the bounds of this little toun, Sith he reigneth so freshly in his flours, Surmounting all his predecessours, By new encrease, through fortunes might: Wherfore in heart I am right glad & light, Fully trusting, if I had nede, To his helpe, that without drede, Like a brother, that I should him find To me ward faithfull, true, and kind, Supposing plainely euermore, Of this reigne he set but little store, Nor casteth him not for so short a while, As for a yeare his brother to exile, To liue in pouerry, and in great distresse, He will not suffer it of his high noblesse, It were no token of no brother hede, But a signe rather of hatrede, To interrupt my possession Of this little poore Region. All that he spake, who so coud aduert, Of very scorne rooted in his hert, As hem seempt, the story can you teach, By the surplus soothly of his speach, He might no lenger him restreine, But plainely said, as betwene vs tweine, I meane thus, Polimite and me, There is no bond nor surete, Ne faith ymade, that may him auaile, As he claimeth, to yeue the gouernaile Of this city, neither yeare ne day, For I shall let him, soothly if I may, That he shall not by title of his bond, Enjoy in Thebes halfe a foot of lond, Let him keepe that he hath wonne, For I purpose, as I haue begonne, To reigne in Thebes henceforth all my liue, Maugre all hem that thereayen striue, And in despite of his friends all, Or the counsaile that him list to call, Let him be sure, and know this right wele, His manacing I drede neuer a dele, And sikerly, as to my deuise, It sheweth well that thou art not wise, But suppressed with a manere of rage, To take on thee this surquedous message, And presumest to doe so high offence, So boldely to speake in my presence, But all in fere, auaile shall right nought, For the tithings that thou hast brought Shall vnto him be disencreace, He better were to haue been in peace, Than of folly and presumption, Ayenst me to seech occasion, For I liue, and thereto here mine hond, As I said erst, he winneth here no lond, While the wall of this toune may stond, For plainely I doe thee to vnderstond, That they shull first be beat down full low, And all the toures to the earth ythrow, Ere he in Thebes haue any thing ado, Lo here is all, retourne and say him so. When Tideus saw the feruent ire Of the king, with anger set on fire, Full of despite, and of Melancolie, Conceiuing eke the great fellonie In his apport, like as he were wood, This worthy knight a little while stood Sad and demure, ere he would ought seine, But at last thus he said ayeine.

The knightly Answer that Tideus yaue ayeine to the King.

Certes (qd. he) I conceiue of new, About thee thy counsaile is vntrew, I dare it saine, and vow it at best, Ne thou art not faithfull of thy behest, Stable of thy word y^t thou hast said toforne, But deceiuable, and falsely eke forsworne, And eke perjurate of thine assured oth: But whether so be that thou be lefe or wroth, I say thee shortly, hold it for no fage, All this shall tourne vnto thy damage, Trist it well, and in full cruell wise All Greekes lond shall vpon thee arise,

To be auenged, and manly to redresse The great vntrouth and the high falsenesse Which y^• thou hast ayen thy brother wrought, It shall full deare after this be bought, And verily indeed, as thou shalt lere, King Adrastus will meddle in this matere, And all the Lords about him enuiron, That bounden be to his subjection, Princes, Dukes, and many a noble Knight, In susteining of thy brothers right, Shall on a day with spere and with shield Ayenst thee be gadred in a field, Knightly to preue all by one assent, That thou art fals, and double of entent, Of thy promise atteint, and eke outrayed, And leue me well, it shall not be delayed, But in all hast execute in deede: * Like thy desert, thou shalt haue thy meede, For God aboue, and his rightwisenesse, Such open wrong shall in hast redresse, And of his might all such collusion Reforme ayeine, and all extortion, * For this the fine, Falshood shall not vaile, Ayenst trouth in field to holden battaile, Wrong is crooked, both halt and lame, And here anone in my brothers name, As I that am his next allie, At his querele, shortly I defie, Fully auised, with all mine hole entent, And ye Lords, that been here present, I you require of your worthinesse, To say trouth, and beare witnesse When time commeth, and justly to record, How your king falsely gan discord From his hest, of false variaunce, And thinke on, how ye of faith and ligeaunce Are bound echone, ye may not go therefro, For to obey and serue both two This next yeare, now anon following, As to your lord, and to your true king Polimite, though he be now absent, By just accord made in Parliament, At your deuise, which sitten here a row, Engrossed was vp, as it is well know, And enrolled onely for witnesse In your Registers to void all falsenesse, That none of you vary may of new From that I say, but if he be vnt••ew, For which I rede your selfe to acquite, Let no time lenger lie in respite, But at ones, without more tarrying, Of manly force fet home your king, Maugre your fone, like as ye are bound, And let in you no slouth be found To put him justly in possession, This is my counsaile in conclusion.

How manly Tideus departed from the King.

When Tideus had his message saied, Like to the charge that was on him saied, As he that list no lenger there sojourne, Fro the king he gan his face tourne, Not astonied, nor in his heart aferde, But full proudely layed hond on his swerde, And in dispite, who was lefe or loth, A sterne pace through the hall he goth Through the court, and manly toke his stede, And out of Thebes fast gan him spede, Enhasting him, till he was at large, And sped him forth toward the lond of Arge. Thus leaue I him riding forth a while, Whiles that I retourne ayeine my stile Vnto the king, which in the hall stood Emong his lords, furious and wood, And his heart wroth, and euill apaied Of the words that Tideus had saied, Specially hauing remembrance On the proud dispitous defiance, Whiles that he fat in his royall See, Vpon which he would auenged bee Full cruelly, what that euer befall, And in his ire he gan to him call Cheefe Constable of his Chiualrie, Charging him fast for to hie, With all the worthy chose of his houshold, Such as he knew most manfull and bold, In all hast Tideus for to sue, Tofore or he out of his lond remue, Vp peine of life, and lesing of her head, Without mercy anon that he be dead.

How falsely Ethiocles laid an Ambushment in the way to have slain Tideus in his repair.

And of knights fifty were in number, Mine author saith, vnwarely him to comber, Armed echone in maile and thicke stele, And therewithall yhorsed wonder wele, At o posterne forth they gonne to ride, By a gein path, that lay out aside, Secretly, that no man hem aspy, Onely of treason, and of fellony, They hast hem forth all the long day Of cruell mallice, for to stop his way, Through a forest, all of one assent, Full couertly for tolay a bushment Vnder an hill at a strait passage, To fallen on him at more auauntage, The same way that Tideus gan draw, At thilke mount where y^• Sphinx was slaw, He nothing ware in his opinion, Of the compassed conspiration, But innocent, like a gentle knight, Rode aye forth, till it drow to night, Sole by himself without companie, Hauing no man him to wise or gie, But at last, lifting vp his hede, Toward eue he gan to take hede, Mid of his way, right as any line, Thought he saw ayenst the Moone shine Shields fresh, and plates burned bright, The which enuiron, cast a great light, Imagining in his fantasie, There was treason or conspiracie Wrought by y^• king, his journey for to lette, And of all that he nothing sette, But well assured in his manly hert, List not ones aside to diuert, But kept his way, his shield vpon his brest, And cast his spere manly in the rest:

How worthy Tideus outrayed fifty Knights, lying in await for to slaen him.

And the first platly that he mette, Through the body proudly he him smette, That he fell dead, cheefe maister of hem all, And then at ones they vpon him fall, On euery paas, by compasse enuiron, But Tideus through his high renoun, His bloody swerde let about him glide, He sleeth and killeth vpon euery side, In his ire and his mortall tene, That meruell it was how he might so su∣stene Ayenst hem all, on euery halfe beset, But his swerde was so sharpe whet, That his fomen found it full vnsoot, But he alas was made light on foot, By force grounded in full great distresse, But of knighthood and of high prowesse Vp he rose, maugre all his fone, And as they came, he slough hem one by one, Like a Lion rampant in his rage, And on this hill he found a narrow passage, Which that he tooke, of full high prudence, And liche a Bore stonding at his defence, As his fomen proudely him assaile, Vpon the plein her blood he made to raile, All enuiron, that the soile waxe redde, Now here, now there, as they fellen dedde, That here lay one, and there lay two or three, So mercilesse in his crueltee Thilke day he was vpon hem found, And at ones his enemy did confound, Where as he stood, this mighty champion, Beside he saw with water tourned doun, An huge stone, large, round and square, And sodainly ere that they were ware, As it had lien there for the nones, Vpon his foen he rolled it at ones, That ten of hem wenten vnto wracke, And the remenaunt amased, drew abacke, For one by one they went to mischaunce: Thus finally he brought to outrance Hem euerychone, Tideus as bliue, That none but one left of hem aliue, Himselfe yhurt and ywounded kene, Through his harneis bleeding on the grene, The Theban knights in compas round about, In the valley slaine all the whole rout, Which pitously againe the Moone gape, For none of hem shortly might escape, But dead echone, as they haue deserued, Saue one except, the which was reserued By Tideus, of this entention To the king to make relation, How his knights haue on her journey sped, Euerich of hem his life left for a wed, And at meeting how they haue hem borne, To tellen all, he assured was and sworne To Tideus, full lowly on his knee, By which ensample openly ye may see,

How Truth with little Multitude hath ever in the fine, Victory of Falshood.

Ayens trouth falshood hath no might, Figh on querels, not grounded vpon right, Without which may be no victory, For euery man haue this in memory, That great power shortly to conclude, Plenty of good, or great multitude, Sleight or engine, force or fellony, Arne too feeble to hold a champarty Ayenst trouth, who that list take heed, For at end falshood may not speed Tendure long, ye shall find it thus, Record I take of worthy Tideus, That arted his hond throgh troths excel∣lence, Fifty knights slough in his defence, But one except, as I late told, Sworne and assured, with his hand vphold, The king tenforme how they were atteint: And Tideus of bleeding was wonder feint, Mate and weary, and in great distresse, And ouerlayd of very feeblenesse, But as he might tho himselfe sustene, He tooke his horse stonding on the grene, Worthed vp, and forth he gan to ride An easie paas, with his wounds wide, And soothly yet, in his opinion, He was alway aferde of treason, But anguishous, and full of busie peine, He rode him forth, till he did atteine Into the bounds of Ligurgus lond, A worthy king, and manly of his hond,

How Tideus all to wounded, came into Ligurgus lond.

And he full pale onely for lacke of blood, Tideus saw where a Castle stood, Strong and mighty, built vpon a roche, Toward which fast he gan approche, Conueighed thider by clearenesse of the stone, That by night, ayens the Moone shone, On high toures, with crestes Marciall, And joyning almost to the wall, Was a gardein, little out beside, Into which Tideus gan to ride Of aduenture, by a gate small, And there he found, for to reken all, A lusty Erber, vnto his deuise, Sweet and fresh, like a Paradise, Very heauenly of inspectioun, And first of all he alight adoun, The goodly place when that he beheld, And from his necke he voided hath his sheld, Drew the bridle from his horse hede, Let him go, and tooke no manner hede, Through the garden that enclosed was, Him to pasture on the soot gras, And Tideus more heauy than is Ledde, Vpon the hearbes greene, white, and redde, As him thought that time for the best, He layd him downe for to take his rest, Of wearinesse, desirous to sleepe, And none await his body for to keepe, And with dreames grudged euer emong, There he lay till the Larke song With notes new, high vp in the aire, The glad morrow rody and right faire, Phebus also casting vp his beames, The high hils gilt with his streames,

The siluer dew vpon the hearbes round, There Tideus lay vpon the cold ground, At vprist of the shene Sunne, And stoundmeale his greene wounds runne Round about, that the soile depeint Was of the greene with the red meint.

How Ligurgus Doughter found Tideus sleep∣ing in the Herber, all forwounded.

And euery morrow, for holesomnes of aire, Ligurgus doughter did make her repaire Of custome aye emong the floures new In the garden, of many a diuers hew, Such joy had she for to take hede, On her stalkes for to seene hem sprede, In the alures walking to and fro: And when she had a little while go, Her selfe alone casting vp her sight, She beheld where an armed knight Lay to rest him on the hearbes cold, And him beside she gan eke behold His mighty stede walking here and there, And she anon fell in a manner fere, Specially when she saw the blood Sprad on the greene, about there she stood, But at last she caught hardinesse, And womanly gan her for to dresse Toward the knight, hauing a manner drede, And great doubt least that he were dede: And of her will soothly this was chiefe, That she thought for to make a priefe, How that it stood of this man full oft, And forth she goeth, and toucheth him soft, Where as he lay, with her honds smale: And with a face deadly bleike and pale, Liche as a man adawed in a swough, He vp stert, and his swerde drought, Not fully out, but put it vp ayeine, Anone as he hath the Lady seine, Beseeching her onely of her grace, To haue pity on his trespace, And rew on him of her womanhede, For of a fray he was fall in drede, Least he had been assayled of new Of the Thebanes, preued full vntrue, For drede of which he was so rechlees, Full humbly him yeelding to the pees, Trist in himselfe, y^• he passed had his bounds. And when that she saw his mortall wounds, She had routh, of very gentillesse, Of his disease and his distresse, And had he should be nothing dismaied, Nor in heart sorrifull nor affraied, Discomfort him in no manner thing, For I (qd. she) am doughter to the king Called Ligurge, which greatly me delite Euery morrow this garden to visite, It is to me so passingly disport, Wherefore (qd. she) beth of good comfort:

How womanly the Lady acquit her to Tideus in his Disease.

For no wight here touching your voyage, Shall hinder you, ne doe you no damage, And if ye list of all your auenture The plaine trouth vnto me discure, I will in sooth doe my businesse, To reforme your greeuous heauinesse With all my might, and whole my diligence, That I hope of your great offence, Ye shall haue helpe in your aduersite, And as ferreforth as it lieth in me, Trusteth right well, ye shall no faut find: And when he saw that she was so kind, So womanly, so goodly and benigne In all her port by many a diuers signe, He vnto her by order will not spare, His auentures fully to declare In Thebes first touching his message, And at hill of the woody rage, Of his wounds and of his hurts sore, It were but vaine to rehearse it more, By and by he told it euerydele, The which in sooth she liked neuer adele, But had routh and compassion Of his mischeefe, wrought by false treason, Riding in hast, that he should her sue, And womanly, as her thought due, To a chamber she led him vp aloft, Full well beseine, there in a bed right soft, Richly abouten apparrailed, With cloth of gold all the floure irailed Of the same, both in length and brede, And first this Lady, of her womanhede, Her women did bid, as goodly as they can, To be attendant vnto this wounded man, And when he was vnarmed to his shert, She made first wash his wounds smert,

How Tideus was refreshed in the Castle of the Lady.

And serch hem well with diuers instruments, And made fette sundry ointments, And Leeches eke, the best she coud find, Full craftely to staunch him and to bind: And euery thing that may done him ease, To suage his peine, or his wo tapease, Was in the Court and in the Castle sought, And by her bidding to her chamber wrought, And for his sake, she hath after sent For such deinties as were conuenient, Most nutritife by Phisickes lore, Hem that were seke or wounded, to restore, Making her women eke to taken keepe, And await on him on nights when he sleepe, And be well ware that nothing astart, That was or might be lusty to his hart. And with all this, she prayed him abide, Till he were strong and mighty for to ride, In the Castle to play him and disport, And at leiser home ayeine resort, When he might by welde him at his large, But all for nought he will home to Arge, Tooke his leaue on the next day, Without abode to hast him on his way, Lowly thanking vnto her goodnesse, Of her freedome and bounteous largesse, So womanly, that her list take heed, Him to refresh in his great need,

Behoting her with all his full might, He would be her seruant and her true knight While he liueth, of what she will him charge, And forth he rode till he come to Arge,

How Tideus repeired is home to Arge.

In full great hast, & would no where dwell, But what should I rehearse, either tell Of his repaire, the coasts or the pleines, The great roches, or the high mounteines, Or all the manere of his home comming, Of the meeting, nor the welcomming, Nor the joy that Adrastus made, Nor how his suster or his wife were glade, Nor how that they, whereto should I write, Enbraced him in her armes white, Nor the gadering about him, or the prees, Nor the sorrow that Polimites Made in himselfe, to see him sore wounded, His greeuous hurts, his sores eke vnsounded, His deadly looke, and his face pale, Of all this to ginne a new tale, It were in sooth a manner idlenesse, Nor how himselfe in order did expresse, First how that he in Thebes hath him borne, Ne how the king falsely was forsworne, Nor of thawait nor treason that he sette, When fifty knights on the way him mette, As ye haue heard all the manere how, Without which my tale is long ynow: But Adrastus made men to seach In euery coast for many a diuers Leach, To come in hast, and make no tarrying Vpon a peine, by bidding of the king To done her craft, that he were recured, And of his force in euery part assured. And they echone so her cunning shew, That in space of a dayes few He was all whole made of his sicknesse, There was tho joy, & then was ther gladnesse, Throughout the court, & through al y^• toun, For euery man hath such opinioun In Tideus, for his gentillesse, For his manhood, and his lowlinesse, That he was hold the most famous knight, And best beloued in euery mannes sight, Throughout Greece in euery region. But now must I make a digression, To tell shortly, as in sentement, Of thilke knight that Tideus hath sent Into Thebes, onely to declare Of the great mischeefe and the euill fare, Vnto the king, how it is befall, The open trouth of his knights all, How Tideus hath slaine hem euerychone, That saue himselfe, there escaped none, Which was reserued from sheding of his blood, The king to tell plainely how it stood: And when he had rehearsed euery poynt, Ethiocles stood in such disjoynt,

How Ethiocles sore was astonied, when he heard the death of his Knights.

Of hatefull ire he wext nigh wood, And in his teene and in his fell mood, Of cruell mallice to the knight he spake, And felly seid, that it was for lacke Only of manhode, & through her cowardise, That they were flaine in so mortall wise, And hanged be he high by the neck, That of your death or of your slaughter reck, Or you compleine, eyther one or all, Of the mischeefe that is you befall, I doe no force that none of you astert, But sigh vpon your false coward hert, That o knight hath through his renoun Brought you all to confusioun, Full gracelesse and full vnhappy to: Nay (qd. this knight) it is nothing so. It is thine vnhap plainly, and not ours, That so many worthy warriours, Which all her life neuer had shame, Except this querele, taken in thy name, That grounded was, & rooted on falsenesse, This was cause in very soothnesse, Of our vnhap, I wot wele, and none other, With thine vntrouth done vnto thy brother, And that thou were so openly forsworne, And percell cause, why that we were lorne, Was fals breaking of thine assured oth. And tho the king, mad almost for wroth, In purpose was for to slea this knight, Onely for he said, vnto him right, The which alas, both at eue and morrow, Suppressed was with a deadly sorrow, Renning aye in his remembraunce, With the pitous and vnhappy chaunce Of the great mischeefe and misauenture, Touching the death and discomfiture Of his fieres, and of himselfe also, That the shamefast importable wo So was on him, with such a mortall strife, That he was weary of his owne life, Hent he hath a swerd, and aside stert, And roue himself euen to the hert, The king himselfe being tho present: And the rumour and the noise is went Through Thebes, of the wood rage, By such as weren joyned by linage To the knights, slaine at hill, That all at ones of one heart and will, They wold haue arisen throughout y^• Citie, Vpon the king auenged for to be, Which of her death was cheefe occasioun: But the Barons and Lords of the toun Ful busie were this rumour and disease, Of high prudence, to stint and appease, In quiete euery thing to sette: And after that, the bodies home they fette Of the knights, like as ye haue herd Afore yslaine, with the bloody swerd Of Tideus, full sharpe whet and ground, And in the field, so as they hem found, Onely of loue, and of affectioun, Solemnely they brought hem to the toun, And like the manere of the rites old, They were first brent into ashes cold, And each one yburied, like to his degre, Lo here the kalends of aduersite, Sorrow vpon sorrow, and destruction, First of the king, and all the region,

For lacke onely, like as I you told, That behests truly were not hold: The first ground and root of this ruine, As the story clearely shall determine, And my tale hereafter shall you lere, If that you list the remnaunt for to here.

Finitur Pars secunda, sequitur Pars tertia.

O Cruell Mars, full of Melancoly, And of thy kind, hote, combust, and dry, As the sparkles shewen from so ferre, By the streames of the red sterre, In thy Sphere as it about goth, What was cause that thou were so wroth W^th hem of Thebes, throgh whos feruent ire The City brent, and was set on fire, As bookes old well rehearse conne, Of cruell hate, rooted and begonne, And engendred, the story maketh mind, Onely of blood corrupt and vnkind, By infection, called originall, Causing a strife dredefull and mortall, Of which the mischeef through al Grece ran, And King Adrastus alderfirst began, Which hath him cast a conquest for to make Vpon Thebes, for Polimites sake, In knightly wise there to preue his might, Of full entent to recure his right. And first of all he sette a Parlement, And hath his letters and messengers sent Through Greece, to many sundry Kings, Hem to enhast, and make no lettings, And round about, as made is mention, He sent also to many a region For Princes, Dukes, Earles, and Barons, To taken vp in cities and in tounes, And to chesen out the most likeliest, And such as weren preued for the best, As of manhood, and send hem vp ech one, And in her hond receiue her pay anone, With Adrastus to Thebes for to ride, And tho lords that with him abide

The great purveyaunce of King Adrastus toward the City of Thebes.

In houshold still, haue her leaue take To riden home, her retourne to make In her countries, as they were of degre, To sustene hem, to take vp meine, And to make hem strong with knights and squeres, With speres, bows, and arbalasteres, In all the hast possible that they may, And to returne in her best array, At tearme set, full manly to be seine Toforne Arge moustren in a pleine:

The Kings and Princes that come to Adrastus.

And as I rede full worthy of degre, Thider come first Prothonolope, The which was by record of writing, Of Archade, sonne vnto the king, And full prudent found in warre and pees: There came also the king Gilmichenes, As I find, full famous of renoun, Thider come eke the king Ipomedoun: And passing all of knighthood and of name, And excelling by worthinesse of fame The noble king, called Campaneus, Came eke to Arge, the story telleth thus, Proued full wele, and had riden fer: And thider come the king Meleager, King Genor eke, that held his royall see, Mine author saith, in the lond of Greece: King Locris, and king Pirrus, And eke the king called Tortolonus, And renouned in many a region, There come the king called Palenon, Oft assayed, and found a manly knight, That with him broght in stele armed bright, Full many worthy out of his countre, And Tideus most knightly for to see, That noble man, that worthy werriour, As he that was of worthinesse the flour, Master and Mirrour by prowes of his hond, Hath sent also into the mighty lond Of Calcedoine, of which he was heire, That is his kingdome, both rich and feire, Charging his counsaile and officers also, In all the hast that it may be do, To seeken out the best werriours Of famous knights and proued souldeours Through al y^e lond, & leid on hem this charge Without abode for to come to Arge: And they obey full lowly his bidding, Enhasting hem, and made no letting, But sped hem fast vpon her journy. And from Thebes the mighty strong city, Came doun knights, w^th many another man, Maugre the king, to helpe what they can, Considred first his falshood and treason, Ymeued onely of trouth and of reason, Polimites, as they were sworne of yore, To his Crowne justly him restore: And when they were at large out of the toun, Vnto Arge they be descended doun, And like her oth, and her assurance, As they were bound only of ligeance, To him they come in full lowly wise, Lowly to done what him list deuise. And when he had her trouth full conceiued, He hath to grace goodly hem receiued, Assigning hem her place amid the hoast, Assembled there, from many a diuerse coast: That finally, in this company Ygadred was the floure of Cheualry, Ychosen out of all Greekes lond, The most knightly and manfull of her hond, That as I trow, sith the world began, There was not seene so many a manly man, So wele horsed with spere and with shield, Togider sembled soothly in a field: There men might see many strange guises Of arming new, and vncouth deuises, Euery man after his fantasie, That if I should in order specifie, Euery peece longing to armure, And thereupon doe my busie cure, It were in sooth almost a dayes werke, And the tearmes also been so derke,

To rehearse hem clearely, and to rime, I passe ouer for lacke of time, And tell I will forth of her lodging, How Adrastus the noble worthy king, Hath euery lord like to his degree, Receiued wele within the citee, And there they had like to her pleasaunce, Of what needeth fulsome habundance, For men and horse plenty of vitaile, Commaunding that nothing ne faile, That all these noble worthy werriours, Both high and low and poore souldiours, Yserued were of what they haue need, For Adrastus presently tooke heed,

That it availeth a King to pay his People truely her fond.

Full lich a King, touching her tearme day, That they toforne were serued to her pay, He was so free he list nothing restraine, And no man had cause to complaine For hunger, thrust, ne for indigence, But all thing ready was vnto her presence: And in a Prince it is ful great repriefe, To suffer his people liue at mischiefe, It is ful heauy and greuous in her thought, If he habound and they haue right nought, He may not both possede body and hart, He to be rich and seene his people smart, He may the body, of power wel constraine, But her heart hath a full long raine, Maugre his might, to louen at her large, * There may no King, on hearts set a charge, Ne hem coarten from her libertee, Men saine ful often how that thought is free, For which ech prince, Lord and gouernour, And specially ech conquerour, Let him beware for all his high noblesse, That bounty, free dome, plenty, and largesse, By one accord, that they his bridle lede, Least of his people, when he hath most nede, He be defrauded, when he is but alone, Then is too late for to make his mone, But in his Court let him first deuise To exile Scarcehead and Couetise, Then is likely with freedome if he ginne Loue of his people euermore to winne, To reigne long in honour and contune, Aye to encrease by fauour of Fortune, And his enemies manly to oppresse, * For loue is more than great richesse.

How love availeth more to a King, than Gold or Riches.

Gold faileth oft, but loue will abide, For life or death by a lords side, And the treasour shortly of a king Stondeth in loue aboue all thing, Farewell lordship both morrow and eue, Specially when loue taketh his leue, And who so list it Mirrour for to make Of knightly freedome, let him ensample take Of Adrastus, the manly king famous, So liberall and so bounteous Vnto his people at all times found, Which made him strong, his fomen to con∣found, And loue only, his enemies to werrey, All Greece made his bidding to obey, Of one accord to knightly by his side, All at ones to Thebes for to ride, For tauenge, sith they were so strong, The great injury and importable wrong Vnto his sonne, and to his next allie, As ye to forne haue heard me specifie. But whiles Greekes rest a time in pees, I will resort vnto Ethiocles, Which in Thebes warely hath espied, By his friends as he was certified Of the Greekes wholly the ordinaunce, Her purpose eke, and her purueyaunce, And thereof had in heart a manner drede, And first he tooke his counsaile and his rede

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,

How the Bishop Amphiorax was sent for to come unto the Greeks.

Throgh all the lands, both East and South, Among the Greekes passingly was couth, A man in sooth of old antiquity, And most accept of authority, First by reason of his high estate, And eke he was so fortunate, And in his werkes was also secre With the gods, knowing her priuite, By graunt of whom, as bookes specifie, He had a spirit of trew prophecie, And coud aforne full openly diuine Things begon, how they should fine, And eke by craft of calculation Yeue a doome of euery question, And had in Magike great experience, And find coud by heauenly influence, And by meuing of the high sterres, A finall doome of conteke and of werres.

The Prophecy of Amphiorax the Bishop.

And wist well, as his gods told, That if Greekes forth her journey hold, It tourne shall platly, this is no fage, To great mischeefe and great damage Of hem echone, and in especiall, The most blood, right of the blood royall Through all Greece, it may not be withdraw In this voyage shortly shall be slaw, And of him, why the Greekes wente, Who that euer wept him or bemente, This is the fine, and may not be succoured, Of the earth he should be deuoured Quicke as he was, he knew it in certaine, And for he saw there nas none other gaine To saue his life, nor no bette defence, Than vtterly to withdraw his presence, Praying his wife for him to prouide, If he were sought, that she should him hide, And womanly for to keepe him close, And of trouth conceiling his purpose, For all his trust, touching his greuaunce, Was full set in her purueyaunce, I hope to God, that he there not drede Of no deceit, in her womanhede, She was so true, as women been echone, And also close and muet as a stone, That she ne would, as the mill stood, Discuren him for no worlds good. But finally, the Greekes of entent, In all his drede haue for this Bishop sent,

How the Wife of Amphiorax, of conscience to save her Oath, discured her Husband.

And soughten so long, ere they might him find, For cause his wife was to him so kind, That so surely hath locked vp his corps, But for she had a manner remors In her selfe, greuing her conscience, Dreding to fall in great offence, Least her soule were in perill lorne, When she by oth compelled was and sworne, They requiring, if she coud tell Where her lord the Bishop should dwell, Which to discure, her heart was full loth, Till time she gan remember on her oth, And coud a trouth of custome not denie, And had also great conscience to lie, Wonder heauy, with a sorrifull face, Maugre her lust, taught hem to the place Where as he was shitte vp in a toure, All alone, hauing no succour, They fell on him, ere that he was ware, And set him vp in a full rich chare. * A foole he was to jeoparde his life, For to discure his counsaile to his wife, And yet she was full sorry for his sake, And specially when she saw him take: * But I hope that her heauinesse Gan tassuage full soone by processe In short time, when that he was gone, * There is no tempest may lest euer in one: But this Bishop by very force and might Vnto Greekes conueyed was full right, This hore grey in his chaire sitting, And they full glad weren of his comming, Hauing a trist and full opinion, Through the cause and occasion Of his wisdome and his sapience, And by vertue of his high prescience, They should eschue all aduersity Possible to fall as in her journy, And as the story fully hath deuised, Full circumspect, and right wele auised, He hath pronounced in the parlement, Tofore the Lords, and the President, His cleare conceit in very sikernesse, Not entriked with no doublenesse, Her dismall dayes, and her fatall houres, Her auentures, and her sharpe shoures, The froward sort, and vnhappy stounds, The complaint of her deadly wounds, The wofull wrath and the contrariosty Of fell Mars, and his cruelty, And how by meane of his grey mood There shall be shed all the worthy blood Of the Greekes, it may not been eschued, If her purpose be execute and sued, There is no more, this shall be the fine, The high noblesse shall draw to decline Of Grekes blood, in mischeefe, sorrow, & wo, And with all this, I my selfe also, As my fate hath before disposed, Deepe in the ground I shall be enclosed And locked vp in the derke vale Of cruell death: lo this was the tale

That the Bishop to Adrastus told, Him counsailing his purpose to withhold, In escheuing of more mischeefe and sorrow, For all his gods he tooke to borrow, If the Thebans and the Greekes meet, The fine thereof shall be so vnsweet, That all Greece after shall it rew, Warning hem, if they the mischeefe knew That shall follow, which no man may lette, They would abstaine a siege for to sette Vnto Thebes, and her purpose leue. With whose words y^• lords gan hem greue, And therein had but full small delite, And euerich of heartely high despite, They abreide, and se••d he was vntrew, And a contreuer of prophecies new, And eke also, for all his long berd, An old dotard, a coward, and aferd, And of rancour gonne to defie Both his calcling and his Astronomie, And shortely said, they took therof none hede, Ne will no thing gouerne hem by his rede. This was the clamour & noise in euery coast Of high and low, throughout all the hoast, And specially of the poore souldiours, And of lordes reigning in her flours, And of the estates effectuelly I mene, Which of age were but tender and grene, That haue not had of Marces influence Of the werre great experience. * Here if ye list ye may consider and see, Of coueiting, great aduersitee, How that youth no perill cast aforne, Till he in mischeefe suddainly be lorne, There as age prouideth euery thing, Ere he begin to casten the ending.

How Age and Youth been of diverse Opinions.

* Youth is gouerned by a large reine, To stert forth, and can him not refreine, But of head set on all at ones, As he that hurteleth ayenst hard stones, Broseth himselfe, and vnwarely perbraketh: But Age expert, nothing vndertaketh, But he toforne by good discretion Make a due examination How it will tourne either to bad or good: But youth, as fast as stirred is the blood, Taketh emprises of hasty wilfulnesse, Ioy at ginning, the end is wretchednesse. The old prudent in all his gouernaunce, Full long aforne maketh purueyaunce: But youth alas by counseil will not werke, For which full oft he stumbleth in the derke. Thus selde is seene, the trouth to termine, That age and youth draw by o line, And where that folly hath domination, Wisdome is put in subjection:

How that Wisdom without Supportation availeth little or nought.

Like as this bishop with al his high prudence, For cause he might haue none audience, All his wisedome and his prophecy Of the Greekes was holden but folly, For though Plato, and wise Socrates, Morall Seneke, and Diogenes, Albumaser, and prudent Theolonee, And Tullius, that had soueraintee Whylome in Rome, as of eloquence, Though all these, shortly in sentence, Were aliue, most cunning and expert, And no man list her counsaile to aduert, Nor of her sawes for to taken heed, What might auaile, and it come to need: * For where as prudence can find no succour, And prouidence hath no fauour, Farewell wisedome, and farewell discretion, For lacke onely of supportation. For vnsupported with his lockes hore, Amphiorax sighen gan full sore, With hed enclined, & many an heuy thought, When y^• he saw his counsail s••ood for nought: For vtterly, the Greekes, as I told, Haue fully cast her journey for to yhold, Made hem ready, and gonne for to hostey Toward Thebes, the city for to werrey, And in Greece will no lenger tarry, And forth with hem Amphiorax they carry, Set in his chaire with a dolefull hert, When he wist he might not astert Of his fate the disposition, And hosteying into the region Of Ligurge, Greekes can approche A sundry lond, with many a craggy roche, But all the way soothly that they gone, For horse ne man water was there none, So dry were the valleyes and the pleines, For all that yeare they had had no reines, But full great drought, as made is men∣tion, And all the lond searching enuiron,

The great Mischief that the Greeks had for default of Water.

They nother found Well ne Riuere, Hem to refresh, nor water that was clere, That they alas no refute ne conne, So importable was the shene Sonne, So hote on hem, in foulds where they ley, That for mischeefe men and horse they dey, Gaping full dry vpward into the South, And some putten her swerdes in her mouth, And speare heads, in story as it is told, Tassuage her thurst with the yron cold, And of his life full many one despeired, In this mischeefe is home ageine repeired: Till on a day worthy Tideus, And with him eke the king Campaneus Of purpose rode throughout the countree, If they might any water see, From coast to coast, both ferre and nere, Till of fortune they entred an herbere, With trees shadowed fro the sunne shene, Full of floures, and of hearbes grene, Wonder holesome of sight and aire, Therein a lady, that passingly was faire, Sitting as tho vnder a Laurer tree, And in her armes a little child had she, Full gracious of looke and of visage, And was also wonder tender of age,

Sonne of the king, borne to succede, Called Ligurgus, in story as we rede, Whose hearts joy, and worldly eke disport, All his mirth eke, pleasance, and comfort, Was in this child of excellent fairenesse: And this lady, mirrour of semelinesse, All sodainly, as she cast vp her sight, Vpon his stede saw an armed knight, Greatly abashed, gan her anon remue, But Tideus gan after fast to sue:

How Tideus complained to the Lady in the Herber for Water.

And said suster, beth nothing dismaied In your selfe, displeased, nor affraied, For we are come onely to this place, You to beseech of mercy and of grace, Vs to succour in our great need, Declaring you how it stand indeed: Here fast by, almost at hond, The worthiest of all Greeks lond, Kings, Princes, be lodged in the field, And many other with polax and with shield, Which in mischeef, perill, and great drede, For want of water, are likely to be dede, For there was none of high ne low degree, In all our hoast, now passed dayes three, That dranke alas, I except none estate, Our fate is so infortunate, Praying you of womanly pitee, Benignely and graciously to see, How of Greece all the cheualry Of her liues stonds in ieopardy, That ye would of womanhood tell, If ye know any riuer, spring, or well, Specially now in our care, Of gentillesse vnto vs declare, Lo here is all, if ye lust to heare, That I will seine, mine own suster deare. And when this lady, inly vertuous, The complaint heard of worthy Tideus, Of very pity chaungeth chere and hew, And in her heart vpon his wo gan rew, And full goodly, seeing his distresse, Said vnto him in all his heauinesse.

How the Lady courteously taught Tideus to the Well.

Certes (qd. she) if I were at large, Touching this child, which I haue in charge, I should in hast of all that doth you greue, To my power helpe you and releue, Onely of routh, and of compassion, And leue all other occupation, Conuey you, and be your true guide, To a riuer, but little here beside, But I dare not so much me assure, This little child to put in aduenture, I am so fearefull from it to depart, But for your sake yet I shall doe part My life, my death, of true affection, To prouide for your saluation: Tooke the child, and leid it in her lap, And richely in clothes gan it wrap, And couched it among the herbes sote, And leid about many an holesome rote, And floures eke, both blew and rede, And supprised with a manere of drede, With Tideus forth anon she went, As she in trouth, that no treason ment, And on her wey would neuer dwell, Till she him brought to a right faire well, And to a riuer of water full habound, But who was glad, and who was tho jo∣cound But Tideus, seeing the riuer, Which in all hast sent his messanger To Adrastus, and had him not abide, But downe descend to the riuer side, With all his hoast, licour for to haue At this riuer, her liues for to saue. And they enhasted hem, making none abode, All at ones to the Riuer rode, For to drinke, they had so great lust Of appetite, for to staunch her thurst, And some dranke, and found it did hem good, And some were so feruent and so wood Vpon the water, that in sikernesse, Through vndiscreet and hasty greedinesse, Out of measure the water so they drinke, That they fell dead euen vpon the brinke, And some naked into the Riuer runne, Only for heat of the Summer Sunne, To bathen hem, the water was so cold, And some also, as I haue you told, I meane tho that prudent were and wise, The water dranke in measurable wise, That of the thurst they haue before endured, They were refreshed fully, and recured: And Greekes then, of high and low degree, For her profite, and her commoditee, Compasse the riuer, Christalin of sight, Of one accord they her tents pight, To rest hem there in reles of here peine, Onely the space of a day or tweine. And whiles Grekes vpon the riuer lay, This Tideus vpon the same day, Full knightly hath done his diligence, This yong lady with great reuerence, To Adrastus goodly to present, At whose comming the king himselfe went, Again her, she falling doun on knees, All thestates tho present and degrees, Of Grekes lond absent was not one, And in his armes tooke her vp anon, Thanking her of her besinesse, Of her labour, and her kindnesse, Behoting her like as he was hold, If any thing pleinly that she wold, That he may don she should it redy find, And also Greekes all, the story maketh mind, Of thestates being tho present, Thanked her with all her holle entent, For the freshing done to many a Greke, And for her part they behight her eke, With her bodies and goods both two, What her list commaund hem for to do, To be redy partly and not faile. And here my Auctour maketh rehersaile, That this lady so faire vpon to se, Of whom the name was Isiphile, To Adrastus told as ye may rede, Lineally, the stocke of her kinrede,

Sometime how she a kings doughter was, Rehersing to him all the hal••e caas, First how that she out of her countree went, Shortly for she wol nat assent, To execute a conspiracion, Made by the woman of that region, A thing contrary agein all right, That ech of hem vpon a certein night, By one accord shall warely take kepe, Fader, brother, and husbands in her slepe, With kniues sharp, and rasours kene, Kitte her thortes in that mortall rene: Vnto this fi••e ••s Bochas tell can, In all that land be not found a man, But slaine echoue, to this conclusion, That women might haue dominacion, In that kingdome, and reigne at liberte, And on no parties interrupted be. But for this lady passing debonaire, To this matere was froward and contraire, Kept her fader that he was not slawe, But from the death preserued & withdraw, For which alas she fled Countree, And of a Pirat taken in the See, To king Ligurgus brought in all her dred, And for her trouth and her womanhed, To her be tooke his yong child to keepe, Which in the herber she left alone to slepe, When Tideus she brought to the well. And by ••ason, some bookes tell, That this lady had sonnes two, When that he, and Hercules also, Toward Colchos, by her countree came, For raccomplish the conquest of the Kam, But who that list by and by to see, The story holle of Isophilee, Her fadres name of which also I write, Though some sein, he named was Thorite, And some bookes Vermos eke him call, But to know the auentures all, Of this lady Isophile the faire, So faithfull aye and inly debonaire, Loke on the boke that Iohn Bachas made, Whilom of women with Rhetoriques glade, And direct by full souereigne stile, To faire Iane, the Queene of Cesile, Rede there the R••brike of Isophile, Of her trouth and of her bounte, Full craftly compiled for her sake. And when that she her leue hath take Of Adrastus, homeward in her wey, Tideus gan her to conuey, To the Gardein till she is repeyred. But now alas my matere is despeired, Of all joy, and of all wilfulnesse, And destitute of all mirth and gladnesse, For now of w•• begin the sharpe houres, For this lady hath found among the floures,

How the Child was slain of a foul Serpent in the Herber.

Her litel Childe turned vp the face, Slain of a Serpent in the selfe place, Her taile hurled with scales siluer shene, The venim was so persing and so kene, So mortall eke the perilous violence, Caused alas through her long absence, She was to slow homeward for to hie: But now can she, but wepe, waile, and crie, Now can she nought but sigh & compleine, And wofully wring her honds tweine, Dedly of looke, pale of face and chere, And gan to rende her gilt tresses clere, And oft sithe gan to say alas, I wofull wretch vnhappy in this caas, What shall I do or whider shall I tourne, For this the fine if I here sojourne, I wote right well, I may it not escape, The piteous fa••e that is for me shape, Soccour is there none, ne none other rede, Liche to my desert but that I mote be dede, For through my slouth and my negligence, I haue alas done to great offence, That my guilte, I may it not excuse, Shal to the king of treason me accuse, Through my offence and slouth both two, His sonne is ded and his heire also, Which he loued more than al his good, For treasour none so nigh his hert stood, Nor was so depe graue in his courage, That he is likely to fallen in a rage, When it is so mine odious offence, Reported be vnto his audience, So importable shall be his heauinesse, And well wot I in verray sothfastneise, That when y^• queen hath this thing aspied, To mine excute it may not be denied, I doubt it nat there geineth no pite, Without respite she will auenged be, On me alas as I haue deserued, That from the death I may not be preserued, Nother by bill nor by supplication, For the rage of my transgression, Requireth death, and none other mede. And thus alas she quaking in her drede, None other helpe ne remedy can, But dreint in sorow to the Grekes she ran, Of hertely woo, face, and chere distreined, And her cheekes with weping albereined, In hie affray distraught and furious, Tofore al thoste she came to Tideus, Fell on knees and gan her compleint make, And told pleinly that for the Grekes sake, She must be ded, and shortly in substaunce, Rehersing him, y^• ground of her greuaunce, First how by traines of a false serpent, The child was flaine when she was absent: And when that he her mischief vnderstood, In what disjoint and perill that she stood, Vnto her full knightly he behight, To helpe and further all that euer he might, Her pitious woo to stinten and appease. And for to find vnto her disease, Hasty comfort, he went a full great paas To Adrastus and told him all the caas, Of this vnhappy wofull auenture, Beseeching him to doon his besy cure, As he was bound of equite and right, And eke aduertise and to haue a sight How she quitte her to Grekes here toforne, That they were likely to haue ben lorne,

The succour void of her womanhede, For which he must of knighthood take hede, To remedien this vnhappy thing. And Adrastus like a worthy king, Taquite himselfe, the story maketh mind, To this lady will not be found vnkind, Neither for coste ne for no trauaile, But besy was in all that might auaile, To her succour considred all things, And by thauife of al the worthy kings, Of Grekes lond they ben accorded thus, Princes, Dukes, and with hem Tideus, To hold her way, and all at ones ride, To Ligurgus dwelling there beside, Of one entent if they may purchace, In any wise for to get grace, For this lady called Isophilee, They would assay if it might be. And to his palaice full roially built of stone, The worthy Grekes came riding euerichone, Euery lord full freshly on his stede, And Ligurgus example of manlyhede, Anon as he knew of her comming, Tacquite himselfe like a gentill king, Agein hem went to mete hem on the way, Ful wel besein and in good aray, Receiuing hem with a full knightly chere, And to Adrastus, said as ye shall here: Cosin (qd. he) and gan him to embrace, Ye be welcome to your owne place, Thanking hertely to your high noblesse, That so goodly of your gentillesse, Towards me ye list you to acquite, Your selfe this day your Cosin to visite, In this castell to take your lodging, That neuer yet I was so glad of thing, In all my life, and thereto here my trouth, And euermore there shall be no slouth, That the chambres and the large toures, Shall be deliuered to your herberioures, That euery lord as he is of degree, Vnto his lodging assigned shall bee, Your officers let hem selfe deuise, Yf the housing largely may suffise, To you and yours, stretchen and atteine, That none estate haue cause to compleine, And all your host lodged here beside, Which ententifely vpon you abide, Let hem fet by my auctority, Vitaile inough here in my city, And al that may hem succour or saue, And at o word al that euer I haue Is full and holle at your commaundement.

How Adrastus and all the states of Grekes prei∣den Ligurgus for the life of Isophile.

(Qd. Adrastus) that is not our entent, Nor no part cause of our comming, For we be come all for another thing, A certein gift of you to requere, Benignely if ye list to here, Which may Grekes passingly auaile, Of our request if we do not faile, Which we dare not openly expresse, Withouten that ye will of your gentillesse, Your graunt affirme, conferme, and ratifie, Then were we bold it to specifie. (qd. Ligurgus) what thing euer it be, Not excepted but onely things three, The first is this, it touche not my life, My yong sonne pleinly, nor my wife, Take all my good and what ye list pro••ide, Of my treasour, and set these thing aside, All the surplus I compt nat a mite. Then Adrastus astomed was a lite, When Ligurgus in conclusion, Of his sonne made exception. And whiles they treat thus in fere, There came forth one with a wofull chere, Of face and looke, pale, and nothing red, And loud crieth, the kings sonne is ded, Alas the while that whilom was so feire, After Ligurgus borne to ben his heire, The which alas hath yolden vp the breath Of a Serpent stong vnto the death, And with his wound new fresh and greene, In the herber lieth that pity is to seene, And hath so lien almost all this day. But when Ligurgus heard this affray, And wist his child was dead and had no mo, Little wonder though that he was wo, For sodainly the importable smart Ran anon and hent him by the hart,

The sorow that King Ligurgus made for the death of his Child, and the lamentation of the Queen.

That for constreint of his deadly peine, Throughout he felt coruen euery veine, The rage gan mine on him so depe, That he could not but sobbe, sigh, and wepe, And with the noise and lamentacioun, The Quene distraught is descended doun, And when she knew the ground of all this sor∣row, It needed her no teares for to borow, But twenty time vpon a row, Aswound she fell to the earth low, And stoundmell for this mischaunce, Still as a stone she lieth in a traunce, But when the child into court was brought Tofore Ligurgus, alas I wite him nought, Vpon the corps with a mortall face He fell atones, and gan it to embrace, Sore to grispe, and agein vp sert: Then when Adrastus this thing can aduert, Of kingly routh and compassioun, From his eyen the teares fell adoun, Eke Kings, Dukes, that about stood, Onely of pity that is in gentill blood, No power had the teares to restreine, That on her cheekes doune began to reine: But all a day would not suffise, All her sorowes in order to deuise, First of the king, and the queene also, To tellen al I should neuer haue do, Not in the space almost of an houre. But when the stormes and the teary shoure Of her weping was somewhat ouergone, The litel Corps was grauen vnder stone, And Adrastus in the same tide, Ligurgus toke a litel out a side,

And full wisely with his prudent spech, The Queene present, gan him for to tech, That so to sorow, auaile may right nought, To murdre himself with his owne thought, * Ayeinst death may be no recure, Though in wo perpetually endure, Al helpeth not when the soule is go, And our life here, thus taketh heed thereto, Is but an exile and a pilgrimage, Ful of turment and of bitter rage, Liche See renning to and fro, Suing an Ebbe when the flood is do, Litel space abiding at full, Of whose sojourne the Pope yeueth no bull, For king is none, Duke, ne Emperour, That may him shroud ayenst his fatal shour, Of cruel death when him list manace, To marke a man with his mortall mace, Then geineth not to his saluation, Neither franchise, ne protection, And littel or nought may helpen in this caas, Sauf••ondir eyther supersedeas, For in this world who so loketh aright, Is none so great of power nor of might, None so rich, shortly nor so bold, That he must die either yong or old, And who in youth passeth his passage, He escaped is all the wood rage, All sorrow, all trouble of this present life, Replenished with conteke warre and strife, Which selde or neuer stondeth in surete: Wherefore best is, as it seemeth me, No man grutch, but of high prudence, The sonde of God he taketh in patience, And ye that been so wise and manly to, Your selfe to drowne in torment and in wo, For losse of thing, and ye list to see, That in no wise may recured bee, Is great folly and vndiscretioun. And thus Adrastus hath conueyed doun The substance whole of that he would say, Till that he found a ti•• for to pray Conuement for Isophilee, Beseching him for to haue pite, Of that she hath offended his highnesse, Not wilfully but of reckelesnesse, First that he would his domes so diuide, Mercy preferre and set right aside, At request and prayer of hem all, Of this vnhap and mischeefe that is fall, By hasty rigour not to doe vengeaunce, But thinke aforne in his purueyaunce, * Who to wretches doth mercy in her drede, Shall mercy find when he hath most nede: And sith he hath power might and space, Let him take this lady into his grace, For lacke of routh that she nat thus die. But tho the Quene gan again replie,

How the Queen will algate have the Serpent dead.

And platly said as in this matere: Auaileth neither request, nor prayere, Pite, mercy, nor remission, But if it be by this condicion, That the Serpent, cause of all sorow, Through his labour lay his hed to borow: This is finall and vtter recompence, To find grace for her great offence, Or elles shortly, shede blood for blood. And when Greekes her answere vnderstood, Of one actord in her best wise, Toke on hem this auenturous emprise, For loue onely of Isophile, And gon to ride enuiron the contre, By hilles, valeis, roches, and caues, In diches darke, and in old graues, By euery cost serching vp and doun, Till at last full famous of renoun, The worthy knight Parthonolope, Was the first that happed for to se This hidous Serpent by a Riuer side, Great and horrible, sterne and full of pride, Vnder a Roch by a banke lowe, And in all hast he bent a sturdy bowe, And therein set an Arowe filed kene, And through the body spotted blew & grene,

How Parthonolope slew the Serpent.

Full mightely he made it for to glide, And hent out a swerde hanging by his side, Smote of his hed and anon it hent, And therwithal gan the Queene present, Wherethrough parcel she gan tasswage: And thus of prowesse and of high corage, This manly man, this Parthonolope, Hath reconciled faire Isophile, Vnto grace fully of the Queene, Her Ire voided and her old tene, And by Adrastus mediacion, King Ligurgus graunted a pardon To this lady, from all daunger fre, She was restored to her liberte, In his palaice al her life to dwell, Though Iohn Bochas the contrary tell: For this auctour affirmeth out of drede, That when the child was by y^• serpent dede, She durst not for her great offence, Neuer after come in presence Of Ligurgus, but of entention, Fled anon out of that region, At hert she tooke the childes death so sore: What felle of her, find I can no more, Than ye haue herde aforne me specifie. And the kingdome, but if bookes lie,

Nota, de Ligurgo Rege Traceae.

Of Licurgus, called was Trace. And as I rede, in an other place, He was the same mighty Champion, To Athenes that came with Palamon Ayenst his Brother that called was Arcite, Yled in his chaire with iiii. Bolles white, Vpon his hed a wreth of gold full fine. And I find eke how Bachus god of wine,

Baccus, Deus Vini.

With this king was whilom at debate, Onely for he, pompous and elate, Destruction did to his vines, And for he first set alay on wines,

Meint with water, when they were too strong: And this Bacchus for the great wrong, Brake his lims, and dreint him in the see: Of Ligurgus, ye get no more of me, But the trouth if ye list verifie, Rede of goddes the Genealogie.

Nota, de duodecim arboribus in libra Bochacii de genealogia Deorum.

Lineally her kinred by degrees, Ybranched out vpon xii. trees, Made by Bocchas, Decertaldo called, Among poetes in Itaile stalled, Next Fraunceis Petrarke suing in certein. Now vnto Grekes I will retourne agein, To tell forth shortly if I con, Of her journey, that they haue begon. Here Adrastus hath his leaue take Of Ligurgus with his browes blake, And departing with seint Ihon to borow, Made his wardes on the next morow So wel besein, so mighty and so strong, Wondre early when the larke song, With a trompet warned euery man, To be ready in all the hast they can, For to remue and no letting make: And so they haue the right wey take Toward Thebes the Grekes euerichone, That such a nombre gadred into one, Of worthy knights, neuer aforn was sein, When they in feere were moustred in a plein, And they ne stint by none occasioun, Till they be comen euen afore the toun, And pight her tents prowdely as I rede, Vnder the walles in a grene Mede, And when the Thebans were besette about, The manly knights would haue priked out, And haue scarmished in her hasty pride, With her fomen ou that other side, But by bidding of Ethiocles, All thilke night they kept hemselfe in pees, Because onely that it was so late, With great wait set at euery gate, Men of armes all the night walking On the walles, by bidding of the king, Lest there were traine, or treason, And on the toures, and in the chief dongeon, He set men to make mortall sownes, With brasen hornes, and loud Clariounes, Of full entent the watches for to kepe, In his warde that no man ne slepe. And Grekes proudly all the long night, Kindled fires and made full great light, Set vp lodging vpon euery side, Like as they should euer there abide, Compas the toun, there was no voide space, But all be set her fomen to manace, And whiles they tofore the cite ley, On euery coast they sent out to forreie,

The Forrey that the Greeks made in the Coun∣trey about Thebes.

Bren townes, Thropes, and vilages, With great rauing, making her pilages, Spoile & robbe, and brought home vitaile, And all manere sortes of bestaile, Shepe and Nete, in her cruell rage, With houndes slaine all that was sauage, Herte and Hind, both Bucke and Do, The blacke Bere, and the wild Ro, The fat Swine, and the tusky Bore, Carrying all home for the Grekes store, Wheate and wine, for her auantage, Hay, and Otes, foddre and forage. With the Kalendes, as hem thought due, The Grekes gan the Thebans salue, Ministring hem occasions fell, The siege set, shortly for to tell, Of full entent in her hateful pride, For life or death thereupon tabide, Who so euer thereat be agreued, Till they fully her purpos haue acheued, There may thereof be made no reles. And of all this ful ware Ethiocles, Gan in party greatly to merueile, When he saw the great apparaile Of the Grekes the Citee round about, And in himselfe had a manner dout, Now at point, what was best to do, For thilke time it stode with him so, That to some abiding in the toun, He had in hert a great suspecion, Lest toward him that they were vnstable, And to his Brother in party fauorable.

The variaunce in Thebes among hemselfe.

For in the cite there was variaunce, That vnto him was a great mischance: For in his nede shortly he ne wist Vpon whom that he might trist, For they were nat all of one entent, Wherfore he hath for his counseil sent, All his lords, and the old Queene, Soch as he dempte that were pure & clene, Holle of one heart and not variable, Of old expert and alwey found stable, Requering hem because they were wise, All openly to tellen her auise, Where it were better pleinly in her sight, With his brother to treaten, or to fight? And some gaue a full blunt sentence, Which had of werre none experience, Said it was best and not ben aferde, To try his right manly with the swerde: And some also that were more prudent, Spake vnto him by good auisement, And list not spare but her conceite told, How it was best his couenant to hold, And to perfourme his hest made toforn To his Brother, lich as he was sworn, So y^• his word, the wors make him to spede, * Be not found variant from the dede, For none hatred rancour ne pride: And tho the Queene toke him out aside,

The words of the worthy Queen Jocasta unto Ethiocles.

Told him pleinly, it was full vnfitting, Soch doublenesse to finden in a king:

And said him eke, although he were strong, Vnto his Brother he did wrong, As all the towne will record in dede, And bere witnesse if it come to nede: Wherefore let vs shape an other mene, In this mattere while that it is grene, Ere this querele, thus gon of volunte, Turne in the fine to more aduersite, For if it be darreyned by battaile, Who trusteth most may full lightly faile, * And it is folie by short auisement, To put a strife in Martes judgement: For hard it is when a judge is wood, To treate aforne him without losse of blood: And if we put our mater holle in Marte, Which with his swerd his laws doth coarte, Then may it hap, where ye be glad or wroth, Thou and thy Brother shull repent both, And many another that is here present, Of your trespas that ben very innocent, And many a thousand percas shall complein, For the debate onely of you tweine, And for your strife shall find full vnswote, And for thou art ginner, ground and rote Of this injury and this great vnright, To the goddes, that hereof han a sight, Thou shall accompts and a rekning make, For all tho that perishen for thy sake. And now the cause driuen is so ferre, Sodeinly pees either hasty werre, Mot folow anon for the fatall chaunce, Of life and death dependeth in balaunce, And thou ne maist by no craft restreine, That vpon one, platly of you tweine, The sort mote fall ilke as it doth tourn, Who so euer thereat either laugh or mourn, And thou art driuen so narow to the stake, That thou maist not mo delaies make, But fight or treat this is the vtter fine, By none engin thou canst it not decline, * An hasty caas, as folke sain that ben wise, Redresse requereth by full short auise, For to trete long now auaileth nought, For to the point sothly thou art brought, Either to keepe thy possessioun, Or in all hast deuoid out of this toun, Wher thou therwith be wroth or wel appaid, Now note well all that I haue said, And by my counsell wisely condescend, Wrong wrought of old newly to amend, The time is come it may be none other, Wherefore in hast treate with thy brother, And again him make no resistence, But to thy lordes fully yeue credence, By whose Counseill ••ithe they be so sage, Let Polimite enjoy his heritage, And that shall tourne most to thine auaill, Loo here is holle the fine of our Counsail.

The Treaty that Ethiocles sent unto his Brother.

And shortly tho for ire wroth, Though he hereto froward was and loth, According is, hearing all the prees, If he algate shall treate for a pees, It must be by this condicion, That he will haue the dominacion, First in chiefe to himselfe reserued, As him thought he had it well deserued, And saue to him holle the souereintee, And vnder him in Thebes the citee, He to graunt with a right good chere, Polimite the reigne for a yeere, Then tauoide and not resort agein, For more to claime was all but in vein, This would he done onely for her sake, And otherwise he will none end make With Greekes, what fortune euer befall. And finally emong his lords all, There nas not one of high or low estate, That would gone on this Ambassiat, Out of the towne ne for bet ne wors, Till Iocasta made sadle her hors, And cast her self to gon on this treate, To make an end if it would be: And this was done the morow right by time, Vpon the howre when it drew to prime, And with her went, here yonge doughters tweine, Antigone, and the faire Imeine, Of her meine full many one about, At gate she was conueied out, And of purpose she made first her went, On horsebacke to King Adrastus tent, He and his lords being all in fere, And they receiue her with a right glad chere, Shewing her, like to her degree, On euery halfe full great humanite, Polimitie rising from his place, And humbly his moder gan embraee, Kissed her, and then Antigone, And eke Imeine, excellent of beaute, And for that they passingly were faire, Great was the pres, concours, and repaire Of the ladies for to haue a sight: And Iocasta proceedeth anon right, To Adrastus the matere to propose, And gan to him openly to disclose The entent and will of Ethiocles, And by what meane he desireth pees, To him reserue, as she gan specifie, The honour whole, and the regalie, With sceptre & crown, from him not diuided, But whole to him, as he hath prouided, And Polimite by this conditioun, Vnder him to reigne in the toun, As a soget by suffrance of his Brother. But the Grekes thoughten all another,

The knightly Answer of worthy Tideus.

And specially worthy Tideus, Pleiuly affirming it should nat be thus, For he will haue no conditions, But set aside all excepcions, Nothing reserue as in speciall, But hole the lordship regally and all, Be Polimites it fully to possede, In Thebes crouned verely in dede, And rightfull king put in possession, Like the couenaunts and convencion, Ymade of old assured and ensealed, That shall not now, of new be repealed, But stable and holle in his strength stond, And let him platly so vnderstond,

And first that he deuoid him out of toune, And deliuere the Sceptre and the croune To his Brother, and make therof no more, And shortly elles it shall be bought full sore, Or this matere brought be to an end, For Greekes be there none, that shul hens wend, Er that our right that is vs denied, With life and death, darreined be and tried, We will not erst from this toun remewe, And if him list all this thing eschue, And all mischiefe stinten and appese, To either part he may do great ese, Thus I meane for his auauntage, Deliuer vp hool the trew heritage, To his brother for heire to endure, And Greekes shall fully him assure, By what bond that him list deuise, The yere complete in our best wise, To him deliuer ayen possession, Without strife or contradicion, And to this fine justly hold vs to, And if it fall that he will not so, Let him not wait but onely after werre, The houre is come we will it not deferre, Lo here is all, and thus ye may report To him ayein when that ye resort, From which appointment we cast vs nat to vary, And yet to him Amphiorax y^• contrary Full pleinly said in conclusion, This fine shall cause a destruction, Of hem echone if it forth procede, To be performed and execute in dede: But thilke time for all his eloquence, He had in soth but litell audience, For whether so he ment good or ill, King Adrastus bad him to be still. And tho Iocasta, as wisedome did her tech, Humble of her port with full soft spech, Gan sech meanes in her fantasie, If she might the ire modifie Of the Greekes, to make hem to encline, In any wise her rancour for to fine, She did her deuour, and her besie cure, But then befell a wonder auenture, Cause and ground of great confusioun, Greekes perturbing and eke the toun, And it to tell I may not assert, For which a while my stile I mote aduert,

Of a tame Tygre dwelling in Thebes.

And shortly tell by descriptioun Of a Tygre, dwelling in the toun, Which from a kingdome, besiden adjacent, Out of Egipt was to Thebes sent, Which beast, by record of scripture, Is most swift as of his nature, And of kind also most sauage, And most cruell when he is in his rage, And as clerkes maken mention, He of body resembleth the Lion, And like a greyhound the mosell and the hed, And of eyen as any fire red, Eke of his skin, written as I finde, Like a Panther, conuersant in Inde, With all manner hues and colours, And is ful ofte deceiued with Mirrours, By fraude of huntes and false apparance, Shewed in glas withouten existence, When his kindeles are by sleights take, And he destreined, may no rescus make: And like a lambe was this Tigre tame, Ayenst kind, mine Auctour writ the same, And this beast merueilous to see, Was sent to Imeine and Antigone, That vnto hem did great comfort, And coud pley and make good disport, Like a whelpe that is but yong of age, And to no wight did no damage, No more in soth than doth a litell hound, And it was worth many an hundred pound, Vnto the king for ay in his greuaunce, Ther was nothing y^• did him more plesaunce That for no tresour it might not be bought, For when that he was pensife or in thought, It put him out of his heauinesse: And thilke time the story doth expresse, That Iocaste treated for a pees, This tame Tigre in party rekeles, Out at gates in sight of many a man, In to the field wildly out ran, And casuelly renning to and fro, In and out as doth the tame Ro, Greekes weening that were yong of age, That this Tigre had be sauage, And cruelly besetting all the place, Round about gan him to enchace, Till he was ded and slaine in the field: The slaughter of whom when y^• they beheld, The proud Thebans which on y^• wals stood, They ran doun furious and wood, Wening he be slaine of despite, Taking her hors without more respite, Fully purposed with Greekes for to fight, The Tigres death tauenge if they might, And forth they rode without gouernaile, And full proudly Greekes gon assaile, And of hatred and full high desdain, Fellen on hem that han the Tigre slein, And cruelly quitten hem her mede, That many a Greeke in the grene mede, By the force and the great might, Of her fomen, lay slain in this fight, The Tigres death so sore they abought, So mortally Thebans on hem wrought, That all the host in the field ligging, Was astonied of this sodein thing. And in this wise of rancour rekeles, Out of Thebes rode Ethiocles, And with him eke the worthy king Tremour, Of his hond a noble werriour, That made Grekes to forsake her place, And to her tents gan hem to enchace, And midde the field as they togider mette, On horsebacke, with speres sharply whette, Of very hate and enuious pride, Full many one was dead on either side: The which thing when Tideus espieth, Wood as a Lion to horsebacke he hieth, As he that was neuer a deal aferd, But ran an hem and met••e hem in the berd, And maugre hem in his cruelty, He made hem flee home to her city,

Hem pursuing of full deadly hate, That many one lay slain at gate, Gaping vpright with her wounds wide, That vtterly they durst not abide, Tofore the swerd of Tideus, He was on hem so passing furious, So many Thebans he rofe to the hert, That when Iocasta the slaughter can aduert, Polimite she prey gan full faire, To make Greekes home again repaire, And that they woulden stint to assaile, For thilke time, and ceassen her battaile. At whos request plainly and preire, And at reuerence of his moder dere, Polimite her hert to comfort, Greekes made home ayein resort, And Tideus to stinten of his chace, And they of Thebes hasting a great pace, Ful trist & heauy ben entred in to the toun: And for the Tigre in conclusioun, As ye haue herd, first began the strife, But many a Theban that day lost his life, And recureles hath yeuen vp the breath, Of thauenging of the Tigers death. And al this while duely as she ought, The Queen Iocasta humbly besought, King Adrastus holly of his grace, Some meane wey wisely to purchase, To make a pees betwene the brethren twein, And the tretee so prudently ordein, On either part that no blood be shad: And thus Adrastus auised and right sad, For Grekes party answere yaue anon, That other end shortly gate she non, Lich as the lordes fully ben auised, Than Tideus to forn hath deuised. And when she saw it may none other be, She leue toke and home to the cite She is repaired, hauing to her guide, Polimite riding by her side, And Tideus led Antigone, And of Archade, Protonolope The worthy king, did his belie peine To be attendant vpon faire Imeine, Whos hert she hath to her seruice lured, And he ayein hath portreied and figured Mid of his brest, which lightly may not passe, Holly the fetures of her treshly face, Him thought she was so faire a creature, And though that he durst him not discure, Yet in his hert as ferforth as he can, He hath aluowed to be her true man, Vnwist to her plainly and vnknow How he was marked with Cupides bow, With his arrow sodainly werreied, And to the yares the Ladies conueied, Been entred in, for it drew to eue, Grekes of hem taking tho her leue, Though some of hem were loth to depart, Yet of wisedome they durst not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Vnder a conduct to enter into the toun, Lest it tourned to her confusioun, Though some bookes the contraire sain, But mine aucthour is plaine there again, And affermeth in this opinion, That Tideus of high discrecion, Of wilfulnesse nor of no foly, Ne would as tho put in jeopardy, Neither himself ne none of his feres, And the Ladies with her heauenly cheres, Angelike of looke and countenaunce, Liche as it is put in remembraunce, At her entring from Grekes into the toun, Polimite of great affectioun, The queene besought, y^t thilke night not fine For tassay if she might encline Ethiocles of conscience and right, To kepe couenaunt, as he hath behight Full yore agone, with surplusage, Lest the contraire come to damage, First of himself and many another mo, And thus from Thebes the Greeks ben ago To her Tents and rest hem all that night, And Lucina the Moone shone full bright Within Thebes on the depe dongeon, When Iocasta made relacion Vnto the king and told him all the gise, How that Greekes vtterly despise His profer made by false conclusion, Onely except the conuencion, Of old engrossed by great purueiance, Which is enrolled and put in remembrance, Vpon which they finally will rest, Him counsailing her thought for the best, To conforme him to that he was bound, Lest in the fine falsnesse him confound, But all her counsaile he set it at no price, He dempt himself, so prudent and so wise, For he was wilfull, and he was indurate, And in his hert of malice obstinate, And vtterly auised in his thought, Within Thebes his brother get right noght. And in his errour thus I let him dwell, And of the Greekes forth I will you tell, Which all that night kept hem self close, And on the morow when Titan vp arose, They armed hem, and gan hem redy make, And of assent haue the felde itake, With the Thebans, y^• day without doubt For to fighten if they issue out, And Adrastus in full thrifty wise, In the field his wardes can deuise, As he that was of all deceipts ware, And richly armed in his chaire, Amphiorax, came with his meinee, Full renoumed of antiquitee, And well expert bicause he was old. And while that Greekes, as I haue you told, Were besiest her wardes to ordeine, Mid of the feld befell a case sodeine, Full vnhappy, lothsome and odible, For lich a thing that were inuisible, This old bishop with horse and chare certein, Disapered and no more was sein, Onely of fate which no man can repell, The yearth opened and he fell doune to hell.

How the Bishop Amphiorax fell down into Hell.

With all his folke that vpon him abode, And sodainly the ground that he on rode,

Clased ayein and gidre shette, That neuer after the Grekes with him met, And thus the Deuill for his old outrages, Liche his desert payed him his wages, For he full lowe is descended doun Into the derke and blacke regioun, Where that Pluto is crouned and istalled, With his queene Proserpine icalled, With whom this bishop hath made his man∣sion Perpetuelly as for his guerdon, * Lo here the meede of Idolatry, Of rites old and false Maumetry, Lo what availen incantacions, Of exorcismes and conjurisons, What stoode in stede his Nigromancy, Calculation or Astronomy, What vailed him the heauenly mansions, Diuerse aspects or constellacions, * The end is not but sorrow and mischance, Of hem that setten her vtter affiance In soch werkes supersticious, Or trist on hem he is vngracious, Record I take shortly for to tell, Of this bishop sonken doune to hell: Whose wofull end, doun in euery cost, Such a rumour hath made in the host, That the noise of this vncouth thing, Is ironne and come vnto the king, How this vengeance is vnwarely fall, And he anon made a Trompet call, All his people out of the field again, And euerichone assembled vpon a plain, For the king and also round him about, Euerich man of his life in doubt, Full pitiously gan to sorrow and loure, Least that y^• ground hem al would deuoure, And swelwen hem in his derke caue, And they ne conne no recure hem to saue, For neither force nor manhood doth auaile In such mischeefe the value of a maile, For he that wisest and could most, To search and seeke throughout the host, Amphiorax, when he least wend, To hell is sonken, and coud him not defend, To him the time vnknowne and vnwist, In whom whylome was all the Greeks trist, Her whole comfort, and whole affiaunce, But all at ones for this suddaine chaunce, And this mischeefe, they gan hem to dispeire, Home to Greece that they will repeire. This was the purpose of hem euerichone, And on the walles of Thebes lay her fone, Rejoysing hem, of this vnhappy vre, Sowning thereby greatly to recure: And on her toures as they loken out, They on Greeks enuiously gan to shout, And of despite and great enmitee, Bad hem fooles gone home to her countree, Sith they han lost her comfort and succour, Her false Prophete and her Diuinour, Wherthrough her party greatly is empeired And in this wise the Grekes despeired, Dempte plainly by tokens euident, This case was fall by some Enchantment, By Witchcraft, and by Sorcery, Again which may be no remedy, Trusty defence helpe ne succour. And when Adrastus herd this clamour, He besie was againe this perturbance, To prouide some manere cheuisance, And to him calleth soch counsail as he wist, For life or death that he might trist, Requiring hem but in words fewe, In this mischief her motion to shewe, And declare by good auisement, What to Grekes were most expedient, To remedien and make no delay, The vncouth noise, and the great affray, That Grekes made with clamor importune, And now, and now, euer in one contune, And they that were most manly and wise, Shortly saied it were a cowardise, The high emprise that they haue vndertake, For dred of death so sodainly to forsake, It were to hem perpetuelly a shame, And after hindring to the Grekes name, And better it were to euery warreour, Manly to die with worship and honour, Than like a coward with the life endure: * For ones shamed, hard is to recure His name ayein, of what estate he bee, And sith that Grekes of old antiquitee, As of knighthood who so list take heed, Been so famous and so worthy of deed, If now of new the shining of her fame, Eclipsed were with any spot of blame, It were a thing vncouth for to here, Of whose renoun the beames yet been clere, Through all the world where that they haue pased, And be not yet derked ne defaced, By no report, neither on sea nor lond, Thing to forsake that they tooke on hond, And by ensample of onr progenitours, That sometime were so manly conquerours, Tofore that we into Grece wende: Of thing begonne let us make an end, And part not nor seuere from this toun, Till it be brought to destruction, Walles, toures, and crestes enbattailed, And for warre strongly apparailed, Be first doune beate, that nothing be sein, But all togider with the yearth plein, Below laied er that we resort, That afterward men may of us report, That we began, we knightly haue acheued, Vpon our fone, with worship vnrepreued. This was the counsail shortly and thauise, Of the Grekes that manly were and wise, That neuer afore marked were with blame, And specially such as dred shame, And fully cast, what fortune euer ride, On her purpose to the end abide, That on no part her honour not appall: And to this counsail, Grekes one and all, Be condescended and after best redde, In stede of him that was so late dedde, Amphiorax, buried deepe in hell, That coud whilom to the Grekes tell Of things hid, how it should fine aforne, In steed of whom now they haue him lorne, They casten hem wisely to purchace Some prudent man to occupy his place,

That in soch thing might hem most auaile, Through mistery of his diuinaile, By craft of sorte, or of Prophecie, If any such they couden out espie: Emong hem all her purpose to attaine, As I find they haue chosen twaine,

How the Greeks chosen a new Divinour in steed of Amphiorax.

Most renowned of hem euerichone, And Menalippus called was that one, And Tredimus eke that other hight, And for he had most fauour in her sight, This Tredimus was chosen and preferred, And in her choice Greekes haue not erred, For whilome he learned his emprise Of his Maister, Amphiorax the wise, And was disciple vnder his doctrine, And of entent that he shall termine Vnto Greekes things that shall fall, As a Bishop mitred in his stall, They done for him many an vncouth wise In the temple, to Gods Sacrifice: And thus confirmed and stabled in his See, A few daies stood in his degree, After her Maister, with full great honour, Of Greekes chose to be successour. And all this time in story as it is told, Full great mischief, of hunger, thurst, & cold, And of Thebans as they issue out, Lay many one slaine in the rout, On either part of fortune as they mette, Her mortall swerds, were so sharpe whette, And Tideus emong hem of the toun, From day to day plaieth the Lion, So cruelly, where so that he rode, That Theban non aforne his face abode, He made of hem through his high renoun, So great slaughter and occisioun, That as the death from his swerd they fled, For who came next laid his life to wedde, He quit himself so like a manly knight, That where he went he put hem to the flight, And maugre hem, in his crueltee, He droue hem home into her citee, Hem pursuing proudly to the gate, That vnto him they beare so dedly hate, That they hem cast by sleight or some engine, To bring him vnwarely vnto his fine, And lay awaite for him day and night: But alas this noble manly knight,

How pitiously this worthy Tideus was slain with a quarrel.

Vpon a day as he gan hem chace, And mortally made hem lese her place, And sued hem almost to the toun, That cause was of his destructioun: For one alas that on the walles stood, Which all that day vpon him abode, With a quarel sharpe heded for his sake, Marked him with a bow of brake, So cruelly making none a rest, Till it was passed both backe and brest, Wher through alas ther was none other rede Ne Lechcraft that he mote be dede, There may thereof be maked no delaies, And yet he was holden in his dayes, The best knight and most manly man, As mine aucthour well rehearse can, But for all that was there no defence, Ayenst the stroke of deaths violence. But Bocchas write ere he were fully dedde, He was by Greekes presented with the hedde Of him that yaue his last fatall wound, And he was called like as it is found, Menalippus, I can none other tell, But thilke day Thebans waxe so fell, Vpon Greekes, that vnder her citee, The manly king Parthonope, Yslaine was euene afore the gates, And there also armed bright in plates, The famous king called Ipomedon, The same day as made is mencion, On horsebacke manly as he faught, At bridge, euen vpon the draught, Beset with preace, casuelly was drouned: And thus fortune hath on Greekes frowned, On euery side thilke vnhappy day, But all the manere tellen I ne may, Of her fighting nor her slaughter in soth, More to declare than mine aucthour doth. But thilke day, I find as ye may sene, When Phebus was passed Meridene, And from y^• South, Westward can him draw, His guilt tresses to bathen in the wawe, The Thebanking fell Ethiocles, Roote and vnrest and causer of vnpees, The slaughter of Grekes, when y^• he beheld, Armed in stele he came out into the feld, Full desirous in that sodain heate, Polimite in the field to mete, Singulerly with him to haue a do, For in this world he hated no man so, He sat so nigh printed in his herte, Whose coming out his brother gan aduerte, Vpon his steed in the opposite, And had againward also great delite To meten him if fortune will assent, Thenuious fire so her herts brent, Which hate was cancred of vnkind blood, And like two Tigres in her rage wood, With speres sharp ground for the nones, So as they ran and met both at ones, Polimite through plate, maile, and shield, Rofe him throghout & smote him into y^• field, But when he saw the stremes of his blood, Raile about in manere of a flood, All sodainly of compassioun, From his coursour he light adoune.

How each of the Theban Brethren slough other, even tofore the Citee.

And brotherly with a pitous face, To saue his life gan him to vnbrace, And from his wound of new affection, Full besie was to pull out the trunchon, Of loue onely handling him right soft: But out alas, while he lay aloft, Full iriously Ethiocles the fell, Of all this sorow very cours and well,

With a dagger, in all his peines smart, His brother rofe vnwarely to the hart, Which all her life had be so wroth, And thus the Thebans were islaw both, At entree euen afore the toun But Grekes tho been availed doun, In the field the worthy knights all, In Thebes land as such thing shall, The cry arose when her king was dedde, And to the gates, armed foot and hedde, Out of y^e toun came many a proude Theban, And some of hem upon the walles ran, And gan to shoute that pitee was to here, And they without of her life in werre, Without comfort or consolatioun, Dispeired ronne home to the toun, And Grekes followen after at backe, That many one, that day goeth to wracke, And as her fomen proudly hem assaile, Ful many Grekes, both throgh plate & maile, Was shette throughout, preasing at wals, And beaten off with great round bals, That here lay one, and another yonder, And the noise more hideous than thonder, Of gunneshot, and of Arblates eke, So loud out rong, y^• many a worthy Greke There lost his life, they were on hem so fell, And at gates shortly for to tell, As Grekes preasen to enter the city, They of Thebes in her cruelty With hem mette, full furious and wood, And mortally, as they againe hem stood, Men might see speres shiver asonder, That to behold it was a very wonder, How they foine with daggers & with swerds, Through the viser ayming at berds, Persing also through the round mailes, Rent out peeces of her auentailes, That nought auaileth, the mighty Gesseran, Through neck and breast, that the speres ran, Her weapons were so sharpe ground & whet In their armour, that they were not let, For there lay one troden under foot, And yonder one perced to the heart root, Here lieth one dead, and there another lame, This was the play and the mortall game Atweene Thebans and the Grekes proud, That the swoughs and the cries loud Of hem that lay and yolden vp the ghost, Was heard full ferre about in many a cost.

How all the royal blood both of Grekes side, and on the City side, islain were upon o day.

And at gates and saillyng of the wall Is••aine was all the blood royall, Both of the toune, and of the Grekes land, And all the worthy knights of her hand, And of Lords, if I shall not feine, On Grekes side aliue were but tweine, King Adrastus, and Campaneus, That day to hem was so vngracious. And for Titan Westred was so low, That no man might vnneths other know, Of the towne they shitte her gates fast, With barrers round ymade for to last, In which no wight kerue may ne hew, And Adrastus with a Grekes few Repeired is home to his tent, And all that night he wasted hath and spent For his vnhap in sorrow complayning, And they in Thebes the next day suing Her deuoire did, and her busie cure, To ordeine and make a sepulture For her King, yssaine in the field, And offer vp his banner and his shield, His helme, his swerde, and also his penon, Therein of gold ybeaten a Dragon, High in the temple, that men might seene, And Iocasta the infortunate Queene Her sonnes death sore gan complaine: And also eke her young doughters tweine, Both Imeine and Antigoine Crien and weepe, that pity was to see, But to her sorrowes there was no refute, And thus the city bare and destitute, Hauing no wight to gouerne hem ne guy, For dead and slaine was all her cheualry, And no wight left almost in the toun, To reigne on hem by successioun: But for they saw, and tooken hede, Without this, that they had an head, In the city they may not dure long: * For though it so be, y^• commons be strong With multitude, and haue no gouernaile Of an head, ful lite it may auaile, Therefore they haue vnto her succour Ichosen hem a new gouernour,

How Creon the old tyrant ychosen was to be King of Thebes.

An old tyrant, that called was Creon, Full acceptable to hem euerychone, And crowned him, without more letting, To reigne in Thebes, and to been her king, Although he had no title by descent, But by free choice made in Parlement, And thereto him like, as it is found, By her ligeaunce of new they were bound For to be true while the city stood To him only, with body and with good, Thus they were sworn, & sured euerichone, And he againward to save hem fro her fone, And hem defend with all his full might, And mainteine hem in all manner right: This was the accord, as in sentement. And in this while hath Adrastus sent From the siege of Thebes the city A wounded knight home to his country, Through all Grece plainly to declare All the slaughter and the euil fare Of which Grekes, right as it is fall, And how that he hath lost his Lords all, At more mischeefe than any man can mouth: And when this thing was in Grece couth, First to Argiue, and to Deiphile, And to the Ladies eke in the countre, And of Prouinces abouten adjacent, They came downe all by one assent, Worthy Quenes, and with hem Duchesses, And other eke, that called were Countesses.

How all the Ladies of Graece arrayed hem toward Thebes.

And all the ladies and women of degree Been assembled in Arge the citee, Like as I rede, and all in clothes blake, That to behold the sorrow that they make It were a death to any man aliue: And if I should by and by discriue Her tender weeping, and her woful souns, Her complaints and lamentatiouns, Her oft swouning, with faces dead and pale, Thereof I might make a new tale, Almost a day you to occupie, And as mine authour doth clerely certifie, Throughout all Grece, from all regiouns, Out of cities and royal touns Came all the ladies and women of estate, Full heauy cheared, and disconsolate To this assembly, toforne as I you told, In purpose fully her journey for to hold Toward Thebes, they sorrowfull creatures, There to bewaile her wofull auentures, Tacquite hemselfe of trouth & womanhead To her Lords, which in field lay dead, And as the story liketh to declare, All this journey they went on foot bare, Like as they had gone on pilgrimage, In token of mourning, barbed the visage, Wimpled echone in burnet weeds, Not in chaires, drawne forth with steeds, Nor on palfreies, blacke neither white, Like as mine author liketh to endite, To holden her way, but barefoot foorth they went, So faithfully euerychone they ment, Through heauinesse, defaced of her hue, And as I find, they weren all true, Now was not that a wonder for to see So many true out of o countree, At ones gadered in a companie, And faithfull all, bookes cannot lie, Both in her port, and inward in mening, Vnto my dome it was an vncouth thing, Emong a thousand women, or tweine, Not to find one that coud in heart feine, It was a maruaile, not oft seene toforne, * For selde in fields groweth any corne, But if some weed spring vp there emong, Men allay Wines when they be too strong, But her trouth was meint with none allaies, They were so true found at all assaies, And they ne stint upon her journey, Till that they come there they would be, Where Adraitus, written as I finde, Lay in his tent, all of colour Inde, And greatly meruailed, when that he beheld The number of hem, spred throgh al y^• field, Clad all in blacke, and barefoot euerychone, Out of his tent he dressed him anone, Vpon his hand the King Campaneus, Full trist in heart, and face right pitous, Againe the women forth they went in fere, And to behold the wofull heavy chere, The dolefull cries also when they met, The sorrowful sighes in her breasts shet, The teares new distilling on her faces, And so swouning in many sundry places, When they her Lords aliue not ne found, But in y^• field, throgh girt with many a wound Lay straught vpright, plainely to endite, With deadly eyen tourned vp the white, Who made sorrow, or felt her heart riue For her Lord, but the faire Argiue, Who can now weepe, but Deiphilee, Tideus for she ne might see, Whose constreints were so fell and kene, That Adrastus might not susteine, To behold the Ladies so compleine, Wishing his heart coruen were in tweine.

How the old cursed Creon will not suffer the bodies neither to be brent nor buried.

And yet alas both euen and morow, O thing there was that doubled all her sorow That old Creon fader of fellony, Ne would suffer through his tiranny, The dead bodies be buried neither brent, But with beasts and hounds to be rent, He made hem all upon an heape be laid, Whereof the women thrist and euil apaid, For very dole as it was no wonder, Her herts felt almost riue asunder, And as my master Chaucer list to endite, All clad in blacke with her wimples white, With great honour, and due reuerence, In the Temple of the goddesse Clemence, They bode the space of a fourthnight, Till Theseus the noble worthy knight, Duke of Athenes, with his cheualry, Repaired home out of Feminy, And with him led, full faire vpon to seene, Through his manhood Ipolita the Queene, And her sister called Emely: And when these women first gan espy The worthy Duke, as he came riding, King Adrastus hem all conueying, The women brought vnto his presence, Which him besought to yeue hem audience, And all at ones swouning in the place, Full humbly besoughten him of grace, To rew on hem, her harmes to redresse: But if ye list to see the gentillesse Of Theseus, and how he hath him borne, If ye remember, as ye haue heard toforne Well rehearsed, at Depford in the vale, In the beginning of the knights tale.

How the final destruction of Thebes is compen∣diously rehearsed in the Knights tale.

First how that he when he herd hem speke, For very routh he felt his heart breke, And her sorrowes when he gan aduart, From his courser downe anone he start, Hem comforting in full good entent, And in his armes he hem all vp hent, The Knights tale rehearsen euerydele, From point to point, if ye looke it wele, And how this Duke, without more abode, The same day toward Thebes rode, Full like in sooth a worthy conquerour, And in his coast of cheualry the flour:

And finally to speaken of this thing, With old Creon, that was of Thebes king, How y^• he faught, & slough him like a knight, And all his hoast put vnto the flight, Yet as some authors make mentioun, Or Theseus entred into the toun, The women first with pekois & with malles, With great labour beat downe the walles, And in her writing, also as they saine, Campaneus was in the wals slaine, With cast of stones he was so ouerlade, For whom Adrastus such a sorrow made, That no man may release him of his paine, And Iocasta, with her doughters twaine, Full wilfully oppressed of her cheres, To Athenes were sent as prisoners, What fell of hem, more can I not saine, But Theseus, mine author write certaine, Out of the field, ere he from Thebes went, He beat it downe, and the houses brent, The people slough, for all her crying loud, He made her wals and her toures proud, Round about, euen vpon a row, With the soile to be saied full low, That nought was left but the soile bare, And to the women, in release of her care,

How that Duke Theseus delivered to the Ladies the Bodies of their Lords.

The bodies of her Lords that were slaine, This worthy Duke restored hath againe, But what should I any lenger dwell, The old rites by and by to tell, Nor the obsequies in order to deuise, Nor declare the manner and the guise, How the bodies were to ashes brent, Nor of the gommes in the flaume spent, To make the aire sweeter of reles, Of Frankencence, Mirre, and Aloes, Nor how the women round about stood, Some with milke, and some also with blood, And some of hem with vrnes made of gold, When the ashes fully were made cold, To enclose hem of great affection, And beare hem home vnto her region, And how that other, full deadly of her looke, For loue onely, of the bones tooke, Hem to keepe for a remembraunce, That to rehearse euery obseruaunce That was doen in the fires bright, The wake plaies during all the night, Nor of the wrastling, telling point by point, Of hem that were naked and annoint, How eueriche other lugge can and shake, Ne how the women haue her leaue take Of Theseus, with full great humblesse, Thanking him of his high worthinesse, That him list vpon her wo to rew, And how that he, his freedome to renew, With the women of his high largesse Iparted hath eke, of his richesse, And how this Duke Theseus hem forsooke, And to Athenes the right way tooke, With Laurer crowned in signe of victory, And the palme of conquest and of glory, Did his honour duly vnto Marte, And how the women wept when they parte

How King Adrastus, with the Ladies, repaired home ayen to Arge.

With King Adrastus, home ayein to Arge, To tellen all, it were too great a charge: And eke also, as ye shall vnderstand, At ginning I tooke no more on hand, By my promise, in conclusion, But to rehearse the destruction Of mighty Thebes, and no more, And thus Adrastus with his lockes hore, Still abode in Arge his citee Vnto his end, ye get no more of me, Sauf as mine authour liketh to compile, After that he liued but a while, For he was old ere the siege began, And thought and sorrow so vpon him ran, The which in sooth shorted hath his daies, And time set, Death maketh no delaies, And all his joy passed was and gone, For of his lords aliue was not one, But slaine at Thebes, ye known all the caas, And when this King in Arge buried was Full royally with great solemnitee, It was accounted in bookes ye may see,

Four hundred year tofore the foundation of Rome was the City of Thebes destroyed.

CCCC. yeare, as made is mention, Tofore the building and foundation Of great Rome, so royal and so large, When the Ladies departed from Arge To her countries, full trist and desolate, Lo here the fine of conteke and debate, Lo here the might of Mars y^• froward sterre, Lo what it is to beginne a werre, How it concludeth, ensample ye may see, First of y^• Grekes, & sith of the Thebans cite, For eyther part hath matter to complaine, And in her strife ye may see things twaine.

How all the worthy Blood of Greece destroyed was at siege, and the City brought to nought, to final loss of both parties.

The worthy blood of all Greece spilt, And Thebes eke of Amphion first built, Without recure brought to ruine, And with the soile made plaine as any line, To wildernesse tourned, and deserte, And Grekes eke fall into pouerte, Both of her men, and also of her good, For finally all the gentill blood Was shed out there, her wounds wer so wide, To losse finall vnto either side, For in the warre is none exception Of high estate, ne low condition, But as fate and fortune both in fere, List to dispose with her double chere,

Bellona goddesse is of battaile.

And Bellona y^• goddesse in her chare * Aforn prouideth: Wherfore euery man be∣ware

Vnauised warre to beginne, For no man wote who shall lese or winne, And hard it is when either part leseth, And doubtlesse neither of hem cheseth, That they must in all such mortall rage, Maugre her lust, feelen great damage, It may not be by mannes might restreined, And warre in sooth was neuer ordeined But for sinfull folkes to chastise, And as the Bible truly can deuise,

How that War first began in Heaven, by the high Pride and Surquedy of Lucifer.

High in heauen, of pride and surquedy, Lucifer fader of Enuy, The old Serpent the Leuiathan, Was the first that euer warre began, When Michael, the heauenly champion, With his feres venquished the Dragon, And to hell cast him downe full low, The which Serpent hath the Coccle sow, Through all earth, of enuy and debate, * That vnneths is there none estate, Without strife can liue in charitee, For euery man of high and low degree, Enuieth now that other should thriue: And ground & cause, why that men so striue, Is couetise, and false Ambition, That eueriche would haue domination Ouer other, and trede him vnderfoot, Which of all sorrow ginning is and root, And Christ recordeth, rede, looke, & ye may se, For lacke of loue w^t mischeef there shall be:

Surget gens contra gentem. Luc. xxi.

For o people, as he doth deuise, Ayenst another of hate shall arise: And after telleth what diuisions There shall be betweene regions, Eueriche busie other to oppresse, And all such strife, as he beareth witnesse, Kalends been, I take his word to borrow, And a ginning of mischeefe and of sorrow, Men haue it found by experience: But the venim and the violence Of strife, of warre, of conteke and of debate, That maketh londs bare and desolate, Shall be proscript, and voided out of place, And Martes swerdes shall no more manace, Nor his spere, greeuous to sustene, Shall now no more whetted be so kene, For he no more shall his hauberke shake, But loue and peace shall in hearts awake, And Charity, both in length and bread, Of new shall her bright beames spread Through grace onely in diuers nations, For to reforme atweene Regions Peace and quiet, concord, and vnitee, And that is both one, two, and three, Eke three in one, and soueraine lord of pees, Which in this exile, for our sake chees For loue onely our troubles to termine, For to be borne of a pure virgine, And let vs pray to him that is most good, That for mankind shadde his heart blood, Through beseeching of that heauenly quene, Wife and moder, and maiden clene, To send vs peace in this life here present, And of our sinnes perfite amendement, And joy eternall, when we hence wend, And of my tale thus I make an end.

Here now endeth, as ye may see, The Destruction of Thebes the Citee.