¶ The .xvi. Chapter.
¶ Of Priamus kyng of Troye: and how the monke of Bury translatoure of this boke wrote a boke of the siege of Troy called Troy boke.
AFter these complayntes and lamētacions
Which that Bochas did in his boke cōpile
Medled among with transmutations
Set in Ouide by full souerayne style:
Whan he on them had mused a long while
Sene the maner both of forowe and ioye,
He began to remēber of Priamus of Troy.
First of his byrthe, and of his kynrede,
How among kinges he was most famous:
And as poetes recorde of him in dede,
He descended of worthye Dardanus,
Whiche as his line declareth vnto us,
From Jupiter was lynially come downe,
Vnto his father called Laomedoun.
Of olde Troy this Laomedon was kyng,
Destroyed by Grekes he and his countrye.
After whom this Priamus raynyng,
Made there ayen a myghty strong citye:
Where he full longe in full great royaltie
With wife & childer most worthy of renoun,
With scepter and crowne held the possessioun.
Gouerned his citye in peace and rightwisnes,
And Fortune was to him fauourable:
For of all Asie the treasour and riches,
He did assemble this kyng most honourable.
And in armes, he was so commendable,
That through the worlde as far as mē gone.
Of high nobles the ronoume of him shone.
This Priamus had children many one,
Worthy princes, and of full great myght:
But Hector was among them euerychone
Called of prowes the lanterne and the lyght.
For there was neuer borne a better knyght,
Troylus in knyghthode so manly was foūd,
That he was named Hector the seconde.
But I should rehearse the manhede
Of kyng Pryam, and of his sonnes all,
And how his citye besieged was in dede,
And all the story to remembraunce call,
Betwene him and Grekes how it is befall,
The circumstaunces rehearsyng vp & doun
To set in order the first occasion
Of the siege why it was first layed
By Hercules, and also by Iason,
The maner whole in Troye boke is sayde,
Rudely endited of my translation:
Folowyng vpon the destruction
Called the second, whych by accomptes cler••
Fully endured the space of ten yere.
For as me semeth the labour were in vayne,
Truely also I not to what entent
That I should write it newe agayne,
For I had once in commaundement
By him that was most noble and excellent,
Of kynges all for to vndertake,
It to translate and write it for his sake.
And if ye list to wete whom I meane
Henry the fifte most myghty of puyssaunce,
Gaue me the charge of entent full cleane,
Thinge of olde time to put in remembraunce▪
The same Henry for knyghtly suffisaunce,
Worthy for manhode, teken kynges all,
With nyne worthies for to haue a stall.
To holy churche he was chefe defensoure,
In all suche causes Christes chosen knyght:
To destroy heritykes he set all his laboure,
Loued all vertues and to sustayne right,
Through his nobles, his manhode, & might:
Was diligent and did his busy payne,
To haue set peace betwene realmes twayne.
A meane in sothe England and Fraunce,
His purpose was to haue had a peace finall:
Sought out meanes wt many a circumstan̄ce
As well by treaty, as actes marciall,
Theron ieoparded lyfe, goodes and all.
But wo, alas, agaynst death is no boone,
This land may say he dyed all to soone.
For among kinges he was one of the best,
So all his dedes conueyed were by grace:
I pray to God so geue his soule good rest,
Wyth sayntes in heauen a dwellyng place.
For here with vs to little was the space
That he abode, of whom the remembraunce,
Shall neuer dye in England ne in Fraunce.
This worthy kyng gaue to me in charge