Book VI. at the prophecy of Protheus; and affirm that Paris pass into Greece. (fol. 43 a.) His olde fader fantasi þai filet in hert, And repugnet po pointtes with a proude wille; As, lord, gyffe pai leuyt hade for lure pat come after, 2672 Hit might, by fortune, haue failet of þat foule But it was desteynid by dome, & for due holdyn THE SOROW OF CASSANDRA THE KYNGYS Doughter. Cassandra, having 2676 Hit come to Cassandra, þat was the kynges heard what Paris had under taken, breaks forth in lamentation. "Ah! noble Troy what destruction is at hand, &c. Ah! unhappy king, what sufferings, &c. (deflance) And thou, O queen, &c.! Why put not Paris from his purpose?" doughter, That, be counsell of the kyng & comyns assent, Into Grese for a gay, all on grete wise. 2680 All in sikyng & sorow, with syling of teris, 2684 With a carefull crie carping ho sayde: "A! nobill Troye, pe noy pat neghis ye at hond! What vnhappe & hardship hapnes the to! All pi toures & tildes shalbe tyrnyt vnder; 2688 And thy buyldyng betyn to pe bare erthe. A! vnhappy hegh kyng, what hardship is to the ! Priam, & pi pepull, be put to pe dethe; Vnder seruage set, & sorow for ay. 2692 What defense has pou done to our dere goddes? And pou qwene, þat vnqwemyt has on sum qwaint wise, The angur thee is, Ecuba, entrond on honde ! bat all þi sons shall pou se slayn with pin ene. 2696 Why puttes pou not Parys his purpos to leue? That shall be cause of suche care, þat wull come after." FATE MUST BE FULFILLED. Ho ros pan full radly, & ran to pe kyng. 2700 And a sembland full soure, sorow to be holde, Book VI. She runs to the king, give up his 89 She prayet hym full pitously his purpos to leue. and prays him to As ho þat wise was of wit, & wist it be-fore Thurgh craft of hir conyng & course of pe sternys, 2704 She said hym full sadly with sorowfull wordys, All shuld turne hym to tene, & pe towne lose. But fortune, þat is felle, forthers his tyme; Hastis to vnhappe, having no rewarde; 2708 Ordans an yssew, euyn as hym lyst; Turnys all entent, þat hym tary wold; Caches furthe his cold wirdis with cumpas to ende. But I may sothely say, & for sure holde,- Cassandras care considret with all, With the prophesy of Protheus put into hertys, 2720 And pof hit chaunses to chefe þat men charge Το Men demyn hit for destyny, & for due holdyn; 2724 And takon yt to pat entent: & here a tale endes. But fate is unyielding, and turns everything to its own purpose. But had all the warnings (fol. 43 b.) been heeded, Troy would still have been a noble city, &c. Spite, that is for ever bent on mischief, rules uncontrolled in passionate hearts. ("yades"= Hyades.) ("taure," Taurus.) In the month of May, when meadows are green, &c. (fol. 44 a.) Paris and his brother come to court with 3000 knights. Ships are shot forth, to the number of twenty-two, well victualled and manned. Here begynnes the Seuynt Boke : how Parys went into Grese for Elan. Envy, pat Euermore ertis to skathe, This forward was festynit with a felle wille, 7 2728 And all the purpos plainly with pouer to wende. Hit betid pus in tyme, as I telle shall, When sit was [the] Sun pese signes betwene, 2732 And the planet of pliades, with his playn course, In the moneth of May, when medoes bene grene, Of thre thowsaund pro knightes, priuand in The pruddist of payone, prise men of honde. PRIAM'S ADDRESS. 2748 Stithe shippes & stoure stuffet with vitell, Bade hom buske & be boun & no bode make, Book VII. 91 The king calls commands them to make ready to Το pas furthe with parys & hor prise knightes, go with Paris 2756 Bowne on hor best wise in hor bright wedis. 2760 That were purpast to pas on the pale stremys, immediately. The people who are to go with Paris appear before the king: he states the purpose of the 2764 Ne mony wordes to warpe, for it is well knowen. expedition. All wete ye my wille why ye wend shall, The Grekes for to grefe, if your grace happe, And harme with your hond, pat our hede slogh; 2768 To venge of our velany, & our vile grem And hardlaike we hade of hom in þis londe : My Sister Exiona fro seruage to brynge. "To get my sister Hesione out of bondage is your 2772 That shalbe choisly your charge: chefe & ye may chief work:With all your mightes to mene, & most to pursew On hom þat hir holdis, & vs harme dyd. Wetys hit all wele: with outen any cause 2776 þat þe dayens you derit, & to drede broght; And for Redur & ranke harme of vnright dedis, 2780 I bid you now barly with besines at all, (fol. 44 b.) (Danai, Greeks.) therefore, do all in your power to hat ye set you most souerainly my suster to gete. accomplish it. Now is tyme most tore to tente pere aboute, And to aunter on our Enmys with armes in werre, Or any case to you come comford to haue, 2788 To be suppoueld by selfe & my sad helpe. My Syster to sese, or any sure lady, Ye haue shall my helpe & my hole strenght, strokes, And be war vs to wrathe to be worldes end. 2796 And leder of these ledys & the lefe pepull; When the Kyng hade declarit all his clene wille, Tyll pai comyn of the cost of Caucleda in spase :- By the Regions of Rene rode pai ferre, |