Book XXVIII. that Priam has now no means to prevent them, nor hope of succour. Haue in this holde fro harmys to were; 11272 Ne so derfe of oure dedis on dayes fro now, Any port fforto pas, or to put opyn; Ne 30W sechis no socour, ne no sad helpe Of no lede vppon lyue fro no lond straunge; 11276 Ne no conford to cache of no kyngis once. Syn 3our sones ar slayn, & 3our sure helpes, And 30ur pupull all perichit vnto pale deth; Syn vs cheuys this chaunse of a choise febill, Therefore, of two 11280 pe les euyll forto laite, and leng per-vppon; evils choose the less: make peace with the enemy. Amphimachus declares Antenor a traitor: (fol. 172 b.) that 20,000 men shall fall before such advice be followed. Eneas declares they have failed in war, and must now try peace. Er we degh in this daunger, & to dol passe, Let vs proffer hom pes & hor prise qwene; hat myld vnto menelay, as make to restore, 11284 pat myche dere has vs done for hir dede one, Syn Paris, hire pure loue, is pertid of lyue, bat hir walt as his wyf, qwil wirdis hym demyt." pen Amphimacus fursly vppon fote rose, 11288 A nobill sone naturyll of þe nayt brether, Wrathit at his wordis, & wightly he sayde To pe traytur full tit, all in tru wyse :— Qwat hope may we haue of pi helpe now, 11292 þat þi kyng and his cumpany castyn to dissayue; pi cité and pi sib-men settis by-hynd, pat pou loue schuld with lewté, and þi lyf spend? Now we se pe be set on a sliper ground, 11296 Of pi fotyng to faile, and pi faith breke, And þi nome, þat was nobill, noiet for euer. ffull hard is þe heryng of þi high wordis, And the tale, pat pou tellis, of pi trist feble. 11300 xxti M. full thro shall in threpe end, Er hit pas to the plyt þi purpos is in. ffor no luff hit is, lelly, pou lappis thies tales, But for treason & trayn, trust we non other." 11304 Eneas efter pis egurly said, Refraynit Amphimacus of his frike wille : THE TRAITORS REPROVED BY PRIAM. Agaynes the grekes to go, vs gaynes no more, 11312 To Eneas & Antenor Egurly said : 369 Book XXVIII. Priam reproves them, and replies, that he had never moved in the "How may ye pus meane you with malis, for matter without shame! Youre dedis me dullis, & dos out of hope; And all coldes my comford, by cause of your willes. 11316 Syn I did neuer dede, duly to tell, Ne plainly no purpos put vnto ende; Ne neuer comynd in pis case vnknowing to you; And ay wroght by your wittes, witnes your seluyn. 11320 Truly, Antenor, þes tales you knowes : When pi-selfe for Exiona soght into grese, Made on a message in mene fro vs all, And come fro þat countre vnto court home, 11324 Thy councell was kenely kyddest of other, That Paris by purpos shuld pas ouer the se The grekes to greue, and get if he might Sum lady of the londe, & lede into troye. 11328 The cast, ne the couytise, come not of me, In pes & prosperitie to put me to wer, But of falsyng & flatery with pi fer cast, And þi curset counsell, þat comburt vs ofte. 11332 And pou, Eneas also, angardly fast, Of all buernes in pis burgh byset perfore, When pou passit with Paris tho parties vnto, 11336 Hade pou counceld the contrary, & comynd hit their advice: that Antenor had been one of the most urgent for the raid into Greece: that Æneas had been one of the most active in carrying it out: (fol. 173 a.) pan, Book XXVIII. therefore, their present counsel was the vilest treason; and he would not follow it. Æneas replies with much anger: the council is broken up. The grief of Priam: he resolves to cut off the traitors. They must fall into the pit they have digged for their king. Amphimachus is instructed to assassinate them: Thou rises as a rebell to my ranke harmys! 11340 Syche counsell, as pou kythes, kepe I none of, bat will lede me to losse, & my lond hoole : Neuer of shame to be shunt when shalke is on lyue." Eneas with envy egurly Rose, 11344 And kantly to pe kyng karpis agayne ; Mony wordis in wrathe warpes full loude: HERE THE KYNG COUNSELD HIS SON TO SLE ENEAS AND ANTENOR. The prise kyng Priam was prickit with sorow, 11348 And myche water he weppit of his wale ene; ffor he se hit him-seluyn, the sorow was the more, The trayn of po traytours, pat truly were fals. He purpost hym plainly, for perell to come, 11352 Tho faitours with falsyng to fonge yf he might. He said to his son, on a sad wise, Amphymake, the fre pat hym faith aght:"Dere sun, I haue doute pat dethe vs depart, 11356 pat of lyue & of loue are lappit to-gedur! Syn I am fourmyt þi fader, & pou my fre child, Let us suffer our-self with sufferaunce of goddes. I wotte hit full wele, thies wicked men bothe 11360 Haue purpost hom plainly to perisshe our londes, Our cité to sell, & our-selfe alse. Hit is nedefull for noy, pat neghis on hond, Er þai begyle vs with gawdis, & ger vs to degh. ANTENOR AND ENEAS ARE WARNED. I will pou be wise, & wirke as I bid: 11368 Kepe ye in couert with knightes a few, Of ledis, þat vs loues, of lewté to forther; Kacche hom þan kenly, & bryng hom to ground." He assentid full sone the sagh to perfourme, 11372 And to kepe hit as in councell kenely assurit. But oftsythes hit is sene, & sum men hath feld, þat spokyn is in speciall, spredes o fer. In yche company is comynly a claterer of mowthe, 11376 pat no councell can kepe, ne no close talis. 371 Book XXVIII. (fol. 173 b.) he consents. warned: To pes traytours was told the entent of þe kyng, The traitors are 11380 þat knew of hor cast, & comynt to-gedur. 11384 If euer the souerain hym-self sent for hom efte. Large of aliaunce, louet within: A Riche mon of Renttes, Relikes ynow, 11392 And fele of affynité, pat folowet hym after. and resolve to go to the council with an armed escort. Thies curset of pe case hade comynt with the They had already grekes, Hom-seluyn to saue & hor sad fryndes, Hor renttes, hor Riches, hor relikes also, 11396 ffor daunger, or deire, depely assurit. engaged to betray the city. Pan the kyng vnto councell comaund hom bothe, Priam calls a To appere in his presens pat purpos to end, ffor to trete of a trew qwill the tyme hade, council: Book XXVIII. (fol. 174 a.) 11400 And to dere hom with dethe, yf destany wold. Of armyt men all somen, abill to fight. The assassination 11404 And sent to his son to ses at þat tyme. is delayed. Eneas advises the citizens to sue for peace: ignorant of the treason, they assent. Priam, finding he cannot prevent the treaty, submits. Antenor is chosen to treat with the Greeks. To carpe of a councell, & kyth hym hor wit, 11408 And to mell in the mater with his men all. When thei comyn were to courtte, this curset Eneas fferkit vppon fote and to pe folke said :— "Now, sirs, hit is sothely, me semes, for þe best 11412 ffor to proffer hom pes, and purvey perfore." All his citizens, sothely, assentid perwith, ffor pai knew not the caste of the curset chefe. The kyng to the komyns carpit agayne ; 11416 To put of pat purpos he paynet hym sore. Eneas with Envy egurly saide : "Sir kyng, of this case carpe pou no ferre! We wull treate of a trew, I tell the for sothe, 11420 Whether pou will, or pou wilnot, wit pou for sothe!" Than Priam persayuit all the pepull hertis, with-stond: Hym was leuer to the ledis lelly assent, 11424 Than grucche pere agayne, & greue hym pe farre. I assent for my-selfe, and sadly afferme." As grettist by agrement, with the grekes to trete, And pursew for pes: this purpos pai tokyn. |