Book VI.

will suppose
'that a fool should
be forewise.'

et Helenus go

to his temple;

and let other men,

that are able, try
to wipe out our
shame.

Why, father, are
you so troubled
at his words?

Command that
a fleet be made
ready, and fully
manned: and the
Greeks will grieve
us no more."

When Troilus
ended, all felt

glad, and con-
firmed his
counsel.

The court then
rose: the king and
his sons and the
lords with joy go

to meat.

When all had
partaken, the
king calls

(fol. 41 b.)
his sons.

Paris and
Deiphobus appear.

more,

(MS. 'sororow') 2552 But it syt hom so sore, þat þai sorrow euer." When Troilus hade told, & his tale endit,

He commissions
them to raise an
army in Paeonia.

bat a foole shuld be forwise soche ferlies to know. 2540 If Elinus be argh, & ournes for ferde,

Let hym tegh to be tempull, talke with his goddes,

Deuyne seruice to do, and fro drede kepe; And let other men Aunter, abill perfore, 2544 ffor to shunt vs of shame, shend of our foos,

And venge vs of velany & of vile gremy.
Why fader, in faith, are yo so fer troublet
At his wordys of waste, & his wit febill?
2548 Comaund, sir kyng, þat a clene nauy
Be redy to rode on þe rugh see,

All well for þe werre, with wight men ynogh :
Syne the Grekes with greme may grefe vs no

Hit blithet all the buernes, pat aboute stode,

Of his wit, & his wille, & wordes full bolde;

2556 And confermyt his counsell by comyn assent.

Than comaund the kyng the courtte for to ryse;
Askit water wightly, wentton [to] meyte.
Bothe hym selfe and his sonnes, with sere lordes
vmb,

2568

2560 Maden all mery, menyt þere speche.

THE ORDINA UNSE FOR PARIS INTO GRESE.

When etyn hade all men & at ese bene,
Bordys away borne, buernes on fote;

The kyng syttyng hym selfe, & his sete helde:

2564 He comaund for to cum of his kynd sons.
Parys apperit, pert Deffebus alse,
Comyn to the kyng, knelit full low,

ffor to wete of his wille; & pe wegh saide :-
"I bid þat ye buske, and no bode make;
Pas into Payone pere prise knightes dwellis,

THE EXPEDITION OF PARIS PROPOSED.

Doughty of dede, derfe men in Armys. Assemble you soudiours, sure men & nobill, 2572 Shapyn in shene ger, with shippis to wynde, The Grekys to greue, & in grem brynge."

ban þai lacchyn hor leue,-lowton hor kyng,Cayren forthe to pe coste, & hor course helde. 2576 Assemblit soudiours anon, mony sad hundrith; orders.

And lengit while þem list, pe lond was pere owne.
The secund day, sothely, for to say ferre,

When he his sons herde, he somond his lordes 2580 And all the knightes to come, & clene men of

wit,

To appere in his presens a purpos to take.

When pe souerain was set with sere lordes vmbe, Then carpes the kyng his knightes vntill. 2584 "Now, lordes of my lond, & lege pepull !

The case is well knowen to your clene mynde, How þe Grekes vs greuit, & to ground broght, And put vs, with hor pride, to pouerte full low. 2588 of our souerans & sib men seruondis to be,

may

Book VI.

lady,

85

They set sail and execute their

On the second day
after, he summons
his lords,
knights, &c.

He states to them the cruelties of the Greeks;

Ay hengis in my hert þe hethyng I thole;
Of my Suster in seruage, & in syn holdyn,
Hit meuys into mynd, & mekill me noyes;
2592 And I sothely haue sent, as ye see all,

Antenor to aske hir, & Angur no more.
He hade not of hom but hethyng & skorne,
Grete wordis & gref, & moche grym prete;
2596 þat doublis my dole, & to dethe bryngis.

Now woundys shalbe wroght, weghes to sorow,
And dyntes full dedly for pe dere sake.

I haue purpast Parys with prise men ynow, 2600 Into Grese for to go, & hom to greme; Kylle of hor knightes, knocke hom to dethe; Grype of hor godes, and agayne wyn. Hit chefe hym by chaunce to get som choise seize some lady

plunder the Greeks; and to

who may be

his grief and anxiety regarding his sister;

his message by Antenor, and the result;

how he purposes to send an expedition under Paris,

(fol. 42 a.) to kill and

Book VI. exchanged for Hesione.

If they confirm his purpose, he

will carry it out:

but if they oppose it, he will go no farther.

Protheus, son of Eusebius the philosopher, then addressed the king.

(Pythagoras.)

"Ah, noble king! simple though I be, give heed to my statement,

which you will find to be true.

2604 Or sum woman to wyn, þat worthy is holdyn,
Bryng to this burghe, (& other brode godes,
Our worship to wyn & our will haue,)

That may chefe by chaunse chaunge for Exiné.

2608 This I will þat ye wete, & your wille shewe ;-
If ye deme it in dede, pus I do will;

And pursue on my purpos plainly to ende.
And if ye list it be lefte, let me wete sone,
2612 And I will soberly sese, & sue it no ferre.

pof pai touche me with tene, all these tore harmes,
All the comyns be course haue cause for to say;
ffor it Angurt hom all, & out of ese brought:

2616 And as wise men witnes, & in writ shewes,

bat at longis to lenge on a lell comyns,

Shuld propurly be a-preuyt by the pepull hole."

THE COUNSELL OF PROTHEUS.

When tale of the trew was triet to pe ende,
2620 And silens on yche syde sittyng full stille,
A stuerne of po stithe were stondyng aboute,
A praty man of pure wit, protheus he hight,
hat was sothely the son of soueran Ewsebij,
2624 A Phylosofer fyne fele yeres past,

pat, Ouyd in old tyme oponly tellus,

Had all the crafte & conyng in his clere wit,
bat pictagoras the pure god possessiant was of.
2628 This protheus pertly put hym to say,-

To the kyng in the court carpis thies wordes :-
"A! nobill kyng & nomekowthe! notes in your

hert,

And suffers me to say, Symple pof I be;

2632 Let mene to your maiesty pe mynde of my

tale,

A WARNING.

2636 Hit is knowen to you kynd lord & your court

hole,

That my fader was a philisofer, & of fele yeres,-
To the nowmber of nene skowre, & his nome
kouthe,-

And fully was enformet of fortune deuyse, 2640 What be course was to cum of care & of ioye.

Ofte he said me for sothe, & for sure tolde,

hat if Parys with a pepull past into Grese,
In purpas to pray, or profet to gete,

2644 An wan pere a wife & away led,

2648 With the Grekes in hor grefe ; & pis ground lost.

And wirke after wit, þat worship may folow: 2652 Syn wordys of wise hen is no wit to dispise. And nomely in þis note, pat noise not your selfe, Ne hurttes not your hegh Astate, ne no harme dos;

be destroyed, &c.

bat grete Troye shuld be tane, & tyrnyt to ground, great Troy should
And all the buyldynges brent into bare askys:
Your selfe & your sons sothely be dede,

And persiueraunse of purpos may quit you to lure, 2656 Your landys to lose, & langur for euer.

Why couet ye be course to cum out of ese,—
Your rest into Robery & to ryfe perellis,

87

Wherfore, wheme kyng! for what þat may come, Wherefore, dear
Let your lordship lystyn with a loue ere,

king, beware!

Bothe in daunger and drede, & may dryfe of? 2660 Absteyne you stithly, pat no stoure fall;

And endure furthe your dayes at your dere ese,
In lykyng to lyue, & your ledis all,

Withouten heuynes or harme. Hedis to pat, 2664 And puttis of þat purpos; let paris not wend ; Let anoper do pat note, if hit nede shall.

Book VI.

This is my counsell, sir kyng, carpe I no fer." At Protheus profesi þe pepull made noise, 2668 Myche Rumur & rud speche at his red sonne ;

My father was a
philosopher,
(fol. 42 b.)
who knew every
turn of fortune
that should come.

He told me often, that if Paris passed into

Greece, &c.,

Why leave ease and rest for robbery and perils ?

Put off that
expedition. Let
not Paris go.
Let another do
that mischief,
if it must be."

The people mock

Book VI.

at the prophecy of Protheus ;

and affirm that Paris pass into Greece.

(fol. 43 a.)

Cassandra, having
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.

(defiance)

And thou, O queen, &c.!

Why put not Paris from his purpose?"

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 pat foule

end.

But it was desteynid by dome, & for due holdyn
Hit plesit wele the pepull at parys to wende:
Thay affermyt hit fully, & faren to pere Innes.

THE SOROW OF CASSANDRA THE KYNGYS DOUGHTER.

2676 Hit come to Cassandra, þat was the kynges doughter,

That, be counsell of the kyng & comyns assent,
Parys was purpost with pouer to wende
Into Grese for a gay, all on grete wise.

2680 All in sikyng & sorow, with syling of teris,

Ho brast out with a birre from hir bale hert,
And all forthly ho fore in hir fyne wittes;
Warpet out wordes wonder to here.

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!

þat 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."