of the ships and barges that were brought from Greece; of the battles that were fought, and those who fell in battle; of the truces and (fol. 8 b.) treasons that took place; in short, of every event from first to last. Bothe of barges & buernes pat broght were fro grese: And all the batels on bent þe buernes betwene. What Duke pat was dede throughe dyntes of hond, Who ffallen was in ffylde, & how it fore aftur : Bothe of truse & trayne pe truthe shall pu here, And all the ferlies pat fell vnto the ferre ende. 96 ffro this prologe I passe & part me þer with, ffrayne will I fer and fraist of þere werkes, Meue to my mater and make here an ende. Explicit Prologue. Here begynnes the first Boke. How Kyng In Tessaile hit tyde as thus in tyme olde, 100 A prouynce appropret aperte to Rome, An yle enabit nobli and wele With a maner of men, mermydons called: There was a kyng in þat coste pat pe kithe ought, (More of thies Myrmydons mell I not now, 112 At þe prayer of a prinse þat peopull hade lost.) This Pelleus pert, prudest in armys, Hade a broper of birthe born or hym-seluyn, 120 And hym crownede as kyng in pat kithe riche. 124 Endured his dayes drowpyaite in age, As Ovid openly in Eydos tellus, How Medea the maiden made hym all new, The scene of the following story is laid in the province of Thessaly. (MS. has "ytaile." Story of the golden fleece Pelias, King of Iolcus: Aeson his brother. (fol. 4 a.) (all auld, old.) Book I. Jason, son of Aeson, seeks his father's throne. Pelias devises the plan of sending Jason in search of the golden fleece. (fol. 4 b.) Where and how the golden fleece vas kept. (MS. has "us.") By crafte pat she kouth of hir coint artys. Hade a son of hym-selfe semly to wale, As meke as a Mayden, & mery of his wordis. This Jason for his gentris was ioyfull till all, 132 Well louit with pe lordes & the londe hole; All worshipped put worthy inwones aboute, No les pan pe lege þat hom lede shuld : And he as bainly obeyede to the buerne his Eme, 136 As pof his syre hade the soile & septure to yeme. Pelleus persayuit the people anone, That the londe so hym louede, lorde as he were, And ay drede hym on dayes for doute pat might falle, 140 Lest he put hym from priuelage & his place take, The freike vpon faire wise ferke out of lyue, Was (an) aunter in a nyle þat I nem shall, He was mighty on molde & mekull goode hade, 160 His pride well ouerput, past into elde. This whethur and be wole were wonderly keppit god. 164 Thus coyntly it kept was all with clene art, By too oxen oribull on for to loke, And a derfe dragon drede to be-holde. These balfull bestes were, as pe boke tellus, 168 ffull flaumond of fyre with fuastyng of logh, That girde thurgh ther gorge with a grote hete A nelue brode all Aboute, pat no buerne might ffor the birre it abide, but he brente were. Book I. Eetes, king of The wether guarded by two oxen and a fiery dragon. 172 And wo this wethur shuld wyn bude wirke as whoever would I say, Ayre euyn to pe Oxen, entre hom in yoke, win the fleece must seize the oxen, enter them in the yoke and plough up the With striffe or with stroke till þai stonde wold; d. 176 Sythen drawe to pe dragon, & pe derfe qwelle, 184 188 Thai to falle vpon fight as fomen belyue, He must then quell the dragon; tear out his teeth and sow them like seed. The teeth will turn into armed knights, who will fight till they destroy each With depe woundes and derfe till all be dede other. euyn. All thes perels to passe with-outen payne other, (fol. 5 a) Why the fleece had a great sum Book I. Pelias plans get Jason away from Iolcus. At a great feast arranged for the purpose, 192 And for to get of this gold & the grete sommys, ffor couetous pere come knightes full ofte, euer, And most likly be loste & his los keppit. And þe way for to wylne with wilfull desyre. 204 He cast hym full cointly be cause of this thyng, In a Cité be-syde to somyn a fest, With princes and prelates & prise of the lond, Thre dayes to endure with daintes ynogh. 208 The iijd day throly he thoght in his hert he entices him to 212 go to Colchis for the golden fleece. (fol, 5 b.) ffor to mele of this mater, þat he in mynde hade: He cald Jason in his Japis with a Joly wille. Before the baronage at ther burde thus pe buerne said,― Cosyn, it is knowen þat I am Kyng here, And mekyll comfordes me the crowne of this kyde realme; But more it Joyes me, Jason, of þi just werkes, hat so mighty & meke & manly art holdyn: 216 Now pi fame shall go fer & pu furse holdyn, And all prouyns & pertes pi pes shall desyre. To tessayle a tresure tristy for euer, Thy selfe to be sene and in suche fame, 220 By þi name pus anoisyt & for noble holden, Whyle you rixlis in this Reame no riot we drede, But all fferd be perfore and frendship dyssire. Hit wold sothely me set as souerayne in Joye, 224 Iff our goddes wold graunt þat þu grace hade, |