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 d.) Where and how the golden fleece vas kept. (MS. has "as.") 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 pat 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, falle, 140 Lest he put hym from priuelage & his place take, The freike vpon faire wise ferke out of lyue, 152 In a cuntre was cald Colchos by name, He was mighty on molde & mekull goode hade, 160 His pride well ouerput, past into elde. This whethur and þe wole were wonderly keppit By the crafte & the cure & conyng of Mars, That with charmes & enchauntementes was chefe 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 grete 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 be Oxen, entre hom in yoke, win the fleece must seize the oxen, enter thei in the yoke and plough up the With striffe or with stroke till pai stonde wold; and. 176 Sythen drawe to pe dragon, & pe derfe qwelle, Armyt at all peses, able to were 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 arined knights, who will fight till they destroy each With depe woundes and derfe till all be dede other. euyn. 184 All thes perels to passe with-outen payne other, (fol. 5 a) Why the fleece Book I. Pelias plans get Jason away from Iolcus. At a great feast arranged for the purpose, he entices him to go to Colchis for the golden fleece. (fol. 5 b.) 192 And for to get of this gold & the grete sommys, 196 Iff he might sleghly be sleght & sletyng of wordes, He were seker as hym semyd for sight of him 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 ffor to mele of this mater, þat he in mynde hade : 212 "Cosyn, it is knowen þat I am Kyng here, But more it Joyes me, Jason, of þi just werkes, hat so mighty & meke & manly art holdyn: 216 Now þi 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 pi 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, That the fflese pat is ffreshe flamond of gold I shall spare for no spence & pu spede wele, 244 V I will fayne pe [no] faintis vnder faith wordes. Halfe for to haue & hold for þi name, And with all weghis to be worshipt to be worldes ende." Book I. The rewards promised if he should be successful. WHEN PELLEUS his proses hade puplishit on Jason undertakes highe, 248 And all soburly said with a sad wille, 252 256 Jason was Joly of his Juste wordes, bat in presens of the pepull po profers were made, the journey, (fol. 6 a.) and has no suspicion of harm, .falsehood, or deceit on the part of his uncle. Book I. He therefore accepts the undertaking with heartiness. Thurghe hardynes of hond hopit to spede; Pelias is glad, and hurries on the preparations for the enterprise. He commands Argus, a son of Danaus, to build a great ship, which is called Argo. Many noble men join the expedition, chief of whom is (fol. 6 b.) PELLEUS Pelleus of the proffer was proude at his hert, And glad of þe graunt before the grete lordys; 264 He ertid to an end egurly fast, hat no tarying shuld tyde ouer a tyme set; And pet ffortune vnderfonges þat he feile shall, And will put hym fro purpos þat he presys after. 268 He consydret þat Calcos was closet in an yle, bat no creature might keuer for course of the see, But with ship pat shapon were for pe shyre waghes. ; han he comaundet to come of pe crafte noble, 272 A wright þat was wise pis werke for to ende And Argus pat after was abill of his crafte, Sone he dressit to his dede & no dyn made, And made vp a mekyll ship, pe most vpon erthe, 276 bat after hym awne selfe Argon was cald. Sum sayn full sure & for sothe holdyn, Hit was pe formast on flete þat on flode past, hat euer saile was on set vpon salt water, Or euer kairet ouer cost to cuntris O fer. 280 N ow ordant was althing onestly pere, And abundantly broght pat hom bild might, shuld. 284 Mony noble for pe nonest to pe note yode, |