274 The xxj Boke. Of the viij Batell: And of During the last night of the truce, Andromacha dreams that Hector will be slain on the next day. She prays him not to go to battle. (fol. 131) Hector blames the Dreme of Ector wyffe. Lengye here at a litill, lystyn my wordes, I shall tell you full tyte how hom tyde after, 8424 All pai fforen to pe fight, & the fild toke! He shuld doutles be dede, & drepit for euer! Miche water ho weppit, and wackont the prince. 8436 As pai bothe were in bed, pe burd to hym saide, And told hym by tale, as her tyde hade. Sho prayet the prinse with hir pure hert, ffor drede of hir drem, & deire pat might falle, 8440 On nowise in thys world the walles to passe, ffor to bowne vnto batell, ne of burghe wend. han the worthy at his wife wrathet a litle, And blamyt the burde for hir bold speche. 8444 Hit was vnfittyng, he said, a sad man of wit, 8448 ANDROMACHA'S DREAM. Any dremys to drede, or deme hom for trew, All ho told hom in tale, as her tyde hade, 8452 Besechis the souerain, with sykyng in hert, 8.156 Hir lord for to let, for lure pat might happyn: When the sun vp set with his softe beames, Troiell, the triet knyght, toke the feld sone; Polidamas, the proud knight, past on swithe; Then the fuerse kyng Forcius folowet anon; 8464 And Philmen, the freke, with a felle batell. Then all the kynges by course, pat comyn were to Troy, The citie to socour, with pere sute hoole, Passit furth fro Priam to pe playn feld, 8468 With leue of pe lord, þat the lond aght. Then Priam to pe prinse prestly can send, 275 Book XXI. says, it is silly to Andromacha pleads with Priam and Hecuba to prevent Hector going to that fight. The Trojans take Polydamas, Phorcys, Pylæmenes and the allied kings. Priam commands That he bownet to no batell, ne pe burgh past, within the city. On nowise in this world, for worship or other. 8472 Therat Ector was angry, & angardly wrothe, Repreuet the prinses with a pale face: 8476 To his seruondes he saide in a sad haste, Hector is angry: (fol. 131 b.) orders his servants to bring To bryng hym his bright geire, bownet to feld, his armour; and arrays himself. Book XXI. Andromacha takes her infant in her arms, and falls at Hector's feet. She pleads with him to stay. Hector refuses: she clasps his feet and swoons. Than his wif was war of his wille sone, 8480 Myche watur ho weppit, wailyng for sorow. Two sonnes hade pat semly, with the sure prinse, On Lamydon was litle, and his leue brother Astionac also, þat after was borne,— 8484 þat were bothe at the brest of the bright norse, Noght put fro the pappe to no prise fode. The ton toke ho full tyte in hir true armys, To the fote of pat fre fell ho belyue: 8488 Hit was dole & deire, pat dere to be-hold! With myche wepyng & woo pes wordes ho said:"A! my lord, & it like yow at this lefe tyme, I be-seche you, for my sake sober youre wille : 8492 Put of youre purpos, preses no fer, ffor all the loue in our lyue, pat light vs He denyet hir anon: hir noy was the more. 8496 Vmbfoldyt his fete, felle vnto swone. And when ho wacknet of wo, thies wordes ho said: "If ye no mercy haue on me, for mysse þat I thole, Haue pité on youre pure sonnes, þat mone payne thole! Again she pleads 8500 To be done to pe dethe with hor dere moder, Or be shot out with shame fro youre shene with him to stay. His mother, his sisters, and Helen, fall at his feet, landes; Exiled for euermore endles to sorow, Pight vnder pouert and penaunce to lyue!" 8504 Then his moder the myld qwenc, & his meke syster, Cassandra the clene, & clere Polexena, And honerable Elan also, with hom: Thies fellyn hym to fete with a foule chere, HECTOR AND ANDROMACHA. 8508 Prayond the prinse (pitie was to se) He hade no ruthe of hor remyng, ne pe rank teris, 8512 Ne pe prayer of po prise persit not his hert; 8516 Vne fore as a fole, fonnet at all; Past vnto Priam, pe prinsis aune fadur, Rafit pe red chekis roidly with hond, 8520 And pe hore of hir hede heterly pullit! So pat ffre with hir face fore at pe tyme, hat all blod was pe bright in hir ble qwit: To pe fete of pe fre kyng fel ho belyue, ffor to high to þat hynd, & hold hym within, turnyt: Past euyn to his palais, & the place entrid. 8540 He wold put of no plate of his prise armur, But abode in the burgh in his bright wedis. 277 Book XXI. pleading that he abide in the city till night. (fol. 132 a.) Hector will not yield. He goes forth to battle. Andromacha in despair rusl.es she falls at his feet, beseeching him to detain Hector within the city. Priam overtakes commands and with great reluctance he but will, on no account put off his armour. Book XXI. Diomedes and with great spears: (fol. 132 b.) and would have killed each other had not Menelaus parted them. Menelaus unhorses, and captures Miseres. Polydamas rescues him. The Greeks again take him, and would have killed him; but Troilus rescues him. Telamon and Achilles, combining their forces, drive the Trojans towards the city. Megaron, son of Then the batell was brem in the brode feld, Mony fell in the fight at the first tyme! 8544 Dyamede that duke, & the derfe Troilus, 8548 8552 8556 Evyn macchit hom to mete with two mayn With all the bir in hor brest and hor byg horses, With a folke þat was felle, & the fight entrid. 8564 With pre thowsaund pro men prang into batell; Gird in with the grekes, & myche grym wroght, 8568 And mony tulke out of Troy tyrnit to ground. ben þurghe chaunse of Achilles & his choise helpe, 8572 pai bere the burgh-men abacke to the baro. walles : pai bounet fro batell, & the bent leuyt, ffled all in fere frikly to toune! Mageron the mighty macchet with Achilles, |