TROILUS URGES IT. This is sothe, pat I say, sir, with your leue: 2516 And ferd of pe felle wordes, pat pe freike saide. Book VI. 883 The king was sat musing; confounded, and all were and stood still, silent and astonished. THE COUNSELL OF TROYLUS. Troilus then - Than Troilus full tyte talkes with mowthe,2524 þat was þe yongist of yeris, & a 3epe knight,Brake Sylense belyue, and abrode saide :— "A! nobyll men of nome, what noyes your “Ah!noble men of hertes? Why are ye trowblit pis tyme, and your tung lost? 2528 And meuyt so mykell, for a mad priste, That neuer colde of no knighthode, but in a kirke chyde? Hit is propurté for a preste perellis to drede, 2532 Melle hym with mekenes, þat hym most louys, Who may tell it for tru, or trust haue perin, 2536 þat any gome shuld be graithe of our goddes wille, Or haue knowyng of case for to come after? name, why so (fol. 41 a.) troubled and moved by a mad priest who knows no knighthood but scolding in church? 'Delight him in drink and other dear meats." There is no wyse man, I wene, þat will it suppose, No wise man Book VI. will suppose that a fool should be forewise.' 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 Greeks will grieve 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 Deuyne seruice to do, and fro drede kepe; 2548 Comaund, sir kyng, þat a clene nauy All well for þe werre, with wight men ynogh: more, (MS. 'sororow") 2552 But it syt hom so sore, þat þai sorrow euer." When Troilus ended, all felt glad, and confirmed 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 He commissions them to raise an army in Paeonia. When Troilus hade told, & his tale endit, 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, 2560 Maden all mery, menyt pere speche. THE ORDINA UNSE FOR PARIS INTO GRESE. When etyn hade all men & at ese bene, The kyng syttyng hym selfe, & his sete helde: ffor to wete of his wille; & pe wegh saide :— 2568 "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." Book VI. 85 They set sail and execute their pan 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, Το 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, Ay hengis in my hert þe hethyng I thole; Antenor to aske hir, & Angur no more. Now woundys shalbe wroght, weghes to sorow, On the second day He states to them the cruelties of the Greeks; 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 plunder the Hit may chefe hym by chaunce to get som choise Greeks; and to lady, seize some lady who may be 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, A Phylosofer fyne fele yeres past, pat, Ouyd in old tyme oponly tellus, 2624 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, Hedys me with heryng, & in hert kepe: I will telle myn entend vpon trew wise, And say you in sertain þat ye mon sure fynde. 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 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, þat if Parys with a pepull past into Grese, In purpas to pray, or profet to gete, 2644 An wan pere a wife & away led, Book VI. 87 My father was a He told me often, that if Paris passed into Greece, &c be destroyed, &c. þat grete Troye shuld be tane, & tyrnyt to ground, great Troy should 2648 With the Grekes in hor grefe ; & pis ground lost. king, beware! Wherfore, wheme kyng! for what pat may come, Wherefore, dear Let your lordship lystyn with a loue ere, And wirke after wit, þat worship may folow : 2652 Syn wordys of wise men is no wit to dispise. And nomely in pis note, pat noise not your selfe, Ne hurttes not your hegh Astate, ne no harme dos; 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,— And endure furthe your dayes at your dere ese, This is my counsell, sir kyng, carpe I no fer." At Protheus profesi pe pepull made noise, 2668 Myche Rumur & rud speche at his red sonne; Why leave ease and rest for robbery and perils ? Put off that The people mock |