But netheles for fikerneffe,

Where that he mighte wit and geffe
A place ftrengeft in his londe,

There let he make of lime and fonde
A strengthe where he wolde dwelle,
Was never man yet herde telle
Of fuche an other, as it was.
And for to strength him in that cas
Of all his lond the fikerest
Of fervants and the worthieft
To kepen him withinne warde
He fet his body for to warde
And made fuch an ordenaunce
For love, ne for aqueintaunce,
That were it erely, were it late
They shulde let in at the gate
No maner man, what fo betid,
But if fo were him felf it bid.

But all that might him nought availe, For whom fortune wol affaile,

Which mighte make a man defence,
All that shall be mot fall algate.
This Circes, whiche I fpake of late,
On whom Ulixes hath begete
A child, though he it have foryete,
Whan time came, as it was wone,
She was deliverd of a fone,
Which cleped is Thelogonus.

This child whan he was bore thus,

And told him all to-gider tho,

What man he was, that him begat.
And whan Thelogonus of that
Was ware and hath full knouleching,
How that his fader was a king,
He praith his moder faire this
To go, where that his fader is.
And she him graunteth, that he shall,
And made him redy forth with all.
It was that time fuch ufaunce,

That

every man the conoiffaunce
Of his contre bare in his honde,
Whan he went into ftraunge londe.
And thus was every man therfore

Wel knowe, where that he was bore,
For efpiall and miftrowinges
They dide thanne fuche thinges,

That every man might other knowe.
So it befell that ilke throwe

Thelogonus, as in this cas

Of his contre the figne was

Thre fishes, which he fhulde bere
Upon the

penon of a spere.

And whan that he was thus arraied
And hath his harneis all affaied,
That he was redy every dele,

His moder bad him fare wele

And faid him, that he fhulde swithe
His fader grete a thousand fithe.
Thelogonus his moder kist

And toke his leve, and where he wist
His fader was, the waie name,
Till he unto Nachaie came,

Which of that lond the chefe citee
Was cleped, and there axeth he,
Where was the kinge and how he ferde.
And whan that he the fothe herde,
Where that the king Ulixes was,
Alone upon his hors great pas

He rode him forth and in his honde
He bare the signal of his londe
With fishes thre, as I have tolde,
And thus he went unto that holde,
Where that his owne fader dwelleth.
The cause why he comth, he telleth
Unto the kepers of the gate
And wolde have comen in there at,
But shortly they him faide nay.
And he als faire as ever he may
Befought and tolde hem of this,
How that the king his fader is.
But they with proude wordes great
Began to manace and to threte,

But he go fro the gate faft

They wolde him take and sette fast.
Fro wordes unto ftrokes thus
They felle, and fo Thelogonus
Was fore hurte and well nigh dede,
But with his sharpe speres hede
He maketh defence, how fo it falle,
And wan the gate upon hem alle
And hath flain of the beste five.
And they afcriden also blive,
Through out the caftell all about
On every fide men come out,
Wherof the kinges herte afflight,
And he with all the haft he might
A spere caught and forth he goth
As he, that was nigh wode for wroth.
He figh the gates full of blood,
Thelogonus and where he stood
He figh alfo, but he ne knewe
What man it was, but to him threwe
His fpere, and he fterte out a fide,
But deftine, which shall betide,

Befell that ilke time fo,

Thelogonus knew nothing tho,

What man it was, that to him caste,
And while his owne fpere lafte,
With all the figne therupon
He caft unto the kinge anon

And fmot him with a dedly wounde.
Ulixes fell anone to grounde,

Tho every man, the king! the king!
Began to cry, and of this thing
Thelogonus which figh the cas
On knes he fell and faide: Alas,
I have min owne fader flain,
Now wolde I deie wonder fain,
Now fle me who that ever will,

For certes it is right good skill.

He crieth, he wepeth, he faith therfore:
Alas, that ever was I bore,
That this unhappy destine

So wofully comth in by me.

This king, which yet hath life inough,
His herte ayein to him he drough
And to that vois an ere he laide
And understood all that he saide

And gan to speke and faide on high :
Bring me this man. And whan he figh
Thelogonus, his thought he fette
Upon the fweven, which he mette,
And axeth, that he might fe
His fpere, on which the fishes thre
He figh upon the penfel wrought.
Tho wist he well, it faileth nought,
And bad him, that he telle fholde
Fro whenne he came, and what he wolde.
Thelogonus in forwe and wo

So as he mighte tolde tho

Unto Ulixes all the cas,

How that Circes his moder was,