ABSTRACT

† FOr as moche as late by the comaundement of the right hye & noble princesse my right redoubted lady / My lady Margarete by the grace of God Duchesse of Bourgoyne Brabant &c. I translated a boke out of Frensshe in to Englissh named Recuyel of the histories of Troye in whiche is comprehended how Troye was thries destroyed And also the labours & histories of SaturnusTytan / Iubyter Perseus and Hercules / & other moo therin Rehersed. but as to the historie of Iason / towchyng the conqueste of the Golden Flese / myn auctor hath not sett in his boke. but breuely and the cause is for asmoche as he hadde made before a boke of the hoole lyf of Iason. whyche he presented vnto the noble Prynce in his dayes Philippe Duc of Bourgoyne / And also the sayde boke shulde haue ben to grete. if he had sett the saide historie in his boke. for it conteyneth thre bokes beside thistorie of Iason. Thenne for as moche as this sayd boke is late newe made aparte of alle thistories of the sayd Iason & the historie of him whiche that Dares Frigius & Guido de Columpnys wrote in the begynnyng of their bokes/ touchyng the conqueste of the sayd Golden Flese. by occasion wherof grewe the cause of the seconde destruccion of the sayd cite of Troye. is not sett in the sayd boke of Recuyel of thistories of Troye / Therefor vnder the proteccion & suffraunce of the most hyghe puissant & christen kyng my most dradde naturel liege Lord Edward by the grace of God kyng of Englond and of Fraunce and lord of Irland / I entende to translate the sayd boke of thistories of Iason. folowyng myn auctor as nygh as I can or may not chaungyng the sentence. ne † presumyng to adde ne mynusshe ony thing otherwyse than myne auctor hath made in Frensshe / And in somoche as the grettest fame & renomme standeth & resteth in the conquest of the Flese of Gold / where of is founded an ordre of knightes. wherof oure sayd souerayne lord is one & hath taken the 2profession therof / ho we well somme persones afferme and saye that the sayd ordre hath taken his orygynal of the Flese of Gedeon. where in I will not dispute. But well wote I that the noble Duc Philippe firste foundeur of this sayd ordre / dyd doo maken a chambre in the Castell of Hesdyn / where in was craftyly and curiously depeynted the conqueste of the Golden Flese by the sayd Iason/ in whiche chambre I haue ben and seen the sayde historie so depeynted. & in remembraunce of Medea & of her connyng & science. he had do make in the sayde chambreby sub til engyn that whan he wolde it shuld seme that it lightend & then thondre / snowe & rayne. And all within the sayde chambre as ofte tymes & whan it shuld please him. which was al made for his singuler pleasir. Thenne for the honour & worship of our sayd moost redoubted liege lorde whiche hath taken the sayde ordre / I haue vnder the shadowe of his noble proteccion enterprised taccomplish this sayd litil boke. not presumyng to prreente it vnto his highnesse. for asmoch as I doubte not his good grace hath it in Frensh / which he wel vnderstandeth. but not displesing his most noble grace I entende by his licence & congye & by the supportacion of our most redoubted liege lady / most exellent princesse the Queue to presente this sayde boke vnto the most fayr. and my moost redoubted yong lorde. My lord Prynce of Wales † our tocomyng souerayne lorde. whom I praye God saue and encrease in vertue & bryng him vnto as moche worship and goode Renomme as euer had ony of his noble progenytours To thentent / he may begynne to lerne rede Englissh. not for ony beaute or good Endyting of our Englissh tonge that is therin. but for the nouelte of the histories whiche as I suppose hath not be had bifore the translacion herof Moost humblie besekyng my sayd most drad souerayn & naturel liege lorde the kyng and also the Quene to pardon me so presumyng. And my sayd tocomyng souerayne lord / My lord the Prynce to receyue it in gree & thanke of me his humble subgiett & seruaunte. and to pardone me of this my simple and Rude translacion / and all other that luste to rede or here it / to correcte where as they shalle finde defaulte