By my promise, in conclusion,
But to rehearse the destruction
Of mighty Thebes, and no more,

And thus Adrastus with his lockes hore,

Still abode in Arge his citee

Unto his end, ye get no more of me,
Sauf as mine authour liketh to compile,
After that he liued but a while,
For he was old ere the seige began,

And thought and sorrow so vpon him ran,
The which in sooth shorted hath his daies,
And time set, death maketh no delaies,
And all his joy passed was and gone,
For of his lords aliue was not one,

But slaine at Thebes, ye known all the caas,
And whan this king in Arge buried was
Full royally with great solemnitee,

It was accounted in bookes ye may see,

the city of Thebes déstroyed.

CCCC. yeare, as made is mention,
Tofore the building and foundation
Of great Rome, so royal and so large,
Whan the ladies departed from Arge
To hir countries, full trist and desolate,
Lo here the fine of conteke and debate,
Lo here the might of Mars the froward sterre,
Lo what it is to beginne a werre,

How it concludeth, ensample ye may see,
First of the Grekes, and sith of the Thebans cite,
For eyther part hath matter to complaine,
And in hir strife ye may see things twaine.

How all the worthy blood of Greece destroyed was at seige, and the city brought to nought, to final loss of both parties.

The worthy blood of all Greece spilt,
And Thebes eke of Amphion first built,
Without recure brought to ruine,

And with the soile made plaine as any line,
To wildernesse tourned, and deserte,
And Grekes eke fall into pouerte,
Both of her men, and also of her good,
For finally all the gentill blood

Was shed out there, her wounds wer so wide,
To losse finall vnto either side,

For in the warre is none exception

Of high estate, ne low condition,

But as fate and fortune both in fere,
List to dispose with hir double chere,

Bellona goddesse is of battaile.

And Bellona the goddesse in her chare
Aforn prouideth: wherefore euery man beware
Unauised warre to beginne,

For no man wote who shall lese or winne,
And hard it is whan either part leseth,
And doubtlesse neither of hem cheseth,
That they must in all such mortall rage,
Maugre hir lust, feelen great damage,
It may not be by mannes might restreined,
And warre in sooth was neuer ordained
But for sinfull folkes to chastise,
And as the Bible truly can deuise,

Ouer other, and trede him vnderfoot,
Which of all sorrow ginning is and root,

And Christ recordeth, rede, looke, and ye may se,
For lacke of loue what mischeef there shall be:

Surget gens contra gentem. Luc. xxi.

For o people, as he doth deuise,
Ayenst another of hate shall arise:
And after telleth what diuisions'
There shall be betweene regions,
Eueriche busie other to oppresse,

And all such strife, as he beareth witnesse,
Kalends been, I take his word to borrow,
And a ginning of mischeefe and of sorrow,
Men haue it found by experience:
But the venim and the violence

Of strife, of warre, of conteke and of debate,
That maketh londs bare and desolate,
Shall be proscript, and voided out of place,
And Martes swerds shall no more manace
Nor his spere, greeuous to sustene,
Shall now no more whetted be so kene,
For he no more shall his hauberke shake,
But loue and peace shall in hertes awake,
And charity, both in length and bread,
Of new shall hir bright beames spread
Through grace onely in diuers natious,
For to reforme atweene regions

Peace and quiet, concord, and vnitee,
And that is both one, two, and three,
Eke three in one, and soueraine lord of pees,
Which in this exile, for our sake chees,
For loue onely our troubles to termine,
For to be borne of a pure virgine,
And let vs pray to him that is most good,
That for mankind shadde his herte blood,
Through beseeching of that heauenly quene,
Wife and moder, and maiden clene,
To send vs peace in this life here present,
And of our sinnes perfite amendement,
And joy eternall, whan we hence wend,
And of my tale thus I make an end.

Here now endeth, as ye may see,
The destruction of Thebes the citee,