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book_n	lord_n	name_n	write_v	5,698	5	5.8489	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19170	The life and death of Hector One, and the first of the most puissant, valiant, and renowned monarches of the world, called the nyne worthies. Shewing his jnvincible force, together with the marvailous, and most famous acts by him atchieved and done in the great, long, and terrible siege, which the princes of Greece held about the towne of Troy, for the space of tenne yeares. And finally his vnfortunate death after hee had fought a hundred mayne battailes in open field against the Grecians: the which heerein are all at large described. Wherein there were slaine on both sides fourteene hundred, and sixe thowsand, fourscore, and sixe men. VVritten by Iohn Lidgate monke of Berry, and by him dedicated to the high and mighty prince Henrie the fift, King of England.	Colonne, Guido delle, 13th cent. Historia destructionis Troiae.; Benoît, de Sainte-More, 12th cent. Roman de Troie.; Lydgate, John, 1370?-1451? Troy book.	1614 (1614)	STC 5581.5; ESTC S119764	480,848	336

hope your favors I shall win I will proceed the story to begin WHen as the noble King Laomedon Was slaine in field by cruell Hereules When as the Greekes did first destroy the towne He had a sonne and heire as Guido sa●es Cald Priamus a Prince of courage stout Whose fortune was at that time to be out With Hecuba his wife and did assault A Castle strong wherein a Lord did lie Which at that time did stubbornly revolt And long before had warred cruelly Against the towne of Troy with force and might Yet subiect was vnto the same by right Where Priam and his sonnes in campe did lie Accompanied with many a worthy Knight Their power and force against their foes to trie And it besieged round both day and night With vow the same by fierce assault to win And to destroy them all that were within For he as then was strong and valorous Young lusty and of fierce and hawtie heart And therewithall so stout and ventrous That feare of death could neuer make him start And to be first that in the field did enter Against his foes his life therein to venter Whereby hewan great honour and renowne And for his time was held a worthy Knight Till Fortune from her wheele did cast him downe And in his fall did show her power and might To change and alter things as she thinks good Respecting neither poore nor Princely blood This Priamus by Hecuba his wife Eight goodly faire and Princely children had Which all were slaine and died in the strife And bloody warre that Grecions gainst him made Whereof there were fiue sons daughters three Which I will name each one in his degree The first and eldest Hector had to name Whose worthinesse as farre abroad doth flie And is extold by Trumpe of Lady Fame As Phoebus doth r●n compasse ●out the skie In one daies space for authors certifie And say be was th●●oo● of chival●ie Of Knight-hood true the onely Soveraigne And Mirror bright and cleare of Noblenesse And did therein vnto such hight attaine That no man can sufficiently expresse The great and valiant acts he did archiue Surpassing all that ever yet did liue And therewithall he was most vertuous Discreet and wise and friendly to each one Of whom the deeds and prowesse marvelous Reported are and haue been long agone By many ancient Authors fore our dayes That write of him to his eternall praise The second Sonne by birth and Dignitie Was Parris cald who did exceed so farre In person beautie shape dexteritie And was esteem'd therein to be so rare That in his time as farre as I can heare Vpon the earth there neuer liu'd his peere Who likewise was a stout and worthy Knight And in a bow had such delight and skill Wherewith he vsed commonly to fight That where he aim'd he would be sure to kill None ever did surpasse him in the same And Alexander was his other name Deiphobus was the third Sonne by degree A Knight of worthy same and great renowne Strong hardy and of courage franke and free Exceeding wise and of great discretion A counsellor in peace and warre most graue And in the field a Champion bold and braue The fourth of them was Hele●●● by name Who onely gaue his minds vnto his booke And was so much addicted to the same That pleasure in no other thing he tooke Whereby so wise and learned he became That all men did admire him for the same The Fist Sonne was a hardie valiant Knight Although the last and yongest of them all And puissantly against his ●oes did fight Whom Troy●l●s the historie doth call And for his valiant heart and courage braue The name of second Hector men him gaue So many valiant acts hy him were don While that the Grecian warre continued Whereby so much renowne therein he won That after Hectors death he was so feared And did the Greekes so cruelly assaile That nought against the Towne they could prevaile Yet Uirgill in his Booke of Troyan warre By him cald his En●idos saith thus That Hecuba vnto King Pryam bare Two younger Sonnes the one Polidorus Whom when the Grecians first did take in ha●d Their bloody warre and entred in his land As then but young he straight did send away Vnto a King that was his trusty friend With store of treasure great with him to stay Till he might see what jssue and what end The warre would haue as then but new begon Betweene the Greekes and him before the towne But he in whom he did repose his trust When as he vnderstood King Pryams state Desirous of the gold which makes men thurst Did cause the Troian Prince vnfortunate To be bereav'd of life most cruelly And buried in a place full secretly Hard by the Sea so deepe within the ground That no man could his treason great espie Nor never afterward his body found And so the Proverbe old did verefie Who so on gold doth set his onely care To win the same no mischiefe he will spare The second of those two cald Ganimed Vpon a time did hunt for his disport And straying in a wood by fortune led God Iupiter as Uirgill doth report Vp to the skies did sodainely him take And there for ever Butler did him make The eldest of King Priams daughters three Cerusa nam'd the story doth declare Was married to a Lord of high degree Aeneas cal'd a man of beauty rare Whose Father was a Duke of noble fame And Uirgill saith Anchises had to name And on the Goddesse Uenus him begot For this Aeneas honor and his fame Uirgill compild a Booke wherein he wrot His travells all at large and doth the same From his departure out of Troy begin And showes how he all Italie did win Long after that the great and famous Towne Of Troy destroyd and cleane defaced was And what great conquests were archieu'd and d●n By him as he along the Seas did passe And how that first at Carthage he did stay Ere that he further forth went on his way Whereas Queene Dido pierst with Cupids dart Of him became so much enamored That for because from thence he did depart For loue of him her selfe she murthered All which and more in Virgill you may see In Latine verse at large declard to bee King Priams second daughter had to name Cassandra as the ancient stories saies Who by her wit attaind so loftie fame That she was holden for a Prophetes Her skill in Arts of all kinds was so much That like to her there nere was any such For future things she could declare and show And what was done within the world so round Before it came to passe she did it know Her learning was so deepe and so profound Her manner was religiously to liue And onely to the same her mind did giue The third and youngest daughter Policene For shape and beautie past her sisters twaine Who liued all her daies a Virgin cleane Till she by Pirrhus cruelty was slaine

in joy and quietnes If possible it were perpetuallie And I will never cease both night and day Withall my heart vnto the Lord to pray For him by whose commandement I tooke On me though farre vnfit to do the same To translate into English verse this Booke Which Guido wrote in Latin and doth name The siege of Troy and for his sake alone I must confesse that I the same begon When Henrie whom men fourth by name did call My Princes Father lived and possest The Crowne And though I be but rusticall I haue therein not spard to do my best To please my Princes humor Though A thing that I should not haue tane on me Which am a Monke by my profession In Berry cald Iohn Lidgate by my name And weare a habit of perfection Although my life agrees not with the same That meddle should with things spirituall As I must needes confesse vnto you all But seing that I did therein proceed At his command whom I could not refuse I humbly do beseech all those that reade Or leysor haue this story to pervse If any fault therein they find to bee Or error that committed is by mee That they will of their gentlenes take paine The rather to correct and mend the same Then rashly to condemne it with disdaine For well ●●vot it is not without blame Because I know the verse therein is wrong As being some too short and some too long For if with faults men should not sometime beare But all for some seeme wholy to refuse Then must I say in vaine my labor were Let ignorance and rudenes me excuse For though my verse for harshnes you reiect Yet if you to the some haue good respect I doubt not but that you therein shall find That all the substance of the matter is Set downe that Guydo wrote to please your mind And if that any word be plast amis I pray you mend the same in curtesie For to condemne an error vtterly Which is not made nor done with bad intent No commendation to him that 's wise For no man vnto scoffing more is bent Behind mens backs nor sooner will surmise A lie then he that hath no wit at all He treadeth sure that neuer hath a fall I oft haue read in Authors new and old Which write of mens behaviors good and ill That no man is more foolish and more bold Then he that is an Idiot without skill For that blind Bayard feares nothing at all Till in a ditch he sodainlie doth fall And none so ready is to prate and prattle Nor sooner will condemne a man then he But for all those that vse such tittle tattle I care not what they say or speake of me For I do not to them direct my Booke But vnto such as with a sincere looke Pervse the same and with mens falts do beare And can amend an error without blame To him that writes and tell not what they heare To hinder or impeach a mans good name But vsed are to speake well of their friend Whereto all honest men their wits should bend For Chawcer that my master was and knew What did belong to writing verse or prose Nere stumbled at small faults nor yet did view With scornefull eie the works and Bookes of those That in his time did write nor yet would taunt At any man to feare him or to daunt His courage in that kind of exercise But rather vse their weaknes to support And as he was well learned and very wise And able to instruct and to exhort Such as did use to write would winke and smile At faults and yet say nothing all the while So that if to describe him I should striue I must needs say vnlesse from truth I varry That never any man as yet did liue Vntill this day that worthy was to carry His inckhorne in respect of Poetrie But if within this Land or Realme there be Such men as able be his steps to trace To them it is that I direct my Booke And wholy to their skills referre my case With their judiciall eies thereon to looke Beseeching them to mend what is amis And t'adde or to diminish all that is Super●●uous or else wanting And although They find therein no phrases that are new Nor Eloquence as they suppose enough Yet I do hope that they shall find all true In substance as mine Author wrote the same Wherein I know I shall incurre no blame ANd he that list and doth desire to see The wavering state and infelicity Of ages past may here instructed be And find how Fortunes mutability Hath alwaies been so great that no man could Put trust in her And therewithall behold How Princes cleane bereft of Royalty Were sodainely brought into great distresse And Kings redu'st to such extremity That poverty and want did them oppresse Great slaughters made in kingdomes enviously Murthers committed by conspiracie False treason secret ambushes despight Subversion of whole kingdomes sodainely The ravishing of women for delight The root of warre and great hostility Maintaining of most fowle adulterie Which caused many Princes great to die To shew thereby that since the cause of all Such wickednes receiues reward most iust Which sodainely vpon mankind doth fall For that in worldly ioyes there is no trust And in this Booke examples you shall find If you consider well thereof in mind How every man must vnto nature yeild When time doth serue both young and old of age And wither like the grasse within the field For here our life is but a Pilgrimage Repleat with sorrow miserie and woe Which if men mark't tooke good heed therto And wisely would consider of their end They would esteeme all pleasure but a toy And no more time therein so vainely spend Nor take so much delight in worldly joy For by Troyes fall it plainely doth appeare That neither King nor Emperor hath here A permanent estate to trust vnto Therefore to him that died vpon the rood And was content and willing so to do And for man-kind did shead his precious blood Lift vp your minds and pray with humble 〈◊〉 That he his aid vnto you will impart For though you be of extreame force and might Without his helpe it will you nought availe For he doth giue man victorie in fight And with a few is able to prevaile And overcome an armie huge and strong And by his grace makes kings and Princes long To raigne here on the earth in happinesse And Tyrants that to men do offer wrong And violence doth sodainly suppresse Although their power be nere so great strong And in his hand his blessings all reserveth For to reward each one as he deserueth To whom I pray with humble mind and hart And so I hope all you wil doe no lesse That of his grace he would vouchsafe t' impart And send all joy wel fare and happines Health victory tranquilitie and honor Vnto the high and mightie coqueror King Henrie the Fift that his great name May here on earth ●'extold and magnified While life doth last and when he yeilds the same Into his hands he may be glorified In heaven among the Saints Angels bright Therein to serue the God of power might At whose request this worke I vndertooke As I haue sayd And now that I haue don And with great labour finished my Booke I doe intreat all those that looke thereon T' accept thereof and tak 't in as good part As I it send to them withall my hart FINIS

for feare did shake And sayd to him how can you now sustaine And beare this great and cruell iniurie To soe your men before your face thus lie Dead on the ground and slaine in cruell wise Within your tent and take therof no heed But stay still here when as your enemies Haue sworne and with full intent decreed To kill you thus disarmed as you stand If by your mighty force and puissant hand You doe them not resist and valiantly Shew forth your courage and ere hence they passe Requite them for the extreame cruelty Which they haue showd to vs herein this place Which when Achilles heard with furious ire Which in his brest did burne as hot as fier He armd himselfe and soming like a Bore Forgetting that whereof so much he drempt And thought vpon vnto himselfe he swore To be reuengd for loue was cleane exempt Out of his mind and Pollicene also For whom he had endured so great wo And for her beauty felt such griefe in hart Vpon the Troians for their crueltie That suddenly vpon his feet he start And calling for his horse road speedily Into the field where in short space he had So great a slaughter of the Troians made And did so furiously vpon them set For like a greedy woolfe that seeks for pray He kild and spared none that with him met Or that durst him witstand along the way Whereas he road That in a little space He made the Troians flie before his face And shun his sword all died with their blood Wherewith he had so many of them slaine For there was none that him as then withstood But he was soone layd dead vpon the plaine Till Troielus that by fortune did behold How he the Troians slew with courage bold Ran at him with most great and puissant force Whose comming when Achilles did espie He likewise spurd his strong and gallant horse And ran at him with like dexteritie And met together with such puissant might That each the other to the ground did smight Both pierced in their brests but differently Achilles with a wound most daungerous Whereof he was constrained long to lie Within his tent to heal't but Troielus A little prickt and so that day till night And six daies more ensuing they did fight And neuer ceast in furious wise to kill And to destroy each other valiantly And in that time great store of blood did spill Vnto no little damage certainely On either side for many a worthy Knight Was brought vnto his end with great despight In that same time But cause I doe not know Their names nor of what dignities they were For Guydo in his Booke doth it not show To write them I must likewise now forbeare And let their names and titles with them die And in obliuion rest perpetually But when King Priamus was certified How fierce Achilles in the field had been That day to fight and thereby falsified His promise made for loue of Pollicene Sore grieud he was and did himselfe perswade Achilles with his words had him betraid But truth to say t' was neither fraud nor guile Nor any treason secretly decreed But heat of loue which lasteth but a while Which for that time did vex Achilles head And made him sweare to do more then he could And like the wind that none by force can hold Let words from his dissembling mouth be heard Contrary vnto that he ment to do The which a man that 's wise should not regard And make as though he gaue no eare thereto For though Achilles had tofore been gotten In Cupids snare he had it then forgotten And card not in his furie to displease His Lady whom so much he seemd to flatter He had not any will the warre to cease As he had sayd but cleane contrary matter Was in his head then he made shew to meane And promist to the Queene and Pollicene And for that cause King Priam did vpbraid And cast her in the teeth with light conceit Of false Achilles loue wherein she layd Her trust whereas he ment nought but deceit For which she was sore grieud because that shee Did to the Queene her mothers will agree To marry with Achilles to th' intent That by her meanes and marriage there might be A peace for euer made But t' was not ment By trecherous Achilles for when he Was healed of his wounds he did deuise And in his traitrous heart a way surmise To be reuengd on Troielus who still Stake deepely in his cruell heart and mind If that he might haue meanes t' obtaine his will And him at some aduantage take or find Such hatred in his heart to him he bare That day and night he tooke no other care Nor set his mind vpon no other thing But onely how to quench the burning fier Of enuy gainst him borne and how to bring The same t'eflect according t' his desire For he had sworne and bound it with a vow That Troielus should die he card not how Nor by what meanes by his hand and none other And to that end with purpose fully bent T effect his will he cald his Knights together And when they were assembled in his tent One morning when the Grecians forth did go Into the field with braue and warlike sho To fight against their Tr●●● enemy Who in like sort out of the towne were come With all their force the Grecian to defie And ready stood with sound of fearefull drume And trumpets shrill to call and to invite The Grecians to a fierce and cruell fight He did to them of Troielus complaine For th' iniuries that he to him had done And prayed them that they would take the paine That day to let all other things alone And onely watch on Troielus to hold And to enclose him round if that they could In midst of them and when they had don so In furious wise t'assayle him altogether And not by any meanes to let him go But yet to saue his life till he came thither That with his sword alone he might him kill To satisfie his fierce and cruell will Lo here the valor of this worthy Knight Who enviously with rancor and in pride By treason and with rage and great despight All honor and true Knight-hood layd aside Doth seeke to kill a worthier Knight then he Alas that ere such trechery should be Within the heart of any man aliue That doth professe to be a valiant Knight And honor seekes to win and to achiue Most valiant acts and who is bound by right And law of armes while life in him doth rest All falsehood and fowle treason to detest And to maintaine all truth and equitie For now he doth in secret wise conspire The death of him by great disloyalty That onely vnto honor did aspire And he that was the braust and worthiest knight That euer ware or put on armor bright But that which by Gods will ordained is Though nere so much men seeke it to withstand

were wholy done in vaine And those that honour sought had lost their paine And time by length of yeares and ages past Would haue defaced name and honor cleane Of Conquerors for what can ever last Vnlesse record thereof were to be seene Which Clarkes for which they merit and deserue Continuall praise haue sought still to preserue For Histories and Bookes are sayd to bee The keyes of learning memory and skill In them and by them all men plainely see What hath forepast and what is good or ill Witnesse the fall of Thebes the ancient Towne In Stacies Booke for truth at large set downe Where you may read and see how Polinece Was nere content with Etocles a day Nor would like louing Brother liue in peace Till Thebes Towne was brought vnto decay And h●w Tedeus through that mortall ctrife And by dissention was bereft of life How Oedipus with sorrow griefe and woe Did loose his eies so bitterly he wept And how the Smo●kes devided were i● two Of fiers made when funerall feasts was kept Which fier brothers hatred did engender And death to both for iust reward did render Mine author Guydo in like sort doth show As by his Booke most plainely it appeares Of all the Troian Princes overthrow While Greeks besieg'd the towne so many yeares In very truth and though t is long since past No time nor age the storie hath defast For maugre them you may it still behold In Bookes set downe most plainely to mens eies For truth by lying will not be controld Though enviously some seeke it to disguise Transforming all the substance of the matter By fayned tales dissembling to flatter As Homer did who truth would seeme to show Yet covertly did seeke the same to hide And by vntruth which he full well did know With Artificiall words doth truth deride Who seeming Greecians honour to defend Doth faine the Gods from heaven to descend In shape of men and openly were knowne To helpe the Greeks against the Troians fight And many such vntruths by him are showne In sugred words and phrases for delight Pretending so his malice for to hide For falsehood seekes in darkenes to abide The cause why he the Greeks so smothly prais'd Was for that he vnto them was allide And therefore sought their glory to haue rais'd But such as loue the truth cannot abide Gainst conscience for to praise or discommend Where no desert their action may defind But Cupid as the Poets faine is blind And giues his doome more after lust then law So Sicophants as we by proofe doe find Commend and praise the men they never saw By false report extolling them to skie Of whom in heart they know full well they lie Whereby such men as never merit fa●e But iust disgrace are highly magnified And they contrary that deserue good name Are either not remembred or beli'd For favor now doth beare so great a s●ay That true desert is driven cleane away Ovidius Naso likewise hath devis● A Booke in verse of Troian ●●●s to show Part true part false but in such sort disguisd That who so reads it can by no meanes know Which way to sound the deapth of his intent His phraise therein's so mis●ically bent Like story also Virgill doth declare When of Aeneas tra●●●les he doth write Where truth to tell in part he doth not spare Although s●●● time he seemth to delight In Homers course with Rethoricke to glose And truth with falsehood often to compose Dares an ancient Author first was found And Ditus eke of Troian warres to write Who both set down the truth perfect groūd As being there and did behold the fight And thogh their books in seuerall language be Yet they are knowen in all things to agree The Books in time to Athens being brought Salustius cousen one Cornelius By diligent enquirie out them sought And being of a mind industrious Translated them with great earnest care In each respect as th' Authors doth declare His only fault was that he did not write The story full at large as he it found But ●ure he did in breuity delight Els would he not haue spar'd to shew the groūd And first beginning of that mortall strife Which cost so many thousand men their life And how the Greeks came both by sea lād The nūber of their ●en and of their ships The manner how they first did take in hand To plant their siege all this he ouerskips How envy was the root and cause of all The mischiefe that on Troy at last did fall How many Kings and Princes thither went In warlike wise to win them high renowne How they agreed all with one conscent To see the full sub●er●i●●● of the Towne What armes they ●are what men they did retaine Who in the siege did longest there remaine How one the other Knightly did assaile How many valiant Princes lost their life How of t they met in field to giue battaile How hatred still increast and bred new strife Nor of their deaths ●e ●iteth not the yeare Thus much he leaueth out as doth appeare Which lately causd an Author to arise Whose truth in writing is not to be bla●'d That tooke in hand this st●●i● i● such wise As that of Ditus and of Dares nam'd He hath not sought one sentence to neglect Nor yet in ought the meaning to reiect This Clarkethat wrote so true so iust so well Was Guydo of Columpna by his name Who in sweet Rethoricke did so much excell That he enricht his storie with the same So Eloquently hath he set it downe That he deserueth praise and high renowne For which in heart and voice I will not stay To giue him praise and commendation due And with applause in truth and rightly say He was the flower most certainely and true Of all that sought this storie to compile For wit and soveraignty of stile Whose treces as I can I will obserue If God vouchsafe me time and grace to do 't And graunt my labour may of him deserue The Princely praise that first provokt me to 't Beseeching all that see 't with heart mind Not spare to speake if any fault they find And with good will I shall amend the same For many eies may see much more then one Correct then freely where you find the blame But find not fault whereas deserueth none And so in hope I shall your favours win With your support this storie I le begin THE LIFE AND DEATH OF HECTOR THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. 1. I How Peleus King of Thessalie lost his people men women and Children by diuine punishment and after by prayer vnto the Gods obtained others IN Thessalie King Peleus once did raigne For vertue held a Prince of worthy fame Whose subiects as mine Author doth explaine Were Myrmidons so called by their name Of whose beginning Ouid doth rehearse The History at large in Latine verse And saith that in that Countrie downe did fall So furious a tempest from the skie

doth run By vsuall course vnto th'ecclipticke line And then is in coniunction with the Moone There 's no ecclipse as writers do define But when the Sun with fiery beames most red His mansion hath in th' vgly Dragons head And that the Moone is seated in the taile Of Dragon fell then 't is a thing most true That an ecclipse by nature cannot faile But certainly thereof must needs ensue By reason of intersecations Of circles and of reuolutions Which fixed are within the skies aloft And cause the shining beames of Phoebus bright As it is seene within the world full oft To be obscur'd and shadowed from our sight For that the Moone doth make diuision By naturall interposition Betweene our eyes and Phebus glistring beames So as we may not then behold nor see How Tytans flaming Chariot weld his streames Which for a time cleane darkned seeme to bee But for bycause Ptholome the King Within his Booke shews cause of euery thing Both of ecclipses and coniunction Of Sun and Moone with other planets bright That they doe hap by common motion I will no longer of this matter write And though that Ouid in his booke doth praise Medeas skill her honour so to raise And doth of her such fained fables tell Yet God forbid that credite we should giue Vnto such fond conceits as knowing well No creature that vpon the earth doth liue Hath power to work against dame natures course To make the Sun and Moone ecclipst by force For God that ruleth all things by his might Hath so disposd his heauenly creatures That they cannot remooue by day nor night Without his will as long as world endures But in a mutuall order still are bound Continually the world to compasse round For no ecclipse as yet was euer knowne The Moone not being in coniunction As I haue said vnlesse that God hath showne A miracle as in the passion For then the Sun was found ecclipst to be Gainst natures course as all the Iews might see For when that Christ vpon the crosse was nail'd The Son of life was darkened for our good And then of heauen and earth the powers fail'd At shedding of his pure and precious bloud And shewed signes most strangely to behold The glory of his God-head to vnfold The earth did quake great darknes did appeare The dead did rise which caus'd no little wonder Within the Church the vale in midst did teare Hard stones and rocks did burst cleaue in sunder That for the tokens strange and marueilous Which then were seene wise Diomsians When as he did such sodaine darknesse find Although that he a heathen was by right Yet seemed much astonished in mind And flatly said that sure the God of might Did suffer death or else 't was to presume The world as then would perish and consume Thus did this heathen man as then conceaue When as he did such wonders great behold For God his creatures can of power bereaue As being all of him to be contrould For he that did all things on earth ordaine Can heauen earth of vsuall course restraine As sacred Scriptures plainly testifie How Iosua caus'd the Sun his course to stay While he did force his enemies to flie At Gabaon for space of one whole day Which God did grant vnto his faithfull Knight At his request to shew his power and might Then think 't not strange if at the passion Of Iesus Christ incarnate for our sake The heauens shew'd such alteration And bright Sun beames became of color blacke Sith he hath made both skie sea land And all are rul'd by his most mighty hand But though that Ouid list so much to wright And of Medea tells so false a fable And to extoll her seemes to take delight Yet all he said to proue he was not able Although she were a cunning sorceresse As ancient stories manifest no lesse This shall suffice to shew her wit and skill And now I will proceed to mine intent To tell how she obayd her fathers will When as she knew that he for her had sent Inuesting costly furniture great store That she might cause her beauty seeme the more For if of beauty women haue good store They will not faile to play a womans part By skill t' encrease dame natures worke the more And are therein such mistresses of Art That what so er's amisse they will it hide That no defect may outwardly be spide But she was faire and beautifull in face And in behauiour womanly withall And set it forth with such a princely grace That euery man admir'd her in the hall Her entry so maiesticall did seeme As if she had a heauenly creature beene King Oeta as the story sheweth it As soone as she into the hall was brought Caus'd her by yong Prince Iason downe to sit For his desire will and onely thought Was how he might him princely entertaine And so his bounty to the Greeks explaine But in this point alas he seem'd to bee Cleane voyd of good aduise prudent care For wisedome wills vs wisely to foresee Each danger and against the same prepare To cause a maiden light of wit and eie His pleasure in that case to satisfie And though his speciall meaning and desire Was onlie for the honour of his guest Yet it did set his Daughters heart on fire Which burnt within the furrows of her brest So sore that it bred his confusion And finally her owne destruction Great follie 't was so much her youth to trust And giue her cause of such a motion That might prouoke and stir her vnto lust And that through want of good discretion To thinke vpon as reason doth require A womans light and mutable desire Which any man that 's wise no doubt will feare For who was euer yet so mad or wood Vnlesse he did so sound affection beare As that he seemed carelesse of his good Without good triall women to beleeue or hasty credite to their words to giue In whome is neither constancy nor trust They are so double and so full of wile That hard it is t'restraine them of their lust And set their minds so much on fraud guile That no man can himselfe of them assure For it to them belongeth of nature Euen from the time they first creepe out of cradle To be both wilie wauering and light Their hearts they are so fraile and so vnstable In youthfull yeares wherein they take delight For that while they in growing yeres are yong Their inward thoughts agree not with their rong Which is the cause that many wise men write That wau'ring change and mutability To women doth belong of ancient right As fram'd of mould of instability Which all that know them well cannot denay Although it grieueth me so much to say For if you could perceaue their inward mind And all their slights and wilie fetches know You might the true and liuely patterne find Within their hearts they do so ouer flow Of fond and

priuily like favor there to get From those they loue by glauncing of the eie And for to shew what in their hearts doth lie With touch of hand in secret mongst the prease Or pinch on arme or on the foot to tread Of those whome they do like they never cease Till of their wanton purpose they haue sped For gainst their wils there 's neither wit nor might That may prevaile for be it wrong or right They 'l haue their wils who so saith yea or nay For to withstand their lust no man hath might Thus much of them doth Guido boldly say And throughout all his Booke takes great delight Of women-kind to speake nought else but ill The which to write is sore against my will And 't grieues me that I must of force rehearse The bitter words which in his Booke are found Whereby he doth their honors so reverse For that I am to women so much bound And sith th' are all so courteous and so kind I dare notspeake of them more then I find In Guidoes Booke which when I read did make My very heart and sences all to tremble And with the feare I had my hand did shake To thinke my words with his I must resemble But to amend his fault as loath t' abide Too long in speaking ill he seemes to chide With Helena because that then she went With fained shew of great devotion Her offring vnto Venus to present When as she had another motion Within her heart the which she should haue stayd And in these words his mind he spake sayd The greatest crosse that man on earth can find And of all woes beginning and the root Is the deceit and fraud of women-kind Against the which to striue it doth not boot For when as lust doth in their hearts preuaile Some mischiefe doth ensue without all faile Which no man can by any meanes restraine Whereof let faire Queene Helen sample bee The which could not her inward lust refraine But needs would go the Troyan Knight to see Whome he had never knowne in all his life For which there did arise such mortall strife That thousands for her sake were after slaine And brought vnto their ends by cruelty But Helena in sooth now tell me plaine What vglie ghost was it that mooued thee To leaue thy louing Lord and husband so And all along on pilgrimage to goe Didst thou at home liue discontentedly That needs thou must go seeke for companie Thou rather shouldst haue staied priuatelie Within thy house and not so careleslie Haue left the same in absence of thy King But sure thou wast too wilfull in that thing And negligent to thinke what might ensue Thou oughtst t' haue kept thy self out of thy boūds And not haue tane thy flight within thy mew But thou wentst out like Hare amongst the hounds There to be caught of very wilfulnesse For true it is and so thou must confesse That thou couldst not thy wanton lust refraine And wilfullie thy fained vowe wouldst keepe But oh how many women haue been tane In such a snare when fitter t' was to sleepe Within their beds and not abroad been found Was 't ever heard that any ship was drownd Or cast on rocks and all in peeces rent Or tost in seas by weather foule and ill If that vnto the sea it neuer went But alwaies kept within the hauen still So he that no occasions will eschew Nor feare what danger after may ensue Cannot but needs must of necessity At vnawares when least he doth suspect Fall into trouble and adversity And he that is so foolish to neglect His way and of his footing hath no care Let him take heed he fals not in a snare For when as any harme is done and past It is too late thereof for to repent If Helena had in her mind forecast What after might ensue and been content To stay at home bad rumor had not run Of her throughout the world as it hath done Which her mishap men pittie may of right That she the cause was and destruction Of many a valiant braue and worthy Knight And likewise brought vnto confusion Her husband and full many thousands more That in her quarrell fought dyde therefore Thus Helen vnto Cithezon did goe In all her braue and Princely ornaments And solemnly although with fained shoe Her offring made with many rich presents Vnto the Goddesse Venus on whose name She called cry'd and prayd t' accept the same When Paris this advantage had espide With all the hast and speed that ere he might Vnto the Temple presently he hide Where he of her no sooner had a sight But he was pierced through with Cupids dart And stricken in loue euen at the very heart So much he mus'd at her great seemlinesse Her goodly face and her intising eye Her fine proportion and her comlinesse And last of all her great and rare beautie Presuming that for fame and feature Nature nere fram'd a fairer creature So Angell like to him she did appeare And therewithall she was so amiable That in his sight she seem'd as if she were A heauenly Goddesse faire and admirable For in his heart he did himselfe assure That she could be no mortall creature So faire and so celestiall she did looke In every part whereof most curiously Within his heart a perfect view he tooke And well beheld and mark't aduisedly Her golden haire like to the radiant streames Which do descend from Phebus glistring beams Her beautifull complection cleare and bright Her cherry checkes like to the Damaske Rose Mixt with the leaues of Lillies pure and white Her christ all eyes which in them did inclose A Paradise of pleasure and delight And able were with their transparant sight This amorous heart cleane through through to pierce All which with other parts in her that were If I should take vpon me to rehearse As Guido doth from head to foot declare The same at large with eloquent deuise My english tong thereto would not suffice For that our speech and Latine are vnlike I likewise want the Art of Portraiture And haue no skill in copious Rethoricke For to describe so faire a Creature And of the Muses nine I know not one Therefore I must vnto you every one Excuse my selfe though not of negligence For that no want of will there is in me But onlie for default of eloquence And vnto Guido send you there to see How orderlie he did declare the same So that to tak 't on me I were too blame But I will to the point proceed and show How Paris still his eye on her did cast And in the temple walked too and fro Till hauing well bethought himselfe at last To ease his heart enflam'd with Cupids fire He did approach vnto her somewhat nier And still full of this colour went and came So deeply was his mind with loue possest And Helena for her part did the same And priuately in heart could take no rest But still

manner still did hold His enemies in chase and beat them downe All that day with couragious heart and bold And brought them vnto great confusion So long till that the Sun withdrew his light And euening when it waxed toward night That he returnd to Troy victoriously And seven daies ensuing without rest He did assaile the Greeks so cruelly And in such furious manner them opprest That they could not his puissant force sustaine But forced were to flie out of the plaine T' avoyd the strong and mighty blows which he Amongst them dealt for where so ere he past He put them to so great extreamitie That they shrunke backe and were in heart abasht To see the field all dy'd and coloured red With bloud of Greeks that on the plaine lay dead And were that day oppressed in such wise That next day after they did all agree Betimes assoone as ere the Sun did rise To fend a messenger to Troy to see If Priamus vnto a truce would yeeld For two months space wherwith king Priam held A counsell of his Lords to that intent And by consent of them he did agree Vnto the Greeks desire and was content That peace for two months time should holden be Which done the Greeks out of the towne straight went And comming vnto 〈◊〉 tent Declared vnto him what was decreed By Priamus concerning his desire And after that their Generall with speed Sent messengers to pray and to require Achilles who was obstinately be●t And resolutely held in his intent Not to relieue nor aid the Grecians In any wise what need so ere they had Against their mortall foes the Troyans According to the vow he then had made To mollifie his anger and t' agree With them t'assaile their Troyan enemie As he had done before the which to doe Ulisses Diomede and Nestor were Appointed to perswade him therevnto That they might not such losse damage beare As daily they endur'd and specially Because he did to them his aid deny And would not with them in the field appeare Whome when Achilles saw he did receaue And welcome them with ioy full heart and cheare And when they had of him desired leaue To speake their minds according to their charge Ulisses their Commission to discharge An eloquent discourse vnto him made And following his first instruction In this sort did begin him to perswade And said my Lord Achilles whose renowne Exceeding might and glory passing great For memory perpetually is set Within the Booke and register of fame And who the truth to say doth certainlie At this time well deserue to beare the name Of all that vnderneath the christ all skie Do liue and breath for knighthood to excell Be not displeas'd I pray you that I tell My mind to you nor be it none offence At all vnto your honor that I say For this is sure it is my full pretence To tell the truth as neere as ere I may As well your Lordship shall perceiue and see If you but marke what shall be said by me You know full well if you to mind will call The chiefest cause and reason why that we With all the Grecian Princes which excell For puissant strength and power that now be Assembled here whereof your selfe was one Of those that first did make the motion Was by a full consent and will t' invade Besige and to destroie the puissant towne Of Troy and when that we performed had Our wills therein to raise and cast it downe Vnto the ground to our e'relasting fame But now my Lord you varrie from the same And so denlie haue altered your mind And to that end do vtterlie denie To aid vs in our warre the which we find To be exceeding strange especiallie When you should thinke vpon the mightie wrong Done vnto vs in Greece and that not long Nor many yeares agoe by Troyans That sent a mightie force out of their towne And therewith slew and kild the Grecians And entring into Cithera beat downe Our Castles and our houses and did beare Our treasure thence and not contented were With all that spoile but to our great despight Did ravish faire Queene Helena and made Her go with them and hold her still by might And would not once confesse the wrong they had Then done and now still vnto vs procure But in the same do obstinate endure And since our being here in siege haue wrought So much and so great hurt and iniurie To vs by burning of our ships and brought So many Greeks vnto their ends that we Cannot but muse at your great carelesnes That will not now when they as we confesse By your exceeding might and valor great Are brought vnto most hard extreamitie S●th you haue Hector slaine in whome they set Their speciall trust and chiefe securitie And he who onlie did their towne sustaine And sith Deiphobus likewise now is slaine And they by likelihood continuallie And day by day to fall into despaire Now fortune on them casts a lowring eie And vnto vs doth shew a countnance faire Even now I say when you are so renownd And that your praise by trump of fame doth sound Through euerie Land and Nation far neare Take time while it doth serue t' extoll your praise And by dame Fortunes aid which doth you beare So great good will to worke by all assaies To bring your long desired wish t' effect For 't were great wrong in you so to neglect Dame Fortune when to you she is so kind And obstinately to refuse her aid When you do her so friendly to you find And so extols your fame as I haue said That she puts victorie into your hand And vnexpectedly your foes withstand So that you need no helpe of her to craue Why then should you so wilfullie let fall The noble fame which at this time you haue And suffer that men should 't in question call When as it is now in the highst degree Me thinks you should much better thereto see And haue a greater care the same to keepe For euerie knight that is of valiant mind Would grieue thereat with great sighs deepe Lament to see you proue so much vnkind Vnto your selfe as to abase your state When fame doth it so highlie eleuate Wherefore we you desire heartilie To haue remorse of conscience in your mind And that you would vnto vs not denie Your aid but let vs so much favor find At your hands to helpe vs in our need T' effect the thing which we haue all decreed To bring to passe ere we leaue off the same That your renowne may still be magnified Throughout the world to your perpetuall fame And still encrease and be reedified And that the trivmph of our victorie May evermore be had in memorie And so recorded that forgetfulnesse May not your fame valor greatt deface Nor power haue by malice to suppresse The same which now doth shine in euerie place Without ecclipse as we must needs confesse Which to