geare but very basely vsed and as present occasion craued priuily sent away by secret and vnknowne wayes to the intent it might not be intercepted or stayed Now when Perdicas had espied the sumptuous simulachre of dead Alexander and sawe euery thing as he thought roially executed and pompously performed he pawsed from his speedy pursuit after Ptolomey perswading himselfe that he had obtained the thing namely the body of Alexander wherabout such strife and contention kindled and burned betwixt them both so egerly but hee was deluded and mocked for all that and vnderstood the truth somewhat too late and perceiued that he was craftily circumuented and was forced in the end to retire backe being shamefully flowted This was the end of this earthly god and the vnquietnes which fell to his dead carkasse which could not for a time obtaine the rights of buriall and also after it was committed to the ground it could not rest but was tossed and remoued from place to place for whereas hee in his life time despised to be counted mortal he was at his death denied the cōmon benefite of a mortall man Of whose life and manners hereafter shall be more sufficiently spoken according as the cause shall require and occasion be offered Scho. O most vnhappy Prince that euer liued woulde hee needs be a god Was there no remedy Well therefore as it seemeth he could not enioy the common benefit of a man what meant he by this vaine wish when he heartily wished that his armes might reach from the orient to the occident and that he might beare his banners displayed in all kingdoms and nations of the earth to the intent he might be knowne their Lorde and King nay rather what meant he when that he could not satisfie himselfe with so great a parte of the world as he had already gotten and wonne but mourned for the other worldes which he heard of which he thought vnpossible for him to get Was his appetite so vnquenchable O vnsatiable minde that hearkened not to the wise saying of Diogenes who saide His length of ground were sufficient patrimony for him which in the ende the greatest prince and peere of the earth must be contented withall but he being kept so long aboue the ground as seemeth lesse than his length in his life might containe his dead rotten carkas For a small hole would serue to croud and thrust the remaine of the decayed and putrified corps with ease wherefore he needed not so large measure of ground as Diogenes spake of before But sée the power of the immortall God in shortning the armes of this mortall God so much that so small a rowme would with ease hold and containe him which before groped in a manner after the verie heauens the vpper face of the earth not contenting his greedie appetite Therefore truly in my opinion he needed not to write vpon his graue or Tombe as Ennius did who ingraued these verses be cause the people should not bewaile his death saying Nemo me lacrimis decoret neque funerafletu Faxit cur volito docta per ora virûm No man shall bewaile mee with teares nor shall make sad my funerall with weeping For Alexander might well assure himselfe hauing so much troubled and molested the world that his name which in his life time was both odious and detestable should not at his death bee bewailed and deplored but rather that his funerall should turne the whole world to great gladnes and common ioye Fa. Cyrus the Persian King although he liued a while contented and in fauour and good liking of his people yet notwithstanding in the end hee was drowned in couetousnesse giuing himselfe to the vaine pride of the world hunting after honour climing after superioritie striuing vncessantly for the kingdomes of his neighbours whereby he grewe both odious to his countrimen also vntollerable to his confines and borderers neither could he take example by Croesus the rich King of Lydia whom hee had taken prisoner before with all his people which happned thorowe his coueting and vnsatiable minde and yet for all that hee gaue himselfe so much to the conquering of the kingdomes of others that in the end he lost both his own patrimonie and life also But first to showe the preseruing election and establishing of this King it shall not much digresse from our purpose Astyages King of the Medeans in the night dreamed that out of his daughters loynes should spring a vine whose branches should ouer shadowe al Asia The King being feareful asked counsaile of y e Southsaiers cōcerning y e euent of his troublesome dreame whose answeres were y t his daughter should bring foorth to him a nephewe which should take his kingdome from him Thus being terrified with this answere he would neither giue his daughter to any forreigne Prince or worthie state nor to his owne countriemen which discended or came of any honorable parentage to the intent that no stock or race of nobilitie might bréed or bring vp such a nephewe to him But at the last he gaue her in mariage to Cambises a Persian which was at that time a most obscure Nation notwithstanding fearing the future hap of his dreame he sent for his daughter being great with child vnder colour of being graundfather that he might looke well and carefullie to his daughters Child when it should be borne Not long after the young Childe his nephew was borne and then foorthwith Astiages the Graundfather gaue it to Harpagus chiefe Lord of his counsaile to bee presently slaine but Harpagus fearing least after the death of his Lord Astiages his daughter mother to that child should raigne in the kingdome and so reuenge the murder of the innocēt on him wherfore he gaue it to one of the kings shepheards to bee priuelie brought vp returning this answere to the King that he had slaine the child his nephew therefore he should not néede to feare his dreame But in time the boy growing vp to a pretie stripling being in companie with his fellowe shepheard boyes in the field and by lot was chosen King in their childish sportes and plaies when certaine of his little subiects had transgressed his cōmandement he caused them to be holden vp in iest whilest he whipped them in earnest the boyes complained of this abuse to their parents and they in like sort taking in hard part such whipping cōplained of it also to the King how that the sonne of a hired seruant had scorged and whipped their children which they tooke grieuousely then Astiages sending for the boy demanding of him the cause Where with the boy with a bolde and manly face Fecisse se vt regem respondit he answered That hee had done as became a King and no otherwise Astiages hearing this maiesticall answere of the pretie boy called to minde his forepassed dreame viewing well the lad he asuredly thought that y e boy much fauored his daughter whose Childe hee had caused
life by no meanes he coulde saue or preserue Now was Darius ouercome when his power was most strongest with the benefites and friendlinesse of his foe so honouring in his heart his aduersarie that for loue he bare him he could not arange his battaile against him reioysing greatly in himselfe and also saying to his friends If I am ouercome in this warre yet notwithstāding I haue great cause to reioyse that I shall be conquered by so noble a minded prince Wherefore againe he sent his letters to Alexander offering him the greater part of his kingdome to the riuer of Euphrates with his other daughter and for the other captiues he offered three hundred thousand talents But Alexander returned this answere refusing the compositiō saying It was need lessethankes of his enemie for he alwaies had vsed to reuenge himselfe on armed men and on his fighting foe and not vpon hurtlesse women Thus by the hautie courage of Alexander Darius was forced and drawen into the fielde vnwillinglie to fight against his enemie whom he estéemed as a friendly foe notwithstanding there was fought betwixt them a fierce and cruell battaile the Persians in the end being ouerthrowen with great slaughter for that Darius their Captaine could not encourage or stirre them vp to fight against his friend In which conflict certaine of the friends and alliance of Darius séeing the battaile vtterly lost and that Alexander was like presently to be Lord of the field sought to betray their king into the hands of Alexander thereby to pick a thanke or as they say to currie fauour In accōplishing of which thing Darius was sore wounded by his allies notwithstanding he escaped preuented their purpose But Alexander not hearing of Darius sent out seuen thousand horsmen to prosecute after him whō when they could not finde they requested leaue to rest themselues and their ouer wearied horses then one of the souldiers going to water his horse at a certaine riuer thereby by chaunce found out Darius lying in a coach or chariot being mortally wounded with many gréeuous hurtes ready to yéeld vp his life comming néere to the coach he did plainly perceiue that it was Darius and Darius did well knowe that he was one of the crewe or bande of Alexander wherefore he called him to his coache saying My good friend I greatly reioyce that it is my good fortune before I die to haue so fitte a messenger as yourselfe to carrie these my last words not to my enemie but to my good frend Alexander at whose handes I haue founde great fauour say thou my friende that I confesse I die greatly indebted vnto him being altogether vnable to requite the very least of his courtesies shewed to my mother wife and children and that I haue of him a more happier enemie than my kinsmen are frendly For my mother wife and children haue found both fauour and life at the hand of mine enemie and I my selfe am depriued of life by my kinsmen and allies to whom I gaue both life and land Wherefore I wish as great happines to fall on him as he being victor can wish or desire and that I euen now dying doe wholy committe and betake both myself my landes and goods into the hands of so noble a minded prince praying both to the high Gods and also to the infernall powers that he may be victor against whomsoeuer he wageth warre and that all blessings may happen to him according to his owne hartes desire And for the further acknowledging of my vnfeined loue and well wishing desire towardes Alexander my approued friend take here of me this my right hande which thou seest me cut of willingly being aliue and carrie it to thy Lord and master my good friend as a sure seale and firme pledge of my vnfeyned good will and hartie well wishing towards him Thus died Darius when hee coulde no otherwise gratifie and recompence his friendly foe for the great fauoures and courtesies shewed to his familie than by the acknowledging of his clemencie and and gentlenes This friendly fauour of Alexander was soone spred thorow the world and more often repeated to his high praise and commendation than the great and famous victorie which he had against the Persians which was a most wonderfull conquest and remayneth at this day the very chiefe and most principall praise and merite to Alexander Was there not likewise singular courtesie and wonderful gentlenes in King Darius which Alexander conquered For at such time as certaine of his noble men sought to entangle and take him by treason which were of no small account amongst the Persians Darius the King hauing intelligence of their wicked practise thus considered with himselfe and brake it vnto his secrete friend saying Here are diuers noble men which traiterously haue conspired my death if now I shoulde put them all to the sworde there is no doubt but that I should stirre vp against me many of their friends and allies and so be forced to make great effusion of bloud which truely is contrarie and repugnant to my nature The cause surely to me is vnknowen why they should thus wickedly worke my hurt It may be they would be better cōtent with another king to raign ouer them than with me now their present prince yet truely I rather chuse to haue it registred of their disloyaltie toward their Prince by my death than to purchase to my selfe the name of a cruell tyrant by their bloudy slaughters With these considerations he concealed the matter making a shew as though he nothing mistrusted any such thing on a time riding foorth a hunting these noblemen which had conspired against him flocked together hoping now to get some conuenient time and place for their purpose riding with the king to the forrest making a shewe of great ioy and gladnes to the end the king should suspect no euill but he full well knew their intent though he dissembled the matter Thus following their game they trouped together hoping that the king would come that way which they had laide and stauled for him which indéede he did The King séeing their intent and spying their order singled himself from the rest of his companie going directly to the traytors who stoode in ambush redy to fulfill and accomplish that for which cause they came The king boldly rushed into the middest of them saying Now ye traytors dispatch and committe that which ye are determined to doe I haue long time knowē your intent for because I would not be counted a bloudy prince I haue spared you all rather chusing that your handes should be unbrued in the bloud of your giltlesse Prince to your euerlasting infamie and dishonor than my sworde should be stayned with the slaughter of so many Subiectes wishing rather here to die and free your troubled mindes than to liue and remaine such an eyesore to so many noble estates though traytors to their Prince Therefore said he Quid igitur non exequimini id cuius
spared not but beate down the stately walles of his owne natiue Citie Rome because his countriemen fearing his crueltie at the first would not open the gates of the Citie vnto him for which cause hee made the Romans yéelde themselues on their knées to become his faithfull and true subiectes making himselfe Emperour ouer the Romane State which was neuer subiect to Emperour before his time Thus did the pride of his minde still clime for dignitie not béeing satisfied but catching at the verie heauens if his power had extended so farre being fleshed with so manie bloudie broyles and animated with such lordly statelinesse that no Roman péere or potentate might stirre or speak against his wilfulnes Therfore true is the saying of Tully who saith Quem metuunt oderunt quem quisque odit perijsse expetit Whom they feare they hate whom euerie man dooth hate his death is wished for Which saying was truly verefied in him for he grewe in such detestable hate dayly amongst the Romanes that they continually wished and heartely desired his destruction and confusion which came thorough his great pride and in that he would so much be feared Neither was it vnknowen to him that by his aspiring minde and stately behauior he was growen into deadly hate amongst the Romanes for which cause fearing the destruction of expected hap he made a law and instituted a decrée that no Romane should come into the Senate house with anie weapon at all vnder paine of death which was where he most commonly sate in iudgement and where the States of the Romanes assembled themselues together to conferre and determine of causes yet notwithstanding in the end Cassius Brutus extreamely hating the vnquenchable pride of his aspiring minde brought priuely into the Senate in their pockets and sléeues small bodkins little kniues and such other fit instruments for their purpose and sodainely in the Senate house set vpon him vnlooked for stabbing him into the bodie most miserably vntill he died This was the end of mightie Caesar which happened through the default of Temperance which gift if he had possessed he had not so died Scho. O good God what meant the vnsatiable Caesar by his inordinate coueting and by the vncessant climing for vaine superioritie had he delight and pleasure in such cruell slaughters and miserable murders of so many destressed people was his gréedie appetite so hungrie after honour that his minde could neuer be satisfied would not so manie pitiful murders so manie lamentable chances so manie cruell acts so manie hard escapes in his warres which he both beheld in others also felt himselfe mollifie and abate the hautie pride and loftie courage of his aspiring minde wherein he might haue perceiued himselfe as mortall as the rest Surely I much meruaile how hée could register and set downe with his owne pen the whole discourse of his warres and victories compiled in a volume called Caesars Commentaries without blushing chéeks wonderful shedding of teares and déepe sighes from the heart to thinke that for his owne vaine glorie and pride of heart so manie Nations were subdued so manie stately Townes beaten downe sacked so manie people slain and murdred most lamentably that all Europa stood floating with y e blood of his slaughters He might haue considered the nature of man by the disposition of himself for before their Countrey should be sacked spoyled robbed and destroyed by the inuasions and forces of forreign enemies they will most willingly venter life and runne with desperate minds to death in defence of Countrie and libertie but the wise Cato saith Sic facias alteri quòd tibi vis fieri So doo vnto another as thou wouldest thy self be done vnto Euen such measure as he gaue to others such measure was heaped to him againe For when he had depraued diuers kings of their kingdomes spoyled them of their liues wrested from them their goods in the ende as it séemeth he was in one houre depraued of his Empire which he had made firme to himselfe perforce despoyled of his princely regiment and most miserably murdred by the hands of his owne subiects O most vnhappy end Fa. If wee shall goe forward according to promise it is not conuenient to stand long vpon this one example but to procéed Alexander the Great who was the sonne of Philip King of Macedonie in like manner was one whome fortune highly fauored for being but twentie yeares old when first he began his raigne at which time hee set forward to conquere the whole World and at the first subduing the Athenians Getes Lacedemonians Argeans Thalants with all the whole countrey of Greece from thence he went to Hellespont where he conquered all the countries there about marching from thence into Asia where at the first hee slew in one day of Persians 20200. causing also many Cities and strong townes in the same country to yéelde to his mercie as Sardis Lydia Magnesia Phrygia Ephilos Pamphilia Caria Pysidia Lysia Gordin Helicarnus Melyton Selenas Aucyre Paphlagony Solos Malon Lernesus Islon Sebestus with strong Castabulon Then passing to the large country Cilicia where he tooke prisoners the mother and wife of King Darius putting him to flight sleying of the Persians 100000. compelling also Strato the great King of Arade with all the Kings of Syria to yéeld themselues on their knées to his mercie he put to sacke the stately and strong Citie Tyre that neuer before since the beginning of the World had been conquered then sayled hee into Aegypt and so ouer the riuer Nilo where he subdued all the country marching forward to Araby where hee slew the mightie King Darius with manie thousand of his people from thence he passed to the great Citie Babylon which was presently yeelded to him then he conquered the whole countrey of Armenia Atrapine Persepolis Paralacen marching to the huge Nation of the Mardons where he vanguished the Medes Parthians Spartans Thracians Acabians Boetians Cannians Besyrians Nisans Pisides with many more vntill he was letted by the Caspian seas the countrie of Amazon he also subdued and vtterly destroyed the great Prouince of Dranga compelling their King to flie into India to saue his life he ouercame the whole land of Aracosia sacking the Cities Acadera Bactria Cyroposis Scythia Bubacen Basannes Duhanes and the Maurians from thence hee conueyed his armie into India that neuer was inuaded by any one before but by Hercules passing ouer and conquering the high and stéepe Mountaines of Meroae and Dedala with rich Amzaga Mount Arum hee long besiedged and in the end gat it which Hercules before him could not subdue making the Kings of India Omphis Abiazaris and Gamaxus to yeeld themselues on their knees then passed he ouer Hidaspis streames where he vanquished the great King Porus and slewe all his armie still marching to the Sabians Sugdrians and Mallians which he also conquered then to the Oxidricans whome hee vtterly ouerthrew marching on to the vttermost
gratia venistis Why doe ye not dispatch your purpose in respect of the accomplishment whereof you be resorted hether Then they all looked on ech other in the face being troubled in their mindes greatly repenting their enterprise that euer they went about to worke such villany to so noble a minded Prince who knew their practise before and yet spared to punish them rather choosing himselfe to die than to vse tyrannie on his subiects which indeede had been no cruelty but vpright iustice wherefore they all with one accorde threwe downe their speares and lighted from their saddles confessing their trespasse humbly submitting themselues on their knees crauing mercie at the hands of Darius proffering their voluntarie seruice to doe whatsoeuer hee hencefoorth gaue them in commaundement Thus with the great mercie and clemencie of Darius without bloudshed the vnbrideled stomackes of his nobles were pacified and made quiet which by a bloudy hand he coulde neuer haue brought to passe And from that time foorth they were mindfull of so gratious a benefite remayning euer after most faithfull obedient and full of duetie to Darius their milde and gentle Prince In like maner Titus a Roman Emperor sonne to Vespasianus excelled in humilitie clemencie and courtesie for at such time as two of his chiefest Péeres had consented conspired to the murthering of their master the king Titus hauing knowledge thereof first calling them into a priuie chamber telling them home of their wicked intent wishing them by milde and gentle meanes to become better Subiectes to their hurtles Prince who so farre as he knew had not deserued at their hands the very thought of such a wicked inuention And afterward taking them both with him to a common game or play setting himselfe betweene them both willing them to sit neere his person and so soone as the sword-players came out with their glittering swords Titus called for one of them which was presently deliuered to him then he foorthwith gaue it to the one and after to the other vnder colour of feeling how sharp it was beholding them with a smiling countenance saying Videtisne potestates fato dari frustrà que tentari facinus potiundi spe vel admittendi metu See ye not saith he that authoritie and power is geuen by destinie therefore it is vaine to trie by wicked practise to possesse the place and as vaine it is to feare the losing thereof Meaning thereby that although they had the sword in their handes yet could they not displace him whoÌ„ God had setled Thus courteously did Titus intreate his Nobles saying that he had greater pleasure and more delight to correct offenders with lenitie than to chastice them with cruelty which caused him to raigne more quietly in his life and also at his death to be bewayled thorow the whole earth calling him the darling and delight of mankind He was wont to say y e night that the day before he had not geuen well to the poore or béene liberall amongst his friends Amici perdidimus diem Frends we haue lost a day Gelon king of Syracusa behaued himselfe wonderfull mildly gently and peaceably in his kingdome yet notwithstanding he was of some tearmed a tyrant But this is most certaine that when diuers of his commonwealth sought wayes to shorten his life by cruell murther wayting for fit occasion to execute and accomplish their vile pretended villanie Whereof when Gelon was enformed and certified he called a court and sommoned an assemblie of Syracusians which being done in the presence and countenance of them all hee went vp into an hauty and high place in maner of a pulpit hauing on his bodie harnesse and in his hands weapons bright and glistring In which sort and order he stoode before them making a declaration of his faithfull care which he alwayes had ouer the weale publique tendering the welfare of them all euen as his owne life Hauing thus done he vnarmed himselfe laying down both armour and weapon at his féete and vttered these words to the congregation which was there assembled saying En amictus tunicula nudus armorum asto dedo me vobis vt pro voluntate libitóque mecum agatis Behold I stand before you naked vnarmed in a thinne wastcote I yeald my life into your handes my body is at your commandement deale with me according to your pleasure For saith he I detest the place if you despise my person neither doe I wish any longer to liue in my calling than you shall well like of my gouernment When Gelon had thus yealded himselfe to his subiects the whole assembly of the Syracusians were much amased and thereupon were so affectioned in mind that néeds they would there was no way to the coÌ„trary deliuer those traiterous varlets and rebellious villaines to the kings power to punish them according to the proportion of their offence and gaue him their suffrages vniuersall consents to continue ouer them his dominion gouernmeÌ„t yet not withstanding would not Gelon correct those offenders but fréely forgaue theÌ„ their trespasses counselling them euer after to become better subiects and to wish to him in their harts no otherwise than he would deserue at their hands Which great mercy and fauor of Gelon the king made the Syracusians to honor and duetifully obey him so long as he liued among them and after his death to haue him in perpetuall remembrance for his singular courtesie and notable clemencie They erected and planted a standing image wearing a single peticote representing to the beholder that this king did raigne and rule by gentle and courteous meanes more safer and far stronger than he that should raigne like a tyrant with harnes and armour of proofe Scho. Truely Sir it is now in these our dayes most manifest how mightely the lenitie and gentlenes of Princes is of force and auayleth and with what willing hearts their subiects will venture both life land and limme in the seruice and defence of their so milde and gentle a Prince yea if it were possible that one body should venture the losse of life ten times or presently to runne to ten deaths for the preseruation â—o safetie of such a noble and mercifull Prince no doubt they could make no curiositie in the cause nor scrupulositie on the matter but with willing and fierce mindes boldly venture themselues Contrariwise we both dayly see and reade that cruell tyrants by their tyrannie cannot compell their Subiectes to beare or carry towardes them a duetifull minde and louing heart neither willingly to venture themselues in their causes but drawen as it were by the eares to their defence or els they should fight in their owne quarrels the people also delight reioyce to heare of the ruine and destruction of such tyrannicall Princes yea and that which is worse doe often conspire and practise vnnaturally the death and destruction of such tyrants Wee reade of the cruell tyrant Clearchus King of the Heraclians that when by no perswasions he could be
Sceuola in which when he came to the place hee thrust his right hand willingly into the fire first suffering it to burne to ashes couragiously saying I willingly committe this my hand to the fire which fayled to kill Porsena the tyrant Further affirming at his death that there were thrée hundreth Romanes more redy prest which had also sworne the death of the king if he fayled and would as willingly venture themselues in their Countreys cause as he before them had done and as it were among themselues striuing who first should doe that good seruice to their countrey Which when Porsena had hearde he did not much discommend their faithfulnes towardes their Commonwealth but with all speed remoued his siege and departed from the walles of Rome to the great reioising of the citizens Thus ought euery man to haue a speciall care regard to preserue his natiue countrey and commonwealth For when both Princes and noble estates haue willingly ventured life nay run to present death for the sauegard of the weale publike much more then ought euery priuate person and meane subiect in Prince and Countreyes cause valiantly to venture both life and lim with right couragious mindes in defence of so honest and good a cause Scho. I confesse that euery subiect ought willingly to offer his body in defence of his Prince and natiue Soyle and not to haue so great a care for the preseruation of his priuate person as for the benefit and welfare of his Prince and Commonwealth Were it not a vile reproach and ignomie to those people that should by their cowardlines suffer their king to be slaine in the field and they themselues to remaine aliue and geue the looking on Contrariwise is it not great honor to him that shall hazard his life yea or run to right desperate exploites in the good cause or quarrell of his Prince To conclude it is the part of euery good prince to haue a care of the welfare of his commonwealth and of the preseruation of his subiects and also the part of all honest Subiects to haue a duetiful care to preserue their prince and a manly courage to defend their coūtrey Truely we read in most ancient histories of diuers who by their noble valoure wise policie and manly courage haue defended from the inuation of forrain foes both their weale publique from subuersion their stately townes and cities from ruine and decay also the whole body of their countreymen from most cruel murther and pitifull slaughter and yet in the end haue been most vilely recompenced by their vnkind countreymen Was not Manlius a Roman surnamed Capitolinus who preserued the Capitoll or castle of Rome from the cruell force of the Gaules and did many other noble actes in his Countreis cause throwne down from the top of the same Castle headlong by his owne vnkind countreimen whom he many times both manfully and couragiously had defended and saued Also Miltiades a noble man of Athens which in the field of Marathaon with 10000. Gréekes discomfited and put to flight 600000. Persians and so by his great wisdome and prudent policie saued deliuered his countrey from being ouerrun with such a mighty and huge hoast which otherwise had beene vtterly subdued ouerthrowen but after being cast in arrerage of a certaine summe of mony he was by his vngratefull Countreymen condemned into most cruell prison and there died in fetters and being dead he might not be suffered to be buried vntill his sonne had put on him the giues that his father did weare In like sort Themistocles a noble captain of the same vngrateful town of Athens after he had deliuered his Countrey from the huge terrible power of Xerxes putting him to flight and al his great hoast making y t mightie king by his circumspect wisdome and policie shamefully to flie home in a Fishermans boate vnknowen for the safety and preseruation of himselfe notwithstanding was at the last driuē his Countrey and forced to flie by the vnkinde Citizens to his enemie Xerxes whō before he had driuen from the walles of Athens but Xerxes willingly receiued such a friende with great intertainment and sent him againe with a mighty armie to warre on his owne countrey hoping now that he would be sharply reuenged on his vnkinde citizens But Themistocles being now Lord Generall against his natiue countrey hauing in his power the whole destruction and ouerthrow of his deere commonwealth yet notwithstanding for all that the Athenians had dealt so extremely with him he rather chose to die than any way to hurt his countrey And because he would not shew himselfe a traitor to Xerxes who had put his whole power into his hand and receiued him so courteously in his extremitie nor that he would torment the bowels of his vngratefull citie vnmercifully to spoyle with forraine people his vnkind countreimē to frée himselfe of these two inconueniences hee poysoned him selfe and so died a more faithfull frend to his countreymē than they had deserued After that Demetrius sonne of Philip king of Macedon whom before I spake of had obteined pardon for his father and whole countrey by his great modestie temperance shewed in the Senat of Rome because the Senators did write to his father the king in this maner We the Senators of Rome do not pardō thee for thy owne sake but for the modest demeanor of thy sonne shewed here before vs in the Senate Which thing Philip by the instigation of certaine of his flattering Subiectes did take so displeasantly and gréeuouslie that his sonne was in such estimation and better accounted of than himselfe and therefore so hated his sonne for his great paines and diligent care whereby he preserued both his father and Countrey from the reuenge of the Romanes At whose good hap also certaine of his vnkinde Countreymen with the helpe of his vnnaturall brother Perses so repined insomuch that they procured false witnes to accuse him to his father being willing to heare any cause against his sonne Thus by the surmise of his vnnaturall Countreymen he was condemned to death by his vnkinde father who before had both studied to preserue the honor of his father and also to mainteine the flourishing estate of his countrey Did not the Romanes banish and exile the noble and worthie Cicero by the procurement of Clodius when he had preserued and defended his Countrey from ruine and vtter destruction and saued the noble Citie of Rome from the fury of Cataline euen for because he had put to death the chiefe traytors and enemies of the Common-wealth in that dangerous conspiracie who sought to spoyle sacke take and burne their natiue Citie Rome Was not the same vngratefull Citie Rome found vnkinde to her most deare frend and preseruer the worthie Scipio for when the Romanes were in great distresse thorow the bitter and sharpe warres which the Carthaginians long time most greeuously helde against them being also mightely ouermatched
with the subtile and wilie Hanniball chiefe General of the hoast of the Carthaginians who came marching to the very walles of Rome conquering the Romans staying their Consuls and beating downe their strongest powers whose force and policie made the citie of Rome to shake for feare the Senators graue fathers to tremble in despaire the noble matrones and young damsels to cry out and lament most pitifully as if the Citie euen then shoulde haue beene sacked knowing not how by any meanes to repell the enemie being in this distresse and ready to be spoyled by their mortall foe when all their flourishing young Gentlemen were almost slaine and their chiefest Captaines and most noble warriors put to the sword Now in this great extremitie the noble Scipio required leaue of the sorowfull Romans to reuenge their iniuries on the bloody minded Carthaginians not doubting but that with a lusty courage and circumspect care to encoūter the power and policie of fierce Hanniball Thus when the graue Senators and the rest of the distressed Romanes did see such willingnes in the noble youth Scipio knowing that both his father and vncle were slaine in the same warre before also seeing such inuincible courage in the braue minded Gentleman they all with willing consent made him gouernour almost ouer their conquered band requiring him with lamentable teares hanging about his necke that at this time he would remember their miserable and distressed estate and seek to hold vp and maintaine their wauering Common wealth which was nowe ready to fall into the hands of their cruell enemie Thus Scipio hauing taken his Countreys cause on him with a noble heart marched against the hardie Hanniball and draue him as well by policie as by force out of the borders and confines of Italie ouercomming him in diuers notable battailes in Spaine getting also the whole Countrey of Spaine againe which the Carthaginians had lately woon from the Romanes not resting vntill he had chased and driuen Haniball back into his owne countrey of Affricke yea and in the end penned him vp hard to the very walles of Carthage which was his chiefest defence and refuge where was fought a cruell and bloudy battaile betwixt two of the most noblest captaines of the world contending in that fight for the Empire of the whole world watching to whō now it should fall For the pride of these two empires of Rome and Carthage could neuer digest or brooke the statelines of each other which first was the cause of this bloudy warre but now at this time it was turned to a whole Monarchie for Scipio in this battaile ouercame the Carthaginians and caused stately Carthage to be yeelded to his mercie Now when Scipio had finished this perilous war he returned with the conquest of Affrica and Spaine making the stout captaine Hanniball to fly for his safetie causing the hautie Carthaginians to yeeld them selues on their knees to the mercie of the Romanes returning into Rome with the Empire in a māner of the whole worlde to the great ioy and euerlasting fame of the Romanes Surely a great and sodain change to see the Romans raigne as victors when that not long before the dreadfull Captaine Hanniball had ranged all Italie ouer and driuen the Romanes into their citie of Rome who euery day expected the destruction of themselues and their Citie and now not onely to be Lordes againe ouer their owne Empire but also ouer the stately Carthaginians who before had sought their subuersiō and confusion which hapned by the wise gouernment and valiant courage of noble Scipio The Romanes being now fréed from all miseries and calamities and againe ruling as kings ouer the whole worlde could not chuse but defile themselues with notable ingratitude and spot themselues with wonderful vnkind dealing for Scipio who had thus pleasured his countrey because the world had him in great honor and admiration comming dayly from far to the citie of Rome to behold and doe honour to so valiant and fortunate a Gentleman who had so manfully defended his countrey and gotten such peereles prayse to the Romanes wherfore the Romanes disdayning that the honour of Scipio should dayly so increase repining and grudging at him séeking by all meanes possible to hunt him from the citie because they would not acknowledge themselues to be beholding vnto him for his noble actes despising that any one should liue amōg them that should be accounted the preseruer or vpholder of their common wealth which was by reason of their intollerable pride therefore they sought by all meanes to banish and exile him from the Citie which was by his meanes preserued as the world at this daye can wel witnesse inuenting against him strange and diuers accusations First hee was charged with the olde matter betwixt the Locrenses and Pleminius wherein as they say he being Consull was corrupted with mony and therefore ministred not true Iustice. Againe they layd to his charge that his sonne being prisoner to Antiochus their enemie was deliuered to him without raunsome which they thought was verie suspitious For these small causes he was called before the Senate to answere to their obiections which were but of small importance euen as if he had béen a meane man base person vrging causes against him with extremitie without fauour or hauing anie respect to his noble actes done for the Common wealth which ingratitude he tooke so displesantly that he departed from the Court and went into the countrey to the towne of Lytarne where he dwelled as long as he liued exiling himself frō Rome for euer and at his death he commaunded his bodie to bee buried there also that his bones might not rest in that vnkind Citie The most worthie Captaine Hannibal was also banished Carthage by his vnkinde country men when he had done wonderfull exploytes in his Countreys cause and although he was in the ende conquered by Scipio yet was he well knowen to bée the most famous and worthiest Captain liuing in the world at that time notwithstanding Fortune fauoured him not Thus we sée that diuers are most vile hardly recompenced by theyr vnkinde countrey men for their good seruice done Fame Yet notwithstanding my good friend although diuers Countreys haue béen vnkinde and vngrateful to their noble Countrey men it is no consequent that anie Country man should be vntrue to his natiue soyle and Commonwealth for the fault is much more hainous and farre more gréeuous for the man to be vntrue to his Common wealth than for the coūtrey to shewe an vnkinde part to the man although it be bad in both But now againe to our purpose though wee haue somewhat digressed from the matter in shewing what man ought to doo for his Countrey and with what willingnesse hee ought to hazard life for the preseruation thereof it shall not séeme vnfitt to retire againe to our former conference concerning the gouernment of man which altogether ought to bee grounded on temperance as our former speach hath hetherto
pronounce and declare in his owne behalfe saying Plus ego togatus quà m armati decem I did saith he more by my counsell in the Senat than ten armed men in the field And in maintaining of his argument he further said Dux Agamemnon Greciae nunquam optat vt Aiacis similes decem habeat at vt Nestoris quandoque We neuer reade saith he that Agamemnon the chiefe ringleader and Captaine of the Greekes did euer wish that he had ten strong and forcible men like to Aiax but sometime hee would wish that he had ten prudent and wise Counsellers like to prouident Nestor And according to the opinion of learned Cicero prouident wisdome and circumspect carefulnesse is rather to be expected in graue and aged yeares than in greene and youthfull heads For in his booke de Senectute he doeth alleadge these authorities Apud Lacedemonios quidem ij qui amplissimum magistratum gerunt vt sunt sic etiam nominantur senes Amongst the auncient Lacedemonians saith he those which did beare any high authoritie were called aged Fathers as indeede they were otherwise they coulde not bee admitted to such offices And againe vpon the same occasion he saith thus Quod silegere aut audire voletis externa maximas respublicas ab adolescentibus labefactatas a senibus sustentatas reperietis If saith he either ye will reade or heare outward and forraine examples ye shall finde that great Common-wealthes and mightie Kingdomes haue fallen and decayed thorow young mens gouernment and againe how they haue bene vpholden and maintained by the graue gouernement of olde men When the Romanes were thorowly wearied by the wilfull rawnes of their youthfull Captaines buying experience by their dayly sufferance with extreame losses and lamentable slaughters of their people then in the ende for redres thereof they al with one consent constituted and made a decrée that if any Captaine or Leader in time of warre should vnadvisedly or sodainly set on the enemie without the consent or appointment of the Centurion or Captaine generall yea although he vtterly vanquished and ouerthrewe the aduersarie yet notwithstanding his ouer rash attempt and wilful boldnes should as gréeuously be punished as if he had bene enemie to his countrey for that Fortune might as well haue caught their folly as fauoured their rash enterprise Pap. Curtius being Dictator commanded that F. Rutilius master of his horsmen should be beaten with rods after beheaded for fighting against his commandement though he had the victory Neither would Papirius forgeue the punishment at the intercession of the Souldiers and when as he Hed to Rome he also pursued him neither would he there remit the dreadfull punishment vntill that Fabius and his father fell down on their knees and that also the Senat and people made intercession for him Manlius caused his sonne which against his commandement had fought with his enemy that had chalenged him though he got the victorie to be beaten with rods and haue his head stricken of Thus the Romans preuented many miseries which otherwise might haue hapned to their cōmō sorow heauines I would not it should be thought I altogether disalow yong captains condenming them al with vnaduised iudgement as the Emperor of Greece did the young ambassadors of Athens to be either rash wilful or foolish hardy or voyd of any good gouernment for then should I speak fondly and vnaduisedly in ouer rashly condemning their secrete vnknowen qualities When diuers of the aged Consuls graue leaders with other worthie Captaines of great experience of Rome were slaine in the Carthaginian war and that the whole Romane Empire did shake for feare hauing none left aliue vnto whom they might trust in this perilous warre to fight against so subtile and craftie a foe as Hanniball was who before had slaine such a mightie number of their worthy men Thus being in such perplexitie lamenting sore their distressed state and fearing the present subuersiō of their Citie then in this their great extremitie yong P. Cornelius Scipio the sonne of that Scipio which before was slaine in Spaine in the same warre by the Carthaginians being but three and twenty yeares olde earnestlie craued of the Senate that he might haue the office and authoritie to fight against wily Hanniball who had done them such high displeasure and made their whole state so pensiue and sad not doubting but to be reuenged on their enemies for their forepassed crueltie But the distressed Romanes seeing the tender yeares of the young Gentleman were doubtfull to committe such a waighty cause into his hande some of them speaking against his yeares as a man not alowable in such extremitie and againe some for that his father and uncle were both slaine in the same warre wherefore said they it is greatly to be feared considering his youthfull yeares and also the death of his Father least that he should be ouer rash in seeking speedy reuenge to his owne perill and their losse Notwithstanding the graue Senators wisely considering on the cause seeing the willingnes of the young man and his wittie Oration vttered there before them all at the same time committed their whole state into his hande who gouerned it with such wise policie and carefull foresight that he did not onely match the worthy Hannibal but also draue him out of Italie Spaine who before had viewed the Roman walles minding foorthwith to haue taken their citie forcing him also to flie into his countrey of Affrica and at the last home to the very walles of Carthage where he vtterly vanquished him seising on the whole Empire of Carthage to the vse of the Romanes Thus when the graue and valiant captaines were some slaine some put to flight and other some not daring to incounter with such a victorious Captaine as Hanniball was the yong Scipio by his manly valour wise policie and circumspect leading of his army both fréeed his Countrie from such a perillous enemie and also made the stately Empire of Carthage subiect to the Romanes to the great glorie and renowne of his Countrie and to the euerlasting remembrance of his name In like sorte Alexander the great the most famous Captaine and leader that euer liued was but twentie yeares olde when he ouerthrewe most mightie Kings and strong Princes with a very small number therefore wisedome and pollicie consisteth not in gray haires nor victorie altogether dependeth in olde age notwithstanding youth ought to haue a speciall care to ground all their actions vpon temperance with an open eare to sage aduise and wise counsaile and then no doubt victorie will not altogether consist and depend on fickle fortune But before I proceede any further to shewe the calamities and miseries of ruinous warre it shall not séeme amisse to shew what subtile sleights wise policies and cunning Stratagems haue beene in ancient time vsed to delude and mocke the enemie withall being also things very necessarie diligently to be noted in these our troublesome dayes
most excellent things in the worlde that euer were séene or heard of Now when all these ordinances of Alexander were red by Perdicas heard by the Macedonian Princes although they loued their master maruellously yet when they saw his enterprices to be such and of so great charge they all agreed with one consent that nothing should be done therin departing euery man to his Prouince whereunto he was appoynted by the gouernor Perdicas Shortly after they were all departed and seperated one from another Perdicas thought good hauing so fit oportunity to reuenge himselfe on those that first hindered him from being king And for because that Meleager now prince of Lydia whē he was sent ambassador to the footmē did earnestly stād against his desire altogether preuented his intent therefore Perdicas in reuenge first of all other most cruelly slew him with 30. of the most principall souldiers that were against his proceedings The other princes soon had intelligence of the things Perdicas had done fearing he would shew the like crueltie on them hearing also what their master Alexander had said on his deathbed which was that his kingdomes possessions should be possessed of the most worthy wherfore euery of them enioying so large prouinces and territories thought themselues as worthy personages as either Aride the king or Perdicas his gouernor insomuch that the most part of them would be subiect to neither but seniorized their Prouinces to their owne vses chalenging the name and title of kings deuiding themselues taking part one against the other euery one striuing who should bee worthiest Which words of Alexander together with their stately pride was the originall cause that the whole number of Princes and captaines successors to Alexander perished and were vtterly destroyed for they earnestly coueted each others kingdome raising among themselues bloudy war and cruell strife snatching after the most worthy place not forcing of cruell murthers or lamētable slaughters but with eger minds būted after y e goods life of ech other vntil they had vtterly rooted out consumed themselues for Perdicas hauing slaine Meleager and other of his fellow seruitors in Alexanders warres toke vpō him to go into Egypt to dispossesse Ptolome whom before he had placed in that Prouince But there because he behaued himselfe so proudly dismissing his captains vpon small occasions at his pleasure his souldiers set vpon him most fiercely slew him the greatest part of his army being gone to Ptolome King Philip Euridice his wife wer most cruelly murthered by Olympias Alexanders mother Craterus cōming against Eumenes in opē battail was by him slaine Eumenes also was slain in fight by Antigonus Antigonus likewise put to death Python and gaue his prouince to another Antigonus going to batel against Antioch the sonne of Seleucus was himselfe slain by default of his sonne Demetrius It was credebly reported that the night before Antigonus was slaine his son Demetrius dreamed that Alexander who before was dead came stood before him with his sword drawne saying I wil take part with thy enemies against thy father and thee in the morning also when Antigonus aranged his phalange or square battell of footmen comming foorth of his Tent to fight he stumbled and sell downe flat to the groūd and after he was lifted vp againe holding vp his hands to heauen he said I know hard fortune and euill successe drawethny but I pray the immortall Gods rather suffer me to be slaine in this battel than shamefully before mine enemie to flie Also old Antipater falling sick on a surfet which he had takē in these warres deceased and left the kingdome of Macedon to Polispercon his frend and not to Cassander his owne sonne which also caused great controuersie to arise betwixt his sonne Cassander and his friend Polispercon But in the end Cassander expelled Polispercon his fathers kingdome Not long after he himselfe came to vntimely death leauing behind him two sonnes the eldest hight Alexander the other Antipater which Antipater after he had slaine his owne mother sought meanes to driue his brother Alexander out of Macedon For which cause Alexander sent for ayde to king Pirrhus in Cyprus to Demetrius Antigone his sonne in Peloponnesus howbeit Demetrius being so occupied about the estate and affaires of Pelopōnesus whē the Ambassadors of Alexander came that hee coulde by no means help him In the mean time Pirrhus with a great armie came thether and in recompence of his ayde charge took possession of so large a peece of Macedon laying it to his owne countrey of Epyre that Alexander greatly dreaded him And while he abode in this feare he was aduertised that Demetrius was with his whole power comming to his ayde Wherupon he considering the authoritie great renowne of Demetrius and also the worthines of his déedes for which causes he was highly honoured through the whole world did now more than before feare his estate if he entered his realm wherfore he foorthwith went to méet him whom at their first méeting he right courteously and honorably entreated greatly thanking him for his courtesie and trauell in that he would leaue his own affaires of great importance and with so mightie an army come to his ayde further telling him that he already had wel quieted and established his estate so that he should not néede any further to trauell Neuertheles he thought himselfe so much bounde as if he had come at his first sending for or that all things had béen by his meanes quieted To these words Demetrius answered that he was right glad of his quietnes and that he had now no néed of his helpe besides many other louing and gentle words which gréeting ended either of thē for that night returned into his tent During which time there arose such matters betwixt thē that the one greatly suspected the other for as Demetrius was bid to supper with Alexander he was willed to take heede to himselfe for Alexander had practised by treason to slay him notwithstanding he by no mean shewed any countenance of mistrust but meant to go to the banquet to whose lodging Alexander was comming to bring him on his way But Demetrius diuersly detracted the time went a soft easie pace to y e ende his souldiers might haue leisure to arme them and cōmāded his garde being a greater number than Alexanders to enter with him also to waite neer his person but when Alexanders souldiers saw themselues the weaker part they durst not attempt it at that time And after supper because Demetrius would haue some honest cause to depart he fayned he was some what ill in his body therfore foorthwith took leaue of Alexander went thence The next day Demetrius feined that he had receiued letters out of his countrey of great importance so that he with his army must presently return into Peloponnese frō whēce he came praying Alexander to haue him excused offering him
had slaine with the fained loue of Polixena her daughter for causing doating Achilles to come to Pallas Temple after a subtle and treacherous sort where hee was traiterously slaine by Paris her sonne also In like case Neoptolemus otherwise called Pirrhus for his fierce and stearne visage the sonne of the most worthie Achilles after he had slaine aged Priamus King of the Troyans and murdred his sonne Polites at the Altar in the presence of Hecuba his tender mother and sacrificed his Daughter Polixena on the toomb of Achilles sharply reuenging his Fathers death wrought by Hecuba her daughter Thus when hee had both reuenged Menelaus wrongs and the traitrous murder of his Father Achilles was himselfe slaine by Orestes for certayne occasions about Hermione which happened in his absence Aiax a most renowmed Greeke being companion to Achilles alwaies accounted of the Grecians the next in force strength to noble Achilles therefore Aiax claimed the armor of his slain companion for that his strength farre surpassed al the Greeks and also in consideration of his good seruice done at that ùege notwithstanding Vlisses earnestly contended for the armour of slaine Achilles encountring Aiax with eloquence pleading also before the Greekes that he had conuayed the slaine bodie of Achilles to Thetis his mother on his backe which otherwise might haue lost the honour of his funeral Thus in the end Vlysses by his eloquent tongue obtained the armour for which cause Aiax fel mad chasing after wilde beasts threatning them by reason of his frantick moode to be the person of Vlisses and in this sort he died Vlisses also sonne to Laertes after hee had done many notable exploits at the same siege for that as the report goeth when he had conuated the sacred relique Palladium and fatall destinie of the towne away was himself driuen to sea by the displeasure of Pallas from whose temple he had conuaied the relique where he wandred the space of ten years losing in his perillous iourney the armor of Achilles for which he had so mightely contended leauing in that voyage his companion Achemenides in the dangerous den of the Ciclops where he lost other of his fellowes and mates by Poliphemus the cruell giant at the last hauing lost al both that which he brought from Greece and also that which he had gotten at the subuertion of Troy he chanced home againe where he remained for a time vnknown suffering many spitefull displeasures by the suters of Penelope his chast wife whom after he had vanquished by the helpe of Telemacus his sonne was finally in the same quarrell slaine himself by his bastard sonne Telogonus In like manner Palamedes was slaine at the siege of Troy by his countrimen which happened through the craft of Vlisses for when first the Gretians began to prouide for the Troyan war Vlisses being newly maried to fayre Penelope would willingly haue staid at home in Greece with his daintie loue insomuch that he fayned himselfe mad cupling dayes togeather fondly plowing frantickly in y t field but Palamedes loath to lose so fit a companion smelling also out the matter laide Telemacus the young Sonne of Vlisses in the furrow where his father came with the plough to proue his madnes Vlisses was not so mad but perceiued his sonne lifted his plough from the furrow to misse his child then cried Palamedes with a loud voyce saying Thy craft Vlisses is perceiued therefore lay aside thy plough and take in hand thy weapons so by the meanes of Palamedes the suttle craft of Vlisses was found out notwithstanding Palamedes scaped not unreuēged for as Dictis Cretensis whose person was there present and also whose works at this day remaine extant reporteth on this sort Igitur simulato quod thesaurum repertum in puteo cum eo partiri vellent remotis procul omnibus persuadent vt ipse potius descenderet Eumque nihil insidiose metuentem adminiculo funis vsum deponunt ac properè arreptis saxis quae circum erāt desuper orbuunt Vlisses with the help of Diomedes fayned that they had found secretly hidden in a well a certaine masse of money which they would willingly part with Palamedes if it shuld so please him perswading him to goe downe into the well which thing he vnaduisedly did by the help of a cord suspecting no euil at al but Vlisses and Diomedes flinging downe stones violently which lay there about ready for the purpose stoned Palamedes to death who mistrusted no such matter In this sort saieth Dictis Vlisses reuenged himself on Palamedes but other authors otherwise affirme saying that when Vlisses lay before Troy to work reuengment on him who was the cause of his being there he vsed this suttle policie he counterfeited letters from Priamus directed to Palamedes wherin he made mention of certaine money which he before had sent him giuing him hartie thanks for diuerse treasons which he before had condescended vnto also which money Vlisses had caused to bee hid in his tent by corrupting of his seruants now when these fayned letters were found Palamedes called in question about the matter Vlisses earnestly tooke part with him saying that he verily thought Palamedes had wrong and that these letters were fayned by the enemie which thing saith he may easilie be found for if you can finde any such money either about him or els where secretly hid by his meanes then no doubt he is gilty of this treason but if not as I am fully perswaded then ye must think that the man hath mightily béen iniured by some dispitfull foe then was search made in his tent where the same money was found closely digged in the groūd which y e counterfeit letters made mentiō of for which cause the whole hoast of the Gretians cried out for spéedie reuengement wherefore he forthwith was cōdemned by the péers of Grece to be stoned to death which iudgement presently was executed so died Palamedes who alwaies had been true to his countrimen Anticlus a noble peer of Greece in like sort at the same siege died in vntimely death for being in the huge horse which the Gretians had framed before Troy to be the fatall destruction of the Troyans with a number of other Gretian Lords secretlie hidden in his hollow paunch or woomb the rest of the Armie of Greece flying to Tenedos as if they would haue returned home to Greece againe Anticlus now remaining behinde in the holow horse which stood before Troy being accōpanied with these worthy Princes Thoas Vlysses Menelaus Neoptolemus Achilles brother with manie other noble states The Troians hearing that the Grecians had consecrated that horse to Pallas to appease her wrath now in the absence of the Greciās thronged and wonderfully clustred about the horse some of them wishing to burne it saying it was a false frame inuented of Vlysses to betray their Citie namely Lacon who cried out Breake downe or burne this hollow horse wherein
tooke land at new built Carthage where Dido otherwise called Elisa was Quéene gouernesse there being by her right friendly receiued willing both him and his companie to vse her Countrey as their owne possessions repairing his shaken shippes giuing freely al necessaries to the whole number of his wandring companions commaunding that nothing should be wanting that might pleasure the distressed Troians her selfe oftentimes vsing to welcome her wearied guest whereby she fel in loue with the comely parsonage of beautifull Aeneas euen so farre as plighted vowe on both partes could assure them Aeneas faithfully promising continuall stay and abode in her Countrey but being a Troian he could not digresse from his vnfaithfull progenitors for thorow his disloyal heart and wandring minde he priuily by night stole away from Carthage leauing the pensiue and sorrowfull Queene in the lurch and to holde herselfe to her owne harmes for which vnfriendly part seeing herselfe so deluded and mocked by the vnfaithfull Phrygian presently slewe herselfe for very griefe which she had conceiued thorowe his vnstedfast promise Notwithstanding the Romans still fauoring their predecessor do affirme to hide that vnfaithfull part that Aeneas was warned in his sleepe to depart from thence and seeke out a land which the gods themselues had predestinated to him and his issue meaning by Italie which he after won by force Thus when he was departed from Carthage and had spoyled and robbed diuers other coastes and Countries at the last landed in Italie where thorow corruption by gifts cruel threats by menacing meanes and also by faire promises and allurements he made such discord and dissention in the Countrey of Italie whereby great slaughters of people were horribly committed insomuch that in the ende he attained vnto the Diademe and Crowne of the whole Countrey firmely establishing himselfe in the kingdome which he by force had taken from the quiet Princes thereof there raigning king vntill hee died whose death the Romans seeming to hide for that as they say hee descended from the goddesse Venus wherefore hee was taken vp into Heauen and there placed amongest the Starres for euer to raigne immortall Then after the death of this vnfaithfull fugitiue his sonne Ascanius raigned also after whose decease Siluius Posthumus his sonne succeeded who as both the Romans and Englishmen do affirme begat Brutus who slew Posthumus his father for which cause being vanished Italie when he had troubled diuers other quiet countries at the last tooke lande in the Ile which then was called Albion of one of the thirty daughters of Dioclesian which landed heere by chaunce and named it Britanie staying the huge and mighty Giants whom the deuills themselues had begotten on Dioclesians daughters as the English histories at this day reporteth a foolish toy for the inhabitants of this noble Ile to deriue themselues and fetch their pedegrée from deuills and then after from the gods First to cōfute this foolish error It is most certainely knowne that there was no such king in Syria who was called by the name of Dioclesian for that no ancient Authour of the Syrians make mention of any such name neither of his daughters which as the English Chronicles at this day affirme were put into a small vessell or boat by their father Dioclesian and committed to Sea without either pilote or guide chauncing to land in this Ile naming it after one of their names who was called Albion as the fond saying goeth and then forsooth this Ile being inhabited with deuills at their first arriuing the sisters were carnallie knowne by the deuills themselues and thereof did spring mightie and huge Giants which afterwardes were slaine by Brutus who descended from the gods as they also affirme Which vaine opinion in like sort is both ridiculous and foolish for that neyther the Commentaries of Iulius Caesar the works of Cornelius Tacitus nor the Histories of Diodorus Siculus who did write of this noble Ile made anie mention at all of any such Brutus being descended from the Troyans neither doo the Romans themselues nor the Greekes write of any one called Brutus before Iulius Brutus who did expell Tarquinius out of Rome which was long since the time of Siluius Posthumus It is also to be considered that if Iulius Caesar who made a conquest of this Ile a thousand and fiue hundred yeares since had then knowne that the people thereof had discended from the Troyans as both himselfe and all the other Romans did no doubt he would not haue made warre against this land but rather haue sought to ayd and succour it But the vanity of the English nation is such to deriue their genealogie from the Troians for that as I haue saide before they sprang and descended from the gods or els to fetch their original from Albion who brought forth huge giants by the helpe of diuells so that they must there is no remedy either descend from the gods or else from the diuells themselues this follie first sprang vp amongst the Romans who chalenged their pedegrée from the Troians which as they say descended from the gods and in like sorte the Englishemen to the intent they would spring from the gods as well as the Romans faine that Brutus sonne to Posthumus one of the Troian stocke arriued in this Ile and named it after his owne name Brytannia which truely in mine opinion can not bee true for that his name was Brutus which if you marke it is altogether vnlike vnto Britannia and to mend the matter also they affirme that first they sprang of deuills a goodly commendation to this noble Ile But for that the proude Romans thorow their vaunting vanity did deriue themselues from the gods which they right well knewe were but earthly kinges for that the heathen kinges in those dayes were called gods notwithstanding since the corruption of the time both the Romans and the Englishmen thinke that they are linially descended from the gods themselues for otherwise the Romans would not be so proude and stately as at this day they are wellknowne to be nor the Englishmen so vaine to challenge their pedegrée or recount their genealogie from the most wicked Troians vnlesse they were fully perswaded that the Troians came from the immortal gods which foolish opinion first sprang from the Romans by ouermuch esteming their progenitors Which fond and vaine errours to confute diuers learned men are of this opinion by studious seeking out of the workes of ancient historiographers that the Greekes when first their Cities became populous waxing rich and puissant after they knewe the cunning Art of Sailing first of al other people found out this Ile naming it Olbion which in Greeke is happie for the abundance of all thinges necessarie that they founde there therefore no doubt but that in so long a time as hath bene since Olbion by the corruption of the continuaunce might well he called Albion or else they at that time finding this land by the white rockes and
of such cruell hate Was by Patroclus haplesse death who was his louing mate Whom Hector slewe in open fight with many a Greeke that day And spoylde him of his armor bright that naked there he lay Which armor was the chiefest canse that brought him to his end The angry gods displeasde with vs such haplesse hap did send All things thus done my other sonnes reuenge did vowe to take On vile Achylles for this deede and for slaine Hectors sake That presently vpon the Greekes with mightie force they went And thousands on ech part that day to dreadfull death were sent Thus dayly they did still contend by force of cruell warre And Princes fell on eyther side that thither came from farre The Greekes did waxe the Troyans grew as desperat men in fielde To daunt eche others haughty minde and make eche other yeelde At last againe as fortune woulde Achylles fierce did slay My other sonne sir Troylus who was our chiefest stay A valiant youth the Greekes can tell although he thus did die For that before the proudest Greekes he forced had to flie In turrets tall from toppe of towne my hap was still so bad To see my louing sonne to die a wofull sight most sad For mothers eie still to beholde her louing children so To end their dayes and be abusde by such a spitefull so From loftie walls I then beheld sir Troylus my sonne To course the Greekes on euery side and made them fast to run Vntill that fierce Achylles came who sure I thinke was borne To breede my woe and that the gods against me wretch had sworne To plague with hellish torments vile the plagues of furthest hell Should hap to me and greater paines than any tongue can tell For that what time soeuer I on walls did see the fight Some childe of mine was sure to die within his mothers sight When nowe to turrets top I climde with many Ladies more Whereto I did not once ascend since Hector dide before But then too soone such was my chaunce I thinke the gods decreede That while I did behold the fight no better they should speede Achylles braue on horse did mount whom Troylus had spide To brag amongst the Greekes his mates well mande on euery side But when my sonne had found his foe and thought on Hectors foile Like mighty Mars he layd on lode and made that day great spoile He thrust amongst the thicest throng Achylles out to finde That he might knowe his brothers death as yet he had in mind With couched launce and courage good my sonne did run amaine In hope to haue by manly force his cruell foe there slaine He mist the marke but yet he strake Achylles from his steede And if the Greekes had not giuen ayde he then had done the deede And yet for all the Greekes could do he gaue his foe a wound Thorowe plated thigh he thrust his launce a handful in the ground Achylles horsde by helpe of Greekes and mounted vp anew And then with troupe of armed Knights my sonne he did pursue The wounded Greeke that folowed fast sir Troylus had spide Who turnd his horse and willd his mates his fury to abide With monstrous force the Greekes did fight the Troyans did not flie On either side to lay it on the people fiercely cry At last the Greekes had giuen the horse that then my sonne did beare A mortall wound that paind him so the iade did fiercely fare In plunging sort the horse did play with mighty gyrds at last From setled seate my haplesse sonne the winsing iade had cast In falling downe ah heauy chance his foote the stirrop helde The wounded horse so scard before ran raging in the field And dragd my childe before my face vpon the bloody ground For blood did flow that day ful fresh from many a mortal wound Achylles hauing spide my sonne in such a woful case With piercing speare to him halfe dead he hied him then apace Through backe and side his launce he sent and cride I now am quit With this my wound receiude before and therewithal did hit The staggring horse that downe he fel and there together lay Both man and horse thus fortune vile her froward pranks did play Sir Troylus by chance thus slaine the Greekes from armour stript Whose bowels hung about his feete for they his body ript And naked on a gibe they hang for Troyans there to see Their champion stout whom earst before had made the Greekes to flee Olde Pryamus and I beheld our louing sonne so kinde In vgly sort to hang on high starke naked in the winde Whose corps did waue in swinging-sort which way each wind did blowe And as he hung the angry Greekes at him great stones did throwe Their speares did passe through senselesse corps before him slaine they vaunt So fierce the fooles his carkasse dead with bitter words did taunt Hang here quoth they thou wicked wretch and rue thy brothers deede If he by Grecian fist be caught no better shall he speede For causing of this bloody warre that many thousands rue Their haplesse chance but he himselfe we trust shall haue his due And that ere long wherefore till then feele thou his earned smart We Greekes do hope that Paris proude shal rue his wilful part These words we heard this sight we see the Greekes like mad men rage They threaten stil for Paris deede sharp war with vs to wage A sight ful strange yet not so rare for fortune did present More harder haps to me than this to plague me she was bent A messenger we sent to craue the carkasse of our childe Whose bones were broke and skin from flesh with blows the Greeks had hilde Achylles straight did send my sonne which something pleasde my minde I did not thinke such curtesie at his handes then to finde But with my sonne to comfort me these louing words did send My friend quoth hee tel Hecuba that oft I do intend Such gifts on her for to bestow to breed her further ioy Til such time serue wish her to take of me this mangled boy Thus Troylus was brought to Troy a heauie sight God knows His body foule disfigured with many bloody blows They layde him downe before my face that mothers eies might see Her sonne whom fierce Achylles vsde with such extremitie His martyrde corps I did intoombe though part were left behinde Which Grecian iades did tread to dirt yet al that I could finde To graue was sent the funerals and al things else wel done The Troyans al in woful wise do much lament my sonne That al the towne with houlings sound ech one did waile his fil Him dead I know it was in vaine but that did shew good will Now did the Greekes afresh begin the Troyans to suppresse And they as fierce did fight it out in hope to haue redresse Of former wrongs but al in vaine for Hector now was gone And Troylus my other sonne wherefore there was not one Aliue
our City great did vtterly destroy Fierce was the flame on euery side downe falls the buildings faire The temples of our sacred gods the fier did not spare Till all things flat vpon the ground did lie like desart plaine For memorie of this our tovvne the vvalls did not remaine Dovvne to the earth it smoking lay defaced so vvith fire To ruine novv all things vvere come vvhich vvas the Greekes desire The bodies of the Troyans slaine in Zanthus floud did svvimme Eche channell deepe vvith crimson blood stoode floting to the brimme The members of our martred men in barren fields they flung In fertile sort to fat the earth in steade of other dung That where the towne of Troy did stand in little space was seene Where houses stoode there grasse did growe in sprouting sort full greene And where the Temples of our gods in stately maner stoode The dockes and weedes were cherished by losse of Troyans bloode No place of Troy vntoucht did stand but all for waste was layde The Greekes cride quit with that vile part that Paris first had playde When that mine eies had seene all this the sorrowes which were past Eche wofull hap once callde to minde starke mad I fell at last And raging in the fieldes I ran where lately Troy did stand From thence when I had raylde my fill I passde to Thracia land Where Polymnestor that vile wretch and traytor bad did raigne Who had betrayde yong Polidore my sonne for filthie gaine Which cruell acte though then starke mad in minde I still did beare That for reuenge on him I fell and out his eies did teare To worke him woe for this his deede my frantike minde was fierce The cheekes of this disloyall wretch my nayles did soundly pierce That he foorthwith had lost his sight for this his former deede O would to God all traitours thus for treacherie might speede This deede once done my troubled minde somewhat I did appease For wel I wist the wretch was blinde which did my sorrow ease And also to my further ioy proude Pyrrhus lost his life When he returned home to Greece by reason of the strife That stout Orestes had with him for Hermion that wench That nothing else but present death could this their quarrell quench Achylles sonne at last was slaine Orestes had his ioy And Pyrrhus might repent the time that first he came to Troy Where he imbrewde himselfe with blood and slewe the aged King Which was the cause of his mishap and sure no other thing The gods that knew his cruell minde and saw his wilfull fact Could not lesse do than make the Greeke repent his bloudy act Orestes slue Achylles sonne thus Pyrrhus being dead Like hearbes to pot his flesh was chopt no otherwise he sped This newes to me some comfort was in this my wofull state To heare what hard mishap befell to him that slue my mate And well I wist his father first for vsing me so ill Was slaine himselfe by my consent for Paris did him kill And also how that Thracian King that Polymnestor hight For so betraying of my sonne and doing me that spite Receiude a guerdon for his fact his lumen lights he lost Wherefore the traytor of his gaines I thinke could scarcely bost Of all the rest it did me good for that my hands had done Such due reuenge on that vile wretch that so betrayde my sonne I ioyde a while at this my deede my sorrow wel did flake For that I knew they dide the death of whom before I spake But when againe I callde to minde my children that were gone And deere alies of whom the Greekes aliue had left not one And how olde Pryamus my mate before my face did die On Pyrrhus blade that Grecian grim while I in vaine did crie For helpe to free him from the hand of this his spitefull fo In vaine I cride for that the gods decreede it should be so And then when that I thought on Troy on Troy our stately towne Which was the eie of all the world but now by Greekes throwne downe And like a desart place did lie no signe of Troy did stand The empire stout of Asia great so wrested from our hand That I the greatest Queene on earth so was my stately stile In time forepast and now to be a helplesse wretch most vile So base and humbly was I vsde farre from my former state That harborlesse I rangde about this was my haplesse fate Despisde of all receiude of none refusde of those that faund On me before when I their Queene did euery thing commaund But now although I vsde them well in elder time before They to requite my courtesie did shut me foorth of dore And let me lie without reliefe this kindnesse they did showe In Princes place to me they sude but now they would not knowe Their haplesse Queene in miserie but let me raging runne In euery corner where I would eche wight me wretch did shunne Not Greekes I meane but subiects mine who sometime did professe In Asia soile me for their Queene and now in this distresse The Greekes had awde their minds so far they durst not on me looke But as a thing that venyme was eche liuing wight forsooke Which when I spide and callde to minde my former stately place And now againe did see my selfe to liue in such disgrace In frantike sort my heart was vext the anguish of my minde Like bedlam beast did make me run the spitefull Greekes to finde That were the causers of my woe that I reuenge might take On all the wrongs that they had done and for my husbands sake Whom they had slaine before my face and for my children deare For whose sweete sakes amongst the Greekes I went without al feare With eger fist I laide on loade with nayles and feete at length But slender hurt a womans hand could do to men of strength Yet notwithstanding my good will was seene by this my force And theirs againe O wretched me by vsing such remorce For when that I had done my worst and shewed my vtter might And breathlesse stoode for want of breath by this my feeble fight The Greekes with stones did compasse me whose force I stil defide Till they with stones did strike me downe where presently I dide Lo thus when that all vile mishaps had chaunced vnto me Whome fortune followed to the death with such extremitie And that mine eies to my great griefe such wofull things had seene But would to God before the warre long time I dead had beene When all such haps of hatefull dome that fortune could assigne Did chaunce to me by haplesse hap such luckelesse lot was mine To ende my dayes in great disgrace I dide among my foes They stoned me to death poore wretch a heauy end God knowes Had euer any such mishap since first the world begunne Or any one did know such woe that liued vnder sunne As I my selfe poore wretched Queene though bootelesse now
chop should staine Because I feard the prophesie therfore I did consent But what of that the Gods themselues did hinder mine intent For if the Gods decree it once I know it will fall out Let no man think the powers diuine by any meane to stout Sir Satire sonne to Pariside of Bosphore sometime king Was wild by Oracle to shun a mouse of any thing For that a mouse should be his death except he took great heed The Oracle did tell him flat his fate was so decreed But he to shun the warned harme did slay the silly mice In field and town that none might liue his death to enterprice And in his land no man might dwell that mouse was cald by name He sought each way to saue himselfe he feared so the same He stopt the holes of creeping mice in euery place full sure For that the vermins by no meanes his death might once procure Yet see the end when least he thought of this forewarned harme He wounded was vpon the brawne or muscle of the arme For Musculus a little mouse in Latine we doo call And Mus a mouse which Satire slew as after did befall A dagger piercd Sir Satirs arme right where the muscle grew And muscle comes of Musculus though then too late he knew And Philip King of Macedon was warned to beware Of wagon or of wheeled coach wherfore he had a care To keep himselfe from any such he neuer could abide To come in coach for feare of that but still on horse did ride For all his care it so fell out he could it not preuent He was deceiud no running coach by this before was ment For being slaine the sword that slew the King was brought to sight And viewed well where on the hilts a coach was grauen right To Pelius it was declarde when that he chauncd to see One barefoot doing rights vnto his fathers ghost that he Should then of death in danger stand the prophesie was so Because he should take heed of him and shun the warned foe When he was doing of his rights vnto his fathers ghost His nephew Iason came by chance whose right foot shoo was lost And there vnto his grandsire dead the youth his dewes did giue The vncle then with ielous mind not long did think to liue For that he feard his neuew now who barefoot there did stand Should be the cause of his dispatch wherfore he out of hand Did counsell Iason being young to Colchos Ile to sayle To fetch the golden fleece from thence wherin he did preuaile His meaning was that Iason should be lost or drownd therin The conquest seemd vnpossible the golden fleece to win And for because he might not feare the prophesie forepast He shipt his neuew speedely and sent him thence in hast But Iason soon returnde again and brought away the fleece And brought Medea home with him to be old Pelias Neece To Thessalie Medea came and hearing what was done Against the aged Pelias she presently begun To practise treason at the last and causd the aged sire By his own daughters to be slaine this was for Pelias hire For he that could not trust the man that was his kinsman near But purposely did seek his death to free himselfe from fear Had such a chance ere that he wist Medea did the deed His ielous mind was chiefest cause that made him so to speed The Oracle long time before did know old Pelias mind Wherfore it told what destenie was to the man assignde Of fiftie daughters Danaus to be the sire was knowne Aegiptus then his brother had so many sonnes his own Aegiptus would haue all these his sonnes his brothers daughters wed But Danaus would not consent wherfore away he fled And tooke his daughters all with him because he did suspect A sonne in law would be his death therfore he did reiect The offer that his brother made but why he did refraine The cause was thus the Oracle did say he should be slaine By him that was his sonne in law wherefore he sought to shunne Such destinie as might befall through such a wicked sonne Aegyptus wroth with this his deede did send his sonnes to stay Their vncle that before was fled and pact from thence away His sonnes according to his will old Danaus did take And causde him there against his will a marrige day to make His daughters all were wedded then against their fathers will Eche man his cousin germaine had Aegyptus did fulfill His mind at last and did reioyce in this so strange a march But Danaus not well content did worke a swift dispatch Because he fearde the prophecie least that on him should light He did commaund his daughters all they should appoint a night Wherein eche one with willing minde her slumbring mate should slay And disappoint the prophecie before the morrow day His iealous minde did vexe him so he still did doubt the worst Til it was done he could not rest the man did so mistrust According to the fathers minde they did commit the act The nuptiall bed was so defilde with such a filthie fact All sauing one was slaine that night a hard and cruel part Whose life was saude for that his wife did wil him thence to start For very loue she bare to him though all her sisters had Destroyde their mates which deede she thought to be right vile and bad Thus being saude by such a meane the sonne in law did wexe Right fierce against his father law and earnestly did vexe He vowde reuenge on Danaus that thus vniustly delt He swore that he should taste the same that they before had felt And in the end he slue the wretch for doing of that deede The Oracle pronouncde before how Danaus should speede Thus seeking how to shunne his fate his death he did procure Himselfe was cause of his dispatch when he thought all things sure The Theban king that Laius hight by Oracle was tolde That Oedipus his onely sonne would proue a man too bolde And in the end should be the death of him that was his sier But Laius thought to frustrate that and proue his god a lier Vnto a shepheard of his owne his sonne he gaue to slay And chargde the man vpon his life there should be no delay But presently his sonne to kill and bring him home his heart He shall not liue so long quoth he to make his father smart The shepheard tooke the lad a field but loath he was to kill His Masters sonne that he loude well and yet he must fulfill His masters minde which grieude him sore wherefore he did inuent How he might satisfie the King and saue the innocent That Oedipus were dead he wisht so that his hands were freed From doing hurt vnto the youth and from so vile a deede Wherefore the hurtlesse lad he tooke his legs with twigs he bound And by the heeles vpon a tree he hung him from the ground That no wilde beasts might reach the
be as ioyfull vnto them as the restitution of their daughter vndefiled Then Scipio being ouercome with their long and vehement intercession caused the saide summe to be layd on the ground before his feete and calling Lucius againe to him hee said Beside the dowrie that you shall receiue of your Father in law for the mariage of his daughter ye also shall take this gift at my hande With which his great gift and also much honor done to him beside he returned home to his house countrey declaring to euery man the honor magnificence of noble Scipio saying There was a young man come most like a God who both with his power in warre and also with his gentlenes and liberalitie in peace had ouercome all the countrey Not long after this young Gentleman leauing his house and familie in good order returned to Scipio bringing with him 1400. good horsemen to the ayde and succour of the Romanes Thus first Scipio began with mercy lenity and gentle courtesie which was the cause that he gote in the end to the Romanes such notable and mightie victories The great Pompey neuer gate the like renowne in all his conquest of Spaine and Affrike nor in the subduing of the valiant Sertorius neither in the victories of Armenia Cappadocia Arabia Iberia Mesopotamia with diuers other Prouinces and Kingdomes as he did by his great courtesie For when in his warres against Mithridates he had taken certaine noble matrons and beutifulll virgins he caried a vigilant eye ouer them neither abusing any of them himselfe nor suffering his captains or souldiers to dishonour or dishonest them in any case calling them all together before him comforting them with sweete wordes in the best maner he coulde saying That none vnder paine of death should offer them villanie graunting foorth his safeconduct to them that they might be conueyed to their husbandes parents and friends with honour vndefiled richly rewarding them with iewels which he had taken in his warres protesting also vnto them that he for his part was most heartely sorrie that it was his hap so to fright and terrifie such hurtlesse creatures requesting them to take it in good part for such was the chaunce and casualtie of warre for which gentle behauiours had it not béen for certaine other lewd vices which are before mentioned he had attained to péerlesse praise Alexander the great king of Macedon although hee frequented a number of most notable and bad vices yet were it no reason to burie in obliuion and forgetfulnesse couering as it were in the graue of silence the gentle courtesie and manly pietie which hee showed in most ample maner to the distressed houshold and familie of king Darius For euen at such time as the mightie Warres began betwéene these two Princes In the second Battaile and conflict Alexander had a great victorie against Darius and the Persians taking the tents with all the bag baggage appertaining to the King and the Persians and also for a pray amongst other booties hee tooke prisoners the mother wife sister and the two daughters of King Darius his enemie whome when Alexander came to comfort beeing in great sorrow and distresse they beholding him comming with an armed troupe pitifully schritched and lamentably cried out as if they then should presently haue been slaine falling downe prostrate at the féete of Alexander beséeching him that they might before they died burie the dead bodie of their Lord Darius whom they supposed to be slaine in that bloudie fight and that now wheras he was a man and had at this time gotten a most noble and manly victorie against Darius their Lord and King so to behaue himselfe towards those poore distressed creatures who were altogether vnguiltie of that pitiful slaughter being as it were present in the Armie with their friend for their countreyes cause and in defence of their libertie in which also their Lord King Darius was now slaine therefore now that he would vouchsafe to bestow the bodie of their slain friend on them that they might doo to him in their life the rights of buriall and then said they O Alexander our liues be at thy cōmaundement Alexander beeing greatly mooued with pitie séeing their bitter teares and considering the hard hap and bad destinie of so noble Dames bewayled their distressed case with wéeping further comforting them saying that Darius theyr Lord and King was aliue and at libertie still with his owne force and power and although he was ouercome in that fight yet was he readie to giue newe battaile againe as in déede hee did causing them to banish feare from them for that no iniurie or wrong should happen to them giuing also commaundement that they should be prouided for and vsed as to their high estate and dignitie appertained giuing good words and comfort vnto the two yong Daughters of Darius wishing them assuredly to thinke and firmely to perswade themselues that hee woulde haue as great care to bestowe them in marriage if King Darius their father did die and perish in these warres as he liuing with a fatherly care would prouide for them and that with no base or obscure mates Which thing when Darius was truely certified of and of the courteous entertainement of his mother wife and sister being all prisoners and captiues at the hands of Alexander his enemie although he then was able to geue battaile to the strongest king of the earth for he agayne had gathered a most mightie and huge armie was already ouercome and conquered with the gentle courtesies of his enemie altogether vnwilling to fight against so friendly a foe wherfore he sent his letters to Alexander requiring him that he might redéeme his captiues promising a mightie summe masse of money for their raunsome Notwithstanding Alexander would receiue no money but required his whole kingdome for their redemption Darius not willing to fight with so friēdly an enemie sent his letters to Alexander the second time offering one of his daughters in mariage with part of his kingdome to him if it might please him to accept thereof But the vnsatiable Alexander could not be content with part vnlesse he might haue all the whole And as for the offer of his daughters he returned this answere saying He had them already and could doe with them his pleasure Now was Darius forced to goe against his friendly foe the thirde time hoping to get his prisoners and yet notwithstanding louing and honouring the very name of Alexander for the great courtesie and lenitie he had shewed to his familie The army and power of Darius was at this time foure hundred thousand footmen and an hundred thousand horsmen thus marching toward his enemie Alexander it was told him in his iorney that his wife was dead whose death Alexander lamented with teares and caused a noble funerall to be appointed doing to her the greatest honor he could deuise comforting the rest requesting them not so heauely to take the death of their friend whose
mighty blowes layd on For if my sonne had beene aliue and armed for to fight Achilles durst not come in place nor once be seene in sight But when by chance my naked sonne Achilles launce had payde The eager Greeke to lay on lode was nothing then afraide When noble Hector thus was dead yea dead and dead againe Achilles then to spoyle my sonne began to take some paine I sawe how that he handled him I could not looke beside And if I did yet straight againe my sight that way would glide The tyrant vile the bedlam beast his carkas would not spare Who was a man a valiant man his noble mind was rare Another of king Priams sonnes that day was caught in fight Whose hands chopt off the Greeks sent home to worke vs further spite And wilde him thus to say in Troy and tell his aged sire That Hector now by Grecian launce was payd his earned hire And that Achilles had no doubt but Paris so to slay VVho was the cause of all that warre and bred that bloudy day Thus came my sonne with losse of hands before his mothers face To tell how Greekes had dealt with him a lamentable case And how that Hector now was dead whom Troyans soon should misse VVhich was no newes for that before mine eyes had seene all this And while my boy besmearde with bloud his heauie hap did waile A seruant came and shewde vs how Achilles vile did hale Dead Hector round about the walles in all the Troyans sight VVhich was because his frends should see as easily they might His naked corps in mire drawne at horses taile fast tide And that the doer of the same before did vaunting ride Then came I to the wall to see slaine Hector so misusde From whence I cride for that I knew the Greekes had him abusd VVho was king Priams eldest sonne wherfore against all law In cruell sort to spite his friends his carkasse dead to draw VVith that I strainde my voice and said Achilles let me haue My sonne whom thou hast slayn that I may send him to his graue But he for all my mournfull cries full fierce without remorce Did hale my naked sonne about the Troyan walles perforce VVhich when his aged sire be held from top of lofty wall For griefe conceiude did yeald himselfe in desperat wise to fall Down headlong from the turrets height if friends had him not stayd And throngd about to succour him who then had need of ayd But when at last he did perceiue Achilles cruell hart VVith beckning hand he spake aloud Be sure for this hard part If that I liue thou shalt repent and Gods the same will graunt Thy wicked act and that ere long vile wretch thou shalt not vaunt Of this despitefull fact wherfore I wish thee to restore My slaughtered sonne as I haue done thy slaughtered Greeks before Yet would not fierce Achilles cease from doing Hector wrong For round about the Troyan walls he halde our sonne along And thus did still for four days space euen in his parents sight To work our wo for well he wist he could not Hector spight VVho then was dead whose gaping iawes the durt and grauell fild VVhose whighish skin the muddy mire with filthy spots had hild His beard besmeard with stinking filth to eyes and face did clung Such lothsome stuff as filthy Greeks with durty fists had flung VVas this a sight for parents eye to vew their louing child In such a case as he was then amongst his foes so wild O haples hap O Fortune vile what woman could abide Such pangs of wo from sobbing soule as did to me beside VVe did not cease to sue for grace at proud Achilles feet In yealding wise to haue our sonne although it were not meet A mighty king should stoup so low vnto so meane as state For that vnto the Troyan king Achilles was no mate But yet for all king Priams sute when he did what he might The tyrant would not yeald as yet our sonne should haue his right Of funerall nor that his bones should rest in silent graue VVhen we had made such humble sute his mangled corps to haue Vnburied thus he kept him still for twelue days space at least VVhose flesh was torne and then did will the dogs should haue the rest VVhich when I heard a hell of woes did plague me then aliue O death quoth I my loathed life from miseries depriue Let not me liue to call to mind this Fortunes froward spite Nor see the day wherin againe such heauie hap may light Yet still in hope to haue his corps Polixena I sent My daughter faire to Grecian campe and to Achilles tent Who there on knees with wringing hands before Achilles face With brinish teares made humble suite to find as then such grace As that he would as then restore the corps of this her brother slaine And for which cause to pleasure him she euer would remaine His seruant base or bondslaue vile to satisfie his mind For which if that it pleasd him well she then would stay behind To be a faithfull seruant true to him at all assayes And pray the Gods to prosper him and send him happie dayes With that Achilles stepped foorth and gaue to her his hand In courteous wise he greeted her and wilde her vp to stand Before his face and waile no more and then as she thought best He was content it should be so and graunted her request This did my daughter bring to passe such was her peereles hewe That she a second Helen was within Achilles vewe When Priamus and Hectors wife before had tried in vaine And I myselfe with weeping teares the like could not obtaine Her beautie so did qualifie the tyrants wrathfull ire That Hectors corps was brought by her home to her aged sire Then did I mourne afresh to see there laide before my face The ougly shape of my sweet sonne in such a wofull case That Hectors face I could not know although I knew his name For Hecuba his mother I before had geuen the same Whose corps once washt full well I knew the fauour of my child But pale aspect did alter much that neare I was begilde Twelue dayes at least my sonne had lain abroad in open ayre VVhat time till now to haue againe we euer did despaire The funerals and other rites in order allwell done VVe did prouide the mony which redeemed this our sonne For first before my daughter had the thing she did desire Achilles he a certain summe of mony did require VVhich thing before he had refusde though massie summes were sent But for her sake and such a summe he seemed well content The money now without delay we sent away in hast And willingly did pay the same for daughters promise past O wretch most vile O tyrant bad that thus with Hector delt VVhat stonied heart in brawned breast would this not make to melt The cause of this his furie great and
I mourne For remedlesse the cause remaines when Planets all had sworne And haughty gods to worke me woe for Paris filthie sinne Who would to God had dide the death when life did first begin Or would to God I wish too late the waues had beene his graue When he to Lacedemon went faire Helen for to haue O Neptune fierce couldst thou not frowne and Eolus out call With whirling windes to drench his ship his company and all But safely so to suffer him to swimme with gale at will The doting youth in prime of yeres his fancie to fulfill In Simois and Zanthus flood his ships did seeme to saile So quiet was the seas as then because he should preuaile What did ye seaish Gods decree together with consent To plague the Troian state so farre as angrie Pallas ment Ye Gods that rule both land and sea why did ye thus decree That Neptunes towne at first so cald to Greekes a pray should bee If otherwise ye ment at all his ship should not haue past So quietlie through surging seas by helpe of Boreas blast For Triton mild did shewe his face so happilie that day That Paris past with sprouting sailes into the Gretian bay What was become of Palemon did Glaucus hide his head Their swift recourse far from his ship in partiall sort was fled The Strencoucht Antiphates Parthenope was gone That wonted were to keep their course but novv there vvas not one Not Circe nor Calipso vvould their vvonted magike vse Although they knevv the lecher meant Atrides to abuse So Zephirus and Eurus fell with Aquilo did lurke And hid themselues while Boreas with frendly gale did work Nereides were past away Latonas imps did shine Ech thing did smoothly smile that day by help of Gods diuine And all was for the Troyan wracke to plague my sonnes offence For Paris needs to Greece would goe and soon returnd from thence But would to God the brinish seas with raging waues so wild Had drownd that baud that Theseus first in filthy sort defilde And that my sonne had dide with her before he came to shore Then Troy had stood and flourisht still as long it did before But Helen Menelaus wife that was Sir Paris ioy VVas first occasion of our woe and latest fate to Troy O would the tygers first had torne the lims of this my sonne VVhen aged Priam sentence gaue on that which was not done The cause wherof was mine own deed which act I now repent For that the Oracle did shew before the boyes intent But now I know I wish too late the angry Gods had sworn To plague our state for some offence For Paris being born VVhose desteny the Oracle did openly declare And yet to see my hap was such that wicked babe to spare VVho was the cause of this mischaunce and breeder of our woe His death had been to vs a life and life to thousands mo Yet I for pitie sake would not consent that this my boy The tygers brood his tender lims should vtterly destroy VVhat power diuine did hinder me or what infernall fiend VVhat did both heauen and earth to this their vtter forces bend O what offence did we commit that all the Gods should frowne And thus decree with one consent to pluck our Empire downe Did they appoint that I should breed and foster in my lap A scourge to plague the parents sinne and cause of their mishap VVas it king Priams fathers fault that Laomedon bad That builded Troy vvith borovved coyne for he receiued had Of Neptune and Apollos Priests a summe of money great And when the day appoynted came the wretch forsware the debt With mighty vowes the periurde man at altar side did say He borrowed none to buyld his walles and therfore none would pay But whether twere for periurie or for my sonnes offence I cannot tell but well I know it was a recompence For double and for treble sinne so many thousand dide From Nations far the world dooth know the people thether hide In hope of pay to either side great troupes of men did run But what was gaind saue deadly fight or what but death was won Did euer any feel such woe as I poore wretch did tast Did euer Fortune yeeld such lookes as she on me did cast O hauty Gods what hap was mine to feel such bitter paine Did destiny assigne me that to make me thus complaine I would that I had been vnborn or borne I dead had been For then these wofull miseries I wretch had neuer seen Why did the Gods cause me to liue why did they thus decree Was this their will that I should liue with present eyes to see My louing mate and children slaine and Troy to burn with fire If they did will it should be so then they had their desire But fie on that vile destinie O fie on that hard curse The Gods themselues could not deuise how they should plague me worse And then with wringing hands she wept with wayling voice she cride Which griende me sore about I turnd where presently I spide An aged man both graue and grim for that he seemed sad Right father like for grayish haires with Princely robes be clad Vnto the wofull Queen he marchd and thus in modest sort Began to quip her frantike mood as I shall geue report What madnes now hath mooude thy mind quoth he O louing mate That thus thou fretst against the Gods and frantikelie doost prate Can this thy fuming mind redresse or cause the things vndone To be againe No if we liude againe we could not shun The Gods decree wherfore be still shake off such heauines In vaine it is to vexe thy selfe where cause is remedles VVhat shall thy ghost that now should rest in worldly cares still dwell And thinke on things that carst were past O plague far worse than hell Then suffer thou thy ghost to take her quiet ease at last And call thou not to mind againe that vvhich is gone and past Thou knovvest our destinie vvas so vve could it not preuent For that the Gods to plague our sinne for some abusesment What should we kick against the spur or swim against the tide Or striue for that to haue at will which angry Gods denide When I had sent my sonne to death and that he should be kild His life thou sauedst wherfore thou seest that destenie it wild But I to shun Simphlegades on Hebrus lake did light And coasting from Charibdis gulfe on Scilla rock did smite Thus seeking how all dangers great by counsell I might shun Did vnawares ere that I wist to present perils run Was I the cause that Helen faire with Paris came to Troy No sure it was fell destenie or fickle Fortune coy For when the Oracle had told what hap in time should fall I wild to take away the cause For witnes now I call The sacred Gods who knew my mind my sonne I would haue slaine I was content my flesh and bloud the tygers