's worth the keeping Par. Then of force Shee must be worth the fetching Hect. Fetch her that list my reuerent King and father If you pursue this expedition By the vntaunted honor of these armes that liue imblazon'd on my burnish't shield It is without good cause and I deuine Of all your flourishing line by which the Gods haue rectified your fame aboue all Kings Not one shal liue to meate your Sepulchre Or trace your funerall Heralds to the Tombes Of your great Ancestours oh for your honour Take not vp vniust Armes Aene. Prince Hectors words Will draw on him the imputation Of feare and cowardesie Troi. Fie brother Hector If our Aunts rape and Troyes destruction̄ Bee not reueng'd their seuerall blemishes The aged hand of Time can neuer wipe From our succession 'T will be registred That all King Priams sonnes saue one were willing And forward to reuenge them on the Greekes Onely that Hector durst not Hect. Ha durst not didst thou say effeminate boy Go get you to your Sheepe-hooke and your Scrip Thou look'st not like a Souldier there 's no fire Within thine eyes nor quills vpon thy chinne Tell me I dare not go rise get you gone Th' art fitter for young Oenons company Then for a bench of souldiers here comes one Antenor is returned Enter Antenor Pri. Welcome Antenor what 's the newes from Greece Ante. Newes of dishonour to the name of Priam Your Hignesse Sister faire Hesione Esteem'd there as a strumpet and no Queene After complaint when I propos'd your Maiesty would fetch her thence perforce had you but seene With what disdainefull pride and bitter taunts They tost my threats 't would haue inflam'd your spleene With more then common rage neuer was Princesse So basely vs'd neuer Embassadour With such dishonour sent from Princes Court As was then from that of Telamons Of Agamemnons and the Spartan Kings Priam. I shall not dye in peace if these disgraces Liue vnreueng'd Hect. By Ioue wee 'le fetch her thence Or make all populous Greece a Wildernesse Paris a hand wee are friends now Greece shall finde And thou shalt know what mighty Hector dares When all th' vnited Kings in Armes shall rue This base dishonour done to Priams blood Par. Heare Gracious sir my dreame in Ida Mount Beneath the shadow of a Cedar sleeping Celestiall Iuno Venus and the Goddesse Borne from the braine of mighty Iupiter These three present me with a golden Ball On which was writ Detur pulcherrimae Giue 't to the fairest Iuno proffers wealth Scepters and Crownes saith she will make me rich Next steps forth Pallas with a golden Booke Saith reach it me I 'le teach the Litterature Knowledge and Arts make thee of all most wise Next smiling Venus came with such a looke Able to rauish mankinde thus bespake mee Make that Ball mine the fairest Queene that breathes I 'le in requitall cast into thine armes How can I stand against her golden smiles When beautie promist beauty shee preuayl'd To her I gaue the prise with which shee mounted Like to a Starre from earth shott vp to Heauen Now if in Greece as some report be Ladies Peerelesse for beauty wherefore might not Paris By Venus ayde sayle hence to Grecia And quit the rape of faire Hesione By stealing thence the Queene most beautifull That feedes vpon the honey of that ayre Pri. That amorous Goddesse borne vpon the waues Assist thee in thy voyage we will rigge A royall fleete to waft thee into Greece Aeneas with our sonne Deiphobus And other Lords shall beare thee company What thinke our sonnes Hector and Troylus Of Paris expedition Hect. As an attempt the Heauens haue cause to prosper Go brother Paris if thou bring'st a Queene Hector will be her Champion then let 's see What Greeke dare fetch her hence Pri. Straight giue order To haue his Fleet made ready Enter Cassandra with her haire about her eares Cassan. Stay Priam Paris cease stay Troian Peeres To plot your vniuersall ouerthrow What hath poore Troy deseru'd that you should kindle flames to destroy it Pa. What intends Cassandra Cass. To quench bright burning Troy to secure thee To saue old Priam and his fifty sonnes The royal'st issue that e're King I enioy'de To keepe the reuerent haires of Hecuba From being torne off by her owne sad hands Pri. Cassandra's madde Cass. You are mad all Troy is madde And railes before it's ruine Hect. What would my sister Cass. Stay this bold youth my brother who by water Would sayle to bring fire which shall burne all Troy Stay him oh stay him ere these golden roofes Melt o're our heads before these glorious Turrets Bee burnt to ashes Ere cleare streames Simois Runne with bloud royall and Scamander Plaine In which Troy stands bee made a Sepulchre To bury Troy and Troians Pri. Away with her some false deuining spirit Enuying the honour we shall gaine from Greece Would trouble our designements Hect. Royall sir Cassandra is a Vestall Prophetesse And consecrate to Pallas oft inspir'd Then lend her gracious audience Troil. So let our Aunt Bee still a slaue in Greece and wee your sonnes Bee held as cowards Aene. Let Antenors wrongs Bee basely swallowed and the name of Troy Be held a word of scorne Cass. Then let Troy burne Let the Greekes clap their hands and warme themselues At this bright Bone-fire dream'd not Hecuba The night before this fatall Youth was borne That shee brought forth a fire-brand Hecu. 'T is most true Cass. And when King Priam to the Preist reueal'd This ominous dreame hee with the Gods consulted And from the Oracle did this returne That the Childe borne should stately Illion burne Par. And well the Prophet guest for my desire To visit Greece burnes with a quenchlesse fire Not from this flaming brand shall I be free Till I haue left rich Troy and Sparta see Cass. Yet Hecuba ere thou thy Priam loose And Priam ere thou loose thy Hecuba Pri. Away with her Cass. Why speakes not in this case Andromache Thou shalt loose a Hector who 's yet thine Why good Aeneas dost thou speech forbeare Thou hop'st in time another Troy to reare When this is sackt and therefore thou standst mute All strooke with silence none assist my suite Pri. Force her away and lay her fast in hold Cass. Then Troy no Troy but ashes and a place Where once a Citty stood poore Priam thou That shalt leaue fatherlesse fifty faire sonnes And this thy fruitfull Queene a desolate widdow And Ilium now no Pallace for a King But a confused heape of twice burnt bricke They that thy beauty wondred shall admire To see thy Towers defac'd with Greekish fire Exit Pri. Thou art no Sibill but from fury speak'st Not inspiration we reguard thee not Come valiant sonnes wee 'le first prepare our ships And with a royall Fleete well rigg'd to sea Seeke iust reuenge for faire Hesione Exeunt omnes manet Paris to him Oenon who in his going out Plucks her backe Oen.
Diomed at which they make a stand Aga. Princes what answere touching Hellena Dio. What answere but dishonourable tearme Contempt and scorne pearcht on their leaders browes By Ioue I thought they would haue slaine vs both If euer Hellen bee redeem'd from thence But by the sacke of Troy say Diomed Is no true souldier Vlyss. Euen in the King There did appeare such high maiesticke scorne Of threatned ruine that I thinke himselfe Will put on Armes and meete vs in the field Wee linger time great Agamemnon march That we may buckle with the pride of Troy Aga. Priam so insolent his sonnes so braue To intertaine so great Embassadours With such vngentle vsage Achil. They haue a Knight cal'd Hector on whose valour They build their proud defiance if I meete him Now by the azurd Armes of that bright goddesse From whom I am descended with my sword I 'le loppe that limbe off and inforce their pride Fall at Achilles feete Hector and I Must nor both shine at once in warres bright Skie Aiax When they both meete the greater dimme the lesse Great Generall march Aiax indures not words So well as blowes in a field glazd with swords Enter to them in Armes Priam Hector Troilus Paris Aeneas Antenor Deiphobus c. Pri. Calchas a Traitour Par. And amongst the Greekes Hect. Base runagate wretch when we their Tents surprise As Hector liues the traiterous Prophet dies Aene. Let not remembrance of so base a wretch Make vs forget our safety th' Argiue Kings Are landed and this day rac't Tenedos And bid vs battaile on Scamander Plaines Tro. Whom we will giue a braue and proud affront Shall we not brother Hector Hect. Troilus yes And beate a fire out of their Burgonets Shall like an earthy Commet blaze towards Heauen There grow a fixt starre in the Firmament To emblaze our lasting glory Harke their Drums Let our Drummes giue them parleance A parlie Both Armies haue an enter-view Aga. Is there amongst your troopes a fellon Prince Cal'd by the name of Paris Par. Is there amongst your troopes a Knight so bold Dares meete that Paris single in the field And call him fellon Hect. Or insulting Greeke Is there one Telamon dares set his foote To Paris here hee stands and hand to hand Maintaine the wrongs done to Hesione As Paris shall the rape of Helena Aiax Know here is one cal'd Aiax Telamon Behold him well sonne to that Telamon Thou faine would'st see and hee dares set his foot To Paris or thy selfe Hect. Thou durst not Aiax Dare not Hect. Or if thou durst by this my warlike hand I 'le make thine head fall where thy foot should stand And yet I loue thee cuze know thou hast parlie'd With Troian Hector Aiax Were 't thou ten Hectors yet with all thy might Thou canst not make my head fall to my feete By Ioue thou canst not cuze Achil. I much haue heard Of such a Knight cal'd by the name of Hector If thou bee'st hee whose sword hath conquerd Kingdomes Pannonia Illyria and Samothrace And to thy fathers Empire added them Achilles as a friend wils thee to sheath Thy warlike sword retire from Troyes defence And spare thy precious life I would not haue A Knight so fam'd meete an vntimely graue Hect. I meet thee in that honourable loue And for thine owne sake wish thee safe aboord For if thou stayest thou sonne of Peleus I 'd haue thee know thy fame is not thine owne But all ingrost for mee not all thy guard Of warlike Mirmidons can wall it safe From mighty Hector Dio. Shame you not great Lords To talke so long ouer your menacing swords All Greeks Alarme then for Greece and Helena All Troians As much for vs for Troy and Hecuba A great alarme and excursions after which enter Hector and Paris Hect. Oh brother Paris thou hast this day lodg'd Thy loue in Hectors soule it did me good To see two Greekish Knights fall in their blood Vnder thy manly arme Par. My blowes were touches Vnto these ponderous stroakes great Hector gaue Oh that this generall quarrell might be ended In equall opposition you and I Against the two most valiant Hect. I will try The vertue of a challenge in the face Of all the Greekes I will oppose my selfe To single combate hee that takes my gage Shall feele the force of mighty Hectors rage A turne Both the Armies make ready to ioyne battaile but Hector steps betwixt them holding vp his Lance Hect. Heare mee you warlike Greekes you see these fields Are all dyde purple with the reeking gore Of men on both sides slaine you see my sword Glaz'd in the sanguine moysture of your friends I call the sonne of Saturne for a witnesse To Hectors words I haue not met one Grecian Was able to withstand mee my strong spirit Would faine be equal'd Is there in your Troupes A Knight whose brest includes so much of valour To meete with Hector in a single warre By Ioue I thinke there is not If there be To Him I make this proffer if the gods Shall grant to him the honour of the day And I be slaine his bee mine honoured Ar mes To hang for an eternall Monument Of his great valour but my mangled body Send backe to Troy to a red funerall pile But if hee fall the armour which hee weares I 'le lodge as Trophies on Apolloes shrine And yeeld his body to haue funerall rights And a faire Monument so neere the Sea That Merchants flying in their sayle-wing'd ships Neere to the shoare in after times may say There lies the man Hector of Troy did slay And there 's my Gantlet to make good my challenge Men. Will none take vp his gage shall this proud challenge Bee Intertain'd by none I know you all Shame to deny yet feare to vndertake it The cause is mine and mine shall be the honour To combat Hector Aga. Menelaus pawse Is not Achilles here sterne Aiax here And Kingly Diomed how will they scorne That stand vpon the honour of their strength should you preuent them of this glorious combat Par. By Ioue I thinke they dare as well take vp A poysonous Serpent as great Hectors gage Aga. Yes Troian see'st thou not Aeacides Dart emmulous lookes on Kingly Diomed Least hee should stoope to take his Gantlet vp And see how Diomed eyes warlike Aiax Aiax Vlysses euery one inflam'd To answere Hector Achil. Is there any here Dares stoope whilst great Achilles is in place Aiax I dare Dio. And so dare I Achil. You are all too weake To incounter with the mighty Hectors arme This combat soly doth belong to mee Aiax Then wherefore do'st not thou take vp the Gantlet Achil. To see if thou or any bolder Greeke Dare be so insolent to touch the same And barre me of the honour of the combat Aiax By all the gods I dare Achil. And all the diuells I 'le loppe his hands off that dares touch the gage Ulyss. Pray leaue this emulous fury
and will and can when all else fayle Though neither sooth nor speak wel brauely rayle And that 's Thersites humour Lowd Musicke A long table and a banquet in state they are seated a Troian and Greeke Hecuba Polixena Cresida and other Ladies waite Calchas is present whispering with his Daughter Cresida Pria. After so much hostility in steele All welcome to this peacefull intertaine Aga. Priam wee know thee to be honourable Although our foe Treason is to be fear'd In Pesants not in Princes They sit Hec. Ey so now sit a Troian and a Greeke Cousin Aiax neere mee you are next in bloud And neere mee you shall sit the strayne of honour That makes you so renown'd sprong from Hesione T is part of Hectors bloud your grosser spirits Lesse noble are your father Telamons Welcome to Troy and Hector welcome all Aiax In Troy thy kinsman but in field thy foe Thy welcome Cousin here I pay with thanks The truice expir'd with buffets blowes and knocks Hect. For that wee loue the Cuze Achil. Me thinks this Troian Hector Out shines Achilles and his polisht honours Ecclipseth our bright glory till hee set Wee cannot rise Par. King Menelaus we were once your guest You now are ours as welcome vnto Troy As we to Sparta Men. But that these our tongues Should be as well truce bound as our sharpe weapons We could be bitter Paris but haue done Vlyss. Menelaus is discreet such haynous wrongs Should be discours'd by Armes and not by tongues Dio. Why doth Achilles eye wander that way Achil. Is that a Troian Lady Troi. Shee is Achil. From whence Pri. Of vs Achil. Her name Pri. Polyxena Achil. Polixena she hath melted vs within And hath dissolu'd a spirit of Adamant Shee hath done more then Hector and all Troy Shee hath subdu'de Achilles Cal. In one word this Troy shall be sackt and spoil'd For so the gods haue told mee Greece shall conquer And they be ruin'd leaue then imminent perill And flye to safety Cres. From Troilus Cal. From destruction take Diomed and liue Or Troilus and thy death Cres. Then Troilus and my ruine Cal. Is Cresid mad Wilt thou forsake thy father who for thee and for thy safety hath forsooke his Countrey Cres. Must then this Citty perish Cal. Troy must fall Cres. Alas for Troy and Troilus Cal. Loue King Diomed A Prince and valiant which made Emphasis To his Imperiall stile line Diomeds Queene Be briefe say quickly wilt thou is it done Cres. Diomed and you I 'le follow Troilus shun Troi. Bee 't Aiax or Achilles that Greeke lyes Who speakes it I 'le maintaine it on his person Aiax Ha Aiax Achil. Achilles Dio. We speake it and dares Troilus say we lie Troi. And weare it Diomed Dio. Dar'ft thou make 't good Troi. On Diomed or the boldest Greeke That euer manac'd Troy excepting none All Greeks None All Troians None Hec. Excepting none Aga. Kings of Greece Pri. Princes of Troy Achil. Achilles bafled Aiax And great Aiax bran'd Hect. If great Achilles Aiax or the Diuel braue Troilus hee shall braue and buffer thee Pri. Sonnes Aga. Fellow Kings Pri. As wee are Priam and your father Aga. As wee are Agamemnon Generall Turne not this banquet to a Centaus feast If their be strife debate it in faire termes Show your selues gouern'd Princes Achil. Wee are appeas'd Aiax Wee satisfied if Hector be so Aga. How grew this strife Hect I know not onely this I know Troilus will maintaine nothing against his honour And so farre be it through the heart of Greece Hector will backe him Par. So will Paris too Pri. Mildly discourse your wrongs faire Princes doe Troi. King Diomed maintaines his valour thus He saith it was his Launce dismounted Troilus And not the stumbling on the breathlesse course Of one new slaine that feld mee Par. 'T is false Men. 'T is true Par. It was my fortune to make good that field And hee fell iust before mee Diomed then Was not within sixe speares length of the place Men. How Troian rauisher Par. Call mee not Cuckold maker They all rise I care not what you terme me Men. I cannot brooke this wrong Par. Say'st thou mee so madde Greeke Pri. Paris Aga. Gouerne you Kingdomes Lords and cannot sway Your owne affection Pri. Paris forbeare Mildly discourse and gently wee shall heare Par. I say King Diomed vnhorst not Troilus Dio. How came I by his horse then Par. As the vnbackt courser hauing lost his rider Gallopt about the field you met with him And catch'd him by the raine Troi. Here was a goodly act To boast on and send word to Cresida Dio. Was no Prince neare when I encountred Troilus Men. I was and saw the speare of Diomed Tumble downe Troylus but peruse his armour The dint 's still in the vainbrace Aga. Bee 't so or not so at this time forbeare To vrge extreames Kings let this health go round Pledge me King Priam in a cupful crown'd Hec. Now after banquet reuels Musicke strike A pirhicke straine we are not all for warre Souldiers their stormy spirits can appease And sometimes play the Courtiers when they please A lofty dance of sixteene Princes halfe Troians halfe Grecians Pri. I haue obserued Achilles and his eye Dwels on the face of faire Polixena Aia. Why is not Hellen here at this high feast I haue sweat many a drop of blood for her Yet neuer saw her face Achi I could loue Hector what 's our cause of quarrel For Hellens rape that rape hath cost already Thousands of soules why might not this contention 'Twixt Paris and the Spartan King be ended And we leaue Troy with honour Aia. Achilles how Achi. Fetch Hellen hether set her in the midst Of this braue ring of Princes Paris here And Menelaus heere she betwixt both They court her ore againe whom she elects Before these Kings let him inioy her still For who would keepe a woman gainst her wil Men. The names of wife and husband th' interchange Of our two bloods in young Hermione To whom we are ioynt parents Hellens honor All pleade on my part I am pleasde to stand To great Achilles motion Par. So are we All that I haue for comfort is but this That in the day I show the properer man i th' night I please her better then hee can Hec. Are all the Greecian Kings agreed to this All We are we are Hec. Place the two riuals then each bide his fate And vsher in bright Hellen in all state The Kings promiscuously take their places Paris and Menelaus are seated opposite Hellen is brought in betwixt them by Hecuba and the Ladies Hel. Oh that I were but Hellen any thing Or might haue any obiect in my eye Saue Menelaus when on him I gaze My errour chides mee I my shame emblaze Mene. Oh Hellen in thy cheeke thy guilt appeares More I would speake but words are drown'd in teares Aia. A gallant Queene for such a royall friend What mortall man
the gods aboue and now by Princes Here ratified on earth Orest. I would my friend Were to you sister but as fast betroth'd As I to Hellens daughter But deare Pilades T is Time must perfect all things Pil. Madam you heare This motion from your brother Elect. And I craue Time to consider on 't Orest. T is on foote Pursue it then with all aduantages Command my free assistance to beginne Had you Electra friend as I Hermione We were at first as forraigne as you two And euery way as strange but opportunity That hath vnited vs may make you one After some amorous parliance let vs now Vnto the Temple and there sacrifice Vnto the gods that Greece no more may mournâ— But glory iu our fathers safe returne Egist, His safety is our danger for know Madam Our loue hath bin too publick Ceth. That 's the ground On which to build my proiect Cli. Grant it hath Cannot a more then nine yeares widdow-head Excuse mee being a woman thinks the King Wee can forget that lesson in our age Which was by him first taught vs in our youth Or was 't his ayme to shew vs choyce delights Then barre vs their fruition First to tast Our pallat next to make vs appetite And when our stomacks are prepar'd and sharpen'd For Costly vionds plac't before our eyes Then to remooue the table hee 's vnkind And as hee hath dealt with vs so must find Enter Synon Syn. The Queene to her my speed is Cli. Speake on souldier Syn. I am the herald of most happy newes Troy with the earth is leueld sackt and burnt Priam with all his memory extinct Queene daughters sonnes and subiects ruin'd all Now like the vapour of their Citties smoake And of them no more found And Madam now The King your Lord the Elder of the Atryd's Duke of the puissant and all conquering Host His temples archt in a victorious orbe And wreth'd in all the glories earth can yeeld Is landed in Mycene a Conquerour Ceth. How could they scape those fierce fires Naulus made In vengeance of his sonne Palamides To split their cursed Fleete vpon the rocks Cli. Make repetition of their ioyes againe Beeing things that I cannot heare too oft And adde to them Is Menelaus safe My husbands brother Hellen how fares shee Or is shee thence repurchast fill mine eares With such sweete Tones 't is all I can desire Syn. Take your full longing then for though the Seas With tempests stormes rocks shipwracks shelues and sands More dammag'd them then all the Troian siege Although the Beacons fir'd to draw their Fleete Distressed and disperst vpon the rocks Sunke many a goodly bottome Yet the Generall Scap't by the hand of Ioue with him King Diomed Vlysses and great Neoptolimus With Spartan Menelaus late attend With beauteous Hellen cause of all these broyles All these attend vpon the Generall To bring him home victorious and this night Will lodge in the Kings Pallace Cli. Souldier thanks These twice fiue yeares I haue a widdow beene Thy newes haue now new married mee giue order For the Kings intertainment all the state Mycene can yeeld shall freely be expos'd In honour of these Princes your great hast Doth aske some rest therefore repose your selfe And for your fortunate newes expect reward Syn. The Queene is royall Ceth. And now to that diuell Which I must coniure vp Is the Queene mad Or thou Egistus sottish see you not The stake and scaffold nay the Hang-man too And will you blind-fold run vpon your deaths When there is way t o'scape them Egist. What horrid fright Is this propos'd by Cethus Ceth. The King 's return'd And doth not your veines gush out of your temples In sanguine blushes are not your adulteries Famous as Hellens nay more infamous There was a rape to countenance what shee did You nought saue corrupt lust and idlenesse T is blab'd in the Citty talk't on in the Court All tongues surcharg'd all eyes are fix't on you To see what fearefull vengeance he will take For that your prostitution Cli. Hee 's a King Ceth. True Clitemnestra so he went from hence But is return'd a Tyrant flesht in blood Think'st thou that he who queld his foes abroad Will spare at home domestick enemies That was so prone to punish others wrongs And can forget his owne Cli, If Menelaus Haue pardon'd Hellen may not he his brother Make Spartaes King his noble president To doe the like to me Ceth. Tush shallow Queene How you mistake see imminent fate affront you And will not shun it comming If his brother Be branded as a scandall to the world What consequence is it that he will grone Vnder the selfe same burden rather thinke He hath propos'd a vengeance dire and horrid To terrifie not countenance such misdeeds And this must fall on you lest time to come Should Chronicle his family for a broode Of Cuckolds and of Strumpets Egist. This thy language Strikes me with horrour Cli. And affrights mee too Ceth. Is hee not King hath he not Linxes eyes And Gyants armes the first to see farre off The last as farre to punish was hee so poore In friends at home to leaue no Argus here To keepe his eyes still waking thinke it not But that he knew the treason of his bed Hee had not faire Briseis snatcht perforce From th' armes of great Achilles Cli. That I heard Ceth. Why hath he a new mistresse brought from Troy But to state her in Clitemnestraes stead And make her Micenes Queene whilst you poore wretches Like malefactors suffer mark't for the Stag And most ridiculous spectacles Cli. You shew the danger But teach vs no preuention Egist. See before vs The obiects of our feares and difficulties But not the way to auoyde them Ceth. Heare me then Preuent your death 's by his Cli. How kill the King So we heape sinne on sinne and basely adde Vnto adultery murder Ceth. Per scelus semper tutum sceleribus iter Boldly you haue begun and being once in Blood will cure lust and mischiefe phisicke sinne Cli. Perhaps our guilt lies hid Ceth. In a Kings Pallace Can lust in such great persons be conceald Cli. The first offence repents mee and to that I should but adde a greater Ceth. Perish doe Or what concernes this mee I shall be safe I haue strumpetted no Agamemnons Queene Nor bastarded the issue of the Atrides Or why should I thus labour their securities Who study not their owne Egist. Resolue then Queene The Kings austeere and will extend his Iustice Vnto some sad example Cli. Oh but my husband Ceth. After ten yeares widdow-hood Can Clitemnestra thinke of such a name Cli. You haue halfe wone me when shall this be done Ceth. When but this night delayes are ominous Ere he haue time to thinke vpon his wrongs Or finde a tongue to whisper ere suspicion Can further be instructed or least censure To call his wrongs in question instantly Euen in his height of ioy fulnesse of