sieldome seene to smile In counsell he was graue and provident Right eloquent in speech and did with speed Full often aid the Greekes in time of need Diomedes was valiant fierce and tall Of countnance proud and passing strong bold Broad breasted most sterne of looks withall Deceitfull and his promise nere would hold So hasty that his hand he could not stay But strike he must who ere stood in the way If once to wrath and anger he was bent Desiring strife still shunning rest and peace Vnto his servants most impatient And never froÌ„ contentious thoughts would cease But quarrell still though t' were but for a straw And held his will and pleasure for a law In lecherie his whole delight he plast And was so giuen thereto that where so ere He did become on loue his mind he cast And from the same could by no meanes forbeare But spent therein full many a night and day Which at the last procur'd his owne decay Duke Nestor was of stature somewhat tall And well composde of members in each part Crooke sholdered his middle very small Exceeding strong of hands and valiant heart In counsell wise well learnd and politicke And yet of nature was so cholericke That neither friend nor foe he could refraine He was so given to melancholie And would with no man flatter nor yet fame Nor for the time his anger mollifie Which nere the lesse but little space did last For as it lightly came it lightly past Prothesalus was gallant fresh and gay Of seemly shape and beautie passing rare Wherein no man surpast him as they say Quicke sprighted light of courage passing rare Exceeding swift and therewithall most strong And heart so fierce that he would take no wrong The valiant Grecian cald Neptolemus That had his haire as blacke as any Iet Was of proportion made right curious With eyes that were exceeding broad and great His breast most large somewhat stooping back And vsed much to stammer when he spake An Orator he was but turbulent And willingly would plead in any cause For that he was of nature wholly bent To studie and to learne the Grecian lawes Where in he tooke great pleasure and delight And yet he was a most couragious Knight Pallamides King Naulus Son was strong Of valiant heart and courage passing great Of face most faire of body leane and long And fierce vpon his enemie to set Familiar courteous wise and tractable In all his actions iust and laudable Of great account and onely had the name For bounty and for liberality Amongst the Grecians all which caus'd his fame To spread abroad into each Country Whereby in fine great honor he obtain'd And for the same perpetuall praises gain'd The worthy Polidamus was so fat And big of body bellie and of bone And so vnweldy that most part he sat And could not well sustaine himselfe alone Exceeding proud of heart and very sad And sodaine or else nere shewd countnance glad King Machaons stature was indifferent Twixt short and long his forehead broad hie Most prowd and fierce to choller wholly bent And so much giuen vnto jmpatiencie That nothing but revenge his mind would pleaâ—â— Whereby he sieldome slept or tooke his ease Next after these of Cresida he tels But here my pen is dasht for long agoe My Maister Chawcer that each one excels In Rethoricke her shape so well did shoe And thereof such a fine discourse doth make That follie t' were for me to vndertake To write thereof or adde vnto the same As knowing well that when that I haue done I shall deserue no praise but rather blame And yet I can the same by no meanes shun For if I write it not I must truth leaue And of the truth the Historie bereaue If I presume to slip and let it goe And not as Guido doth write orderlie Or vndertake the very same to shoe Which Chawcer hath declar'd so learnedly Full sure I am therein to make offence Either by folly or by negligence And so am plung'd twixt two extremities Great cause I haue to find fault and dislike Of Atropos that mongst her cruelties Durst with her knife the thread in sunder strike Of Chawcers life chiefe Poet of Britaine That first did cause to flourish and to raine The golden drops of Rethoricke so sweet Mongst English-men their speech to clarifie And their dull wits with Eloquence to whet But who liues neare so long at last shall die I must be forst his ayd herein to craue And read his booke to see if I may haue Some words of Art from thence to place with mine Which are so rude so bare so plaine and course For as the Ruby red that bright doth shine Set in a Copper Ring is nere the worse But beautified the more so is his phrase When it 's compar'd with wrighters of our daies It 's knowne so well and is so excellent That t is in vaine the same mongst ours to set For all our paine is as it were misspent When as wee seeke his stile to counterfet Well may we do 't on meere presumption But when al 's done there 's no comparison Yet for all this I must it not deny Craving excuse but as I first began Proceed to end the Troian History And doe the best that possibly I can T' effect the same and now of Cresida I will declare her beauty as I may Yet must I vnder Chawcers whings still hover And plainely tell that Rethoricke I haue none Nor eloquence my learning to discouer But letting all curiositie alone As Bayard blind doth boldly giue the venter And never feares what perill he doth enter To show my simple skill I will not spare And thereby some prospect vnto you giue Of Colchos daughters beauty passing rare That while she in this earthly mould did liue Was held to be an excellent faire creature For forme of face and comlinesse of feature Wherein none did surpasse her in her daies Her stature and proportion was but small Her haire that shind like Phoebus glistring raies In comly wise did on her shoulders fall And at her backe in tresses hung behind Which oft she did't with golden hearlace bind And but that both her eye-browes ioynd in one You could no fault at all in her espie And that was all her imperfection To speake of her faire cleare and rowling eye Whose glistring beams was of such force might And from the same did cast such peircing light That whosoere them earnestly beheld Could not withstand their power but must confesse Their extreame beauty had them forst to yeild Vnto her loue and with her seemelinesse She was indowed with great sobriety Well spoken wise and full of modestie And therewithall gentle and tractable And yet my Author Guydo plaine doth wright That in her loue she was too variable And tooke too great a pleasure and delight To giue her mind vnto vnstedfastnesse And womanly to all new fanglenesse Lastly he sayth how
Both thou and thine to die by Grecians swords Thy towne destroid and all that longs thereto Although thou seemst to vse such hautie words And with thy tong speak'st more thē thou canst do But better t' were such boasting speech to leaue And vnto our good counsell credite giue When Diomedes proudlie with disdaine Had spoken thus some Troyans in a rage Drew out their swords would him straight haue slaine But Priamus their furies to asswage Rose vp and with a countenance seuere On paine of death commanded them t'forbeare From wronging such as for Embassadors were Sent vnto him or t'offer them offence For though said he a foole will not forbeare To speake without discretion wit or sence A wise man must from rash attempts surcease And wincking at such follie hold his peace For if a foole speakes vnadvisedlie And by that meanes doth moue dissention A wise man should not hastilie replie Nor shun no kind of indiscretion For vnto fooles it properlie belongs For to bewray their follie with their tongues And wise men should be wary what they say And well advis'd in all their actions And both their hands and tongs discreetly stay From giuing cause to nourish factions For fooles by custome indiscreetly speake And oftentimes into great choller breake But wisemen can dissemble what they heare And till that time and place convenient bee With th'vnadvised rage of follie beare Which lasts not long as commonlie we see And for my part I do you all assure That rather would I wrong my selfe endure Then to permit the least offence that is For to be done by any man what ere For things which they suppose to be amisse To any messenger that now is here Within my Court for t is not fit that we For everie small offence reveng'd should be For many times wrongs rashlie offered When little cause or none to do 't there is Whereof some great revenge hath followed For hastiemen of woe doe neuer misse Wherefore I charge you everie one sit downe And see that no man by presumption Attempteth for to wrong in any wise Th'Embassadors of Grecia hither sent Nor furiously in malice gainst them rise But let them freelie shew the whole intent And scope of their embassage whatsoere And sit you still while we with silence heare With that Aeneas rose out of his seat Which next on th' one side of King Priam was And in a furious rage and choller great Said to the King with licence of your Grace I thinke when one without advise doth speake That he not onlie well deserues a cheake But punishment that men by him may take Example how in open audience Such vproares and dissentions they do make Thereby t' offend your roiall Excellence And truth to say it might so come to passe That I the bounds of reason might surpasse In this respect and hastilie commit A great offence whereby your royall Grace Might censure me to die therefore but yet I ft were not for your presence in this place I would revenged be vpon these twaine That haue so proudlie spoken in disdaine Of you for t is a most vnseemely thing To heare a foole with great presumption In presence of a high and mightie King Take on him without all discretion To speak that which to him might breed offence And preiudice to his magnificence To teach him how in better sort to learne To vse his tongue and when to hold his peace And of the persons better to discerne To whome he speakes and not with such excesse As he hath done that now before your Grace So prowdly spoken hath to your disgrace For which I counsell him if he be wise Out of your Graces sight with spreed to goe And not to stay long here vpon surmise That what so ere presumption he doth shoe The law of armes is his protection For if he do he 'le feele the smartfull soone Wherewith Diomedes disdainfully In proud and hawty words and yet but few Did to Aeneas sodainlie reply Saying thy speech sufficientlie doth shew That without doubt thou art exceeding wise And that the Prince that followeth thine advise Or vnto thee his secrets doth impart Can never erre nor do ought that 's amisse Because thou of so good a iudgement art That wilfullie without all good advise Prouok'st thy Prince the laws of armes to breake But would to God I might once with thee speake Alone when oportunitie doth serue That I might thee requite for thy great skill And curtesie as thou dost well deserue Which if I liue assuredly I will And thereof make account for if we meet In field with other tearmes I will thee greet But wise Vlisses rising vp then spake And seeming Diomedes speech t' excuse Vnto him said now further words to make Or longer here more arguments to vse Meere follie t' were for vs and to the King He said sith thou wilt do no other thing Nor make no further answere then thou hast Wee le stay no longer here but straight be gone And make relation what twixt vs hath past Vnto the Grecian Princes every one And how we find thee obstinately bent To hearken or to grant to their intent And so without delay to horse they mount And to the Grecians armies road in hast And there to Agamemnon did recount All what King Priam said and what had past Twixt them in Troye wherby the Greeks did see The Troyans purpose and intent to bee Not once to yeeld Queene Helena to send To them againe but valiantly to fight And gainst their foes their Citie to defend And if they could by valour and by might Driue them frō thence which though it pleasd thē not Yet sith they saw that such had been their lot To vndertake that hawtie enterprise And that there was no other remedie They did consult what waies they should devise To helpe themselues in their necessitie Of victuals and all other things beside Whereof in hast they did themselues provide But first before I shew what meanes they made To helpe themselues whil'st they fore Troye did lie I must declare what 's of Aeneas said By Guido who for truth doth certifie His father Duke Anchises was and that He on the Goddesse Uenus him begat And how that after Troye was cleane defast And overthrowen he sail'd from thence by seas And having past by many Coasts at last At Carthage did arriue where for to ease Himselfe he stayd and then tooke ship againe And sail'd so long that with great toyle paine His ships arriu'd in Italie in th' end The which by him was wholly conquered And that Augustus Casar did descend From him that was so highlie honored For many Conquests valiantly atchiu'd By him while on this earthly mowld he liu'd And Iustine that was Emperour a while Within his booke Autentikes cald by name The Rubrikes of Aeneas did compile In memory of him because he came So long a iourney into Italie And conquered it for his posteritie Which long
and winds did not too much prevaile And when the greekes with trauell overprest Had long on Seas been tossed too and fro Desiring to relieue themselues and rest Their wearied limmes they sought on land to go And being cast vpon the Trâ—iâ—â— soyle They lande there to ease their wearied toyle CHAP. IIII. ¶ How Iason â—â—â—is Voyage to Coâ—chos by fortune was cast vppon the câ—â—st of Troy where he were on Land to refresh himselfe and his company THe Ship at anker by the Frigian coast Vntill the weather waxed cleare and faire The Greekes that had so long on Seas been tost Went all on shoare to walke and take the aire Glad to relieue their wearied lims of paine And after to returne to ship againe At Syâ—eonâ— a haven hard by Troy Where they did stay and ment there to abide Not hurting any Woman Man or Boy A day or two attending time and tide To hoyse vp Sayle and toward Colchos wend Where first to go they onely did pretend Not once jntending treason hurt or guile In any wise nor troublesome to bee Vnto the countrey people all the while They staied there for their necessitee For that as long as on the shoare they lay They did nought els but sport theÌ„selues play But Fortune that so swiftly turnes about Delighting men of pleasure to bereaue Was th' onely cause though causeles without doubt To make the Troians falsely to conceiue The Grecians sodaine landing did pretend Some mischiefe to their countrey in the end For by such bad and false suspition Most puissant Kings and Princes of great fame Haue brought themselues vnto destruction And been the onely causes of their shame Let Troyes example for this time suffice Which first did breed vpon a bare surmise Which was the cause and chiefe occasion As in the ancient Historie is found Of that most famous Townes destruction Whose mightie walles were rais'd vnto the ground And many men and many a worthy Knight Did loose their liues in that most bloody fight And many Ladies proper fine and faire Their Husbands and their Children being dead Were heard lament their losse in great dispaire And Mayds in tender yeares by Grecians led As slaues in bondage to their paine and griefe Did liue without all comfort or reliefe And onely for that fortune doth delight To shew her power and her majestie And make it knowne vnto each mortall wight In taking vengeance with such crueltie As on that famous Citie shee did shoe To their destruction miserie and woe Great pittie t' was that men of such estate Both on the valiant Greekes and Troian side For little cause should fall at such debate But truth it is and cannot be deni'd That envy having entred in the hart From thence doth not so readily depart For from a little graft doth oft arise A faire and goodly tree both huge and tall And he that climeth high may well surmise If that he slip to haue the greater fall And of a sparke full small wee often see And find that mighty fiers kindled bee And as a gnat that 's but a little thing Doth often cause the flesh of man to rise And swell abroad with pricking of his sting So many Princes mighty strong and wise And famous Townes at mortall warres do fall For slight or else for causes very small But if they had been well advis'd in time When sparks of envy first began to show And sought to quench and kill them in the prime Full many Cities now that lie full low Would haue stood still and flourisht till this day Which hatefull malice brought vnto decay For when the flame of envy spreads so wide That it embraceth heart and head and vaine And makes them bnrne so hot on either side There is no meanes to remedy that paine But fowle and cruell murther warre and strife Bereaving each the other of their life And thus death is the â—ine of enmetie And though the first beginning be but small Th' encrease doth breed to such extremitie That th' end bereaueth joy and pleasures all As vnto Troy wee read it so befell Which makes me sigth the truth thereof to test That for small cause such vengeance shold proceed Vnles it were by providence divine And heavenly wisedome secretly decreed Their fall should cause a greater joy in â—ine For Troy destroy'd by such occasion And finally brought to destruction Was th' onely meanes that th' ancient Citie Roome Receav'd her first beginning from the race And offspring of Aeneas that did come From Troy when Grecians banisht him the place Which Towne of Roome as Authors plainely say Of all â—he world once bare the chiefest sway Troy likewise brought into so great distresse And vtter ouerthrow of ancient fame Was cause that many Cities did encrease And divers Countries first obtain'd their name For Troiaus wanting habitation By force did enter many a Nation And after long and weary toyle orepast Aeneas many Countries Sayling by With all his ships did chance t' ariue at last Vppon the pleasant coast of Italy Who wan the same by conquest and by might And made himselfe the Prince thereof by right And after him his Sonne Ascanius Succeeded and as lawfull heire he raign'd Who beeing dead his sonne Prince Siluius The Diadem of Italy obtaind Of whom did come by right discent and true Most worthy Brute that Albion did subdue Wwo having woon't by force from Giants fell And conquest braue did thereof change the name And cal'd it Britaine as our stories tell And was the first inhabited the same With this Aeneas from the Troian towne Came Francus also Lord of great renowne Who afterward his honour to advance Did build a towne both stately faire and great Cald Parris whieh doth stand in midst of France The which he made his chiefe and Princely seat And first gaue name of France vnto that land Which he did win by strong and valiant hand And Anthenor a Lord of Troian race Began the towne of Venice to erect Where during life he made his resting place And Sicanus in whom was no defect Of Troian blood as Cronicles doe tell Won Cicile and long time therein did dwell And after him a Prince of worthy fame His Valiant brother Siculus did raigne Within that I le of whom it tooke the name Of Cicile as records therein explaine Aeneas hauing conquered Italy Did not himselfe therewith so satisfie But into Tuscan entred which he wan And in the I le of Cicile to his praise The regall Towne of Naples first began Which flourisheth so much in these our dayes With braue and welthie Marchant men of fame Who throgh their traffick great inricht the same And of the Greekes that Troy did helpe to spoyle King Diomed who with most great desire When he had spent his time with paine and toylâ— Ten yeares in warre and thought home to retire And there to liue and rest secure from harmes He found his men and countrey vp in armes With full intent
They tooke and bare't into their ships in hast Dispoyling Temples with great violence And to the ground their Pagan Gods did cast For no man durst against them make defence And mercilesse great pittie to behold With bloudy swords they kild both yong old The tender child that mothers brest did sucke Escaped not their extreame cruelty For from the mothers arms they did them plucke And violently caused them to die Their maidens faire they did reserue for prise And with them did their beastly lusts suffice Regarding neither beautie birth nor name And when the houses all destroyed were They raz'd the wals and quite defast the same And Laomedons onlie daughter deare Faire Exion whose beautie did excell To go with them by force they did compell Who by them all was giuen to Telamon For his reward by Hercules his consent Because that he first enterd in the towne Wherewith he seemd to be as well contenâ—â— As if that all the treasure they had got Within the towne had fallen to his lot And yet he did himselfe therein abuse For being home returnd from victory To take her for his wife he did refuse But with her as his concubine did lie Regarding neither state nor high degree Nor her descent from Princely majestie For if he had her tane to be his spouse He could not haue disparag'd his estate Considering that she was of Princely house And royall bloud although vnfortunate Vpon his word and curtesie t'relie That kept her but his lust to satisfie But Telamon therin thou wast to blame To do a Princesse faire so great despight And make her to the world anopen shame When as thou shouldst haue shew'd thy selfe her knight And rather in defence of her to die Then that she should haue suffred villanie For through thy bad and foolish government So hote a sparke of envie did arise In Troyans hearts which to revenge were bent That nothing could to quench the same suffice For envie old once rooted in the heart Doth sieldome or else never thence depart And if it burne within and flames not out Nor maketh shew of fume nor smoke at all The greater cause men haue thereof to doubt And where it lights t' will haue the greater fall Which you within this History may see At large in every point set downe to bee When that the towne was burnt laid full low And all the wals vnto the ground was cast And nothing thereof left to make a show But it was spoyld and vtterly defast The Grecians did no longer time delay Vnto their ships their treasure to convay But being richly laden with great store Of siluer gold and costly jewels rare That not the meanest man of them was poore When wind did serue and weather waxed faire They 〈◊〉 â—iles returne againe to make To Thessaâ—â—â— and with them then did take Faire â—â—on and many a proper maide And saâ—â—ing forth with prosperous wind and good It was not long through gentle Neptunes aide But they 〈◊〉 with glad and merry mood At their dâ—â—sired port where on the sand Great multitudes of people then did stand To welcome them with glad and ioyfull cheare Reioycing at their victory obtain'd With losse of so few men as did appeare And cause they had such store of treasure gain'd Their Country to enrich for evermore They gaue great thanks vnto their Gods therefore Thus happily with triumph and renowne They being home returnd did liue in peace And throughout every City land and towne Their honor and their fame did still encrease So that the compasse of the world throughout Each Nation to offend them stood in doubt And feared them For certaine t is they had A multitude of men within their land And wealth treasure great the which they made When s'ever they tooke any thing in hand As common to them all whereby they were A terror to all Nations farre and nere Till fortune chanst to whirle her wheele about And turnd their peace into such bloudie warre As after in few yeares it did fall out When they and Troyans once againe did jarre Which at this time I meane not to declare Desiring that herein you will mespare And giue me leaue to rest a little while For herewith I do meane to end this Booke And at another time direct my stile To perfect that which first I vndertooke Which in the next t' accomplish I intend If life and leisure God to me will lend Meane time if that by rudenesse I offend The gentle readers pardon I will craue With promise any fault I make t' amend If that the least instruction I may haue And so in hope your favours you 'le extend To me herein my first Booke thus shall end FINIS THE LIFE AND DEATH OF HECTOR THE SECOND BOOKE The Preface CHAP. I. THe envious vaine which fortune flattering Doth vse in this vncertaine state of life Where all things fickle are and wavering Addicted is so much to warre and strife That whatsoever course a man doth run The sparkes thereof by no meanes he can shun For she is still so false and mutable That he which on her wheele doth highest clime And thinketh his estate secure and stable At some vncertaine hower day or time When least he doth suspect a change of state She casts him downe and makes vnfortunate And with a smooth and double flattering face Makes shew of loue when least she is to trust That well were he that had the power and grace To see and find her frauds and wiles vniust And all her engins and her snares well knew Which daily doe encrease and still renew The which in truth full well affirme I can So many and so diuers are of kind That hetherto not any mortall man Could euer them avoid that I can find For though vnequall ballance she doth beare With counterfeit false dissembling cheare And looke most smooth full of flatterie She can man soone beguile and cleane bereaue Of all his blisse in twinckling of an eie Her nature is so readie to deceaue And when she changeth high to low estate With fleering looke she stands laughs thereat And yet oft times she seemeth to be true For vnto some a while she 's favorable And then when as she list to change her hew To othersome she is deceauable Such skill she hath in transmutation That one shee le raise other throweth downe To some she giues renowne and victory And doth exalt their honor and their fame And some she causeth most deceitfully Though vndeseru'd t' incurre perpetuall shame To othersome she 's gentle and bening And giues them lucke in all and every thing On some she frownes and hath them in disdaine And by her power imbaseth them full low And for to show that earthly hope is vaine She can the state of Princes overthrow And make them stoop for all their great renowne And high and mighty Emperors cast downe From off the mount of high felicity To make them
should of nature for my sorrowes grieue And with all speedy meanes for to relieue My troubled mind and great aduersitie Sith that you see it doth torment me so And that the cause concernes both you and me Whom nature bind to feele one selfe same woe And as he spake and thus to them did mourne His face vnto Prince Hector he did turne And said Hector my Son my chiefe and only ioy My trust my sole delight my eldest child And here sucessiuelie to raigne in Troy Of whom my hopes as yet were nere beguild Thou that art nam'd the root the spring the well Of Chivalrie and dost therein excell Thy Brethren all whereby thou dost obtaine The soveraigntie of high renowne and fame Esteeme not I thee pray my words in vaine But yeeld and giue consent vnto the same And do the thing for which I long so sore For in thee is my trust and in no more This thing t' effect and wholly bring about And for that cause I make thee Generall Of all my force and herein make no doubt But that thou wilt go forward therewithall And yeeld t' accept of this my iust request For in thy valor onely do I rest And vnto thee it chieflie doth belong As being wise and full of gouerment Flowring in youth actiue and passing strong And hast thy mind to honour onelie bent Though yong in yeares yet of discretion Belou'd of all and of most high renowne And all thy younger Brethren shall obay To thee and at thy will be alwaies presâ— With thee to liue and dye and therefore say If that thou wilt consent to my request And let me heare thine answere herevnto That with all speed we may prepare thereto When Priam thus had shewed them his pretence Hector the patterne of Nobilitie Bowing his knee with humble reuerence Vnto the King as full of curtesie His answere gaue with sober countenance Th' effect whereof was this in full substance My most renowned Lord and Father deare Sith that it is your pleasure and your will That I should speake and you are pleas'd to heare Attentiuely I shall your mind fulfill And such good counsell as my wit affords I le giue to you in few and pithy words True'tis my Lord that natures lawes doe bind And still prouoke mans heart for to aspire And all Gods creatures else of seuerall kind With earnest and most resolute desire To seeke reuenge for wrongs by them sustaind And specially such men as haue attaind Vnto the honour of Nobility For vnto them t' were great reproach and shame And wholly gainst their state and dignity To suffer wrongs done to their name and fame For euery trespasse must considered be And wayd according to the qualitie Of him gainst whome the jniurie is wrought What way or meanes soeuer that it be As also of the person that it sought For t is more griefe to men of high degree To suffer hurt or harme by aduenture Or any wrong vniustly to endure Then vnto men of meaner quality And jniury maliciously contriu'd Is more offence to Princelie Majesty And men from high Nobility deriu'd Then vnto such as by their wealth aspire To worship though the world doth theÌ„ admire This well considered of much bound are we To seeke by force our honour to increase Sith we descend of Royall pedigree And let vs not from iust reuenge surcease For beasts that are by nature voyd of sence Desire the same and seeke their owne defence And for my part I know assuredly That none of all your Sons was ere more prest Vpon the Greekes to be reueng'd then I And herevpon my faith I doe protest That with despight gainst them I burne like fire And thirst their bloud with all my whole desire For as I am your eldest by degree So am I mooued most with angry mood And long by valour and by chiualry With sword in hand to shed the Grecians bloud Which they perchaÌ„ce shall feele ere that they ween When time doth serue as shortly shall be seene But first I must aduise you t' haue a care Ere you begin t' effect this your intent And thinke and way how great the dangers are Which vnto bloudy war are jncident And long not the beginning for to see But studie on the end what it may bee Which if you do you can by no meanes faile For counsell giuen in my opinion Is little worth and nothing may availe Nor yet deserueth commendation Which doth not tend t' advise men seriously To thinke vpon future adversity For though that men at pleasure bring about The first beginning of their tragedies Yet oftentimes it commonly fals out That they doe end with great extreamities And what availes beginning fortunate That after causeth strife and great debate I say therefore great wisedome t is to doubt At th'entring into any enterprise What issue may thereof in th' end fall out Which who so doth I hold him to be wise For that beginning is most fortunate Where midst and end continue in like estate But when they do not happilie proceed T' were better wholly from it to abstaine Then t'hazard mans estate when there 's no need For who so doth assured is to gaine Nought else but mischiefe and adversity And end his daies in great extreamity Let not your Majesty I yow beseech In any wise with me displeased be Nor yet to take exception at my speech For there 's no sparke of any thought in me To giue a cause vnto you of offence For that I speake is onely with pretence To counsell you to see that wilfully You enterprise not that which in the end By misadvice may chance vnhappily And be the cause in fine your selfe t' offend Nor of your foes too small account to make For so men oftentimes themselues mistake But thinke how they hold in subiection All Affrica and Europe wide and long With many another warlike Nation And that they are most valiant Knights and strong Esteem'd of all the world for worthinesse Abounding in great wealth and happinesse So that with your support I dare bebold T'aâ—â—irme that danger tis them to displease And if our quiet state disturbe we should It 's to be feard we must our selues disease And say that Asia should vs aid to fight It is not like vnto the Grecians might And though our Aunt the Princesse Exion Against all right be held by Telamon It is not fit for her redemption To bring vs all vnto destruction My counsel 's not to buy her halfe so deare For that perhaps all we that now sit here And many more might also for her right In doubtfull warres loose both their lire lim And after long and many a bloudy â—ight Perehance shall nere get her away from him Which were no wisedome as it seemes to me And it may hap ere long time passe that she Her fatall course and daies on earth will end And then what shall we reap for her to striue And with our Grecian
were one of your Royall blood The which I know for all your worldlie good You would by no meanes wish nor gladlie see Wherefore by mine aduise I thinke it best That Thoas should well kept and garded bee Within this towne and quietlie let rest Least as I said to you before it may Fall out that one of vs another day Might hap into their hands and prisoner be And so for him we might haue ours againe Which otherwise if with extreamitie We do proceed we never should obtaine This is my counsell in this case said he And such as I do thinke the best to be Whereto most worthy Hector did consent And with him was of like opinion And said that he no will had nor intent That any wrong to Thoas should be done While he in Troy then prisoner was though he Nere had deseru'd of them well vs'd to be Paris King Priams second son likewise When as his brother Hector had declar'd His mind said vnto them that his aduise Was that he wisht King Thoas should be spar'd And not put vnto death although he said To doe the same they need not be afraid But Deiphobus of cleane contrarie mind Vnto his brethren twaine did say he saw No cause why Thoas should such favor find At Troyans hands who by their marshall law Might iustlie for his merits make him die Being as he was their vtter enemie Whereto with courage bold youthfull heart Prince Troyelus did seeme somewhat t' agree With Deiphobus and said that for his part He did no cause nor any reason see Why they should spare their enemie that sought Their overthrow and to that end had brought His forces fore their towne as fullie bent To worke their vtter ruine and decay But yet said he it is not my intent To counsell you to deale with him that way Least as my Lord Aeneas saith we might Perchance thereby procure our owne despight Whose counsell Lord Anthenor did commend And said that to shew such extreamitie Of marshall Law and rigor to extend To him could not be done advisedlie For that said he there is none of vs all But may into our foes hands chance to fall And with the selfe same rigor vsed be That vnto him we shewd Wherefore I say If that by my advise you 'le ruled be It 's best to let him safe in prison stay And vse him well that we like curâ—esie May haue when need requires of th' enemy Pollidamas his sonne with all the rest Of those that in their Counsell chamber were With one consent did say they thought it best That he should still be kept a prisoner And as Aeneas said be vsed well Till they saw how fortune with theÌ„ would deale But Priamus to wrath and furie bent Did not agree to their opinion And would by no meanes therevnto consent But still maintain'd his first conclusion And said that if the Greeks should once perceiue That we of life do Thoas not bereaue But spare him though vnto that end it were They would report to our no little shame That we dare not attempt to do 't for feare We haue of them and so will vs defame But nere the lesse said he sith you 're content I will though loath vnto the same consent And therewithall their counsell vp they brake And then Aeneas and Anthenor went With Troyelus into the hall and spake With Helena whereas some time they spent With her and with Queene Hecuba that bare Her company with many Ladies faire That with her the Queene then present were Where Troyelus and Aeneas did perswade Queene Helena to set aside all feare Which by the meanes of war that great she had And she although much discontent she were In outward shew did seeme with ioyfull cheare And countenance demure being glad To welcome them as to their state was fit But Hecuba that nere her equall had For vertue bountie eloquence and wit While they vnto Queene Helena so spake Desired them for that faire Ladies sake And for the weale and safety of them all And of the towne that they would not adventer Themselues in field what ever might befall Too farre among the enemies to enter Nor put themselues in danger carelesly And yet besought them to fight valiantly To saue and keepe the towne from that distresse Which th' enemy did seeke to bring 't into The which she said she fear'd she must confesse Although she hope 't they should it never do And so of her and of the Ladies all The knights tooke leaue went out of the hall Meane time the Greeks that morning as I said While Priam in the towne a counsell held Did murmure great sorow mongst them made As in their tents they lay in th' open field To thinke vpon the losse which they sustaind And all of them together much complaind And grieued for the death of many a man Of great account slaine by the cruelties Since that most cruell deadly war began And valor of their Troyan enemies And for the hunger cold and thirst also With sorow thought vnquietnes and woe Which they had had and felt all for nought Or at the least for causes very small If that the ground thereof were truely sought This was the speech and words in generall That through the Grecians campe at that time ran And currantly did passe from man to man But specially amongst the poorer sort Of soldiers who in war most commonly Constrained are t' endure and to support The brunt of all and haue no remedy For though they do find fault grieue therfore Yet are they not relieued nere the more And so they did complaine make great mone To thinke vpon the mischiefe they endured And which to them the Troyan knights had done Thogh't were theÌ„selues that had the same procured Vnto their owne decay and might it shun If they had not that bloudy war begun Which to encrease the next ensuing night So cloudy darke and thicke as pitch became That neither Moone nor star appear'd in sight And such a storme did happen on the same Of thunder lightning wind raine that fell Vpon them as if all the fiends of hell Conspired had their vtter overthrow And therewithall the waters did so rise That all the field and plaine did overflow And with the wind that blew in furious wise Their tents were overthrowne they compeld To leaue the place which all that while they held By reason that the water grew so hie And in that sort the Greeks in great distresse Compelled were all that same night to lie With hearts repleate with griefe and heauinesse In that great storme of thunder wind raine Vntill the water did go backe againe The wind appeas'd and day began t' appeare Next morning when the Sun began to rise Which made the aire shew beautifull and cleare And draue away the clouds out of the skies And with the force and feavor of his heat Dried vp the ground which was
Soone did arriue before the Troyan coast Where safely landing all his ships together He presently relieu'd the Grecian hoast With victuals who thereof had then great need And thankt him that he broght it with such speed The Grecian host relieu'd as you haue heard Palamedes went to their ships to see If they had any need to be repair'd And what so euer requisite to bee Bestowd on them was found he did with care Cause to be done And likewise did not spare Of every thing what so ever it did cost To see prouision made and to supply All things that needfull were within the host The which he did performe most carefully While time of truce endur'd was out-run And that their bloudy warre againe begun Which many on each side most dearely bought Whereof to write at large is my pretence And shew how they together fiercely sought Each th' other to destroy in their defence And still continued in their deadly hate The which they held between the without date Vnto the great destruction and decay Of many valiant knights while it did last For as they were accustomed next day Ensuing after that the truce was past In warlike wise well arm'd with speare shield They entered againe into the field Where with their banners wavering in great pride And drums and trumpets sounding fearefully They met together brauely on each side And at the first encounter valiantly Deiphobus like a Lyon furious Met with a Grecian King cald Creseus And with his strong puissant speare in rest Ran at him with so great and mighty force That he did pierce him deepe into the brest Wherewith starke dead he fell off from his horse Whose death so much the Greeks did terrifie That sore amaz'd they did begin to flie Vnto their tents as fast as ere they could To saue themselues with mighty feare and dread The which when as the Troyans did behold They chased them till that King Diomede And with him also King Palamodes With most despightfull hearts and merciles With twenty thousand knights accompanied Vpon the Troyans sodainly did set And where the Grecians then before them fled They did so fiercely kill cast downe and beat The Troyans that their furious 〈◊〉 vs to shun Then made them fore the Greeks as fast to run And at that time came Thelamon Aiax in Conducting of another Grecian band At whose approach such slaughter did begin On Troyans side by his victorious hand That many of them then were fiercely kild And all the plaine with Troyans blood was fild And as he thus in furious wise did set On them and like a Lyon fierce for pray Did range about the field by chance he met The worthy knight Sicilian in his way A bastard Son of 〈◊〉 whome he Assailed with such extreame crueltie That with his sword he cut his arme in twaine And he therewith fell dead within the field Whome when Deiphobus saw so fiercely slaine By Thelamon and his dead corps beheld With speare in hand he smote so great a stroke At Thelmon that his Launce on him he broke And yet did hit him with so great a might That with the trunchion which did whole remaine He did him cleane out of his sadle smight And laid him all along vpon the plaine Which stroke when King Pallamides beheld And saw how he vnto the ground was feld He was therewith so vexed at the heart That to revenge King Thelamon he sware On Deiphobus and ere he thence did part With mighty speare which in his hand he bare He ran and smote Deiphobus such a stroke That therewithall he pierst his brest broke The speare within the same and therein left The trunchion and the head still sticking fast Wherewith he was of vitall breath bereft But ere the same out of his body past Which long within his breast could not abide It was his brother Paris chance to ride That way where he lay in a manner dead Whome when he did behold in such a case He was therewith so much astonished That he did looke with pale and deadly face And for him grieu'd and wept most bitterly And bad his knights conuay him speedily Out of the field and prease wherein he lay Aside into a place to take the aire Who presently did beare him thence away Vpon a shield with easie pace and faire And with great griefe sorrow laid him downe Hard by the wall close vnderneath the towne Where when he had a little while still laine With heauie cheare he lifted vp his eies And being in extreamity of paine Vnto his brother Paris softlie cries And said good brother let me one thing craue Of thee that thou wilt pittie on me haue And kindly and for lone and brother hood Remember what to thee I now shall say Sith that thou canst do mono other good Because I must depart from thee away Thou seest what woefull case I here lie in For Atropos will now no longer spin My thread of life nor favor to me shoe Good brother let me craue so much of thee Before that I out of the world hence goe That by thy meanes I may revenged bee Of him that hath bereau'd me of my breath And in this sort hath giuen me my death That I may be assur'd before I die That he is slaine and first gone downe to hell And in that soule inâ—ernall lake doth lie With Pâ—â—â—to there eternally to dwell Amongst the damned soules in griefe woe The which wheÌ„ my poore dying hart shal knoâ— I shall depart contentedlie and glad Out of this world and will esteem 't a blisse To me that he his death before me had And that with me thereof he did not misse Wherein I pray thee do me not denie And then pull out this speare and let me die Which his desire t' accomplish Paris went With speed into the field in mightie griefe Sore weeping to revenge with full intent His brother who meane time without reliefe Lay languishing and drawing on to death Expecting everie hower to yeeld his breath And seeking vp and downe he came whereas Pallamides was fighting hand to hand With Sarpedon a valiant King that was Come vnto Troy to Priam with a band Of valiant Knights to aid him gainst his foes And while that they together fiercely close And each the other furiously did smight For Sarpedon was valorous and strong And shewd himselfe to be a puissant knight Pallamides when they had â—ought so long That both of them were wearie puissantly Stroke Sarpedon a blow vpon the thigh And cut it cleane a sunder wherewithall King Sarpedon not able to endure Vpon his horse dead on the ground did fall Whose death vnto the Troyans did procure Such feare that they were forced to retire For that with heart repleat with wrath me Pallamides slew them so furiously That they durst not abide before his face Whose cruelty when Paris did espie And thought vpon his brothers woefull case He bent his bow that
sustaine Their mightie blows but forced were againe To run out of the field discomforted Though Diomede did what he could to stay And succour them so many of them dead And wounded sorevpon the plaine then lay And cast out many a great and woefull crie The which when Duke Menestes did espie And saw what great disorder they were in And how the Troyans them so sore opprest Into the battaile fiercely did begin To enter and with mightie Launce in rest Brake through the Troyans ranks till that he was So farre that he met with Pollidamas Gainst whome at vnawares he ran so fast That with a blow which he at him let flie Vpon the ground he did him fiercely cast And while that he amaz'd thereon did lie Had slaine him if with speed he had not beene Relieu'd and rescued by King Philomen Who brauely in despight of all the force And might Menestes had did set him free And made him mount againe vpon his horse Sore bleeding and in great extreamitie Meane time fierce Thelmon Aiax carelesly Vnarmed with great pride yet foolishly Amongst the thickst of all his armed foes Nere ceast to kill and mightily to wound The Troyans and such valor great then shoes That they in heaps lay dead vpon the ground About him and none durst against him stand So fierce he was with bloudy fword in hand To kill and beat them downe still as he road And yet though in the midst of them he was And that so many thousands him with stood On euery side as he through them did passe Noâ— any part of him was perished Nor drop of bloud out of his body shed Which woonder was considering how that he Disarmed fought But when dame Fortune will Preserue and keepe man from extreamitie Nothing can hurt nor him by no meanes kill And yet when as she list shee 'le him beguile And play and sport with him a little while And sodainly when he thinkes least thereon Ore-turne her wheele and cast him on the ground As she that day did vnto Thelamon Who to his cost her most vnconstant found For as he mongst the Troyans with great pride Disarmed through their ranks did fiercely ride And many of the Persian Archers slew With heart cleane voyd of any feare or dread And more and more with furie did renew His force and to his safetie tooke no heed Paris perceauing his great hardinesse And how he did the Persian knights oppresse In great despight an arrow at him shot And with the same as he did fiercely ride Still killing all he met and spar'd them not Pierst him at vnawares into the side So deepe a wound that without remedie There was no other meanes but he must die Which when he did perceiue and saw no way T' avoid his death with heart surpriz'd with ire In furious wise he made no more delay But running through the prease with great desire To be reveng'd on Paris ere he died Sought him so long till at the last he spied Him mongst the thickst of all the Greeks in fight And vnto him with pale and deadly cheare But yet with extreame rage and great despight To thinke vpon his death that drew so neare Said Paris the wound which thou hast giuen me I know and certaine am my death will be For I do feele such extreame griefe and paine Within my heart that I am well assur'd I neuer shall returne to Greece againe And sith that thou my death hast thus procur'd I meane to giue thee such reward therefore That thou aliue to Troy shalt nere go more For as the great despight well meriteth Which thou shewst me I le make thee first to feele Ere that I die the bitter pangs of death And send thee down before me into hell And therefore make account thy glasse is run And that thou canst thy death as now not shun For here my troth I plight and firmely vow That with my sword I le make diuorse betweene Queene Helena and thee and that as now The chaine of fained wedlocke that hath beene So surelie made and knit twixt her and thee Shall now at last be cut in twaine by me And that false knot of thy adulterie Which hath beene cause such slaughter great to make And made so many valiant knights to die In this our warre and onlie for thy sake Shall be vnknitâ— for without remedy Paris said he of my hand thou shalt die And with his sword scarse able to sustaine Himselfe vpright gaue Paris such a wound That with the same he cleft his head in twaine And therewith he fell dead vpon the ground Which hauing done he likewise presently Fell downe and died to beare him company Which when the Troyans saw with dolefull cheare They tooke vp Paris body to convay The same to Troy and in a mighty feare Began to flie where all along the way The Greeks did kill pursue beat them downe Even to the walls and trenches of the towne And more had done but that it did begin To draw to night for then the Sun was downe And when the woefull Troyans were gone in And had secur'd themselues within the towne The Greeks likewise retired backe and went Vnto their Campe each man into his tent To ease themselues but ere as 't them behou'd They tooke their rest that night Agamemnon Commanded that their tents should be remou'd And set and placed neerer to the towne Not farre off from the walls and so they were Which put the Troyans in no little feare So that they durst not issue out to let And hinder them from doing it but glad To saue themselues shut fast their gates and set Watch all that night vpon the walls and made Such sorrow and so pittifully far'd For Paris death that nere the like was heard For by that meanes all Priams sons being slaine They did despaire and out of hope cleane were Of any comfort or release t' obtaine In their distresse and so possest with feare And plunged in most great extreamitie They made account there was no remedie Nor any meanes to aid themselues withall But still expecting their destruction To keepe themselues enclos'd within the wall And rampiers of their strong and mightie towne And for that cause most pittiouslie complaind And so great woe and sorrow then sustaind That nere the like was heard nor seene before But specially King Priam did so grieue For Paris death and did lament therefore So mightilie that nothing could relieue Nor comfort him and from his heart which fild With woe and care then was such teares distild And let fall downe his checkes and aged face That he did seeme as if he would haue died To tell you how in this most wofull case Queene Hecuba his mother wept and cried And what exceeding sorrow for their parts His sisters made and felt within their hearts And how they rent and tare their clothes haire And beat and smote their breasts in great distresse And all bedewd and wet
may be â—eard And that you with reason iudge and be Vnpartiall in this case twixt him and me And first consider well and way withall That while you here so long in siedge did tarry I onely out of Messa brought you all Prouision that for you was necessary That you no want of victuals might sustaine By any meanes while you did here remaine And further as concerning feats of armes Performed in the field in Knightly wise I euer ready was at all alarmes And daylie fought against our enemies And as I am assurd full well kild more Of them then those that greater countnance bore You also know that I slew Philomen To whom King Priam sent his youngest Son To keepe with store of treasure great and when I had him slaine and all that riches won I brought it vnto you and therewith did Relieue you much and did supplie your need And sor your sakes I slew the Frizian King And store of gold and treasure from him won And all those spoiles vnto the Campe did bring You likewise further know what I haue don T' augment and to aduance your soueraignty By conquering two kingdomes valianly While you in siedge here lay and did them ad Vnto your puissant Empire and likewise The prouinces to Troy annexed made All Subiect vnto you What otherwise I with Achilles did t' increase your fame I know that you cannot forget the same And therefore needles t were for me to say Or shew you all I could produce to proue My merits more then his do euery way Deserue a greater recompence and loue Of you And therefore whatsoere he saith No right vnto Palladion he hath The iudgement in this case I do referre Vnto you all the which that you may know The better how to giue you first shall heare His qualities which I will to you show In him there is no manner worthines Knight-hood valor nor yet hardines For when time serues that he should in a need Shew forth his might he dates not enterprize That which he boasts but proues as he 's indeed A coward right as plainely with your ciâ—s You see ther 's iâ— him nought but craâ—tines Words many falsehood decâ—â—â—fulnes For he is still in heart imagining How to effect by craft and subtilty His purpose and the same to passe to bring T' intrap and to deceaue his enemy For never any thing as yet there was By him archieu'd nor fully brought to passe For which he well deserued praise or laud But it was done it's knowne vnto you all By some devise of treachery or fraud For like vnto a goodly painted wall He makes a faire and pleasing outward show But no man can his inward meaning know And by such sleights deceit and pollicy He got the Image cald Palladion And thereby to our shame and villany It may be said the conquest we haue woone Vpon the towne by treason gotten was And not by our great knighthood brought to passe The onely cause whereof as I haue said Ulisses is for he vnto our shame This stumbling blocke hath in our honor laid And thereby much ecclipsed all our fame The truth thereof sith all of you do know I le leaue for this time more of him to show And of you all my Lords together craue You iudgements which of vs deserveth best For his deserts the jmage faire to haue That for the same we may no more contest Which words thus vsed by King Thelaphus Ulisses having heard with mind suspicious And seeing how with envie great he was Incenst and mou'd gainst him with good advise He bare with him a while and let ore-passe His choller and as he was passing wise Determing no iest thereof to make To answere him on this wise to him spake And said with countance bold before his face My Lords if that I may haue leaue to speake I hope before we part out of this place And yet intend no peace thereby to breake To proue directly that with equitie The jmage onely doth belong to me Which I will keepe and hold while I do liue Despight of all that thereto dare say nay And first for proofe this instance I do giue That at the siege wherein so long we lay In double wise I did my selfe acquit As well by valor great as by my wit For by advise I was the onely man T' intrap them in a snare and for your good Devis'd the meanes and way whereby we wan The towne of Troy which otherwise had stood And flourisht to this day and truth to tell As it is not vnknowne to all full well If you will speake vprightly and with reason I dare avouch though Thelaphus saith no I was chiefe cause of their confusion How often of Embassage did I go To make the treatie with them in such wise As I for our advantage could devise And when I saw that all that we had done Was but in vaine the towne of Troy to win And that for vs advantage there was none While that the holy Image was therein By my advise so subtillie I wrought That I to you Mineruaes Image brought Which Thelaphus maliciously doth say That to your great dishonour and your shame By treacherie I brought it thence away And thereby much imblemished your fame But sith you are so wise I pray you take The quarrell now in hand and thereof make An end betweene vs twaine and so prouide That th'jmage at this time may iudged be All fauour whatsoever laid aside To him that it deserues and as for me I le stand to your award Which having said He paused and from speaking further staid Whereat with courage great King Thelaphus In heart and mind exceeding lie much mou'd Respecting no man there in furious And raging wise despightfullie reprou'd And chafed at Vlisses with disdaine And he at him replide with like againe Whereby they two great enemies became And into hard and bitter tearmes did fall And threatning each the other for the same King Thelaphus in presence of them all Said that before they two did end that strife It should vnto Vlisses cost his life By his hands if he did not well defend Himselfe Which when the Grecian Princes heard The quarrell grown between them two to end The matter was by all of them deferd And wholly put to th'arbitration Of Menalus and King Agamemnon Which afterward did breed a mortall iarre For when they two considered had thereon They iudged cause Ulisses t'whom they bare Affection great the jmage faire had woon He should possesse the same as his reward And Thelaphus from claime thereof debard The reason that made them therein preferre Ulisses and King Thelaphus to thwart Was for because they both beholding were To him for that he friendly tooke their part When as the Greeks bout Helen were at strife To haue her kild and he to saue her life Perswaded them so well that they content To let her liue to Menalus her gaue When Thelaphus with furie gainst her
were wholy done in vaine And those that honour sought had lost their paine And time by length of yeares and ages past Would haue defaced name and honor cleane Of Conquerors for what can ever last Vnlesse record thereof were to be seene Which Clarkes for which they merit and deserue Continuall praise haue sought still to preserue For Histories and Bookes are sayd to bee The keyes of learning memory and skill In them and by them all men plainely see What hath forepast and what is good or ill Witnesse the fall of Thebes the ancient Towne In Stacies Booke for truth at large set downe Where you may read and see how Polinece Was nere content with Etocles a day Nor would like louing Brother liue in peace Till Thebes Towne was brought vnto decay And hâ—w Tedeus through that mortall ctrife And by dissention was bereft of life How Oedipus with sorrow griefe and woe Did loose his eies so bitterly he wept And how the Smoâ—kes devided were iâ— two Of fiers made when funerall feasts was kept Which fier brothers hatred did engender And death to both for iust reward did render Mine author Guydo in like sort doth show As by his Booke most plainely it appeares Of all the Troian Princes overthrow While Greeks besieg'd the towne so many yeares In very truth and though t is long since past No time nor age the storie hath defast For maugre them you may it still behold In Bookes set downe most plainely to mens eies For truth by lying will not be controld Though enviously some seeke it to disguise Transforming all the substance of the matter By fayned tales dissembling to flatter As Homer did who truth would seeme to show Yet covertly did seeke the same to hide And by vntruth which he full well did know With Artificiall words doth truth deride Who seeming Greecians honour to defend Doth faine the Gods from heaven to descend In shape of men and openly were knowne To helpe the Greeks against the Troians fight And many such vntruths by him are showne In sugred words and phrases for delight Pretending so his malice for to hide For falsehood seekes in darkenes to abide The cause why he the Greeks so smothly prais'd Was for that he vnto them was allide And therefore sought their glory to haue rais'd But such as loue the truth cannot abide Gainst conscience for to praise or discommend Where no desert their action may defind But Cupid as the Poets faine is blind And giues his doome more after lust then law So Sicophants as we by proofe doe find Commend and praise the men they never saw By false report extolling them to skie Of whom in heart they know full well they lie Whereby such men as never merit faâ—e But iust disgrace are highly magnified And they contrary that deserue good name Are either not remembred or beli'd For favor now doth beare so great a sâ—ay That true desert is driven cleane away Ovidius Naso likewise hath devisâ— A Booke in verse of Troian â—â—â—s to show Part true part false but in such sort disguisd That who so reads it can by no meanes know Which way to sound the deapth of his intent His phraise therein's so misâ—ically bent Like story also Virgill doth declare When of Aeneas traâ—â—â—les he doth write Where truth to tell in part he doth not spare Although sâ—â—â— time he seemth to delight In Homers course with Rethoricke to glose And truth with falsehood often to compose Dares an ancient Author first was found And Ditus eke of Troian warres to write Who both set down the truth perfect grouÌ„d As being there and did behold the fight And thogh their books in seuerall language be Yet they are knowen in all things to agree The Books in time to Athens being brought Salustius cousen one Cornelius By diligent enquirie out them sought And being of a mind industrious Translated them with great earnest care In each respect as th' Authors doth declare His only fault was that he did not write The story full at large as he it found But â—ure he did in breuity delight Els would he not haue spar'd to shew the grouÌ„d And first beginning of that mortall strife Which cost so many thousand men their life And how the Greeks came both by sea laÌ„d The nuÌ„ber of their â—en and of their ships The manner how they first did take in hand To plant their siege all this he ouerskips How envy was the root and cause of all The mischiefe that on Troy at last did fall How many Kings and Princes thither went In warlike wise to win them high renowne How they agreed all with one conscent To see the full subâ—erâ—iâ—â—â— of the Towne What armes they â—are what men they did retaine Who in the siege did longest there remaine How one the other Knightly did assaile How many valiant Princes lost their life How of t they met in field to giue battaile How hatred still increast and bred new strife Nor of their deaths â—e â—iteth not the yeare Thus much he leaueth out as doth appeare Which lately causd an Author to arise Whose truth in writing is not to be blaâ—'d That tooke in hand this stâ—â—iâ— iâ— such wise As that of Ditus and of Dares nam'd He hath not sought one sentence to neglect Nor yet in ought the meaning to reiect This Clarkethat wrote so true so iust so well Was Guydo of Columpna by his name Who in sweet Rethoricke did so much excell That he enricht his storie with the same So Eloquently hath he set it downe That he deserueth praise and high renowne For which in heart and voice I will not stay To giue him praise and commendation due And with applause in truth and rightly say He was the flower most certainely and true Of all that sought this storie to compile For wit and soveraignty of stile Whose treces as I can I will obserue If God vouchsafe me time and grace to do 't And graunt my labour may of him deserue The Princely praise that first provokt me to 't Beseeching all that see 't with heart mind Not spare to speake if any fault they find And with good will I shall amend the same For many eies may see much more then one Correct then freely where you find the blame But find not fault whereas deserueth none And so in hope I shall your favours win With your support this storie I le begin THE LIFE AND DEATH OF HECTOR THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. 1. I How Peleus King of Thessalie lost his people men women and Children by diuine punishment and after by prayer vnto the Gods obtained others IN Thessalie King Peleus once did raigne For vertue held a Prince of worthy fame Whose subiects as mine Author doth explaine Were Myrmidons so called by their name Of whose beginning Ouid doth rehearse The History at large in Latine verse And saith that in that Countrie downe did fall So furious a tempest from the skie
Owle by night to flie and slay Young children or to beare them cleane away And changlings in their cradles vs'd to leaue The singles of a greedy Wolfe that can As some report himselfe of shape bereaue And when he list take on him forme of man The slimes of water-snailes the which she found With labour great within the Indian ground The liuer of a Hart that liues so long And of a Crow that loathsome carrion beast The which by cause the nature was so strong Had liued then Nine hundred yeares at least The head and bill of all which when she had An admirable composition made To lengthen Aesons aged yeares withall A withered bough the which not long before Downe from an Oliue tree did chance to fall In hand she tooke and with the same did pore And stir the liquor till the sticke waxe greene And sodainly both leaues and buds were seene To spring thereon straight did berrieâ— beare And where the fire the skum thereof did throw Vpon the earth where it had dropâ— euen there The ground began as fresh and green to show As it in summer did and flowers to rise Out of the same Whâ—h whâ—â—n Medea spies She tooke a knife and with a courage stout Did cut old Aesons throat where presently His aged bloud did all come gushing out And with the boy ling iuce did new supply Which when to Aesons corps she had powr'd in His haire that was so gray did straight begin To turne and wax as blacke as any coale His leane pale withered skin grew faire and fresh The wrinckles in his face and euery hole Therein were fild with yong and lusty fresh His limbs waxt lith and all his ioynts did grow So supple that he plainly then did show To be a man of yong and youthfull yeares At which when to his sences Aeson came He was abasht but casting off all feares He knew at forty yeares he was the same And as backe from old age to youth he drew A youthfull spirit did in his heart renew By which so strange deuise she did restore King Aeson vnto strength and former youth With wit and reason as he had before In each respect as much if it be truth But be it true or false I haue not spar'd To write it as the story hath declar'd And after on his wife he did beget A valiant Sonne that Iason had to name In whose creation nature did not let To shew hir skill and to incurre no blame For neuer man mord perfectly was form'd Nor with more graces inwardly adoâ—n'd If I should striue here to describe at will His strength his beauty and his comlinesse His good behauiour and his perfect skill His wisedome vertue and his gentlenes To all and euery one both high and low Like as mine Author plainly doth it show My art and wit therein would be to little His qualities so pleased mens desire That he obtained praise of all the people For young and old each one did him admire Iudge then what he would proue in elder yeares That in his childhood such a one appeares But while he was of age and stature small And far vnfit as then to rule the Land His Vnckle Peleus by consent of all Still held the Crowne and Scepter in his hand From whom in ought he neuer seem'd to vary Nor his prcepts at any time contrary So diligent was he in euery thing To please and serue his Vnckle at a becke As is the child held vnder tutors wing And seareth to incurre his Maisters checke In heart noâ— outward shew whats'ere him toucht He neuer did repine nor at it grutcht And though his Vncle held his heritage And rul'd his Princely Scepter at his will While he remained still in tender age Yet was he neuer mooued vnto ill Nor once of him a bad conceite to haue In any wise his honour to depraue But Peleus he contrarie mind did beare And â—ullie had his heart to enuie bent Dissembling that in face and outward cheare Which inwardly was whollie his intent Like Adder lurking closely in the grasse To sting all those that throgh the same doth passe His heart and tongue contrary each to other For with pretence of faire and friendly show He seem'd to loue the Son of his deare Brother When inwardly his heart did ouerflow With malice though not outwardly espy'd So cunningly he did his malice hide For no man could by any meanes perâ—â—auâ— That he to Iason bare an enuinous eie No cause he had but feare he should bereaue Him of his Crowne and regall dignitie And at the time of riper yeares obtaine The right succession of his fathers raigne Which he as then vnjustly occupied And daily did devise how that he might On Iason whome in heart he envied Worke his pretended malice and despight Which made him oft build Castles in the aire Like one that liu'd in feare and great despaire Still compasing some way or meanes to find T' intrap and take his Nephew in a snare Which secretly â—e kept still hid in mind Yet ceased not his engins to prepare Like Sathan cuery minute day and hower Deuising how mans soule he may deuour And as the Sun shines hot when raine is past So did his enuie burne more feruently And vext him sore till he deuis'd at last To execute his wilfull trechery A Lambe in shew a Lyon in his heart Fell Tiger like to play a double part A sugred face but false and bitter mind None might of him conceaue suspition That he should to his Nephew be vnkind And priuily worke his destruction Pretending loue but hatred was the end Description true of foule dissembling frend His bad intent disclosed might not be It was so well conceal'd within his heart So is all close and priuy enmity And yet although he playd so well his part His enuy still encreasing more and more Did inwardly torment and vexe him sore Attending time t' effect and bring about That which he did in heart so much desire And so to be cleane freed from care and doubt The only ioy that enuy doth require But Iason he did not conceaue in mind His Vncle would vnto him proue vnkind Their thoughts were cleane contrary in effect The Cousin simply seeking Vncles good The Vncle he all friendship doth reiect Deuifing how to shead his Nephews blood Proâ—ok't by malice and desire of gaine The roots of mischiefe sorrow woe and paine For many Realmes and Cities old do feele The poyson of the serpent Avarice But let all those that cruelly will deale Learne this of me and thinke it good aduicâ— That what so euer mischiefe they intend It 's sweet at first but bitter in the end And though the world doth flatter for a while Let not the enuâ—ous man be proud withall For he that thinks another to beguile Perhaps may chance in selfe same pit to fall But let vs enuy leaue as fiend of hell And of King Peleus further to you tell Who all this
doth run By vsuall course vnto th'ecclipticke line And then is in coniunction with the Moone There 's no ecclipse as writers do define But when the Sun with fiery beames most red His mansion hath in th' vgly Dragons head And that the Moone is seated in the taile Of Dragon fell then 't is a thing most true That an ecclipse by nature cannot faile But certainly thereof must needs ensue By reason of intersecations Of circles and of reuolutions Which fixed are within the skies aloft And cause the shining beames of Phoebus bright As it is seene within the world full oft To be obscur'd and shadowed from our sight For that the Moone doth make diuision By naturall interposition Betweene our eyes and Phebus glistring beames So as we may not then behold nor see How Tytans flaming Chariot weld his streames Which for a time cleane darkned seeme to bee But for bycause Ptholome the King Within his Booke shews cause of euery thing Both of ecclipses and coniunction Of Sun and Moone with other planets bright That they doe hap by common motion I will no longer of this matter write And though that Ouid in his booke doth praise Medeas skill her honour so to raise And doth of her such fained fables tell Yet God forbid that credite we should giue Vnto such fond conceits as knowing well No creature that vpon the earth doth liue Hath power to work against dame natures course To make the Sun and Moone ecclipst by force For God that ruleth all things by his might Hath so disposd his heauenly creatures That they cannot remooue by day nor night Without his will as long as world endures But in a mutuall order still are bound Continually the world to compasse round For no ecclipse as yet was euer knowne The Moone not being in coniunction As I haue said vnlesse that God hath showne A miracle as in the passion For then the Sun was found ecclipst to be Gainst natures course as all the Iews might see For when that Christ vpon the crosse was nail'd The Son of life was darkened for our good And then of heauen and earth the powers fail'd At shedding of his pure and precious bloud And shewed signes most strangely to behold The glory of his God-head to vnfold The earth did quake great darknes did appeare The dead did rise which caus'd no little wonder Within the Church the vale in midst did teare Hard stones and rocks did burst cleaue in sunder That for the tokens strange and marueilous Which then were seene wise Diomsians When as he did such sodaine darknesse find Although that he a heathen was by right Yet seemed much astonished in mind And flatly said that sure the God of might Did suffer death or else 't was to presume The world as then would perish and consume Thus did this heathen man as then conceaue When as he did such wonders great behold For God his creatures can of power bereaue As being all of him to be contrould For he that did all things on earth ordaine Can heauen earth of vsuall course restraine As sacred Scriptures plainly testifie How Iosua caus'd the Sun his course to stay While he did force his enemies to flie At Gabaon for space of one whole day Which God did grant vnto his faithfull Knight At his request to shew his power and might Then think 't not strange if at the passion Of Iesus Christ incarnate for our sake The heauens shew'd such alteration And bright Sun beames became of color blacke Sith he hath made both skie sea land And all are rul'd by his most mighty hand But though that Ouid list so much to wright And of Medea tells so false a fable And to extoll her seemes to take delight Yet all he said to proue he was not able Although she were a cunning sorceresse As ancient stories manifest no lesse This shall suffice to shew her wit and skill And now I will proceed to mine intent To tell how she obayd her fathers will When as she knew that he for her had sent Inuesting costly furniture great store That she might cause her beauty seeme the more For if of beauty women haue good store They will not faile to play a womans part By skill t' encrease dame natures worke the more And are therein such mistresses of Art That what so er's amisse they will it hide That no defect may outwardly be spide But she was faire and beautifull in face And in behauiour womanly withall And set it forth with such a princely grace That euery man admir'd her in the hall Her entry so maiesticall did seeme As if she had a heauenly creature beene King Oeta as the story sheweth it As soone as she into the hall was brought Caus'd her by yong Prince Iason downe to sit For his desire will and onely thought Was how he might him princely entertaine And so his bounty to the Greeks explaine But in this point alas he seem'd to bee Cleane voyd of good aduise prudent care For wisedome wills vs wisely to foresee Each danger and against the same prepare To cause a maiden light of wit and eie His pleasure in that case to satisfie And though his speciall meaning and desire Was onlie for the honour of his guest Yet it did set his Daughters heart on fire Which burnt within the furrows of her brest So sore that it bred his confusion And finally her owne destruction Great follie 't was so much her youth to trust And giue her cause of such a motion That might prouoke and stir her vnto lust And that through want of good discretion To thinke vpon as reason doth require A womans light and mutable desire Which any man that 's wise no doubt will feare For who was euer yet so mad or wood Vnlesse he did so sound affection beare As that he seemed carelesse of his good Without good triall women to beleeue or hasty credite to their words to giue In whome is neither constancy nor trust They are so double and so full of wile That hard it is t'restraine them of their lust And set their minds so much on fraud guile That no man can himselfe of them assure For it to them belongeth of nature Euen from the time they first creepe out of cradle To be both wilie wauering and light Their hearts they are so fraile and so vnstable In youthfull yeares wherein they take delight For that while they in growing yeres are yong Their inward thoughts agree not with their rong Which is the cause that many wise men write That wau'ring change and mutability To women doth belong of ancient right As fram'd of mould of instability Which all that know them well cannot denay Although it grieueth me so much to say For if you could perceaue their inward mind And all their slights and wilie fetches know You might the true and liuely patterne find Within their hearts they do so ouer flow Of fond and
that makes me thus proceed That 's seruent loue and common courtesie Which both in one so fully are agreed To worke thy good that nought I can deny Nor yet conceale within my breast from thee As ere we part most plainly thou shalt see For first I thinke of very courtesie That vnto strangers men should take delight To shew all kind of liberalitie As being thereto bound of ancient right Both in their words and works them defend From harmes as much as power doth extend And for my part braue Iason cause I see Within thy thoughts the signes of worthines I will not faile as much as lies in mee To further thee with hearty carefulnes And with that word she fetcht a sigh full kind For him that so did sticke within her mind For thy sweet sake my heart within doth bleed Because thou seek'st without aduisednes The fleece of Gold to win and to proceed Therein of youth and wilfull hardines Which enterprise who so doth take in hand Is sure of death and can it not withstand So perillous and dreadfull is the venter That pen nor tongue can well declare the same For doubtlesse who so ere therein doth enter Finds nought but death and after to his shame Whereas he thinkes his honour to aduance Report shall blase his foule wretched chance So much the end is found to be contrary Vnto the first beginning of th'aduenter For at the last he 's certaine to miscarry Though 't first it seemes an easie thing to enter For wit of man by engin force or might Although he had experience great to fight And had his armes most strong and passing sure And knew how to defend himselfe full well And were well breathed long time to endure And nere so much in valour did excell Or what so euer weapon he could bring To strike to thrust to shoot or else to fling All were in vaine it could auaile him nought For neither force deuice nor subtilly Nor any other thing what ere he sought Could saue his life but sure he were to die For earthly meanes may him no way defend Vnlesse that I mine ayd to him should lend Wherefore of thee I haue compassion That wilfully would'st cast thy selfe away And of thy youth with pure affection I should bewaile the losse both night and day If that thou dost with folly seeke to trie This dangerous act where nought but death doth lie Thy Princely rare and noble progeny Vnworthy is t' abide so cruell end For certainly it may none other be If thou effect'st the thing thou dost pretend Vnlesse that to my counsell thou wilt list For none therein but I can thee assist Alas good Iason rest thy selfe content And let thy noble courage yeeld herein And to my counsell see thy heart be bent Which if thou wilt before thou doest begin I dare be bold to sweare thou shalt preuaile And of thy hoped victory not faile Whereby thou maist eternall praise obtaine And in fames booke of Register be plast And shalt be sure the Golden fleece to gaine Which thou to win so great desire hast In spight of Mars and all that thee withstand If that by my aduise thou take 't in hand Wherefore to me I pray thee giue consent And that full soone if thou pretend'st to speed And to my counsell see thou dost assent Which can thee helpe with all thou stand'st in need Speake valiant Knight if that thou wilt by me In this thy hard aduenture ruled be Prince Iason for reply said Lady deare I can but yeeld you thanks for your good will And when occasion serues as shall appeare I will not faile with all my power and skill Mine own hearts Queene Lady Soueraigne In full effect by action to explaine How much the loue you vnto me do show Shall bind me while that life in me doth rest To be your Knight at your command to go To ride and run and thinke my selfe most blest To be esteem'd your true and faithfull man T' obay your hest in all that ere I can With hearty zeale and true affection That thus with so great kindnes thinkes on me And of my life haue such compassion As that you seeme in heart perplex't to be For my mishap which maketh me of right To bind my selfe to be your faithfull Knight While life doth last And that more specially Because you take such care me to protect And to vouchsafe with great benignity Your counsell and your aid in each respect To him that neuer fauour did afford Vnto your Grace in action thought or word And more to bind me vnto you in heart Your words so kind so much enflame my sence That Cupid with his piercing fiery dart Hath forst me yeeld and dare not make defence Against the same least I should seeme ingrate To her that hath such care of my estate Without request or motion on my part Nor yet in any manner once deseru'd Then sith it doth proceed from out your heart To take such care that I should be preseru'd I vow to you vpon my faith most sure In seruing you as long I will endure As life doth last and nere therein shall faile Whereto I sweare and plight with all my troth That life nor death shall any way preuaile To change my heart for I would be full â—â—ath That foule vntruth should enter in my mind To do you wrong that showes your selfe so kind Few words therefore to vse I do pretend And meane my vow and promise to renew That till that Parcas doth my liues thread end I will remaine most constant vnto you Hap good or ill my resolution 's bent T' effect and do your will and your intent Well then said she let wisedome rule thy mind And so forecast with care and diligence The dangers that are insident to find If wilfully thou followest thy pretence And thinke not lightly to orepasse the same By fond conceit to win perpetuall fame For thus much I dare well affirme for true That though thou dost for honur tak 't in hand Nought but dishonour can thereof ensue Which thou by no meanes shalt nor mayst withstand For who against the powers diuiâ—e can fight Or once resist their all sufficient might And this is sure that he which doth desire The fleece to win by valour and by might Shall nere attaine to that he doth aspire But worke his owne dishonour shame and spight For though at first fortune doth seeme thy â—â—iend Be well assur'd shee 'll crosse thee in the end For who so euer seeks to take in hand This action strange can by no meanes escape The fiery flames nor yet the force withstand Of those two brasen Buls which when they gape Such furious flashes out their throats do send That folly t' were against them to contend For much more dreadfull is their dangerous fight Then lightning which down froÌ„ the skies doth fall Before the thunder-clap on earth doth light Which often battreth Castle
And presently without delay command That his desire should straight performed bee And yet he sayd I am abasht to see That thou wâ—th so great wilfulnesse wilt run Vnto thy death and be the onely cause Of thy decay when as thou maist it shun The which thou oughst to doe by natures lawes For men will put the blame in me and say That I by Princely power and force might stay Thy course and so by wrong opinion And populer report would lay on mee The onely cause of thy destruction Which God forbid should ever hap to thee My counsell therefore is thou shouldst aduise Thy selfe heerein and doe it not dispise For better t is thine honor to retaine And safely and securely to retire Therewith into thy natiue soyle againe Then with vaine hope and over fond desire So wilfully to seeke to take in hand An enterprise which no man can withstand This is my doome my counsell and advise Be ruld thereby and shun thy cruell fate Refuse it not I say if thou beest wise Least thou repent when as it is too late But if thou dost persist and wilt not bend Thine eares to mine advise The Godâ— defend And saue and keepe thy life what ere befall And vnto them I le pray with great desire To be thy guide and shield from dangers all That thou maist from that enterprize retire In safety vnto thy land againe Without whose aid be sure thou shalt be slaine And so though grieud to see I cannot stay Thy youthfull fond desires from th'enterprize I le hold my tongue for more I cannot say But wish thou hadst been ruld by mine advise And to the Gods thy enterprize commend Beseeching them good fortune to thee send When as the King to Iason had thus said And by no manner reasons he did vse Could draw him from his course not once dismaid He did his counsell vtterly refuse And humbly kneeling downe vpon his knee With Knightly grace did thanke his maiestie That he vouchsaft to haue such speciall care Of him and so to pitie his estate And therewithall such favor to him bare That fearing he should proue vnfortunate And end his daies in that strange enterprize To keepe him from 't had giuen him that advise But yet said he your grace shall vnderstand For th'enterprse which I now vndertake And mind by force of armes and valiant hand T' effect the same I will it not forsake For no mans counsell nor perswasion Shall turne me from my resolution But as the law and statute hath decreed Which in this case is made to be obserud I will therein couragiously proceed If that my life from danger be preserud But whatsoere befalls Ile take th'adventer And first said he before that I do enter Into the same herein this Princely place And presence of his noble audience I do protest vnto your royall grace That no man can against you take offence If that I die in this mine enterprize Because I do refuse your good advise And of my selfe doe onely tak 't in hand Reiecting any counsell whatsoere And therefore doe protest thereto to stand And without dread or any manner feare Vnto the Gods my selfe I doe commit Hap life or death and what they shall thinke fit T'ordaine for me I will accept the same And take it in good part what ere it be And neither them nor you therefore will blame But willingly will beare th'extremitie And thereof I my full account do make And so as now sayd he my leaue I take First of your grace as dutie doth me bind And then of all this noble audience And so with louing countenance and kind Farewell vnto them all he went from thence And downe vnto the water side did go T' effect his charge as I to you well sho When Titan with the fervor of his heate And brightnes of his beanes had driuen away The Roseat deaw that flowers and hearbs did weat About the howre of nine a clocke that day Iason put on a costly armour bright And joyfully like to a valiant Knight Vnto the water side did take his way And there alone into a boate did go Which purposely prepard for him there lay And with the same vnto the I sle did row Whereas the Bulls the golden Ram did keepe And presently vpon the shoare did leape And making fast the boat vnto the strand Withall the speed he could the next path-way That he did find marcht vp into the land Till wearied for a while and for to stay Downe on the grasse he sate and there he thought Vpon the course Medea had him taught To hold when he should enter into fight Against the brasen Bulls and Dragon fell And when like to a wise and valiant Knight He had a while thereon considered well He rose againe and went so long till hee Came to the place where he the Bulls might see But there I must digresse and to you tell That when he first the enterprize began Medea grieu'd into such passion fell That her faire face became both pale and wan And with a grieued countenance and sad She sat and wept and such great sorrow made That all her face and clothes bedewed were With teares that from her christall eies did fall Which onely did proceed of griefe and feare By her conceiu'd when she to mind did call What danger he might cast himselfe into If carelesly he should forget to do As she had sayd and taught him ere he went And for that cause she was so grieud in mind That nothing could her please nor giue content Vnto her heart the which no rest could find For sobbing and for sighthing till in th' end Into a Terret hie she did assend On top whereof there stood a pinacle From whence the aue being cleare and faire she might Without all let or any obstacle Behold and see her deare and loving Knight And there with teares whichout her eies then ran To speake vnto her selfe she thus began My dearest friend sweet Iason thou that art To me so great a comfort and delight And th' onely joy and pleasure of my hart If that it were within thy power and might To know what griefe for thee as now I feele Thou wouldst to me continue true as steele Meanewhile withall my heart I wish and pray The gods to make thy enterprise to thee So fortunate and prosperous this day That thou therein a conquerer maist be And safe and sound returne with euery member To me againe And that thou maist remember To do as I thee taught in each respect And to obserue it orderly and well And nothing therein any wise neglect That so thine honor which doth now excell May more and more encrease Which vnto me The greatest joy that ere I had would be For if to thee ought happen should amisse Then might I say fare well my hearts delight Farewell my health farewell my worldly blisse Farewell my mirth farewell my loving Knight Farewell my fortune and mine onely joy
seeming very glad That his so great good fortune was t' aduance His honour and his house and that he had By Knightly force so much extold his name And home retourne with victory and fame From Calchos Isle Yet gladder had he beene Although in outward show he did explaine The contrary that he had neuer seene His safe returne to Thessalie againe A nd yet to play a right dissemblers part He welcomd him although against his heart Admiring how he could so soone obtaine By that aduenture strange and perillous The fleece of Gold and â—ome roturne againe In so short time and so victorious But couertly his treacherie to hide Without delay all scuses set aside To Iason he resigned presently His Kingdome which to him belong'd of right With Scepter Crowne and â—â—gaâ—â— dignity And all his Soueraignty and might His promise to obserue which when he went He made to him though otherwise he ment Supposing that he nere should come againe But he that for another digs a pâ—â— May faile in his imagination vaine And be the first himselfe that falls in it As Peleus did which sought his nephews end With deadly hate yet seemd his louing frend Which Iason did accept without delay And thanking him with louing face and cheare Besought him to giue eare what he would say And his request indifferently to heare Concerning Tooyans wrongs done as he went To him and his when he no huâ—t them ment And said my Lord when as we sailed by The coast of Troye a tempest in the aire Began to rise with such extreamity That we of life were wholy in despaire And in that care necessity and griefe We forced were to land there for reliefe Not minding any iniury or wrong Vnto the King in any wise to doe But t' ease our selues and then to passe along To Colchos Isle where first we ment to goe But Laomedon not therewith content A messenger in hast vnto vs sent Pretending of meere malice vs to grieue And churlishly bad vs depart from thence Or else he said by force he would vs driue Off from his coast as taking great offence That we would seeme to enter in his land So sodainly with sueh a warlike band When we nought els but peace friendship ment As glad to be relieu'd in our distresse Not hauing any kind of bad intent That should him moue to seeke vs to oppresse Now then my Lord sith he did so abuse Both me and mine and seem'd vs to refuse A place of rest from danger vs to saue Against the lawes of common courtesie I humbly you beseech that we may haue Your aid of men and mony both to trie By force of armes if that we can requite The Troyan King for his so great despight For truth to say my mind and will is bent To saile to Troye with all the speed I may And to destroy the Land is mineintent And cruelly Laomedon to slay According to the vow that I did make When I was forst the Troyan soile forsake Is that it please your Grace to giue consent To my request and lend your helping hand And doubt not ere that many months are spent But maugre Troye and Troyans all wee 'll land With all our power of Graecian chiualrie And soone requite the Troyans crueltie When Peleus did Prince Iasons mind perceaue Without delay he said it should be so Aâ—luring him he did so well conceaue Of his intent that he himselfe would go With him and all his company to Troye By force of armes that Country to destroye Whereto his whole Nobility agreed And none of them vnto the King said nay But promised their aid with present speed Preparing for the same without delay Of which their Iourney chiefe Solicitor Was Hercules the worthie Conqueror Who in all hast his forces to prepare In readines to Sparta straightway went Which is an Isle from Thessalie not farre And subiect to the Graecian gouernment Wherein as then two Princes great did raigne King Castor and King Pollux brethren twaine Whome Poets in their Histories do set Brethren to be â—â— Helena the faire Whome Iupiter on Ledâ— did beget Whose beauty was esteem'd to be so â—are Which Helena they write conceaued was In Tynâ—â—â—â—â— an Isle which as men passe Along the seâ—s â—â—â—s by Sicâ—â—â—â— Land And that her name Tynâ—â—â—â—â— of that Isle Was also cald◠〈◊〉 longer I le not stand Their pedigree to tell but speake a while Of Hercules to show how he did craue The aid of those two Kings as then to haue To goe with him vnto the Towne of Troye With all the power they had whereby he ment The same by force and valor to destroye To whose request they straight did giue consent And promised in readines to lie Till he to them the time should certifie When he would put to Sea Wherewith content He thanked them and did no longer stay But straight his course vnto Messena bent And there arriu'd about the breake of day And to the King cald Telamon did goe The cause of his repaire to him to shoe Whose comming when he knew he was full glad To see him and in braue and Princely wise Receaued him To whome when as he had Such honour done as he could well deuiseâ— He promised to aid him with all speed With mony and with men what he should need And personally himselfe with him to goe Which Hercules accepting in good part Did take his leaue his Princely mind to shoe And yeelded thanks to him with all his heart And entring Ship returnd to Thessalie To tell King Peleus and to cerâ—â—â—â— How he had sped Beseeching him to write To all the Lords and Barrons in his Land And them command with all the hast they might In readines to make a warlike band And to prouide a counsell wiâ—e and graue Which he that goes to warre he said must haue For that the wit of him that 's growne in age Is more then strength without experience But when as force is ioynd with counsell sage It is a bulwarke strong for our defence And he that long a trauailer hath beene And by experience many things hath seene Is meet in peace and war to rule and guide For vnto age experience greatâ— and â—â—â— Belongs of right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 That strength and courage youth should best 〈◊〉 And when both youth and age with one consent To worke and ioyne together are content In any cause of equity and right Men need not feare with glistering sword shield By helpe of God the giuer of all might Against their foes to 〈◊〉 in the field For neither fame of Knight-hood not the glory Not yet the conquest nor the victory Of warre are got or woone by multitude But as experience saith of right belong To counsell wisedome and to fortitude Therefore said he let vs revenge our wrong With courage bold sith that our cause is good And for our honours spend our dearest blood And that we may our valours brauelie
feele her rankor and disdaine Into the vale of great adversity The rich she maketh poore and then againe Of poore makes rich and as it is her kind Sets one before another casts behind Some one she maketh run another halt The third she plungeth in extreamity The fourth she doth to honor great exalt So that in her there 's no security In some mans mouth sweet Nectar she distiâ—th Anothers throat with bitter gaâ—â— she fil'th And thus this wilfull Lady as we find Within her power great store of potions hath And every one of strange and severall kind For she to some with false and fained faith Giues pleasant wine but when the sweet is past As t is her vse she giveth them a tast Of Aloes and of bitter wormewood drinke And corfiues which do fret and pierce most deepe Into mens hearts when as they little thinke That fortune them beguiles and luls a sleepe And thus if in this Queene of Variance Whose ioy doth ever end with some mischaÌ„ce Men put their trust let them besure at last Of what estate so euer that they be Shee le overthrow them with some sodaine blast And cleane bereaue of all felicitie As by example of Laomedon We may perceiue brought to confusion For little cause or truth to say for nought Wherefore let euery man by him take heed A quarrell to begin where none is sought Least that like him destruction be their meed For little fire with ashes covered When men suppose it quencht and wholly dead May chance breake out and on a sodaine burne And when as men the same do seeke to cease Full often in their faces it doth turne But he that medleth least liues most at ease Therefore let Kings and Princes every one A mirror make of King Laomedon And see they vse no kind of violence Nor suffer any one to offer wrong To strangers when they giue them none offence For though their power force be great strong Within their land when least they thinke on it As he was seru'd they may their rigor quit And yeeld the like to them in other place When as perchance vnto their overthrow They shall of them receiue but little grace Wherefore I wish when as they heare or know That strangers in their Countries are arriu'd Let them with loue and honor be receau'd And wisely thinke and hold it to be true That to a stranger courtesie to show Vnto a noble mind belongs of due For sure it is as every man doth know That nothing doth their honors more augment Then when their only care and will is bent For to relieue to cherish and to comfort With all the loue and honor that they may Such strangers as vnto their Courts resort That they of them may well report and say The contrary whereof much strife hath wrought As in this present History is taught The towne of Troy that first was built thus spoil'd The people slaine and many forst to fly The remnant with great woe and sorrow toil'd Int'exile led liue in captiuity And Exion as you haue heard me tell Went into Greece with Telamon to dwell For whom there rose such bloudy warre strife And so great vengeance tane for it in th' end On either side that thousands lost their life Which to declare I purposely intend If you vouchsafe it patiently to heare And for your good the same in mind will beare So hard and fatall is our destiny That no estate can permanently stand For every man ordained is to die And alterations chance in every Land And through the world where ever that we be We heare of nought but warre and treacherie Which serues to put vs in rememberance That many warres battailes great are fought And many woes and miseries do chance And mooued are for little cause or nought And diuers things for matters small or none At first begun breed much confusion Each one doth seeke another to destroy And bloudy minds are greatly to be fear'd Man careth not his brother to annoy And all because we take no better heed But envie raignes so much in euery age That nought but bloud death can it asswsge By it although the causes were but small If truth were knowne on th' ancient towne of Troy Both old and new such miseries did fall That at the last it did them both destroy Where during their so long bloudy strife Full many a valiant Knight did loose his life And Kings and Princes died by dint of sword Which to recount my hand doth shake for feare Least that my barren wit should not afford Fit tearmes phrases the truth for to declare Vnto my most renownd and soueraigne Liege Of all that past in that long ten yeres siege Which if that he with patience please to heare And not disdaine my rude and simple verse And in his sacred wisedome with it beare While I this wofull Historie rehearse Whereof no doubt I haue sith that of grace Sweet mercy in his heart he doth embrace And that he is a Prince of Maiestie Whose vertues are so excellent and rare That to addict his mind to pietie It is his onely study and his care With his support I will here vndertake A true discourse vnto you now to make What did befall vnto the towne of Troy That newly was erected once againe When Greeks did it the second time destroy As Guydo doth the same at large explaine And if my verse for want of skill seeme lame Let me intreat you to correct the same But blame me not sith that the fault 's not mine For as you know the English tongue is harsh And wanteth words to make vp perfect rime Where it in many places is too scarce And truth to say my wit will not aspire To follow Guydoes phrase as I desire Who in his Latine verse doth so exceed In Rethoricke that my translation Requires a farre more fine and subtill head To follow him in like construction Verbatim as a learned Gramarian Or as a skilfull Rethoritian I only take vpon me to declare The Historie according to the sence And truth thereof which is my chiefest care Least I thereby to some might breed offence And truth of verse I likewise set aside As wanting one therein to be my guide And to correct and mend them that are wrong My onely seeking is truth to declare Regarding neither verses short nor long For curiousnesse therein I doe not care Pretending not in any thing to varry Nor yet my Author Guido to contrary Nor from him disagree in truth of sence But to conclude our meanings all in one And to agree therein for Eloquence Or Rethoricke I you assure there 's none In me your heads with phrases fine to fill Nor yet haue I in painting any skill With colours fresh and gay to please the ere I nought can vse but sad and mournfull blacke And therewithall my selfe will satisfie Which in good part I you beseech to take And so in
thou thy malice to vnfold The ashes of discord againe to sift And causing a new debate to rise of old And halfe forgotten enuie But thy drift Is onely to procure the woe and fine Of those that to thy nature doe incline Why hast thou wak't King Priam from his rest And with thy poyson fowle incenst his braine That he in mind and heart should so detest A quiet life and through perswasions vaine Procured him to seeke revenge in hast Vpon the Greekes for harmes so long forepast For where as he in peace did rule and raigne With honour great and no man him annoyd The Serpent Enuie entring in his braine By no meanes would from thence againe avoyd But with such deepe impression there did rest And did so much inflame his furious brest With his inveterate malice new reviu'd That by no meanes he could the same forget Whereby for ever after while he liu'd He brought on him and his such trouble great That wheretofore h'enioy'd a happy life His blisse was turn'd to bloody warre and strife For Priam in his riches glorying Wherein as then he tooke no small delight Imagining his state so flourishing His Towne of so great puissance and might His war-like Knights so many and so strong That no man could noâ— durst him offer wrong Was so possest with Enuie and with Pride That hap what would he had in heart forecast To take no rest vntill that he had tride How he might be reuengd for wrongs forepast Which to effect with full intent and mind He did a time and fit occasion find To summon all his Lords and Knights each one To make repaire all scuses set aside Vpon a day perfixt at Ilion Which his command not any one denide But there with speed did presently appeare Where all his sonnes likewise assembled were But Hector Who from Troy as then was gon Into the Province of Panomie Which Priam held in his subiection A new rebellion there to pacifie The which not long before was rais'd among The Countrey people there for certaine wrong But Hector well advis'd and patient Loth to reuenge where mercie might take place With curtesie so wanne them to content That he appeased them and offring grace And pardon vnto all that did repent Each one with satisfaction home he sent Such was the great and noble princely mind Of that most braue renown'd and valiant Knight Alwaies vnto his subiects iust and kind And rather did in mercie more delight Then vse the force and rigor of the law When as in them no great offence he saw Meane while the King that held an open court With entertainment great and Princely cheare Did wellcome all that thither did resort Which being done and they assembled were In open hall he did with courage bold And words most graue his mind began t' vnfold And sayd my Lords assembled heere as now Whose loyalty I haue no cause to doubt I am assurd not any one of you But well doth know what vnto vs fell out When as the Grecians causeles did inuade Our Towne and what a spoile therof they made And how with extreame barbrous crueltie They murthered our Subiects every one The memory whereof cannot but lie As fresh within your thoughts as it were done But th' other day for 't may not out your mind If to your Countrey you be kind For sure in my oppinion I suppose Nought can you moue vnto forgetfulnesse Of harmes forepast by your most deadly foes Nor can you be without great heavines To thinke thereon for I must plainely tell Out of my heart I can it not expell For yet me thinks I see it with mine eie So fresh it is and yet doth still remaine within my brest and ever there shall lie The which I hope you likewise doe retaine To thinke how they haue slaine our Ancestors If while they liu'd were valiant warriors Our Cittie burnt and brought vnto decay And left it wast like to a wildernes And borne and taken forcibly away All that they found our goods and our riches And slayne my Father King Laomedon Without all cause or just occasion Amends whereof we lawfully may craue And both with reason and with conscience Which all the Gods I trust will let vs haue Sith that by vs was offered none offence But mongst all their so extreame crueltie One thing there is which chiefly grieueth me When as I call to mind their villany In offering such wrong to Exion With whom as with his concubine doth lie The proud and hautie Grecian Telamon Abusing her with great dishonestie Not caring for her state nor high degree Nor if she was the daughter of a King Which vnto me can be no little scorne But they as seemes respect not any thing Iudge then if she that is so highly borne Be vsed so with what extreamitie Poore wiues and mayds of them abus'd shall be With others of your friends and your alies Within their hands as captiues then did fall Assure your selues what wrongs they can devise To doe to them to vex you therewithall They will not spate to vse them in their lust For in the Greekes there is no truth nor trust For neither bewtie age ne high estate Doe they respect but all like slaues doe liue So that in heart I cannot chuse but hate Their cursed race and you likewise must grieue As well as I for you as well as me It doth concerne Therefore reueng'd to be Should be your care and bend your onely thought To find the meanes your wrongs for to redresse For long ere now the same we should haue sought And haue relieu'd our friends from their distresse Let vs therefore joyne all with one consent And in our hearts jmprint a firme jntent Of all their malice rapes and crueltie To be reuenged for if that we vnite Our minds in one it cannot chuse but be A doubling of our strength and we shall fight With courage bold for vengeance doth belong As reason is to him that offereth worng And though till now wee haue deferred it Yet doubt I not but wee a time shall find To yeeld to them such measure as they mete And vse both them and their in selfe same kind And all the Gods I hope will vs assist In our just cause and the in wrong resist You know our Towne is strong and walld about With high and mightie Towers for the warre The like whereof in all the world throughout Is not to find that with it may compare So that we may be well assur'd therein That th' enemy by force shall never win Of men and valiant Knights we haue no want For all you know what number we can make Our store of victualls also is not scant And whensoeuer we shall vndertake To enter warre we need not be afraid But we shall likewise find some forren aid To help vs to revenge our open wrong Wherefore I thinke that now the time is fit Sith that we know our selues to be so
I should put thee vnto th'extreamity By horses wild throughout the streets to draw Thy bodie vild and it in pieces teare To teach thee and all others how to beare Such friuolous tales to any Prince or Lord Vnlesse thou better knowst the man before So much by me thy message is abhord And Priamus thy King in heart much more In whose dispight this should to thee be done For iust reward of thy presumption If thou wert vs'd as well thou dost deserue And now be gone out of my sight with speed If thou thy life from danger wilt preserue For that the sight of thee to me doth breed Both in mines eies and heart so great offence That I can take no rest till thou goest hence Anthenor hearing this thought it the best For him not to reply but to be gone And with all speed he went and did not rest Till that he entred ship and left Pilon Directly sayling vnto Troye in hast But presently the clouds gan ouer-cast The Seas to roare and rage in furious wise The wind to blow and waues most high to swell And fearefull lightning flasht out of the skies And thunder-claps vpon the ship downe fell With so great force that maine mast gan to cracke And both the yard and it in sunder bracke The ship with billowes tossing too and fro In fearefull wise now mounting vp most hie And then againe descending downe so low As if that vnder water it would lie So fearfully the heauens then did frowne That they expected still whē they should drown For euery man made full account to die And to their Gods gan vowes and prayers make And with deuotion great on them to crie For aid and helpe with promise t' vndertake On pilgrimage to goe in Paynim wise If they escapt to offer sacrifice At last the skies as then as darke as night Began to cleare and Seas did cease to rage And Phebus with his cleare and shining light Did sodainly the tempest great asswage And not one man within the ship did perish Wherwith their hearts began againe to cherish And presently the Gods sent them such grace That hauing well escapt their danger great They did arriue at Troye in little space And safely euery man on shore was set For which Anthenor straight without delay Vnto the Temple went therein to pray And thanke his Gods for his deliuerance The like did all the rest with humble heart Reioycing much for their so happy chance Which done he did with speed from thence depart And to King Priam presently did goe Th' effect of his proceeding there to shoe Whom he as then found sitting in his throne Accompanied with his Nobilitie To whom he did at full and large make knowne What he had done and what extreamitie He had escapt amongst the Grecians fell And first vnto King Priamus did tell How Peleus vsd him most vncourteously And hardly could endure him in his sight And how with visage fell most cruelly King Telamon in rage and great despight Disdained him and his request denide And Priam with most threatning words defide And how the proud and hawty brethren twaine Castor and Pollux in most furious wise Commanded him to get him thence againe And not to slander them with false surmise Of wrongs by them supposed to be done To Troye Troyans when the towne they woon And lastly how Duke Nestor cruelly Like to a man out of his wits distraught Did rage and raile at him despightfully And Priam and his message set at nought And in what perill of his life he was Before that he from euery place could passe When Priam heard Anthenor thus declare What ill successe amongst the Greekes he had His mind was so possessed with despaire That it him wholly out of comfort made Either by peace or warre then to obtaine The meanes to get his sister home againe For well he saith by proofe that t' was in vaine For him to deale with them by courtesie And that thereby he neuer should obtaine The thing he sought so great hostilitie He found in them that more he did intreat The lesse they it esteem'd or by him set Which grieued him for that he saw no way But by constraint he must be forst to vse Another course which gladly he would stay If that he might sith that they did refuse His profered peace and stubbornly denie To grant the things he sought so courteously And that nought else would please their appetite But bloudy warre engendred of discord And ranchor old their chiefe and sole delight For peace and friendship they so much abhord That to giue eare to equitie and right They would not grant throgh malice despight Which did so much torment King Priams heart That fire of enuie kindling in his breast He vow'd from thence it neuer should depart Nor would he be content nor take no rest Till that he were reuenged on his foes Although that he thereby were sure to lose And in the warre most like a valiant Knight What ere befell aduentur'd life and lim For to maintaine his honour and his right While that one drop of blood remain'd in him Intending first a Nauie forth to send There with by sea the Grecians to offend And boldly to assaile them on the land With fire and sword their haughty pride t' abate And whosoeuer durst or would withstand To kill and to destroy Such was the hate Which he as then conceaued in his mind Gainst Grecians that to him were so vnkind But tell me Priam what hard desteny What trouble new what hatefull influence What great despight what infelicitie Out of the skies by sodaine influence Descended is thy sorrow to encrease That should be cause thou canst not liue in peace What sodaine chance what fortune hard sharpe What wilfull lust what foolish hardinesse Hath made thee on the strings of war to harpe What carelesse thoughts what vnaduisednesse Hath put thy mind out of tranquilitie To make thee wearie of prosperitie Dost thou in bitter gall more pleasure take Then hony sweet that wilfull motions Should canse thee peace and quietnesse forsake To yeeld vnto thy hatefull passions Cleane voyd of wit of reason and of sence And wholly without discreet prouidence What should thee carelesse make not to foresee The things that after might to thee befall And not to shun the great aduersity Which through thy follie brought thee into thrall Sure t' was the mists of error made thee stray The crooked paths of the ready way Where were thy guides discretion and aduise That should haue kept thee from sensualitie And counseld thee in time for to be wise But sure 't is not in mans abilitie Nor can he from his wilfulnes refraine When sodaine wrath therto doth him constraine Thou first shouldst haue forecast thy destenie And by good counsell wisely haue been led And not haue wayed thy securitie In ballance that doth hang but by a thred And rather haue dissembled all thy woe And cleane forgotten
wrongs done long agoe And still haue borne it in thy memory That dailie by experience we doe see That while men seeke reuenge for iniury Done long before they oft deceaued be And with a double harme ere th' are aware Fall sodainly into another snare And wrongs that cleane forgotten were and dead Renewed are by trump of flying fame Through salse report rumor that is spread And often hurt mans honor and good name Especially when he doth rashly run Vpon reuenge not carring how 't is done And by his pride and ouer-hasty mood Doth worke his own destruction and decay Remembring not the prouerbe old and good Which vnto men discreet and wise doth say Let him that 's well be sure to keepe him so Least afterward he doth himselfe beshrow And he that walkes on plaine and euen ground Needs not to feare nor doubt a stumbling cast Vnlesse of carelesnes as oft is found He ouerthrow himselfe by too much hast And wilfullie aduentures t' haue a fall As hauing of his state no care at all So must I vnto thee King Priam say That all too retchlesse thou hast euer been The care on fickle fortune so to lay Of thy secured peace for it is seen And knowne to be her custome commonly That when a man trusts most assuredly In her that is so blind and so vnstable She will to him then most inconstant be And as she alwaies was deceaueable Bereaue him soone of regall dignitie And with a trice downe from her wheele him throw Her power and force vnto the world to show Against the which it nought availes to striue For when a man thinkes his estate most sure And that in peace and welfare he doth liue She can when he thinks least his fall procure Therefore let no man hope for happy chance At fortunes hand so full of variance Nor hazard his estate vpon her wheeles Vnlesse he cares not how the same doth goe Nor whether well or ill with him she deales For neuer man did her so constant know That he might say he had continued In one estate and neuer varied Let Priam King of Troye vnfortunate Example hereof be that wilfully Without aduise orethrew his owne estate And brought himselfe into such misery That he his wife and all his Sons being â—laine His noble Citie was destroyd againe And all his Country round about laid wast And whollie brought vnto confusion The memorie whereof while world doth last From age to age and by succession Shall both in bookes and songs recorded be That men thereby may learne plainly see What comes of rash conceit and wilfulnesse When men will run vpon extreamitie And put their happy state in doubtfulnesse By warre wherein there 's no securitie For he that therein seemes most fortunate Oft vnawares doth soon'st receaue the mate For harme once done too late is to amend And sieldome doth a wrong of hatred done Procure to him that doth it happie end Let men therefore be wise and seeke to shun King Priams course and so their steps direct That they in time their error may correct To shew how he into this error fell Which bred his vtter ruine and decay Then must you know that wrath and envie fell Burnt so within his breast both night and day Vpon the answere that Anthenor brought That he could neuer rest till he had wrought The meanes to be reuenged if he might Vpon the Greekes and so in hast he sent For all his Lords and many a noble Knight To summon them vnto a Parliament Commanding them therein to make no stay But with all present speed to come away Where being come and all together met The King with words most graue courage bold When euerie man in his degree was set His will and his intent gan to vnfold What caus'd him that assembly there to make And in this sort vnto them then he spake And said my Lords I know your minds so well That long discourse at this time shall not need The cause of our assemblie for to tell And therefore to the point I will proceed And vnto you as brieflie as I may Declare th' effect of that I haue to say You know full well how that not long agoe By counsell of you all I sent to Greece Anthenor on embassage for to shoe That my desire was with loue and peace To haue my sister Exion home againe But all my suite and labour was in vaine For that the Grecians most vncourteously With threatning words and speeches full of dread Receau'd and vs'd him so despightfully That hardlie he escaped with his head Desying vs most proudlie for the same To our no small dishonour and our shame Which dailie more and more will still encrease Vnlesse that we some remedie procure For whereas we do seeke for loue and peace And all our wrongs would patientlie endure They offer war and flatlie vs denie A small request to grant or satisfie And for the harmes that they to vs haue done They say they will no other order take But for amends our Countrie t'ouer run And bloudie war on vs and ours to make Which their desire increaseth our despight But would to God their hearts were so contrite To cease all strife and friendly to accord That all the mischiefe and the crueltie That bloudie wars doth commonlie afford Might be converted into amitie But they alas are so possest with pride That they disdaine all peace and vs deride Still threatning vs in most despightfull wise But God forbid that all on vs should light Which they suppose and gainst vs do surmise But sith they seeme to shew so great despight And vnto vs pretend such crueltie We must be forced of necessitie By helpe of God their furiousnes to stay And in our owne defence most boldlie stand Sith that our cause is iust Which that we may The better do let vs with heart and hand Ioyn'd all in one most firme and full decree On them with might and maine reueng'd to be Which if we do we doubt not to preuaile For where mens minds agree not in consent Of victorie they shall be sure to faile But when vnto an vnitie th' are bent They cannot choose but nappilie proceed And helpe each other when they stand in need My counsell therefore is that we agree And ioyne in one consent for to withstand The Grecians and the more assur'd to bee Before that we begin to take 't in hand I dare affirme our strength and forces far Exceeds the Grecians power what ere they are Our skill in armes is great as well you know Our Knights they are most valorous and stout Great store of horse and foot-men we can show Well arm'd for war and this we need not doubt But that our towne is most invincible And for our foes to win 't impossible Therefore I do intend by your consent With all the speed I can for to prepare A Navie well appointed to be sent Into the Grecian Land which shall not
enemies contend But onely euer after while we liue Be sure of mortall warre and enmity Sorrow and griefe and all extreamity My counsell therefore is that we endure Our wrongs forepast without contention And not vnto ourselues more hurt procure For t is a point of great discretion Think not my Lord I speake thus much for feare Or cowardise but yet I say that t' were Great folly to commit our happinesse Sith that we now â—iue in security To fortunes hands so full of doublenes And barre our selues of all felicity This is said he all that I did pretend To say to you and so his speech did end When Hector thus his mind declared had And with most graue conclusion so did close The wise discourse which be to them had made His second brother Paris therewith rose And to the King along discourse did make Which in these words with courage bold he spake And said my Lord if 't like your Grace to heare And giue me leaue to speake then must I say And will it proue you haue no cause to feare Nor would I wish you long the time delay With braue and valiant heart to vndertake Vpon the Greekes asodaine warre to make Therewith their pride and malice to confound Sith that you know yourselfe to be so strong Of valiant Knights and that we do abound With plenty of each thing that doth belong Vnto the warres and how our towne most wide Is able all their proud assaults t' abide And which is more invincible to win Besides all this great Princes many aone Our friends so were this warre with them begun Will vs assist to their destruction Let them therefore be nere so bold and stout I see no cause at all why we should doubt Nor reason why we should our selues dismay Therefore if you my counsell now will take I thinke it best you should no time delay Your Nauie to prepare and if you 'le make Me Generall thereof I you assure That I will such a speedy meanes procure That Exion shall recouered be full soone And in such sort it shall by me be wrought That I esteeme it easie to be done For I deuised haue within my thought By Knightly force with strong and mighty hand To rauish some faire Lady in that Land Of high estate and without tarrying Despight of them when as I haue her wonne With all the speed I can to Troy her bring That so you may haue restitution By change of her whom you long so to see And this shall soone by me dispatched be All were the Grecians nere so strong bold And that hereof you may be out of doubt I will in briefe to you the meanes vnfold How I with ease will bring the same about And hope thereby your mind so to content That you 'le reioyce that I was thither sent For that the Gods of their benignitie Haue shewed to me by reuelation Which way the same may well effected be And to that end I had a vision Not long agoe as in a sleepe I fell Which if you marke and it consider well You need not feare to faile nor yet to care To get her home whome you so much desire The manner of my dreame I will declare And in most humble wise your Grace require With patience to abide till I haue done And I will it in briefe soone over-run Your Grace remembreth well to what intent By your command and with commission large Into the Indian land of late I went For things that are committed to my charge And I as then tooke on me to effect Which that I might the time no whit neglect When Titan with his beames most faire and cleare From Gemeny his furious steeds did chace And in the signe of Cancer gan apeare Which called is Lucinaes mancion place When as the Sun was in the highest degree Which in the midst of Iuno we find to bee At that same time as soone as day I saw When Phoebus gan to shew his radiant light Commanding Pirrous vp his wane to draw And Dame Aurora beautifull and bright Began her face out of the East to shew And cast on hearbs and flowers her siluer dew I rose out of my bed with present speed And full intent on hunting forth to goe For that within my heart I had decreed Some honour vnto Cupid then to show And Ladie Venus that day magnifie Which called is the Queene of Venerie And reverently the ancient rights obserue Of Cinthia nam'd the faire bright shining Moone And her in all submissiue wise to serue The which by vs the better to be done My mates and I for pleasure and delight Determined to rest and stay till night Within a wood to play and make some sport As best beseemeth men of youthfull mind And pleasantly our selues to recomfort For that day vnto Venus was assign'd And hallowed to her sacred deity With honour and with soueraigne Maiesty Which euery one obseru'd both small and great For on a Friday t' was when forth we went And when within the pleasant woods we met To hunt for game as t' was our sole intent With labour great we rode both too and froe So long till many a fearefull Bucke and Doe By strength were kilâ— as we them chanst to find And mongst the dales and vallies steepe and low With hounds did chase the Hart tripping Hind Till Phoebus glistring in his chaire did show Iust in the midst or the Meridâ—en When as the beames most burning hot did shine And we vpon our chase most busied were As I by chance strayd from my companie Who in the woods were scattered here and there A mightie Hart did start forth sodenlie From out the thickets hasting to the greene With most swift pace which when that I had seen I spyed my horse and after gallopt fast Vp hils downe dales through bushes thick thin And yet for all I made as then such hast I could by no meanes ground vpon him win But maugre all I did to my despight In little space t' was gone out of my sight Into a wood that Ida had to name Wherewith I waxt so faint that I did stay To rest my selfe and so left off the game And for because that I had lost my way And that my horse whereon I then did ride Foam'd at the mouth and swet on euery side And all his flankes in every place were staind With bloud that with my spurs from him I drew So hotly in the chase I him constraind The Hart that ran so swiftly to pursue With hope in th' end he should by me be caught But all that I could do availd me nought When a mongst the thick lofty trees so greene I found by chance a sweet and pleasant shade As smooth and plaine as ever man had seene I lighted off my horse and fast him made Vnto a tree and wearie as I was I â—ayd me downe vpon a tuft of grasse Hard by a riuer side whose streames most cleare
Nor iudge thereof vnlesse they naked there Before me stood that at my libertie I might behold if everie member were As faire in all respect and each degree As outwardlie their faces faire did show And then my doome they presentlie should know When they had heard me speak they gaue consent And did agree my mind therein t' obay And straight to strip themselues were all content The which to do they made no long delay For they had all decreed before they came That in no point they would denie the same When naked all before me there they stood And that I did behold them at the full And vewed everie part it did me good To see their bodies faire and beautifull But when mine eies on Venus bright I cast For her without delay my iudgement past And vnto her the Apple gaue with speed As fairest of them all excepting none And as at first it was by them decreed I should not partiall be to any one So did I iudge her beautie great to be Much more then th' others two in each degree For as me thought her eies most faire and bright That cast forth streames so cleare and delectable Were like the starre that shines to vs by night Cald Hesperus and so most amiable Faire Venus shewd her selfe ye t' was true I could not choose but giue to her her due Whereat this Goddesse faire did much reioyce And in her heart therewith did seeme to glorie That of her beautie rare I made the choice T' excell the rest and that the victorie By iudgement vnto her as then did fall To be the fair'st and beautiful'st of all And as the winged God to me did say What should be my reward of Venus part She said she would performe without delay And from his vowe and promise neuer start And saying so the Goddesses all three Did vanish and depart away from me And Mercurie with wings began to flie And soaring vp with speed his waie did take Directlie to the cleare and cristall skie And sodainlie therewith I did awake Out of my deadlie sleepe and vp I start And mounting horse from thence did straight depart Now my good Lord whom I both loue dread I ft please your Grace your selfe herein t' advise And vnto that which I haue said take heed You will it not esteeme nor yet surmise To be in vaine by Venus to me said And therefore I wish you not to be afraid But boldlie let me goe to Greece in hast With some great power of men about the thing Which I haue said and ere long time be past I doubt not but the same to passe to bring And as by Venus I am promised Of some faire Ladie certainlie to speed That by exchange of her you may obtaine An easie and a most assured way To get your Sister Exion home againe This is said he all that I haue to say For my advise and counsell to your Grace And so sate downe againe into his place But Priam what should cause thee to forget Thy selfe so much that thou shouldst be so vaine Thy hope and trust vpon a dreame to set I cannot choose but needs must tell thee plaine That shallow was thy wit and thy discretion To trust vnto a false illusion As that thou all care hadst set aside To follow after dreaming fantasie T' is sure that reason then was not thy guide That thou vpon meere follies wouldst relie As Paris did that Pallas did neglect And sacred wisedome wilfullie reiect And some also carelesly reâ—us'd With riches and with all her offers great And she that hath all men so much abus'd And at whose hands their 's nothing els to get But pleasure and the fond delights of loue Which onely doe a man to folly moue Faire J'enus cal'd the blacksmith Vulcans wife Whose seruice though it doth nought els procure Vnto a man but bloody warre and strife By him preferred was but t is most sure That Paris in his judgement was vniust And that his mind was wholy set on lust Whereby the great and famous Troian Towne When it had long been vext with bloudy warre Was in the end brought to confusion By Paris meanes that had so little care When it was offred him his choise to make Of wisedome gold and valor and to take A Woman that was cause of all the woe Which vnto Priam afterward befell Aâ— in this Booke hereafter I will shoe And now on dreames I will no longer dwell But to my matter seriously proceed And shew you what by Priam was decreed Vpon the dreame by Paris then declard But first of all in briefe I 'le let you know What Diophebus sayd who having heard His brothers speech stood vp his mind to show And grauely with a countenance benign Obedience made and spake vnto the King And sayd my Lord if every man should doubt And in his mind forecast and deepely way Concerning future things what might fall out It would be cause to make men often stay All actions whatsoere and neuer bend Their wits nor wils to bring them to an end Nor would they seeke their valours forth to show For he that doubts dares nothing vndertake For if a man before that he doth throw His Corne into the grouÌ„d should recknoning make How many grains thereof consum'd would be By Birds or by some other Casualtie I'would make him feare his ground to sow againe Let vs lay all such foolish doubts aside For I esteeme and hold them meerely vaine And counseil now no longer to abide Nor slacke the time but with a Navy strong Send Paris into Greece for to revenge our wrong This I dare affirme and boldly say That he hath counselled you and vs full well Which no man to speake truth can well denay So that I thinke and must you plainely tell Great error t' were his purpose to contrary And therefore let him now no longertarry But thither with a warlike Navy goe That we may quit them for the villany Which they vnto vs and ours did show In former times with extreame cruelty And for the better execution And getting of our Aunt faire Exion Whom they doe hold from vs by force and might And long haue done to our no little shame And that against all equitie and right Which wounds my heart to thinke vpon the same For remedy whereof I must needs say There is no better meanes nor readier way Then to send forth a strong and warlike band With him to Greece that forcibly he may Some Lady take within the Grecians land And mauger all their might her thence conuay And bring her vnto Troy with present speed By which so braue exploit and warlike deed You may haue meanes to satisfie your mind By changing her for Princes Exion This is the readiest way that I can find For to procure her restitution Which my good Lord I hope you do intend Quoth he my counsell I will end Which sayd his brother Helenus did rise Out of his seate
and cry Against him in most fierce and furious wise And raâ—l'd at him and at the Prophesie His Father told and sayd t' was all but lies Which after proved in conclusion To turne vnto their owne confusion For that 's before ordain'd shall sure fall out And state of things with fate is so inglewd That whatsoere must be without all doubt Will come to passe and may not be eschewd Which cauâ—d them all t' agree in one consent That Paris into Greece should straight be sent Their destiny was such they could't not shun And hauing all agreed thereon they rose And for that time their counsell it was don But when t' was knowne abroad as Guydo shoes Like woman cleane distraught of wit she far'd And wise and learn'd Cassandra thereof heard And sayd alas what will you doe And in most dolefull wise began to weepe And sayd shall Paris thither goe Which words she did pronounce with sighes full deepe And falling in a swound with extreame paine Infurious wise began sore to complaine And woefully gaue many a grieuous groane And for to die she could not then with hold To mourne and make great lamentation And tare her haire and both her hands did fold And said alas a hundred times and more Oh fortune fell why is thy rage so sore Against vs bent that with most angry frowne Thou weau'st the webbe of our adversitie And plotting the vtter ruine of our Towne Procur'st our deaths with great extreamitie By sword of vengeance worse then pestilence Increasing of hate and extreame violence Oh woefull Troy what is thy guâ—lt alas That thou must be destroid brought to nought What hast thou done or what is thy trespasse That for the same such vengance shold be wrought Oh Priam noble King what fault hast thou Committed gainst the Gods that they as now Provoked are such vengeance great to throw On thee and on thy whole posteritie Oh Mother deare Queene Hecuba also Tell me I thee beseech the certaintie What manner crime and other great offence Hast thou committed t' haue such recompence For to behold the daies so terrible When all thy sonnes in cruell wise shall die By dint of sword and death most horrible Why will you not alas your minds applie To hearken to my counsell now in time And seeke how to prevent while t' is the prime These dangers great before they doe proceed Vnto the full effect and period Which by the Gods is certainely decreed And by no meanes nor way may be withstood Vnlesse that wee another course will shape The doome of th' incensed Gods t' escape The memory whereof doth so torment My grieued mind that I cannot jndure The woe I feele And therewithall she went To Priamus her Father to procure Some remedy and fell vpon the ground And wept as fast as if she should haue dround In flouds of teares which trickled downe her face And as her paine would her permit she spake To him and cried in that most woefull case Beseeching him some remedy to take In that extreame as she that too well knew What danger by the same there would ensue But all her teares and cries did nought preuaile For Priam would no answere thereto make For as men say what shall be cannot faile But in due time the full effect will take And fortune with her smoth dissembling face Offended as it seemes with Troian race With malice did in heart against them burne And waighting to intrap them by a wile Vpon a sudden gaue her wheele a turne And that she might the sooner them beguile She hastened them to their confusion With wilfulnesse and jndiscretion Against the Greeks a quarrell to vndertake And therevpon their counsell they did hold And did agree that voyage then to make Into the Grecian land fall out what would But if they had been rul'd by good advise Of those that did perswade them to be wise And followe Hectors counsell which he gaue And Helenus advise retaind in mind And well obserud Percheus sentence graue Which after they to be most true did find And lastly to Cassandraes Prophesie Had bent their â—ares and holden't for no lie They had not fallen into such miserie As afterward they did but had liuâ—d still In honor and in great felicitie But Fortune that will alwaies haue her will Who ere sayth nay was cause that mou'd themso In hast vpon their voiage for to goe And with lookes smoth and full of flatterie And sugred words with venomous intent To show her double heart and trecherie Pretending good but vnto mischiefe beâ—t And watching time against them to preuaile With Faith in face but fraud within her tayle So much intised them to giue consent That Paris should in hast to Grecia goe That by no meanes they could themselues content Till that they had agreed it should be so Whose Voyage in the chapter doth ensue I will at large declare and show to you CHAP. IIII. ¶ How King Priam sent Paris Diophebus and others into Greece to be revenged for the rauishing of his Sister Exion and how they being in Grecia rauished faire Helena wife to Menelaus and brought her with them to Troy WHen time approacht that Titan gan to lead His chariot twixt the starres of Hiades Which haue their seate in Taurus horned head And in the glistring starres cal'd Pleiades Whereof six doe continually appeare Vnto our sight the Seauenth for shame feare Doth hide her head still thinking on her crime And therefore dares nor show her beames so cleare But keepeth backe and will not in due time With her faire sisters openly appeare Because that she with an earthly God did lie And was found with him in adulterie And since that time she hath so bashfull beene And for her fact asham'd as doth appeare That seldome in our sight she wil be seene And when the Sun in the celestiall spheare Betweene these starres in full sixteenth degree Of Taurus heat was iustly found to bee And in the sweet and pleasant moneth of May When Flora fills each medow hill and dale With faire and dainty flowers fresh and gay And Zephyrus with his most pleasant gale Doth ayd to cloth them there in liueries new And makes their blossomes show with liuely hew And bid vs to be merry light and glad That they new fruit vpon them gin to beare Gainst Antumne when as haruest in his had And ripened grapes vpon each Vine appeare In that same moneth when men for their disport Doe walke abroad themselues to recomfort Reioycing to behold the trees so full Of blossomes sweet in hope that they will beare Good store of fruit to gather and to pull In ripening time and season of the yeare In midst of the fresh and pleasant spring When little Birds delightfull notes do sing Paris and Deiphobus that were gon In hast into Panomie purposely To mustar men and make provision And all things for the Navy speedily Returne to Troy and in their company
t' was too late The Troyans were of so great force and might That to resist it could them not availe So cruelly they did them then assaile And furiously did put them all to death Not sparing one but all they ouertooke By dint of sword did yeeld their vitall breath And when the field by force they had forsooke The battaile by the Troyans being woone In fierce and furious wise he then begun The Castle straight to ransacke and to pill Wherein they did great store of treasure gaine And hauing done their pleasures and their will With that and all the rest they did obtaine In Citheron vnto their ships they went And as it was their purpose and intent The wind as then being good and peaceable They sailed towards Troye without delay And hauing weather faire and comfortable They did arriue within the seauenth day That they put to the sea at Tenedowne A Castle standing neere vnto the Towne And presently out of their ships they went And with all speed the King aduertised By messenger whom they in hast then sent Of their returne and how that they had sped The which when Priam heard he was full glad And in his heart such ioy and pleasure had That their affaires so well had fallen out That in all hast by his authority He caus'd it to be publisht round about The towne of Troye with great solemnity Comanding that for those good news they shold In sumptuous wise a solemne feast-day hold To thanke their Gods in meeke and humble wise And on their Altars with devotion To offer them great guifts and sacrifice While Paris staying still at Tenedon Did welcome feast and Princely entertain'd Queene Helena that wept and sore complain'd And evermore bewaild her fortune fell That so mongst strangers comfortlesse alone She was constraind against her will to dwell Farre sequestred from friends and knew not one To whome she might declare in privitie The griefe she had for her Captivity And still she wept and waild with pittious cheare That flouds of tears down froÌ„ her cheeks did raine Distilling from her eies most faire and cleare And through the great extreamity and paine Which she then felt she sighed bitterly And with a wofull voice did often crye To thinke how she had left King Menelaus For which she wished death her heart to ease And for that cause became so furious That nothing could her griefe and woe appease And more t' encrease and multiply her paine When as she thought vpon her brethren twaine Her Husband and her little Daughter deare Faire Hermion whome she did loue so well Her face with griefe did pale and wan appeare Which other times in beautie did excell The Lillie flower and much the same surpasse But then her roseat colour changed was And more and more her griefe did still encrease That in her face she was cleane altered And by no meanes her sorrow would surcease But in most dolefull wise that life she led Till Paris to relieue her heauinesse Went vnto her and with all gentlenesse And pleasant words somewhat appeasd her mind And said alas most faire and noble Queene Why are you to your selfe so much vnkind I surely thinke that purposely you meane And will your death and finall end procure Or els you wold not such extreme greefe endure Nor causlesse shed so many a brinish teare That with the same you wet your outward weed And shew your selfe like vnto one that were A penitent lamenting her misdeed Alas faire Queene alas why do you so Let all this griefe and sorrow now cleane goe And liue no more sweet Ladie in distresse But leaue your woe and chearish vp your heart And thinke no more vpon this heauinesse But as it is a prudent womans part Be glad and what so ever you will craue Of me or mine be sure you shall it haue Let passe I say these salt and brinish teares For t is in vaine in sorrow still to liue And here my faith I plight to you and yours That I will you maintaine keepe and relieue In better sort then ever yet you were By Menelaus and therefore haue no feare For I will doe what I to you protest Vpon the faith and honour of a Knight For falshood in my heart I do detest Wherewith the Queene as well as then she might Fayning sighes with water in her eyes Did answere him and spake in louely wise I know sayd she whether I be loath or leefe Vnto your will I must not now say nay Although it be to my no little griefe For she that 's bound of force must needs obay And sith that from your hands I cannot flie I rest content with my Captiuity Which gainst my will constraines me here to dwell For it belongeth not to women-kind In forraine soyle to striue or to rebell Where they are like no favour great to find And that their cause shall not maintained be But if you list in heart to pittie me And in your mind conceaue so good a deed As to extend to vs some charitie While that you liue you shall the better speed For he that helps man in necessity And comforts them that are in woe and griefe Shall never faile of comfort and reliefe Then Lady deare quoth Paris I assure Vnto you now that what so ere you craue I will the same at your desire procure And thereof in your heart assurance haue And that in such aboundance as you list For no man shall your will and heast resist And therefore be no whit at all dismaid But comfort take and certainly belieue That I will doe what euer I haue said And now said he all sorrow cleane remoue And saying so he led her to a place That purposely for her prepared was Where after certaine speeches twixt them two In secret wise when they together were He did begin her plainly there to woe And vnto her did say my Ladie deare Thinke not I call you so to please your mind But from my very heart as you shall find And therefore entertaine within your thought What I to you shall speake and thus I say Sâ—th that by gods decree y' are hither brought For no man can their will and power stay I dare affirme that you were not accurst Therein and that they do 't not for the worst But for your good and so you must it take And sith there is no other remedie You must of your necessitie vertue make And be as glad and liue as merrilie As if you were within your natiue land For now I giue and plight to you my hand That here you shall at pleasure all things haue How deare so ere it doth vnto me cost And what so ere your heart can wish or craue You shall it haue and hereof dare I boast That this our land as well it shall be found In everie thing doth plenteouslie abound And much more then within the Grecian land And though that far from th'I sland cald Achay You are as
now sith you cannot withstand Your fortune you must not your selfe dismay For that with more and greater maiestie Honor dutie wealth and dignitie You shall be serued here then there you were And cause you must your husband now forsake And gainst your will his companie forbeare For which you seeme such sorrow here to make Your care therein by me shall soone be eas'd For that if you therewith be not displeas'd In stead of him I will your husband be And loue and honour you with all my heart If you can likewise thinke so well of me And till that death by force shall make vs part I will be true both in my word and deed For in my heart I fullie haue decreed To be to you as loving and as kind As dutifull as friendlie and as true As ever you King Menelaus did find And in all things will yeeld to you your due And here my faith and troth to you I plight To last vntill that death with dart me smight And though my words do seeme but rude plaine I hope for that you will me not disgrace Nor any whit this my request disdaine Sith I descend and come of roy all race And am as noble of degree and blood As Menelaus and in each point as good And will to you more faithfull be in loue Then ere he was and never change for new For nothing shall my heart from you remoue Then sith this I protest to you is true I pray you now leaue off to waile and weepe And let some comfort in your bosome creepe For little doth availe this woe and greefe If you consider well your owne estate And thanke the Gods that send you such reliefe In your distresse and thinke y' are fortunate To hap so well and this is all I craue That loue for loue of you I now may haue Alas said she can it possible be That I which haue my friends abandoned And liue in sorrow and adversitie Should not be grieu'd and wish that I were dead I see no cause why I should cease to erie Nor yet my cheeks from brinish teares to drie It cannot be for sure it were gainst kind That my so sore and great extreamitie I should so soone abandon out of mind And that the thing which toucheth me so nie And is the onely cause of this my smart Could be so lightlie cast out of my heart And for whose sake I am as now constrain'd To sorrow for our separation But sith the Gods for me haue thus ordain'd That I should loue in this strange Nation I am content to take it patientlie And to their heasts t'obâ—y submissiuely For follie t' were to striue against their will Wherefore as now my selfe I will prouoke Although it seeme my very heart to kill For to submit my necke vnto this yoke And gainst my will of meere necessitie Obay to what so ere you 'l do with me For 't would not helpe if that I should 't refuse And thus somewhat he did her griefe appease And yet what ere she said she could not chuse But thinke thereon But what should she disease Her selfe so much sith t' is a thing most sure An heart of â—â—int could not so much endure For 't is the common vse of women-kind Till they haue wept and wailed at their will Nere to surcease nor to content their mind But when they haue of sorrow had their fill And wearied are therewith they will as fast All sorrow from their hearts as lightlie cast And soone lay hold on comfort in their griefe A man their hearts may easilie disseuer From woe to ioye from sorrow to reliefe There is no storme that can endure for euer For as the learned write things violent By natures course cannot be permanent When stormes are past the Sun much brighter is And shineth hotter after then before So by the speech and counsell of Paris Faire Helena as then did weepe no more For as the faire and pleasant morning bright By custome and by kind doth follow night Right so in time her heart began to cheare And of her teares the flouds likewise to drie And hauing cleane abandoned all feare She liu'd in Troye with Paris ioyfullie As in the Chapter following you may see Whereas at large it shall declared bee CHAP. V. ¶ How Paris was receaued into Troye at his returne out of Greece and how he was married to Queene Helena WHen Helena had left her mourning cheare And that her rosent colour shewd againe Within her face most beautifull and cleare And had forgotten all her griefe and paine Paris that was in heart so amorous In hast did send vnto King Priamus For horse and men apparell gorgeous And diuers costlie iewels of great prise That Helena might shew more glorious And enter Troye in braue and sumptuous wise And all things he desired being sent Without delay to Troye with her he went And by the way King Priamus them met Accompanied with his Nobilitie And many faire and gallant Ladies great And maidens by their birth of high degree And with theÌ„ store of knights that were most braue And Citizens which their attendance gaue To welcome Paris who as then did ride With all his prisoners two and two before And he and Deiphobus on each side Of Helena to honor her the more And after them the Lords of high degree And all the rest most orderlie to see And tweene each ranke did leaue a little space That so their traine the longer might appeare And in that sort they road an easie pace Till that by Priam they encountred were Who met them in a faire and pleasant plaine And in his hand tooke Helens horses raine And so conuaied her into the towne Where store of people flockt on every side And all the way along ran vp and downe To gase and looke vpon their new come bride The Trumpets sounding in most stately wise Which made their eccho mount vp to the skies And many another kind of Instrument In sundrie wise playd seuerall melodie Before them as into the Towne they went So that to heare the pleasant harmonie T' would make mans heart to leap mount for ioy And when they all were entred into Troye King Priam at his Pallace did alight And by the hand did take the Grecian Queene And straight with all convenient speed he might Led her into a Chamber well beseene Commanding all his Officers to see That all what ere she need prepar'd should be And calling for a cup of wine he dranke Vnto the Queene to welcome her withall Forthwith she did in humble wise him thanke And so he went againe into the Hall Till supper time and left her there to make Her ready and her ease meane while to take But of the ioy that was within the towne In every place where people sat together And in the streets of Troye walk't vp and downe And spake thereof the one vnto the other My stile is all to rude of it to
Who was a Smith by his profession That forg'd the thunder-bolts which vse to fall With huge and fearefull noyse downe from the skie And furiously from East to West doe flie This Uulcan married Venus that so rare Of beauty was and held her for his wife Long time to whom a iealous mind he bare So that twixt them there arose a mortall strife And for that cause he watched her so nie That at the last he found her secretly With Mars the God of warre her valiant Knight Layd closely dallying with her in a bed Whereat he did conceiue so great despight That to her shame her falult abroad he spread And therein did the Goddesse much abuse But God forbid that men should seeke t' accuse Poore women for a matter that 's so small For if they do such things of gentlenes They are therein for to be borne withall And let no man esteeme of them the lesse Least he in th' end to them grow odious As smotery Vulcan was for doing thus And yet mongst Paynims he was Deified But for that he so churlishly did let Their pleasant sport when as he them espied Therefore I haue him last in order set Among the Gods that honoured were as then Of jgnorant and supersticious men And thus this fowle Idolatrie began As you heaue hard through false opinions And was continued long on earth by man Still erring in his fond affection Which is most false as scriptures plain do show And such as learned are full well do know For by the rule of holy writ we learne How to despise those false opinions And all such superstitious to discerne Which are the Diuels meere jnventions And not long after that the world began By him put in the head of wicked man For when the Angels first created were He that of them was highest in degree Of whom the Prophet Esay witnes bare And saith such was his supreame dignitie That all the great and goodly Ceders greene In Paradise so faire were neuer seene Nor any Phirre nor Palme-tree could attaine Vnto his hight no more could any tree What ere it was that stood within the plaine Of Paradise to him compared bee For beauty and for comely feature For he surpast each other creature When by his pride and great presumption He sayd he would be like to God on hie And in the North place his dominion He was cast downe from heauen suddenly And vnto his most great and fowle despight Bereaued cleane of Gods most glorious â—ight And so confind into the pit of Hell With horror and with great confusion For ever there perpetually to dwell Of whom t' was said when he froÌ„ heaven was thrown How didst thou fall oh morning starre so bright From moÌ„gst the radiaÌ„t stones that cast such light Whom men for brightnes Lucifer did call And Christ himselfe doth say and witnes beare That he from heauen saw fowle Sathan fall Like to the fiery streames of lightning cleare Whom Iewes cald Bemoth which doth signifie A cursed beast and full of crueltie And is the serpent cal'd Leviathan Whereof most learned Isodore doth wright That is so great an enemy to man And taketh all his pleasure and delight To haunt the Seas and waters troubled Of whom King David to vs Prophesied In his divine and most spirituall song Wherein he doth set forth to vs that beast The fiery and most furious Dragon strong That hath his habitation and doth rest Within the Seas mongst Snakes and Adders vile Devising how he may man-kind beguile The which a Monke cald Brâ—ndon once did see In vision when vpon the Seas he was Into a fearefull pit cast downe to bee And there was bound his cursed daies to passe Vntill the last and great a generall doome When Christ with power to judge the world should come This cursed serpent he that did devise As in the holy scriptures we doe find To come to Adam when in Paradise He was and cause he hated all man-kind When as occasion fit he did espie Deceaued him by diuelish polecie And that he might the better worke the same He tooke on him the shape of serpent slie With maidens face and in that manner came To Eâ—a and with great subtility And face full smooth himselfe to her did goe And of her did desire the cause to know Why God did them forbid to touch and eat The fruit that on the tree of Life did grow Of which he said the vertue was so great That it would make them good and evill know And be as Gods and so to her did giue Two Apples which she tooke and did belieue What he had said of which when she had fed And vnto Adam given thereof to proue As he alleadg'd their eies were opened And for their guilt God did them straight remoue And from terrestriall Paradise did throw Commanding them the earth to till and sow With sweat of browes their living there to get And thus this most accursed fiend of hell His mind vpon all wickednesse did set And into such a rage gainst mankind fell That taking face of woman for a while By his false tongue he did them so beguile And vs'd that filthy beast to worke his will And spake in her and often doth the like Iâ— them that are possest with spirits ill And forceth them to fall in such dislike Of God and all his workes that furiously They curse and blaspheme God most horribly This wicked serpent cal'd Leuiathan Continuing in his purpose as we find T' effect his cursed will gainst silly man Devis'd to speake in Idols dumbe and blind And caused man on them to cry and call And them t' adore with worship spirituall As they did vse in Delos to implore Apollos aid But Dauid doth declare That we should all such jmages abhorre And that the workes of mans own hands they are This shall suffice to shew how where whan The worshipping of jdols first began And I suppose that Guido ment hereby To shew the same as thinking t' was not knowne Vnto the world and for to certefie How at the last it was cleane overthrowne As also that such as vnlearned bee Thesequell of the same might plainely see And now I will proceed and briefly show That when Achilles and Patroclus were Arriu'd in Delos Isle they straight did goe Vnto Appollos Temple there to heare What answere he would giue them in that câ—â—â— So doubtfull where they stayd a little space Before they did begin to sacrifice Consulting with the priests what course to take And after mature counsell and advise From them receau'd they did their prayers make And certaine rich oblations did present Wherin when they much time long had spent Devoutly fore the Altar at the last Appollo did his eares to them decline And after certaine daies were overpast Made answere vnto them with vowe divine And said Achilles thou that now art sent To me by all the Grecians full consent Returne in hast againe and to them
best deserued had And ventured life and lim for honors sake But he himselfe no part thereof would take As having more desire to win their hearts Then t' haue their goods for he that 's liberall And mongst his souldiers willingly imparts His treasure into danger nere doth fall And bountie wins their hearts doth them moue Their Generals to honor and to loue CHAP. X. ¶ How Agamemnon assembled all the Nobles â—â—â— chiefe Commanders of the Grecians where vpâ—â— deliberation taken amongst them they sent 〈◊〉 and Diomedes Ambassadors onto Priam Kiâ—â— of Troye to demaund restitution of Queen Helena and the domages done by Paris in the Temple of Cithera THe treasure dealt among them as you heare Commandment was by Agamemnon made That gainst next day the Princes should appeare Before him to conferre and when they had Tane rest a while and that the radiant light Of Phebus glistring face did shinemost bright Vpon the earth The Grecions on the land And Agamemnon plast in royall seat With all his power which bout him then did stand And all the Princes there together met And placed were each one in his degree Silence once made and oportunity Then offered The King with princely grace And pleasing tearmes as being eloquent And very wise rose vp out of his place And shew to them his will and his intent Th' effect whereof in substance doth appeare Hereafter as you presently shall heare My Lords said he you know and must confesse That we of right and meere necessity Compelled are at this time to redresse A wrong to vs done by the cruelty Of Troyans vnto whome we gaue no cause To breake the ancient God of peace's lawes True t is that we as all the world doth know Are of sufficient power force and might And are esteemd and knowne of hie and low To be the men that able are to right All wrongs whatsoere both by sea land T' effect such things as we shall take in hand Despight of all that gainst vs will resist Yet I suppose and 't ever hath been seene That power which in it selfe doth not consist Nor is puft vp with pride hath alwaies beene And to the Gods is most acceptable And longest doth remaine vpright and stable For is there any one amongst vs all But knows for truth and can full well expresse What harmes and griefs do oftentimes befall By envie pride and diuellish wilfulnesse And when by pride men take a thing in hand The Gods incenst their actions do withstand And crosse all those that are superbious For truth to say it is avice abhord Of every man and held most dangerous For pride nought else but mischiefe doth afford Yet must we not for pride esteeme or hold The valor in a man of courage bold For he that vnto pride his mind doth giue Or doth converse with one that 's proud in heart And takes delight with such a man to liue Can neither will nor chuse but haue his part Of all such crosses as to pride befall Which commonly despised is of all And nothing doth impaire mans honor more Of what estate so euer that he bee Then pride Wherfore let vs the same abhore And from it as from cruell viper flee And wholly race it out of heart and mind And so we shall the Gods more gracious find Especially when as our quarrel 's iust And that we ground it vpon equity But if that pride and envie should vs thrust Into a warre without necessity Or lawfull cause but onely of meere hate The end thereof would proue vnfortunate But all you know that we as now are here With full consent within the Troyan land To be revengd for wrongs that long since were By Priam done to vs and for to stand Vnto the triall of our cause by might Wherein we know we do nought else but right And to that end we haue begun t nvade And wasted spoyld and over-run his lands Destroyd and rane his Castles strong and made Occision of his men with warlike bands And many other harmes committed haue Whereof himselfe the first occasion gaue So that if he did hate vs heretofore As by fore passed actions it appeares I dare well say he hates vs now much more And that if to revenge himselfe it were Within his power you presently should see What strange revenge by him would taken bee And yet t is sure that they full well do know And heare of our arrivall in their land Although thereof they seeme to make no show And what by vs is done they vnderstand For that as yet it 's fresh in memory So that if they were strong vs to defie They would soone march to meet vs in the field Yet certaine t is their towne is huge and great And by all men invincible is held And fild with Knights therein together met Of their allies so that ere we begin I know we shall small vantage gainst them win For he that in a quarrell iust doth stand And fighteth to defend his Countreâ— Within a towne in his owne natiue land And hath great store of faithfull friends that be To him allied more vantage hath thereby To ayd himselfe then hath his enemy For oftentimes the Raven doth withstand And fights long with the Fawlcon in his nest Before the Fawlcon gets the vpper hand And hath the meanes to flie and take her rest While that the Fawlcon doth for her attend For birds will in their nests themselues defend I speake not this and so I pray conceaue To put your valiant hearts in any doubt Or once your minds of hope for to bereaue Of bringing this our enterprise about Which is to spoile and vtterly confound The Troyans and their towne though it abound With men and meanes against vs to resist And to defend themselues for certaine time For â—re we from our enterprise desist Which now you see is meerely in the prime We make no doubt but to destroy them all And bring them to their ends what ere befall But th' only cause why I these words nowvse Is to diswade you from presumption And pride of heart least that you should abuse Yourselues herein by indiscretion And wisely in this case so well provide That reason and not will may be your guide And ere we stirre from hence such order take That we may reape great commendation And of our wars a happy end soone make For th'onor of the Grecian Nation For oft we see the want of good foresight I speciall cause to breed a man despight When as he vndertaketh any thing Without forecasting what thereof may fall And in the end doth him to ruine bring It stands vâ—then vpon in mind to call What issue may ensue of our intent Least that in fine it maketh vs repent You know how first King Priamus did send To vs to haue his sister Exion By faire meanes and to peace did seeme to bend Who yet is holden by King Tolamon And how that we with one consent
within the same Which were so many and so great a number That for to thinke theron t would make men woÌ„der And more if that it be considered right It is most sure that since the worlds creation Or Phoebus on the earth did cast his light There ne're was seen in any Nation So many Kings and Princes met together As on both sids at that same time were come thither For all the flower of chiualry was there Kings Princes Dukes Earles Barons Knights Squien And all their power of men that armes could beare With full intent and resolute desires Within the towne for to defend their right Without the towne to win it if they might Let them that read and doe peruse this booke Consider for what cause this warre began And if without vnpartiall eies they looke They shall perceiue that many a valiant man For small or no occasion lost his life In that so needlesse strange and bloody strife For truth to say for nought this warre began And nought there was on either side obtain'd For though the Greeks the towne of Troy then wan Yet if it be considered what they gain'd The storyshewes that when that all was don Their reckoning made they lost more theÌ„ they won For many thousands of them there were slaine And lost their liues before the towne of Troy And neuer did returne to Greece againe The honor of their victory to enioy And those that liu'd and backe to Greece did goe Did after end their daies in griefe and woe And on each side the flower of Chivalry Most woefully did end their fatall daies With hundred thousands in their company And altogether as the storie sayes That bloody quarrell then did vndertake For nought but for a sillie womans sake Great pittie t' was so many Knights should die And headlong run vnto destruction To end their daies in extreame miserie For small or rather no occasion Bettet it were at first to end or cease A quarrell of no moment then t' encrease In malice and reuenge for nought to take For wise men shold forecast what harmes might hap nd seeke an end of small debates to make Ere that they fall in wauering fortunes lap And so procure their owne decay perforce And after wish they had tane another course It is a vse mongst men when fier doth take In any house or place to ring a bell Or els some other noyse or signe to make Thereby to warne such as about them dwell To lend their ayd in that extremitie And speedily to seeke for remedie Before it doth increase to greater fier T' were then too late and folly in a man That comes to helpe to aske or to inquire Which way the fier in the howse began And to neglect the quenching of the same When time doth serue for which he thither came For danger doth require no delay And he that 's wise doth commonly forecast Such dangers as may fall in time to stay For t is too late when as the time is past But now I le leaue the Troians for a while And to the Grecians armie turne my stile You heard that while the Grecians did abide At Tenedon how that they all decreed To send to th'isle of Messa to provide Such victualls as their puissant hoast should need While they made warre within the Troian laud And how Achilles tooke that charge in hand Now while that he was gone and staied there The noble King Palamides ariued At Tenedon with thirtie ships that were All fild with valiant Knights the which reuiu'd The Grecians hearts as glad to see him there For that not any one of them but were Sore grieued that he staied so long behind As one they much esteem'd and honoured And many of them great fault with him did find That he had not at Athens mustered Suspecting him of partialitie But he to cleare himselfe and satisfie Their minds declard in open audience The cause whie he to Athens did not goe According to his promise and pretence And for to proue the same to them did show That sickenesse onely had procur'd his stay And forst him to absent himselfe away So long from them where with they satisfied Excused him for that which he had showne And for because they much on him relied And honoured him as second vnto none Mongst all the Greeks for bounty power wit As being one for all attempts most fit For whatsoere he once did vndertake Most valiantly he would the same effect And spight of all that could resistance make Nere leaue it off nor any wise neglect Tell that he had acchieu'd his enterprise And in regard they knew him to be wise And of the greatest reputation Amongst the Greeks that then assembled were They did intreare and pray him to be one Of those that sit in counsell for the warre Which he accepting they straight waies agreed For to besiedge the towne of Troy with speed But mongst theÌ„ questioÌ„ grew what time they might Vnto the towne of Troy most safely goe Some sayd they thought it best when it was night In secret wise to hoyse their sayles that so Without resistance of the enemy They might take land with most securitie But others sayd great dangers might ensue To them to sayle the River in the night And specially because they hardly knew The ready course and that by chanâ—r they might For want of light out of the channell stray And so cast both their ships and men away Thus being of contrary minds they stayd And for that time made no conclusion But put it off and still the same delaid And tooke not any resolution What they would doe but lay still where they were As if their hearts had been possest with feare Till valiant Diomedes grieu'd to see Them lie so long at rest in Tenadon And that they could not mongst themselues agree Nor fall to any resolution For to besiege the towne of Troy with speed As they at first and firmely had decreed Sayd vnto them my Lords whose worthy fame Throughout the world both farre neare doth flie I cannot chuse but needs I must you blame And discommend your great prolixitie That let the time thus passe as you haue don For now a yeare is almost over-run And yet you stir not hence in any wise But still lie here and giue your enemies cause To thinke you do 't for feare and cowardise And which is worse allow them time to pause On their affaires and at their libertie Taugment their strength with opportunitie Vs to withstand and valiantly resist Whereof assure your selues they will not faile For they not any day nor howre haue mist To seeke for ayd against vs to prevaile And bar their gates make their walls most strong For to withstand asiedge both great and long And which is more they haue their spies to see And hearken what we doe here in our hoast And doe affirme and boldly say that wee Dare not effect the thing whereof we
boast And longer that we in this sort still lie It giues more courage to our enemie But if we first had held another course Ere they had knowne thereof and ventured To land our men before their towne by force We had the same long since round compassed And straight besidge with this our puissant hoast And done that which ere t is done more wil cost For be assurd ere we approacht the strand T'vnship our men theâ—le issue out amaine With all their power our landing to withstand And valiantly the fight gainst vs maintaine By force and strength ere we the shoare shall get To driue vs thence if that they can vs let Whereas long since we might with ease haue got The victory but now by our delay We must take that which fortune doth alot And with more losse to vs doe what we may For now the time 's delaid it is most sure More danger vnto vs it will procure What should I say but tell you in good troth That our delay and cowardise will bee The cause of our great danger which full loath And sorry I would be in heart to see And if therefore my counsell you will take I thinke it best that presently you make All speed you can for to be gone from hence And ere the Sunne in morning doth appeare Hoyse sayles and put to Sea with full pretence And courage bold cleane void of any feare To Sayle to Troy and there land openly What ere falls out for know assuredly Without resistance by the Troians made Who valiantly will issue vs to beard There is no landing for vs to be had And yet you must not therefore be afeard But set all feare and cowardise aside And stoutly whatsoere fals out abide Which sayd the Greeks consulting therevpon Determined with courage bold to make What hast they could and preparation For to be gou and straight their course to take Vnto the towne of Troy as doth appeare And in the Chapter following you shall heare CHAP. XII ¶ How the Grecians landed before Troy where they were valiantly fought withall by the Troians WIthin the former Chapter you did heare How that the Greeks in counsell being set With full and whole consents agreed were All scuses set apart nought should them let With speed vnto the towne of Troy to sayle And there the Troians valiantly t'assaile And that end to the next day they begun To go abord their ships with courage bold And when they had all things prepard and don That needfull were they did a counsell hold T'ordaine among themselues and to agree How many ships should in each squadron bee And which of them in for most ranke should goe What course they should vpon the Seas obserue How they would land that no man might it know Thereby their men from danger to preserue Whereto they did assigne a speciall marke And so when as by singing of the Larke Which commonly is fore the Sun doth rise At dawning of the day they did awake And put Sea in braue and warlike wise And to the towne of Troy their course did take And first a hundred ships well furnished With store of men and armes the way did lead Whose pennons and rich streamers to behold Which on the seas did show most cleare and bright When they did them against the Sun vnfold Gaue vnto all that saw them great delight For nere before vpon the waues so greene The like triumphant sight had not been seeene An other hundred more sayld orderly In rancks to second them that went before Whose sayles most proudly in the wind did flie And spread abroad wherein there was great store Of valiant Knightts wel arm'd with sword speare The Troians to withstand without all feare Next afder them in order brauely ranck't The rest of their huge Navy followed The which on either side was strongly flank't With squadrons of great ships well furnished With valiant Knights whose number was so many That like to it had nere been seen of any Vpon the Seas and sayling so together Assisted by Neptune and Eolus That sent them both faire wind pleasant wether Their voiage was to them so prosperous That in one tide a sight of Troy they had Whereto with all their sayles hoyst vp they made Whose waving when the Troiaus did behold And saw that they drew nere vnto the strand And by their countnance well perceiu'd they would Despight of them if that they might take land In hast they arm'd themselues which having don They mounted on their horses and did run As fast as ere they could vnto the strand Attending neither Earles Prince nor King To be their guide nor over them command But furiously out of the gates did fling And in so great a number to behold That wheÌ„ the Greeks theÌ„ saw their harts were cold And stoutest of them all was much dismaid To find so many Troians on the land Well arm'd that all most resolutely stayd With courage bold their comming to withstand Whereby they knew and certainely did see No landing for them there as thou to bee Vnlesse that with the Troians they would fight And valiantly adventure for to land Or els like cowards take themselues â—o slight And fall into their deadly enemies hand For other refuge for them none there was But through the Troians swordâ— pikes to passe Which when King Prâ—thesilaus did behold Who of an hundred ships the conduct had He sayd that in despight of them beâ—ould Set foot on land and to that end â—e made His ships and men in readines to venter By force vpon the same strand to enteâ— But when his Ships set forward to ariue As nere vnto the shoare as well they might The wind did in their sayles so stifely driue That on the land by force iâ— did them smight And some of them vpon the gittie stroke Which presently in many peeces broke And most part of the men and ships were drown'd And scattered here and there contusedly So that but very few of them were found To make resistance gainst the enemy And those that scapt sau'd theselues froÌ„ hurt And got to land all clad with mire and durt And for a while their enemies withstood Were by the Troians slaine so cruelly That all the Sea was stained with the blood Of Grecians that vpon the sands did he Dead bleeding and sore wounded to the death Attending th' end to yeild their vitall breath And at that time the arrowes flew so fast And thicke into the aire that all the skie Did show as if it had been ouercast With some darke cloud and still and furiously The Troians fought and euermore renew'd Their number and the Grecians so pursu'd And for the time so hotly them assayld That what defence soever they could make Availd them not for Troians still prevaild And valiantly constraind them to giue backe With losse of many men and great disgrace And finally perforce to leaue the place Whereas they fought with much
blow which was of mighty force Both man and horse vnto the ground he cast But presently Ulisses rose againe And mounting on his horse road through the plaine And on the Troians set so furiously That many of them as then by him were slaine Which when as King Philomen did espie He tooke a lance and ran at him againe So mightily and such a blow him gaue Therewith that it his shield in sunder claue And pierst his armor through but burâ— him not And yet the blow vnto the ground him stroke But presently vpon his horse he got And in his hand a mighty lance he tooke And therewith at King Philomen did run So swiftly that ere he the blow could shon He pierst cleane throgh his shield and armor bright And in his brest did giue him such a wound That sideways from his horse he fell and light Vpon his head which first did touch the ground And therewithall most grieuously he bled Wherewith his men suppos'd he had been dead And tooke him vp and layd him on a shield Whereon with danger great they did him beare Cleane through the Grecians hoast out of the field Whereof when as the Troian Knights did heare They were abasht because they did beleeue He had been dead and for him much did grieue For if that mighty Philomen had not Been wounded so by fierce Vlisses hand Without all doubt the Grecians had not got So easily out of their ships to laud Nor yet so many Troians had been slaine As then lay dead both on the strand and plaine For while that they the fight did long maintaine And valiantly the Grecians did assaile And sought to driue them to the strand againe Ere that they could by force therein prevaile More Grecians in great number got to land And forcibly the Troians did withstand Conducted by foure Kings of great renowne The first King Agamemnon generall Of all the Greeks and proud King Thelamon King Thoas and King Menclaus cause of all That deadly warre at whose aproach you might Behold the death of many a valiant Knight And at that time the broken lances flew Into the aire and clouen shields did lie Vpon the ground and then they did renew The fight so hotly strong and furiously That in short space the strand and all the plaine Lay full of Knights and men that then were slain And though the Greeks at that time did abide Great losse of Knights yet cause they were so stroÌ„g The greatest losse fell on the Troians side Who nere the lesse fought valiantly and long And held the Grecians â—â—ort for all their might Till that the valiant fierce and worthy Knight Prothesilaus Who all that day had fought Couragiously and many Troians slaine And with his sword in cruell wise had wrought Them great despight both on the strand plaine To rest himselfe and take the ayre did ride Out of the field vnto the water side Where when he did off from his horse alight And saw his men he dead vpon the ground Who at their landing had been slame in fight And others by the raging waues then drownd He could not chuse out weepe to thinke thereon And for a while sat musing still alone And more he them beheld the more he grieu'd Till at the last when he by proofe did find That by â—â—â— griefe they were no whit relieu'd Nor he himselfe the qâ—uetter in mind Such suâ—â—aâ—ne ireâ—â—s valiant heart possest That from that time he could not be in rest But vow'd to be revenged if he might And to require their deaths vpon his foes Orels as it becomes a valiant Knight Couragiously his life with them to lose And â—o resolu'd Ieapton his horse againe And furiously road straight vnto the plaine And entring mongst the thickest of his foes Assayled them with trenchant bladeâ—â— hand And valiantly beat downe and kild all those That met with him or durst against him stand And in short space he did so many stay That every man was glad to run away Like sheepe before the wolfe their hues to saue But he still wounded kild and beat them downe And like a stout and valiant Champion draue And followed them all most vnto the towne And by that meanes the Greeks then victors were And Troians fied before them in great feare Till Persius King of Ethiopia Out of the towne with many a valiant Knight Came ryding in great bast and made them stay And then began a fresh and furious fight Wherein great store of Grecians then were slaine And many of them lay wounded on the plaine The Troians at that time so siercely fought When by the Ethiopian Knights they were Relieu'd so that where as before they sought To flie away to saue their liues in feare They made the Greekes loose all the ground again Which they before had won vpon the plaine And with their horse and foot-men did assaile Their enemies so strongly and so close That all the Greekes could doe might not prevaile But that at last they were constrain'd to lose Their ground and backe vnto the strand to flie In great despaire and much extremitie And without doubt had there been drown'd â—â—â—â— Had not the valiant King Palamides With new supply refreshed them againe And thereby did their heavy hearts appease Who at that time with all his Knights tooke lâ—â—d Where hauing horsed them vpon the strand And ranckt his men he entred valiantly With so great force amongst the Troians And them assaild with such dexterity That where before they slew the Grecians And draue them downe before them to the shoâ—â— He kild and wounded many of them so sore And kept them to 't so close that neither side As then advantage had and so it held Vntill that King Palamides espied Stout Sigamond in middest of the field Who all that day most like a valiant Knight Behau'd himselfe against the Greekes in fight Couragiously and beat them downe so fast That glad they were to shun his blowes and flie And by his prowesse only where he past Great store Grecians slaine by him did lie To whom he road and furiously when as Amongst the thickest of the Greeks he was He gaue him with his lance so great a wound Into his side that being deadly hurt He fell off from his horse vnto the ground And there all groueling in the mire and durt His armor with his blood cleane covered read He left him mongst the Troians pale and dead And forth he road and kild and wounded sore All those he met or that before him stood And like vnto a wild and cruell Bore With sword in hand dyed in the Trâ—â—â—â—â— blood He made them leaue the water side againe And draue them all before him to the plaine Where with his Knights that still about him â—â—â—â— He did assayle them in such furious wise And by his valor put them in such feare That mongst them there was heard great noyse and crâ—â— Of those that wounded sore could not withstand The
foes That many a 〈◊〉 thereby his life did lose Then to the field Duke Nestor proudly brought Fiue thousand valiant Knights in armor bright That furiously against the Troians fought And on the Troians side the worthy Knight King Esdras with a courage stout and bold And Philon in his stately chaire of gold With all the valiant Knights and chivalry That for to ayd King Priam thither came Out of Agresta land with Iacony The Prince and heire thereof and with the same Couragiously vpon the Grecians ran At which time many a braue and worthy man Was fiercely slaine and maim'd on euery side And from the men that on the ground lay dead And wounded sore with gashes long and wide The field all ore was died in colour red With streames of blood that men therin might wade Such slaughter at that time twixt them was made At which time Philon fought most furiously And did by valor great the Troians ayd And many a Greeke that day did cause to die But while thus fighting valiantly he staid At vnawares he was inclosed round And sodainly himselfe in danger found For that the Greekes so compast him about That he vnlikely was from them t' escape For by no meanes he could from thence get out But that in th' end they would him either take Or kill outright but that Prince Iacony Vnto King Esdras loudly gan to cry Saying my Lord by our great negligence King Philon at this time will sure be slaine For gainst so many Greeks ther 's no defence But that he must needs die or els be tane If we relieue him not if that we can And so in hast they altogether ran And in despight of all the Greeks by force They did release King Philon from their hands Who glad thereof did mount vpon his horse And road with them vnto the Troian bands That then with all their power force and might With Hector that most brave and worthy Knight Deiphobus and Pollidamas and other Couragious Troian Knights that had decreed With one consent and valiantly together The Grecians freshly to assayle with speed Of purpose if convenient meanes they found With all their puissant power t' inclose theÌ„ round That few of them should scape with life from theÌ„ce And to that end did fiercely them assaile And did compell the Greeks with small defence For that as then their courages did fayle To loose their ground and to retire with speed And finally were driuen into such need That mauger all their might they had that day Been vtterly brought to confution And forced in the end to run away If that King Menelaus and Thelamon When as they saw them faint and halfe afraid Had them not then incouraged and staid And made them once againe themselues defend Till that Aeneas and Duke Eufrenus Against the Greeks did valiantly descend With other troopes of Knights chivalrous And freshly them againe did sore oppresse And Hector also by his worthinesse Like Lyon fierce with sterne and cruell face Did put them to so great extremitie That like to sheepe that cruell woolfe doth chase They were compeld with feare from him to flie As glad his strong and trenchant blade to shun And from it for to saue their liues to run The which when valiant Aiax did espie He had in heart so much compassion To thinke vpon the great extremitie With cruell slaughter and confusion The which the Greeks as then did feele and find That when he turn'd his backe look't behind And saw so many Grecian wings that staid And were in order prest within the field Which banners large and pennons faire displaid And all that while the cruell fight beheld And saw how Hector had the Greeks in chase Yet stirred not one foot out of their place Although in them the flower of chivalry On Grecians side there was that able were The Troians to withstand and valiantly To be reveng'd on them and for to beare The furious charge of their fierce enemies In all the hast he could to them he hies And loudly vnto them for helpe did crie Whereatin hast the wearied Greeks to ayd They marched forward gainst the enemy With ensignes rich and pennons braue displaid And when they and the Troians fiercely meet The earth did shake and tremble with the feet Of horses that in furious wise did fling And gallop in the field and then did rise Anâ—â—eous noyse wherewith the ayre did ring O huge and mighty strookes and fearefull cries On either side and many a Knight was seene With deadly wounds lie gasping on the greene Then Aiox gainst Aeneas fiercely ran And he gainst him as willingly did ride For twixt them both such enmitie as than And hatred great there was on either side That nought but death their furies could asswage And did together meet in such a rage That with the blow that each the other hit Most puissantly withall their force and might Each other to the ground they brauely smit And vp againe they rose on foot to fight And there a valiant combat twixt them tride Where as they both great danger did abide Amongst the horses feet vpon the ground Till that Philocletes that brauely fought That day on Grecian side had Aiax found And him another horse to mount on brought And did assayle the Troians valiantly That other wise had had the victory Against the Greeks but that Philocletes Withall his Knights them man fully withstood And first of all as th' Author Guido saies At Hector with a speare he fiercely roade Which with the blow in many peeces brake But stird him not off from his horses backe For though he had receiu'd so great a stroke That well might haue orethrown avaliant Knight He sat as stif and sturdy as an oke And with his speare Philocletes did smite Through armor shield and body that withall Sore wounded to the grouud he made him fall That off his life his Knights were much in doubt Then to the field King Humerus and eke Ulisses came and with cen thousand stour And valiant Knights and many a worthy Greeke The Troians did assaile so furiously And with great multitudes of new supply Vpon them set that in despaire and feare And wearied with so long and cruell fight They gan for to recule and readdy were To turne away and take themselues to flight It Paris had not come with more supply To rescue them and at his entery Into the field the King of Frizia met That vnto King Ulisses was of kin And in such furious wise vpon him set That without more adoe he ran him in Through armor shield and bodie with his speare Whereat the Greeks full sore abashed were And for his death Ulisses grieved so That in a rage and with extreame despight He did a speare at Paris fiercely throw To pierce his heart but it to low did light Yet nerethelesse it went with such a force That with the strength thereof it kild his horse And he thereby fell flat vpon
therein For then they had A custome to intombe and bury those That Princes were and richly to inclose Their bodies faire in tombes most brauely made And so Patroclus and Prothesilaus Were buried in solemne wise and lay Together yet in severall tombes and thus The Grecians in their tents without still lay While Troians in the towne likewise did stay To cure their men that wounded were in fight And to recouer health and strength againe To those that sâ—re diseased were and might Not stirre themselues for dolor griefe and paine And in that cruell fight much blood had shed And ere the two moneths truce was finished Such diligence did vse that every man Was whole and sound but Priamus the King Made so great sorrow for Cassibellan That he would not be mou'd for any thing To cease his griefe but still he sobd and wept And while the corse aboue the ground was kept He caus'd a tombe of metall curiously Ingrau'd and wrought for to be made and when T' was finished and with solemnity In Venus Temple set and placed then He held a great and stately funerall For him and there accompanied with all His Lords vnto God Mâ—â—â— were offered His honors as his helmet sword and shield And last of all his braue and gallant steed The which when as Cassandra beheld And saw how all the company did crie And made great mone and sighed bitterly For him and with great lamentation For all their friends that likewise had been slaine And lost their liues in fight before the towne She was so grieu'd that she could not refraine To cry and sayd alas and well away That ere we saw this cursed dolefull day Oh most vnhappy wretches that you bee I st possible that ere you should indure The troubles and the woes that you shall see The which the Greeks vnto you will procure While they besiedge you round on euery side And seeke to be reuenged on your pride Most certaine t is that full well I know You can it not avoid for without doubt They will to you no grace nor mercy show But ere that many yeares shall come about They le kill and slay you cruelly each one And neuer leaue the siedge tell it be done Alas alas why do you not in time Seeke with your Grecian foes to make a peace While that the warre as yet is in the prime And fore the sword of vengeance mercilesse And old and young doth execution And brings this towne vnto destruction When all the streets therein with children small In woefull mothers armes heapt vp shall lie With gastly wounds and faces dead and pale Slaine by the Grecians furious cruelty And Maydens into Greece shall captiues goe And there bewaile in miserie and woe Their servitude and losse of this our towne That is so rich so famous and renownd Which by the Greeks shall sure be beaten downe And vtterly defaced to the ground And we perforce with patience must it beare Alas wee buy Queene Helena too deare Sith for her foule and vnadvised rape All we shall die a death most pittious Yong old rich poore not any one shall scape The wrath of them shall be so furious Gainst vs and ours and there 's no remedy But onely death to end our miserie And thus did she with pittious noyse and cry Forewarne the King her bretheren and all Within the towne into what miseries By pride and their presumption they should fall And like to one that 's mad in every street Run vp and downe told it all she meet Till Priamus her furious mood to stay Did cause her to be shut in prison fast And bound with chaines and in that sort she lay Close kept the while the Grecians siege did last And could not once be heard for no man would Belieue nor credite her though truth she told For neither wisedome nor discretion Counsell nor wit advise nor providence Truth reason nor yet good perswasion Can ought availe whereas no audience Is given thereto For were man nere so wise In counselling by wisedome or advise And could by perfect art and learning know What could in time hereafter come to passe And would the same vnto the world foreshow The obstinate would count him but an asse For counsell with a foole prevaileth nought Nor truth likewise how deare so ere t is bought As we may by Cassandra see full well Who though she did such wholesome counsell giue To them of Troye and did the truth foretell Of their decay they would her not belieue But cast her into prison Where a while I le leaue her to the Greeks to turne my stile And now will shew how king Palamides While that the Greeks these two months still did lie Was so possest with envies foule disease That he disdaind and grudged scornfully At all the Grecian Princes that gaue voyce And of King Agamemnon made their choyse To be the chiefe and Generall of that hoast And of so many Kings and Princes great That there assembled were from every coast Throughout the world and said he was not meet Nor worthy of so great authority And that himselfe of greater dignity Among the Grecaâ—â—ns was and bare more sway Then ere he did and fore them all dem'd To follow him or his command t' obay And said he would no longer there abide To yeeld to him the least subiection Sith he was not at his election Affirming that when choise of him they made There was no more but three Kings present there That thereto gaue consent and voyces had And thirtie Kings at least then absent were And therefore swone it was not his intent Nor will that he should haue that government Here may you see and perfectly behold What mischiefe breedeth by contention Mong Princes and Commanders great that shold Agree in one without dissention But envie and desire of rule is cause That makes men breake the God of peace his laws This cursed vice is cause of troubles great And mischiefes that in many Countries bee For when in Princes hearts it once doth get And maketh them contend and disagree That Kingdome cannot prosper nor encrease Till they agree againe and liue in peace The which the Greeks considering well forbare To giue consent vnto Palamides And wisely sought by good advise and care To stop the course of envies sore disease And wrought so well with him that in the end He was content t' agree and not contend With them therein but willing was to yeeld Vnto their choyse and did from strife surcease But now I le shew how they did meet in field On either side againe when as the peace Was ended and their battails did ordaine Before the towne of Troye vpon the plaine The truce expyr'd King Agamemnon made A muster of the Greeks in generall And with all speed assoone as ere he had Pervsed them he did the Princes call Together vnto him and forth of hand Appointed vnto every one a band By them to be conducted
cruelly as I the signes can show Most furiously the same didst hac and hew Whereby mine armes that forged are of steele When thou with puissant force on theÌ„ dist smight Could neuer yet assure my corps so well But that thy trenchaÌ„t blade through theÌ„ would 〈◊〉 Into my flesh full deepely and profound As well appeares by many a mortall wound Which in the same are now both long and wide And at this time full sorely ake and smart And put me to such paine on euery side For which as now it seemeth that my heart Doth rise swell beat and pant when I thee see With great despight reuengd on thee to bee And is so full repleat with furious rage And rancor old with such extreamitie That by no meanes it never will asswage Till with my hands thy death I giue to thee But one thing doth torment me most of all Which is when I vnto remembrance call And with my selfe in mind expostulate How to content thy fierce and bloody will With trenchant blade thou diddest separate Patroclus corps in twaine and didst him kill Whom I did loue with heart and mind intire And vnto him so great good will did beare That as my selfe I must the truth confesse I loued him and such affection Vnto him had as no tongue can expresse And thou thereby didst make division Twixt him and me that liu'd and lou'd together Like brethren twaine and so had done for euer While life endur'd for that betwixt vs twaine Our faithfull hearts were knit to fast together As if they had been linked in a chaine No griefe nor no adversity could sever Our hearts and thoughts how great soere it was Till by his death thou broughtst the same to pas And by that meanes our faith full loue didst part Whose death so deepe in printed in my thought So sore doth griue and vex me at the heart That I protest it shall be dearely bought And 't may be if I reckon not amisse Before this present yeare expired is For be assurd that onely for his sake When Fortune shall afor'd the time to do 't Revenge by cruell death on thee I le take And thereof make account and looke well to 't For if I liue it shall be surely don WheÌ„ thou shalt haue no means the same to shun For right requires that sith by death thou wert The cause and meane to part two louer true Death should to thee be rendred for desert Which I my selfe will giue thee as thy due That all the world through out may thereof know And heare how that Achilles kild his foe To be revenged for Patroclus death And though that I doe hate thee for the same And will as long as I on earth doe breath Thou hast no cause nor reason me to blame For well I wot thou hast my death conspird And many a day the same in heart desird So that to end this strife I tell thee plaine Nought els but cruell death shall vâ—â—pâ—â—r bee For till thou I or both of vs be slaâ—â—â— It shall not cease The which I hope to see Ere it be long for sure it shall be dâ—â— By me or thee the which thou shalt not shun When Hector had Achilles speech well hard And giuen him leaue to tell so long a â—ale As he that for the same full little card With countenance glad and yet with anger pale He did thereto reply and answer made Vnto the same and thus to him he sayd Achilles thou no maruell oughst to haue That as thou saist I doe thy death conspire And howrely the same of fortune craue As th' onely thing which I in heart desire And that to kill thee still I he in wait Because to thee I beare so deadly hate For if in mind thou didst consider well The sentence graue which verity doth proue And vnto vs for certaine truth doth tell That neither I nor any man can loue Nor any kind of fauor show to one That dayly seeketh my confusion And me and mine to vanquish and destroy With deadly hate and great presumption Besieged hath the noble towne of Troy To bring vs wholly to destruction Not can I any cause nor reason find That in my heart I should to him be kind Nor loue nor fauor him in any thing That seekes my death For loue doth neuer breed Of bloody warre and strife nor yet doth spring From fowle and deadly hate but doth proceed And takes her first and true originall From faithfulnesse which is the principall And onely cause that makes mens hearts t' agree And neuer from true faith and loue to start But doth them still preserue in vnitie Of words and will desire mind and hart And neither life nor death can loue disseuer For faithfull loue continueth true for euer But hatred and dissention is contrary From whence proceeds and followes as we see When as mens hearts and minds dissent varry Nought els but rancor strife and enâ—â—itie Whe which once bred makes men proceed so far That at the last they fall to mortall warre The which all loue cleane vanisheth away But nerethelesse I will that thou shalt know That whatsoeuer thou to me dost say In proud and vaunting words and makest show As if that thou wouldst doe that vnto mee Which while thou liust shal neare be don by thee I care not whatsoere thou dost or sayst For without bost hereof I thee assure When as thou hast don all that ere thou â—â—yst If that this warre long twixt vs doth indure I hope if that it be my chance to liue The Grecians so to terrifie and grieue That thou and they full well shall find and feele How with my trenchant blade when we shall meet I le hac and hew their armors made of steele And beat them downe and tread them vnderfeet And thine and all their pride so much will daunt That if you stay and still these warres doe haunt I le make you all repent your comming here For this I know and well assured am That th' onely thing as plainely doth appeare For which vnto this towne you hither came Proceeds of pride and indiscretion Els would you not with such presumption A thing of such importance take in hand As is the siedge of this our towne so great Which able is your forces to withstand And you and yours from thence by force to beat For th' enterprise I tell you true and plaine Is ouer hard and heavy to sustaine And will because to make you all in fine As hauty and as stout as now you seeme To leaue your pride and lowly to decline And stoop vnto the burthen which you deeme To be but very easie small and light With your no little shame and great despight And this I say Achilles vnto thee That whensoeuer thou dost me assayle Death shall vnto thy selfe be giuen by mee Before that thou against me shalt prevaile To do the thing wgich thou so easie deem'st Though of thy selfe thou nere so
aid Achilles did withstand Who at that time in extreame danger stood And could not scape by any likelihood But either had been taken or else slaine For Hector on him set so furiously That he had not beene able to sustaine The fight gainst him and those that busilie Vpon him set till that King Thelamon Much grieu'd thereat when as he heard theron With many thousand Grecians thither road And in despight of all the Troyans force Who notwithstanding brauely him withstood Did rescue him and holpe him to his horse But not without the losse of many a knight But for because as then it drew to night They left the battaile for that time and went Out of the field the Troyans to the towne The Grecians everie one vnto his tent And for that night to rest themselues lay downe And after that as Dares Frigius saies Continually for space of thirtie daies They neuer ceased valiantly to fight And furiouslie each other to destroy On either side but yet for all their might The Grecians lost much more then they of Troy And Priam lost in those most furious fights Six Bastard sons all braue and valiant knights For whome he made much dole and heauinesse And neuer ceast to weepe and to complaine And in that time as Guido doth expresse Hector a wound got in his face againe And in that sort each t'other did procure Great losse while all those battailes did endure Till Priamus vnto the Greeks sent downe For truce for six months space if that they would Grant therevnto which King Agamemnon With all his Lords contented was to hold And so it was confirm'd on either side For so long time betwixt them to abide And while it held the worthy Champion Hector the chiefe defence of Troy did lie To heale and cure his woâ—nds in Ilion King Priams Princelie house Whereof if I Should take on me as Dares sets it downe To make to you a full description I feare I shall want learning to expresse And shew the same to you for t is too much For my bare wit to doo 't I must confesse For truth it is there nere was any such In all the world before that ere was seene For riches nor the like nere since hath beene For as he saith t' was made for great delight And stood vpoÌ„ twelue mightie stones foure square The which were all of Alablaster white The true and right proportion that it bare Was twenty paces in the latitude And iust as many in the longitude The pauement vnder foot was Christ all cleare And all the walls compos'd and made of stones The which most costly rich and sumptuous were As Rubies Saphires Agaâ—s Diamones Topas Emrands Turques Crosolites Purfier Iasper Iet and Margarites And many other kinds the which are found And with great labour sought and digged out Within the rich and fertile Indian ground And all the Countries of the world about The which did glister shine and show as bright Within that faire sumptuous house by night As when the Sun by day therein did shine And round about the hall most curiously Huge pillars therein stood exceeding fine And brauely made of pure white Ivorie Which on the tops of each of them did hold Most great and massie Images of gold Inchast with Pearls precious stones most bright So that the stately workemanship and fashion Of that most sumptuous Pallace to the sight Was likelier by estimation To be compos'd by incantation Then wrought and made by mans invention And rather seem'd a thing celestiall And framed by the heauenly Deity Then any house of Prince terrestriall But for because I never did it see I will conclude and briefly to you tell Thâ—â— iâ— all other buildings did excell And turnd againe vnto King Priamus Who while the truce aforesaid did endure Most earnest was by workemen curious To make most costly tombes for Sepulture Of his six Bastard sons aforesaid dead That in the warre their liues had finished And all this while King Diomede lay sicke And inwardly did feele great woe and smart By Cupids shaft that cruelly did pricke And sting him through the brest into the heart For loue of his faire Lady Cresida For whom he neuer ceast both night day To fret grieue with deepe sighs complaine And for that cause most wilfullie begun To leaue all food and foolishlie abstaine From earthly ioy and lookt so pale and wan That he did seeme to be a man forlorne And one that all terrestriall blisse did scorne And ever vnto her did still complaine And prayed her of loue and charitie To shew some grace to ease him of his paine And nor to put him to extreamitie Which surely was for her sweet sake to die If vnto him her loue she would denie But cunningly she held him at a bay And for to haue and keepe him in good hope She still did vse to feed him with delay Yet would not seeme to giue him too much scope But as it were twixt hope and deepe despaire Shewd vnto him a countnance glad and faire To ease him partlie of his heauinesse And then with some new tricke as in disdaine Would put him to some other new distresse And rather more then lesse encrease his paine As wylie women well can play such parts With men that pierced are with Cupids darts And make them oftentimes to giue assaies Yet wau'ringly to stand twixt hope and dread By putting them to Non-plus by delaies As Cresida dealt with King Diomede Of purpose for to set him more on fire For naturally all women doe desie When they haue made men after them to dance Twixt hope and dread both linked in a chaine Vnequally to hang them in ballance Of most vncertaine end of either twaine To make them long and many yeares to serue Nought caring whether they doliue or starue Loe here what by too fervent loue is got For she to keepe him still in seruitude Held him at such a bay that he could not Perceaue what she did meane but to conclude Left him in doubt wherein I le let him lie And vnto you will further certifie How well themselues the Troyans did defend Against the Greeks their enemies in field When as the six months truce were at an end Who after that twelue daies together held Continuall fight and never would refraine Wherin great store of valiaÌ„t knights were slaine On either side all in their owne defence Which in the field long did vnburied lie Whereof ensu'd so great a pestilence Among the Greekes by much extreamitie Of heat and by contagiousnes of aire That they therewith did fall in great despaire For day by day so many of them dyed That in short space their number did decrease Most mightily the which when they espyed And saw the plague still more more encreast Their Generall a messenger sent downe With all their whole consents vnto the towne To craue a truce if Priam would consent And yeeld thereto for thirtie dayes
t' endure Which when the Troyans heard they were content And willingly the same did them assure In hope the plague whereof they dyed so fast Would be a meanes to kill them all at last CHAP. VI. ¶ How Andromecha in a dreame was foreâ—arâ—ed of her Husband Hectors death if he the next day following entred into the field and how he refusing her counsell was the next day slaine in the battaile by Achilles WHen as the plague among the Greeks did cease And time of truce likewise was at an end The Grecians that in courage did encrease Determined and fully did intend T' assaile and set vpon the Troyan foes Betimes next day assoone as Phoebus rose But as the storie saith the night before Andromecha Prince Hectors louing wife That vnto him two Princelie children bore Whome he did loue as dearely as his life The eldest cald Laomedon the other Astionax much lesser then the other For he as then was small and very yong And onely with his mothers pap was fed And neither had the vse of foot nor tong As she lay fast a sleepe within her bed Was troubled with a sodaine vision Or as men say a revolution By dreame as hapned to King Scipio Whether it were by divine Oracle Or that the Gods did then vnto her shoe And giue her warning as a miracle Wherein she thought that one to her did say That if that Hector issued forth next day Out of the towne his Grecian foes t'assaile That he should not escape but certainlie Fell fate would then so much gainst him preuaile That she would him in trap and finally Fierce Atropos that foule and divellish fend The thrid of her deare husbands life would end Thereby to shew her cruell force and might If he that day into the field did goe Wherewith she fell into so great a fright And thought that she did feele such extreme woe That waking of a sodaine vp she start And for her dreame was grieued at the heart And lay and sighted sore and could not sleepe By reason of the extreame griefe and sorrow She had conceau'd and pittiously did weepe But specially the next ensuing morrow When she beheld the worthy famous knight Hector put on his compleat armour bright And ready was to go out of the towne To whome with flouds of teares within her eies She ran in hast and on her knees fell downe And vnto him declar'd with woefull cries The fearefull dreame she had the night before But he esteem'd it not but was therefore Offended and with indignation Affirm'd and said that folly great it were For men that are of good discretion Such peeuish fond and idle dreames to feare Or trust vnto so foolish fantasies Of visions that most commonly are lies And full of iests and false elusions Whereof the end is onely to delude Such as do trust to their conclusions Although the common people grosse and rude Are mooued with most fond affection To iudge by them in their opinion What may ensue and what they signifie Which many times falls out as they suppose But oftner times do hap cleane coâ—â—â—arie Whereat with wringing hands straight vp she â—â—se But downe againe she fell and there did lie A while as in a trance and then did crie And said alas my loue and Lord most deare Why will you not belieue nor thinke vpon Your louing wife but her refuse to heare That with good will and true affection Desires and wisheth you all good she can And vp she rose like one that 's mad and ran To Priamus and Hecuba that sat Together at that time and downe she fell Vpon her knees but long it was ere that For sobs and sigthes she could vnto them tell Her woefull case till at the last she tooke Some courage and with sad and heavie looke Vnto them shewd the fearefull dream she had The night before when as she waâ—◠〈◊〉 And to them there a full discourse then made Thereof in euery point with sighs most deepe Affirming that for certaine't would fall aur So as she said if Hector did goe out That day into the field sor't was ordaind By fortunes false and mischieuous decree And therewith in most pittious wise complaind And weeping prayd King Priam on her knee Of her and hers to haue compassion And with all speed to giue direction That Hector her deare Lord might not go out That day into the field and therewithall With weeping teares she turn'd her selfe about And in a deadly sound began to fall And with exceeding pale and woefull cheare Cry'd out said helpe help sweet mother dere And of your great benignity and grace Find meanes that my Lord Hector may not go This day into the field to fight noâ— passe Out of the gates and to perswade him so That he this day vse neither speare nor shield But vnto your desire get him to yeeld Whereto they both did willingly agree And readilie did grant to her request And to that end with speed went downe to see When all the battailes readie were and prest To issue forth where Troyelus first of all Appointed was vpon the Greeks to fall And next to him his brother Paris went And after him Aeneas forth did passe And then in order brauelie plast were sent King Sarpedon and braue Pollidamas King Erioâ—â— and King Epistrâ—phus And after them a King cald Forcius All richly arm'd in harnesse bright and cleare And last of all went out King Philomene With all the Kings Lords that then were there To aid King Priamus Who hauing seene Them all before him passe out of the towne Himselfe in person with them did go downe A little way and them in order plast Which having done he bad them forward goe And willed them couragiously to hast And set vpon the Greeks and there to shoe Their valors great gainst them with all their might That ready were and prest with them to fight And proudly stood all armed in the plaine With ensignes spred in braue and warlike shoe But Priamus with speed went backe againe And vnto Hector purposely did goe To will him not to â—â—ue forth that day Into the field but in the towne to stay For which he was sore grieued in his mind And when he saw the battailes all go forth Into the field and he was staid behind He did begin to be exceeding wroth And laid the fault thereof vpon his wife That seemd to be so tender of his life Imposing vpon her th' occasion That he vnto his great disgrace and shame Constrained was to stay within the towne But that it might not derogate his fame Nor giue men cause by false report to say That he for feare did stay within that day He did protest and with an oath it bound That happen life or death he would go out Into the field and therein would be found Yea though he were assured without doubt That he should die a thousand deaths and more So stout a heart within his brest
extinguish all the worthinesse Of Conquerors and such as by degree Of honor seeke to climbe to loftie fame And oftentimes cleane blemisheth the same A covetous desire of getting wealth Belongeth not vnto Nobilitie Nor riches gotten so by spoyle or stealth Pertaineth not to worthy Chivalrie For avarice and Knighthood disagree And cannot well together lincked bee For certaine t is that greedinesse of gaine Hath often beene the onely overthrow Of many famous men that haue beene slaine As Guido in this Historie doth show By worthy Hectors fall who coveting To haue the sumptuous armor of that king So greedy was thereof that when he had The body vp and on his horse it bare To haue the spoyle thereof such hast he made That he did hang his shield without all care Behind him at his backe the easier To pull the armor off at his desire And by that meanes his brest cleane open lay And nothing to defend nor saue the fame But his thin plates Wherein I needs must say He was too vnadvis'd and much to blame And 't grieues me that so braue a Champion And of all knighthood the onely pateron Should haue of his owne good so little care As not to thinke vpon his enemie That him so great and deadly hatred bare And watching time and opportunitie On him attended had all that same day To take him at advantage and then lay Close hovering not farre off from him to spie A time t' effect his purpose and desire For at that time Achilles so â—â—â—â— die With heart repleat with wrath and furious ire While Hector so the dead Kings body beare Vpon his horse tookevp a mightie speare And therewith did at Hector fiercely ride And smote him vnawares with great despight Into the heart â—hat he fell downe and dide And so that most renowned Troyan knight Was slaine by carelesse bearing of his shield Whose death when as King Odemon beheld He was so grieu'd there at that presently He road vnto Achilles and despight Of all his Myrmidons most furiously Smote him so great a blow with all his might That downe for dead he fell vpon the plaine As if at that same time he had beene slaine Wherwith his knights straight laid him on a shield And bare him faire and softlie thence away Into his tent where staying to be heald I le leaue him for a while sicke as he lay And show how when that night began t' appeare The Grecians that with fighting wearied were Vnto their tents retir'd and lest the plaine And at that time the Troyans also went With heauie hearts into the towne againe And all the way did mournefully lament For Hectors death whose body solemnly They bare with them and weeping bitterly Vnto the Temple therewith all did goe And in that sort that dolefull day did end And all the night ensuing with great woe And heavinesse did after likewise spend Wherein I will them leaâ—e and for a while To mourne for Hectors death I le turne my stile CHAP. VII ¶ The complaint of Lidgate for the death of Hector and the description of the sumptuous Toombe that King Priam made for him THe fearefull stile which I till now haue held Of dangerous cruell fierce and bloody warre So numbs my hand that I can hardly weld My pen that is so clog'd with feare and care Of valiant Hectors death the truth to write Vnlesse some one vouchsafe me helpe t' indite But vnto whome shall I crie out or call For helpe it must not be to any one Of those faire Nymphs amongst the Muses all That on Pernassus hill by Helicon So Angell-like with heavenly melodie Do sing together with such harmonie That no man can expresse nor well declare The sweet accord of their most pleasant song For they do never disagree nor iarre And haue their instruments most sweetly strong That they on them no dolefull tunes can sound Nor dittie sweet with woefull songs compound Of them therefore it boots me not to craue Their aid to helpe in this extreamitie And sure I am I shall as little haue Of Clio or of faire Caliope I therefore must make sute with woefull mone And many a grieuous sigth and gastly grone Vnto Megaera Alecto and Thesiphone That ever are in sorrow and complaine With brinish teares in bad condition For they still liue in extreame woe and paine Eternally and do in torments dwell With triple headed Cerberns in hell Whome I must pray to be to me bening In this my case which is so lamentable For to a man whome sorrow still doth sting A shew of feare is alwaies commendable And in a matter full of heauinesse A heauie looke the same doth best expresse Helpe me herein oâ— Niobe to mone And in my pen some of thy teares distill Do thou the like oh cruell Exion And Beâ—ides that doest the bucket fill Helpe with thy roling stone good Sesiphus And furtherme also poore Tantalus That hungrest still in water without rest Helpe me I pray you all my plaints to end And let me craue of you to do your best To ayd me so that I my wits may bend With phrases fit the wofull chance to tell Of him that did in worthinesse excell And while he liu'd the root of Knighthood was The onely mirror of all Chivalrie The man that did all other men surpasse For valor and for great actiuitie And th'onlie patterne of all curtesie As Guido sheweth in this Historie Why shouldst thou die oh Hector valorous What was the cause thou tookst no better heed Oh Parchas fell and too too mischievous So carelesly to twist his vitall threed And what did mooue thee Atropos thereto So hastily to cut the same in two Oh Troy alas well mayst thou mourne and cry And bitterly lament thy wofull state That art this day bereau'd so sodainly By most accursed false and wavering fate Of him that was thy speciall proppe and stay And chiefe defence and bulwarke night day And he that onely made thee fortunate Now now alas the brightnes of thy sunne Ecclipsed is and thou art desolate Of comfort and in manner cleane vndone Thy light is out and thou dost plunged lie In darknesse for this day most certainlie Is slaine the brauest and the worthiest The most renowmed and chivalorous And of all valiant knights the hardiest la battaile and the most victorious That ever was or shall be borne most sure Within the world while that it doth endure No maruell then it is thou weepst so sore For him sith he both in thy woe and weale Was thy defence and comfort euermore And he whome thou didst loue and like so well That sure thou canst not proue so much vnkind As not to thinke still of him in thy mind For as the storie maketh mention There was not any one of what degree Or state so ere he was within the towne But rather would in that extreamitie Haue lost his child to saue his life if so The Gods would haue beene pleas'd
That I am proud of this my great estate To see my selfe so highly eleuate And that I seeme because of my degree Of Generall t' extoll and magnifie My selfe too much It is so farre from mee That for to proue and show the contrarie And put you cleane out of suspition I will thereof make resignation Vnto you now my selfe thereby t' excuse And for that cause I doe aduise you all Against to morrow in the morne to chuse Whom you will haue to be your Generall For I therein will make no more delay And so their counsell ended for that day And they went to their tents to rest all night And next day in the morning ere the sun Began with radiant beames to shine most bright They met againe for the Election And when they were assembled all together And knew the cause why they did then come thither Agamemnon with sober smiling cheare Rose vp vpon his feet and to them spake And sayd my Lords that are assembled here I need no long discourse vnto you make To show how I with heart and good intent Haue laboured in this my gouernment To see that all things might be done so well That they vnto your good would wholy tend And for th' aduancement of your common weale By ayd of Gods and Fortune that did lend Their grace and helping hand therein to me Whereby your state as yet doth seeme to be Maintaind in honor great and noblenesse So that while you do flourish and vphold The same entire and in great happinesse I thinke it best for me that now I should My gouernment vnto you all resigne While Fortune to the same is so benigne For of so many that here present are I know my selfe most insufficient Alone to take so great a charge and care On me and for that cause t is my intent To leaue the same for he may ouerwhelme A ship that knowes not how to guide the helme My whole desire therefore is that you would Giue leaue to me t'resigne my gouernment And charge which I of all this hoast do hold So that no man therewith be discontent And let vs now with one intention Without all strife and all dissention Amongst vs find and chuse out such a one As we do like and is most fit and meet To gouerne vs by good discretion And in the place of Generall to set Whereto they all agreed with one consent And as he sayd to chuse one were content Here you may see that t is a vsuall thing With men to take delight in novelties And that there thoughts are alwaies wauering And led away with foolish fantasies In them most sure ther 's no securitie For all their minds are on varietie And their delights in alteration And change of state and neuer are content Nor seldome hold in one opinion To day to loue some one man they are bent Next day they le hate that man as much againe And neuer doe in constant mind remaine For in a vaine of meere new â—anglenes Which at that tâ—me mou'd their affection With great oresight and much vnthankfulnes In steed of valiant King Agamemnon They all agreed with one consent and voice Of King Pallamides to make their choice To beare the rule and gouernment of all The Grecian hoast and with most great applause Gaue him the state and name of Generall To rule and gouerne them by Martiall lawes Like as the worthy King Agamemnon Had done before with great discretion Which done they brake vp counsell for that day And euery man vnto his tent did goe But when Achilles who then wounded lay Sore sicke within his tent thereof did know And heard how they all with one will and voice Of King Pallamides had made there choise He was much grieu'd thereat and flatly sayd Agamemnon in his opinion Much fitter was the place still to haue had Then th' other and that their Election In that case was not good nor commendable Nor by their Martiall law available Because t' was done without consent of all The Princes in the hoast he being one Whom they did neither summon nor yet call To be with them at their Election And did esteem't to him a great offence That they did make that choise in his absence And for that cause he was exceeding wroth And chaâ—ed sore but t' was to little end For whether he therewith was leefe or loth They would no eare vnto his speeches lend For no Election more the Grecians would For that time make But sayd it should so hold CHAP. II. ¶ How King Priamus in person issued out of Troy with a puissant â—â—ast to reuenge Hectors death and fought most valiantly against the Grecians THe time of truce aforesayd being out The next ensuing morrow Priamus Though old in yeares yet valorous and stout Of heart was in his mind desirous Against the Grecians valiantly to fight T'reuenge the death of Hector if he might Which when the Troians knew and did behold Their aged Kings great courage and his might They were exceeding glad and sayd they would Aduenture life and lim with him to fight Against the Greeks and therefore euery one Did arme himselfe with resolution That day to issue forth with Priamus And those of Troy that armor bare as then Were as my Author Dares â—elleth vs An hundred and iust fiftie thousand men Besides all those of other countries That ayded him against his enemies And first into the field went Deiphobus And after him his brother Paris led The second ward the third King Priamus Then Menon and Aeneas followed And last of all Pollidamas did goe The rere-ward to conduct in warlike shoe And that same day vpon the Grecians side With mighty troopes all in good order set Pallamides with heart replcat with pride The Troians in the field most brauely met And when the Battailes ioynd on either side King Priam to Pallamides did â—ide And like a worthy Prince of great renowne Most valiantly vnhorst him with his launce And cleane out of his sadle bare him downe Vnto the ground and forward did aduance Himselfe and road among the Grecians And with his trenchant blade in both his hands So heawd beat downe and mightily ore-run The Grecians in the field where he did ride That they for feare his puissant blowes did shun And durst not in his furious sight abide And them so fast and cruelly did slay That wheresoere he road they made him way And shund his sword he was so furious For all that day he fought so valiantly And shewd himselfe so strong and valorous That wonder t' was he could so puissantly And long in field against his foes endure Being of so great an age for t is most sure That by his valor great and puissant might Which he that time couragiously did shoe He put the proud and haughtie Greeks to flight His Sonne Deiphobus valiantly also That followed him so fiercely on them set That he did kill and beat downe all he met King Sarpedon
Without all doubt or contrariety For in her was his whole felicitie And when the three daies foresaid ended were Achilles vnto Hecuba straight sent His messenger againe of her t' inquire What Priam sayd concerning his intent To whom she told at large what had been don And how that she the King thereto had won And Paris likewise to consent thereto As also that her selfe well willing was With them t' agree and graunt it should be so If he could find the meanes to bring 't to pas That peace betweene them as he said he would Perpetually for euermore should hold The which she sayd he must first bring about And sure and perfect make in each condition And then he should not need to stand in dout Of speeding in his loue with expedition Wherewith Achilles messenger content Out of the towne vnto his maister went To whom he told the answere that was made By Hecuba to him wherewith well pleas'd And seeing that no other way he had But peace whereby he might of griefe be eas'd He purposed to bring the same t' effect And did no time nor any meanes neglect To find a way t' impart the same vnto The Greeks the which while he did goe about Supposing certainely that they would do The same for him and yet thereof did doubt At last into a desperate mind he fell And did perswade himselfe in heart full well That he the power had to worke his will And that without all cause of doubt or feare The Grecians would most redily fulfill His mind and graunt to that he should require And in that sort he did himselfe perswade All should fall out as he devised had According to his will and fantasie As louers vse to doe Who whatsoere They take in hand thinke it must certainely Fall out though nere s'impossible it were So much their minds with folly are possest And so Achilles did set downe his rest And was in hope his mind to satisfie Supposing that for his great worthines His mighty strength and his actiuitie His high renowne and passing valiantnes Whereof with no small pride great boast â—â—e made And in himselfe therefore much glory had The Grecians would be in dispaire and feare For euer winning Troy if he withheld His helping hand and that by him they were Forsaken when they went into the field And would at last and onely for his sake The siedge of Troy and all their warre forsake Vnlesse that he among them still did stay To helpe them till that they had made an end And for that cause he made no more delay But did procure Pallamides to send For all the Lords vnto his tent to know What vnto them he did intend to show And when that they assembled were together Achilles spake and sayd as you shall heare My Lords sith it hath pleas'd you to come hither And that at my request you summond were Let me desire you without offence To tell my mind before this audience I know sayd he that for the prouidence The wisedome and the great discretion The valor mighty force and sapience The honour wealth and excellent renowne Wherewith you are endowed your worthy name From East to West is spread by trompe of Fame But nerethelesse that these things doe belong Of right to you yet this I must you tell That though that you be nere so huge and strong As truth to say you doe in force excell All Nations yet if you doe consider The very cause wherfore you are come hither You must confesse and so it will be found That you in this your quarrell had no right Nor reason wherevpon you might it ground For sure it is most euident to sight Of euery man that beares an vpright hart That you herein did play a foolish part Without forecasting with advisednes What cause you had to make this mortall warre For when as we by foolish hastines Did come out of our countries so farre Into the Troian land our liues to venter Against our foes The quarrell we did enter At that same time into as euerie one Of vs well knows was for the iniurie And to revenge the priuate cause alone Of Menelaus for who can it denie That th'ravishing of Helena his wife Was th' onely cause of all the warre and strife Betweene vs and the Troyans which as now We do maintaine with great hostilie And for the which we all haue made a vow To sacke the towne of Troy with ieopardie Of life and goods and for that cause haue left Our Countries and our Cities and bereft Our children and our wiues of all delight And ioy make them mourne in great distresse While we remaine here in the field to fight Against our foes in griefe and heauinesse Assailed and enclos'd on every side With enemies and nought but death abide For sith the time that this our warre began Which onely of meere pride we do maintaine It hath vs cost the life of many a man Of great and meane account that now are slaine Who might haue liu'd at home in wealth ioy If they had not come hither vnto Troy To loose their liues by their owne wilfulnesse Here in this place with great extreamitie And for my part I must in truth confesse That by the Troyans force and crueltie So much bloud I haue lost since we began This warre that it hath made me pale wan And not long since I had a wound againe Which Hector with a Dart did giue to me Vpon the thigh that day that he was slaine Which put me to so great extremitie That it hath made me long in bed to lie To heal't and yet I doubt thereof to die I ft be not quickly cur'd for t is yet greene And very sore and puts me to great paine With many other wounds that yet are seene Vpon me still which make me oft complaine And truth to say if it considered were We should not buy Queene Helena so deare As for her t'hazard life and lim and all Our honors and our worldly goods and fame The which vnto vs quickly may befall If we haue not regard vnto the same And in our minds consider not how much This doubtfull warre for Helen doth vs tuch For if that we our reckning rightly make And call to mind what alteration Hath falne since we the same did vndertake And what destruction of our warlike Nation Hath for her sake been made yet much more Dishonor we are like to haue therefore And to incurre for as it doth appeare Although we do still hold this siege so long In fine if that we do continue heare It will to vs because of greater wrong And more and more redownd vnto our shame If order be not taken for the same Which may be if that we on either side Together would agree with one consent That Helena in Troy shall still abide And that King Menelaus would be content To take another wife and let her go That to him doth her selfe vnfaithfull
you could not faile To your perpetuall honor and your fame But win a great and noble victorie On them and make the Grecians by the same For evermore ore them triumphantlie To raigne and while the world doth still endure To Troyans euerlasting shame procure But to his words Achilles tooke no heed Nor yet of Hebers bodie seemd to haue The least respect though 't lay before him dead Nor in a manner leaue vnto them gaue To speake their minds for 't was to him allone Whats'ere they said for counsell he wold none But like a man that 's deafe and dumbe he stood And made as though he did not heare at all And neuer seemd in countenance nor mood In any passion for the same to fall For in one eare no sooner entred't was But out againe at th' other it did passe Herein a man may see a louers state That wholly therevnto addicts his mind Who rather then he 'le prooue vnfortunate And in his loue desireth ioy to find All honor worship manhood valiantnes Strength reputation might and hardines Encrease of vertue fame and victorie Knighthood renowne and every other blisse Glorie in armes and all activitie He will forsake and count them none of his And as vaine toyes will lay them all aside When he in Cupids bands himselfe hath ti'd Such power Cupid hath on him to seaze When once his heart within his snares is cought That he is loath to anger or displease In word or deed in countenance or thought Her whome he doth esteeme his Lady deare For with a looke of her faire eies and cleare She onlie t is can daunt his pride of heart For Venus with her flattring tong can bind His sences thoughts and euery other part So strictly that nought else in his mind But his sweet loue and so doth make him lie In Cupids bands restraind from libertie Which was the onlie cause without all doubt Why all that day Achilles was not seene Abroad nor t'aide the Grecians would go out Into the field for he fear'd Pollicene Least she should be offended if he went Into the field and gainst the Troyans bent His force and so should seeme her enemie Whome he esteemd his deare and speciall friend And while he lay in this extreamitie And with conceits of her the time did spend The Grecians fought against them of the towne Till Phoebus with his Chariot went downe At which time all the Troyans did begin Because they wanted light to go their way With speed to Troy but ere they entred in Yong Troyelus and Paris made them stay While they tooke vp Deiphobus whom they found Complaining sore of his most deadly wound And when they saw him in that pittious case They could not choose but weepe sore lament And with salt teares bedew'd their eies and face And were so fild with griefe and discontent Within their hearts and did such sorrow make As if they would haue died for his sake And while that they in this sort by him stood He waxt so weake that he began to die For he had lost such quantity of blood That t'saue his life there was no remedy Yet while his valiant brethren did lament Because they saw his vitall breath was spent He lifted vp his eies and when he heard That Paris King Pallamides had slaine He seem'd therewith to be a little cheard And to release the sore and deadly paine He bad them draw his speare out of his wound Which done he fell down dead vpon the ground Whose body straight they bare in mournfull wise Into the towne with great solemnity I need not shew what sorrow and what cries For him was made with much extreamity By all the men and women in the towne As also for the death of Sarpedowne And specially by old King Priamus Queene Hecuba his sisters Pollicene Cassandra and his brother Helenus With other of his worthy bretheren This shall suffice that vnto you I tell That 't was most great as you may iudge full well And to be briefe for him and Sarpedon King Priamus in hast two toombs did make In sumptuous wise of pollisht Marble stone And when that they were finisht for their sake He made a great and costly funerall Whereat the people all in generall Were present did mourne make great mone According to their old and ancient right And while that this within the towne was done The Grecians with all speed and hast they 〈◊〉 Did make a tombe for their most worthy 〈◊〉 Pallamides and at his burying Did vse such ancient customes as they had Amongst them and their sorrow to expresse Great griefe and extreame dolor for him made And in that sort brought him with heauinesse In royall wise vnto his sepulture And then because they might not long endure Without a Prince to be their gouernor By full and free election of them all They made King Agamemnon who before Had held that place and rul'd them Generall And chiefe Commander of their hoast againe In stead of King Pallamides then slaine Which done on either side without delay The Troyans strongly arm'd did issue out Of Troy and went into the field next day T' assaile the Greeks who without feare or doubt In warlike wise and face to face them met But Troyelus on them so fiercely set That by his valor great and mighty force The Greeks durst not abide before his face For he so many of them did vnhorse And did begin so hoâ—ely them to chase That where so ere he road the field about They fled from him in mighty feare doubt And with him were the Knights that he then led Yong lusty and well arm'd with speare shield Who so much Grecian bloud that day did shed That all the ground showd red within the field And streames of blood ran downe along the plaine At which time there did fall so great a raine And huge a mist that men could hardly see But most of all vpon the Grecians side By means whereof and with th'extremitie And smart of wounds which they did then abide And through the valiant proweâ—â—e and the might Of Troyelus the strong and hardie Knight They were constraind to shun his crueltie And to avoyd the storme which then did rise To saue their liues in mightie feare to flie And to giue place vnto their enemies Ran to their tents some succor there to find The Troyans them pursuing fast behind In cruell wise and with exceeding pace But for because the storme did still encrease At that time they no longer held the chase But both from it and fighting did surcease And entred into Troy and there did stay Till morning when the Larke did sing next day That Troyelus betimes did issue out Determining the Greeks againe t'assaile Where in the field as he did ride about Among his foes he did so much preuaile Gainst them that who so euer he did smight With his stroÌ„g sword was maim'd or kild ouâ— right And in that furious
preserue you seeme with carelesnesse Not to respect and to obscure the light Of your renowne which euer was so cleare And through the world did shine exceeding bright In field to fight with vs you do forbeare Remember how the Grecians haue been slaine Before your tent and also in the plaine In cruell wise and euery place throughout The field and you no pittie on them take Why should you then refuse and be so stout Without a cause them whollie to forsake Who vntill now haue been their Champion Their chiefest helpe and their protection And for their sakes haue osten shedyour blood Against their foes when they with theÌ„ haue fought And by your aid not onely them withstood But their confusion valiantlie â—aue wrought And mightilie their enemies did assaile Without whose aid they may not long prevaile Against their foes no more may any one Of vs how stout and strong so ere we bee For t is you onlie that can do 't alone If that you will vouchsafe with vs t' agree To fight against the Troyans and thereto Lend vs your aid as you were woont to do And as we doubt not but you 'le grant the same To succour vs in our necessity Nâ—◠〈◊〉 for your owne perpetuall fame But to redeeme vs from extreamitie And to that end we come to you as now To craue of you your mind herein to show Whereto Achilles presentlie began Assoone as ere Ulisses ended had His tale to speake with visage pale and wan For angâ—â— and in this sort answere made Ulisses if so be our meaning were As you to me at this time do declare Of purpose and with one entire consent The famous towne of Troy to overthrow And vtterlie to spoile't and that we bent Our minds thereto and thereby meant to show Our power and might I must you plainly tell That we of truth therein haue not done well To put cur selues by indiscretion So carelesly without advisednes Into so dangerous an action To hazard the estate and happines With liues and goods of all the Chivalry Of Greece that put the same in ieopardy For little cause or none the truth to tell For hath â—ot many a worthie King and Knight Who both in fame and honor did excell Consum'd his wealth and lost his life in fight Here in this siege that might haue liu'd in peace And honor still if he had staid in Greace For hath not King Pallamides been slaine But now of late whose life was of more worth Then all the cause for which we here remaine And hold this dangerous siege to tell the troth And many other Knights and Princes great That on both sides are here together met To shew their puissant valor and their might And to attaine to honor and to fame Haue lost their liues vnhappily in fight And many more are like to do the same If that long time this cruell warre doth last For euery day the number lesneth fast Both on the Greeks and Troyans side likewise So that if this most cruell rage and mood Continue long and in such furious wise If that it be not otherwise withstood It 's likely that it will such hauocke make Of Princely bloud that clownes will vndertake To rule and gouerne here vpon the earth And of the same haue sole dominion And such as are of no degree nor birth Will Lords become when Princes there are none For is not Hector that most valiant Knight That was the onlie mirror and the light Of Chivalrie vnfortunatelie slaine In this same warre and so may I likewise Perchance be kild that neuer shall attaine To Hectors worth while light is in mine eâ—es For there 's no way deaths furious dart to shun If we vpon the point thereof will run And seeke it of our selues while we are here And therefore such a motion now to make Concerning this our warre as you require Is but in vaine for I do meane to take Another course and in this bloudy strife No more to stand in hazard of my life For I had rather to impaire my name Then wilfully to die or to be slaine Thereby to be eternized by fame For honor after death is but a vaine And needlesse thing and soone is set aside For though that fame be spred both far wide Obliuion and forgetfulnes may soone Impaire't by tract of times length of daies And make thereof a wrong conclusion For that the fame of Knighthood and the praise Of honor wisedome and of worthines Of freedome bounty and of gentlenes Of vertue and of euery other grace Wherewith a man is in this world endowd Forgetfulnesse can darken and deface And in oblivions mantle doth them shrowd And with a false report maliciously Doth crop the Palmâ— of worthy Chivalrie And therefore for my part I do intend Such folly now to leaue and henceforth liue In peace and all mine actions thereto bend And for that cause this counsell to you giue To make a peace with Troyans if you may And therein do no longer time delay Before that further mischiefe doth arise And cruell death should chance to be your share And therefore good my Lords if you be wise Of this my counsell see you take some care This is said he my purpose and intent Which you may show to him that hath you sent With which his resolute conclusion Ulisses Diomede and Nestor went Vnto their Generall Agamemnon And vnto him declared the intent And answere of Achilles which he made To them as I before vnto you said And there vpon he presently did call The Princes of the Greeks vnto his tent And when they were assembled to them all Did show whereto Achilles mind was bent And that he was desirous of a peace With them of Troy that all their warre might cease Refusing flatlie t' enter in the field With them against the Troyans any more And for that cause a counsell with them held To know of them what will thereto they bore And what therein they did intend to do Sith that the case with them as then stood so Whereto the first of them that did reply Was Menelaus who with an angry mood Began to chafe and flatlie did denie To make a peace and therein boldlie stood And said that it was never his intent By any meanes thereto to giue consent Sith that the towne of Troy was in such need And at the brinke of their destruction Now Hector and Deiphobus both were dead That whilome were their sole protection So that they might all comfort cleane reiect And nothing else but cruell death expect And therefore flatlie said without all feare Though that Achilles will vs helpe no more The burthen of our enterprise to beare We need not any whit to doubt therefore But that without him we shall overthrow Our enmies by our force as well I know Whereto Ulisses speedilie repli'd And Nestor both of one opinion And gainst his false assertion iustifi'd That touching peace whereof the motion As
for feare did shake And sayd to him how can you now sustaine And beare this great and cruell iniurie To soe your men before your face thus lie Dead on the ground and slaine in cruell wise Within your tent and take therof no heed But stay still here when as your enemies Haue sworne and with full intent decreed To kill you thus disarmed as you stand If by your mighty force and puissant hand You doe them not resist and valiantly Shew forth your courage and ere hence they passe Requite them for the extreame cruelty Which they haue showd to vs herein this place Which when Achilles heard with furious ire Which in his brest did burne as hot as fier He armd himselfe and soming like a Bore Forgetting that whereof so much he drempt And thought vpon vnto himselfe he swore To be reuengd for loue was cleane exempt Out of his mind and Pollicene also For whom he had endured so great wo And for her beauty felt such griefe in hart Vpon the Troians for their crueltie That suddenly vpon his feet he start And calling for his horse road speedily Into the field where in short space he had So great a slaughter of the Troians made And did so furiously vpon them set For like a greedy woolfe that seeks for pray He kild and spared none that with him met Or that durst him witstand along the way Whereas he road That in a little space He made the Troians flie before his face And shun his sword all died with their blood Wherewith he had so many of them slaine For there was none that him as then withstood But he was soone layd dead vpon the plaine Till Troielus that by fortune did behold How he the Troians slew with courage bold Ran at him with most great and puissant force Whose comming when Achilles did espie He likewise spurd his strong and gallant horse And ran at him with like dexteritie And met together with such puissant might That each the other to the ground did smight Both pierced in their brests but differently Achilles with a wound most daungerous Whereof he was constrained long to lie Within his tent to heal't but Troielus A little prickt and so that day till night And six daies more ensuing they did fight And neuer ceast in furious wise to kill And to destroy each other valiantly And in that time great store of blood did spill Vnto no little damage certainely On either side for many a worthy Knight Was brought vnto his end with great despight In that same time But cause I doe not know Their names nor of what dignities they were For Guydo in his Booke doth it not show To write them I must likewise now forbeare And let their names and titles with them die And in obliuion rest perpetually But when King Priamus was certified How fierce Achilles in the field had been That day to fight and thereby falsified His promise made for loue of Pollicene Sore grieud he was and did himselfe perswade Achilles with his words had him betraid But truth to say t' was neither fraud nor guile Nor any treason secretly decreed But heat of loue which lasteth but a while Which for that time did vex Achilles head And made him sweare to do more then he could And like the wind that none by force can hold Let words from his dissembling mouth be heard Contrary vnto that he ment to do The which a man that 's wise should not regard And make as though he gaue no eare thereto For though Achilles had tofore been gotten In Cupids snare he had it then forgotten And card not in his furie to displease His Lady whom so much he seemd to flatter He had not any will the warre to cease As he had sayd but cleane contrary matter Was in his head then he made shew to meane And promist to the Queene and Pollicene And for that cause King Priam did vpbraid And cast her in the teeth with light conceit Of false Achilles loue wherein she layd Her trust whereas he ment nought but deceit For which she was sore grieud because that shee Did to the Queene her mothers will agree To marry with Achilles to th' intent That by her meanes and marriage there might be A peace for euer made But t' was not ment By trecherous Achilles for when he Was healed of his wounds he did deuise And in his traitrous heart a way surmise To be reuengd on Troielus who still Stake deepely in his cruell heart and mind If that he might haue meanes t' obtaine his will And him at some aduantage take or find Such hatred in his heart to him he bare That day and night he tooke no other care Nor set his mind vpon no other thing But onely how to quench the burning fier Of enuy gainst him borne and how to bring The same t'eflect according t' his desire For he had sworne and bound it with a vow That Troielus should die he card not how Nor by what meanes by his hand and none other And to that end with purpose fully bent T effect his will he cald his Knights together And when they were assembled in his tent One morning when the Grecians forth did go Into the field with braue and warlike sho To fight against their Trâ—â—â— enemy Who in like sort out of the towne were come With all their force the Grecian to defie And ready stood with sound of fearefull drume And trumpets shrill to call and to invite The Grecians to a fierce and cruell fight He did to them of Troielus complaine For th' iniuries that he to him had done And prayed them that they would take the paine That day to let all other things alone And onely watch on Troielus to hold And to enclose him round if that they could In midst of them and when they had don so In furious wise t'assayle him altogether And not by any meanes to let him go But yet to saue his life till he came thither That with his sword alone he might him kill To satisfie his fierce and cruell will Lo here the valor of this worthy Knight Who enviously with rancor and in pride By treason and with rage and great despight All honor and true Knight-hood layd aside Doth seeke to kill a worthier Knight then he Alas that ere such trechery should be Within the heart of any man aliue That doth professe to be a valiant Knight And honor seekes to win and to achiue Most valiant acts and who is bound by right And law of armes while life in him doth rest All falsehood and fowle treason to detest And to maintaine all truth and equitie For now he doth in secret wise conspire The death of him by great disloyalty That onely vnto honor did aspire And he that was the braust and worthiest knight That euer ware or put on armor bright But that which by Gods will ordained is Though nere so much men seeke it to withstand
Must fall out in the end and cannot mis. The which his Myrmidons did take in hand And promised to do as he had sayd And so no longer time therein delaid But went into the field where Troielus With all the Troian troopes did ready stand Who valiantly with heart couragious And with his strong and trenchant blade in hand Vpon the Grecians set and of them made Such hauocke that in little time he had So many of them slaine and ouerthrowne And furiously sore wounded euery where As he amongst them road and past that none Of them durst stand against him and appeare Before his face and did so hotly chase And kill and beat them downe in euery place That they began for feare of him to flie So that despight of all the Greeks he won The field of them and with such crueltie Pursued them that ere it was full noone That day he had constraind them to retire To saue their liues and shun his furious ire Till that Achilles Myrmidons began T' inclose him round about on euery side And with most great despight vpon him ran And he to them in furious wise did ride And though alone he was amongst them all Like Lyon fierce vpon them he did fall And in such furious wise did them assayle And valiantly to kill them did not cease That in short space he did so much preuaile Gainst them that he their number did decrease For some he slew out right and some he bore Downe to the ground some he wounded sore And some he maim'd and some he cleft in twaine And hackt and hewed them most cruelly And did the fight so valiantly maintaine Against them all with such dexterity That they could not his hautie heart subdue But still he seem'd his courage to renew And them with force and valor great t'assayle And by no meanes to giue them any rest But what could all his power and strength preuaile When as he was so mightily opprest And that three thousand knights did neuer cease In furious wise vpon him still to presse And more and more on euery side him held At such a bay that cowardly in th' end They kild his horse whereby he was compeld To fight on foot and yet he did defend Himselfe so valiantly that they well felt The puissant blowes which he amongst them delt But nerethelesse he was so sore beset That all he did could him no whit prevaile By any meanes from midst of them to get For they did him so furiously assayle That mauger his most puissant force might Off from his head they did his helmet smight And hackt and heawd his armor in such wise That naked both with head and necke he stood In midst of all his furious enemies Without reliefe Yet like a Lyon wood He shewd himselfe a valiant Champion And neuer ceast to smight and beat them down And to withstand them mightily and long Disarmed as he was till in the end Achilles entring in amongst the throng Of Myrmidons where Troielus did defend Himselfe gainst them fought with courage bold Whom when he did in such a case behold Sore wearied with fighting and in need Of ayd as then with extreame cruelty Ere Troilus of him tooke any heed Behind him fiercely road and cowardly Smot off his head and not contented so Vnknightly his great crueltie to sho He causd his mangled body to be bound Vnto his horses tayle and in a rage Drewt after him along vpon the ground Throughout the field his choler to asswage And to content his fierce and cruell will Which tooke delight his enemies blood to spill By treason as too well it doth appeare By that disloyall act which he then wrought But he that such a traiterous heart doth beare All honor and renowne doth set at nought So that he may effect his cruelty And bad intent against his enemy But now I must a little change my stile And leaue the Greeks and Troians in the fight And vnto learned Homer speake a while Who as it seemes did take a great delight To praise Achilles for his chivalry And all the Greeks t' extoll and magnifie But Homer thou hadst need to blush for shame And to condemne thine owne partiality For magnifying of Achilles name That in thy booke extolst him to the skie Who while he liu'd was full of fraud and guile And neuer did deserue so loftie a stile I must confesse that with great Eloquence And Rethoricke thou hast set forth his praise And like a Poet of great excellence Dost say he was the best Knight in his daies Yet in one point thou greatly art to blame Without iust cause to magnifie his name And t'eleuate commend and glorifie Him with a title of such happines As that for euerlasting memorie Thou dost declare that through his worthines And Knight-hood he the honor did obtaine By his owne hand two Hectors to haue slaine One who in truth for Knight-hood did surpas All men that euer liu'd for such an other Was neuer found and Troielus that was A most renowned Knight his youngest brother Who likewise well deserued for his fame And valor great a second Hectors name If thou wast moued by affection And loue which thou dost seeme in heart to beare Vnto the valiant Greekish Nation To praise him thou shouldst not for loue nor feare Refuse to write the truth of euery thing And set aside all lies and flattering For when that he slew Hector in the field It was when he without all feare or care To ease himselfe a while had cast his shield Behind him at his backe and fore him bare A Kings dead corps before his sadle bow And of his comming did full little know For if he had perceiud his trechery Thou hadst not had the cause of him to boast As now thou hast for by his chiualry He would haue made Achilles to his cost To feele his puissant force and valor great And him besides his purpose would haue set And so he did to Troielus likewise Who being all alone enclosed round Amongst the Greeks his deadly enemies And fighting there on foot vpon the ground Disarmed head and necke in great distresse And redy for to faint with wearinesse He road behind him and most cowardly Smot off his head when he suspected least He would haue vsed him so traiterously Now iudge you all I pray at my request I ft were an act of any valiant Knight To kill a man sore wearied in fight Which he had held gainst thousands all that day And much of his most Princely blood had spent In midst of them as he stood at a bay Bare headed with his armor all most rent Cleane off his backe not able to sustaine Himselfe but in great danger to be slaine And in that case to come so cowardly Behind his backe and kill him vnawares To couer his devised trechery As one that of his honor had no care Praise him not therefore Homer for the same But
the field to ride Arm'd at all points against their enemie Mongst whom no man might by no meanes abide Nor they with them at any time did lie But three months in the yeare which as they say Was in the months of Aprill Iune and May. At which time setting armes and wars aside They went into an Isle not farre from thence Wherein their men did all alone abide Of purpose and with full and sole pretence To lie with them and till they did conceaue And were with child did not that I sland leaue And after time of their conception They did in hast and with all speed returne Into the Couotry where they dwelt which done When as the child into the world was borne They nourisht it three months at the end Thereof i ft were a sonne they did it send Vnto the Isle whereas the men remaind And if it were a female child they hold And keepe it still by them and it sustaind And nourished till that it waxed old And was of yeares and strength to vse weare An armor and to mannage sword and speare According to their ancient Country fashion And at that time Queene Panthasilia was The Soveraigne Commander of that Nation Who did so much in valor great surpasse That for her puissant force the trump of fame Throughout the world eternized her name And yet although she did addict her mind To practise armes mannage sword speare Which is a thing not vs'd by women-kind For wisedome and for vertue she did beare The praise and commendation for none ever Surpassed her for modesty what s'ever The reason that did mooue her then to aid The Troyans was for that in heart she bare Affection great to Hector and t is said Lou'd him so well that all her thought and care Her onely ioy her pleasure and delight Was in him cause he was so braue a Knight And therefore when as by report she heard The Towne of Troy besieged was and how The Greeks and Troyans gainst each other ward She did protest and made a solemne vow To go to Troy and with her force and might For loue of Hector gainst the Greeks to fight And with her tooke a thousand maids that were Well armed and on horses braue did ride Who gallantly could mannagesword speare And well durst gainst their foes in field abide And to that end set forward with all speed To helpe her deare friend Hector in his need But when she came to Troy and vnderstood That valiant knight in that great warre was dead And that as then she could do him no good A flood of teares out of her eies she shead And did such extreame sorrow for him make As if she would haue dyed for his sake And tooke a solemne oath reveng'd to be Vpon the Greeks therefore and to that end She did desire King Priamus that he His Troyan force into the field would send With whome she said the Amazons should go To shew the Greeks what they in armes could do And how with speare sheild the could theÌ„ greet And make them feele their force and worthines In armes when they with theÌ„ in field should meet To whose request made with great hardines King Priamus did grant with good advise And next day when the Sun began to rise And on the wals and towers of Troy did shene Sent all his Troyan Knights out of the towne Against the Greeks led by King Philomene Commander of the knights of Phaflagowne And next to him Aeneas brauely led The second band well stuft and furnished With warlike knights And then Pollidamas Conductor of another band did ride And after them in order forth did passe Queene Panthasilia guarded on each side By Amazons with courage stout and bold Whom when the Grecian armie did behold To issue forth in battaile brauely plast They likewise gainst them marcht into the field And first of all Menestes in great hast With mighty speare the which in rest he held Against the Queene of Amazons did ride Whose comming she most stoutly did abide And did encounter him with such a force That with her Launce to ground she did him cast And forcibly did seaze vpon his horse And as she further mongst the Grecians past King Diomede vpon her fiercely set And she as fiercely with him also met And puissanâ—lie strake him so great a blow That notwithstanding all his force and might She did him cleane out of his sadle throw And therewithall vnto his great despight Layd hand vpon his shield and took 't away Perforce from him and all that durst say nay And then like Tygar fell with greedines Throughout the field road ranging vp downe And as a fierce and hungry Lyonesse Slew many of the Greeks till Thelamon Beholding what a slaughter then she made Of them such indignation thereat had And into such exceeding rage did fall That he did set vpon her furiously But she no whit abashed therewithall Let flie at him againe as valiantly And spight of all the Greeks that bout him were By force did him out of his sadle beare And by the aid of stout King Philomene Layd hold on him and caus'd him to be led To Troy-ward and without all doubt had cleane Ore-throwne the Greeks as then if Diomed With many Grecian knights had not assaild The Troyans and so much gainst them preuaild That ere that they led Thelamon away He rescued him out of their hands with speed Yet after that the Queene all that same day So furiously the Grecians blood did shed That many of them cruelly were slaine And by her and her maidens all the plaine Was cov'red ore with Greeks that wounded sore Lay crying out and they at last compeld Thereto by force because they could no more Sustaine her mightie blowes to leaue the field And run into the strond in mightie feare Whereas by her so many of them were In furious wise beat downe and slaine out right That finally they had beene all ore-throwne If Diomede most like a valiant knight Had not his prowesse great at that time showne And forciblie resistance made gainst all The Troyans power for he stood like a wall And bulwarke strong in their defence and aid And freed them from all extreamitie And feare wherein as then they were and staid The force and furie of the Queene Yet she So valiantly behau'd her selfe that day That with great honor she went thence away And did returne againe with victorie Triumphing with her maids vnto the Towne And so left fighting with the enemie About the time of Phâ—bus going downe And entred with King Philomene that road Close by her Where King Priamus abode To welcome her and with great reverence In Princely wise receaued her and gaue Her hearty thanks for th' aid and great defence She had vouchsafed him that day to saue His honor and to show her worthinesse Wherein he said he could not but confesse That she exceld all others what so ere
meanes had much encreast her fame With heart that was possest with great despight That she had lost so many maidens so In furious wise into the field did go One day betimes vpon the Greeks to set With full intent to be reveng'd therefore And in the battaile first with Pyrrhus met Who cause he her and she him hated so With courage stout she spurd her gallant steed So hard that she did make his sides to bleed And ran at him and he at her likewise And with their puissant speares set in their rests And countenances sterne and wrathfull eyes Directly aymed at each others brest And gaue each vnto other such a stroke That both their speares in many peeces broke But neither of them fell vnto the ground Not once within their sadles bowd or bent And yet the Queene gaue Pirrhus such a wound With her speare head into the brest that went Cleane thrugh his armes that he therwith bled sore Which when the Grecians saw they were therfore So grieu'd that with hideous noyse they crid And like to swarmes of Bees vpon her fell And did enclose her round on euery side But she did fight against them all so well And valiantly that they did her admire And spight their hearts she made theÌ„ back retire Whereby long time it was ere they could get Or haue aduantage on her till at last Being sore opprest and round about beset So thicke by them that they smot her as fast As Smiths vpon an Anuile head they broke Her helmet and with many a cruell stroke Of axes swords and other weapons tare And rent her armes and cleft her shield in twaine Whereby her shoulders naked were and bare Yet nerethelesse she did the fight maintaine Against them all so long and valiantly That many Greeks dead at her feet did lie Till Pirrhus wounded as before is sayd And feeling so great anguish smart and paine Within his heart that he was sore afraid To die thereof in hast ran to the plaine Intending whatsoere of him became To be reuenged on her for the same Whom when she saw come running in such hast And doubting she by him should be assayld She turnd about and to him made as fast And with her sword first strake at him but faild To hit him for the Greeks on her did come So thicke and fast that she could haue no roome To lift and weld her sword aboue her head But he smot her a blow with mighty force And cut her arme cleane off wherewith she bled So sore that she fell dead off from her horse And not contented therewithall to shew His cruelty he did her body hew And mangle with his sword in peeces small And yet the blood did run out of his wound So fast that he constrained was to fall As if he had been dead vpon the ground Where groueling in a trance awhile he lay Till that his Knights did beare him thence away Vpon a shield with sad and heauy cheare Sore bleeching and deepe wounded to his tent But when the Amasoman Maids did heare Their Queene was slaine in furious wise they went Like vnto women desperate and mad And as if of their liues no care they had Among the thickest of the Greeks and then So cruesly assayld them that they slew Two thousand of their best and brauest men And did the fight more terrible renew Then it had been all that day long before And fought that time so desperarely and sore That wonder t' was that women could endure To do so much but all to little end When they had lost her that could them secure And by her valor great did them defend As being she who onely and alone For worthines inferior was to none For both they and the Troians then were in Such danger great for want of one to guide Them in the field that they did all begin Like sheepe disperst to run on euery side And scatteringly for their defence to stand To keepe themselues out of the Grecians hand Who then so furiously vpon them ran With full pretence their losses to require That they dismaid to saue themselues began To make retrait wherein with great despight The Grecians did ten thousand of them slay And they to Troy-ward from them fled away For all the Grecians then at once came on Vpon them whosoeuer them withstood Were by them slaine without exception But specially the Amazons whose blood They chiefest sought to spill because they had Together with their Queene such slaughter â—ad Of them while she did liue for she alone A terror was to them and therefore they Without all mercy or compassion In great despight did them so fiercely slay And draue the Troians fore them to the towne And neuer ceast to kill and beat them downe Till they in mighty feare and great distresse Got in and after them their gates did close Being out of hope as men cleane comfortles Of euer fighting more against their foes In open field sith their best knights were slaine And therefore thinking it to be in vaine For them to issue â—orth they purposed To keepe themselues close in their towne as then Impregnable if it were furnished As they supposd of victualls and of men And able to resist and hold out all The forces of the world though they should fall Vpon it all at once But for all that The Greeks no whit despayring at the last To win it set strong watch at euery gate And sentinels to see that no man past Out of the towne noâ— victualls were conuaid Into 't while they in siedge before it staid And they within the towne great sorrow made For Panthesillias sake who valiantly In their defence against the Grecians had By Pyrrhus hand been slaine but specially Because that they could find no meanes to haue Her mangled corps to bury it in a graue With honor which thereto did appertaine And to that end sent to the Greeks to pray And to entreat them for 't but all in vaine For mooued sore they flatly said them nay And swore and vou'd with protestations great That they nere should her body from them get But to despight and grieue them sayd it should Be throwne to dogs and fowles of th' aire to be Deuourd and torne by them before they would Showd so great sauor to their enemie To whom they did so deadly hatred beare But though that they to her so cruell were Yet Pyrrhus somewhat milder then the rest Would not consent vnto such cruelty And said to them that he did thinke it best To giue her body to the enemy But Diomede sayd plainely to them all That she had not deserued buriall That in her life had slaine so many men And in that sort they stroue and did contend With many words about the same but when They had long argu'd mongst themselues in th' end They all agreed and did the body take Despightfully and cast it in a lake Or pond of water nere vnto the towne
Wherein let it consume and rot away While vnto you at large I doe setdowne What they did in the towne of Troy that lay Enclosd therein But first I must complaine Of thee oh Mars that mad'st them to sustaine Such extreame losse and by thy furious ire Didst cleane consume the worthy Troian blood Why didst thou with insatiable desire Slay all their Knights gainst them was so wood And furiously bent as to let fall Thy vengance vpon them in generall To make them as a Myrror and a show To all the world of thy great cruelty But t is most true as euery man doth know Thy nature giuen to all hostility Is th' onely cause of strife and of debate Because thou art a starre vnfortunate Hot hatefull drie fiery combustious Wrathfull and giuen vnto dissention The onely ground of malice enuious And cholericke of thy complexion That dost in death and murther take delight And vpon vengance setst thine appetite First motioner of anger and of hate The causer of contention and of warre The root of all dissention in each state That moouest men to wrangle fight iarre Fearefull of looke and gastly to mans sight Whose radiant beams shine as the lightning bright And twinkle like to sparkles burning red Which from great fiers mount vp into the skie And round about the aire themselues do spred Consuming such as by melancholy Within their hearts fowle enuy do embrace Giuing to them in whom thy wrath takes place Of shape to be tall slender leane and small Browne haired pasle and sallow coloured Vnmercifull addicted vnto all Bad qualities to evill easly led Craftie deceitfull and ingenious Backbiting slaunderous and malicious Sad sullen and still full of heauines Inclined vnto theft and robbery Consenting vnto all accursednes To murther death and to fowle trechery Wholy without remorse of conscience And art so mischievous of influence That thou of treason author art mong men In scorpion thy chiefest mansion is And raignest King in Capricorne but when In Taurâ—s thou art plast then thou dost misse Of power strength and all Dominion Thou also hast in thy subiection Warre exile â—etters and imprisonment Bondage proscription banishment and all The miseries and mischiefes that are bent On earth and chance vpon mankind to fall Which for to gnaw poore Troy vnto the bones Thou didst on it powre them out all at ones I cannot chuse but for the great despight Which thou to Troy didst beare condemne thee much For if that men consider it aright It may be sayd there nere was any such Nor so great vengance tane for any thing Gainst land or towne as thou on Troy didst bring As first to kill and spoyle them by their foes And to consume their Knights by fier and sword Then in their towne as prisoners vp to close And shut them fast and no meanes them aford To be relieu'd with victualls or go out Besieged by the Grecians round about I thinke they haue small cause in my aduise With bores or bulles beares Lyons Tygars fell Or any such wild beasts to sacrifice To thee wherewith thou pleased art so well As being Patron of them nor with smoke Of brimstone on thine Altars to invoke Thy name that to them showest such cruelty And didst such extreame vengance on them bring And yet as if thou couldest not satisfie Thy selfe therewith with torments more to sting And plague theÌ„ thou mad'st treason moÌ„gst them worke And secretly within their hearts to lurke And so didst set them at diuision Among themselues whereby we plainely see How th' vgly serpent Discord creepeth on And slyly slides into mans heart till he By tract of time hath therein gotten place And banished from thence all peace and grace With venom of his fowle dissention When once it spreads it selfe in any towne Land common-wealth howse countrey or nation Or iâ—â—ens hearts of small or high renowne For when as men liue not in loue and peace All happines and ioy with them doth cease For where as Discord hath his residence And doth begin amongst men to appeare It 's worse then any sword or pestilence For who are worse then foes familiar Or who can hurt men more if that they lust Then enemies in whom they put their trust And briefely to conclude without a pause All trouble mischiefe and confusion In any land proceedeth from the cause And root of hatred and dissention And much more danger in the same doth lie If it be wrought and stir'd vp secretlie Record whereof is to be found by Troy Where while that in the towne they did agree They held the same and did it long enioy Despight their foes But when they gan to be At strife and hatred mongst themselues crost Each other not long after it was lost For without doubt as often prooued is When men begin together to contend Or that a land in 't selfe deuided is T is not the means them nor their state to mend But rather is a certaine signe and way Of that same land and peoples sure decay For Mars the soueraigne Lord of enmity That vnto men he might his power show And bring Troy into all extremity The seeds of Discord did among them sow Gainst which a man no remedy can find For I am sure perswaded in my mind That treason wrought with fained shew of peace To be procur'd thereby is worse then warre And more then it all mischiefe doth encrease Whereof the principalst actors weere Aeneas Duke Anchises his old Father Pollidmas and Anthenor who together Among themselues did secretly agree And traiterously conspire with bad intent If that the towne of Troy should chance to bee Tane by the Greeks whereof they feard th'vent How they might saue their owne liues goods lands By some devise out of the Grecians hands Which if it might not be as they did doubt It could not be they ment in secret wise Before the vtmost danger should fall out To parle with the Grecian enemies And traitors gainst their towne of Troy to bee Before they would their owne subuersion see Or loyalty vnto their countrey yeild Intending rather to forget their oath And promise made and vowed to be held By them while life did last and faith and troth With due alleagance wholy set aside For them and their owne safety to prouide Esteeming it more wisedome to forecast How they for there owne good should do the same And bring 't about before the time were past And rather saue their liues thogh t were with shame Then foolishly to fall into a trap Which otherwise they might full well escape They though it no disgrace nor worthy blame For to betray the towne so they went free Away with goods and liues out of the same Nor had no care for others to agree But how they might vnto that thing attaine Which they did seeke by treason to obtaine And to that end they went vnto the King To giue him as they sayd some good aduise And
be the way T' appease them and their furious course to stay Which hauing said Amphimachus arose Vpon his feet who grieued much to heare Anthenor speake of treatie with their foes In manner as you heard could not forbeare In presence of King Priamus t' vpbraid Him openly with treason and thus sayd Anthenor by thy speech I well perceiue That we haue little cause to trust in thee For ayd in need that so much dost deceiue Our expectations for we plainely see That Faith and troth from thee are banished And thou in 't falshood art by error led When as thou dost so variable show Where is become thy faith vnto thy Lord And due alleigance thou to him dost ow Where are thy oaths thy promises and word Which thou didst make protest and giue to be True vnto him and his posteritie All fled and gone In steed whereof thou hast Retained mutability and change Of mind opinion and of will and past The bounds of thy fidelity to change At liberty from all affection Which thou sholdst beare to him to this towne To liue and die for it if need should bee For neither faith nor troth nor sparkes of loue In thee remaines as now we plainely see When thou darst be so bold t' excite and moue The King by thy perswasions to giue eare To that which to his great dishonor were Which is to seeke a peace as if that he Did feare his foes Thou rather shouldst haue been The first that should haue proferred him to be A chiefe protector of the Citie when So ere the Greeks should seeke t'assaile the same With losse of life and lim to keepe the same But know thou well and so I thee assure That whatsoere thy meaning is to do Before we will this iniurie endure And ere they shall so far proceed thereto It shall the liues of twenty thowsand cost And many more before this towne be lost I hold thy words to be no prophesie But rather do esteeme them by good reason To be the signes and marks of trechery Of fained faith of falsehood and of treason To bring vs in subiection to our foes But though thou setst on them so faire a glose And outward show they are but meere deceit And Syrenes songs t' entrap and to beguile Vs and this towne till that our foes it get In this sort did Amphimachus reuile Anthenor for his counsell knowing well That t' was nought els but treason Till full well To pacefie his choler and to stay Them from proceeding further to a brawll Aeneas with faire words to make the way More open for their purpose and withall To smooth the matter so as if they ment Nought els but troth but t' was with false intent For he spake cleane contrary to his thought Intending onely to appease them twaine Till that he had by policie so wrought That they from futher speeches did refraine And when he saw them somewhat pacified To cloake Anthenors speeches and to hide His owne dissimulation in like ease When he had pausd a little while he sayd Vnto the King with smooth and flattering face That touching help reliefe or any ayd To be expected for the towne he thought There was none to be found that it nought Availed them to hope thereon sith they Besiedged were soclosely and so hard That they could haue no victualls any way To comfort them and wholy were debard From issuing forth as hauing not the might Against the Greeks for want of force to fight For as you know said he while that this warre Endured hath we haue consumd such store Of famous and most worthy knights that were A terror to our foes that now no more We can nor dare not issue out to fight And which is more vnto our great despight The people are so full of feare and dread That they are all perswaded ther 's noway For them but euery one to lay his head Vpon the blocke to die therefore I say Sith that the Fates for vs haue so decreed And that we now are driuen to such need If that you will be ruld by my aduise I thinke the safest way for vs wil be To parle with our foes and not be nise To make a peace with them though that it be Vnto our losse t' avoid th'extremety We may fall in sith ther 's no remedy But Priamus with face for anger pale And countnance sterne he was so moud in miâ—d Cut of Aeneas long and flattering tale And fretting at the treason he did find Lie hiden vnder it Could not refraine In furious wise to speake vnto them twaine And sayd Anthenor and Aeneas both I muse why you two should so hardy be And bold as that with breach of faith and troth You dare inuent such treason to bring me And all my subiects into extreame thrall And danger of our foes and therewithall Into dispaire by false suggestion How can or may you in your conscience find If that you well considered thereon Against your facts and oathes to be vnkind To me that of my secret counsell were And so well thought on by me that whatsoere Did passe therein it was not don without You were in presence to agree thereto But now I cannot muse how it falles out That you decline in this sort as you do From me that am of all my soones bereft And desolate of friends in manner left It makes me grieue to thinke vpon the same And much to muse that any of you can Be so vntrue and haue so little shame To do it how should I trust any man When you two are so faithlesse vnto me That ought my chiefest counsellors to be You should remember how with your consent And chiefely by your counsell and aduise Paris by me was into Grecia sent With many ships and men in warlike wise And thou Anthenor knowst full well also That fore he went thou didst Ambaster go Vnto the Greeks to fetch home Exion If by faire meanes we could bring them thereto And after that thou madst the motion And was the cause that Paris then did go With warlike force to Greece and this is true For thinke you that without aduise from you I would with such a power haue sent him thither Or haue assayld the Grecians in their land Vnlesse that you had mou'd me to 't together No surely it had nere been tane in hand And you your selues if you be well aduisd Cannot deny but that it was deuisd And put in execution through you twaine Especially for when as Paris went To Cithera for Helena its plaine Aeneas thou wast cause that he was sent And th' onely man that readiest was and sought To welcome her when she to Troy was brought For t is most sure she neuer had come here If thou hadst been vnwilling therevnto Although as now thou makst as though thou nere Hadst knowne thereof nor giuen consent thereto And now my sons are dead and I bereft Of my best Knights and without comfort
monstrous horse of brasse And every man his iudgement gaue thereon The Troyan knight Timeres counsell was To draw't into the Towne but some that there About it stood and somewhat wiser were As Capas and some others flatly bad Them throw the treasons of the Greeks away Or that forthwith a fire should be made To melt it or else that without delay They should it breake in pieces small to see What secret thing might therein hidden be Wherewith the people that amaz'd did stand In sundrie minds diuided were till that Lycaon came with mightie speare in hand And many following him demanded what They meant to do and entring mongst the throng Said Troyan knights you do your selus great wrong Belieue you that the Greeks are gone away Or that there 's any goodnes in their gifts Thinke you that for our benefit we may Giue credite to Ulisses subtill drifts I le pawne my life that in this horse lies hid A multitude of Greeks or that they did Devise it for an engine wherewithall By night to scale our Towne and so to win The same by force take heed you know not all What misterie so ever is therein I feare the Greeks said he will not trust Their gifts therewith gaue so great a thrust Against it with his speare that it did shake And with the same was heard so great a sound Within the hollow horse that it did make The noise thereof throughout the aire rebound Whereby had not the Troyans hearts been blind Enough was done the Grecians craft to find And Troy vntill this day had flourished Mean time by chāce the Troyan sheepherds caught A man who with his hands fast pinioned In hast vnto King Priamus they brought One that into their hands fell purposelie And in his heart was fullie bent to trie How he could worke the Troyans to beguile Or if he faild was resolute to die Who when he had stood still a little while Before the King and each man cast his eie On him some of them at him did flout He seem'd to sigh but marke how it fell out And you shall here the Grecians treasons see And by this one coniecture all the rest For as he stood in shew perplext to bee And with his hand did smight vpon his brest Alas said he what ground may me receaue What hope can I poore caytife now conceaue That neither with the Grecians dare abide And now among the Troyans captiue here Stand at their mercie readie to be tride And to receaue the doome of death I feare For that as reason is they thirst my blood The which to shed I know would do them good This mournfull tale by him so vttered The Troyans hearts of rigor did bereaue And being by them somewhat pittied They askt him what he was and gaue him leaue To tell his tale and plainlie to expresse His mind to whome he said I will confesse The truth O King of all that I do know And first I must needs say a Greeke I am For though that fortune false hath now broght low Poore Synon for so called was his name Yet shall she never make nor proue him lier Nor cause him to become a flatterer If ere you heard of King Pallamides And of his valor great and Chivalrie Who traiterouslie because he did displease The Greeks by them condemned was to die Vpon suggestion that he favored Their enemies but after he was dead They wished he had been aliue againe His Squire I was and also kinsman neare To whome my father I must needs tell plaine For pouertie put me his shield to beare And Armes to practise while he flourished Who living I was lou'd and honoured But after that by false Vlisses drifts He was betraid and brought vnto his end With griefe and woe I was put to my shifts Pittying the fall of my vnguiltie frend But like a foole I could not hold my peace Nor yet frō hard thratning words would cease But still I vowd if ere returne I might To Greece againe as they deserued had I would his death vpon his foes require Which was the cause of all my woe and made Vlisses to invent new crimes gainst me Whereby I was suspect and held to be A traitor gainst the Greeks and favorite To th' enemie and not content with that He rested not till Calchas by his wit Had found a meanes to end my life But what Should I rehearse such things as needlesse be To you and would no good procure to me But if you still to hate the Greeks persist Let it suffice you haue me here alone On whome you may take vengance if you list The which that it were brought to passe done Ulisses and Artidos much would spend And with that word he paus'd made an end Of speaking which did make them more desire To know the circumstances of his tale Suspecting not his craft and did require Him into his discourse againe to fall Who trembling though therein he did but faine With shew of feare spake vnto them againe And said full oft the Greeks would haue been gone And left their siege and ouer seas haue past To Greece againe for that not any one Of them but wearie was the warre did last So long and they their bloud liues did spend Therein could not bring it to an end And gone they had but that the seas did rise And often rage and southern winds did blow And caus'd them swell and mount vnto the skies And foming over brinks and banks to flow And made them stay but specially when as They had devis'd fram'd this horse of brasse So great a noise of thunder then was heard And round about the skies the lightning flasht That it did make them generally affeard And for that cause they were so much abasht That they did send Euripalus to know Of Phoebus what those tempests did fore-show At whose returne this answere he did make And said with blood oh Greeks of maiden slaine A wind you had vnto you given to take Your voyage vnto Troy and must againe With blood returne for one of you must die The furie of the Gods to satisfie Ere you a wind can haue Which news once blown Into the Grecian eares each man with feare Did tremble and would willingly haue known On whom the lot should fall as then to beare That punishment and for the rest should die At which time when Ulisses did espie Advantage he praid Calchas to declare The name of him that therefore should be slaine That all the rest might freed be of care And many closely spake some said plaine T was I for that they all acquainted were What secret malice he to me did beare And some thereof vnto me warning sent But ten daies t was ere Calchas would it show For he did seeme to be much discontent And loath that any man from him should know who 't was that suffer should for all the rest Till that Ulisses with his
bent Before them all said flatly she should haue Her head cut off and suffer deadly paine Because for her so many had beene slaine And by that meanes King Thelaphus was crost And put besides Palladion gainst his will For which he swore thogh deare it shold him cost Ere long time past he would Vlisses kill And one day likewise be reveng'd vpon King Menalus and king Agamemnon And therewith in a mighty rage he went With all his knights and left the company Who with him in their hearts were fully bent When they a fit occasion might espie In cruell wise ere long reveng'd to be Vpon their foes but chiefly on those three And for that cause such hatred to them bare That nothing but their deaths could thâ— content But they that of his purpose were aware With policie his furie to prevent Did cause their knights about them to attend If that occasion serued to defend And keepe them from the furie of their foes And likewise soone to rid them of that doubt For earely in the morne ere Phoebus rose The matter was so quicklie brought about King Thelaphus that braue and worthy knight Most cruelly was murthered in the night And in the morning bleeding sore was found Within his bed whereas his body lay Sore mangled hewd cut with many a wound Which thing when as the Grecians heard next day They did abhorre that act so horrible And cause to God and man t was odible They could not choose but for his murther weepe And grieue to thinke how foule and traiterously He had been kild when he was fast asleepe And mong them then there rose so great a cry Throughout the hoast for that most wicked deed That all his friends within their hearts decreed His death should be revenged vpon those That had that cruell murther brought to passe The which although no man would it disclose Yet every one that in the hoast then was For it had most and great'st suspicion On Menalus and King Agamemnon But chiefly on Vlisses vnto whome By common voice of them in generall His sodaine death imputed was and some Did vow and sweare what euer did befall Mong whom yong Pyrrhus specially was one They would revenge the death of him full soon Vpon Vlisses who by treachery Had falsly wrought the same but to preuent And scape from Pyrrhus furie sodainly Aboard his ships next morning straight he went And hoising saile in hast from thence he fled And left the jmage with King Diomed. And of the fact in heart had great remorse Who in that sort thus fled away and gone Yong Pyrrhus tooke his bloudy mangled corse And made a fire and laid the same thereon In presence of the Greeks that it beheld And burnt it vnto ashes in the field And afterward the ashes being cold He tooke them vp and did them safely put With reverence great into a box of gold The which with his owne seale of armes he shut And sent them to be buried there whereas While he did liue the soveraigne Prince he was And hauing all the ceremonies vs'd For him in every point most orderly He still vpon the cruell murther musd Which vnto him was done so traitrously And sware and vowd it should be dearly bought By them that it so wickedly had wrought And for that cause great hatred bare vnto King Menalus and King Agamemnon Who well advis'd and taking heed thereto For feare thereof nere went abroad alone But strongly garded daily did attend What issue would ensue thereof in th' end Which Pyrrhus likewise did and would not cease By all the meanes he could to seeke some way T' intrap them and his wrath would not appease And in that sort they three from that same day Were sterne and deadly foes each vnto other And while that they in such wise iar'd together And enviously each other did pursue Still more and more their malice did encrease And hatred great on each side did renue Till Anthenor their furies to appease By policie did cut of all disdaine On either side and made them friends againe And to that end prepard a royall feast And did invite the Grecians to the same And to intreat and pray them never ceast Till they three with the rest vnto it came That all the Princes of the hoast might see They had their anger left and did agree Together like good friends as ere they were To write the great and sumptuous fare they had With all the severall dishes that were there As also what rich Presents then were made And by Anthenor given liberallie Vnto the Greeks it 's no necessitie Let it suffice they wanted nothing that Might please and giue contentinent vnto man And while at table they together sat Some one among them enviously began To speake against Aeneas and t' accuse And charge him with most great and vile abuse Especially because he did conceale And hide away the Princes Pollicene And would by no meanes tell them noâ— reveale What was become of her that cause had been Of fierce Achilles death and for the same They did impose vpon him so much blame That they did all with one consent agree He should therefore be banisht out of Troy Contrary to their former grant that hee The freedome of the Towne should still enioy But nere the lesse they did with one consent Comdemne him to perpetuall banishment The causer of the same I cannot tell But sure it is Anthenor and none other Within the Towne of Troy did know it well And secretly betraid his traiterous brother That with him holpe to bring that thing to passe Which in the end the Townes destruction was Which when Aeneas knew and saw no way For him by any meanes to mollifie The Grecians hearts to giue him leaue to stay He humblie praied them of courtesie That of their princely favor and their grace They wold vouchâ—afe to grant him 4 months space To stay in Troy while he provided had All things that should for him be necessaire And further vnto them petition made That he from thence might also with him carrie The ships that into Cithera did go With Paris iust number twentie two Which being by the Grecians full consent Vnto him given with licence for the space Of time he askt to stay to Troy he went With heavie heart to see 't in such a case And specially when he to mind did call That all the woes which on the same did fall Came onlie by the treason he had wrought Against the Towne and also to remember That he could not enioy the thing he sought But must of force depart and stay no longer Where he had liu'd sometime in great estate And cursed his most hard and cruell fate To see him selfe so plung'd in that distresse And banisht by the Greeks and knew not why Nor who had sought his fall till he did gesse And saw by signes Anthenor subtilly To get him out of Troy procured it For which he sware
vowd he would him quit And to that end sent presently for all The Troyans that then in the towne were left Who willingly assembled at his call For being of their soveraigne Prince bereft They made account he onlie did remaine Aliue to be their Lord and Soveraigne To whome he spake said my friends you see How fortune at this time begins to frowne And with dissembling face to ieare at mee As she hath done at this most worthy towne Her cruelty gainst it and me to shew You know likewise that we are but a few Here resting in this ruin'd place t' abide And I perforce must leaue your company Wherefore I thinke it best that you provide Some meanes for your owne good and safety By looking out among you for a man To governe you with all the speed you can For otherwise I see not how you should Be able long this open Towne to keepe Nor yet your selues from strange invasionâ— hold That here now like vnto a flocke of sheepe Disperst without a sheepheard do remaine And no man left your quarrell to maintaine Wherefore if you my counsell now will take I thinke sithtis so dangerous a thing For you to liue without an head to make And choose some one among you for your king And he whome I thinke fittest man to raigne Ore you and be your Lord and soueraigne Is Anthenor whose knighthood and renowne Is knowne vnto you all if you consent And will agree to my opinion And to that end let one for him be sent And when that he comes here within the towne You shall set on his head a regall Crowne That he may governe you with equity And valiantly defend preserue and saue You from distresse and all extreamity And they agreed and were content to haue Him sent for presently to be their king For they not once suspected any thing Concerning that the which Aeneas ment Whose words and mind contrary were to other For it was his full purpose and intent To slay him presently when he came thither And with his friends prepared to that end All armed stood his comming to attend Who nought suspecting that which did fall out Vnarmed came into the towne where he Was presently enclosed round about By Aeneas and in danger slaine to be If that the common people had not been Who in great hast came running theÌ„ between And downe vpon their knees before him fell Desiring him to haue compassion On them and theirs whom he then knew full well Were left within a bare and naked towne Without a guide and praid him to withhold His hand and furie great from that which wold Be cause of their destruction generall And on them and their woefull case to rue To whome Aeneas said before them all Will you that I forbeare him that 's vntrue And shews himselfe so traiterously bent To you and me with false and bad intent That for it he deserued hath to die For was 't not he that specially alone Conspir'd by treason with your enemie To bring you all vnto destruction And me vnto the Greeks hath sold and bought And vndeseru'd my banishment hath wrought The which they haue decreed without repeale But ere I go from hence I le make him sure The iust reward of his deserts to feele And without all compassion to endure The paine that to a traitor doth belong That at this time hath done me so much wrong To be exild from hence where with you all I purposed to lead my life and take Such part as should vnto our shares befall But by his meanes I must the Towne forsake Which wrong I cannot brooke nor never may And therefore for the same I will him slay Besides all this he was as you haueseene The onely man that to the Grecians gaue The yong and goodly Princesse â—â—lliceâ—e Whom they did slay would you I should saue One that so traitrous is Thus much I say Whos'ever that against the â—ame saith nay Sith you intreat for him he shall go free With life but cause his treason is so great He shall out of this Towne exiled bee And therewith they a time vnto him set When he shold go from thence without all grace Or favour shewd and that he must not passe And thus as traitors both they wrought together To bring the Towne to ruine and decay So treacherously they did exile each other Out of the same and might not therein stay To lead their liues where they were borne bred In peace and rest as they determined And presently Anthenor therevpon Without delay did preparation make Of all things necessarie to be gone From thence with his friends did shipping take And saild by divers Lands and sundry Isleâ— It 's needlesse to rehearse how many miles He travel'd on the seas nor how he scapt The dangers that therein are often seen But to be briefe his course so well he shapt That at the last when he a while had been Tost too and fro with stormy wind weather He spied an Isle with his ships made thither Which Island had to name Gâ—râ—â—diay Where he no sooner foot on land did get But there vpon a â—â—â—ke without delay His men with present speed to worke he set And made a towne that was both broad long With towred wals which were exceeding strong And many plesant woods and waters sweet That on each side the same environed With all things else that for the same was meet Which Isle as then was ruld and governed By Thetides a king of worthy same Who long and many yeres had held the same In peace and never had molested been By any adverse fortune whatsoeâ—e Who vnto Lord Anthenor and his men Great courtesie did shew and by him were In friendly wise receau'd and welcomed And peaceably by him were suffered To plant themselues therein and to enioy Their towne as freely with all priviledge As they before liu'd in the towne of Troy Whose being there once knowen and published A number of the Troyan knights went thither And there encreast and multipli'd together And soone did make it rich and populous And called it the Towne of Menelau To tell you more of him were frivolous For memory of him there should be none Sith he was by his treason cause of all The miseries that did on Troy befall And therefore I will turne my stile againe To tell you what vnto the Greeks befell And how by Prophesie Cassandra plaine And truely did vnto the Grecians tell What happen to them should mong them all Declared to their puissant Generall That he within his house should murthered bee By treason that against him should be wrought And that there was no way for him to flie Nor scape the same what meanes so ere he sought And bad him haue a care of his estate For he should die by death vnfortunate The storie saith when Thelaphus was slaine As in another place I said before He had two sons that liuing did
excedeth in comparison All other kinds of treason whatsoere And no man can vprightly with it beare But God will them assuredly confound And bring vnto an end vnfortunate For they are worse then Cerberns the hound Who though that he of malice doth vs hate He barks before he bites but such as lie In wait to kill a man will sodainly Assaile and set on him ere he 's aware But bloud so shead vndoubtedly doth crie To God for iust revenge on those that are The actors and will fall assuredly On them which though sometimes he doth prolong Yet he is iust and punisheth all wrong Done vnto every man but specially To mighty Kings as this Agamemnon In his time was of such authority That comparable to him there was none In all the Grecian campe but fate so wrought That when vnto his house he came thought To liue in peace he should there end his life By vnexpected murther which was done By policy and mischiefe of his wife For that when to the shore he came assoone As ever foot vpon the land he set In seemely wise Clytemnestra with him met Who outwardly with countenance bening And friendly show did welcome him with much Great courtesie and honour whome the King In loving wise embrast and thought no such False treason had vnto him then been ment And straight with her vnto his Pallace went Where she no whit respecting faithfull vow Nor promise made in wedlocke set aside All duety and respect she ought to show Vnto the king and shamelesly vntide The knot of loue and proued so vnkind That she did set her heart and all her mind Vpon a knight that in her favor stood Whose name Egistus was though truth to tell He neither came of noble birth nor blood Nor yet in armes nor knighthood did excell But cause he did his businesse well by night She tooke in him such pleasure and delight That he her loue from all men else had wone Which moued her her husbands blood to shed And for because she could not he alone She made him her copartner in her bed And by him at the last a Daughter had Cald Exion and promise to him made Vpon the paine of loosing of her head That should be her Lord and King when as Her husband King Agamemnon was dead The which accordingly to bring to passe Agamemnon next night by him was slaine Whereof the Queene exceeding glad faine No longer time delayd but presently Did marry with Egistus and did bring His purpose so to passe by treachery That he was of Messena crowned King And gaue him thereof full possession And thereby disinherited her Son And lust with her abounded in such wise That reason bore no sway within her mind For they are alwaies deadly enemies And wrong and falshood now more favor find Then equity true dealing righteousnes Honor estate desert or worthinesse For by her beastly foule adultery A sin which never raignes in man alone She practised with false conspiracie To murther her deare Lord wrong her Sonne And thereby heapt one sin vpon another Which down to hell with her did sinke together And to her did erelasting woe procure Which she full well deserued for her paine Who can himselfe here in this life assure When Kings in traiterous wise are falsly slaine To make and stirre vp alteration In kingdomes great by wrong succession Which they that are the authors may pretend To do with colour of some equitie But God the Iudge of Iudges in the end Will right all false intrusions speedily On those that seeke by force and violence To wrong such as nere did to them offence For though thereby she thought her selfe secure As having all the Country at command And dreamt long in that happy state t' endure Yet she cold not the punishment withstand Which God for her prepar'd for when 't was known That she her selfe s'vnnaturall had shown Vnto her Lord and King Agamemnon As so to murther him and afterward So falsly disinherited her Sonne And had him from his lawfull right debard Her Son that was of yong and tender age Horestus cald to shun his mothers rage Was secretly convaid and sent away Out of the Land by King Taltabius Into the Isle of CreetÌ„e where he did stay And nourisht was by King Idumeus And Carkasis his Queene whose onely heire A daughter was of beauty passing faire Climenea cald and by them vs'd as well As their owne child where he continued Till he waxt great and did in armes excell And with him thence a puissant army led To conquere his inheritance by might Which false Egistus held without all right And equity from him But for a while I le let him stay where he was nourished In tender yeares for I must change my stile And tell you somewhat of king Diomed Who for his part likewise great woe endur'd The which to him was enviously procur'd And falsly brought to passe by Oetes traine Which he for him and many others more Prepared had of malice and disdaine Which he vnto the Grecian Princes bore To take revenge on them for murthering Pallamides the which to passe to bring Though 't were vntrue yet he and Naulus both Perswaded otherwise would 't not belieue But in their minds conceaued so much wrath And hatred gainst the Greeks that to bereaue Them of their liues was all their care thought Thus gainst the said king Diomed they wrought Within the great and spacious Grecian land There was a mighty kingdome long and large Which towards the Easterne parts therof did stand Composed of Calidoâ—ie and Arge Both ioynd in one abounding in great store Of wealth whereof he that the scepter bore And raignd therein Polentus had to name To whome his wife a son daughter bare The sonne Assandrus called was whose fame Both far and neere was spred for knighthood rare His daughter faire the name of Egra bore Who cause he had two children and no more He did vpon his death bed so provide That when he should depart the world All strife they two his kingdome should divide to cease Betweene them and together liue in peace Whose daughter afterward he being dead Was married vnto king Diomed. Who while he did at Troy in siege remaine Lou'd Cressida that Calchas daughter was And for her sake endur'd much griefe and paine But I will let his loue to her orepasse As nothing to the matter pertinent Who not long after they were married went Vnto the siege of Troy accompanied With Assandrus her brother who together Vpon the seas out of the way were led And driven too and fro with stormie weather And cleane contrary wind they had which bore Them forcibly vpon Boetia shore Whereas they did as glad a while to stay And rest themselues take land there remaine Till Thelaphus the King thereof heard say That they were there and thereat much disdaind Because that they to land thereon would venter Before that he did
her selfe and to that end Determining him home againe to call A messenger with speed to him did send And to him by her letters signified That whereas she had wrongtully deny'd Him enterance into his Land when he Returned from the siege of Troy she said That she with all her whole Nobilitie Submissiuely for pardon crau'd and praid Him to come home againe into his land Which news when he from her did vnderstand Remitting all offences whatsoere Vnto him done he was content to do As she desir'd and with her fault to beare As being more of mercy mou'd thereto Then iustice which doth wrongs with force requite And as he was a wise and courteous knight When he did by her letters vnderstand Her meaning and intent he thought it best To stint all strife therefore out of hand Did willingly graunt vnto their request And speedily returned home agene And reconcild was vnto his Queene And for his part all wrongs forgotten were And pardoned to his Nobility And after that he liued long time there In high estate and great felicity And with his Queene a happy life did lead But cause no more of him I further read I will leaue off to speake of him as now And vnto Duke Aeneas turne my stile And of him briefely tell vnto you how When he in Troy remained had a while To aid them with Diomed spent Some time therein with many men he went Aboord his Troian ships well furnished Of all things that for him were necessary And hoysing sayles put vnto sea with speed And prosperous wind till it began to varry And made the seas to storme waues to rise And mount aloft almost vnto the skies And hauing many dangers ouerpast And sayled many miles along the coast He did ariue at Carthage at the last When he his wife by Fortune strange had lost But to declare all that to him befell And seuerally vnto you here to tell How that Queene Dido loued him and gaue Him treasure gold costly jewels store With all things els that he desir'd to haue And how for all the loue she to him bore He shewd himselfe to her so much vnkind That as you shall at large in Virgill find He secretly from her did steale away And got into his ships ere she it knew By night when she in bed fast sleeping lay For which in desperate wise her selfe she slew And sayled into Italy whereas He did through many hard adventures pas And diuers battailes fought and at the last Did conquer it and therein raigned King With all his long and tedious trauailes past It needles were for me sith every thing Declared is by Virgill long before I wrote this Booke which of him speaks no more But sheweth how Horestus to requight His Fathers death on them that had him kild Did find the meanes as equitie and right Requires that blood by murther falsely spild Should by the King of kings most iust decree Without all doubt at last revenged bee For blood by murther shead or violence Doth neuer cease for vengance loud to call On him that hath committed such offence Which on him at the last will surely fall And giue him that reward he hath deserud For none can scape the doome that is reseru'd For murthers by God that sits on hie And doth behold downe from his heavenly throne All actions good or bad with equall eie Who though a while he letteth them alone And makes a shew to winck at faults forepast When he sees cause he le punish them at last At such time as they little thinke thereon The which he doth full often for our good As for the murther of Agamemnon He made one that was next to him of blood Horestus his owne Son his substitute His iudgement in that case to execute And vnto him procured meanes might By aid of freinds to bring the same to pas Who when he had been made dubbed knight By Idumeus King of Creet when as He had attaind to twenty foure yeares old And was of body strong and courage bold And therewithall both wise and provident And calling vnto mind the iniurie He had sustaind was resolutely bent If Fortune vnto him did not deny Her ayd to proue if that he could obtaine His kingdome and his heritance againe The which by force Egistus from him held And wrongfully possest by false pretence Of wedlocke thereby had him compeld For safegard of his life to flie from thence For which he did protest while he had breath To be revengd and also for the death And murther fowle of King Agamemnon His father on all those that had conspird And traitrously procurd it to be don And to that end most earnestly desird Idumeus King of Creet to stand his friend Some ayd some reliefe to him to lend To helpe him to assaile his enemie By whom he did such iniurie sustaine Which his request the King would not denie But willing his iust quarrell to maintaine Ordained that a thousand Knights should goe With him to fight against his cruell foe Egistus that by force and violence So long time vnto him had done such wrong Which done Herestus by his diligence In little time did make himselfe so strong That he another thousand knights did win To go with him and therewith did begin With all his power to march and in the way As he along did through the countrey pas The first place where he did incampe and stay To victuall and to rest his army was Within a towne Troyesa cald where he Was welcomed with great solemnitie By Forence King thereof who hated sore Egistus for his barbrous cruelty In murdering King Agamemnon but more Because of great deceit and trechery He had vnto him done when as the king That loud him well him so much honouring Vnto him gaue his daughter young of age To be his wife but he respecting not The Kings good will nor breach of mariage When he had her virginitie once got Car'd not for her but quickly changd his mind And shewd himselfe vnto her so vnkind That he without a cause her cleane forsooke And gainst the lawes of equitie and right Committed fowle adulterie and tooke Clytemnestra to his wife when he by night With her consent had slaine Agamemnon And of Methena Crowne bereft her Son And for that hatefull false conspiracle By her and him so mischieuously wrought Committing murther and adulterie King Forence that by all occasions sought To be revenged on him for the â—ame Assoone as Prince Horestus to him came He did not onely offer him some ayd To helpe him in his need against his foe But in most friendly wise vnto him sayd That he himselfe would also with him goe And with foure hundred Knights well furnished Vnto Methena land accompanied Him all the way but ere they entered Into the same Horestus first did go Into the Temple where he offered A sacrifice vnto the Gods to know How he should speed
and also to implore Their aid therein and when he kneeld before The Altar he by Oracle was told And bidden that without compassion Shewn to his mother Clytemnestra he should Revenge the death of King Agamemnon His father vpon her that was the cause That he was slaine against all humane lawes And that he should no mercy to her show But to fulfill the Gods degree and hest He willed was her body all to hew In peeces small which done he should not rest Till he had slaine Egistus in likewise For iust reward of their great cruelties Enioyning him not to be negligent In any wise but carefully t' effect And execute the Gods commandement On paine if that he did the same reiect Of that which might vnto himselfe ensue Which Oracle which as Horestes knew He entred straight into his natiue soyle Where when he came all that did him withstand He did in hostile wise destroy and spoile And being in the middest of the land Layd siege vnto Methena towne whereas False Clytemnestra the Queene at that time was But ere Horestus fully thither came To plant the fiege Egistus in great post The day before was gon out of the same Intending to prepare a mighty hoast To set vpon Horestus and constraine Him to breake vp his siege but all in vaine For while Horestus still before it lay He ceased not his spies abroad to send To see and to enquire every day Which way he went and what he did intend Or meant to do and purposely did set Some bands of Knights his passages to let Appointing others speedily to ride And follow him about in euery place Commanding them t'assaile him on each side And euer more to keepe him still in chase While he the towne so hotly did assaile That it could not against his force prevaile So that at last he tooke it by assault And entring thereinto at euening late He found the Queene Clemnestra in a vaut Whom when he had set watch at every gate He caused to be bound in chaines layd Therein againe where till next day she staid While traitrous King Egistus hast did make Withall the power of men that he could get T' invade with speed and vnawares to take Horestus him of his purpose let And him thereby an ouerthrow to giue And by that meanes Methena to relieue But all that he could doe did nought availe For vnawares Horestus with him met And with such mighty force did him assayle That in short space he did the victory get And having slaine and put his men to flight Himselfe was tane to his great despight In prison cast with hands and feet fast bound Which done Horestus caused every one Wichin the towne that were consenting found Vnto the death of King Agamemnon As also those that armes against him bare To be committed prisoners did spare None whatsoere he was but all receiu'd Due punishment for their reward were Condemnd to die of their liues bereaud Next day when as the Son shin'd bright clreare And first Clemnestra principall head Of all the rest in mighty feare dread Was fore Horestus brought who presently Severely drew his sword therewithall When as he had condemned her to die Did hew cut her into peeces small And caused her in that sort to be borne Out of the towne to be deuourd and torne By Beasts and Birds and haue no buriall And by that meanes gaue her a iust reward Which done he did for false Egistus call Who when he had likewise his sentence hard Which was that he starke naked drawne should be Along the towne and hang'd vpon a tree And not to be cut downe but there to rot To execution went and so you see What guerdon by Gods iudgement murther got And they are so repaid that traitors bee And then the rest that with them did consent To kill the King and to rebell were sent Out of the towne hangd on gibbets hie That all men might example by them take And so Horestus with severitie Reuenged was for Agamemnons sake On them that him so traitrously had slaine And got his lost inheritance againe But when he had thus finished and don That which the Gods commanded had tane Revenge for death of King Agamemnon So traitrously by Queene Clytemnestra slaine King Menalus ariuing with his fleet Of ships that with him came from Troy in Creet And with him brought Queene Helena the faire That had been cause of all the Troian warre The people did in mighty flocks repaire To see and to behold her beauty rare For which so many Princes great were slaine But things once done cannot b'vndon againe Who hearing of his brothers death that In traitrous wise he had been murthered By Clemnestra his wife was grieud thereat But yet with partiality much led Considering on the fact as it behou'd Him to haue done he was in hart â—ore mou'd Against Horestus that so merciles With rigor great and extreame crueltie Had slaine his mother like one pitiles And cleane bereft of all civility For which he swore vou'd if he did liue He would him of his regall Crowne depriue Affirming for his cruelty so great By law of God that he vnworthily Vpon his Fathers Royall throne did sit And therefore straight againe to ship did hie And leauing Creet to Athens sayl'd so fast That he ariud in Nestors land at last And therein was receaud and welcomed As his estate requird but he possest With fury great and by much choller led Would not content himselfe nor be at rest Till he had told to Nestor why he came And of him askt his counsell in the same Desiring him that he a meanes would be By counsell by power if that he might To put Horestus from his dignitie And Regall throne which though it were his right He said that he had lost the same because He had his mother slaine gainst natures lawes And therevpon to Athens both they went And did require the Princes of the land To meet together there in Parlament Where Menalus gaue them to vnderstand What Horestus to Clytemnestra had don And craued all their iudgements therevpon Who being there himselfe and hearing what King Menalus had said and did esâ—ie His meaning and intent was flatly that He would haue him depriued Did replie With courage bold and sayd he had don nought But that which all the Gods decreed and thought Convenient to be done and then did shew How he commanded was by them to go Into Messena land and there to hew His mother all in peeces and to do The same without all ruth or compassion Because she had kild King Agamemnon And that the murther chiefely had been wrought By her alone against all humane lawes And therefore all the Princes there besought With equitie to thinke vpon the cause And not with any malice nor in rage To seeke to take from him his heritage He being Son to King
renowne and valorous And one faire daughter named Thetides While his old aged grandsire Peleus With Thetides his wife lay in a caue In great distresse their woefull liues to saue And yet cleane out of hope relieud to be Or comforted in that extremety Vnles it were by Pyrrhus meanes when he Returnd for which he praid continually And curst the time of his so long aboad Which heavy newes when Pyrrhus vnderstood At Malasus he straight to sea did hie With full intent if he did safely get Vnto his natiue land of Thessalie He would false King Atastus purpose let And be reuengd on him ere it was long For all the mischiefe cruelty and wrong That he had done vnto King Peleus But first before that to the Sea he went He cald to him two knights one Crilippus The other named Adrastus whom he sent To Thessalie to heare and vnderstand Where King Atastus kept within that land And what gainst him he did intend to do And that they might the better bring 't to pas He gaue them letters which he sent vnto One Assandrus a Lord that sometime was A counsellor vnto King Peleus And Chamberlin and when he had done thus He entred ship and would no longer tarry But through the seas did scowre and staied not Although the wind and weather were contrary And stormes arose till at the last he got To Thessalie where t' was his chance to land Hard by the place wherein the caue did stand Where Peleus and his wife themselues did hide Mong bushes briers and thornes all alone Did walke vpon the sand without a guide And when he had with heavy heart thus gone A little while King Peleus comming out His Cauâ— to take the aire was in a doubt To loose his life when as he saw a knight There all alone and sore abashed staid Till he of him had taken better sight And when he had beheld him well dismaid In mind he thought that he Achilles saw And therewithall did neerer to him draw For he so like vnto Achilles was For visage shape and personage that none Could know the one from th' other well so as King Peleus to himselfe did musethereon And straight with teares distilling downe his face He ran his nephew Pyrrhus to embrace And being somewhat better comforted With ioyfull heart though grieud to him did tell How cruelly he had been banished And forced in a caue long time to dwell In misery and woe and nothing left To succour him but all from him bereft With crowne and Kingdome by the cruelty And hatred of Atastus that had don It causeles vnto him whose tiranny For want of ayd he could by no meanes shon Which Pyrrhus hauing heard and marking well Into so great an agony then fell That he stood still and would not speake a word And therewith in his heart exceeding wroth To heare the cause so much the same abhord That speechles to his ships from thence he goeth And would not make an answere therevnto Still studying with himselfe what he should do Till he was told how that the selfe same day Atastus with his Sons was ridden out Into a wood not far of from that way To hunt for deare and that they were in doubt To be assayld by him which when he knew He stayed not but straight himselfe withdrew And putting of his clothes apparelled Himselfe like one of poore and meane degree And girding on his sword without all dread Went all alone into the wood to see What Fortune or advantage he could find Therein to ease his sad and troubled mind And as he went along from place to place Much like a man that seem'd to make great mone At last it was his chance to heare the chace And therewithall he slept aside that none Of them should see nor find him where he stood And when he had a while been in the wood It was Prince Menalippus chance to ride That way with Prince Polistines his brother Where Pyrrhus theÌ„ did stand whom wheÌ„ they spid They staid their horse and both of them together With countnaÌ„ce sterne before they theÌ„ce wold pas Went vnto him and askt him what he was And whence he came and why so poorely clad He wandred in that manner all alone Like one that neither ioy nor comfort had And he that seemd in heart to sigh and groane With heavy cheare and countenance full sad Replied to them againe and answere made That he by chance was cast vpon that shore By tempest and how all his companie Were drownd at sea and that he and no more Escapt with life but yet vnhappelie Had lost all that he had and without joy A Grecian borne that lately came from Troy There wandred solitarilie and praid Them that they would vpon him then bestow Some money and apparell for to aid Him in his need that had been brought so low Who pitying his estate did not denay To do him good but bad him there to stay That they might see what he could do whan They had said so and turn'd their heads aside Behold a mightie Hart before them ran Wherewith Prince Menalippus straight did ride In hast to follow it with spheare in hand And left his brother there who still did stand By Pyrrhus talking with him all alone And seeming to be wearie lighted there Off from his horses backe which hauing done He laid him downe to rest and giving eare Vnto the woefull moane that Pyrrhus made No feare of any hurt or treason had Where sodainely ere he perceiu'd the blow He was by Pyrrhus thrust into the hart From whence the blood in streame began to flow And there he died while Pyrrhus side-waies start And left him lying groueling on the plaine Till Menalippus came to him againe Where while with weeping eies and colour wan To looke vpon his brothers corps he stood Fierce Pyrrhus in great furie to him ran And with a mind that thursteth after blood Straight with his sword his life from him bereft And by his brother dying there him left And so they were vnfortunatelie slaiue By Pyrrhus who when he had done the same Withdrew himselfe out of that place againe And as he went he saw a Knight that came Vnto him wards of whom he did enquire His name and what the reason was that there He road alone so farre out of the way Who answered his name was Cineras Great King Atastus knight who that same day Did hunt within the wood and that he was Not far from thence whom Pyrrhus without â—â—ord Repliâ—d to him againe smot with his sword And kild him in that place and then forsooke The Forrest and directly went his way Vnto his ships with fierce and furious looke Where he put of his clothes and did array Himselfe in purple velvet like a king And to the Forrest backe againe did fling Where sodainely while he walkt too fro He met with king Atastus all alone Who wondring much to see him clothed so Askt
To grieue his head was fild with fantasies And deepe conceits t' imagine and to see If he could find or shape a remedie By any meanes to shun that would not bee But yet for all his policie and wit He could not reach vnto the depth of it For thinking that he would the same prevent De did suppose that no man but his son Was he that should it do and therefore sent With all the speed he could for Thelamon And cast him into prison so to shun That which the Fates decreed should be dun Remembring not the speare with steeled head Nor yet the flag thereon with azure fild With fishes on 't which in the seas do feed Nor Circes faire who in her hand it held Which signifi'd nought but hostility Nor yet the Crowne and regall dignity Of one that raign'd within an Isle that stands In middest of the sea that should be hee Who gainst his will should slay him with his hands And execute thereby the iust decree Of God the which Ulisses thought not on But onely did suspect Prince Thelaemon Whom he then held close prisner in a tower And to prevent all other meanes what s'ere He never ceast to muse thereon each hower And at the last grew thereof in such feare That he did cause a Castle to be made And built of Marble stone the which he had Devised in such sort that there was none Like vnto it in all the world throughout For strength and had no gates in it but one To enter in the same and round about A ditch most deepe and broad on every side Did compasse it Wherein he did abide And closely kept himselfe from sight of all The world but those which on him did attend And ever held a watch vpon the wall Both day and night most strictly to the end That no man should so hardy be to venter Without his leaue into the same to enter Vnlesse it were those that therein did lie Now as the storie vnto vs doth tell Ulisses had a Sonne begotten by Queene Circes who in valor did excell So much that he was comp'rable to none In all that land whose name was Thelagon Borne in an jsle among the furious rage Of foming seas that compast it about Who at that time attained had to th'age Of twenty fiue yeares old who stood in doubt What man did him beget or who should be His father whome he longed much to see And having great desire the same to know He fell before his mother on his knee And did intreat her earnestly to show The truth to him who might his father bee And what he was where he then did dwell But she long time by no meanes would it tell But put him off and fed him with delay Till when she saw she could not be at rest For him that did torment her every day And would not cease till he had his request She shewd him that Vlisses was his sire And where he dwelt who with most great desire To see him tooke his leaue of her with speed And told her that he straight froÌ„ thence would go But when the Queene perceau'd he had decreed To go to seeke Vlisses and that no Perswasion in the world could him withhold From doing it her heart it waxed cold And in her breast she felt exceeding paine And when she saw he would by no meanes stay She prayed him to come with speed againe Home vnto her And so the selfe same day He put to sea and saild so long till he He arriued where he did desire to be And when he was within Achaia land He never ceast to ride from place to place And rested not till he did vnderstand Where king Vlisses royall Pallace was Which when he knew he made no more aboad But speedily vnto the Court he road Whereas the king within his Castle stayd And early on a Munday morning came Vnto the gate and draw-bridge where he prayd The Porter who at that time kept the fame To giue him leaue a word or two to speake Vnto the king who to him gaue a cheake And churlishly did thrust him from the gate And proudly said he should not enter in And with some other speeches told him that He must be gone whereat he did begin To be in such a rage that there with all He did vpon the Porter fiercely fall And furiously did take him by the beard And gaue him such a blow that there with all He fell dead on the bridge which when they heard That were within they issued and did fall On him but he so hotely them withstood And fought with such a fierce surious mood That many of them cleane ore the bridge he cast And when as more vpon him issued forth And on all sides began t'assaile him fast He did begin to be exceeding wroth And with his sword about him made such way That he therewith did fifteene of them slay And fought so long that he was out of breath And scarce could hold himselfe vpright so that Sore wounded he expected nought but death Wherewith Vlisses came vnto the gate And when vpon the bridge he did espie His men on heaps dead on the same to lie Sore mou'd thereat he tooke a dart in hand And there with all in furious wise did throw At Thelagon who then did leaning stand Vpon his sword but it did light too low And hurt him not at all but Thelagon Straight stooped down laying hands theron Did throw it at Vlisses in great hast And there with all did strike him such a blow Into the breast that through his ribs it past And gaue him his deaths wound but did not know That 't was the king nor that he so had slaine His father deare who then could not sustaine Himselfe vpright but to the ground did slide With pale and deadly face and so he lay Amongst his men that stood on either side And busie were to beare him thence away Supposing that he verily was dead But sodainly he lifted vp his head And having still a perfect memory He cald to mind the vision he did see And how that he was told assuredly That one of his ner'st kinsmen should be hee That with a dart of life should him bereaue And for because â—â— could not well conceaue Who it should be He bad his men to bring The young man that before the gate then stood With speed to him without once offering To wrong him for so sheading of their blood And when that he was brought into the place Whereas he lay he look't him in the face And marking well his countenance began To aske him for what cause he did come thither And what occasion moved him as than T' assaile his guard that he and they together Had fought and he had slaine them so whereby Himselfe sore wounded was and like to die To whom with courage bold he spake and sayd The onely cause why I came hither was To see the King but by the
they returnd from Troy and for to show That whatsoeuer man doth take in hand The issue doth vpon Gods will depend For he tis giues an ill or happy end Which is well proved by this Historie Wherein you see that though the Greeks did win And had a most triumphant victorie Against the Troians and their Towne wherein They did obtaine that which they did desire Which was their wilâ— and t'honor to aspire Yet cause the warre which they with Troy began Was done of pride and in an envious vaine Without just cause they rather lost then wan For that vpon their side more men were slaine Then on the Troians part for all they lost Their towne so that they had no cause to boast Considering that besides their losse fore Troy When they were into Greece returnd most part Of them that liu'd did not long time enioy Their victorie for that with envious heart Each th' other did destroy and sought to kill By trecherie the Proverbe to fulfill That blood with blood alwaies reveng'd will be Troyes fall doth teach all Princes to take heed When as they liue in great prosperitie Not to be too secure least that they speed As Priam did who would not be content When he did liue in peace but t'envie bent Old quarrels with his Grecian foes renew'd Supposing that's his wealth and power great He could do what he list But what ensu'd Thereof the storie plainelie downe doth set Which saith that he therby wrought's owne decay To shew that man hath here no certaine stay THus haue you heard as much as I can tell Of all the Troian warre as it 's set downe By Dares Frigius who therein did dwell And wrote the storie thereof in the Towne And every day a view thereof did take Who of this same an end herewith doth make With whom the Grecian Ditus doth agree And in like sort his Historie doth end Twixt whom in truth no difference I can see For both their works vnto one purpose tend Which is the true proceedings to expresse Of that whereof they were eie witnesses Though not in verball forme yet in effect And meaning both alike and true they are Which is the thing men chiefely should respect But that the Grecian Ditus doth declare And saith that while the siege did there remaine The number of the Greeks that there was slaine Amounted to eight hundred thousand men And of the Troiaus side as Dares shoe Six hundred thousand seaventy and sixteene Then lost their liues moÌ„g whom are reckned those That to the Towne from other countries came And there were kild by ayding of the same For that of hundred thousands that did aid King Priam and of diuers countries were It is not found as it before is sayd Though they behaud theÌ„selues most brauely there So many of them in that warre was slaine That there did go fiue hundred home againe And both of them in this point do agree That full ten yeares six moneths 12. daies more The siege did last with great hostilitie And losse of men on either side before The Greeks for all that ever they could do Could win the towne oâ— enter thereinto Till Synon by his craft did it betray As it at large declared is before And further of the same I cannot say Because mine Authors thereof say no more And for to adde more then they write thereto Were in me great presump'ion so to do The time when I this worke had fully don By computation just was in the yeare One thousand foure hundred twenty one Of Iesus Christ our Lord Saviour deare And in the Eight yeare compleat of the raigne Of our most noble Lord and Soveraigne King Henrie the fift who in despight Of all his foes Brutes Albion doth maintaine In honor great for by his puissant might He conquered all Normandie againe And valiantly for all the power of France Hath won from them his owne inheritance And forced them his title to renew To all the Realme of France which doth belong To him and to his lawfull heires by true Discent the which they held from him by wrong And false pretence and to confirme the same Haue given him the honor and the name Of Regent of the Land for Charles his life And after his decease they haue agreed Thereby to end all bloody warre and strife That he as heire shall lawfully succeed Therein and raigne as King of France by right As by records which extant are to light It doth appeare And then I hope we shall Enioy againe the time so prosperous And fortunate the which men vse to call The good and golden world and that to vs God will afford his blessing and his grace That Mars no more our countrey shall meâ—â—â—ce Nor with his countnance furious and wood Moue war and strife between these countries twaine Nor be the cause of sheading of their blood Whereof till now they both may well complaine And that our noble King will so provide By wisedome and by power that either side Shall liue in peace and henchforth so agree That both the realmes of England and of France By one Prince ruld shall seeme all one to bee And ever more liue without variance And from their hearts all hate and malice chase By th' influence of Gods most mighty grace And heavenly power which ruleth every thing And who by his great providence divine Hath such an alliance made betweene our King And France by marying Lady Katherine The French Kings daughter that we hope it shall Procure vs peace and joy perpetuall And that the Royall issue of them twaine Will be a meane and way without all feare That England shall for evermore obtaine The sole command of those two Realmes weare Their Diadems imperiall both together And that the faire Queene Katherines coÌ„ming hither Will nourish so great loue and vnitie On both sides that we never shall haue need Nor cause to feare nor feele adversitie And that it will be th' only meanes to breed Our honor joy and great prosperitie Wealth pleasure peace and all felicitie And driue away all mischiefe whatsoere Out of this Land So that with heart thought We shall haue cause with voices lowd and cleare To pray for her that hath it to vs brought And him that by his valor great and might Hath shew'd himselfe so puissant a Knight That he hath won and cleerely doth possesse All that to him belongs and now it 's set Accompanied with his faire Emperesse Victoriously with praise and honor great In his most Royall throne to whom God giue As long as he vpon the earth shall liue And doth enioy the full fruition Of all that vnto him belongs of right And holds the same in his subiection Encrease of comfort pleasure and delight And t'send him home with triumph with honor As great as ere had any Conqueror And long time after grant him to possesse His kingdomes and his Regall Dignitie With his faire Queene
in joy and quietnes If possible it were perpetuallie And I will never cease both night and day Withall my heart vnto the Lord to pray For him by whose commandement I tooke On me though farre vnfit to do the same To translate into English verse this Booke Which Guido wrote in Latin and doth name The siege of Troy and for his sake alone I must confesse that I the same begon When Henrie whom men fourth by name did call My Princes Father lived and possest The Crowne And though I be but rusticall I haue therein not spard to do my best To please my Princes humor Though A thing that I should not haue tane on me Which am a Monke by my profession In Berry cald Iohn Lidgate by my name And weare a habit of perfection Although my life agrees not with the same That meddle should with things spirituall As I must needes confesse vnto you all But seing that I did therein proceed At his command whom I could not refuse I humbly do beseech all those that reade Or leysor haue this story to pervse If any fault therein they find to bee Or error that committed is by mee That they will of their gentlenes take paine The rather to correct and mend the same Then rashly to condemne it with disdaine For well â—â—vot it is not without blame Because I know the verse therein is wrong As being some too short and some too long For if with faults men should not sometime beare But all for some seeme wholy to refuse Then must I say in vaine my labor were Let ignorance and rudenes me excuse For though my verse for harshnes you reiect Yet if you to the some haue good respect I doubt not but that you therein shall find That all the substance of the matter is Set downe that Guydo wrote to please your mind And if that any word be plast amis I pray you mend the same in curtesie For to condemne an error vtterly Which is not made nor done with bad intent No commendation to him that 's wise For no man vnto scoffing more is bent Behind mens backs nor sooner will surmise A lie then he that hath no wit at all He treadeth sure that neuer hath a fall I oft haue read in Authors new and old Which write of mens behaviors good and ill That no man is more foolish and more bold Then he that is an Idiot without skill For that blind Bayard feares nothing at all Till in a ditch he sodainlie doth fall And none so ready is to prate and prattle Nor sooner will condemne a man then he But for all those that vse such tittle tattle I care not what they say or speake of me For I do not to them direct my Booke But vnto such as with a sincere looke Pervse the same and with mens falts do beare And can amend an error without blame To him that writes and tell not what they heare To hinder or impeach a mans good name But vsed are to speake well of their friend Whereto all honest men their wits should bend For Chawcer that my master was and knew What did belong to writing verse or prose Nere stumbled at small faults nor yet did view With scornefull eie the works and Bookes of those That in his time did write nor yet would taunt At any man to feare him or to daunt His courage in that kind of exercise But rather vse their weaknes to support And as he was well learned and very wise And able to instruct and to exhort Such as did use to write would winke and smile At faults and yet say nothing all the while So that if to describe him I should striue I must needs say vnlesse from truth I varry That never any man as yet did liue Vntill this day that worthy was to carry His inckhorne in respect of Poetrie But if within this Land or Realme there be Such men as able be his steps to trace To them it is that I direct my Booke And wholy to their skills referre my case With their judiciall eies thereon to looke Beseeching them to mend what is amis And t'adde or to diminish all that is Superâ—â—uous or else wanting And although They find therein no phrases that are new Nor Eloquence as they suppose enough Yet I do hope that they shall find all true In substance as mine Author wrote the same Wherein I know I shall incurre no blame ANd he that list and doth desire to see The wavering state and infelicity Of ages past may here instructed be And find how Fortunes mutability Hath alwaies been so great that no man could Put trust in her And therewithall behold How Princes cleane bereft of Royalty Were sodainely brought into great distresse And Kings redu'st to such extremity That poverty and want did them oppresse Great slaughters made in kingdomes enviously Murthers committed by conspiracie False treason secret ambushes despight Subversion of whole kingdomes sodainely The ravishing of women for delight The root of warre and great hostility Maintaining of most fowle adulterie Which caused many Princes great to die To shew thereby that since the cause of all Such wickednes receiues reward most iust Which sodainely vpon mankind doth fall For that in worldly ioyes there is no trust And in this Booke examples you shall find If you consider well thereof in mind How every man must vnto nature yeild When time doth serue both young and old of age And wither like the grasse within the field For here our life is but a Pilgrimage Repleat with sorrow miserie and woe Which if men mark't tooke good heed therto And wisely would consider of their end They would esteeme all pleasure but a toy And no more time therein so vainely spend Nor take so much delight in worldly joy For by Troyes fall it plainely doth appeare That neither King nor Emperor hath here A permanent estate to trust vnto Therefore to him that died vpon the rood And was content and willing so to do And for man-kind did shead his precious blood Lift vp your minds and pray with humble 〈◊〉 That he his aid vnto you will impart For though you be of extreame force and might Without his helpe it will you nought availe For he doth giue man victorie in fight And with a few is able to prevaile And overcome an armie huge and strong And by his grace makes kings and Princes long To raigne here on the earth in happinesse And Tyrants that to men do offer wrong And violence doth sodainly suppresse Although their power be nere so great strong And in his hand his blessings all reserveth For to reward each one as he deserueth To whom I pray with humble mind and hart And so I hope all you wil doe no lesse That of his grace he would vouchsafe t' impart And send all joy wel fare and happines Health victory tranquilitie and honor Vnto the high and mightie coqueror King Henrie the Fift that his great name May here on earth â—'extold and magnified While life doth last and when he yeilds the same Into his hands he may be glorified In heaven among the Saints Angels bright Therein to serue the God of power might At whose request this worke I vndertooke As I haue sayd And now that I haue don And with great labour finished my Booke I doe intreat all those that looke thereon T' accept thereof and tak 't in as good part As I it send to them withall my hart FINIS
spare In our behalfe and to defend our right T' invade the same and with our force might To burne their townes lay their Country wast And vse them as they well deserued haue At our hands for iniuries forepast For by my will they shall not one man saue But cruelly put all vnto the sword For they the like vnto vs did afford And let not their forepassed victory Against vs woone be cause to make vs doubt For they that oft in field are forst to flie Do many times with courage bold and stout Couragiously turne backe and fight againe And in the end the victory obtaine Such is the chance of warre wherein there is No certaintie but oftent mes it 's seen That he that this day victory doth misse The selfe same day the Conqueror hath been And he that held the field victoriously By him that fled before been forst to flie For no man may in warre himselfe assure So fickle and vnconstant it is found For Mars this day will to a man procure A conquest great and cause his honor sound By trumpe of Fame throughout the world so wide And when he list he can for him prouide A sodaine fall and like the summer flower That vadeth with a blast and is consum'd And cleane distroyd in minute of an hower His honor stain'd which he at first presum'd Could never faile and cause it to decay And all within the space of one short day And where before his name was magnifide Even as the ebbe doth follow floud apace As by experience oft it hath been try'd Full sodainly he can't as much abase For though this day the Sun doth shine most clear Next day to vs perhaps t' will not appeare When thick mistie clouds the Sun doth trouble And for a time obscure his radiant beames Even so of Mars the chances are most double And mixed with a number of extreames Now vp now downe now low then aloft As fortune will whose mind doth change full oft For when she list she 'll make a man ascend Vpon her wheele his honour to advance And sodainly she 'll cause him to descend And much againe by some vnhappy chance This day she will exalt him to the skie And next abase in twinckling of an eye Turning her wheelevnstable like a ball She smiles on some and others she doth flout And while one mounts another hath a fall For every man when it doth turne about Must take the chance that she on him will thrust But he that knowes her frauds wiles vniust Will soone perceiue sweet hony mixt with gall In all her actions what so ere they be For honour and renowne mischife and thrall Peace bloudy warre and every dignitie Are at her will and pleasure for to grant Let no man therefore in his fortune vaunt For though the Grecians gainst vs did preuaile When they my Father slue it may so chance That now they shall of their good fortune faile Therefore let every man himselfe advance And as you are renown'd for hardinesse Valour and might shew forth your worthines And vnto fortune do your selues commend And let no feare your manly hearts possesse But boldlie fight your Country to defend As I perswaded am you 'le do no lesse Now let me heare your answeres herevnto And what for me and mine you meane to do This said the Nobles all with one consent Made answere vnto him and did reply That they with hearts and minds were fully bent In his and their iust quarrell for to die And venture goods and all that ere they haue The honour of their Country for to saue For which the King did thanke them heartily And gaue them leaue each one for to be gone And went into his chamber presently Where solitarilie and all alone He sat still musing how to bring to passe The thing that wholly his desire was For he thereon did onely set his thought So much his mind vpon revenge did run That though his own decay thereby were wrought Yet would he not the danger thereof shun And so resolu'd made this conclusion With present speed and resolution To send for all his Sons legitimate And those likewise that basely borne were To take advise of them 'bout his estate And none but they alone that he might heare What counsell they to him as then would giue His troubled mind with comfort to relieue Concerning his pretence of warre to make Vpon the Grecians for their cruelty Which he did mind in hast to vndertake Who being all assembled priuately And every one set downe as his degree And age required the flower of Chiualrie Prince Hector who as then returned was Out of the Prouince of Panomie Next to the King in order tooke his place Whome when he did behold with watrie eye And sighes full sore and deepe from out his heart He did vnto them all his mind impart But ere that he as then a word would speake A floud of teares from out his eyes distild Fast trickling downe vpon his aged cheake So much his heart with griefe as then was fild At last as 't were a man with sobs dismaid With heavy heart these words vnto him said My deare and louing sonnes as I suppose You all record and freshly beare in thought How that the Greekes our old possessed foes In cruell wise their furies on vs wrought Slaying my Father King Laomedon Burnt euen with the ground his ancient towne Put all his subiects to the sword not one Escapt their rage and in captiuitie Led wiues and maids and mongst them Exion My sister deare who in extreamity Still there remaines to our no small offence And your reproch that fetch her not fro thence The which to shun nature me thinks should moue And cause you in your hearts to feele much griefe That she whom you cannot all choose but loue Should there remaine so long without reliefe And with most great dishonour of her name Indure th' abuse she doth vnto your shame Alas my Sons why seeke you not the way To be reueng'd for this great jniurie Vpon our foes and that without delay And her relieue in her extreamitie In truth me thinks sith that you are so strong You are to blame to driue it off so long And thus from day to day the time deferre By Knightly force and valor great t' assay With might and maine vpon them to make warre It grieueth me you seeme so long to stay To grant to my request whose whole desire And heart gainst the doth burne like flaming fire With hatred as you plainely may behold Till that I be reueng'd with present speed The which if you regarded as you should And resolutely in your hearts decreed While you haue strength and valor so to do You would not be so hardlie drawne thereto Remember how t' was I did you beget And fostred you with care as tenderly As I could do and now you are thus great And held to be the flower of Chiualrie You
To keepe them from the Grecians cruelty And Menalus Queene Helena did saue As she for whom with such hostilitie He had been cause to moue that bloody warre And for whom long in heart he had such care The Greeks the while with hot and ragingire Neare ceast to breake and furiously pull downe The walles to consume and burne with fire The howses rich buildings in the towne So that therein they left nothing vpright Nor vndefac'd but with most great despight Destroyed all without exception Of any place or person whatsoere Vnlesse t were those which by condition They had before protested to forbeare And did belong and appertaine vnto Aeneas and all those that did vnto The treason by them practised consent And from their fury great would not forbeare That day till King Agamemnon had sent For all the Grecian Princes that were there To meet in Pallas Temple Vnto whome When they therein were altogether come He asked them if they would constantly Obserue their faith and promise made to those By whom they had obtaind that victory Which they so long had sought against their foes And what they would with all the treasure do Which they within the towne had won Wherto They answered that for their promise made And truely sworne vnto by them they would In each respect obserue it well and sayd That all the gould and treasure gotten should By iust diuision be distributed To euery man as he had merited Of what degree estate or dignity Soere he was and that it should be done By him without all partialitie So that mong them there might not any one Haue cause to be offended nor to blame Him for the true division of the same Which done while they within the Temple staid Some speech about Queene Helena did rise Whereto when some had answere made and sayd Their minds therein as they could best aduise King Thelaphus with great seuerity Sayd that she well deserued had to die For whom so many men their liues had lost And vrged that she might haue iudgement giuen That as they dyed for her it should her cost Her life likewise that day ere it was euen Which many more of them agreed vnto And cause for her there was so much adâ— Agamemnon and Menalus sat still And durst not speake one word to saue her life Least that the Greeks in â—ury should her kill There was mong them as then so great a strife Till that Ulisses with much Eloquence And good perswasions made in her defence Did satisfie them all so well in th' end That they contented were that she should liue And ceasing more about her to contend To Mâ—nalus they did her freely giue And when their Generall Agamemnon Perceiued that they were agreed theron He made request to them that they would giue Cassandra vnto him for recompence Of all his paines and sayd while she did liue He would her keepe and when they went froÌ„ theÌ„ce Take her with him and they contented were It should be so And then before them there Aeneas and Aâ—â—henor to them told And iustified it vpon their oath That Helenus King Priams Son nere would Agree vnto the war but still was loath That Priamus his Father and the rest Should take the same in hand and did his best To let it by his counsell and aduise And how that by the mediation Of him and of Cassandera the wise Whose hearts were moued with compassion Achilles murthered body was not made A prey for hounds as Hecuba had said That it should be and further that they were Much grieued for the murther and likewise For many other matters that were there Don in the towne contrary to thâ—aduise Which they from time to time had giuen to those That of the war had order to dispose To whom because that they were innocent Of all the wrongs that to the Greeks were don They graunted with one voice and full consent That they should haue a full remission And pardon of their liues Then Helenâ—â— With humble voyce and visage piteous Fell on his knees with great submission And thanking them for pardon to him giuen Submissiuely besought Agamemnon With many salt and brinish teares that euen As he had freely pardoned his offence For which he could make him no recompence He would be pleasd to haue compassion Vpon the silly blood of children And with a gratious eye to looke vpon The sons of valiant Hector who as then Nere had don wrong to him nor any other And that he would vouchsafe theÌ„ with their mother His widow left all comfortles alone A pardon of their liues and liberty To whom the King mou'd with compassion At his request did graunt securitie Of life and lim and licence free to go Whereas they list the like he did vnto The rest of all the women then in Troy That in the Grecian furie were not slaine And gaue to them free liberty t' enioy Their dwellings there or else-where to remaine Within the land for which most humbly They gaue him thanks with many aioyfull crie Which done the King with all the Grecians went Out of the Church and presently agreed To leaue the towne and to that end they sent Their treasure and their men aboord with speed Intending to returne to Greece againe But such a sodaine storme of wind raine With great and hideous tempests did arise Vpon the surging seas and such fowle weather Of thunder and of lightning in the skies Continued for one whole moneths space together That none of them durst with their ships aducÌ„ture That dangerous time into the seas to enter But were constraind vpon the land to tarry Till beâ—â—er wind and weather did ensue And finding it still more and more contrary They asked Calchas counsell if he knew What those great stormes tempests signified That them so long of passage had denied Who told them that those stormes tempests fell By prouidence Diuine that had provokt The vgly fowle and furious fiends of Hell To moue the same and could not be reuok't Nor yet would cease till they were punished By death that had Achilles murthered And that their God Apollo angry was Because thereby his Temple they did staine With blood and that therefore they should not paâ— Till they had pleased him with blood againe Which must be done by offering Pollicene Who by her extreame beauty cause had beene And th' obiect of that cruell murther don Vpon Achilles body to apease And giue Apollo satisfaction The which he sayd if they would haue the seas Propice they must needs do ere they went thencee To take away all causes of offence This answere made fierce Pyrrhus sought about In euery place for Pollicene but could By no meanes heare of her nor find her out Till some man at the last vnto him told That she was closely kept and hidden by Aeneas and Anthenor priuely Whereby so great a rumor suddenly Arose gainst them that by that meanes they were In danger
of their liues till trayterously Anthneor to auoid all cause of feare And better to make knowne his villany Had sought searcht so long and busily That at the last he found her out brought Her forcibly vnto the Greeks and there Deliuered her to them when she least thought That she vnto her death had been so neare Who presently without compassion Was iudged to die by King Agamemnon And taking care that execution Vpon her should be done without delay He did giue order and commission To Pyrrhus for the same who made no stay But tooke her by the hand and furiously Drew her vnto the place where she should die Great was the presse that ran vnto that place To see and to behold young Pollicene Who for her beauty comlines and grace Within the world her like had nere been seene So that they all were grieud that she should die And for because there was no remedy Let many a salt and bitter teare distill Out of their eyes for pittie to behold Her woefull stare and gladly by their will Wisht that she might escape faine they would Haue ventred to haue tane her forcibly From Pyrrhus hands but that they verily Beleeud that without she died they nere Should haue faire wind nor go to Greece againe To see their Natiue Land whereto they were Most certainely perswaded by the vaine Suggestions which their Prophet Calchas had Concerning her vnto them falsely made And when vnto Achilles graue she came Whereas the Grecians would her sacrifice She kneeled downe devoutly fore the same And lifting vp her faire and tender eies With wringing hands vnto the Gods she praid In most submissiue wise and thus she said OH mighty Gods that in the heauens abide And see and gourne all things whatsoere At whose command the world that is so wide And eke the seas and skies created were And by your word all formd framd of nought To whom the depth secrets of mans thought Is knowne for nothing from your Deities By any meanes conceald or hid can â—e I humbly pray your heauenly maiesties That you will now be mercifull to me And my poore soule into your hands receiue When bitter death shall me thereof bereaue I do confesse with all humilitie That with a holy care of chastitie I haue preserued my virginitie Vntill this day wherein I now shall die A maiden vndefild for thought or deed Although the Greeks haue iudged and decreed To put me to this hard and cruell death The which I nere deserud as you can tell For as my conscience to me witnesseth And I in truth may sai t sweare it well I am most cleare of that which they accuse Me for yet they will me not excuse But die I must to satisfie their will As they alledge because I gaue consent My brother Paris should Achilles kill Whereas God knoweth I am an innocent And neuer did in will deed word nor thought Giue my consent such treason should be wrought Gainst him whom I do know did loue me deare But was therefore right â—ory in my hart Though presently as now it doth appeare I must for him endure great paine and smart Because they haue decreed for his â—ake That they on me alone will vengance take Without all mercy or compassion And offer me vp for a sacrifice T' appease the Gods great indignation Oh Grecians blind me thinks you are not wiâ—e So cruellie to seeke my death for nought And merciles to bend your hearts thought To kill a poore desolate young maid That neuer did offence to any one For which it may full well of you be said That you haue hearts as hard as any stone And that you farre in cruelty excell The Tyger fierce and hungrie Lyon fell Tâ—assent vnto so villainous a deed And to destroy a silly fearefull maid Vnto her death so hastily proceed As that it may by no meanes be delaid To giue her time and oppertunity To mourne and weepe for her virginity For which your great and monstrous cruelty My giltles blood will sure for vengance call Vnto the Gods that shall with Equity Iudge euery man on earth both great and small And make the truth of all things openly Appeare which now lie hidden secretly I say not this nor yet doe I complaine To haue redresse or to released be From death as if that I did feare the paine Thereof for it 's now welcomer to me Then life sith all my brethren now are dead And in this woefull towne lie buried My father slaine in this vnweldy age And I my selfe left desolate alone To see this towne by Grecians furious rage Brought into vtter desolation The which doth make my heauy heart so sore That I am able now to weepe no more And therefore wish for death to end my wo. For now to liue were vnto me a death And better t' were out of this world to go And presently to end my vitall breath Then to be led into captiuity And there with strangers liue in pouerty And now good death no longer time delay With thy most piercing dart my heart to riue Strike sure and firme I will not start away Nor with thee in no wise contend nor striue Now is the time to shew thy power on mee That ready stand here to attend for thee A mayden true and Virgin pure I am That neuer was nor would be known of man As pure in mind and thought as ere I came Out of my mothers wombe and boast I can That when that I am dead it may be sayd That Pollicene did liue and die a mayd And now vnto the Gods I doe commend My soule of whom I craue submissiuely In mercy to behold â—e and to send Me patience in this great extremity And vnto euery mayden better grace Then t' end their liues in such a dolefull case And longer time to liue in wealth and ioy Then I haue done and to defend and saue Them from all foule misfortune and annoy Beseeching all good maids of me to haue Remembrance and example by me take How they of worldly â—oy account shall make And that they would vouchsafe to shed some teares For me when I am dead and out of date To thinke how I in my most tender yeares Did end my daies by death vnfortunate And thus vnto the Gods I do commend My soule said she and so her speech did end And with that word she bowed downe her head And shut her eies attending stroke of death Which Pyrrhus with a furious spirit led Gaue her and soone bereaud her of her baeath And being dead his cruelty to show In peeces small he did her body hew As it vpon his Fathers graue did lie I muse how he could haue a heart so hard To mangle it so in peeces cruelly And not contented therewith afterward To satisfie his rage in furious mood Like Tygar fierce did take her giltles blood And cast it with his hand all ore the graue