Euphues his censure to Philautus Wherein is presented a philosophicall combat betweene Hector and Achylles discouering in foure discourses interlaced with diuerse delightfull Tragedies The vertues necessary to be incident in euery gentleman had in question at the siege of Troy betwixt sondry Grecian and Troian Lords especially debated to discouer the perfection of a Souldier Containing mirth to purge melancholy holsome precepts to profit maners neither vnsauerie to youth for delight nor offensiue to age for scurilitie Ea habentur optima quae Iucunda honesta vtilia Robertus Greene In artibus magister LONDON Printed by Ihon Wolfe for Edward White and are to bee sold at his shop at the litle North doore of Paules at the signe of the Gunne 1587. TO THE RIGHT HONORAble Robert earle of Essex Ewe vicount of Hereford and Bourghchier Lord Ferrerâ— of Chattley Bourghchier and Louayne maister of the Queenes maiesties horse Robert Greene wisheth increase of honor and vertue THe Egyptians right honorable seeing the counterfait of Mercurie figured with his Caduceus in his ryght hande offered for sacrifice nothing but bay leauesâ— in that they knew such oblations best ted his humor Such as sought to beautifie the temple of Pallas set vp for Iewels bookes shields for that the goddesse did most patronage learning and souldiers Hectors delight was martiall discipline and they presented him with horse armour noting by these presidents how all haue sought in their presents to keepe a decorum hauing by happe chaunced on some parte of Ephues counsell touching the perfection of a souldier sent from Silexedra his melancholie cell to his friende Philautus new chosen generall of certaine forces wherein vnder the shadow of a philosophicall combat betweene Hector and Achilles imitating Tullies orator Platoes coÌ„mon wealth and Baldessars courtier he aymeth at the exquisite portraiture of a perfect martialist consisting sayth hee in three principall pointes wisedome to gouerne fortitude to perfourme liberalitie to incourage I thought good right honorable hauing heard of your noble vertous resolutions not onely in laudable and honorable qualities generally inserted in your Lordships mynde but especially in the fauour of warlike indeuours following the steppes of your honorable father whose life and actions left an admiration of his Vertues to present your Lordship wyth this homelie gyfte vnperfect as the halfe formed counterfaite of Apelles and shadowed with such bad collours as might I not excuse my boldnesse in that blinde men are euer most rash and honorable men euer the most courteous I should the more grieue at my inconsidered presumption but two especiall coniectures doe somewhat salue the sorrow of my forward follie the first the report of your approoued courage and valour in the lowe Countries shewed in the face of your enemie maintained with such a magnanimious resolution as the foe was faine to confesse Vertue in his aduersarie the seconde your Lordships courtesie in acceptaunce of good wil from the meanest th'one manifesting your desire to be thought an honorable souldier biddeth mee hope that as Alexander did vouchsafe of Misons rude vnpolished picture of Mars for that the prince delighted in wars so your honor will giue a glance at this toy if not for the workmanship yet for that it treateth of martiall discipline the other assures mee that amongst many other I shall though without desert â—aste of your Lordships honorable courtesie in vouchsafing such a meane and vnsauorie present wherewith if I be fauored as I hope well my labour hath his reward and my desire his content in which assured hope resting I commit your honor to the almightie ¶ To the Reader GEntlemen by chance some of Euphues loose papers came to my hand wherein hee writ to his friend Philautus from Silexedra certaine pinciples necessary to bee obserued by euery souldier coniecturing with my selfe the opynion of the man would bee not onely authenticall but pleasing and that the tyme required such a discourse as necessarie I thought not to conceale his censure but to participate what I had to your courteous fauours although inteÌ„ded by him for the pryuate vse of his deerest friend hoping as euer I haue done to find your courteous acceptation and that you will for Euphues sake vouchsafe of the matter and requitall of my trauell make some fauorable coniecture of my good meaning which hoping to obtayne I rest satisfiedâ— A Philosophicall combat betweene Hector and Achilles wherein in the persons of the Troian and Gretian Lords are in fowre discourses in-riched with fowre delightfull Hystories the vertuous mindes of true nobilitie and gentility pleasantly discouered HElena the haplesse wyfe of vnhappy Menelaus beawtified froÌ„ aboue to inflict a mortall punishment vpon men beneath honored in Gréece more for her beawty then hir honesty a fault which fondlings account for a fauour fulfilling the dreame of Hecuba that she hatched a fierbraÌ„d which should bring Troy to cyâ—â—ers through her lawlesse consent to Paris so troubled the quietnâ—sse of Asia that Priamus â—lowrishing as prince of â—â—at part of the worlde was with his sonnes and daughters brought to ruine the ende of voluptuos appetites which they mayntained with the sworde For Agamemnon copartner of Menelaus gréefe as friendship is the â—rind to reueng ayded with all the Kings Princes Dukes and Knightes of Gréece intended a resolute legâ—r to the citie of Troy which contiâ—ued â—wo yeares without truce by sundrie assaults 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 had dâ—uoâ—râ—d of both partâ—s 〈◊〉 my vahaunt captaynes that by common consent after a frieâ—dly parâ—â—â— they resâ—lued vpon a truce for thirty dayes during which time the Trâ—ian Ladies resembling Proserpina that must of necessity taste a graâ—ne of the forbidden Pomgranate namely Andromache Cassandra and Polixena accompanied with Hector Troilus Aeneas Helenus and diuers other of royall parentage went to sée the Gretian tents peopled with their enemies Fame the spedy discouerer of newâ—s bewraying their intent to the states of Gréece Achilles amongst the rest â—or that the report of Polixenas beawty had made a conquest of his affections in that the â—are leadeth to the inwarde senses as well as the eye craued of the Gouernour and generall of their forces hee might bee honoured with the intertaynment of the Troians his request graunted accompanied with his Myrmidones he went to meete them in this manner First marched on before the rest a hundreth and fifty on the most gallaunt Coursers that Greece did afoorde their caparisons of Greene Ueluet interseamed with stars of Golde about which was writâ—en thus impreâ—ze Lux tenebra Next to these Achilles mounted vpon an Arabian courser couler Blacke whose furniture was blewe Ueluet fringed with Golde whereon was curiously embrodred the Target of Pallas with a Gorgons head his impreeze Sic Amor. His companions weare Vlisses Diome Patroclus with many Lordes of great valour and progenie The Gretians thus marching on in order met Hector who was fiâ—st of his companie whose very face harboring an extraordinary kinde
answere so full of maiesty The Senators conducting him out of the Citty with a frindly farewell suffred him to depart who returning to the king tolde him the resolâ—â—e reply of the pryncesse which perplexed Rascianus with a double passion for as hee was inuironed with the courage of such a péerelesse Quéene as preferred maiesty and honor before death so hee was gréeued that shee was so obstinate as to giue him the repulse of such a swéete and desired beneâ—it reueng crying to take leaue of affection so hardned his heart that swearing neuer to intreate againe hée presently commaunded his Generall called Mandauior a man of inuincible courage and valour to giue a fierce and furious assault to the Cytâ—â— sith the cowards had so fearefully harboured them selues within the walles Hée whom nothing better pleased then the command of martiall attempts presently vpon this charge gathering his men at armes together fitted with their scaling Lathers and other munition Mandauior formost as one full of courage began so valyantly to giue an assault as had not the citizâ—ns made as violent an intermedley by throwing downe not Pytch Timber and sâ—ones from of the walles the Citty â—ad bene sâ—aled and sâ—ckeâ— but such a hot resistance waâ— made that the Caspians â—â—ed from the walles but Mandauior with the example of his fortitude and the threats of reueng vpon the cowards hee so incouraged them that a fresh they assaulted but with such great slaughter that despight of him selâ—e the Generall was faine to sounde retraite and with some losse râ—tyre to the campe This repulse nothing amazing them they assayed sundry times to indammage the towne but all in vayne which so grieued Mandauior that impatient of fortunes frowne hee so desperatly at the next assault offred to climbe the wall that hée was slayne and his men beaten back with great effusion of blood Mandauior deade Rascianus appointed in his roome one Prelides a man far more liberall then the other was valiant who promising to performe that by prodigall expences that Mandauior missed of by his valiant indeuours tolde his Lord that there was no Citty so strong whereinto an asse laden with golde coulde not enter that great gyftes were little gods that pâ—lfe hath such force to perswade as Auri Sacra fames quid non mortalia pectora cogit men haue their thoughts and their passions and so great a conflict is there betwéene a lyberall Purse and a couetous that might it please his maiestie to graunt him the distributing of his Treasures hee pawned his life for the spéedy recouery of the citty the king desirâ—us to hazard him selfe for the hope of reuenge gaue him free vse of all his coyne which once in possession of Prelides he began first to pay al his Souldiers wages the greatest incouragement that may bee giuen to a frée mynde â—nd to bestow bountifully of euery meane man beyonde his deâ—ert with promise that if they sackt the Citty the spoyle should bee equally deuided amongst them the king only crauing for his share the princesse Cimbriana with Crowne and kingdome this perswasion alleaged and his Souldiers hearts â—et on fier with hope of gaine the next morning by breake of the day hee made an assault with such force as â—he cytizens neuer felt before but they poore men â—â—ghting noâ— for golde but for theyr lyues and family so hardely abid the brunte that Prelides was faine to retyre wit â— great â—ishonor His purpose not fitted by this pretence secretly he gotte to speake with one of the Senators to whom he promised two Talents of golde that the Citty might bee deliuered The Lydians being more politicke then hee was prodigall after a faint deniall gaue consent confirmed it with an othe that for such a summe hée would delyuer vp the Citty the agréement ended and appointed Prelides carrying his gold mette according to promise the Senator who receiuing him and his money with a great troupe of Souldiers brought them within an ambush anâ— made such a bloody massacre of them all as there was not one left to beare dismall report of such mercilesse butchery yet the triumph made in the Cittie their heads set ouer the walles and the Caspians Auntientes displayed on the Turrettes of the Citty gaue Rascianus to vnderstand what ill fortune had fallen to his generall Prelides This mishap still increasing the furie of the Caspian called him so fast on to reuenge that now intending to loose in one day both his men and him selfe vnderstanding that the citizens were greatly weakned also weary of their warre of the siâ—ge hee resolued in person to giue the assault but Cleophanes a noble man in the Campe whose wisedome excelled either the fortitude or liberallity of the other noting with a deepe insight the sondry accidents seeing that the Senators were more wise then valiant and defended the Citty better by wisedome then they coulde doe with pollicie hée thought to giue them a soppe of the same sauce and to thrust out one wyle with another therefore hee desired of his Soueraigne that hee would suffer him to ouerthrow that with his head that his whole hoste could not once shake with their hands the king knowing him to bee of great experience not onely graunted his request but added a promise of higher dignity if hee â—ulfilled his desire wherevpon hee willed the king to craue a Truce for ten dayes which being graunted during the time of the league it was lawfull for any Caspian to go into the Citty and for any Citizen to visite the Campe this interchaunge of frindship confirmed Rascianus by the couÌ„saile of Cleophanes sent foure and twenty of his chiefe nobles and chiefetaines into the Citty as pledges that the Senators might come safely into the Campe without preiudice so to parle of the peace with the king this request thought necessary by Cimbriana and hir Counsaile the Senators came in whose residence at the Campe Cleophanes going into the Citty and into the market place gathering a multitude of the rude and common sort together hée subtelly began to insinuate into their minds with this pleasing Oration Cleophanes Oration to the Citizens WOrthie Cytizens and inhabitants of Lydia whose forepassed peace darkned with a mortall and resolute warre and whose long happinesse quaketh at the thought of incident myseries I cannot though an enemy yet passe the streetes without plaintes nor though sworne â—o your fatall ruyne yet foresée your fall without teares hath this citty beene famous for hir walles hir Turrets stately edifices bewrayed a pompe to the eye by hir sumptuous buildinges and shall it bee laide waste as a desolate place so that straungers shall aske where stoode the glorious Citty of Lydia Shall so many men as are here present whose yeares are younge enough many dayes hence to passe with quiet into the graue perish at the City walles with the swoorde shall these sweete women whose angels faces pleade for pitty bee ledde as sorrowfull wydowes into
captiuity shall the little babes and tender infantes be taken from the Tâ—ate and lie straÌ„gled in the streetes shall the virgins whose chastitie is so pretious be a pray to the souldier and be deflowred before the face of their parenâ—s Nay forgetfull Cytizens of Lydia shall fier and swoorde without mercy finish what I forewarne and you so sencelesse as to beleue the doting Senators that féed you with hope of our remooue Hath not the mighty Caspian compassed the Citty with such an hoste and your liberty is no further then the limits of your walles yea and hath he not sworne to continue the siege till hee be king and inuested with the Crowne consider what hee craues nothing but to haue the Queene to his wife and you to continew his true and lawfull Subiâ—ctes hee seekes not your liues your goods your ouerthrow but to bee as soueraigne and protectour of so faire a citty and so honest Citizens what madnesse then this requâ—st so reasonable hath incensed your Senators to resist him whom fortune hath in farre more dangerous attempts sent away with conquest Beléeue mee Cytizensâ— it is the feare of their wealth not the care of your welfare the dread of their owne mishap not y e desire of your goods that driues them to make slaughter of the Citizens without reason seeing then you are forewarned be forearmed prouide for your owne safty suffer the king to come in and I my selfe will remaine here among you as a pledge of your safty At these woordes the vnbridled multitude desirous of nouelty as men in a fury ran to the pallace thinking by force to haue caried the Quéene to the Tent of Rascianus But she hauing notice of their intent secretly fled out of the pallace and conueied hir into one of the Senators houses adioyning the Cytizens not finding hir maiesty fell to spoile of the treasures which done setting open the gates they getting Branches of Lawrell in their hands went to the Pauilion of Rascianus where séeing the Senators talking for the estate of their coÌ„mon wealth after certaine complaints vttered against them they deliuered vp the keyes of the Citty into the kings hand He taking oportunity at the rebounde casting a frowning looke vpon the Senators and with a submisse courtesie and a frindly oration of welcome intertaining the Citizens hee presently departed and with all his hoste was receiued into the Citty no sooner had Rascianus possest him selfe of the towne and his pledges come into his presence but by the perswasion of Cleophanes hée put all the Senators and chiefe of the Citty to the edge of the sword giuing the rest of the Citty as a praie to his souldiers then they which were by the pleasinge Harmonie of his forerehearsed oration deluded seeing themselues brought into extreme miserie founde that the pollitike wisedome of Cleophanes had more ruinated their estate then all the former forces of Mandauior or Prelides Well repentanâ—e comming too late the Senators slaine the Cittye sackt and all brought to ruine yet had not the kinge his purpose for Cimbriana was missing could by no meanes bee found so that the Caspian raging in the heate of his affection hauing made a priuie search and all in vayne was dryuen againe â—or his last refuge to the pollicie of Cleophanes who counsayled his maiesty to assemble all the women of what age or Degrée so euer into the pallace and afterward to selâ—ct out all the aged Matrons or others whatsoeuer aboue the age of twenty and vnder the yeeres of LX. which done that the rest might be appointed to dance The king following the counsaile of Cleophanes assembled them all and sorted them now amongst the maides was left Cimbriana in disguised apparell who falling to the lot of one of the meane souldiers assoone as the musick founded and they began to treade the measures coulde not so well dissemble but there appeared in hir gestures such a maiestie as euery eye might easely iudge hir to bee some extraordinarie pâ—rson herevppon Rascianus licensing all to depart seased him selfe vpon Cimbriana who seeing fortune would not let hir escape hir determined ill fortune without feare confessed shee was daughter to â—britius and right possessor of that Crowne which hee did wrongfully vsurpe The king seeking by laying downe the summe of hir miseries to make hir more submisse so preuailed that two or thrée daies passed in sorowes hee founde hir as tractable as hee coulde desire and vppon hir frindly and louing consent resolued to solempnise the marriage and so to become peaceable possessor of hir and hir kingdome resting vpon this resolution while all things were preparing for such a sumptuous feast Cimbriana accompanied with hir Ladies finding that none but they and hir selfe were present falling into sighes and from sighes to teares burst at last into these termes Honorable Ladies of Lydia renowned through the world for your beauties vertues whose youth hath beene crossed by fortune aâ—d whose age is assigned to misery depriued of your husbands your parents your children your wealth your liberty yea and in hazard of daily dishonor by the Caspians the greatest losse of all Whetherto doo wee looke but to shame and mishap to what ende doo wee lyue but to disgrace and infamy hath our frinds made defence of our safty with their liues and shall we enter league with their enemies after death shall the hande that slaughtred your parents bée thrust fréely into your Iuory bosoms shall hee intertaine you with amours through whom our city perisht in armours No Ladies let the sight of their carcases yet vnburied hale vs on to reuenge let vs prefer death before dishonor let vs choose rather to accompanie our frinds in their fortunes then sporte in our enemies fauours better is a moment of griefe then a woâ—ld of myserie I seâ—ke not to perswade wherein I will not my self bee formost let the Tragedy bee resolued on and I will bee first actor to bathe my handes in blood to bring which to passâ— at the marriage midst our mirth and in the thickest of our cuppes let euery Lady choose a Lord into whose cup let hir put a dramme of this deadly poyson and so drinking the halfe purchase an honorable death with reuenge The Ladies freely consenting to this motion Cimbriana gaue secret notice to such Cytizens as were left hat when y e citie should bee in an vproare for the death of Rascianus ready in armour they would set vppon the sorrowfull souldiers put all to the edge of the sworde This determynation agreed vppon and the confiction parted amongst them the Ladies seeming maruelous pleasaunt ceased not daily to banquet with the Caspian Lords till the marriage morning was come whereon Rascianus going to the Temple accompanied with his Lords Cimbriana attended vppon with hir Ladies they were solemnly married by the Flamine the rites perfourmed and ended and they returned to the pallace the Caspians feasting for ioy of this great tryumphe passed away
dinner with great solemnity Rascianus and the rest swéetly swilled in their cuppes Bacchus liquor adding a heate to Venus charmes they fell after their maner to dallying with the Ladies who taking oportunitie by the forehead called for wyne whereinto they put the poison which drinking of to the Lords aâ—ter the pledge passed Cimbriana saw hir purpose had taken effect with a sterne countenance looking vpon Rascianus she told him that now shee had quitted hir cities spoyle with reueng for know tyrant quoth shee that thou and all thy Lordes are impoysoned by the hands of women who rather choose to die in dispaire then liue vnreuenged in the handes of an enemy scarse had she vttered this but some of the Ladies whose complexions were tender fell downe dead Rascianus and his nobles amased and feeling the force of the poyson to worke called to the Phisitians but all in vayne for within one houre there was not one of them aliue the Caspian Souldiers seeing their King and their Captaines dead stoode as men metamorphosed from their former sence The Citizens of the contrary part hearing of the desperat attempt of their princesse as men furious and incensed with the heate of reueng getting on their armour gathered in troupes and setting vpon the naked and amased Caspians made such a bloody massacre of the poore wretches that they left not one aliue whatsoeuer hee was that came as mercenary to Rascianus This stratageme perfourmed the dead carkases cast out of the City Cimbriana and hir Ladyes richly intoumbed the Citizens and longe after maintained their cyuill estate with a peaceable and quiet democracy HElenus hauing ended his tragedie the grecian Lords with a plawsible assent praysing his discourse confessed that wisedome was of great force able to perfourme as much in humaine affaires as any other vertue whatsoeuer And yet quoth Hector wee see that the ende of Cleophanes pollicie had a dismall counterpoise of reueng that his wisdome could not preuent the feeble force of one woman that fortune grudging at such treachery repaied all his craft with confusion Let mee quoth Troilus haue such a conquest as men shall attribute to courage not to deceipt and that may end dispight of the enimy him selfe in honor not in curses that Fortune may glorie in for hir fauours not fame haue cause to obscure with hir darkest collours I deny not but wisedome is necessary in a Captainâ— and therefore naturall as giuen to euery man of necessity but valour as it is expedient so it is singularly bestowed vpoÌ„ few as a thing so pretious that the gods doo grudge to imparte it in common You measure quoth Nestor this wisdome which your Brother Helenus discoursed with too bare a proportion as counting what witte or rather reasonable gouernment wee haue by the ordinary or naturall direction of our actions to bee wisedome but his description prooueth the contrary for hee setteth downe that to bee wisedome which is a habit inserted by Nature but augmented by Arte and Science such as is able to discerne betweene vertue vyce so that none can attaine to bée called Fortis vnlesse first hee bee Sapiens for without wisedome hee shall fall eyther to excesse or defect eyther to bee too fearefull or too rashe and so passing that meane for want of wysdome commit something worthy of blame As thus they were redy to make further replie Andromache and the other Troian Ladies seeing the sunne declining to the west desirous to take their leaues hastened Hector from the companie who with the rest breaking of from talke after great thankes to his host Achilles to Agamemnon Vlisses and the other Lords for their sumptuous intertainment with a request from Polixena and hir sister Cassandra that the next morrowe they would accompany Iphigenia Briseis and Cressida to the City who had past their promyse to come they offred to depart Agamemnon onely making excuse for him selfe but graunting his consent to his daughter the other noble men promysed to accompany the Ladies and for confirmation thereof after an interchange of courtesies mounting vppon their coursers they roade with the Ladies to the very walls of Troy where after a friendly farâ—well they returned to their pauilions Priamus glad to sée his children so merry at home began to question with them of their intertainment which Hector from pointe to pointe rehearsed vnto him as before with this addition that the Gretians ment to dyne with him the next day wherevpon Priamus made most princely preparation ¶ The third discourse THe gladsome rayes of Phoebus had no sooner shaken of by the consent of blushing Aurora the dusky and darksome Mantle that denied Tellus and Flora the benefits of Tytan but the Grecian Ladies and especially Cressida who all that night had smoothered in hir thoughts the perfection of Troilus were vp and at the pauilion of Achilles to waken him from his drowsie nest whose dreames were but swéete slumbers conceipted by imagination of the beauty of his fayer Polixena The worthy Captayne glad he had such pretty Cocks to crow him from his dreames hied him out of his bed and with as much speede as might bee sending for Vlisses Diomedes Patroclus Nestor and the rest after a small desiune for feare of the ayer they mounted with the Ladies and trotted on a solemne Pace towardes Troy Hector hauing by his espials vnderstanding of their comming accompanied with a worthy troupe of Troians went to méete them hauing before him vpon white Arabian Coursers three hundreth gentlemen clad in purple Bisse their Hats plumed with crimson Feathers that reached to the Arcons of their Saddles their Coparisons interpointed with broken Launces spotted with bloode about the borders wâ—s written this sentence Hac fortis sunt insignia Next to these Hector whose countenance threatned warres in whose face appeared a map of martiall exploits framing his collours to his thoughts was seated on a black Barbarian Gennet whose furniture was black Ueluet set with Adamants interseamed with fluds wherein were Salamanders bathing in content there was imbrodered in letters figured with Pearle this Sic pro Marte Hector thus in his Furniture mette Achilles and the Ladies whom after friendly salutations and a second repaying of thankes for their good cheere they conducted to the Citty where they no sooner entred the gate but Hecuba the stately Troian Queene attended on by Penthesilea the princesse of the Amazons hir daughters and other Ladies of great dignity met them with most royall intertaynment whom after generally they had saluted with a particular welcome they accompanied to the temple of Pallas where aged Priamus with six and thirty other kinges his allied frinds amazed the Gretians with the sight of their maiesty in so much that Achilles as a man in a traunce confessed in his thoughtes that this citty was Microcosmos a little Worlde in respect of the Cytties of Greece Pryamus noting howe they stoode in a muse saluted them in this maner Worthy Grecians whom reueng
taking a Pollax in his hand with such a desperate furie gaue the attempt and so amazed and repulsed them that his Souldiers imitating his courage put all their foes to the edge of the sword the battaile ended the Senators gaue him a Crowne of Lawrell for the victory but fined him in a some of money for his rashnesse in that hee did so vnaduisedly put himselfe in daunger being the Generall of their forcâ—s So that wee see there ought in this vertue of fortitude certaine circumstances to be necessary as how it bee done where it bee done why it bee done and when it bee done least in defect hee bée counted a Coward and in excesse a desperate and vnaduised gouernour Your Grecian Annales tells vs of one Lamedos that being a Captayne ouer the Athenians in a skirmish fledde which one of his owne souldiers seeing cryed in retyring to him Lamedos why dishonorest thou thy Countrey by flight Thou deceiuest thy selfe man quoth heâ— I doo but looke to the profit that is behind mee which after hée confirmed by proofe for taking aduantage of the place he discomâ—â—ted the enemy shewing that hee feared not death but sought howe to the profit of his countrey best to make manifest his courage Theseus yet liuing who for his worthy and incomparable victories is canonised as come from the Offspring of the gods being in a battayle against the Athenians intrenched him selfe with a stronge countermure and would not in many daies bee drawen out to fight which his enemy Lymeâ—tor séeing comming to the trench cried out aâ—d said Theseus if thou beest such a hardie souldier as Fame reports thee to bee why commest thou not out but like a coward lyest intrenched nay â—uoth Theseus smiling Lymestor if thou beest of such courage why doost thou not force mée out of my trenches By this delay shewing that hee sought to set Fortitude in hir prime to adde oportunity to his valour and so to fauour his prowesse with fortunate aduantage that his attempt as it should bee resolute so it might bee for the profit of his Countrey which insued according to his thoughts for hee slew Lymestor all his people Experience then tells vs as fortitude is necessary so it is to bee vsed with such moderation as by keeping the meane it bée counted a vertue Howe requisite it is in a Captaine consideration of his place makes manifest for being appointed Generall and therefore Guyder and Gouernour of the rest hee is to measure all his actions yea his very thoughts with such an honorable resolution as laying apart all feare of death whatsoeuer his charge and dueâ—y is to hazard him selfe in any perills though neuer so dangerous thereby to incourage his Souldiers by imitating his valour to attempt the like to bee formost in the march and last in the retrayte to preferre honor before death and not to make estimation of the enemies how many they be but where they bee otherwise in seeming to doubt of the multitude his fearefull imagination greatly discourage his souldiers Sergius a woorthy Captaine hauing but one hand was of such courage and valour that being alwayes in the face of the enemy he returned Uictor in two and fifty great battailes Lysias the woorthy Prynce of the Lacedemonians being demaunded how hee was honored with so many conquests pulling out his sword made answere that with this hee made Fortune subiect to his desiers attributing more credit to his owne prowesse than to the inconstant deity of such a fickle goddesse A Grecian Captaine whose name commeth not readily to memory being in a sore battaile against that mighty Monarch Pisandros séeing his countrymen ready to flee for feare of the multitude of the enemy whose fleete almost couered the Sea sought to perswade them but in vaine wherevpon hée sent secretly one of his sonnes in a little skyfe to Pisandros to tell him that his countrymen would escape by such a passage which hee taking kindly and presently stopping added such a courage to the cowardâ—s that by this pollicie drawen to battayle they put Piâ—andros with great losse to flight where wee sée how greatly the incomparable fortitude of the Captaine did preuaile in the getting of victorie In deede quoth Troilus I doo remember that Apollo being demaunded by the inhabitants of Phasiaca what captaine they should choose for the subduing of the Milesians his oracle answered Such a one as dare for the weale of his countrey leape into the Mylesian gulfe whereupon they returned and made proclamation that their frâ—edome could not be vnlesse one willingly offred himselfe as a sacrafice to Neptune the men of Phasiaca naturally fearefull sought euery man his owne safâ—y till at last a poore man whom want had made desperate offered him selfe him they those for their Captayne and going foorth to meete the Milesians hauing little skill in ordring his men yet with such resolution set vpon the enemies thaâ— by his meanes they returned victors Tâ—uth quoth Hector of such force is fortitude that the very name of courage daunteth the enemy for I haue heard my father Priamus often make mention of one Nasycles who was so famous for his cheualry and prowesse that his very name was a warrant oâ— victory to his souldiers in so much that after his deathâ— in a great battayle his countriemen being almost discomfited causing one to put on his armour they fought a fresh cried Nasycles which so affrighted the enemy that they fled were vanquished To be short whâ—t can a captaine were he neuer so wise attempt by pollicie but he must performe by Fortitude What ambush so cunningly planted but would be ouerthrowne if garded with cowards what encounter though fortune swore the victory and taken with most great aduantage could be atchieued if the Captaine for feare discourage his Souldiers from the assault which the forenamed Sergius noted very well in thâ—t how small so euer his number was yet hee woulde alwaies gyue the onset saying that souldiers which stood at receipt felt the furious attempt of the enemy were halfe discomfited neyther doth liberality preuaile to incourage the Soâ—ldiers to battaile when they see their captaine stand more vppon his purse then his person had rather incounter with pelfâ— then with the sword To confirme which forerehearsed premisses pleaseth your honorable patience to giue mee leaue I will rehearse a pleasant and tragicall historie Priamus taking a delight in his sonnes discourse nodding his heade gaue sufficient proofe they were content to bee patient auditors wherevpon Hector began his tale thus ¶ Hectors Tragedie Audaces Fortuna adiuâ—at IN the kingdome of Egypt as the Cronicles of the Caldes maketh mention there ruled sometime as king and Soueraigne of the Countrey one Sosthenes a pryncâ— whose Courtes florished wyth Lawrell wreathes more then with stéeled Armour and in whose City of Memphis were more Academies for Phylosophers then Storehouses for warlike munition as one that delyghted wholie in a peaceable time to applie
without their hinderance meaning that preiudiciall gifts are rubbed with dishonor and bring with them hatred and infamy Theocritus an auncient Poet of ours calleth liberality the theefe that most secretly stealeth away the mindes of men his reason is this that all estates for the most parteâ— adicted to couetousnesse and greedy desire of gaine cast their eyes euer after that obiect that glistereth most with riches and set their opinions and censures with partiality on those whom Fortune hath fauored with many treasures such sayth hee as most bee that are blinded with this couetous desire are tyed so stricktly to the purse of a liberall man as hee may at his pleasure drawe to what hee purposeth to imploy their vses In such estimation haue our predecessors had this vertue that they accounted not that day amongst the tearmes of their yeares wherein they did not liberally bestow some benefits But to touch more particularly a perfect dyscourse and to prooue that it is necessarie in a souldier let vs note the ende of martiall desires which I remember once I hard Thesâ—us deuide into thrée partes the first and principall honor generally aymed at by all but specially belonging to the Captaines yet due to the meanest souldier for his prowesse The second the conquest which fortune imparteth as hir fauour to the generall and fâ—me to the rest of the souldiers the last desire of spoyle and treasures gotten with the sworde and so hardly attayned with the hazard of lyfe this ought the common sorte of mercenary Souldyers to haue as their due as a recompence for their perills and an incourage to such warlike indeuours for if the conquest and honor bee allotted to the Captaine what great iniustice is it to deny the rest the benefit of a litle momentanie pelfe which mooued a worthy Captaine of Thebes when he had obtained a victory against the Lacedemonians of all the spoile only to take one sword distributing the rest amongst his souldiers saying fellowes in armes this I challenge sith I wronge it out of the hand of mine enemy what soeuer els is yours as the reward of your trauels for the Theban Senators warre for honor not for treasure The mercenary man that beareth armes for hier and for his ordinarie pay fearâ—th not to venture his life in the face of his enemy hauing but his wages he hath but his bare due so that if hope of spoyle and the bounty of his Captaine did not incourage him in his attempts hee would both doubt the danger of his person and scorne for so little gaine to runne vppon such â—minent perrills which caused Zoroastes in his great warre against the Egyptians to giue riche gyftes to the meanest of his souldiers promising the spoiles of Egypt for the guerdon of their valour his liberallity taking such effect as hee returned with conquest The great Monarche of the world whose name I neede not rehearse did see that liberality was such a glory in a Captaine and such a spur to a souldier that at his departure out of Greece with resolâ—tion to make a generall conquest of the whole worlde hee gaue to his Captaines other men at armes all his riches treasures and possessions reseruing onely for him selfe the hope of the prowesse For what doth the wisedome of the Captaine by long and swéete orations and sundry pollicies what doth the fortitude of a generall by hazarding him selfe among the thickest of his enemies preuaile onâ—ly in these two points hee aymeth at his owne profit the ouerthrow of his enemy and perhaps a little incourageth his souldiers but what reapes the mercenary and popular man if withall he be couetoâ—s but scarres wounds and penary nay what doth the Captainâ— get if with a deepe in-sight he looketh into the souldiers minde but a dissimuled loue a secret hate an intended contempt and a forced courage rather to defend themselues from perill then to hazard their liues for his safty whereas the Captaine that is liberall not only in paying theiâ— wages which I count it a sacriledge to deny but in imparting the spoyle which I hold as their due so tiâ—th the mindes of his souldiers to him with an vnfayned affection that they count no perill too dangeâ—ous no attempt too hard no nor force not of death to signifie their leue and dâ—sire to recompence his liberality I remember I haue red of Cassius a Barbarian prince which intending warres to the Libians comming with a small power into Libia passed with litle resistance euen to the very pauiâ—ion of their kingâ— where after a small skirmish he tooke him prisoner and vsed him princely blaming his souldiers that woulde not aduenture more desperatly for the safty of their prince after passing into the Citty in sacking his pallace hee founde such infinite treasure as might haue hiered a multitude of mercenary men for the defence of his countrey Wherevpon noâ—ing the couetize of the man he so hated him that shutting him in his treasurie amongst all his gold hée pyned him to death saying he was worthy of all mishap that would not continually keepe ten Legions of souldiers to eate vp such riches by which wee see what contempt a couetous Captaine incurreth by his niggardize whereas liberality is an ornament both to wisedome and fortitude such a pretious Iewell as no value may suffice to estimate To confirme which as Hector and Helenus haue done I meane to rehearse a Tragedy so your honorable presence shall fauour mee with patience Achilles séeing by their countenance they expected no lesse began his tale in this manner ¶ Achilles Tragedie Index animi liberalitas IN the Citty of Athens famous through the world for Philosophers and Souldiers amongst the Senators â— for the state of the City was Aristocratia there ruled as chiefe honored generally for his good partes one Roxander chosen by the consent of the Senate Dictator in the warres this bâ—ing eleâ—ted Captaine was so fauored by fortune as hee neuer waged battaâ—le wherein hee remayned not victorâ— in so much as the fame of his happy successe was a warrant to the Athenians of their safty Of stature hee was small of meane courage no man greatly lettered but to â—ecompence these defects he was of such exceeding bounty and liberalitie to all men but especially to his souldiers that his very countenance was sufficient to incourage thâ— most bashâ—ull coward to the combat For the Athenians by their law gaue all the spoiles gotten in warres to the Captayne onely appointing to the souldiers their ordinary pay but Roxander as he triumphed in many â—ictories neuer inrichâ—d him selfe but equally imparted the treasures of the enemy amongst the souldiers according to their deserts being of such a liberall minde towardes them that profâ—ssed martiall discipline that at his owne charges hee founded hospitalls for such as were maimed in the warres that their reliefe might ad a glorie to his renowne Gâ—uing dowries to the daughters of such as were slaine and in peace being a