likewise that time did fall Vpon the valiant King Neptolemus The prowdest Greeke at that time mongst them all And he likewise with heart couragious At Sarpedon did run and with great might Out of his sadle fiercely did him smight But Sarpedon with fell and wrathfull hart The which with rage and anger burned hot Did suddainly vpon his feet vp start And with his sword Neptolemus he smot Into the thigh a great and cruell wound Wherewith he made him fall vpon the ground But when the King of Percia did perceiue King Sarpedon stand fighting on his feet In danger great he did him straight relieue And on the greeks so furiously did set That in despight of them by mighty force He holpe him soone againe vnto his horse But at that time King Menelaus came thither And Menestes Th' athenian Duke who both With many troopes of Grecian Knights together In furious wise and with exceeding wroth Vpon the King of Percia did fall And did enclose him round amongst them all Who fighting with them valiantly and long At last when he their force could not sustaine They did so thicke and fast vpon him throng He was by them with disaduantage slaine Whose death so much the Troians did dismay That they retird and gaue the Grecians way Till Sarpedon with bloody sword in hand Couragiously did many Grecians slay And did their force and furie so withstand That he not onely forst the Greeks to stay But draue them all before him on the plaine And made the Troians win their ground againe While Priamus vpon the other side With all his sonnes that bare him company Amongst the Grecians valiantly did ride And kild and beat them downe but specially King Priamus with many a bloody wound Did kill and slay all he before him found So that not any Troian young or old What soere he was though nere so high and strong Of body and of lim nor nere so bold That time did fight so furiously and long As Priamus himselfe for he alone That day was many a Greeks destruction And vtter ouerthrow For that theire Wherewith he was at that time wholy led And made his heart to burne as hot as fire For causes two was then redoubled One for th'inveterate hatred which he bare Vnto the Greeks the other cause he sware And vou'd to be reuenged if he might For Hectors death which put him in such rage That while he had the Grecians in his sight He could his choller by no meanes asswage But doubling his strength so fiercely fought That many a Greeke that day t' his death he broght And so continued in such furious wise To take reuenge on them that in despight Of all his fierce and cruell enemies By valor great he put them all to flight But they by slight the Troians to beguile When they had fled before them for a while Did wheel about and suddenly went downe Into a very great and spacious plaine That lay betweene the Troians and the towne Intending some aduantage so to gaine Vpon their foes and to that end did set Great Ambuscadoes euery way to let And keepe them from going into Troy againe And certainely had don 't by likelihood If Priamus had not with mighty paine And valor great most brauely them withstood Who at that time like Lyon fierce and strong With sword in hand did ride into the throng And thickest of the Greeks and valiantly Brake all their rancks with deepe wounds wide Hact hewd beat them downe so puissantly That no man durst his trenchant sword abide For whosoere he stroke was surely slaine Wheresoeuer he did ride throughout the plaine At which time also Paris did so fast Pursue them with his bowes and crosbowes shot And piercing darts which through their armors past And by that meanes such vantage on them got That they began to giue the Troians place And Priamus did them so hotly chase That being put to great extremitie By meanes of his exceeding force and might And to avoyd his extreame crueltie They did with mighty feare and great despight Flie to their â—ents glad they escaped so And they of Troy into the towne did go Because as then it drew fast toward night For Phoebus with his chariot west did hie Vnto the Indian coast to giue them light And so the honour of the victory Was wholy giuen to Priamus alone Who by his valor great the same had wone To ease his heart of that exceeding sorrow Which he therein conceiud for Hectors sake But yet vpon the next ensuing morrow He sent vnto the Greekes a truce to make With them whereto they gladly did agree But how long time the same should holden bee It 's not exprest In which time they of Troy Great preparation made with dilligence The Percian Kings dead body to conuoy According to his state with reuerence And honor great into his countrie That he in decent wise entombe might be And buried mongst his progenitors The Percian Kings and so most solemnely His Captaines and his other officers Did take the corps embalmed sumptuously And layd it in a Chariot couered ore With blacke and so in mournfull weeds it bore To Percia conuaied with a rout Of his owne worthy Knights and many more That in most dolefull wise did ride about The body and behind and eke before The same did goe vnto the buriall And at that time the sumptuous funerall Of Hector was in Troy solemnized According to the manner in those daies The which with honor great was hallowed As Guido and his Author Dares saies For space of fourteene daies continually And all that while within the sanctuary Great store of lights did burne and neare went out Which custome they continually did keepe From yeare to yeare as it did run aboâ—t Wherein they neuer ceast to mourne and weepe And watcht and praied there both night and day In mourning weeds and neuer went away From thence but on there knees continued there Before the tombes of their dead friends and so The Troians who great griefe in mind did beare For Hectors death in woefull wise did goe All clad in blacke to mourne and to lament His death till that full fourteene daies were spent The which they did with great solemnitie While that th' aforesaid truce continued was When as the Greeks might with free libertie Go into Troy and without danger pas The gates thereof and they of Troy also As freely might vnto the Grecians go At which time when Achilles wounds were curd And that he could well trauell vp and downe He had a great desire while truce endur'd To enter into Troy to see the towne And to behold the sumptuous funerall For Hector made by all in generall Within the same and so vnarmd without Assurance other then the truce then made Whereof in those daies men stood not in doubt He went to Troy and entring in nere staid But to Apolloes Temple straight did go Wherein as then with braue and warlike
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
to me some skill That loftie verse by stately tearmes may yeild To valiant Knights their honour due in field Assist herein likewise i ft be thy will Calliope to Orpheus mother deare Who insweet musicke so exceld for skill That with the sound of harpe as doth appeare He pleasd the monster Cerberus so well That he had leaue to enter into hell To fetch his loue out of th' infernall lake Where Pluto held her for his owne sweet-hart But with the musicke he to them did make He graunted she with him should thence depart And with the dew of thy sweet liquor wet My tongue so harsh and in right tune it set For thou art sayd of Rethoricke to beare The onely praise and patronesse for skill And eke of musicke pleasant to the eare Thou canst direct each instrument at will Deny not then sweet Muse thy ayd to mee And I shall rest beholding vnto thee Els will the clowds of ignorance enclose And round incampe my wits that are so bare And cause the rude to Poets vtter foes To laugh at me But such as learned are I will intreat what faults soere they find To winke thereat and keepe them in their mind And if that in my verses I haue err'd As no man but may erre what ere he be I must confesse I never yet deseru'd To haue the praise for excellent Poetrie For God he knowes when I this worke began I did it not for praise of any man But for to please the humor and the hest Of my good Lord and Princely Patron Who dained not to me to make request To write the same least that obliuson By tract of time and times swift passing by Such valiant acts should cause obscur'd to lie As also cause his Princely high degree Provokes him study ancient Histories Whereas in Myrrour be may plainely see How valiant Knights haue won the masteries In battailes fierce by prowesse and by might To run like race and proue a worthy knight And as they sought to clime to honors seat So doth my Lord seeke therein to excell That as his name so may his fame be great And thereby likewise Idlenesse expell For so he doth to vertue bend his mind That hard it is his equall now to find To write his Princely vertues and declare His valor high renowne and Maiestie His braue exploits Marshall acts that are Most rare and worthy his great dignitie My barren head cannot devise by wit T' extoll his fame with words phrases fit This mighty Prince whom I so much coÌ„mend Yet not so much as well deserues his fame By royall blood doth liâ—ally descend From Henrie king of EnglaÌ„d forth by name His eldest Son heire vnto the Crowne And by his vertues Prince of high renowne For by the graft the fruit men easly know Excreasing th' honour of his pedigree His name Lord Henrie as our stories show And by his title Prince of Wales is hee Who with good right his father being dead Shal weare the Crown of Brittain on his head This mighty Prince hath made me vndertake To write the siege of Troy the ancient towne And of their warres a true discourse to make From point to point as Guydo sets it down Who long since wrot the same in latin verse Which in the English now I will rehearse The time when first I tooke the same in hand To say the truth was in the fourteenth yeare Of famous Henrie King of England The Fourth by â—â—ne my Princes Father deare When Phoebus shew'd in altitude to be Fine three times told and foure and one degree When he did in his Chariot downe descend With golden streames into the Ocean strand To bath his steeds and light to others lâ—nd That farre remote inhabite th' Indian land Where when our Summer is cleanâ— past and gon Their spring begâ—â—s but newly to come on And when Lucina faire with paler light Began in cold October to arise T'enhase the darkenes of the winters night And glistring starres appeard in christall skies And then was in the signe of Scorpion And Hesperus then westward running downe His course to hasten gainst tomorrow bright As Lucifer that driues darke clouds away Is sayd to bee the messenger of light And shineth at the dawning of the day When Phoebus early shoes his glistring face Ascending from Proserpins obscure place Where Pluto sits environed about With furies of the fowle infernall Lake In this yeare moneth and time as it fell out This Historie I first in hand did take And of the Troyan wars the truth vntwind As in my ancient Author I it find For if no Authors had the truth set downe In written Bookes of things that are forepast Forget fulnes would soone haue trodden downe Each worthy act and cleane extinct at last Which Serpent never ceaseth to assaile The world to cause all truth on earth to faile And had no ancient Histories been found But all things vnto memorie were left Truth surely then would soone be layd in ground And men of knowledge vtterly bereft But God intending Sathan to prevent That hath foreseene and writers alwaies sent From age to age still to renew the same That truth might alwaies spring and come to light And thereby win an everlasting name Against the which sowle envy still doth fight But famous Clarkes not ceasing truth to show By writing leaue the same to vs to know Els time with syth would soone cut downe the grasse And reâ—ening death extirpe the root and all And nothing whatsoere on earth did passe Should haue record the same to mind to call Nor honor due to valiant Knights be read But it with them should rest and lie as dead And so not onely name but fame would die And wholy be defaced out of mind But Histories explain the same to th'eie As daylie by experience we may find Nere ceasing spight of envy to vnfold The truth of all which may not be controld Therein we see of high and low estate The life and acts as it were on a stage For writers that are wise in heart do hate To speake vntruth or flatter any age For tyrauts being dead they will not feare To write and shew their follies as they were And t'yeild each man as he shall well deserue Be 't good or bad and therefore it iâ— best For every one that credit will preserue In life to vertue cleaue and vice detest For after death know this and marke it well Clarkes will not spare the truth of them to tell For such vnpartiall dealing in their daies Great Princes in them tooke no small delight For truely blasing forth their laud praise Their high renown their power their might Their knightly acts their victories fame Eternally with glory of their name For they still sought to shun the sisters three Fraud Negligence and Sloth that none might doubt Ought was forgot or more pâ—t in to bee Then truth requird and as the truth fell out Els worthy acts
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
and therewith feard The stroake of death with pale and deadly cheare To Thelaphus he spake as you shall heare My sonne sayd he sith I from hence must passe And leaue this world for neither force nor might Intreaty presents pardon nor yet grace Can saue my life as equitie and right Requires the same here in the audience Of all my Lords to cleare my conscience I tell thee that the worthy valiant Knight Thy Father Hercules once conquered This â—â—and by his valor and his might And when that he therein had stablished A perfect peace and all things quiet were Because he did to me affection beare He freely did assigne and giue to me The regall crowne and scepter of the same With all the Princely power and dignite That thereunto belong'd or he could claime And of him I it held I must confesse So that his state therein was nere the lesse And now for loue of him sith I must die I giue to thee that which from him I had Which is the Crowne and soveraignty Of this same Isle and likewise as he made Me King thereof I also thee create King in my stead to maintaine the estate And dignity thereof while thou do'st lâ—ue And to thine heires for ever to remaine Though I confesse the thing which I thee giue Before vnto thy selfe did appertaine By true descent and right paternall line As Hercules did giu 't to me and mine And to that end he sayd vnto them all That round about him stood I doe declare That sith the Gods out of this world do call Me hence without an heire and that you are Left destitute of one to be your guide To th' end that you all care should set aside I heere doe make my will and Testament And by the same do grant assigne and giue My scepter crowne and regall ornament To Thelaphus to hold't while he doth liue And after to his heires by true discent Which sith it is my will and my intent I pray you all as soone as I am dead Without delay let it performed be And set the regall crowne vpon his head And honour him as you haue honord me And after hauing written what he sayd He pawsd a little while and then he praid And hartily desired Thelaphus That presently assoone as he was dead Of Knight-hood for to be so courteous To cause his body to be buried With royall pompe and Princely funerall Fit for a King and then turn'd to the wall And suddenly fell Parcas cut in twaine This thred of life and made him yeild his goast Which as the Poets in their fables faine Straight tooke her way vnto Th'lizian coast Whose body feard and balm'd withâ—ut delay King Thelaphus a tombe of Marble gray Caus'd to be made in rich and sumptuous wise Whereon in golden letters he did place An Epitaph the which he did devise To show how Tentran died and what he was And how he gaue his crowne to Thelaphus Whereof th' effect In verses six was thus Here lies King Tâ—ntrans body in this tombe Who by Achilles cruelly was kild In fight but ere of death he had his dombe By testament to Thelaphus he wild And freely gaue the Crowne and Soveraignty Of Messa Isle and so in peace did die Which being done and every other thing Performed with great pompe and royalty And Thelaphus of Messa crowned King By full consent of the Nobility And fealtie and homage to him made As they before to Tâ—ntran promist had Achilles straight vnto his ships did carry All things that he would aske desire or haue That for the Grecians turnes were necessary As Corne and Wine such as the soyle there gaue Flesh fish fruits fowles of every kind such store That he could not desire nor wish for more And order with King Thelaphus did take That he should there remaine to rule the land And when occasion seru'd provision make Of such things as the Greekâ— in need did stand That at all times in their necessitie Of victuall they well furnished might be Though willingly he would haue gone againe With him to Troy but that Achilles praâ—'d And hartely desird him to remaine In Messa that he might the Grecians ayd When they in any need should stand straight With all his ships with victualls fully fraught He sayld to Troy againe and soone did land At Tenadon and there relation made What entertainment they in Messa found And how King Tentran then resisted had And valiantly the Grecians power assaild And without doubt against them had prevaild As hauing three men to their one but he By valor slew King Tentran in the field Who being brought vnto extremitie And at the point of death himselfe did yeild And how before he died he did consent And order tooke by will and testament That Thelaphus should king of Messa be Whereto the whole Nobility agreed And Crowned him with great solemnitie And how that he had left him there when need Requird to make provision Of victualls and of munition And lastly shewd what victualls he had brought With him from thence to serue them presently Assuring them they need not doubt that ought Should want to ayd them in necessitie Wherewith the Greeks well pleas'd did much esteem Achilles for his valour thanking him That he therein had been so dilligent And brought his charge vnto so good a passe Which done he road vnto his tent Where he with great applause receaued was And welcomed of all his men as glad That he from Messa safe retourned had But now for that mine Author turnes his stile And leaues the Grecians power at Tenadon And of the Trâ—â—â—ns actions for a while Doth speak to show what they meane time had don To fortifie themselues against their foes And then at large particularly shoes What force they had procur'd and severally The names of all the Princes doth declare That came to Troy and there couragiously Their ayd did lend to Prians in the warre Which he so long and valiantly maintain'd Against the Greeks and finally obtain'd Although at last t' was his destruction Eternall fame which death could ne're deface Nor tract of time put in oblivion But mongst the rancks of worthies doth him place I will them orderly each one declare And show what several names armes they bare And first he saith three Kings of noble fame Came vnto Troy to ayd King Priamus Their countries he omits but doth them name Andrastrus Tapor and King Pandarus And with them full three thousand Knights they brought That valiantly against the Grecians â—ought And from the Isle of Coleson there came Fiue thousand knights that by foure Kings were led The first of them King Carras had to name A Prince for valor great much honored The second called was Imaâ—ius Nestor the third the fourth Amphimacus From Licia land with Glaucus Valerius So there came his sonne and heire Prince Sarpedon Both were alied to King Priamus Who in those warres great fame and honor won And with
great compelleth me to pray Thee that in this distresse thou wilt not stay Which words wheÌ„ Hector heard knew they came Out of a heart repleat with curtesie He bow'd his head and thank't him for the same As to his friend and yet his enemy And then perforce and mauger all the might The Greeks could vse most like a valiant Knight With bloody sword in hand he brake the presse And through the thickst of them did brauely ride And got from them and still he did not cease To kill and beat them downe on euery side And in his way Pollidamas he found That valiantly stood fighting on the ground Against two Greecian Kings whereof the one Was Menelaus a worthy valiant Knight The other fierce and furious Thelamon Who likewise was a Prince of passing might And Thelamon ran at him with such force That with his speare he threw him on his horse And forcedihim gainst both of them to fight On foot that they reuenge on him might take And with most furious blowes they did him â—â—aâ—â—e Vpon his crest and helmet which they brake And then the beauer from his face they â—â—â—e And when that it vncouered was and bare And by that meanes he could it not defend With that aduantage which on him they had They tooke him suddenly and did him send Vnto their tents and him a prisoner made But when as Hector did behold and see Pollidamas in such extremitie With full intent to succour him in hast He spurd his horse and furiously did ride T'oretake the Greekes and wheresoere he past With sword in hand made way on every side Till in the end he got vnto the place Whereas distrest Pollidamas then was Cleane succourlesse and without remedy Or hope of ayd from Troians in that case Till that he did on Hector set his eie That thirty Greeks had slaine in little space And made them giue him way for all their pride For none of them durst fore his sword abide Nor gainst him stand so that by valor great And Knightly force he made them all to flie And by that meanes Pollidamas did set Free from their hands againe at libertie Then to the field came King Epistrophus With many worthy Knights and valorous And with him Menelaus and Thelamon And each of them great store of Knights likewise Who with their troopes of Greeks all joynd in one The Troians did assaile in furious wise To get themselues an everlasting name Of honour and of glory by the same And with their power of Greeks that were so strong They draue the Troians fore them in the field And entring mongst the thickest of the throng Gainst them a hard and furious fight they field Despight of all their valor and their might Or Hectors Knightly prowesse that did fight So valiantly as then and with such force That none but he himselfe could euer do 't But cowardly the Greeks did kill his horse And then he was constraind to fight on foot Which vnto them procur'd but little good For there was none that then about him stood But he did kill and wound them grieuously And though by them he was inclosed round And on all sides assayled furiously He made them to recule and giue him ground And on his feet so fiercely fought that day That none of them durst hand vpon him lay For if they did they were assur'd to die And when his valiant brethren him beheld And saw him fight on foot so furiously Inclosd by Greeks in midst of all the field And to defend himselfe gainst them so well As any rauening Tyger fierce and fell That furiously doth fight to saue her whelp They all together brake into the prease And Hector on all sides began to helpe And first vpon King Thelamon did ceaze For him gainst Hector busiest then was found And gaue him many a great and bloody wound While that a valiant Knight cald Dixdaron Among the Grecian troopes did boldly ride And there a gallant horse by force he won Which hauing got he did not long abide Bâ—â— brought it vnto Hector where he stood Among the Greeks all bathed in their blood Whereon in hast he mounted gallantly And mongst the Greeks like Mars himselfe did ride And many of them did kill so furiously That at that time he did abate their pride Then Deiphobus entred in the field And brauely gainst the Grecians battaile held With th'archers of Bohemie which he brought With him to field whose arrowes feathers were With Peacocks glistring tailes wherwith they fought And did so fiercely shoot that in great feare To shun the same the Greeks retired backe And Troians by that meanes did courage take And then Deiphobus valiantly did race And beat King Tentrans helmet from his head And with his sword did wound him in the face So cruelly that in a manner dead Hefell of from his horse with extreame paine And then the Troians furiously againe Assaild the Greeks and put them to a stand And once againe were masters of the field But Theseus with the Knights at his command Withstood them still and them too hardly held Till Hectors bastard brother Quintiline Whose armes as cleare bright as sun did shine And the most valiant King cald Modernâ—â— Assayled and with extreame crueltie Together fell vpon King Theseus Who nerethelesse with great agilitie Against them both himselfe did long defend But notwithstanding all his force in th' end They brought him vnto such extremitie That without doubt they had him surely flaine If Hector mou'd thereto by curtesie Had not with speed cri'd out to them amaine To pray them for his sake their hands to stay And saue his life whereto they did obay And for that time assayled him no more For Hector cald to mind what curtesie To him was showne the selfe same day before By Theseus in his hard extremity And therefore with the like did him require As t is the part of every courteous Knight For which King Theseus thankt him hartely As glad he had escapt by such a chance Then in the field King Thoas valiantly On Grecians side his standard did aduance And with him King Philoctetes came thither Who with theÌ„ broght great store of knights together And with that great and new supply of men The Troians did assayle and Thoas ran At one of Priams bastard children Whom Guido â—aith was cald Cassibelian And to him gaue so great and sore a wound That he therewith fell dead vpon the ground Which blow when Hector saw he grieued sore And for his brothers death great sorrow made And to himselfe he did protest and swore That he would neuer rest till that he had Reveng'd his brothers death if that he might Vpon the Greeks and then with great despight He entred mongst the thick'st of them in hast And furiously all those that in his way Did stand he kild or maymed sore did cast Them off their horses backes and all that day So valiantly did fight against his
where euer they theÌ„ find Which was the cause that Hoctor mou'd in mind Of Knighthood and of inward ameâ—ie When he in Aiax did such valor find Vnto him spake and said in curtesie Nephew if thou the Grecians wâ—lâ— forsake And come to Troy I dare well vndertake Of thine alies and noble kindred Thou shalt receaued be with chearefull mood And welcommed without all feare or dread And specially by those of Royall blood And such as are of Princely high degre The which me thinks great pleasure were to thee And naturally thou shouldst in heart be glad To liue among thy friends that wish thee good Sith that no greater joy there ean be had Then to restore thy selfe vnto thy blood For by the valor great that thou do'st show Which naturally within thy heart doth grow I know thou art of Troian blood descended Forsake the Greeks therefore withall thy heart That long and often times haue vs offended And willingly gainst them with vs take part I pray thee doe me not herein deny But Aiax answere made and did reply And sayd sith that by birth he was a Greeke And from the time of his Nativitie Among them had been bred and fostredeke And had receiu'd the order and degree Of Knight-hood there armes for theÌ„ had borne And thereto had protested vou'd and sworne For to be true to them and to their Nation He said he would obserue and keepe their hest And would of blood make no exception Onely he did of Hector then request That if in courtesie and gentlenesse He would of Knight-hood and of worthinesse Show vnto him so great affection To cause the Troians forces to retire And to withdraw themselues into the towne And leaue them and their tents at his desire And for that time their furious fight to stay And to assaile the Greeks no more that day Sith vnto them saith he it may suffise That in the field they haue the victory And by their valors great in Knightly wise Haue overcome the Greeks triumphantly He sayd he would the same most kindly take And him thereby to him beholding make Which Hector straight did graunt although alas T' was done with two much hast and wilfulnesse And sodainly ere Aiax thence did passe Made no delay without advisednesse But caus'd a Trompet in the field to blow To giue the Troian Knights thereby to know That t' was his will they should themselues withdraw According to the custome of the warre And of the old and ancient Marshall law Which alwaies hath been vsed neere and farre When they most hot and earnest were to fight And gainst the Greeks to show their force might And had them forst to flie vnto the strand Intending there with full and great desire For that the Greeks could not their force withstaÌ„d To kill them all and set their ships on fire And so to worke their whole confusion Which they without all doubt that time had don If Hector had not had compassion On them and causd the Troians to retire Vnto the towne without discretion T' accomplish that which Aiax doth require And fight no more against the Greeks that day The which at last did breed his owne decay With th'vtter ruine and subversion Of Priamus and all his whole estate And finally the townes destruction But sure it was their hard and cruell Fate For no man can withstand the iust decree Of God though nere so great a Prince he bec CHAP. II. â— How the Grecians made suite to King Priamus to grant theâ—â—â— truce for eight weekes which he agreed vnto and of their baâ—tailes after the truce was ended THus haue you heard as Gâ—â—do doth declare What twixt the Greeks Troians had bâ—n don That day in field and how the Troians were By Hector when they had the battaile won Commanded to retire and go their way Out of the field and fight no more that day To whom although they willingly obayd Because he was their Prince and Generall Of all the hoast and might not be denaid Yet had they knowne what after should befall Without all doubt they would it not haue don But no man fatall Destiny can shon For from that time they might assuredly Say farewell honour victory and fame From Troians tane by perverse Desteny And Fortune that most false and cruell Dame Who vnto them a mortall foe still waâ— But for a while I le let that matter passe And now I will proceed and further show That when the Troian Knights the field did leaue Vpon the sound of Trompet that did blow And did themselues of victory bereaue Supposing that they did it for the bestâ— They went into the towne to take their rest Where hauing shut their gates and made them fast When they had well refresht themselues that night They layd them downe to sleepe which being past WheÌ„ Phoebus shone next day most cleare bright And with his beames reflect their hemisphere And made Auroraes glistring face t' appeare All those that had no wounds armes could beare Of purpose did prepare themselues to enter Into the field as they commanded were And valiantly against their foes to venter To overcome them that day if they might For t' was decreed by Hector overnight That fore the Sun that morning did appeare Assoone as ere they wakt they forth should goe And to that end no time they did deferre But speedily themselues in armes did shoe Within the large and spacious plaine whereas The Temple of Diana placed was And therefore Hector staid But ere they went Out of the towne of Troy into the field The Grecians early in the morning sent To Priamus to craue of him to yeild And grant vnto a truce that should abide For two moneths space which he not once deâ—â—de But with consent of Hector and the rest Of all his Marshall counsell did agree And willingly did yeild at their request That it on his behalfe obseru'd should bee And they likewise did promise for their part To doe the like and so they did depart Vnto their tents where while the truce did last They buried all their men that had been kild When they did land and on the day forepast According to the Pay-nim lawes they held And which by them observed was as then Where all the bodies of the meaner men Were burnt and cleane consum'd to ashes pure And such as were of great and high degree Had other kind of Princely sepulture According to their state and dignitie And in that sort the time did ouerpasse Till the two moneths of truce expired was In which time it is sayd Achilles made Much sorrow and such griefe in mind conceiud For his deare friend Patroclus death that sad And full of woe he was and cleane bereau'd Of ioy whereby great lamentation Long time he made with much affection For him and sith he lou'd him as I say To haue him still in memory he made A tombe to be set vp of Marble gray To bury him
such a blow That with the same he bled exceedingly Wherewith he was in heart offended so That furiously vnto him straight he went And ere that he his bow againe had bent Stept into him and with exceeding force Gaue such a dangerous deepe and fatall wouâ—d Vnto that monster Demy man and horse That dead he fell down groueling on the ground Whose death when as the Grecians did behold Abandoning all feare with courage bold They did vpon the Troians set agâ—â—â—â— And furiously constrained them to â—â—iâ— And to retire in hast into the plaine Where Duke Policinare most valiantly Great store of them did of their liues bereaue Whose crueltie when Hector did perceiue In furious wise he did vpon him set And slew him with his sword wiâ—h great despight And then as he by chance Achilles met Couragiously and like a hardy Knight With launce in rest he ran at him amaine And he at him with purpose to haue slaine Each th' other if they might and in their wroth So fiercely strake each other on the shield That with their blowes they were vnhorsed both And laid along flat downe vpon the field But fierce Achilles with dispightfull hart First vp againe into his sadle start And sought by all the meanes he could to take Gallathe Hectors horse if that he might With full intent a prey thereof to make And hauing tane't to Hectors great despight He gau 't his men to lead out of the field And Hoctor by that meanes was then compeld To fight on foot amongst his deadly foes Who in most furious wise on them did fall And kild and beat them downe with mighty blowes And then vnto his Troian Knights did call And willed them vpon the Greeks to set And forcibly his horse from them to get And they in hast to rescue it againe Achilles did assaile and gainst his will Tooke it by force from him vpon the plaine And brought it vnto Hector who the while The Grecians fiercely slew with great despight And then by force most like a valiant Knight Despight of all that round about him keapt And like Smiths on an anvell at him stroke Vpon his gallant horses backe he leapt And by maine â—orce through thickest of them broke And then againe so fiercely with them fought That they his wrath and anger dearely bought And mongst them riding bramely here and there Like Lion strong the Greeks did wound and slay So furiously that cleane poâ—â—est with feare As death his sword they shun'd and fled away And by that meanes the Troians did begin Vpon the Greeks the field againe to win But it befell in 〈◊〉 so furious fight That vnawares Anthenor went so farre Amongst the Greeks that by maine force might They did him for their prisoner take and bare Him straight froÌ„ theÌ„ce vnto their tents with speed And yet his sonne to helpe him at his need Spard neither paine nor valor to relieue And rescue him but all was labor lost For which at heart he did so free and grieue That many a Grecians life that time it cost By valor great which he as then did show But for because the sonne then waxed low And it began in hast to draw to night They made an end and fought no more as then Because at that same time they wanted light And either side retired with their men The Greeks vnto their tents vpon the plaine The Troians went into the towne againe And rested there till morning did appeare When Phoebus gan his glistring beames to shew And Dame Aurora with most ioyfull cheare The hearbs and flowers did moisten with her deaw And hungd her siluer drops like pearles fine On euery bush which gainst the Sun did shine And show themselues so orient and so cleare On every valley hill and pleasant greene In morning when the Crimson clouds appeare And in the skies most beautifull are seene Vntill the heat of Phoebus glistring beames Dries vp their moisture with his fiery streames And makes the vaper mount into the aire When as the skie did not exceed with heat And that the weather shew'd both cleare and faire Which time the Troians purposed to meet Then foes and with most braue warlike show In order plast into the field did goe Gainst whom likewise the Grecians valiantly Did goe into the field and when they met And each the others armies did espie They did vpon each other fiercely set And presently great store of launces broke And many a mighty strong and cruell stroke On either side was giuen and many a shield With axes billes and trenchant â—ades were clâ—â— And many a Knight sore wounded in the field In little space was of his life bereft And such a cruel laughter there was then On either side that many thousand men That day were brought vnto confusion But greatest losse on Troians side did fall Yet Guido of no Prince makes mention That then was slaine but speakes in generall And saith that cruell fierce and bloody fight Betweene them held from morning vnto night Which Troians for their parts full dearely bought For Fortune then vnto them was no friend But rather with the Grecians gainst them fought And so when day did draw vnto an end The Troians went againe into the towne The while the Greeks vnto their tents went down And there did rest till they againe could see At which time all the Grecian Princes met And mongst them did with one consent agree To send vnto the towne of Troy to get A truce for 3 moneths space to which intent Ulisses and fierce Diomede were sent That message vnto Priamus to beare And when vnto the gates of Troy they came A Troian Knight cald Dolon met them there And courteously convaid them through the same And brought them to King Priams royall hall Where he then sat amongst his Princes all Where they to him their message briefely told Which was a truce for 3 moneths space to haue If he would be content the same to hold To whom the King a friendly countenance gaue And sayd he would advise of counsell take And then to them he would an answere make And they did all agree and were content To yeild vnto the Greeks in that respect Saue Hector who thereto would not consent But at the first their motion did reiect And did affirme that t' was but meere deceit By them then vsed of Priam time to get And that two things them therevnto procur'd First that they might haue time and libertie To bury all their dead while truce endur'd And vnder colour thereof secretly More victualls to prouide which they did want And which as now with them was very scant And by that meanes the famine to preuent Which then was in their campe with pollicie He sayd he knew was only to th' intent That they the longer there in siege might lie And being well prouided of each thing That needfull is sayd he they might vs bring While they increase and we decrease our store
shewes at large First how she was to him deliuered With Thoas for Anthenor and was led By them out of the towne accompanied By Troiclus and many more that road With him and her and how King Diomed Did lead her horse and her great kindnes shewd Till that she came vnto her Fathers sent Where she did light and straight into it went And then declares how she therein did stay What speches she to him and others vsed While she with them sat talking all that day And how that soone her selfe she did abuse For Gâ—ldo saith that day before t was night She cleane forlooke her deare louing knight And gaue her heart and loue to Diomede To shew what trust there is in women kind For she of her new loue no sooner sped But Troiclus was cleane out of her mind As if she had him never knowne nor seene Wherein I cannot gesse what she did meane Vnlesse it were because she did delight In novelty as women doe by kind And nature which vnstable is and light As by experience commonly we find But now no more of loue I will declare But turne my stile againe vnto the warre CHAP. V. ¶ Of the Eâ—â—â—ailes fought betweene the Greeks and the Troians after the truce of three moneths was expired The description of the Pallace of Ilion in Troy of a great pâ—stâ—â—â—â—ce that happened in the Grecians hoast Whereby they were constrained to seeke for a truce which they obtained of the Troians for 30. daies THe three moneths truce aforesaid being don The next ensuing day when Titan had His Indian course from West to East out run And after he great sport and cheare had made In sweet and faire Auroraes company And rose from her and would no longer lie But with his Radiant beames that shone most clear When as the â—arke did sing with great delight Did on the walles and towne of Troy appeare Hector the strong and most victorious Knight His battailes in good order did ordaine And ready was to goe into the plaine To fight against the Grecian enemy The first whereof himselfe well armed led And with him had to beare him company Full fifteene thousand Knights well furnished Next vnto him braue Troielus did goe With iust ten thousand Knights in warlike shoe And after him the Percian archers went That had his brother Paris for their guide Each with his Bow in hand all ready bent And sheaâ—es of peircing arrowes by his side In number full thre thousand archers braue The leading of the fourth ward Hector gaue Vnto his brother Deiphobus that had Three thousand men well arm'd in corslets cleare And of the rest Aeneas leader made And as the story â—aith as then there were An hundred thousand valiant Knights stout By Hector to the field that day sent out And as I find by Dares Frigius And Guido too against them forth were led Seven thousand Grecian Knights by Mâ—â—â—â—â— And iust as many more by Dâ—â—â—ed And next to them Aâ—billes with his â—and Of Myrmidons in order plast did stand Then Zantipus a King of great renowne Conductor of three thousand Knights was â—â—dâ— And last of all into the field came downe The Generall of the hoast that with him had So huge a band of Grecian Knights that all The plaine with them was fild straight dâ—â—â—â—â—â— And set vpon the Troian Knights so fast That many men at that encounter died And furiously vnto the ground were cast And as by chance King Phillis Hector spied That cruelly the Greeks beat downe and chast He spurd his horse and ran at him in hast And with his launce vpon him fiercely set Which when as Hector saw he coucht his speare And him with so great sorce and fury met That he did him out of his sadle beare And gaue him such a deepe and cruell wound That he therewith fell dead vpon the ground Whose death when as the Grecians did espie With griefe for him they waxed pale and wan And many to revenge it valiantly On Hector set and first vpon him ran King Zantipus who with most great disdaine And griefe to see King Phillis there lie slaine His launce vpon him brake which to requite Hector at him most furiously did flie And with his speare so fiercely did him smite That with the blow he did most cruelly Giue him a wound so deepe into the side That he therewith fell off his horse and died For whom the Greeks complain'd and grieued sorâ— And hated Hector for his cruelty And each to other promised and swore With Troian blood his death reuendg'd should â—e And at that time did them so sore pursue That many of them in little space they slew And mongst the rest Achilles cruelly Lichaon and Euforbius both did slay Two Knights that came out of their Countrey Which distant was from Troy a mighty way To ayd and help their friend King Priamus And while the Greekes set on the Troians thus Hector by chance was wounded in the face Wherewith the blood out of his Bever ran Whome when the Troyans saw in such a case They were so much abasht that they began To flie in great hast to leaue the plaine And in the chase great store of them were slaine Before that they could get out of the preaâ—e The Grecians them so hoâ—â—â—e followed And to pursue and kill them did not cease In furious wise as they before them fled And chased them almost vnto the towne Till Hector that most worthy Champion Perceiuing them to flie so fast away Vnto them went t' encourage them againe And made them turne spight their hearts to stay And valiantlie to fight and to maintaine The battaile gainst the Grecian enemies For when as he by chance cast vp his eies Vnto the wals of Troy and did behold Queene Hecuba and Policene that stood Thereon to see the fight his heart waxt cold As being moou'd with fierce and furious mood For verie shame to see the Troyans flie And made them turne with great dexteritie And staid their â—light with them backe did ride Vnto the plaine and in his way he met A Grecian King cald Merion neere allide T' Achilles and on him most fiercelieset And with his sword gaue him so great a blow That therewithall his body claue in two Whome when Achilles found in that sort dead Much grieu'd to see 't but 't could him noght availe He tooke a speare and Hector followed With full intent t'revenge him without faile And to that end ran at him valiantly And on the shield smote him most cruelly But could not once remooue him with the stroake Nor make him in his sadle rise nor bow For he sat sure and steadfast as an Oake But mooued sore when as he felâ— the blow With sword in hand he did Achilles smite So great a stroke with all his force and might That with the same he did his helmet breake And tare his Bever off and made him reele And on his horse
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
did stand That if he should within the field be seene Against them of the towne King Priam would Thinke much thereof and Hecuba the Queene And Pollicene would him for euer hold To be disloyall and vnkind whereby He was in such twofold perplexitie That he knew not which way himselfe to wind He was so prest with feare and fantasie As louers in their braines doe often find When they for loue are sicke and like to die And thus it far'd with him for many a day In which time as the History doth say For seauen dayes ensuing one the other The Troians with the Greeks did fiercely fight And in such cruell wise then met together That it did cost the life of many a Knight On either side that pitiously were slaine And wounded sore lay dead vpon the plaine Meane time he musd vpon no other thing But to obtaine his pleasure and to win His Ladies loue and how 't to paâ—â—e to bring Nere caring what estate the Greeks were in Nor how they sped wheÌ„ gainst their foes they foght Esteeming it no parcell of his thought So much his mind on other things was set Which made him oftentimes to watch and wake And many sore and cruell sighes to fet And so great care and inward thought to take That from his heart all comfort cleane was gon Till on a day that King Agamemnon Perceiuing what destruction still was made By them of Troy vpon the Grecians sent To Priamus for two moneths truce but had No grant thereof for he would not consent To longer time then for few daies t' endure While they prouided for the sepulture Of those that on each side lay slaine and dead Within the field which they accordingly Within the daies set downe accomplished And after neuer ceast continually Each other to assayle while that they were Besiedging of the towne as you shall heare CHAP. III. ¶ How Achilles when Troylus was enclosed round about by his Myrmidons came behind him and smot off his head and after drew his body through the field at his horses tayle THe cruell and continuall slaughter made From day to day still more and more increast Th'inveterate malice that continued had Long twixt the Greeks and Troians nere ceast Nor nere was like to cease till that deaths dart Had killed many Knights on either part T' accomplish by most sterne and cruell Fate Gods stedfast and infalible decree And t' execute the great and deadly hate On either side which might not shunned be For Atropos that in deaths ship doth go For Misteris had sayd it should be so Nor neuer cease till all did go to wracke And flattering Fortune with dissembling cheare Disdainefully on Troy did turne her backe As in this Booke hereafter you shall heare For when the last day of the truce was past On either side they armd themselues in hast And in the morning early fore Sun rose Into the field they went and fiercely met Together like most sterne and deadly foes Where Paris first on Menelaus did set And they each other brauely did vnhorse For they were both of passing might and force And then Ulisses furiously did run With mighty speare against Pollidamas Where twixt them both a cruell fight begun For neither of them vnex perienst was How to defend himselfe against his foe And while they were together fighting so Not farre from them Menestes fiercely smot Anthenor with his speare so great a blow That it in peeces brake yet fayled not Him to the ground therewith to ouerthrow And Philomene a King on Troians side To valiant King Agamemnon did ride Who at the first together fiercely sought But in a little while Agamemnon Was by him into so great danger brought That he had sure been slaine if Thelamon Had not come thither t'ayd him in his need Who setting spurs vnto his gallant steed Stroke Philomene with such a mighty ferce That with the blow which was exceeding strong He smot him to the ground off from his horse And then amongst the thick est of the throng The young and valiant Knight Archilagus Ran at a Troian Knight cald Brâ—â—iâ—s King Priams Bastard son to whom he gaue So mighty and so puissanta blow That neither shield nor armor could him saue But dead vnto the ground he did him throw Whose death when as the Troians did espie They did cast forth a huge and piteous crie And grieuously complaining for the same Were sore abasht and striken in great feare But when the newes thereof to Troielus came T'reuenge his death he did protest and sweare And presently did make no more abode But to the place where he was slaine straight rode And with his sword so furiously did slay And wound the Greeks that he did make their blood Run downe in mighty streames along the way And in the plaine and all that him withstood Were fiercely by him beaten downe and kild So that the hardiest Knight then in the field Durst not abide in his most furious sight He slew and wounded them so câ—uelly And had that time sure put them all to flight But that the Myrmidons most valiantly Withstood him for a while who all that day With one consent in wait for Troielus lay For which he was in such a mighty rage That like a Knight that did in armes excell His furious wrath and anger to asswage With courage bold vpon them all he fell And did amongst the thickest of them ride Where some of them he wounded in the side Some in the brest and some he did bereaue Of heads hands legs and feet and some he smot So puissantly that he did fiercely cleaue Their bodies in two parts and spared not To hac and hew them downe so mightily That at the last they were compeld to flie Vnto their tents pusued by Troielus With many Knights till he did them oretake Wherewith most cruell heart and furious He did so great a slaughter of them make And put them to so great extremitie That they cast forth a fearefull noyse and crie And such a great and lamentable mone Was heard of them that lay vpon the ground And gasping cast out many grieuous grone That all the field and plaine therewith did sound And through the campe the tumult was so great Because their foes so fiercely on them set That at the last it came t' Achilles eare Who calling to his men demanded why The Grecians at that time were in such feare That they did make so great a noise and cry Who told him that for want of ayd as then The Troians in their tents did slay their men And put them to so great extremitie That they were forst to cry for griefe and paine Which they endured by the crueltie Of Troielus and that his men were slaine Likewise within his tent and there did lie In great distresse without all remedie And while they thus vnto Achilles spake A Grecian Knight came running from the plaine Whose heart within his brest
rather vnto his eternall shame Out of thy worthy learned Booke deface His name and of him make no memorie Therein at all for surely in this case When as I heare his name me thinks the skie Infected is therewith and that throughout The world all men against him do crie out For if he had esteem'd Nobilitie Knight-hood renowne or worthines or fame Praise honor glory or gentilitie Or in Fames Booke t' haue registred his name He would haue been aduisd and taken heed For honors sake t' haue done so fowle a deed To draw so great a Prince when he was dead At his horse tayle who was so braue a Knight That while he liud and in Troy flourished To speake the truth and yeild to him his right Surpast Achilles far in each degree Of Knight-hood valor and actiuitie But to returne where I did leaue when as His brother Paris did behold and see Him dead and drawne by Achilles as he was With such despight and so great crueltie Such griefe and sorrow at that time he had Within his heart that like a man that 's mad He fard and with all speed that he could make Pollidamas and he together ran And many more to see if he could take His body from Achilles but as than The Grecians fought so hotly that in vaine They labored for they could not obtaine To their desires what meanes so ere they made Till Menon who entire affection bare To Troielus and great compassion had To see him dead without all feare or care Of fierce Achilles valor did protest That he would neuer leaue nor take his rest Till he reuengd his death vpon the man That had him slaine and presently did take His speare in hand and at Achilles ran To whom in fierce and furious wise he spake And sayd thou traitor false and mischiuous Thou Scorpion most vile and enuious That in dishonor of all chivalry This day hast slaine the worthiest Knight that liu'd Vpon the earth by thy false trechery Who cannot but be vexed mou'd and griu'd To see a worthy Knight of his degree Drawne in such wise as he is now by thee At thy horse tayle in scorne and great despight Hast thou forgotten and abandoned All knight-hood that thou sholdst now take delight To do so great disgrace to him that 's dead Who while he liu'd was better knight then thou The which I meane to proue vpon thee now And for this vile and most vnknightly act Reuenge his death whom thou this day hast kild By treason with thy Myrmidons compact And by this meanes thy trechery fulfild Whereby thou thinkst great honor to haue gotten But thy fowle fact will neuer be forgotten While that the world endures and presently He set speare in rest and spurring's horse Ran at Achilles and most valiantly Hit him vpon the brest with so great force That with the blow he ready was to fall Vnto the ground and brauely therewithall Drew out his sword that he might well know That he of him did stand in little dread Strake him therewith a strong and mighty blow And gaue him such a wound vpon his head That notwithstanding all his puissant force He made him fal downe headlong from his horse Vpon the ground whereon in extreame paine He lay long time as if he had been dead Till that his Knights did take him vp againe And notwithstanding that full sore he blead Got him at last to mount vpon his horse And when he had recouered his force And felt himselfe well eased of his paine With purpose to reuenge the iniury He thought he had receiud in great disdaine He spurd his puissant horse and furiously At Menon ran whose comming when he spide He likewise set spurs to his horses side And like a valiant Knight that feard him nought With courage bold met with him on the plaine Wherewith their swords they both together fought And twixt them did a combat long maintaine With fierce and mighty blowes till in the end King Menon did himselfe so well defend That he th' aduantage of Achilles had And in despight of all his fury great For he as then fought as he had been mad So valiantly vpon him then did set That he had surely slaine him but that then There came twixt them so great a troope of men On either side that they were forst to stay Their combat and by that meanes parted were And each from other borne cleane away At which time such a cruell slaughter there Was made of many a valiant knight and stout That all the field and all the plaine throughout Was fild with men that slaine and wounded sore Lay mangled on the ground in cruell wise For neither Greeks nor Troians would giue ore Till Phoebus did begin to leaue the skies And to descend at which time they withdrew Themselues out of the field and did renew The fight againe next day and met together Assoone as sunne did rise and euery day For seuen daies ensuing one the other Continually from fighting did not stay While that Achilles in his tent did lie To cure his wounds and there new trethery Within his mind did practise and devise To be reuengd on Menon who as then He hated sore because that in such wise He wounded him and to him cald his men And bad them when they fit occasion found Within the field t' inclose King Menon round On euery side and when they had him so Amongst them to assayle him altogether And by no meanes from them to let him go But not to kill him till that he came thither That he himselfe on him reueng'd might be And so they did for as he did decree With them in secret wise to do the same The next day in the morning when they met And either side gainst other fiercely came Into the field with rage and choler great Achilles and King Menon met together And valiantly assayled each the other On horsebacke as they sat where they did fight So long and in such furious wise that both Oâ— them compelled were by force t' alight And so on foot in mighty rage and wroth Fought valiantly But while that on the ground King Menon stood he was enclosed round By Myrmidens and as Achilles bad When he was in the middest of them all And not one Troian Knight to ayd him had In furious wise they did vpon him fall And though long time he did the fight maintain Against them all at last he was there slaine In traiterous wise by false Achilles hand Who by that meanes did his desire obtaine But yet he did so valiantly withstand Him and them all ere he by him was slaine That fore that he fell dead vpon the ground He gaue Achilles such a cruell wound That all men thought he would thereof haue died Now Homer iudge in truth and with good reason Aâ—by no vpright mind't can be deni'd If this were not most vile and filthy treason The which Achilles wrought and say with right
â—iluar gold all their goods and then With mighty rage extreame violence They sackt spoyld without all reuerence The Temples of the Gods throughout the towne And in despight of them with courage bold Did fiercely rent and furiously pull downe Their ornaments of siluer and of gold In presence of the Gods that then were there While Priamus with sad heauy cheare Before Apollo kneeld and to him praid Devoutly to relieue him but in vaine For at that time there was no hope of aid That he by any meanes could then obtaine But onely there with patience to attend By cruell death his woefull life to end Whereof without all doubt he was most sure Ere long time past by Grecians hand to haue And Cassandra that holy creature Her selfe likewise in that distresse to saue Vnto Mineruaes Temple did repaire Accompanied with many a Lady faire And other Gentle-women of the towne Who there with sobs most bitterly did crie And made their woefull lamentation Attending euery hower when they should die Wherein I le let them with the goddesse dwell For if that I their sorrowes all should tell And show how they in euery lane and street Lay groueling on their Lords and husbands deare And suckt their wounds all their cloths did wet And staind and di'd them with the blood that there Out of their bodies ran that wofully Beheld them with a pale and deadly eye It would be ouer long for me to write And tedious likewise for you to heare But to proceed when they had all that night Nere ceast to kill and ransacke euery where The people and the towne and spard not one Next day in heaps they went to Ilion King Priamus most faire and Princely hall Wherein they found not one to make defence Against them nor to keepe the same for all The people in great feare were fled from thence To saue their liues and left it desolate Where all the gold and riches of the state Enclosed lay within the treasory The lockes whereof they brake and bare away The treasure therein found and cruelly Did fier the howse for no man durst say nay Nor let them to pursue their enterprise Then Pyrrhus in most fierce and furious wise Went to Divine Apolloes Temple where Before the Altar with great cruelty While Priamus deuoutly praied there In humble wise t' Apollo on his knee With fury great not speaking any word Into the body ran him with his sword And gaue him such a deepe and deadly wound That presently he fell vpon his face And pitifully died on the ground And with his blood defild the holy place Aeneas and Anthenor standing by As witnesses of his great cruelty Whose death when as Queene Hecuba perceiud And on the ground there lying did behold His bleeding corse she seemed cleane bereaud Of sences and in wofull wise did fold And wring her hands and pitiously did crie And in great feare out of the Church did flie With Pollicene her daughter who together Were present when King Priamus was slaine To saue their liues and yet they knew not whether To go noâ— run for no man durst maintaine Their quarrell nor no comfort then was left For them that of the same were cleane bereft For all the towne in euery place was fild With Greeks that throgh twith glistring swords did run And euery where the Troians fiercely kild That had no meanes their cruelty to shun And as she ran in that sort through the streete It was her chance Aeneas there to meet Whom when she saw her flesh began to shake And tremble with the griefe she had in mind And therewithall in fury great she spake And sayd to him oh Traitor most vnkind Oh serpent false oh Adder enuious Oh villaine vile and most malicious Thou that art causer by thy wickednes Of all our woes and through thy trechery Hast brought vs now into so great distresse That plunged in the vale of misery We run from place to place distrest in mind And can no ease at all nor comfort find How couldest thou in heart be so vnkind Vnto thy Lord and King as traiterously To stand by with a fierce and cruell mind And see him slaine by Pirrhus cruelly Within the Temple where he shead his blood Who while he liu'd was vnto thee so good And gratious Lord that neuer any man Felt more of his great liberalitie Nor was more lou'd as all men witnes can Then thou by him which thou maist not deny Who now lies dead within that holy place Thou wast not only traitor in that case But didst conspire his death for thou didst bring Fierce Pirrhus to Apolloes Temple where Thou knewest well that he should find the King Of purpose set that he might kill him there Where as thou shouldst as dutie doth thee bind Haue saud his life if thou hadst been so kind But thou not only hast that mischiefe don But didst betray this towne where thou wast bred And fostred with more reputation Then any man saue he that was the head And King thereof which now forgotten is By thee wherein though thou hast done amisse Yet if within thy stony heart there be One drop of pittie or compassion Let me request this favor now of thee That in this time of desolation Thou wilt my daughter Pollicene relieue And vnto her some ayd and succour giue If thou dost any one respect at all Of Priams race as sure thou canst not choose That she by thy protection may not fall Into the Grecians hands her life to loose That when men shall this woefull story read And find therein this fowle treacherous deed By thee so falsely done and brought to pas Against this towne it may the rigor stay Of those that will judge and condemne thee as A Traytor vile and giue them cause to say That though thou didst this great wicked thing Yet at the last thou shewdst thy selfe bening And gratious vnto Pollicene whereby Some little satisfaction thou shalt make In recompence of thy great treachery To vs and giue her cause thy part to take When men of thee to her shall justly say And call thee Traytor false another day If thou wilt now vouchsafe her life to saue But as for me do what thou wilt all 's one I neither do nor will thy fauor craue For sith my Lord King Priams dead gone I care not though that thou some Grecians bidst Do vnto me as vnto him thou didst This motion made by Hecuba the Queene Though sharp it were did moue Aeneus so That pittying faire Lady Pollicene He caused her forthwith with him to go And shut her in a chamber secretly From sight and knowledge of the enemy Least they thereby should find occasion To picke some quarrell with him for her sake And at that time likewise King Thelamon Of pity did in his protection take The wife of Hector cald Andromacha And Priams daughter Lady Cassandra And vnto them his Princely promise gaue
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
Porter staid Whom I entreated courteously to pas And churlishly put backe with words most vile I seeing that he did me so revile Much grieued that he vsd me in that sort Did kill him with a blow on th' eare which whan The guard did see that watch held in the fort They issued and together on me ran And I compeld to fight though gainst my will In my defence fifteene of them did kill Whereby I am thus wounded as you see And like to loose my life as well as they That sought if that they could t' haue killed me And this if these here present truth will say The reason was we fought and they were kild By me which when Ulisses heard he wild Him to declare where he was borne and what His Father was and where he then did dwell Who answered the King and told him that He would the truth thereof vnto him tell And said he was borne in an Isle that stood Within the sea of high and Princely blood And that he to his mother had a Queene Cald Circes who both fâ—r and nâ—â—â— was knowne And how he had his Father neuer â—â—erio But said that by his mother he was showne That he was gotten by a king who as He did returne from Troy did chance to pas Along that way and as she told to me Said he his name Vlisses was Whom I Did long and such desire had to see That taking ship I set sayle presently And in short space I came into this land Where I was told and given to vnderstand That I should find my Father in this place But now I see my labour is in vaine And feare that I shall never see his face And therefore sith I haue tane so much paine And cannot vnto my desire attaine I will if that I liue returne againe Into my natiue soylo and seeke no more With danger of my life for that which I So long to find and yet it grieues me fore T' haue tane such paines and cannot satisfie My mind This is all that I can you show Said he of that which you desire to know Whereby Vlisses sighing sore when as He had heard him that answere to him make Perceiving he his Son by Circes was With griefe began to tremble and to quake And sheading store of blood out of his wound He fainted and did full into a swound And with a countnance heavy dead and pale Said now I see my woefull Destiny Fulfilled is for by this young mans â—ale I know and find there is no remedy For me and that the time is now too lâ—â—e To strine against my hard and cuâ—sâ—â— Faâ—e For now my Son which here by me doth stand Hath given meâ—â—y death and made an end Of his old Fathers life and with his hand Hath finishe that whereto my dreame did tend Which words pronounst young Thelagon began With countnance sad and face â—oth pale wan To sigh when as he knew and vnderstood That gainst the lawes of nature he had flame His Father and so fiercely shed his blood That him begot and felt such grieuous paine In heart that he did presently sincke downe And fore them all did fall into a swone And comming to himselfe when he had torne His clothes and puld his haire off from his head He said alas that ever I was borne That by my hands my Father should be dead Curst be my hard and woefull Destiny And fortune fell the which I could not flie Curst be the hand that hath been so impure Whereby this wicked deed by me is don Accurst be I of every creature Accursed be my constellation And cursed be and most vnfortunate The hower wherein my father me begat Oh would to God for this vnhappy deed T' excuse his death I might for my reward In presence of you all die in his steed And wholy of all comfort be debard And that men would me vtterly forsake But when the King such sorrow hard him make And knew he was his Son that Circes bore By him in th'isle Aulides as be found By many signes which he rehearst before He made him to be tane vp from the ground Whereon he lay and pardned him his death Being ready then to yeild his vitall breath And lying in so great extreamitie With speed did call for his Son Thelamon Who at that time in prison straight did lie Who presently when as he heard thereon Vnto his Father went and when he saw That he began vnto his end to draw And by enquirie knew the truth and found That Thelagon who fore him there did stand Was he that had given him his deadly wound With mighty rage he tooke his sword in hand And thought his brother Thelagon to kill But ere thâ—â— he of him could haue his will Ulisses made his men to run and hold His hand and then for all the paine he had He cald his Sons and told them that he would Haue them t' agree and to be friends made Them graâ—â— and promise to be so which â—on He did expresly charge Prince Thelamon That he without dissimulation Should loue and in most friendly manner liue While vitall breath did last with Thelagon His brother and to him the halfe should giue Of all his goods as heire by true discent To him whereto he freely did consent And neuer from his Fathers will did varry Which said his men a Chariot did provide And did him to his chiefest Citie carry Where afterward within three daies he dide Whose body was interred by hie Sonne Within a costly Tombe of Marble stone And after that they Crowned Thelamon And made him King with great solemnity With whom a whole yeare after Thelagon His brother staid to whom most lovingly And kindly he nere any thing denide And when he would n◠〈◊〉 there abide He dubd him Knight and after did prepare A ship and gold for him whereof he had Great store wherewith he did againe repaire Home to Aulides Isle and thereby made His mother Circes heart exceeding glad That had for his long absence been full sad For she by Negromancian Art could tell That he through many dangers great had past And scapt them all And after that she fell Into an extreame sickenes and at last Well stricken in yeares she died as all men must When as their time is come For God most just Hath death ordaind for every living thing Who having vnto nature paid her debt Prince Thelagon her Son was Crowned King Of Aulides whereas with honor great He did his Crowne Kingdome long maintaine And threescore yeares full coÌ„pleat ther did raigne While Thelamon liu'd in Achaia land And thereof held the Scepter and the Crowne For seaventy yeares together in his hand Till from his throne death proudly puld him down Vnto the ground and with his piercing dart In cruell wise did strike him to the hart This shall suffiice to let you see and know Th'adventures of the Greeks by sea and land When
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF Hector ONE AND THE FIRST OF the most Puissant Valiant and Renowned Monarches of the world called the Nyne worthies Shewing his jnvincible force together with the marvailous and most famous Acts by him atchieved and done in the great long and terrible Siege which the Princes of Greece held about the towne of Troy for the space of Tenne yeares And finally his unfortunate death after hee had fought a Hundred mayne Battailes in open field against the Grecians The which heerein are all at large described Wherein there were slaine on both sides Fourteene Hundred and Sixe Thowsand Fourscore and sixe men Written by Iohn Lidgate Monke of Berry and by him dedicated to the high and mighty Prince Henrie the fift King of England AT LONDON Printed by Thomas Purfoot Anno. Dom. 1614. THE EPISTLE AS IT vvas dedicated vnto the high and mightie Prince HENRY the Fift MOST puissant Prince whose fame is knowne so well And whose renowne so farre abroad doth shine That it is found all others to excell And equall with that of the worthies Nine Borne by discent of right Paternall line To be the heire and thâ—onor to obtaine To weare the Crowne of mighty Kingdomes twaine Who even as farre as Phoebus in the spheare Celestiall doth spread his beames most bright And as Lucina with her face most cleare The world doth compasse round cast her light Art held to be the most renowned knight And worthy for the honor of thy name To sit on high in throane of Lady Fame And â—hold the palme of honor in thy hand In triumph for thy noble victory For which thou feared â—â—â—t by sea and land And ever with perpetuall praise and glory Shalt for thy conquest fresh in memory Sit opposite before her to be seene With wreath about thy head of Lawrell greene In former time for Conquerors ordain'd That constantly persever'd to the end And valiantly warre once begun maintain'd For causes iust and did their right defend And therevnto their forces did only bend Whose fame's still spread was long time agone Among whom thou by right mayst sit for one For through the world it 's known to every one And flying Fame reports it farre and wide That thou by naturall condition In things begun wi lt constantly abide And for the time dost wholly set aside All rest and never carst what thou dost spend Till thou hast brought thy purpose to an end And that thou art most circumspect and wise And dost effect all things with providence As Iosua did by counsell and advise Against whose sword ther 's none can make defeÌ„ce And wisedome hast by heavenly influence With Salomon to iudge and to discerne Mens causes and thy people to governe For mercy mixt with thy magnificence Doth make thee pitty all that are opprest And to withstand the force and violence Of those that right and equity detest With Dauid thou to piety art prest And like to Iulius Caesar valorous That in his time was most victorious And in one hand like worthy Prince dost hold Thy sword to see that of thy subiects none Against thee should presume with courage bold And pride of heart to raise rebellion Thereby to shake off thy subiection And in the other Scepter to maintaine True iustice while amoÌ„gst vs thou dost raigne Then sith thou art adorn'd with Maiestie Grace wisedome pitie and benignitie With humble heart I craue submissiuelie That thou wilt not disdaine but pleased be T' accept this Booke though rudely done by me Thereby thy great and Princely mind t' expresse By taking pitie of my simplenesse And in thy high and magnanimious hart With naturall jngrafted Sapience Remember Christ accepted in good part The wido wes almes of two poore single pence When she without expecting recompence Gaue to the poore with willing heart and glad That little gift being all that ere she had Let this if that it may thee not offend Example be vnto thy Noblenesse And of thy great benignitie extend Thy favor vnto me with gentlenesse Not to disdaine me for my barrennesse Of wit and though I haue no skill in muse Let my good will and meaning me excuse More then good heart none can whatsoere he bee Present or giue to God nor vnto man Which for my part I wholy giue to thee And ever shall as farre foorth as I can Wherewith I will as I at first began Continually not ceasing night and day With sincere mind for thine estate thus pray First that thou maist Gods mercy so procure Vnto thy selfe that he may still advance Thine honor and that thou maist here endure Thy raigne ore vs with long continuance And all thy Subiects true obeysance And that he will vouchsafe to giue to thee All vertues whatsoere may reckned bee Lenvoy GO forth my Booke vaild with the Princely Grace Of him that is extold for excellence Throughout the world but do not shew thy face Without support of his magnificence And whosoere against thee takes offence Be thou not stubborne with presumption But see thou arme thy selfe with patience And gently yeeld to their correction The Translator to his Booke ANd sith thou art not limb'd with trees not flowers Of Eloquence but clad in white and blacke Thou must prepare thy selfe t' abide the showers Of them that of dislike occasion take And when thou likeliest art to go to wracke Seeme not gainst them thine error to defend But rather yeeld a little and giue backe And pray them that they will thy faults amend THE PREFACE TO The READER MY Muses subiect tending to intreate Of ancient warres and acts of Chivalrie Whereby renowned Knights much honour get And with Eternall parises deifie Their names and fames is forced to require Thee mighty Mars with Art him to inspire Whose fiery nature bent to wrath and thrall As being of complexion hot and drie Melancholicke and furious withall For in thy bowels chollor hid doth lie Doth rightly cause all Poets sound thy fame And thee the God of warres in stories name Sith then thou art of warlike influence And that my stile of battailes must indite Assist me with some Marshall Eloquence That I may frame my hand and pen aright With words of Art and arteficiall phrase Of valiant Knights to sing th' eternall praise And if at my request thou dainst to list Or graunt the thing which I of thee do craue Yet for her sake that lovingly thee kist Blacke Vulcans wife and further fauour gaue Vouchsafe thy ayd my verse so to infuse That I therein fit tearmes and phrase may vse Els truth to say so barren is my wit And void of Aureat liquord Eloquence That I confesse my selfe to be vnfit Or able to accomplish my pretence Helpe then God Mars for faire Bellonaes sake And of my worke vouchsafe protection take And thou sweet Clio with thy sisters deare Whose chiefe aboad is on Pernassus hill By Helicon the fountaine faire and cleare Lend me thine ayd and giue
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
Towne and wall For vnto ashes men they will consume Wherefore beware and see thou not presume The Ram t'assaile least thou thy labour loose But take aduise and vse discretion To leaue the same while thou hast time to choose How to preserue thy honour and renowne And striue not to aduance thy worthinesse By follie and by too much hardinesse And cast thy selfe away where otherwise Thou maist preserue thy life from danger great If thou dost â—arken now to mine aduise Whereto I would thee willingly entreat And therfore think what answere thou wilt make Before thou dost this danger vndertake Medeas speech thus ended as you heare Iason therewith did grow impatient And said mine onely loue and Ladie deare Is this your mind your will and your intent To counsell me to leaue mine enterprise And staine my name and fame with cowardise A coward might I well be thought and deem'd That should begin a thing to vndertake And could nor durst not bring it to an end So men a common jest of me might make And giue report to my confusion That I of pride and meere presumption Had boasted I would do a thing in word Which when it came t' effect I durst noâ— venter Nay Lady deare I sweare vpon my sword I rather had in perill great to enter Of life and lim then cowardly forsake The enterprise I meane to vndertake Your counsell to this end is meerely vaine And so good Lady mine I you entreat To leaue your care herein for this is plaine What ere you say no more of me you get But that I meane my purpose to effect And feare of danger vtterly reiect For it I should through faintnes of my heart Refraine from such an enterprise begun And from your Court and pleasant jsle depart Ere for mine honour some thing I had done While life doth last reproach would me pursue And shame eternall be mine onely due For through the world report ful soone would spread That Iason did this conquest vndertake And that his heart was so possest with dread That he an end thereof durst neuer make But be assur'd it neuer shall be said That danger could yong Iason make afraid And there vpon my faith I you ensure I will performe the thing I haue begun As long as life and limbs of mine endure Although thereby no honour may be woone And that mine onelie guerdon should be death Yet had I rather yeeld my vitall breath Then be reproacht of cowardise and shame For worse report of man cannot be spread Then that he hath dishonoured his name It were much better for him to be dead For euery man should seeke and striue t' aspire To honours seat with heart and whole desire And though it were with losse of life and lim Before he would procure his owne disgrace And breed the meanes for men to laugh at him And so for shame be forst to hide his face Then be assur'd what euer I abide No danger shall me cause to start aside Then do I well perceiue your wilfull mind Said she to him and that you sooner chuse Your life to present danger now to bind And my good counsell vtterly refuse Then to your selfe you 'le reape perpetuall shame And yet it is in earnest and no game With Monsters strange vnwarilie to deale And hazard life when as your choyce is free And therefore I am mooued for your weale In heart and mind your follie great to see That leauing all aduise discretion Counsell and good deliberation You rather choose hard and cruell end And wilfullie vnto the same will goe Then yeeld vnto the counsell of your friend Which shewes that youth and courage ouerslow Within your heart keepe your mind in awe And make you thinke your lust to be a law Which in the end will breed your woe and griefe If you persist as now you do pretend For be you well assur'd there 's no reliefe From certaine death your bodie to defend For neither force nor humane wit can serue Your life in this great danger to preserue Wherefore in heart I purposelie am bent To seeke your good and find a remedie Whereby you may this perill great preuent So loath and grieu'd I am to see you die And rather then your fortune should be such I will my father whome I loue so much And all my friends for euermore displease And vtterlie abandon them each one So that I may procure your ioy and ease Which certainly by me shall soone be done For setting care of all things else aside In this your need I meane to be your guide And for your sake I will my royall seat And Princelie Pallace leaue with heart and will My honour too which I esteeme so great I le set asid your pleasure to fulfill All this and more if you to me be kind For you lie do and that you 'le bend your mind To recompence the kindnes I deserue And thinke it not a thing of small esteeme From cruell death your body to preserue Though you perhaps contrarilie may deeme But ne're the lesse I will so well ordaine By Art and skill of mine betwixt vs twaine That fore that we from others shall depart I hope all shall be well If you do rest Vpon this point that happen woe or smart To satisfie my mind you 'le do your best And there vpon my aid to you I le lend And vndertake you shall th' aduenture end Good Ladie said Prince Iason â—est content And be assur'd it is mine onelie cane To satisfie your will and whole intent And nothing to omit nor yet to spare My life nor lims all perill to endure Your pleasure and preferment to procure Then friend said she refer to me the rest But first to me by faith you shall be bound And with your heart vnfain câ—â—â—e protest That no vntruth in you there shall be found And sweare you must to take me to your wife And hold me as your owne for tearme of life This is the thing that I of you require If you will doo 't and hold your word with me Yet onething more I will of you desire That when to Greece you shall prepared be To make returne and readie to set saile To take me with you hence you will not faile And when your father dies and you succeed To raigne as King see that you not forget To shew your selfe most true in word and deed And let your heart on me be wholie set To maintaine me as my estate requires And seeke no change to please loues fond desires And while you liue haue in rememberance My courtesie to you in this your need And think with what great hap it was your chance To win my heart when none but you could speed For be assur'd no man that liues hath might Against the Buls and Dragon fierce to fight Vnlesse of me he first be taught the way And meanes whereby the conquest to obtaine The which as now my heart will not denay
hope your favors I shall win I will proceed the story to begin WHen as the noble King Laomedon Was slaine in field by cruell Hereules When as the Greekes did first destroy the towne He had a sonne and heire as Guido saâ—es Cald Priamus a Prince of courage stout Whose fortune was at that time to be out With Hecuba his wife and did assault A Castle strong wherein a Lord did lie Which at that time did stubbornly revolt And long before had warred cruelly Against the towne of Troy with force and might Yet subiect was vnto the same by right Where Priam and his sonnes in campe did lie Accompanied with many a worthy Knight Their power and force against their foes to trie And it besieged round both day and night With vow the same by fierce assault to win And to destroy them all that were within For he as then was strong and valorous Young lusty and of fierce and hawtie heart And therewithall so stout and ventrous That feare of death could neuer make him start And to be first that in the field did enter Against his foes his life therein to venter Whereby hewan great honour and renowne And for his time was held a worthy Knight Till Fortune from her wheele did cast him downe And in his fall did show her power and might To change and alter things as she thinks good Respecting neither poore nor Princely blood This Priamus by Hecuba his wife Eight goodly faire and Princely children had Which all were slaine and died in the strife And bloody warre that Grecions gainst him made Whereof there were fiue sons daughters three Which I will name each one in his degree The first and eldest Hector had to name Whose worthinesse as farre abroad doth flie And is extold by Trumpe of Lady Fame As Phoebus doth râ—n compasse â—out the skie In one daies space for authors certifie And say be was thâ—â—ooâ— of chivalâ—ie Of Knight-hood true the onely Soveraigne And Mirror bright and cleare of Noblenesse And did therein vnto such hight attaine That no man can sufficiently expresse The great and valiant acts he did archiue Surpassing all that ever yet did liue And therewithall he was most vertuous Discreet and wise and friendly to each one Of whom the deeds and prowesse marvelous Reported are and haue been long agone By many ancient Authors fore our dayes That write of him to his eternall praise The second Sonne by birth and Dignitie Was Parris cald who did exceed so farre In person beautie shape dexteritie And was esteem'd therein to be so rare That in his time as farre as I can heare Vpon the earth there neuer liu'd his peere Who likewise was a stout and worthy Knight And in a bow had such delight and skill Wherewith he vsed commonly to fight That where he aim'd he would be sure to kill None ever did surpasse him in the same And Alexander was his other name Deiphobus was the third Sonne by degree A Knight of worthy same and great renowne Strong hardy and of courage franke and free Exceeding wise and of great discretion A counsellor in peace and warre most graue And in the field a Champion bold and braue The fourth of them was Heleâ—â—â— by name Who onely gaue his minds vnto his booke And was so much addicted to the same That pleasure in no other thing he tooke Whereby so wise and learned he became That all men did admire him for the same The Fist Sonne was a hardie valiant Knight Although the last and yongest of them all And puissantly against his â—oes did fight Whom Troyâ—lâ—s the historie doth call And for his valiant heart and courage braue The name of second Hector men him gaue So many valiant acts hy him were don While that the Grecian warre continued Whereby so much renowne therein he won That after Hectors death he was so feared And did the Greekes so cruelly assaile That nought against the Towne they could prevaile Yet Uirgill in his Booke of Troyan warre By him cald his Enâ—idos saith thus That Hecuba vnto King Pryam bare Two younger Sonnes the one Polidorus Whom when the Grecians first did take in haâ—d Their bloody warre and entred in his land As then but young he straight did send away Vnto a King that was his trusty friend With store of treasure great with him to stay Till he might see what jssue and what end The warre would haue as then but new begon Betweene the Greekes and him before the towne But he in whom he did repose his trust When as he vnderstood King Pryams state Desirous of the gold which makes men thurst Did cause the Troian Prince vnfortunate To be bereav'd of life most cruelly And buried in a place full secretly Hard by the Sea so deepe within the ground That no man could his treason great espie Nor never afterward his body found And so the Proverbe old did verefie Who so on gold doth set his onely care To win the same no mischiefe he will spare The second of those two cald Ganimed Vpon a time did hunt for his disport And straying in a wood by fortune led God Iupiter as Uirgill doth report Vp to the skies did sodainely him take And there for ever Butler did him make The eldest of King Priams daughters three Cerusa nam'd the story doth declare Was married to a Lord of high degree Aeneas cal'd a man of beauty rare Whose Father was a Duke of noble fame And Uirgill saith Anchises had to name And on the Goddesse Uenus him begot For this Aeneas honor and his fame Uirgill compild a Booke wherein he wrot His travells all at large and doth the same From his departure out of Troy begin And showes how he all Italie did win Long after that the great and famous Towne Of Troy destroyd and cleane defaced was And what great conquests were archieu'd and dâ—n By him as he along the Seas did passe And how that first at Carthage he did stay Ere that he further forth went on his way Whereas Queene Dido pierst with Cupids dart Of him became so much enamored That for because from thence he did depart For loue of him her selfe she murthered All which and more in Virgill you may see In Latine verse at large declard to bee King Priams second daughter had to name Cassandra as the ancient stories saies Who by her wit attaind so loftie fame That she was holden for a Prophetes Her skill in Arts of all kinds was so much That like to her there nere was any such For future things she could declare and show And what was done within the world so round Before it came to passe she did it know Her learning was so deepe and so profound Her manner was religiously to liue And onely to the same her mind did giue The third and youngest daughter Policene For shape and beautie past her sisters twaine Who liued all her daies a Virgin cleane Till she by Pirrhus cruelty was slaine
In presence of her Mother to fulfill And satisfie his fierce and bloody will And Priamus as you likewise may read Had thirty valiant bastard children All sonnes which did so much in armes exceed That in their times they proved valiant men Whose names to show as now I le overpasse Till that occasion serues in other place WHile Priam so the castle did inclose To win the same by force dayly sought All meanes he could to ouercome his foes The wofull newes vnto him there was brought How that the Greekes the towne of Troy had won And kild his father King Laomedon The walles and howses thereof cleane cast downe The people all slaine with great cruelty And left nought standing vpright in the towne But all on ground did flat and euen lie And Exion made to Thelamon a prey Who had her captiue led with him away He was in mind so much astonished And sodaine woe his sences so did straine That for a while he seem'd as one were dead And inwardly did feele such mortall paine That he did thinke his heart within his brest Would cleaue in twaine so much he was opprest With sorrow griefe perplexitie and woe And therewithall the teares did fast distill Out from his eies downe to the earth so low That sure if that he might haue had his will He rather would haue chosen there to die Then to haue felt so great extremitie Wherewith he did on fortune much exclaime That she to him was so deceaueable To worke him such disgrace and open shame And shew'd her selfe to be so mutable With most despightfull sterne and cruell face As one cleane void of mercy and of grace For she of envious heart and spightfull thought In cruell wise did shew her fell intent And all at once her malice on him wrought As vnto his destruction fully bent So wauering and vnconstant is her mind Wherein her greatest pleasure she doth find For which forthwith he made no more delay But with a heavy heart and face full pale He did put off his faire and rich array And never ceast his fortune to bewaile With mournfull cheare still casting downe his head And in that sort a dolefull life he led Apparelling himselfe in mournfull blacke And minding there no longer to abide In all the hast he could the â—iedge vp brake And presently to Troy ward forth did ride With all his hoast who likewise were full sad And for his losse and theirs great sorrow made And when the towne so much defast he found And that the walles that were so huge and strong So plaine and even beaten were to ground And nothing stood but all was laid along The towers that reacht allmost vp to the skie And builded were so faire and sumptuously Cleane overthrowne with great confusednesse His people slaine and Sister led away And all made wast like to a wildernesse For griefe and woe he wist not what to say Such and so great was his extremitie But at that time he could't not remedie Which made him most extreamly sob and weepe For nothing could his sorrow great asswage And from his brest to fetch great sighes and deepe And in that wofull plight and furious rage His men and he a mournfull life did lead And in the same three daies continued Till at the last when clowdes of sorrow backe Began to cleare and stormes of woe to cease And that their mourning somewhat seem'd to slack And causd them in their minds to find some ease For when the floood of warre is gone and past An ebbe of ioy doth follow it in hast Still to lament and mourne doth not amend But more impaire and though we vse to waile And weepe for friends our sorrow once must end For after death teares will then nought availe King Priamus abandoning all care Devising how he might the towne repaire Determin'd in that great extremitie To show himselfe a Prince of courage braue And making vertue of necessitie Couragiously his credit then to saue When as his sorrowes great orepassed were And that the aire began somewhat to cleare And void the mists of his adversitie And that the prime of woe and heauinesse Night past and gone was forst away to flie By sonne-shine of some new found joyfulnesse For that the friend of woe and miserie Is joy when men haue past extremitie When he had grieu'd in mind a little space And long indured sorrow woe and smart And that his care did somewhat overpasse He rous'd himselfe and plucking vp his heart More ioyfull to his souldiers did appeare And so hegan to worke as you shall heare CHAP. II. ¶ How King Priam Sonne to Laomedon butlâ— the Cutie of Troy againe much stronger greater and fairer then euer it was before KIng Priams sorrow great and griefe ore-past As vnto you before I did declare He purposed vpon the ground made wast Where as the ancient monuments first were To build a towne much stronger then it was Which to effect he did no time let passe But straight sent forth into each Countrey For certaine men or wit ingenious And skilfull worke men in Geometrie That could invent workes fine and curious As Masons Cervers Carpenters and all That skilfull were in Arts mecannicall And wheresoere he could once know or heare Of any expert workemen of that kind He would not spare to send both farre and neare Nor never ceast vntill he did them find For such as could devise a stately wall With battlements and rauelings great small For men that were of fine and subtill head The Marble stone to pollish with the graine And Alablaster white and Purphier read To hew and cut and make them smoth and plaine For gravers of all kind of Images And such as Art of painting did professe And cunning were their works to beautifie With colours fresh that long time would indure And that could make an Image with an eye As if it were a liuely creature And counterfeit in mettall wood and stone As curious worke as ere Pignalion Devised or as Histories doe tell Apollo could invent for he did frame Darius Tombe the which did so excell For wormanship that none ere past the same Which th' emperor commanded him to raise That men thereby his worthy fame might praise He sent likewise for ioyners that had skill In Cedar Cipresse and in Walnut-tree To worke and with imbossed flowers to fill The creasts that round about the walles should bee And whosoere in building was erpert And praise deserued therein by desert Or had the name in workeman-ship â—excell The King would his direction therein haue How farre or wide soever he did dwell Or what soever wages he would craue No cost he spard in any kind of thing That he his worke vnto effect might bring Intending such a sumptuous Towne to frame That it should passe all others whatsoere And in most spacious wise to build the same For widenes breadth length that it should beare And with so high so thicke
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
ioy farewell my chiefest blisse Now strangers haue thee in possession And I the thing I loue do so much do misse And must endure 't with extreame passion Would God I knew how that they doe intreat My Helena that was to me so sweet Now thou art gone the thought of thee me slayth And I must liue in sorrow griefe and woe Expecting still my end by cruell death And therewithall he said that he would goe To Sparta therein comfortlesse alone His great grievous losse to waile and mone But Nestor would not leaue his company But went with him for consolation By all meanes seeking how to pacifie His mind and hauing great compassion On his distresse did make no longer stay But did him to his Country thence convay And being there arriu'd with woefull heart By letters sent in post to euery place He did vnto his brethren twaine impart His great mischance and sad and woefull case Desiring them to come to him with speed To aid him with their counsell in his need And first to King Agamemnon did write And to King Castor and King Pollux send Desiring them with all the speed they might In his distresse their ayd to him to lend And when they came and saw his countnance dead Like to a man with thought halfe murthered They could not chuse but for his sorrow grieue And by perswasions sought the same to ease But when they saw they could it not remoue Out of his mind nor him no whit appease King Agamemnon wisely gan to speake And in these words his mind to him did breake Brother said he what woe what heauinesse What deadly griefe doth thus torment your mind And as it seemes your sences all oppresse So furiouslie and we no case can find You should do thus but grant it to be true That cause for to be grieu'd is giuen you Yet you should be so arm'd with providence That what so ere dislike were offered you You should thereat not seeme to take offence And make as though thereof you nothing knew For that a wise man in adversitie Should ioyfull countenance shew and secretly Conceiue in mind the thing that doth him grieue And priuilie within his breast inclose His wrath and ire that none might it perceiue Nor let it once be knowen vnto his foes For t is the counsell of the provident That when mans heart with furie thinks to rent He should not seeme to be possest with ire Till that he findeth fit occasion To kindle and reviue the burning fire Of vengeance when his foe thinks not thereon For griefe shew'd outwardlie by proofe we find Two things doth breed which are of several kind First it provokes thy friend to sigh full sore For nature binds him to lament thy griefe And it doth cause thy foe reioyce the more For he is glad when thou dost want reliefe Wherefore when griefe most in thy heart doth lie Shew cheerefull face to crosse thine enemie And make as though thou dost esteeme at nought The thing which doth thee most torment and vex And evermore remaineth in thy thought Ye though it doth thee nere so much perplex And where thou hast most cause for to complaine There make best show ioyful countnance faine For into teares although thou should'st distill And never cease tormenting of thy mind Yea though thy selfe thou shouldest therewith kill Thou could'st but little ease and pleasure find For vengeance nere was tane nor honor wonne By any thing that man that way hath done For though it lasteth long it brings no gaine It 's said the man that can dissemble wrong Although it be with inward greete and paine Is subtill and of valiant heart and strong And he that can be peaceable in smart Doth well declare he hath a noble heart For he that weepes like women in their rage And thinkes by words and teares to ease his paine His sorrow and his griefe shall nere asswage And by no meanes to honor shall attaine Let 's not with words but with our weapons fight And hold our tongs manlike try our might Words are but wind and water t is we weepe And though the stormes flouds of either two Do multiply and vs in sorrow keepe They do no good but still increase our woe And to our foes when as that they do â—eâ—â—e That we doe make so sad and heauie 〈◊〉 It doth increase and multiply their ioy And giues them cause much more to laugh at vs Wherefore let not this sorrow thee annoy Which now doth seeme so to torment thee thus For it is said the courage of a Knight Is prou'd when as with mischiefe and despight He is not feard nor in adversity Doth not himselfe faint-heartedly submit To any danger what so ere it be Nor doth impaire his honor any whit Through foule despaire but hopeth alwaies well And hath a mind as firme as any steele T' effect the thing that he doth take in hand And his desire at last to satisfie For this from me I pray you vnderstand That he which in himselfe hath fantasie T' assaile his foe and venture life and lim What ere befall or happeneth vnto him And takes the chance that vnto him is cast He commonly nere failes in victorie And hauing dangers all cleane over-past In fine obtaineth praise eternally And now t is time to speake in words but few Good brother mine your valour forth to shew To cheare your heart and for to make you strong The forces of your foes for to withstand And to revenge your domages and wrong And we thereto will put our helping hand And all with one consent and force and might Assist you in your need t' obtaine your right And in despight of all that shall vs let Within the fields before the Towne of Troye Will plant our siege and there our tents vp set And ere we part will 't vtterlie destroy Albeit as now I can appoint no day Therefore let vs with all the speed we may Send messengers into the Grecian Land The Princes of the same to certifie Of these your wrongs craue their helping hand T' assist you and the same to remedie And so full well revenge your selfe you may And this is all that I to you can say King Menelaus therewith somewhat appeas'd Began more cherefull countenance to make And with his heart and mind thereby was eas'd All outward griefe did presently forsake And seeing that by care he could't not mend To all his friends throughout the land did send And first his Kinne and allies he did moue By showing them what had chanced vnto him Desiring them of courtesie and loue His case as t' were their owne for to esteeme And with their powers assistants to him be To ayd him in his great extreamitie His letters seene and read there did resort Achilles and Patroclus Princes stout Diomedes and others to his Court Who having heard what things had fallen out Did all with one consent and will agree Vpon the King
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
little space had fifteene slaine Of those that forcibly would him haue tane And such a slaughter gan amongst them make That many of theÌ„ shrunke back would not stay Meane time they did Patroclus body take Which Merion on his horse did beare away Vnto his tent with sad and heauy cheare And still the Greeks with Hector fighting were Who all the while vpon his feet did stand And some of them that neer'st on him did presse He made to feele his strong and heauy hand Yet what so ere he did they would not cease Nor leaue t' enclose him round on euery side Presuming in their hearts with hawty pride In th' end at some advantage him to take Supposing that he could not long sustaine Their puissant force or from their hands escape Nor likely was his horse to get againe From which they sought by all means him to let And therefore all at once vpon him set And specially amongst them there was one More earnest and more busie then the rest Whose name as Guidâ— sayth was Carion That Hector in most furious wise opprest And still inforst himselfe and would not cease T' assaile him when he was in most distresse Environed by Greeks on euery side Till that by chance a valiant Troyan knight Who all the while with Hector did abide When he on foot enclos'd with Greeks did fight Two darts in hand did take whereof the one He did directly cast at Carion Which with such force stroke him into the side That with the blow it claue his heart in twaine And stayd not there but forcibly did slide Out through his armes at th' other side againe And with that mighty great fatall wound He presently fell dead vpon the ground Before an hundred knights who all together With him had voâ—'d sworne with great despight The death of Hector by one meanes or other The second dart this worthy Troyan knight Cast at a Grecian Knight that in the field Gan Hector to approach and through his shield And armor bright did strike him to the heart And then vnto the Troyans he did call And cry alowd to come from every part With speed vpon the Grecian Knights to fall That had inclosed Hector round about And without danger great could not get ouâ— Wherewith the valiant hardy Câ—â—cibere One of King Priams Bastard childeren And diuers other Troyan Knights that were At his command in hast did come and when They saw that Hector midst the Greekes vnhorst S vnequally to fight on foot was forst With fury great together they did set Vpon the backes of those that him enclos'd And vnawares by that meanes did them let Of that pretence which mongst theÌ„ they suppos'd For presently when they the Troyans saw Three hundred of their Knights did them withdraw With sodaine feare abasht and fled away When thirtie of their men had first been slaine And Hector maugre all that durst say nay Vpon his gallant horse got vp againe And entring in the thickest of the prease In furious wise did ride and neuer cease To kill and slay with bloudy sword in hand And mercilesse to cut and hew in sunder All those that gainst him in the field durst stand That to behold his valor it was woonder And only for because they did him stay And hinder from Patroclus armes that day And therefore in most cruell wise he shed The bloud of many a worthy Grecian Knight Who in great feare and terror from him fled But he on whom with trenchant blade he light Was sure to die for t' was to him much good To see his sword died red with Grecians blood And on them in such sort reveng'd to be For that like Lyon fierce that hunts for pray He did so kill and follow them that he The Grecians pride did much abate that day For as they fled the bloud in streames was seene Run from their wounds along vpon the greene Till Menestes the Duke of Athens came With iust three thousand Knights well furnished And richly arm'd and all of them the same That he from Athens brought the which he led Of purpose to the left side of the field Where Troyelus that time the fight then held With none but Phrigian Knights and all that day Like to a ravening Wolfe that greedilie With open mouth doth follow after pray Did kill and slay the Greekes so cruelly That they were glad to flie shun his sight And while he was most earnest in the fight Against his foes with stout King Zaâ—tipâ—â— That did himselfe most valiantly behaue And with another King cald Alchanus That likewise was a hardy Knight braue Who with their trenchaÌ„t blades all three did wound And kill so many Greeks that all the ground Whereas they fought was couered ore with bloâ—â— And bodies of the Greeks whom they did slay But specially yong Troyelus that road That day vpon a horse of color baye Such havocke of them made that well was he That from their fierce cruell blows went â—â—â—e Menestes that with furious looke beheld What slaughter on the Grecians then was made By Troyelus that day within the field Such wrath and cruell ire in heart he had That with a mightie speare coucht in his rest He ran and hit yong Troyelus in the brest So puissantly and with so great a force That maugre all his might and valor great At vnawares he threw him off his horse In midst of all his foes that him beset Cleane round about where he on foot did fight And like a hardy fierce and valiant Knight Most brauely did assaile his enemies And them also with valor great withstood Although he was in great extreamities And danger of his life for that he stood Amongst the horses feet almost ore-run And found no way how he the same shold 〈◊〉 For round about him enemies he saw That hotely him assaild on every side And by no meanes he could himselfe withdraw From thence nor long their puissant force abidâ—â— For Menestes still more vpon him prest And gaue him not the means to breath nor â—â—â—t In hope at last he should be overcome And still the nomber of the Greeks increast And such as wearied were gaue others roome To fight whereby with multitudes oreprest And with exceeding toyle sore wearied They tooke him and as prisner forth him led Till that a valiant Knight of Troye that stood And saw him by the Greeks so led away Sore grieu'd and much abasht in furious mood Vnto the Troyan Knights did speake and say O worthy Phrigian Knights whose honors spread Throughout the world long hath flowrished For shame let it not now ecclipsed be And meerely by your fault and negligence That stay still here as in a mase and see Not how the Greekes by force and violence The gallant Knight Prince Troylus haue taken Without reliefe as 't were by you forsaken Which will redownd to your perpetuall shame For if the flower of worthines be led Away by force
the ground Wherewith Ulisses fiercely did assayle Him as on foot he stood when he him found Among the horses feet but he did faile For Troylus brauely met in the beard And furiously with shorpe and trenchant sweard Wrought him so strong and puissant a blow That in his face a cruell wound he made From whence the blood like to a spring did flow But King Ulisses nought therewith dismaid Made small or no account thereof at all And to revenge himselfe did fiercely fall On Troielus and with his sword did race His helmet from his head and to him gaue A deepe and cruell wound vpon the face Wherewith the Greeks began againe to haue More courage and were in good hope to see The Troians shortly brought t'extremite And cleane orethrowne they were so sore opprest If Hector with a valiant troope of men And Deiphobus Paris and the rest Of his most stout and worthy bretheren And Troielus likewise for all his wound That euer more a valiant Knight was found Had not together ioind and fiercely ran Vpon the Grecian troopes and first of all Hector the most renowned Knight began With sword in hand so furiously to sall Vpon the Greeks and with such cruelty To kill them that from him they all did flie Like to the sillie fearefull sheepe in field That from the rauening woolfe themselues do hide And run away for feare they should be kild For none of them before him durst abide For still he did them fiercely hac and new And more and more the slaughter did renew So that as then their harnaâ—les were staind With drops of blood which he that day did shed As thicke as if that blood from skies had raind And still like vnto swarmes of bees they fled Before his face and by no meanes would stay For glad was he that got out of his way And as the story saith of him that day He alwaies was the foremost in the field And at the head of all his troopes did stay T' abate the Grecians pride till he beheld The Knights that to the battaile he had brought Were scattred and cleane out of order fought And when he had fought valiantly and long And saw the Greeks did still renew their force And by that meanes began to wax more strong In hast he clapt his spurres vnto his horse And to his Troian Knights againe repair'd Who at that time in manner all dispair'd For want of him but when they did him see Full soone againe they were all comforted And with great signes of ioy and amitie With all their hearts him gladly welcomed Which at their hands he thankefully did take And vnto them in courteous wise he spake And praid them in their valiant minds to way And wisely to consider and forecast What iniurie the Greeks from day to day Vnto them did and had done long time past And how that if the victory should fall That day to them they might bid farewell all The Troians honor glory and renowne For then sayd he nought els would be our lot But th' overthrow of vs and of our towne And all the ancient honor we haue got Vnto our selues and our posteritie In former times would cleane Ecclipsed be Vulesse this day you show your selues like men That well deserue the honor you haue got Wherefore I hartely pray you all that when Against your Grecian foes you fight giue not The smallest cause for them in any wise T' vpbraid you with the fault of cowardise But valiantly assayle them all together And shrinke not backe for feare least you shold die For die you must at one time or at other Whereto they all consented willingly And without more delay past through a vale And vnawares vpon the Greeks did fall Where Hector spard not one what ere he was But kild and manned all without remorse That with him met wheresoeuer he did passe And mauger all their pride and might did force Them to recule and flie out of his â—ihgt Till that the most renownd and valiant Knight King Theas to the field came in againe And furiously vpon the Troians ran Who that same day in cruell wise had slaine King Priams bastard sonne Cassibelan But as he busied was on them to set By fortune he with all his brethren met Who all at once and with one full consent Inclosed him on every side and were Vnto his vtter ruine wholy bent And hauing throwne him off his horse did teare His Helmet from his head and ment to â—â—ight It off if that the fierce and valiant Knight Menestes Duke of Athens had not been Who with his Knights came riding hastily And him out of the danger he was in Set free and to procure his liberty With speare in hand directly as a line He tooke his course and ran at Quintiline That busi est was King Theas to haue slaine And with the strength and puissance of his blow Which Quinteline as then could not sustaine Cleane off his horse he did him overthrow And made his brethren also to withdraw Themselues from him the which when Paris â—aw He bent his mighty bowe and fiercely shot At Menestes and hit him in the side Vpon a rib which though it kild him not He had a wound thereby both large and wide Which hurt him sore and grieuously did bleed And yet thereof he tooke but little heed Cause he as then was bent so earnestly To ayd King Thoas standing on the ground Amongst the horses feet and like to die His body bleeding sore with many a wound And without helmet bare vpon his head But Menestes cleane void of feare or dread Deliuered him from that extremitie And sau'd his life when out of hope he was But Hector full of wrath and enmitie As he that for his valor did surpasse All whatsoere made such destruction Of Greeks that day as he road vp and downe That all men sore abasht from him did flie For they vpon his face did feare to looke Whose valor when King Humerus did espie Into his hand his mighty bow he tooke And â—yming right shot Hector in the face But ere that he could get out of the place Hector for to requite him for his paine Ran straight at him and gaue him such a blow That with his sworâ— he claue his head in twaine Whose death when as the Grecian knights did know They blew a horne which made so great a sound That presently there were together found Seuen thousand Knights that all on Hector fell And him in clos'd but he without abode As one that did in valor great excell Despight of all their power through them road And â—lew all those that in his way he met Or that durst venter him therein to let And never staid but hastely did ride Vnto the place where Priam all that day Did with his troope without the towne abide Whereas he purposely with them still lay Till by advise from Hector he did know When he with them into the field
other and the fight continued In equall sort without advantage great Till it fell out at last that Diomede By policie or fortune chanst to get Advantage by some meanes on Troyelus For no man alwaies is victorious Nor yet in peace or warre like fortunate For t is the doubtfull end of bloudy warre Now vp now downe still subiect vnto fate And therfore let each man himselfe prepare Sith fickle fortune is so full of doubt To take his chance when as it falleth out And at that time layd hand vpon his horse being then enclos'd by Grecians round about And tooke him for his prisoner and by force Among the prease began to lead him out Accompanyed with many a Grecian knight To gard and keepe him as they went by might For though it then fell out that Troyelus Was tane perforce by Diomede in â—ight He might by fortune proue victorious Another time and him therefore requite For that as it â—ell out in little space He had not led him farre out of the place But multitudes of Troyans him assaild And maugre all the power of Diomede So mightily against the Greeks prevaild That they did rescue Troyelus in his need And him by force of armes from him did take And then began great slaughter for his sake On either side where many men were slaine On th' one side for to keepe him prisoner still On th' other side to set him free againe But yet in th' end the Troyans had their will And while the fight in this sort twixt them held King Menelaus did enter in the field Who all that day gainst Troyans brauely fought And busie was on them reveng'd to bee For malice that to them of old he ought The which when Paris not farre off did see With all his knights vpon him he did set And he with Greeks on him when they met Betweene them both on either side began A cruell fierce and bloudy fight which was The death of many a braue and gallant man Hector meane time through thick thin did passe spill And neuer ceast in surious wise to kill The Greeks in great streams their bioud to For with his sword so many of them were slaine And beaten downe with extreame cruelty That they could not his puissant blowes sustaine But were constraind before his face to flye And when a lustie yong and gallant knight Cald Boetes saw with how great force might The Greeks were slaine by Hectors cruelty On euery side to win himselfe great fame And that record of him perpetually Might still be kept for th'onor of his name With courage bold heart not once affeard He thought he would adventure him to beard The which when Hector saw he did conceaue Such wrath within his heart and great disdaine That with his sword he did his body cleaue Cleane downe from head to foot in pieces twaine And tooke his horse and sent it to the towne And then againe road fiercely vp and downe Amongst the Greeks and euer mercilesse With extreame force and heart couragious He kild all those that on him sought to presse Which when the valiant King Archilagus Perceau'd and saw his Cousin Boetes lie By Hector slaine in that sort cruellie To be reveng'd on him for that despight With fury great vnto him he did goe And as at him he did begin to smight Hector vpon his shield receau'd the blowe And with his sword stroke him vpon the head So mightily that he therewith fell dead Vpon the ground his body cleft in twaine And though his armes were passing strong good Yet could they not the mighty force sustaine Of Hectors stroke that came with furious mood The which when King Protbenor did behold With great despight courage fierce bold And yet in truth t' was but in foolish pride He road to him in hast and vnaware Smote him a mighty blow vpon the side And him therewith out of his sadle bare And made him fall downe flat vpon the ground But Hector who in valor did abound In hast leapt vp vpon his horses backe And Prothenor pursued furiously And when at last he did him ouertake He smote him with his sword so cruelly Vpon the Helme that with the blow he gaue His head and body to the brest he claue And downe he fell before the Greeks who sore Abashed were at that most cruell blow But specially Achilles grieu'd therefore And for the same his heart was full of woe To see his Cousin Prothenor lye slaine Before his face for which he felt such paine And griefe in mind that full of heauinesse He road among the Grecian troopes to see If he could ease himselfe of his distresse And find the meanes with them reueng'd to bee On Hector for the death of Prothenor The which both he and they together swore And for the death of King Archilagus And to that end conspir'd among them all With many Grecian Knights chivalorous At once on Hector furiously to fall And him with speed on every side t'assaile But at that time it did them not availe For all that day such hauocke he did make And kild and hewd the Greeks so furiously That they on him could no advantage take But were constraind for their owne safety And for to shun the extreame force and might Of him and of the Troyans that did fight At that time with so great agility And such a fierce assault vnto them gaue To leaue the field and to recoyle and fly Vnto their tents and there themselues to saue And in their flight so beaten were slaine That all the way along all the plaine Lay full of dead and wounded Greeks that bled And gaspt and groand and howld and cryed sore And still the Troyan Knights continued The chase and draue the Grecians more more Before them downe till that it grew to night And waxed darke then for want of light The Troyans to their honor and renowne With Hector did retire and entered Victoriously againe into the towne And there themselues refreshed cur'd and fed Where till the day next morning gan to breake I le let them rest and of the Grecians speake When Hesperus the bright and glistring starre At euening in the West began t' appeare And spred his beames abroad both nere farre And twilight with a pale and deadly cheare Did seeme to moâ—ned he absence of the Sun And night approached with his mantle dun When Tytan did begin his leaue to take And to the Westerne coast in hast descond At twilight when the day an end doth make For twy-light nothing else is but the end Of day and the beginning of the night And yet in truth is neither day nor night But iust a meane betweene them both doth beare Yet neither th' one nor th' other perfectly And comes before the glistring starres appeare To shew themselues within the azure skie Their Generall King Agamemnon sent For all the Grecian Princes to his tent And when
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
exceeding weet And made the moysture voyd out of the plaine At which time somewhat eased of their sorrow They did with speed their tents raise vp againe And ioyfully with courage bold that morrow Did arme themselues in braue and warlike wise With full intent t'assaile their enemies And when the field was thorow dried againe With Phoebus beames the Troyans left the towne And valiantly came forth into the field And were no sooner to the Greeks come downe But stout Achilles met them in the way And was the first that th'onset gaue that day Who entring in the field without abode In furious wise set spurs vnto his horse And valiantly to strong King Hupon road At whome he stroke with such a mighty force That with his Launce he gaue him such a wound That dead he fell therewith vpon the ground Then Hector with King Octamene did meet And each the other valiantly assaild But Hector with such furie on him sâ—t That neither force nor armor strong preuaild But with his Launce he pierst his heart in twaine That he therewith fell dead vpon the plaine At which time furious Diomede did wound The worthy valiant Prince King Zantippus So sore that he fell dead vpon the ground And then in furious wise King Cedius And valiant King Epistrophus his brother Assaild and set on Hector both together And first of all Epistrophus began To spurre his horse with mighty speare in hand And with the same at Hector fiercely ran And spightfully at him did curse and band And many raging words to him did giue Which Hector at the heart so much did grieue That he at King Epistrophus let fâ—ye So great a blow and with such mighty force That with the same he kild him furiously And as he fell downe dead off from his horse He bad him goe vnto the fiends of hell And there such bragging words vnto them tell For here said he there 's no man doth them feare Nor any whit at all for them doth care Which words when as King Cedius chanst to heare He did in heart like to a mad man fare And for his death so grieued was in thought That with the knights that he with him had broght He did on Hector set with great despight And him on euery side enclosed round While he against his enemies did fight And forcibly stroke him vnto the ground And while with them on foot he fighting stands King Cedius with his sword in both his hands At Hector smote a blow most furiously Intending to haue slaine him without faile But Hector watched him so narrowly That all the force he had could not preuaile For ere his puissant blow descended downe Hector sore moou'd with indignation Lift vp his sword and vnto him did giue A blow the which his arme cleane off did smight And with a second blow did him bereaue Of life and all and while he thus did fight Aeneas like a Lyon furious Couragiously slew King Amiphimacus Then to the field came in King Menelaus And after followed stout king Thelamon And then the valiant Duke Menesteus And worthy valorous king Machaon And last of all king Agamâ—mnon went With them t'assaile the Troyans fully bent Wdo valiantly themselues did long defend Against the Greeks and held them at a bay With equall fight vntill that in the end As it did grow to noone-time of the day When they had each the other long assaild The Greeks gainst theÌ„ of Troy so much preuaild That forcibly they made them to retire And backe to goe of meere necssity And while Achilles fought with furious ire He slew King Philon with great cruelty And Hector to requite the Greeks therefore Despight of them did slaie king Alphenor And then another King cald Dorius And did the Greeks so valiantly withstand That like a Lyon fierce and furious By vertue of his strong and mighty hand The Troyans many Grecian knights did slay And valiantly forst them to fly away And then out of the towne of Troy there came The worthy King Epistrophus that brought A gallant band of men and with the same So furiously against the Grecians fought That by maine force he made them leaue the plain And giue vnto the Troyans place againe For with him in his company he had An Archer of such strange proportion And monstrously and woonderfully made That men had him in admiration For from the middle vpward to the crowne He was a man and from the middle downe Like to a horse he was proportioned In each respect for forme and feature His skin it was all hairy rough and red And yet although this monstrous creature Had man-like face yet did his color show Like burning coles that in the fire glow His eyes they did two furnases resemble As bright as fier whereby all that him met The very sight of him did make them tremble And from their hearts deepe sighs for feare to fet His face it t' was so fowle and horrible And looke so vgly fierce and terrible His manner was to goe into the field Vnarmed of all weapons whatfoere And never vsed sword speare axe nor shield But in his hand a mighty bow did beare And by his side a sheafe of arrowes hung Bound fast together with a lether thong Wherewith he did his enemies withstand And shot so strong so mightely and sure That wheresoere he fought on sea or land No armor could against his shot endure Nor any horse how fierce soere he were Durst looke on him so much they did him feare For of him they no sooner had a fight He was in all mens eies so odioâ—s But they would run from him with all their might As from a Divell fowle and monstrous Nor any man though neare so strong a Knight Could raine or hold his horse by force or might If that he once this monster chaust to see But furiously it would start back and fling And neighing loud and snorting way did flee This hideous beast did many Grecians bring With arrowes sharpe and strong vnto their end For armour could them not from him defend So that not any one durst him abide When they him saw so much they did him doubt But spedely away from him did ride Till in the end that it by chance fell out While that the Troians by his ayd did chase And slay and driue the Greeks before their face Vnto their tents with extreame feare and dread He did by fortune meet full in the face Hard by a tent with valiant Diomede Who for because it was in such a place Where he could not this hideous moster shun Vnlesse he should in greater danger run For at his backe so many Troians were That flie from him he could not any way But must of them be slaine or taken there When as he saw he must of force needs stay With courage bold he did vnto him go Bâ—t ere that he could strike at him a blow The monster let an arrow fiercely flie At Diomede and gaue him
Into great want and famine at the last For by their meanes we can prouide no more And this sayd he is it which they forecast For that which doth for their advantage make For certaine doth from vs advantage take Yet nerethelesse sayd he what did befall Sith to the truce you willingly agree I will not be repugnant to you all Noâ— gainst so many striue and disagree And so they did consent on either side That for 3 moneths the truce should firmly bide And be obseru'd that while it did indure Such as sore wounds and sickenesse doe oppresse Might time and leasure haue their wounds to cure And for their paine and sicknesse seeke redresse And while the truce for that time did abide It was twixt them agreed on either side That to procure Anthenors liberty Who at that time the Grecians prisoner had King Thoas then held in captiuity Within the towne should for him free be made And neither ransome pay but while they sat In counsell thereupon it chanced that The Troian Bishop Calchas cald to mind And thought vpon his daughter Cresida Whom he left in the towne of Troy behind When he the same forsooke and went away At Delos to the Greeks for whom in hart He dayly felt great sorrow woe and smart Supposing that she being there alone Should for his sake because of his offence And treason which without occasion Gainst Troians he had done in his absence Be hardly vsd and little favor find For which he was full sore perplext in mind And made account that he should neuer be Releast nor freed from extreame griefe and paine Till he his daughter Cresida did see And that she were restor'd to him againe And therefore still within his mind forecast While that the time of 3 moneths truce did last How he mihgt her relieue and get away Out of the towne of Troy where he her left And to that end vpon a certaine day As one that were of comfort cleane bereft Sore weeping in great woe and heauinesse He did himselfe vnto the Greeks addresse And humbly on his knees before them fell And with great floods of teares submissiuely His hard and woefull state to them did tell Beseeching them with great humilitie On him and his t' haue compassion And to procure him restitution Of Cresida his child and onely ioy Whom he because he had the Troians left Durst not goe fetch out of the towne of Troy Least he by them should of his life be reft Desiring them that they a meanes would be That she might be exchanged and set free With Thoas for Anthenor which he thought If they to his request would giue consent By their good mediation might be wrought And they for Calchas sake were all content And presently a messenger did send To Priam King of Troy vnto that end To whom they gaue expresse commission To bring their sure for Cresida to pas But when the Troians hard their motion And found that it for Calchas daughter was Whose Father was become so odious To all the towne and to King Priamus That all men sayd he was a traitor false And for his treason great and trechery Well worthy to be hanged by the halâ—e And that he well deserued had to die A farre more cruell death for by the law They sayd they should his traitrous body draw Vnto the place of execution And hang it there till that halfe dead it were And in that sort with speed to cut it downe And it in quarters foure to cut or teare And said sith that he was so badly bent To Troy that death was not sufficient For his offence and answere therefore gaue That sith he had such treason gainst them wrought They flatly sayd he should no fauour haue Of them therein nor yet would graunt to ought That might his mind in any wise content Nor should his daughter Cresida be sent To him as he requird but flatly sayd If they could euer hands vpon him lay He should haue that which he deserued had And vnto his request sayd flatly nay But at the last allthough with much adoe They were content and granted therevnto For Prians King of Troy his sentence gaue That she with Thoas should exchanged be And both of them should for Anthenor haue Their free discharge out of captiuitie Which his decree with Princely promise seald The Troians could by no meanes get repeald But must the same against their wils fulfill And by that meanes she did from Troy depart Although it were full sore against her will For that much grieu d and vexed at the heart Great sorrow and complaint therefore she made Which when time serues vnto you shall be sayd CHAP. IIII. ¶ How during the time of the three moneths truce Hector went into the Greekes campe and there spake with Achilles and what speeches past between them at that time THe truce confirmd as I before did say And for three moneths agreed on either side It chanced that vpon a certaine day Hector out of the towne of Troy did ride And with him many Lords of high degree Determining the Grecians campe to see And entring thereinto directly went With courarge stout and bold saluting none That with him met vnto Achilles tent For he was mou'd with great affection To speake with him although he did intend If that he could to bring him to his end And truth to say Achilles had as much And great desire of Hector t' haue a sight Though as his foe he bare him mighty grutch Intending his destruction if he might Because he nere had meanes nor libertie Hector vnarmd at any time to see And when that they together both were met And each be held the other for a while As in that sort they were together set Achilles vpon Hector gon to smile And sayd great pleasure Hector t is to me That here disarmd at this time I thee see For nere before could I of thee haue sight But in the field when thou thine armes didst were And valiantly with trenchant blade didst fight And therewith put the Grecian Knights in feare But truth to say it 's much more griefe to mee Which am so deadly enemy to thee That now of thee I cannot haue my will For here of be assur'd if that the peace Restraind me not forthwith I would thee Kill So much my wrath against thee doth increase For th' onely thing which I in heart desire Is cruell death to thee t' appease mine ire For oftentimes when t' was my chance to fight With thee in field full sore against my mind I haue both tri'd and felt thy puissant might As by the wounds which I about me find Which yet doth ake and are both fresh greene And for iust proofe are extant to be seene For with thy sword thou oft hast shead my blood And sought to bring my life vnto an end And like a Lyon furious sierce and wood Thou hast not spard my armes to teare and rend And
the walls did loose great store of men Which when the valiant Knight Margariton One of King Priams bastard Childeren Perceau'd and saw such hauocke of them made Such griefe and sorrow in his heart he had And was so moou'd thereat with great disdaine To see them flie and chast so furiously And fore the walls so many of them slaine He purposed with heart couragiously T'revenge them on Achilles if he might And therefore like a strong and valiant knight He spurd his horse through the prease he brake And in the midst of all the Myrmidons Enforst himselfe to kill or else to take Achilles and to that end on him runs And him with fierce and furious mood assaild But notwithstanding all his might he faild Of that which he intended to haue done For as fell fortune did for him ordaine Which by no meanes he could at that time shone He was himselfe by fierce Achilles slaine Wherewith the Troyans presently did flie Vnto the towne with fearefull noise and crie To see the valiant Knight Margariton Dead on the ground so pittiously to lie And also for because King Thelamon Pursued them with so great cruelty And with his sword so fiercely shed their blood Though Paris him couragiously withstood With all his valiant bastard Brethren But nere the lesse the Troyans more and more Fled backe and with the losse of many men Constrained were to giue the field cleane ore And entring into Troye with mighty feare Margaritons dead corps with them did beare And after them shut fast the gates with speed Whose body when as Hector did behold His heart within his brest for griefe did bleed And for that cause he swore and vowd he would Without abode or any more delay Revenge his death vpon the Greeks that day And presently his compleat armes put on And mounting on his horse with speed did goe Out of the towne before that any one Of those that would haue staid him did it know And like a Lyon in his cruelty Assaild the Grecians host so furiously That like to swarmes of Bees they ran away Before his sword and thought it best to get Out of his sight and he that time did slay Two worthy Dukes that then vpon him set Whereof the one was cald Euripalus The other had to name Halcidius And by that meanes the Troyans hauing woone Their ground againe they did the Grecians slay So furiously that they in hast begun To leaue the field and giue the Troyans way Yet though they were pursu'd so then it was Their chance by force to take Pollidamas A Troyan knight but Hector spurd his horse And road into the thickest of the presse And tooke him from them all againe by force And after put the Greeks to such distresse That through his valor great where s'ere he rood He bath'd his trenchant blade within their blood And was so cruell and so mercilesse That none escapt his hands that with him met And then a Grecian cald Leothides Presumptuously would needs vpon him set While he was in his greatest rage and ire But Hector who as then had great desire To make the Grecians feele his cruelty Slew him forthwith and on the ground him cast The which when as Achilles did espie And saw how he the Grecians slew so fast And hackt and hew'd them down spared none He did conceiue in his opinion That while that Hector liu'd it was most sure The Greeks should nere orecome their enemies Nor long gainst them in battaile could endure And for that cause did studie and deuise Which way to find the meanes by force or slight To rid him of his life if that he might And with him also did therein consent Pollicenes an Indian Duke that had His loue vnto Achilles sister bent And she of him her onelie choice had made Who that he might more in her favor stand Presum'd to take that enterprise in hand And him began t'assaile with courage bold But he was slaine by Hector presently The which when as Achilles did behold And saw him there dead on the ground to lie His heart with so great furie was possest That presently he set his speare in rest And ran therewith at Hector furiouslie But Hector with a dart most sharpely ground Which he with mightie force at him let flie Stroke him clean throgh the thigh a mighty wouÌ„d Which grieu'd him so that he could not abide Within the field but was constraind to ride With all the speed he could vnto his tent And there bound vp his wound and presently Did mount vpon his horse againe and went Into the field in feare least he should die Of that same wound so dangerous and sore And not to take revenge on him before For he desir'd no better remedie To case him of the griefe he did sustaine Then for to haue the meanes and libertie That Hector by his hands might first be slaine For of his death he did small reckning make So he might like revenge on Hector take And so he made a full conclusion Death for death to giue him if he might And with that stedfast resolution And heart repleat with choller and despight He road in mighty rage to find him out While Hector rang'd the field and plaine about And like a Lyon fierce and Tygar fell The Grecians slew and beat from place to place And by his valor great which did excell With sword in hand did them so hotly chase That as the sheepe before the Wolfe do flie They ran assoone as they did him espie For none so hardy was on him to set And while that he such hauocke of them made Amongst the Greeks a Grecian King he met That on his backe a goodly armor had Ingrau'd and set with many a precious stone And Pearles fine that bright clearely shone For on the circle of his helme throughout And all the borders of his Crest were set In every place on Velvet edg'd about Most rich and precious stones of value great Whose Armor when as Hector did behold To be so rich of precious stones and gold Assoone as he vnto the king drew neare He ran at him and with exceeding force Cleane through the heart did pierce him with his speare Wherewith â—e died and fell off from his horse And Hector then did presently alight And being of exceending strength might Tooke vp the body armed as it was Before him on his sadle-bow and ride Therewith out of the battaile that when as He had it got out of the way aside He might of his rich armor make a pray And spight of all the Grecians beare 't away Being glad that he had gotten such a prise But out alas that ere he should it see Or set his mind so much on a varice The heat whereof cannot extinguisht bee Out of mans heart if once therein it get For t is the cause that maketh man to set His mind on nothing else but greedinesse Which cleane disgraceth true Nobility And doth
to graunt therto The women for their parts of every age Throughout the towne did stand along the street And for his death most pittiously did rage And with great flouds of teares their faces wet And tearing of their haire for griefe and woe In furious wise ran crying too and fro Such extreame dolor at that time they made That pittie great it was the same to see The maids likewise no lesser sorrow had And wringing of their hands most pittiously Did sob and sith and lowdly cry and call And said alas now shortly t' will be fall That we shall see our fathers daily slaine Before our eyes with great extreamitie For no man will our quarrell now sustaine Sith Hectors dead for he was woont to be Our onely trust and in his valor stood Our chiefest stay our safety and our good Whose bodie when King Priam did behold His heart it was so fild with extreame griefe That both his hands together he did fold And like a man cleane void of all reliefe His face with bitter teares did bath and drown'd And could not speake but fell into a sownd And so as cold as any stone did lie And neither stird nor mooued foot nor hand Desiring rather presentlie to die Then in so great extreamitie to stand And in that sort on Hectors body lay Till that his sons by force puld him away Who also sad and sorrowfull to see Their brother there lie dead before their eies Did fall into so great perplexitie That casting out most bitter sigths and crie They far'd as if their hearts would burst in sunder Which made all those that saw theÌ„ much to woÌ„der For every one of them such dolor made And were so fild with griefe and great remorse That they did seeme as if no care they had But onely to haue dyed vpon the corse And did such lamentation make that sure A heart of flint could not so much endure What shall I say of Hecuba the Queene Or Cassandra that was esteem'd so wise Or of his sister Lady Policene Or how should I the sorrow great deuise To shew to you of his most woefull wife That loued him as dearely as her life Who all in great extreamity and woe As if they would haue kild themselues did weepe And rent and tare their golden haire and so Torment themselues and such a noyse did keepe ` About his corse that if particularly I should vpon me take to certifie Their sorrows griefes and lamentations Their pittious sighs and salt and brinish teares Their woeâ—ull cries and exclamations Their sad complaints extreamities and feares And all their mournfull jestures specifie It would too great a volume occupie If I should euery thing in order name And over long and tedious to be heard Of any man to listen to the same For many daies ensuing afterward They wept before the corse most wofully And rent and tare themselues so pittiously That wonder't was they could so much endure But that they 're vs'd to weepe to complaine For t is a point of womens nature sure Teares at command out of their eies to straine For euery thing wherewith they are displeas'd Till that their harts therby are somewhat eas'd And so â—e let them sigh and sorrow still And wofully with extreame griefe complaine In mourning weeds till they haue cryde their fill And I to them do turne my stile againe And shew how Priam by invention Did find a way without corruption To keepe the body still vnburied Aboue the earth the which will putrifie And cleane consume to dust when it is dead If in the aire aboue the ground it lie For if that Art do not surmount nature It cannot there long vncorrupt endure Which to prevent King Priam did devise To haue the same preseru'd from filthy smell And lothsomnesse and horror to the eies To make it shew as liuely fresh and well As if that it still quicke and liuing were The charge whereof he was content to beare Whatere it cost and sent men vp and downe To search and seeke with diligence and care For all the skilfulst workemen in the towne That could by Artsuch costly things prepare As might effect the worke that he would haue And to that end to them commission gaue Without delay to take the same in hand Which they perform'd quickly brought to passe Within an ancient Temple that did stand Hard by the gate cald Timbria and was By Priam built which he did dedicate And to his God Apollo consecrate Wherein hard by the Altar they did frame A Chappell made of rich and costly stone And at the vpper end within the same Vpon a stage did frame a Princely throane So high as that within it they might set An Image of proportion huge and great Supported by foure Pillars all of gold With Angels standing on them all enchast And graven that most stately worke t'vphold The roofe whereof with arches overcast Was plated all with gold most sumptuously Embossed knob'd knotted curiously And in each knob and knot a pretious stone Of value great and price inestimable Which both by day and night so brightly shone That they did make it shew as delectable And lightsome in the darke shady night As at noon-day wheÌ„ Phoebus shone most bright To mount vp to this Princely throane there was Twelue goodly faire and stately steps that were Most curiously compos'd of Christ all glasse Which showd so smooth traÌ„sparant bright clere That men did them admire on each one A pinacle there stood of Iasper stone At either end with Rubies rich enchast Vpon the points most stately to behold And on the top of all this worke was plast A huge and mighty Image made of gold Like Hector which with countnance fierce did stand And lookt vpon the Greeks with sword in hand And in this throane king Priamus did place The body of dead Hector which by art Was made to shew as liuely in the face Eies colour looke and skin and every part As when it liu'd apparelled also As commonly on earth he vs'd to goe For that through pipes of gold which bowed down By skilfull Art and cunning policie A precious liquor ran into his Crowne And from that place with great subtiltie Into his vaines and sineâ—â—â— did deseend And by the vertue thereof did defend And keepe his body from corruption And made his skin and colour show as pure And liuely without alteration As when he was a liuing creature And at his head there stood a voyoll full Of precious balme which ran into his soull And from the same by pipes composd by skill Into his necke and euery other place Did penetrate and with the same did fill The vaines and all the poores of his face And made it show as liuely and as fresh As if 't had been a quicke and liuing flesh The balme therein wrought so effectually Much like vnto a spirit vegitable The which without all sence in things doth lie And yet
hath power and is availeable By liuely force and kind humiditie Life to infuse in flower hearb and tree And likewise did the power thereof extend Into each vaine and sinew in his brest Backe armes hands and downeward did discend Through all his bones and ioynts and ne're did rest Till it did run into his thighs and feet At which a voyoll full of gumme most sweet And balme was set which neuer would decay Nor yet impaire by no distemperature But still increast and waxed euery day Of greater force and sweeter did endure Where of the vapor vpward did assend And such a pleasant savor forth did send And made all round about the aire to rise For that it t' was most exquisitely good That it did seeme an earth by Paradize And fore the corps foure lamps of gold there stood Within that place continually gaue light And neuer ceased burning day nor night All â—â—ld with oyle if it be credible The which is sayd to be of such a kind That it was sound â—â—be impossible To 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 tempest 〈◊〉 or wind Not neuer 〈…〉 in many yeares Which lampes did hang high 〈…〉 by wiers And such 〈…〉 That 〈…〉 the same to sâ—ell And when this worke was brought vnto an end And euery thing was done exceeding well And pleasd the eies of all that did it see They made a grate of wood of Heban tree Which wood aâ—â—rmed is will ere indure And being cut doth smell exceeding sweet â—â—d can by no meanes wast for this is sure T will neuer burne by any extreame heat Of fier as it hath been tried oft â—â— waâ—er â—â— nâ—re swimmeth vp aloâ—t But downe into the bottome straight doth go And as some men thereof make mention This tree hath been long since esteemed so And heldon in such reputation That in the fertile soyle of India And in the land of Ethiopia They vsd to pay a tribute as t is sound Of Ivory fine gold and Heban tree To th' Emperor as they thereto were bound And when King Priam saw the worke to bee Performed in so braue and sumptuous wise That he in heart no better could deuise He did ordaine a quier of Priests to pray Continually with great deuotion Before that Princely throne both night and day For Hectors â—oule and gaue them pentions To liue vpon and roomes wherein to lie And bound them to do 't perpetually But while that they are in their orations With Hectors death my third Booke I will end And for a while will leaue the Troians In sorrow great and woe the time to spend And show you what the Grecians meane while do If that you please to hearken therevnto FINJS THE LIFE AND DEATH OF HECTOR THE FOVRTH BOOKE CHAP. 1. ¶ How the Grecians depriued Agamemnon of his place of Genorall of their Armie and made Pallamides Generall in his place THe worthy Champion Hector beeing slaine And fierce Achilles borne vnto his tent Whereas he lay in danger great and paine King Agamemnon for the Grecians sent Next day betimes assooue as sonne did rise To aske of them their counsell and advise What would be best for them as then to doe Sith they by vallant Hectors death were free From danger great which he had put them two And out of feare of his great crueltie And when that they were altogether met Within his tent and there in order set And silence made he spake vnto them all And sayd my Lords and Princes euery one That now are heere If you to mind will call What good the Gods of late for you haue done You ought to giue them thanks with humble voice And inwardly in heart and mind reioyce To thinke on Hectors death for he alone Was th' onely prop and chiefe support of Troy Their whole defence and their protection Their chiefest trust their honour and their ioy And vnto vs confusion and death For that while he enioyed vitall breath We neuer could his valor great withstand Nor victory against our foes obtaine For when that we did first set foot on lend Prothesalus by him was fiercely slaine And next day when in field againe we met He did vpon Patroclus fiercely set And with his sword did cleaue his brest in twaine And after kild King Menon furiously And next by him Archilagus was slaine And in his wrath and extreame crueltie He slew the most renowned Prothenor And then the valiant King cald Alphenor King Phillis also and Epistrophus And Merian a Prince of great renowne And after him a King cald Zantipus And in the field as he road vp and downe He flew two Kings the one cald Dorius The other had to name King Cedius And after that he kild strong Polibet Lâ—â—aboniâ— Policenes and more For in his wrath he slew King Phiâ—bâ—â— And to the ground in surious wife he bore And kild the valiant King Isidius And then the noble King cald Humorus For eighteene great and worthy Kings and many Braue Earles Dukes and Princes he hath slaine With thousands more So that not euer any Likevalor to him showd nor could obtaine Such victory gainst vs for that his hand Was th' onely terror to vs in this Land But'now he 's dead to our no little ioy The Gods be thankt therefore and to the woe And great distresse of all that are in Troy As by experience time to them will show Laud also and much honor giuen be To Fortune for her great benignitie Vnto vs showne in helping vs so well To bring that furious Champion to his end By turning of her â—alse and fickle wheele And vnto vs such fauor did extend That by his death while this warre doth endure All we that now are here may liue secure With comfort great and ease of extreame care And feare we had of him while that he liu'd Where contrary the Trâ—ians all now are By death of him that onely them relieud Texpect nought els but their destruction And finally their townes subversion For now he 's gone they cannot long endure For be assur'd we will them so much grieue That from hence forth we may our selues assure To haue our wils on them ere we them leaue And make this siedge to them importable If we doe hold together firme and stable Their ship in th' end is like to proue a wracke And ready with huge billowes t'orewhelme For all their hope and comfort goeth backe And deepe despaire is guider of theâ—â— helme And maketh them continually depend On death while we our state do still amend By ayd of God both on the sea and land For now without all ambiguitie We may expect the victory at hand And boldly light with great securitie Against our foes without all feare or dread But yet my counsell is ere we proceed T' assaile our foes as we intend to doe To stay a while and not to passe our bonds Till that Achilles to the fieild may goe With vs when he is healed of his wounds And then we will assaile
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
sho According to the Pagans ancient rights The funerall was there accomplished In presence of great multitudes of Knights And Lords and Ladies faire who then did shead Great store of teares with much affection And on their knees fell downe before the throne Whereas the corps of that most worthy Knight Vnburied stood vpright vpon his feet And seemd as fresh and faire vnto the sight By vertue of the precious gums most sweet And balme the which his flesh did so reuiue That he did shew as he had been aliue And at this feast and great solemnitie Queene Hecuba with Policene and other Faire Dames and Princes of great dignitie Sat weeping and in company together Apparelled in sad and mournfull blacke Such lamentation at that time did make For Hectors death as nere the like was seene And yet for all the sorrow that they made The faire and goodly Lady Pollicene No part of her great beautie changed had But still a crimson red and white most cleare Within her face and countnance did appeare For all the teares that she as then did shead Which trickled downe her cheeks like poaâ—les fine Her haire that then hung round about her head In careles wiâ—e like golden wier did shine And show'd like Phebus glistring beams most bright When he doth cast on vs his radiant light Which with her fingers small â—â—e rent and tare Whose beautie when Achilles did behold He did esteeme the same to be so rare That he did muse how God and Nature could Deuise and make so faire â—â— creature For comlines of face and feature So Angell-like she did to him appeare That he to looke on her could not indure For with her christall eies most faire and cleare She stroake him then into the heart so sure That for her loue which was his whole desire He burnt within as hot as any fire And sodainely againe with griefe he shooke Like one that is in feare yet euermore Vpon her he did cast a glancing looke For Cupids dart had pierced him so sore Into the brest and giuen him such a wound That it was likely neuer to be sound And as he durst he lookt her in the face And still approacht vnto her with his eie For whom if that in her he found no grace He made account assuredly to die For he was fallen and caught in such a snare That of his health he was in great despaire And in his heart he was perplexed so That care of all things els he did reiect For knowing not what he were best to do He did himselfe and all his state neglect To set his thought on her and in this wise He fed himselfe with sight of her faire eyes Till Phoebus with his charâ—â—â— did decline And to the Westerne coasts began to draw And on their hemisphere no more did shine When as he cast his eies about and saw Queene Hecuba with Pollicene and mo Out of the Temple to the Pallace go On whom he neuer ceast to haue a sight As she did pas along till that she went Out of the gate and he no longer might With her faire eies giue to his heart content And then no longer in the towne be staid But going to his tent himselfe he layd Vpon his bed with sad and heauy cheare Whereas he lay still thinking on his loue Whose beauty in his sight did so appeare And as he thought still more and more did moue His heart the same with great desire to craue That he no rest noâ— any ease could haue For loue of whom such burning heat he felt And extreame paine which did torment him so That with the same he thought his heart wold melt And in that sort he tumbled too and fro And like a man halfe dead and fore dismaid Vnto himselfe he spake and thus he sayd Alas quoth he that fortune so vnkind Should be to me to make me feele and know Such griefe that I no end thereof can find For that it doth my heart so ouerflow As I suppose that since the world began There nere was found a more distressed man For I that whilome was of so great might Renowned throughout the world of high and low And honoured and feared of euery wight For no man euer heard noâ— yet did know Of any Knight that was more valorous Then I nor euer more victorious For neither Hector that most valiant Knight That was my Lady Pollicenes deare brother Although he was of most exceeding might And hardy therewithall nor any other The power had when he on me did set The least aduantage vpon me to get Nor in the field my courage once could daunt Or make me yeild of fearefully to flie Whereof I may vnto my selfe now vaunt Because I am assurd iâ— is no lie Now now alas a mayd of tender age Hath suddenly set me in such a rage And with the streames of her faire Christall eies Hath pierst my woefull heart and euery vaine That I cannot by any meanes deuise How to relieue my selfe or ease my paine On whom shall I for counsell now reâ—â—e Or who can giue me any remedy To ease and cure my griefe and heauines For this is sure that hope for me ther 's none If death end not my woe and great distresse But her good will and that from me is gone For neither prayer wealth nor comlines Strength power courage nor yet Noblenes Birth honor blood nor great affinitie Can ought availe to helpe me now in need To moue her stony heart to pittie me For whom my heart with inward griefe doth bleed What fury hath possest my restles braine That it should so gainst nature me constaine And make me proue so much vnfortunate As for to seeke mine owne confusion To loue and like of her that doth me hate But truth to say when as I thinke thereon No marvell t is that she doth me despise Sith I am come to Troy in warlike wise To kill and to destroy her kindred And all her friends by fierce and cruell warre Wherein the blood I haue already shead Of Hector her deare brother who both farre And neare was known to be the valiantst knight That euer liu'd for valor and for might Alas for woe now may I quake for feare And of my life dispaire both day and night For with what face can I fore her appeare Or be so bold to come into her sight That haue offended her in such a fashion As that in truth I merit no remission Nor pardon at her hands but certainely Must yeild my selfe the sentence to abide Of cruell death to end my miserie Which doth enclose me round on euery side And so with many sobs and sighes most deepe He did begin so bitterly to weepe And made such woefull lamentation That pittie it was for any man to heare Or see the griefe and cruell passion Which he with great extremitie did beare Within his mind and outwardly exprest And so he lay and by no meanes could rest But tumbled
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
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
was exceeding strong And therein put an arrow sharpe and long Which had the head so strongly poysoned That who so ere he chanst therewith to smight Was sure to die and then he followed Pallamides and with exceeding might Shot at him and did giue him such awound Into the throat that he fell to the ground And died forthwith Whose death mou'd such a cry And feare amongst the Greeks that with great griefe Complaining for his death most pittiously Because he was their Generall and chiefe Of all the hoast and their espicall stay Like vnto sheepe that without sheapheard stray Amased sore for want of one to guide And gouerne them they resolutely bent Themselues to flie and speedily did ride Each man to saue himselfe within his tent Which when the Troyans saw with mighty pace They followed and so hotely did them chase And slay and beat them downe so cruelly Receauing none to mercy nor to grace That all the plaine with dead Greeks full did lie And still continued fiercely in the chase Vntill the Grecks to shun their cruelty Constrained were of meere necessity To turne againe to fight and to defend Themselues a while but t' would them not availe Because the Troyans did so fast descend And did them in such furious wise assaile That what resistance s'ever they then made They were so beaten downe and so dismaid That they could not against them make defence But were constraind to flie away in hast The Troyans did with so great violence Beat downe pursue and follow them so fast Along the plaine and not contented so In furious wise vnto their tents did go And therein fiercely kild and beat them downe And all their gold and treasure that they found They tooke and carried it into the towne And overthrew their tents vnto the ground And after that fierce Troyelus did ride With Paris downe vnto the water side Who as they went slew all that with them met Or scattering here and there they could espie And there the Grecians ships on fire set The flame whereof ascended vp so hie Into the aire that they that were in Troy Might see 't for which they made no little ioy And at that time had burnt them all if then King Thelamon Aiax had not speedilie Run to the ships with many thousand men To stay their furious course and valiantly Withstood them like a braue and worthy knight And then began a new and cruell fight Betweene the Greeks and Troyans in such wise That many valiant knights as then were slaine And yeelded vp their ghosts with wofull cries And all the field about and all the plaine Was fild with dead and maimed men that lay All â—ackâ— and hewd on euery side the way The which so sore and cruelly did bleed That all the grasse and ground was dyed red shead With blood which they out of their wounds did And still the cruell fight continued Amongst them to decide their deadly hate Which they with blows betwixt theÌ„ did debate And like to Bores and Tygars fell did fare Each tearing and sore mangling others flesh And to beat downe their enmies did not spare As thicke as men do corne when they do thresh At which time worthy Thelamon did fight So valiantly and shewd such passing might The Grecians by his prowesse to deliuer From Troyans hands that no man could do more And by maine force so furiously did seuer Their troops that all before him downe he bore And shewd himselfe so valorous and stout That had't not beene for him without all doubt Their ships had all been spoiled vtterly By Paris and yong Troyelus who there So fiercely fought and did so furiously Aslaile them assault them that there were Full fifty ships cleane burned and destroyd Before the Greeks could any way avoyd Their furious force or Thelmon Aiax came To rescue all the rest that did remaine And yet although by force he did the same There were so many Greeks at that time slaine That Troyans had the honor of that fight And onlie by the valor and the might Of Troyelus who for his part did slay So many Greeks that they compelled were To make retreat and fast to run away Out of the field in mighty dread and feare For 't was no boot for them to stay when as They saw they were brought vnto such a passe Amongst the which Prince Heber Sonne vnto The King of mighty Thracian land was one Who moou'd with indignation therevnto And wounded so that hope of life was none In him as then for in his brest their stacke The trunchion of a mightie speare that brake Within the same went to Achilles tent Where he had laine and came not out that day For loue of Pollicene for his intent Was not to aid the Grecians any way Because they would not grant to his desire And him reproacht with extreme wrath ire Of faintnesse and of verie cowardise That he that day to his no little shame Had not come forth nor would in any wise Giue aid vnto the Greeks whereby his fame He said would befor euer blemished Especially when he was certified Into what mischiefe and confusion They were redust and at the verie brinke And mouth of extreame desolation And he thereat did seeme as 't were to winke And nere made shew for them at all to grieue Nor would of knighthood them therin relieue And while he thus vnto Achilles spake And him so sharpely did reproue therefore They did out of his brest the trunchion take Which as I say broken in the same he bore And therewithall he turned vp the white Of both his eies and in Achilles sight Fell downe and died At which time sodenlie One of his Knights into his tent did come Of whome he did enquire earnestly What that day of the Grecians was become And how the case at that time with them stood Who answered him with sad and angry mood And said in sooth my Lord vnhappilie For Greeks alas haue had the worst in fight And by the Troyans haue most cruelly And to their shame been put vnto the flight And such a number slaine and spoild this day That few or none of them could scape away Vnmaymed or without some deadlie wound The Troyans vs so cruelly pursu'd Who as I thinke if truth thereof were found Were in the field so great a multitude This day that I am of opinion That they left not a man within the towne That able was to fight with speare or shield Or any other weapon what so ere But he came forth with them into the field Gainst vs so great a multitude they were So that 't was hard for vs to take in hand Against so huge a company to stand But now my Lord said he it waxeth night And they will shortly to the towne go backe For they are faint and wearied with the fight Wherefore if that your armor you will take And valiantly go out and them assaile While they are in that case
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
Duke of Athens entered With mighty force the furie great to stay Of Troians and did make the Greekes that fled Aduance themselues againe but in the way Stout Troielus smot him so great a blow That from his horse he did him ouerthrow And then with fury great he entered in The thickest of the presse and beat downe all That with him met and therewith did begin So hotly on the Myrmidons to fall That many of them lost their liues and so Farre amongst the thickest of the Greeks did go That at the last he put them all to flight And by his valor great had them in chase So long till that the day was past and night Began t' appeare when as he left the place And went into the towne and there did stay And rest himselfe till that betimes next day They did begin a cruell fight againe Within the field so fiercely on each side That at that time great store of Knights were slaine And beaten downe and as they stoutly ride To trie their valors one against the other Pollidamas and Philomene together Did take King Thoas prisoner whom they ment T' haue carried vnto Troy with speed had not The Myrmidons before with him they went Out of the field from them by valor got And rescued him for they were very strong At which time Troilus road amonst the throng And thickst of them and like a valiant Knight Kâ—ld and orethrew great store of them by force So long till that by their great strength and might They did enclose him round and kild his horse And thought t' haue tane him prisoner but he foght So valiantly that they full dearely bought His horses life with many of their owne Till at the last his brother Paris spied Him fighting there on foot with them alone And with his other brethren straight did ride To rescue him and forcibly made way Through all the presse and many of theÌ„ did slay And by their valors soone recouered had A horse for him whereon he lightly sprong And then againe such hauocke of them made That though he was enclos'd among the throng He kild and beat them downe so furiously That many of them dead at his feet did lie But as most like a valiant Champion He fought in midst of them enclosed round One of his brethren cald Margariton By Myrmidons receiu'd his deadly wound Whose death set Troilus heart on such a fier With cruelty that in most furious ire He purposed to be reueng'd therefore And with his sword by force he made a way Through thickest of the presse downe he bore All that before him stood or once durst stay To make resistance or withstand him then The like did Paris with his brethren Who altogether furiously did ride Amongst Achilles Myrmidons and there Such hauocke of them made that to abide Before them they durst not but in great feare They were compeld of mere necessiry To set spurs to their horses and to flie In hast to saue their liues For Troielus Did kill and beat them downe so cruelly And was on them so fierce and furious And wounded them so sore and terribly That many of them died in the plaine And yet they did the fight long time maintaine For they were noble Knights and of great worth And knew full well how they their armes shold weild But yet they were by Troielus driuen forth With many wounds sore bleeding from the field Not able to withstand his extreame might Although they held together and did fight Most valiantly and would not separate Themselues long time asunder till at length They were by Troielus fierce and desperate So hotly chast that by maine force and strength He made them breake their rancks in despight Their hearts to flie till that with many a Knight King Menelaus and King Agamemnon Ulisses and most cruell Diomede And with them also fierce King Thelamon Came to the field and when they entered So valiantly assayld the Troians And with such multitudes of Grecians Vpon them set that at that time the fight Betwixt them did so hot and sore renew That it did cost the life of many a Knight On either side and thereof did ensue So terrible a noyse and cry throughout The field of men that maymed lay mought Not helpe themselues that all the aire did sound And ring therewith and many shields were spleet And harnes hackt and hawd all the ground Lay couered ore with hands armes heads feet Of men that cut and mangled dying lay And streames of blood ran downe along the way And in the plaine most fearfull to behold At which time they of Troy for all the might And multitudes of Greeks with courage bold Not once dismaid so valiantly did fight That many Grecian Knights by them were kild And wounded sore and where within the field The fight most strongest horst and furious Was held and where greatst troopes of Greeks withstood The Troians and assayld them Troiclus Couragiously amongst the thickest road And with his Knights such slaughter of them made That in short space he them compelled had To flie and to auoid his furious sword As th' instrument of their destruction And which as death they shuned and abhord And this continued till that Thelamon The fearefull flying of the Greeks beheld Did turne them backe made theÌ„ keepe the field And valiantly the Troian Knights assayld And then againe the fight was hot and strong And Greeks against the Troians sore prevaild But that aduantage held not very long For Troielus relieued them againe And by him then so many Greeks were slaine That he compeld them mauger all their might And great resistance which they theÌ„ did make Before his sword againe to take their flight Vnto their tents and at that time did take An hundred Percian Knights whom he did send To Troy and so that day the fight did end Which being done the Myrmidons with speed Vnto their Lord Achilles tent did go With many wounds full deepe that sore did bleed And in that sort themselues to him did show Wâ—o of their number then were lessened An hundred Knights within the field lay dead With gastly wounds slaine by the puissant might And valor great of Troielus alone Whereof when as Achilles had a sight The night ensuing he did nought but grone And sigh and grieue and was so much opprest With heauines that he could take no rest For in his mind he had a double wo First for his Knights that had been newly slaine And then for Pollicene whom he loued so For he knew well that he should nere obtaine His will of her if to reuenge his men He should once seeke the meanes therfore theÌ„ His heart burnt in his breast with double fier Of wrath and loue which pâ—t him to great paine For wrath prouoked him with great desire To be reueng'd and loue did him restraine From dooing it and got the vpper hand For he in mighty feare and doubt
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
If euer he slew any worthy Knight Vnlesse it were by treason as t is true And proued by King Menons death whom he Slew in that sort And then giue him his dew And thou shalt find his knight-hood staind to be With foule disgrace and all his praise nought worth And contrary to that which thou setst forth So that thou canst not rightly and speake true Though nere so eloquently thou dost write Commend him vnlesse that thou saist vntrue And showst thy selfe one that doth take delight To hide his treason with thy sugred phrase And him that nere deseru'd the same to praise But now I must leaue Homer and againe Returne to show vnto you how that day When that Achilles Troielus had slaine Who of the Troians then was th' onely stay The Greeks encouragd by King Menclaus And others were so fierce and furious Vpon the Troians and did them pursue So hotly that they forced them to flie In mighty feare and many of them slew As they before them ran and cruelly Did wound orethrow chase beat theÌ„ down Euen to the walles and trenches of the Towne And made them in despight their heaâ—tâ— forsake The field and t' enter Troy most woefully With Troiclus whose body they did take And bare it in with great solemnity Where all along the towne as it did pas Such sorrow for his death then made there was That no man liuing can discribe or tell The halfe thereof No not most learned Boys Who hath the praise in phrases fit t' excell And of most dolefull words to haue great choise When as he maketh shew to weep and crie In his complaint made to Philosophie Wherein he seemeth Fortune to accuse For her vnconstant dealing and doth charge Her by that meanes all mortall men t' abuse Nor Stacie who of Thebes writes at large The woefull and the most vnhappy fall And doth describe the death and funerall Of those that were the causers of the same Leaue of thy mournfull weeping Niobe And thou that art reported t' haue the fame Each yeare so farre ore land and sea to flee And great complaints and woefull cries to make For thy deare brother Aliagers sake Let Oedipus the Theban King that so Did weepe and waile that he lost both his eies Content himselfe and many other mo As Mirha and Calixtone whose cries And dolefull mones so well were heard seene And Dido faire that sometime raigned Queene Of Carthage towne and for her loue did die Let Phillis mourne no more for Demophonâ— Nor eccho still renew her woefull crie Let faire Corrinne cease to make such mone As she long did and nere left night nor day Because that she had lost her Popingay As Onid in his Booke doth tell And let All their complaints their forrowes their mone Forgotten and cleane out of mind be set For they are nothing in comparison To that of Troy which euery one did make Within the towne for worthy Troylus sake For high and low wiues children and men So piteously complaind and for him there So many salt and brinish teares were then Let fall that men nought els in Troy did heare But mournfull cries and lamentations sad By them cast forth That nere the like was made In any place nor no man well can tell Nor yet expresse the same for it is sure That Pluto whom men call the Prince of Hell For all the torments great he doth indure Proserpinâ— nor furious Ticius Nor Irian nor hungry Tantalus Though they tormented are with extreame paine With him together in th' infernall lake Nere could nor did more bitterly complaine Then all the Troians did for Troielus sake For who-could grieue more then King Priamus Or shead more dolefull teares and piteous Out of their eies then Hecuba the Queene Eassandra Hellen Paris Hellenus And beautifull young Lady Pollicene Or then the Troians with most dolorous And woefull cries did all in generall Shed forth and did gainst Fortune cry and call Accusing her of great inconstancie For they were cleane discomforted and out Of hope to be relieud sith enviously She had bereaued them of Hector stout And of his valiant brother Deiphobus And in their greatest need of Troielus So that in sore distresse and desperate mood They vtterly dispaird of their estate The which they knew in danger great then stood And made account as men vnfortunate T' expect nought els but their confusion And finally the whole destruction Of them and of their towne that was so strong And therefore it availeth not to mourne Nor of their griefe to make discourse so long Sith they by Fate to that hard hap were borne And for that cause I le leau't and to you shoe How Prianous in that distresse and woe A messenger vnto the Grecians sent For truce for certaine moneths which presently With all the Grecian Princes full consent Agamemnon did graunt and ratefie Which either side obseru'd while it did last And freshly fought againe when it was past CHAP. III. ¶ How Paris slew Achilles and Archilagus Duke Nestors Sonne in the Temple of A pollo in Troy THe truce aforesaid lasting Priamus A Sepulcher did make most sumptuously Of metall and of stone for Troielus And buried him with great solemnity And hard by him King Menons body lay Intombed and both buried on a day And as the Pagans were accustomed By th' ancient lawes in ceremoniall wise Most dolefully for them solemnised And dewly held their funerall obsequies With great deuotion and obseruances The which to you is needles to expresse And therefore at this time I le let it pas As tedious both to heare and tell likewise And shew you how Queene Hecuba that was Sore grieu'd for death of Troilus did deuise And practise in her mind how to require Achilles for the trech'ry and despight Which he both vnto her and Troy had don And to that end she sent in secret wise For Paris who was then her eldest Son To whom with teares that trickled downe her eies Aud mournfully with sad and heauy cheare She spake and sayd to him as you shall heare Paris thou knowest as well as I can tell How false Achilles by his trechery Hath slaine my sonnes who liuing did excell Him farre and by his extreame cruelty Hath me bereaud of them and left me none But onely thee to comfort me alone For cowardly thou knowst how he did slay Thy eldest brother Hector vnaware And Troielus likewise that were a stay And comfort vnto me in griefe and care And therefore now I haue determined Within my mind his traiterous blood to shead And him to pay as reason is and right With treason for his treason done to me And treachery with treach'ry to requite And thus it is thou knowest well that he Loues Policene thy sister and doth craue Most earnestly her for his wife to haue Now my intent is presently to send For him without delay to come to me Into Apollos Temple to the end We
meaning and intent What you thinke best by vs now to be done And whether that you will the warre maintaine And hold the siege still here before the towne Till that it be destroyd or go againe Home into Greece sith our chiefe Champion Our sole defence and our protection Achilles now is slaine Whose death alone Vnto vs will a mighty hindrance be And therefore I entreat you euery one To giue me your advise herein what we Shall doe sith that the case now standeth thus For that delay oft proueth dangerous Which having said the Princes all began To fall in great dissention and to varrie Amongst themselues and many of them than Were halfe in feare no longer there to tarry And doubtfull were what they were best to do But some reply'd and answere made thereto That happen life or death they would still stay And never leaue the siege till they had woone And cleane destroyd the towne and some did say They would not stay but presently be gone And into Greece returne againe with speed And in that sort a while they disagreed And every man was of opinion Contrarie each to other But in th' end They did all with full resolution Agree to stay and ceasing to contend Said flatlie they would neuer leaue the towne Till they had it destroyd and beaten downe Although their chiefe and onelie Champion Achilles then was slaine of whome they made So great account for their opinion Was sith that all the Gods decreed had They should destroy the same they did not doubt But in short time to bring the same about And to confirme their resolution And that they might still firmelie therein hold The worthy Grecian Knight cald Thelamon Surnamed Aiax did with courage bold Stand vp and when he had obeysance made Vnto them all in this wise spake and said My Lords and Princes all assembled now If you will take my counsell and advise I am perswaded it is best for you Sith that Achilles in such traiterous wise Is slaine that we a messenger should send To fetch his Son yong Pyrrhus to the end He may revenge his fathers death and aid Vsto atchieue our enterprise in handâ— Who at this time as I haue hard it said Remaineth with King Licomedes and As men of him repor t is said to be A valiant Knight and likely if that he While he is yong take on him armes to beare To proue a knight of great renowne and fame And also i ft be true as I do heare By prophesie which doth foreshow the same Troy nere shall be destroyd vnlesse that he With vs to doe the same here present be And further that till Pyrrhus do come hither We never shall obtaine the victory Against our foes and therefore let 's together Agree to send one thither presently To fetch him Wherevnto they did consent And Menelaus of that Embassage went Who entring ship saild forth the selfe same day And soone arriu'd where Licomedes dwelt Where with him for a while I le let him stay And show you how the Greeks and Troyans dealt Together when truce past in fight they were As in the Chapter following you shall heare CHAP. V. ¶ How Paris and Thelamon Aiax slew each other how Queene Helena Lamented for the death of Paris the Grecians remooue their tents necrer vnto Troy and the truce is ended betweene them WHeÌ„ Phoebus by due course as time doth passe Into the signe of Cancer entrie made And in the height of his assention was Which vsually men Summer call and had Drawen from the root of every flower tree The vertue sweetnesse and humiditie And made them mount into the hearbs leauesâ— And when each flower doth fresh gay appeare Till Cancer place by course to Leo giues Which is the time and season of the yeare When as the Sun being in the highest degree Descends and is said retrograde to bee And with his mighty heat feruor cleane Dries vp the sap of roots trees hearbs flowers And that which spring time made shew fresh and CoÌ„verts to white for want of April showers green To mollifie his strong decoction For that by naturall digestion The moysture which in fruits flowers abounds By reason of the great humiditie Which is in them he dries vp confounds And with his heat extreame fervencie Which hotest is when it is Summer weather Doth ripen them and make them sit to gather And pull off from the branches as they spread And hang thereon in their due time and season When Cheries gin to ripen and wax red And other kinds of friuts are yong and geason In Iune and at the latter end of May When as the hot and pleasant Summers day By course of time is sixteene howers long The Greeks with hearts repleat with wrath and ire Presuming of their force that was so strong And hoping to attaine to their desire Into the field couragiously did go Well arm'd to fight against their Troyan foe Conducted by the Kings Agamemnon Ulisses valiant Diomede and mo As Menestes and furious Thelamon Who that same day into the field did go Without an armor helmer speare or shield Onely his sword which in his hand he held And naked in that sort most brauely fought Gainst whom the Trayans though in feare doubt Did issue forth for that King Priam thought His force too weake so often to go out As he was woont sith his Sons valorous Hector Deiphobus and yong Troyelus Vnfortunatelie were all dead and slaine Yet not to giue the Grecians cause to say He feared them he sent them out againe And gaue the chiefe command of them that day To Paris that his eldest Sonne then was Who with King Philomene Pollidamas King Esdras and Aeueas valiantly Against the Grecians went and on them set With courage stout resolu'd that day to die In their defence oâ— honor great to get Vpon their deadly and inveterate foes As 't pleased God the victorie to dispose And furiously the onset on them gaue Where Paris with his Persian Archers shot Vpon the Greeks so swiftly and so braue That soone he had advantage on them got And they compelled were in extreame need To flie to saue themselues Till Diomede Perceauing them so fast to run away T'â—eleiue them like a stout and valiant Knight Did turne them backe againe and made them stay Still in the field and valiantly to fight And at his entring in amongst them met King Philomene on whome he fiercely set Who brauely vnto him did likewise ride Where each of them the other did assaile And valiantly their strengths and valors trideâ— But neither gainst the other could prevaile And yet they fought most furiously and long For both of them were passing stout and strong And would not yeeld one â—oâ— vnto his foe So much they did in courage great excell But while they were together fighting so The Troyans fought so furiously and fell Against the Greeks that they could not
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
be taken vpon thee And also in like sort on every one That vnto thee allied are by bloud For loue of that most valiant knight good Whose death the world caÌ„not enough complaine And for that cause men do not onlie take Revenge therefore but women do maintaine His quarrell and haue vowed for his sake As right requires without exception To put the same in execution Vnto which end here now before thy face I stand and readie am to trie thy might For to reuenge his death here in this place And sith thou hast at women such a spight Thou shalt soone find by good experience What we can do and how in our defence We can both weld a sword and warlike speare Which thou shalt try by shedding of thy blood Here in the field without all dread or feare Which words when Pyrrhus heard he waxt as wood As any Lyon fierce when men him chase And then with colour pale and angry face He tooke a speare and ran at her amaine And she likewise of him no whit in feare Encountred with him brauelie in the plaine Where Pyrrhus first vpon her brake his speare But mou'd her not she did so firmely sit But she did him so sure and strongly hit That with her Launce she did him overthrow And made him fall downe flat vpon the plaine At which his heart with rage did overflow And rising on his feet an great disdaine With sword in hand strake at her many a blow But she still firmely sat and did not bow And in exchange gaue him the like againe And often made him kneele vpon the ground And in that sort the fight betweene them twaine Continued long and no advantage found On either side till Pyrrhus knights came on And brought his horse made him mount theron And then the Generall Agamemnon With banners rich and pennons braue displaid Marcht forward into the field came on With many Earles Dukes Kings to ayd And second him and to assaile their foes Whose entry made the Troyan knights to lose Their grouud they were so fiercely followed And hotely charged by the Grecians Till Philomen them brauely rescued And by that meanes relieu'd the Troyans And ioyning with the Queene the Greeks assaild And at that time so much gainst them preuaild That by main force they made theÌ„ lose their grouÌ„d And then great store of knights on either side Were staine out right many more were found That wounded sore with gastly voices cride And yeelded vp their breath and many a sheâ—d And helmet broke and cleft lay in the field And many a horse ran maâ—â—erlesse about And such a noise of Drums Trumpets shrill And cries of men was heard the field throughout And with the sound thereof the aire did fill That fearefull't was to heare and to behold How on each side with courage stout and bold And most confused noise they slew each other Where th' Amazons conducted by their Queene Assaild the Greeks so furiously together That all the field the which before was greene Was turn'd into a faire and crimson red With blood of Greeks which by them then was shed Who seconded by stout Pollidamas King Esdras and Aeneas and the rest Of Prâ—â—â—s force which then all entred was Into the field vpon the Grecians prest So valiantlie that they were forst to lose Their ground and to giue place vnto their foes And would haue fled if Pyrrhus had not been Who onlie by his valor made them stay And kild so many of the Troyans men That they were glad to get out of his way But Panthasilia brauelie did with stand Both him and all the Greeks and by her hand And extreame force the Troyans did relieue And kild so many Greeks on euery side And vnto them such mightie wounds did giue That they durst not her puissant blows abide And in that fore those Champions fierce bold The fight in equall ballance long did hold Till Pyrrhus with the Troyan Glaucon met That brother was vnto Pollidamas Anthenors son and on him fiercely set To whome at vnawares as he did passe By him he gaue a wound into the side So deepely that he there fell downe and died Wherewith Queene Panthasilia fiercely ran To Pyrrhus and did brauely on him set At which time such a cruell fight began Betweene them both when they together met That with their swords in furious wise by force They beat each other downe off from his horse And so on foot fought valiantly and long Without advantage gotten on either side Till that the Greeks and Troyans with a throng Of knights by force betweene them both did ride And parted them and then Pollidamas Whose heart with griefe wrath possessed was For Glaucons death vpon the Grecians ran And without mercie or compassion had Of any one beat downe both horse and man And with the Queene so great a slaughter made Of them at that same time that they compeld Them spight their hearts to flie out of the field Vnto their tents vntill that Diomed And Thelamon with Pyrrhus turn'd them backe And once againe into the field them led Where for a while they did resistance make And fought againe till that it drew to night At which time when they could no longer fight For wearinesse When Phoebus gan to hide Her glistering beames and Westward to descend With greatest losse vpon the Grecians side They did from fighting cease and made an end Of that daies bloudie battaile with desire To rest themselues as time then did require And so they did 〈◊〉 next day gan t' appeare When as with courage great each side began To enter in the field and without feare In furious wise slew many a valiant man And for a month ensuing every day From fighting in the field did never stay But who did best or had the victory In all that time there is no mention made Nor yet what men of note therein did die But onely that Queene Panthasilia had One hundred of her women therein lost For which she said it should her dearely cost But she would be revenged for the same Vpon the Greeks if Fortune favourable Would be to her but she that beares the name To be so fickle false and variable That no man can his trust in her repose By turning of her wheele did make her lose Her life when as she was in highst degree Of honors throne presuming that her soes Nere should bereaue her of it But you see That when it is Gods pleasure to dispose Of man and of his actions none can't shun For what he hath decreed must be done For that when many battailes had been fought And Greeks and Troyans long and furiously Had slaine and spoild each others power sought On either side to win the victorie And that Queene Panthasilia brauely had Behau'd her selfe in many fights and made Such slaughter of the Greeks that for the same They feared her and shun'd her in the fight And by that
them to get out Their furious clawes with great fearefull cries Like to a Bull that 's tide vnto a stake For to be kild doth mighty roaring make But all in vaine for nothing could him aid And when that he was kild they tooke their way Vnto Mineruaes Temple where they laid Themselues downe at her feet there did stay Wherewith a mighty trembling feate did fall With wonder new strange vpon them all For they suppos'd and thought it to be true That for because Lycaon with his speare Had run against the horse that as a due Deserved plague that punishment he bare And therefore all of them did cry and say Why bring you not this horse without delay Into the Towne the Goddesse wrath t' appease And presently the people did begin To batter downe their wall and did not cease Till they had made a mighty brech therein Which done they set the horses feet vpon Huge planks with wheels that it might slide there on And with great ropes about his necke did draw The fatall horse with men and armor full Which when the women with their children saw They leapt daunst singing holpe to pull And hale it in and glad was he that could By any meanes vpon the ropes lay hold And in that sort it entred in the Towne Vnhappy men to breed their owne decay For as they drew and shou'd it vp and downe Along the streets of Troy vpon the way Foure times it swai'd iog'd against the ground And euery time they heard the armor sound Within the same yet on with it they went And blind with fond desire they had to get That mōstrous horse brought in were not content Till they had it by Pallas Temple set Wherewith Cassandra plainly did them shew By spirit diuine what would thereof ensew But they that for her words did little care Belieu'd her not but like to sencelesse men The Temples strew'd with hearbs did prepare As solemne feasts as if that they had been Secur'd and freed from dangers whatso ere Might happē whē poore wretched men they were At point of death and as we vse to say With one foot stepping in the graue had No longer time to liue but one short day And so great triumph for the time then made That nere the like before was seen in Troy But true it is that after extreame ioy As oft we find ensues adversitie And after peace when men do liue secure Without all feare in great felicitie And thinke that it for euer will endure Comes cruell warre for there 's no certainty In worldly blisse full of variety Deceit and guile vnhappines and trouble And neuer in one state doth long remaine Not much vnlike vnto a water-bubble Which riseth vp straight falls downe againe For though that men haue wealth riches great And on the top of fortunes wheele are set Yet vnawares she soone doth cast them downe As you may well behold and plainly see Here in this Booke by Troy the ancient Towne Which thought it selfe for euer safe to be By bring in that mighty horse of brasse Which th' only cause of their destruction was And when that they in extreame ioy had spent The day without all care till it was past And that the christall firmament had sent Darke night with clouds the skies to ouercast While that the wearied Troyans on the wall Lay carelesly and some on sleepe did fall As fearing nought The Grecians armie soone From Tenadon with all their Navie came And guided by the cleare bright shining Moone With silence great did land and made a flame Of fire out of their admirall to show That they were there and to let Symon know They were prepard to ioyne with him when he Had done his feat within the Towne who when He started vp and looking out did see The light from thence he stole out and began To turne the gins that in the horse were made And when that he his bellie op'ned had He called out Ulisses Athamas Thesander Machon and King Menalus Pyrrhus Achilles son that also was Surnamed by the Greeks Neoptolimus King Thoas and a number more beside Who soone out of the Horses panch did slide And presently vpon the walles did go And there fast sleping found the watch whom they Did fiercely kill and when they had done so Vnto the gates in hast they went there way And brake them vp and then out of the towne Did hang a light which they at Tenadowne Perceiuing armd themselues and fiercely ride To Troy-ward where their fellows watch did keepe And ready stood their comming to abide At midnight when sound sleep on men doth crepe And furiously throughout the Citie ran And sparing neither woman child nor man Kild all they found with extreame cruelty For they as then fast sleeping lay in bed And little did suspect such trechery Till that they felt with gastly wounds that bled Their enemies blowes and saw no remedy But by their hands in cruell wise to die For neither sex nor age by them was spard Whereby a mighty crie and noise did rise Within the towne the which when Priam hard Who little did suspect his enemies So falsely had betraid him and that The towne by them was tane but al to late He found and by experience too well knew Anthenor and Aeneas had betraid The towne and him into their hands drew That traiterous plot the which they falsely said Was for his and their good in generall But it was don to blind his eies withall Till they fit oppertunitie might haue To bring 't passe in such sort as they had Agreed with the Greeks which was to saue Themselue on such conditions as they made In secret wise and cleane contrary told To Priamus which then he might behold To well for at that time the trechery Which with such traitrous hearts they had cōceild Was seene and by the Grecians cruelty Vnto the townes and his decay reueald And th' Authors knowne when as no remedy Was to be found t' auoyd th' extremity That on him fell for then the towne was tane And all the loftie towers thereof began With fierto burne and euery street lane Was fild with Greeks and nothing hard therein But lamentable cries and woefull grones Of men that dying lay vpon the stones Within the streets and howses and that fled Before the Greeks in mighty dread and feare Amazed sore he rose out of his bed And sheading many a salt and brinsh teare Ran to Apolloes Temple comfortles T' escape if that he might in that distresse Meane time the towne was of a flaming fier Which merciles consumd and spoyled all And Greeks on euery side with great desire To be reuenged vpon the Troians fall And murthered and beat them downe so fast That while that most accursed night did last Ere Phoebus shoane the next ensueing day They slew of them boue twenty thousand men And forcibly did take and bare away Their
Well mayst thou cruell Pirrhus rightly be Achilles son for Nature to thee gaue A gift to be as piâ—â—les as he And worse for that I neuer of him read That in his life he did so foule a deed As in such sort to kill a silly mayd But for a woman fell great paine and smart And that he felt in loue as it is sayd With Pollicene for Cupid with his dart Did wound him so by casting of his eye On her that he thought verely to die For loue of her how that t was his chance To loose his life for her whom thou didst kill With fierce and furious mood not by mischance But puposely thy pleasure to fulfill For which although thou thoghst it was no shame Assure thy selfe the trumpe of flying Fame Will through the world thy great dishonour spread For doing of an act so horrible And when that men shall chance thereof to read Thy name will vnto them be odible Whose cruell death when Hecuba the Queene That standing by when it was don had seene With extreame griefe she fell out of her wit And tare her haâ—re and furiously did set Vpon the Greeks with tooth and naile and bit And scratcht beat all those that with her met And palted them with stones till at the last The Greeks laid hold on her bound her fast And finally did take and beare her to An Island to the Troyans subiect where They stoned her to death and hauing so Bereft her life they made a sepulchre Most sumptuously compos'd of stone and brasse Wherein with great solemnity she was Entombed as belong'd to her estate Which Tombe stood there long after to be seen And called was the place vnfortunate And in this sort that great and worthy Queene Did end her daies distressed â—ore and mad When as the Greeks throgh Calchas counsell had By Pyrrhus hand her Daughter sacrifiz'd Vnto their God Apollo to appease His furious wrath who foolishly â—urmiz'd That they should never haue faire wind nor seas Vnlesse Achilles death revenged were By death of Policene for they did feare The Gods would nere be pleased nor content To let them passe to Greece till it were done But God that sitteth in the firmament And is the true and only God alone Confound such false and fained Gods and all Their jmages with those that on them call For they are nought but stocks that are without All sence wherein the diuell doth remaine And subtilly by them hath brought about His purpose man to moue whose heart is vaine To pray to them and trulie to belieue That they are Gods and can vs succour giue In our distresse and so induced hath Mankind to leaue th' eternall God of heaven To pray to stocks and stones against the faith Of Iesus Christ that hath his body given To death for him by such false illusion Hath brought him in such error and confusion As he belieueth by jdolatry And offring beasts and blood to jdols vaine That he doth serue the heavenly Maiesty Of God and shall remission free obtaine Thereby for those offences he hath done But God confound them all and every one What title name or qualitie so ere Idolaters vnto them giue Whose number So many are that name of Gods did beare That when I thinke thereon it makes me wonder The which that you as well as I may know I will their names to you in order show First Iupiter Saturne Mercurie Apollo Daphne Mars the God of warre Diana cald the Queene of Chastitie The guide of men by night Lucina faire And Iunâ— that most commonly doth dwell In waters deepe and Pluto God of hell Faire Venus Queene of lust and venery With Cupid blind her son the God of loue Minerua Goddesse of activity The God of wine cald Bacchus thâ—t doth moue Men to desire the same Dame Cithera And Plutoes louely Queene Proserpina Neptunus Flora Vulcan Eoâ—us And Bellâ—des that thirsts still doth draw Vp water in a Bucket Sisyphus Condeâ—nd to rowle a stone by fatall law And nere to cease and hungry Taâ—talus Th'jnfirnall fates and Sisters furious That â—ained are to spin the threed of life The Muses nine that sweetly sing and play Bellonâ— Queene of discord and of strife And double faced Ianus whome they say The Romanes did adore and Priapus The angry fretting Priest cald Genius That 's said to curse all those that froward be To such as friendly are to them and kind Imeneus who hath authoritie The hearts of married couples fast to bind In loue till they are mou'd to disagree By discord that twixt them sets enmitie The Fayries that are vs'd by night and day In houses and in fields to sing and dance The water Nimphs and Siluan Gods that stay In woods and groues and many times by chance Are seen of men as Satyrs Nayâ—des Bycornes Fawnes Incubs and Drâ—â—des With many more And finally to close And make the number compleat Orphâ—â—s The God of sleepe but certainly all those That to such Gods so vaine and â—rivolus Do sacrifice or on them vse to call Will sure at last into some danger fall For recompence of seruing them so well For all such false and faind Idolatrie Proceedeth from the crafty fiend of Hell Who is so full of fraud and subtilty That he deuisd those Idoll Gods to frame And purposely did creepe into the same And spake in them and answere made to those That praid to them and caused men thereby To leaue the true and liuing God to lose Eternall blis in heauen for certainely All those that on such Idolls false do call Serue Belzebub and cleane from God do fall As David in his Psalter doth declare That mong the Pagan Gods there is not one That can relieue or aid vs for they are All made and framd of siluer gold or stone Or els of Copper Brasse Tin Lead or wood And that they neither can nor do man good For eies they haue and cannot see at all And eares likewise and yet they do not heare And legs and feet and cannot stand but fall Vnlesse they leane or somewhat doth them beare And hold vpright and therefore as he saith He that in them reposeth trust or faith Or to bow downe to them which take delight Let him be well assurd that at the last They will him with such recompence requite That head-long downe to hell he shall be cast With damned soules to dwell perpetually And that is his reward when he shall die And in this life misfortune dread and feare With many troubles that on men do light As famous stately Troy doth witnesse beare Which once was of such puissant force and might That it did thinke it selfe to be secure And that it should in that state long endure And gainst her foes to haue prevailed by Apollo Pallas Iuno Uenus and Diana faire the Queene of Chastity Whome they were wont to honor in that land With sacrifice and worship great to show To them by whom
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
remaine The which two seuerall wiues vnto him bore Who with a King cald Tenter did remaine And nourisht were till that they did attaine To mens estate and in the end he came Two braue and worthy knights as euer were And in their time attaind to hauty fame As by their liues and acts it doth appeare The elder of them cald Autheâ—icâ—s The yonger had to name Aâ—â—issarâ—s And then doth shew that when the Greeks had done All that they would to Troy and â—eadiâ— lay Attending wind and tide at Tâ—â—â—dâ—â— To saile to Greece Agamemnon did pray And earnestlie entreated them t' agree And giue consent that Menalus and he Might take their leaues and stay no longer there Whereto at first they would not giue consent But flatly them denyd and gainst it were But after much entreaty were content They should depart and so they two together Set saile when it was faire and pleasing weather In Autumne when the aire was drie and cold And melaucholie humors did abound When Phoebus had cleaâ—e passed Leâ— bold And in sixteenth degree of Virgo found And trees that in the Summer time were greene Waxt drie corne and fruits were gathered in And flowers herbs which in the month of May With fresh and liuely hew shewd gallantly Began to hang their heads and to decay And all the fields that flourisht verdantly Were dri'd and lookt with sad heauy cheare At th'jssuing of the daies caniculeare And men by humors great which then abound Molested were with shivering feavers cold And when the wind with blustring blasts was found To shake the trees so sore they could not hold Their leaues but did constraine them off to fall At time of yeare when men on God do call And humbly him beseech to keepe and saue Their vines from raine storms nipping frost That they in time the fruits of them may haue Which otherwise would vtterly be lost If too much moysture fall vpon the ground As commonly that time of yeare is found At vnawares to happen with some blasts Of wind and blustring weather which so sore Doth moue theseas therewithall orecasts The skies makes them lowring which before Shewd pleasantly and seemed for a while To put men in good hope with fained smile But yet there is no trust t will so abide As well the Greeks that put to sea did find And sailed forth of Tenadon with tide And wind as good as they could wish in mind And with the gold and treasure that they woon In Troy three daies their course directly â—un To Greece ward by consent of Eolus Who with the winds did seeme as 't were t' obay To them and promist voyage prosperous And did conduct t hem onward of their way With pleasing gale along the Grecian coast But when that they in fortune trusted most And thought themselues to be in her good grace Mistrusting nought she sodenly did lower And vnawares with false dissembling face To shew and to declare her mighty power Turn'd all their hope into most deepe despaire And ouercast the weather that was faire And made th' Egean seas that calme did show To rise aloft with billowes huge and hie And Boreas with his boystrous blasts to blow And roare and whistle lowdly in the skie And day that was most cleare to seeme as night It was so darke so that they had no light But onely by the lightning that did fall With flashes great and made them sore agast And much more when the thunder therewithall With mighty claps did breake both Yard mast And rent and tare their sailes made them flie Ore bord into the sea that rose so hie And bare their ships vp with so mighty force As if that they on mountaine tops had been And then againe with cleane contrary course Cast them as low so that they oft were seen As if that they directly headlong fell Into the deepe infernall pit of hell And therewithall the lightning sodainly Fell in their ships and set them on a fire And two and twenty of them speedily Consumd burnt the rest with furious ire The which Minerua to them bare were cast Vpon the shore and there in pieces brast For she offended was with them so sore Because to her they did no reverence When they from Troy departed and the more Because of that most great and foule offence The which Cileus Aiax gainst her wrought Within her Church which he full dearly bought For when his ships were most part of them drownd She bare so great a spight and hate to him That he to saue himselfe from death was found In danger great within the seas to swim Starke naked and at last got to the land And there lay almost dead vpon the sand And that he had for his desert and share The which Minerua iustly to him sent Because that he no honor to her bare When he into her Temple boldly went And forcible with mighty violence Cassandra Priams Daughter drew from thence Whereby you see what danger doth ensue To men that dare prophane a holy place As Cileus Aiax did but did it rue And plagued was therefore without all grace As God with grieuous punishment will strike All those that do presume to do the like Which many of the Greeks most true did find By giving of the same occasion For he that with a proud and hawtie mind Will venture by too great presumption To striue against the God of peace and might Shall at the last vnto his foule despight Repent the same much sooner then he weenth And oftentimes not punished alone For many a man that innocently meanth Is plagu'd for that which other men haue done For all the Greeks in generall together Returning home receau'd some hurt no other Both hie and low of state all felt the smart And punishment of rigor to them vs'd Vpon their foes with sterne and cruell heart Because that they their victory abus'd As by the sequele of the History It doth appeare most clearely to the eye Which saith that in times past a King there raign'd Among the Greeks which Naulus had to name Who long in honor great his Land maintaind And through the world did spread his hawty fame Two Sons he had Pallamides the elder And Oetes was the second and the yonger Who both one mother had and valiant were Especially Pallamides for he For knighthood was esteemd and held to beare The name and fame both farre and neare to be The worthiest Prince then living in his daies For force and power of men at all assaies And for his wisedome sometime governed The Grecians hoast when they fore Troy did lie And was of them most highly honoured But at the last was slaine vnhappilie In battaile when as he most flourished In honor his fame abroad was spred But some that bare great envie in their hearts Vnto the Grecians most maliciously Against them treason wrought plaid their parts So well therein that Naulus hastilie
comming thither told them that he wold Go downe into the well to fetch the gold Supposing to haue found it there indeed But being downe into the bottome gone As they before between them had agreed When aid and succor for him there was none For vp againe himselfe he could not rise They stoned him to death in cruell wise And went their waies vnto their tents with speed Where down they laid themselues to take their ease As if that they had never done the deed And so they said that King Pallomides Was murthered by Ulisses treachery And Diomede and it was but a lie Deuis'd to slander them that guiltlesse were And also all the Grecians else beside For he was with an arrow slaine in warre By Paris while they did in siege abide But they that are to falshood wholly bent Can tales devise that nere were done nor ment And as for those two letters that were brought Out of the towne as by them was surmis'd No such thing by Pallamides was wrought It only was maliciously devis'd And nothing else but falshood vntroth Of purpose told to make king Naulus wroth And angry with the Greeks in generall Thereby to worke their ruine and decay And mou'd him for that cause on them to fall As they returned homeward on their way For presently king Naulus and his sonne Belieuing that such treason had beene done And wrought by Greeks as was vnto them told Did sweare and vow reveng'd to be therefore Vpon them by all waies and meanes they could And vnto them in heart such hatred bore That without any favor merciles When as the Greeks were on the surging seas And saild along the shore by Naulus land He caused fires to burne and set vp lights Vpon the coast the which on hills did stand And might be seene farre off in winter nights To make the Greeks to erre and go aside Out of the way for when they had espi'd The lights on shore and did not vnderstand The reason but supposing harbor neere They did direct their course vnto the land And thinking them for sea-marks placed there To shew them how to fall on land by night Without all feare they made vnto the light Whereby vpon the rockes sand they stroke And by that meanes two hundred ships they lost Which sodainly were all in pieces broke And cast away vpon king Naulus coast Which cost the life of many a worthy man And so to take revenge he first began Vpon the Grecians with destruction Of them and of their Navie huge and great But yet by fortune King Agamemnon Escaped death and safely home did get With Menalus King Diomed and more That followed them yet there was great store Of Earles Kings and Princes cast away At that same time But when as Oetes knew That they were gone and that he could not stay Them as he would he vowd some should it rew And presently imagined a wile Wherewith he did Agamemnon beguile By writing of a letter to his wife Which set so great contention tweene theÌ„ twaine That it did cost Agamemnon his life The letter did in it thus much containe That her deare Lord and king Agamemnon A great and mighty wrong to her had don The which could not but breed most extreame blame And detriment vnto her in the end Although she nere had merited the same The which he said was that he did intend A daughter of king Priamus to take To wife and would her vtterly forsake Though she surpast her much for excellence Of beauty and of comely feature That never had vnto him done offence Whereof he did her certainly assure And that it was his purpose and intent That she should into banishment be sent A thousand miles froÌ„ thence when he came home Advising her that she should warily Looke to her owne estate This was the sum And generall contents of that which he Within his letter sent vnto the Queene Although the king was innocent and cleane Of that which he to her did falsly write And loud her while he liu'd with all his heart And in none else but she did take delight Nor had no such intent from her to part But 't may be that the letter which he sent Made her to do more then she ever ment And to giue credite thervnto too soone Who thanked Oetes for his carefulnesse In her behalfe and his compassion Shewd therein to preserue her from distresse And yet as in the story you shall find She was a most false Lady and vnkind To him while he was absent in the warre But nerethelesse she was so diligent To looke vnto her selfe and to prepare A bait for him and thereby to prevent All mischiefe whatsoever might ensue To her by that which she thought to be true That finally she brought him to his end What trust can man repose in worldly glory Though all men to obtaine't their wits do bend Which proues to be so vaine and transitory Or in the wavering ioyes of prowd ambition Which sodainely are turned vpside downe Or flying fame that mounteth vp so hie And is orethrown in twinckling of an eie Or as vaine boasting of great victory That vanisheth away so sodainly Or in dissembling fortune most vniust In whom no man could ere so surely trust As that he might assure himselfe that she Would vnto him a constant friend remaine Gainst whom no man whats'euer that he be Can once resist or victory obtaine For on her wheele though he clime nere so fast Let him be sure shee le throw him downe at last Her favor's not to be relide vpon For she 's so full of mutability That he which doth repose his trust thereon Doth build vpon a meere vncertainty To day shee le be a friend and seeme to smile To morrow she will falsly men beguile Her pride is such she spareth no degree Great Emperors Kings Dukes Princes all are one With her for in their greatst felicity When they are plast in high and Princely throne And liue and raigne in honor and renowne For all their mighty power she casts theÌ„ downe As you may see by King Agamemnon Who while he liu'd so puissant was of state That mong the Greeks there was not any one Esteemd nor found to be more fortunate Nor greater yet for all his excellence He could not make resistance nor defence With all the power that on him did attend Against conspired murther nor prevent The treason wrought to bring him to his end Which his Queene Clytemnestra did invent And purposely deuise But he that knows All things on earth his iudgment often shows On such as take delight in murthering Of men which God doth vtterly forbid And specially the murthering of a king Which is so foule and horrible a deed That all the paine that Exion feâ—les in hell With other foule infernall spirits that dwell With Belzebub are not sufficient To take revenge nor punish such â—one As hath a heart so mischieuously bent For that
giue them leaue to enter Though they as he suppos'd did not pretend To do him wrong thereby while they did stay Nor yet by any way or meanes t' offend His subiects but for all they tooke did pay But Thelaphus well arm'd with many a knight Went downe vnto the shore with them to fight And with exceeding furie on them set Where Assandrus so brauely did assaile His enemies that those that with him met Could not against his valor great prevaile So that by knightly force the field he wan Vpon his foes and killed many a man That him withstood which when the King espi'd And saw how he so brauely plaid his part Disdaining sore thereat to daunt his pride With all his force he stroke him with a dart So farre into the breast that he fell dead Vpon the ground the which when Diomed Perceaued to revenge him like a knight Of valor great that time such slaughter made Vpon his foes that by his puissant might He made them run out of the field as glad To saue their liues which done he gan to make Great sorrow for his loving brothers sake And studying what were best for him to do At last his corps from savage beasts to saue Before that he one foot from thence did go He put the same into a Princely graue And buried it with many weeping eyes Vpon Boctia shore in Paynim wise But Oetes to his sister wrote and said That he was slaine by craft of Diomede Who to that end in wayt for him had laid A band of men that he once being dead The kingdome wholly might without all strife Descend by right to him and to his wife And that he would possession thereof take Assoone as he againe returned home And further said that he would her forsake And that with him there did a Lady come Whome he did loue and meant to make his wife And by that meanes did set such mortall strife Betweene them as he in like sort had done Not long before and in the selfe same kind Twixt Clytemnestra and Agamemnon That he possest her sad and heauie mind With such conceit of treason that much grieu'd To heare thereof she verily belieu'd All to be true that vnto her was told So that with heart to wrath and furie bent And face that looked deadly wan and cold She did for her deare brothers death lament Whome she did with so great affection loue That from revenging him no man could moue Her heart that was as hard as any stone Vpon her husband Diomede For when The tedious weary siege of Troy was done And he returned home to her agen She did him on the shore by force withstand And beat him backe not suffring him to land But banished him presently from thence And would not once with him be reconcil'd Who seeing that he could not make defence Against her power to see himselfe exil'd So wrongfully much grieued at the heart Cleane comfortlesse he did from thence depart And went vnto Salerne land whereas A puissant King cald Tentar then did raigne That Brother vnto Thelamon Aiax was Who at the siege of Troy was falsly slaine But Diomede cleane destitute of ayd Vnhappy man not long time therein stayd For when King Tâ—â—â—â—r knew that he was there Suspecting him for death of Theâ—â—mon He did pursue him so that wheresoere He staid he saw that succor there was none For him to haue so that vpon a night In secret wise he tooke himselfe to flight And left Salerne land in hope to find More comfort and reliefe in other place To ease and to redresse his troubled mind If fortune would vouchsafe him so much grace Meane time with heauie heart thought confus'd Like one forsaken wholly and refus'd Of euery man he wandred to and fro From place to place and could no rest procure Vnto himselfe not knowing where to go And all that while great mis'rie did endure Till at the last Aeneas that still staid In Troy the scattred Troyans there to aid Which after the destruction there were left And every day and hower were in doubt To be destroyd and of their liues bereft By enemies that dwelt there round about And had no man to gouerne them nor stand In their defence or that would take in hand To be their guide against their enemies Till that Aeneas t'aid them in their need Vnto them gaue his counsell and advise To send a messenger for Diomed Of whome he did the fortune vnderstand To be expulst and banisht from his land To pray him to come vnto them with speed With all the force and power he could make To saue and to defend them in their need From those that them opprest and t' vndertake To be the guide of them that ready were To be destroyd for want of government Which Diomed did grant vnto and came In hast to Troy and thither with him brought A gallant troope of men and with the same Relieued them and brauely for them fought With whome vpon the way Aeneas met And to the towne with honor great him fet And entertaining him as his degree Requird a banquet for him did prepare Of every thing that might desired bee Where each of them to th' other did declare The miseries and troubles first and last By sea and land which they had overpast Which no man can by any meanes eschew But as dame Fortune for him hath decreed He must take that she sends him as his dew But now vnto the matter to proceed The Troyans that were almost driven out Of Troy by those that dwelt there round about That daily did invade and spoyle their land By Diomed relieued were and set At liberty againe who did withstand Their foes so puissantly that he did get The victory of them foure times at least And them so sore pursued and opprest That finally they tooke and slew them all And such as were found traitors and had done That mischiefe which vpon them then did fall Condemned were and hanged euery one Whereby no man durst do them any wrong And by that meanes king Diomed waxt strong And did in time by his protection And government which he did take in hand As being Lord and Ruler of the towne So valiantly their enemies withstand And such a sway there for a time did beare That of him all the Country stood in feare And by that meanes in fine it so fell out His fame did spread abroad both farre large And his great valor was so blowen about That it was knowne in Calidon and Arge Which when the Queene his wife did vnderstand She feard he would invade her in her land And it by force at last from her would take And to her selfe much mus'd how Diomed Such succor and such grace had found to make Himselfe so great that he so farre should spred His fame for which as politike and wise She did forecast and with her selfe devise By counsell of her Lords in generall To reconcile
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
solemnity They crownd him king of all that land made Such triumph at his Coronation And also such a royall banquet had That if I should thereof make mention It were too much and I must it forbeare Because mine Author writes not thereof here But briefly tels that Pyrrhus by his might Encreased much the Land of Thessalie And raign'd long there with equitie and right And no more thereof speaketh presently But vnto other matter turnes his stile And shews how king Idumeus dīd the while In Creet where he long time had raigned king And after him his sonne Prince Merryone Succeeded who vntimely death did bring Vnto his end and children hauing none His brother Prince Leorica obtaind The Crown of Creet therin long time raignd And while in Creet this change of Princes fell Atastus by consent of Pyrrhus made A rich and sumptuous tombe which did excell For workmanship wherein when as he had According to his mind full finished All that thereto belong'd he buried His sons which by king Pyrrhus had been slaine Within the wood And leaving him doth show How while that Pyrrhus prosperously did raigne In Thessalie and did in wealth oreflow He was provoked want only to lust For that which by Gods law is held vniust And fell in loue with faire Queene Hermion Horestus wife and had so great desire To her that he did wholly thinke thereon Whereby his heart was set on such a fire Of lust that he by no meanes could content His mind till he vnto Methena went And there his purpose brought so well about That watching time and oportunity When Horestus her husband was gone out He ravisht her and after secretly Tooke her away and held her as his wife And long with her liu'd an adulterous life For which Horestus hated him so sore That he sought all the meanes he could devise Or find to be reveng'd on him therefore But held his peace as being very wise And for a little while sustaind that wrong As knowing well that Pyrrhus was too strong For him to deale withall t'revenge the same At home within his land Who also made Andromecha Prince Hectors wife that came With him from Troy his Concubine and had A child by her who by his Grandsiers name Achillides was cald and with the same She nourished Prince Hectors eldest sonne Laomedon who Pyrrhus being slaine And left no child to be his heire but one A bastard borne his kingdome did obtaine By gift of yong Achillides his brother Whome Pyrrhus did beget vpon his mother Which women being both of high estate And living in great pleasure and delight Could not content themselues but so did hate Each other that Queene Hermion in despight And iealousie that Pyrrhus loved better Her Feer then he did her did send a letter To Menalus her father t'whome she wrot That notwithstanding her so great degree She well perceau'd that Pyrrhus lou'd her not But favored more Andromecha then she Desiring him with speed to come to kill Her and her sonne who granted to her will And in great hast went vnto Thessalie To be reveng'd on them that never had Offended him but yet his cruelty Could not so farre extend but he was made To leaue the same by those that did withstand Him in the towne and tooke her out his hand And did abhorre such inhumanity Especially in him that was a king Vnto a woman done which certainly In my conceit is such a hainous thing That it doth make me blush for very shame That I should be compeld to tell the same But you must vnderstand that this was done When Pyrrhus was from home gone away For he that time on pilgrimage was gone To Delos there to sacrifice and pray Devoutly for his fathers soule vnto Apollo and such other things to do As he had vowd and promist to fulfill For ioy of that revenge that had been made At Troy on those that did his father kill And for that great good fortune that they had To triumph ore his Troyan enemy Which vantage when Horestus did espy Who still laid watch for him both day night He did no time nor no occasion let But straight to Delos went with many a knight And on him there so furiously did set That Pyrrhus was not able to withstand Horestus but was slaine there by his hand And all that were with him in company And so king Pyrrhus dy'd and lost his life For iust reward of his adultery And foule abuse done to Horestus wife And let all those that vse to do the like Remember this know that God will strike Them likewise when they little thinke thereon Whose body was in Delos Temple layd Within a costly Marble tombe which done Horestus there no longer time delayd But straight when as his enemy was slaine He went and got his wife by force againe Out of the towne of Thessalie whereas He found not one that durst against him stand Such feare griefe amongst them then there was When they of Pyrrhus death did vnderstand And that to rule and governe them was none Then left but yong Achillides his sonne A child as then not fully three months old Whose yong and tender age was not to take So great a charge in hand and yet they would Not put him from 't but for his fathers sake They were content that he ore them shold raigne But when he did to lawfull yeares attaine He did resigne his crowne and all his right In Thessalie vnto Laomedon His brother by the mothers side a knight Of worthy Troyan blood Prince Hectors son Begotten on his wife Andromecha Protector while he liu'd of Phrigia And made him king Soveraigne of that land Despight of all that durst the same denie Who when he had the Crowne chiefe command Of all the puissant Realme of Thessalie He let the Troyan captiues all go free Where as they list at their owne liberty And no exception made of any one But freed them of all ransome whatsoere They were to pay and when he had so done And set all things in peace and quiet there And much encreast the bounds of Thessalie He raign'd long there in great prosperity But of the acts of king Laomedon Or of king Pyrrhus and his kindered I le cease to speake as now because thereon Mine Author writes no more that I can read Who briefly by the way somewhat doth show But to what purpose well I do not know Of Menons wife whome fierce Achilles slew Because when he Prince Troyelus had kild And at his horses taile his body drew He valiantly withstood him in the field And made him leaue his body by force Sore wounded beat him down off frō his horse Whose body was entomb'd by Priamus In Troy within a little Temple where It lay close by the Tombe of Troyelus And after did stand therein many a yeare Who saith that long time after she was dead And in her natiue
Thelaphus that did by chance perceiue What he would doe to him in hast did call And stepping forth did on his shield receaue The stroake and did Achilles friendly pray At his request his furious mood to stay And for a while in Knightlie curtesie To grant him life sith wounded sore he lay Before his feet and ready was to die For every Knight saith he his wrath should stay And on his foe some pittie ought to haue When he in humble wise doth mercie craue To whom Achilles said I marvaile why You seeme to craue that I should mercie show To him and spare his life who furiously With pride which in his heart did overslow Would not vnto our just request giue eare But without cause did armes against vs beare And with disdaine and meere presumption The Grecians in most furious wise assaild Though now against his expectation He findeth that it hath him nought availd And he himselfe is fallen into the snare Which for vs as he thought he did prepare Though we deseru'd no such thing at his hand As having no intent him to molest Nor yet by force t' invade him or his land So that if now he finds himselfe opprest He can it not deny but must confesse His rash attempt deserved hath no lesse But Thelaphus againe did him require Of knight-hood to take pittie on the King And for that time to grant to his desire For while said he my father was living He and king Tentran were confederate Though here as now he lies in woefull state With pale and deadlie face vpon the ground Expecting when his soule shall hence depart And for that heretofore I haue him found To beare a noble mind and Royall heart When I by chance past through his countrey Where he with all his Lords and chivalry Received and feasted me most Royally In every place where I did ride or goe Within his land So that humanitie Binds me the like vnto him now to show And in my mind his curtesie to beare Least men should say that to vnkind I weare Which might heereafter turne to my disgrace Wherefore that I in part may him requite I you beseech take pittie on his case And spare his life as yo' are a noble knight Whereto Achilles presently did yeild And there before his souldiers in the field King Tenteran vnto Thelaphus did giue To do with him as he should thinke it best Who to behold him in that case did grieue And at his heart with sorrow was opprest To see there was no other remedie But that of force he could not choose but die And when the sonne vnto the Westerne part With speed declind the battaile at an end And Tenteran did feele great paine and smart Yet no reliefe his woefull state could mend For that his wounds still more more did bleed His men made all the hast they could with speed To beare him thence vnto his court with ease And to that end they for a litter sent And layd him in 't and while he past the prease Thelaphus and Achilles by him went And to his Royall Pallace him contraid Where in his bed when as they had him laid Perceiving that he drew vnto his end For that his vitall spiriâ—s 〈◊〉 to faile And nature vnto him no force could lend Nor surgery noâ— Phisike ought prevaile Nor any comfort noâ— reliefe was left To him as then of worldly joyes bereft For Thelaphus and Achilles he did send And with a voice most feeble faint and weake And sighs and teares fast drawing to his end In woefull wise he did vnto them speake And said my Lords health honor high degree All worldly joy and great prosperitie I wish vnto you both with all my hart But specially to thee Prince Thelaphus Who at this time such favor doth â—mpart To me and art so kind and gratious That in my paines so grieuous and so strong Thou seek'st my life if 't might be to prolong But now alas there is no remedie But die I must and can it not withstand For as you see here prostrate I doe lie Expecting th'hower when from deaths cruell hand The fatall blow will come to pierce my hart And that my soule out of my corps shall part To make an end of all my miserie Which so much more increaseth in my hart To see the hower of death approach so nie And that out of this world I must depart And leaue no heires within this Isle to raigne The Crowne and Scepter thereof to maintaine When I am dead which by that meanes alas I feare will soone be spoyld and ouer-run Which I full loath would be should come to pas Sith that at first with labour great I won And conquered it and ever since by might And warlike force maintained haue my right Gainst all my foes for many yeaâ—es now past Yet once it had been lost without recure And I from thence had vtterly been chast But that I did the aid and helpe procure Of Hercules the stout and valiant Knight Who by his extreame force and passing might Which at this day is fresh in memorie And while the world indures shall ever bee Orecame and vanquished my enemie And did againe restore this Isle to mee And while he liu'd the feare of him was such And every man respected him so much That spight of all my foes I did enioy My Scepter and my Crowne in peace and rest And no man durst by word and deed annoy My quiet state nor me in ought molest Whereby it doth appeare this little Isle Belongs vnto the Kingdome of Cicile Where Hercules did place two pillars great Which at this day are extant to be seene And for perpetuall memorie there set To show how farre he in that land had beene Which pillars some men cald Columnia And others did them name Herculea Which Island once was in subiection Vnto the Mores and long time so remaind But after by the valiant Romaines won When they th'jmperiall diadem obtaind Of all the world and by their puissance Their names fames did farre wide advancâ— And after many valiant Conquerors Succeeded had each other by degree And of the Towne of Roome been Emperors And therein ruld with power and Majestie One Fredericke the second of that name That sometime was an Emperor in the samâ— And King of Cicile by inheritance Because he did a great affection beare Vnto that Isle and in remembrance Perpetuall of him therein did reare And make a huge and mightie Tower of bricke With walâ—es that were exceeding strong thicke And cause the aire was pleasant good sweet And that therein great store of flowers were Some Authors doe report he named it The new faire land which name long time it beare And was therein by vse continued Till that the Emperor Fredericke was dead But to returne vnto King Tenteran WheÌ„ he had vsâ—â—â—e speech which you haue heard And that he did perceiue his life began To draw vnto an end