That they may know the better how to weild A sword and lawnce when as they come in field Against their foes for to revenge their wrong And giue command to Paris straight to goe As you pretend well furnished and strong With all your ships his puissant force to show Vpon the Greeks our jniuries to requite Which to our shames are vnrevenged yet And with that word he did sit downe againe And sayd no more when all that present were Did much commend his wit and warlike vaine And sayd that he deserued praise to beare For valor high renowne and chivalrie And with applause extold him to the skie Wherewith the King gaue thanks vnto them all Dismissing them as then and presently To dinner went in his most sumptuous hall Withall his sonnes and his Nobilitie And hauing din'd as soone as he did rise From Table cald his sonnes in secret wise Prince Paris and Deiphobus his brother And bad them straight into Panomia hie And take with them great store of Knights other To ayd them and to beare them company And therewith speed a Navy to prepare To put to Sea vpon the Greeks to warre And next day after Priam hastily Appointed all his counsellors to meet In Ilyon and they accordingly With speed did come and when they were all set The King commanding silence to be made In pithie words spake vnto them and sayd My noble Lords and Counsellors most graue The cause that I for you as now haue sent Is your advise and counsell wise to haue About our Grecian warres which my intent I did jmpart to you not long agoe And now againe the same doe meane to show It 's not vnknowne vnto you all full well How that the Greeks gainst vs so enviously In most dispightfull wise like Tygars â—ell Did execute their cruell tyranny The which is yet so fresh within my thought That I cannot forget it if I mought Which day by day increasing more and more Within my breast it doth so much torment My grieued heart and vexeth me so sore That in my mind I cannot becontent Especially when as I thinke vpon My deare and loving Sister Exâ—â—â— Who by them still is held in servitude Which many times constraineth me to weepe And doth all joy ouâ— of my heart exclude And makes me fetch most extreame sighes deepe Whose cruelty we haue too deerely bought And yet of late in friendly wise I sought To them to graunt me one thing and no more In recompence of all the wrongs I had Which was my Sister Exion to restore To me againe but they an answere made Contrary to my expectation In scornesull wise and great presumption Refusing that so small and iust request And with proud threats and brags did me defie And sayd that in their hearts they did detest In any thing my mind to satisfie But as we learne by rules of Surgerie We must with Irons sharpe seeke remedie To cut away dead flesh which oft doth lie Within a wound and will by no meanes heale Though nere so many oyntments we applie Even so we must be forst with them to deale For sith peace can procure no remedie It 's our best way to vse extremitie Therefore by your advise I do jntend As soone as ere I can without delay A Navy to the Grecian land to send With Paris to find meanes if that he may Despight of all that dare him there withstand Some Lady faire by force take in that land And bring her vnto Troy and so constraine Them spight their hearts t' exchange faire Exion For her before they get her home againe Which by vs cannot faile for to be done If that the Gods to vs be favourable And this my counsell be acceptable To you each one as well as 't pleaseth me For when a thing concernes the whole estate Of Subiects and their Princes dignitie It 's reason they both should thereof debate And that before they doe thereon decree They should with one consent agree For things that meerely touch the comminalty Of right should be approved by them all And therefore by you all advis'd to be What I should do this counsell I did call Now let me heare sayd he what you will say And therewithall his speech as then did stay This sayd a Knight Percheus cal'd by name Stood vp who was as Ovid telleth vs The sonne of that most worthy man of fame In his time cal'd the great Euforbius In whom as Ovid fames transformed was The soule of learn'd and wise Pithagoras And in most humble wise these words he spake My soveraigne Lord may 't please your noble grace To giue me leaue and no displeasure take In this most high and honourable place With faithfull zeale my mind now to declare And giue you my advise I will not spare To tell the truth for favor nor for dread And to my power advise you to beware Of danger that as now begins to breed For doubtles this t' affirme I boldly dare That if you meane to do as you pretend And Paris into Greece of purpose send You will repent the same â—re long time passe For that my Father cal'd Euforbius Whose skill in Art so true and perfect was And therewithall most wise and vertuous Who future things by his prescience knew And could divine what after would ensue And plainely tell by true Philosophy Th' event of future Fortune ere it fell For nothing whatsoere of secresie But he it knew and could the same foretell And all men esteem'd him wise and sage When he was iust an hundred yeares of age I do remember well would sit and weepe And let fall teares vpon his beard so gray And many times with sighes full sore and deepe And mournfull wise would to me speake and say If Paris once be sent to fetch a wife By force in Greece t' will breed such mortall strife Against vs all that this most noble Towne By Grecians force and extreame crueltie Shall be destroi'd and vtterly throwne downe And nothing shall procure our safety But Grecians swords shall all of vs devoure So much sayd he shall fortune on vs lowre Wherefore I you beseech now euery one Without offence at that which I haue sayd Let all revenge for former wrongs alone And your pretended voyage likewise stay And let not malice be the cause to cease The pleasant course of your most happy peace Nor let vs not commit ore hastely Our happines to fickle Fortunes hand Ne yet disturbe with ancient enmitie This state which now so flourishing doth stand For if that to the same you giue consent Ther 's none of you but shall it sore repent And if thereto your minds so much are bent That by no meanes this voyage you will stay Let some man els in Paris place be sent That so perhaps the better speed you may This is sayd he my counsell in this case Which I thought good to giue vnto your grace Which sayd they all began to shoot
thou thy malice to vnfold The ashes of discord againe to sift And causing a new debate to rise of old And halfe forgotten enuie But thy drift Is onely to procure the woe and fine Of those that to thy nature doe incline Why hast thou wak't King Priam from his rest And with thy poyson fowle incenst his braine That he in mind and heart should so detest A quiet life and through perswasions vaine Procured him to seeke revenge in hast Vpon the Greekes for harmes so long forepast For where as he in peace did rule and raigne With honour great and no man him annoyd The Serpent Enuie entring in his braine By no meanes would from thence againe avoyd But with such deepe impression there did rest And did so much inflame his furious brest With his inveterate malice new reviu'd That by no meanes he could the same forget Whereby for ever after while he liu'd He brought on him and his such trouble great That wheretofore h'enioy'd a happy life His blisse was turn'd to bloody warre and strife For Priam in his riches glorying Wherein as then he tooke no small delight Imagining his state so flourishing His Towne of so great puissance and might His war-like Knights so many and so strong That no man could noâ— durst him offer wrong Was so possest with Enuie and with Pride That hap what would he had in heart forecast To take no rest vntill that he had tride How he might be reuengd for wrongs forepast Which to effect with full intent and mind He did a time and fit occasion find To summon all his Lords and Knights each one To make repaire all scuses set aside Vpon a day perfixt at Ilion Which his command not any one denide But there with speed did presently appeare Where all his sonnes likewise assembled were But Hector Who from Troy as then was gon Into the Province of Panomie Which Priam held in his subiection A new rebellion there to pacifie The which not long before was rais'd among The Countrey people there for certaine wrong But Hector well advis'd and patient Loth to reuenge where mercie might take place With curtesie so wanne them to content That he appeased them and offring grace And pardon vnto all that did repent Each one with satisfaction home he sent Such was the great and noble princely mind Of that most braue renown'd and valiant Knight Alwaies vnto his subiects iust and kind And rather did in mercie more delight Then vse the force and rigor of the law When as in them no great offence he saw Meane while the King that held an open court With entertainment great and Princely cheare Did wellcome all that thither did resort Which being done and they assembled were In open hall he did with courage bold And words most graue his mind began t' vnfold And sayd my Lords assembled heere as now Whose loyalty I haue no cause to doubt I am assurd not any one of you But well doth know what vnto vs fell out When as the Grecians causeles did inuade Our Towne and what a spoile therof they made And how with extreame barbrous crueltie They murthered our Subiects every one The memory whereof cannot but lie As fresh within your thoughts as it were done But th' other day for 't may not out your mind If to your Countrey you be kind For sure in my oppinion I suppose Nought can you moue vnto forgetfulnesse Of harmes forepast by your most deadly foes Nor can you be without great heavines To thinke thereon for I must plainely tell Out of my heart I can it not expell For yet me thinks I see it with mine eie So fresh it is and yet doth still remaine within my brest and ever there shall lie The which I hope you likewise doe retaine To thinke how they haue slaine our Ancestors If while they liu'd were valiant warriors Our Cittie burnt and brought vnto decay And left it wast like to a wildernes And borne and taken forcibly away All that they found our goods and our riches And slayne my Father King Laomedon Without all cause or just occasion Amends whereof we lawfully may craue And both with reason and with conscience Which all the Gods I trust will let vs haue Sith that by vs was offered none offence But mongst all their so extreame crueltie One thing there is which chiefly grieueth me When as I call to mind their villany In offering such wrong to Exion With whom as with his concubine doth lie The proud and hautie Grecian Telamon Abusing her with great dishonestie Not caring for her state nor high degree Nor if she was the daughter of a King Which vnto me can be no little scorne But they as seemes respect not any thing Iudge then if she that is so highly borne Be vsed so with what extreamitie Poore wiues and mayds of them abus'd shall be With others of your friends and your alies Within their hands as captiues then did fall Assure your selues what wrongs they can devise To doe to them to vex you therewithall They will not spate to vse them in their lust For in the Greekes there is no truth nor trust For neither bewtie age ne high estate Doe they respect but all like slaues doe liue So that in heart I cannot chuse but hate Their cursed race and you likewise must grieue As well as I for you as well as me It doth concerne Therefore reueng'd to be Should be your care and bend your onely thought To find the meanes your wrongs for to redresse For long ere now the same we should haue sought And haue relieu'd our friends from their distresse Let vs therefore joyne all with one consent And in our hearts jmprint a firme jntent Of all their malice rapes and crueltie To be reuenged for if that we vnite Our minds in one it cannot chuse but be A doubling of our strength and we shall fight With courage bold for vengeance doth belong As reason is to him that offereth worng And though till now wee haue deferred it Yet doubt I not but wee a time shall find To yeeld to them such measure as they mete And vse both them and their in selfe same kind And all the Gods I hope will vs assist In our just cause and the in wrong resist You know our Towne is strong and walld about With high and mightie Towers for the warre The like whereof in all the world throughout Is not to find that with it may compare So that we may be well assur'd therein That th' enemy by force shall never win Of men and valiant Knights we haue no want For all you know what number we can make Our store of victualls also is not scant And whensoeuer we shall vndertake To enter warre we need not be afraid But we shall likewise find some forren aid To help vs to revenge our open wrong Wherefore I thinke that now the time is fit Sith that we know our selues to be so
strong To â—et on them and not still jdle sit For valor bids vs make no more delay To be revengd hap what so ever may The Proverb saith delay may danger breed For by delay men often times are crost And to take time when time doth fall with speed I never heard by it that men haue lost And sith we nothing want why should we pauâ—â— And stay revenge in our so iust a cause But least we might too hasty be esteem'd And wilfull thought to runne so carelesly Vnto the warre which alwaies hath been deem'd A doubtfull thing We will not doggedly Bite ere we barke but first to Greece wee le send To know if that they will our wrongs amend Which if they seeme vnto vs to refuse And obstinately will deny the same Then may we iustly force and power vse And no man for it can nor may vs blame But first we will with curtesie assay To see if we can win them by that way But if that they refuse with gentlenesse To hrare vs speake when as we are content To aske amends with peace and quietnesse I hope in th' end they shall the same repent For better t is by peace to haue redresse Then seeke for warre with vnadvisednesse Therefore let vs with patience yet indure Our wrongs and our great iniuries sustaine In humble wise vntill we may procure That they to vs an answere send againe For though it be my whole and full desire And that our iust occasion doth require In furious sort of them to take vengeance I will as t' were in meere forgetfulnesse Put all their wrongs out of remembrance And cleane expell all griefe and heavinesse Out of my heart and of them aske no more But that they will againe to me restore My Sister that vnto me is so deare There by to stint all bloody warre and strife And for the rest we shall with patience beare And never cal 't in question during life Which to fulfill â— purposely am bent If you thereto will giue your full consent Speake then my Lords are you content to stay Till that they answere make to our request Say all with one consent your yea or nay And what for vs to do you thinke is best For I do meane Anthenor straight shall goe Vnto the Greeks our mind herein to show Of whose discretion courage and advise You need not once to doubt for I haue knowne And found him by experience to be wise When he of other messages hath gone And therefore I of him my choyse doe make And thinke him fit that charge to vndertake The King thus hauing spoken as you heare The Lords and all the Nobles did agree That Lord Anthenor should the message beare From them vnto the Greeks and straight should be Dispatcht and with instructions sent away With charge he should no longer time delay But wind and weather serving straight set sayle Who hauing his instruction and at large Informd therein as carefull not to fayle In any point that should concerne his charge Did presently take ship for Thessalie Where being landed with his companie He went to seeke the King cald Peleus Who at that time the story saith remaind Within a Citie named Monosius Of whom he was at first well entertaind But when that he the cause did partly know Wherefore he came he willed him to show Th' effect of his Embassage and his charge And with a frowning looke and visage fell Sat still till that Anthenor did at large With courage bold the same vnto him cell With words most graue and such as fitting were For time and place spake as you shall heare Priam the most renowned King of Troy My Soveraigne Lord his Princely Maiestie Wishing to your grace prosperitie and ioy In friendly wise saluteth you by me A messenger expresly by him sent To shew to you his will and his intent If you vouchsafe to giue me audience Wherein if that in ought I shall offend I you beseech to heer 't with patience And let the law of armes my guilt defend For as you know Embassadors are free To tell their message what soere it bee Your Grace I thinke doth yet remember well What wrongs of late by you and yours were done In Troian Land when ye with hearts most fell And cruell minds the same did overcome And how without cause or occasion You brought them all vnto destruction The Citie burnt and vtterly throwne downe Their riches by you tane and borne away How that the noble King Laomedon As then was slaine and would your rage not stay But in your fury Children Wiues and men Were all destroyd and murthered as then Some Mayds except which to fulfill your lust You led with you into captiuitie Which iniuries so great and most vniust Deserving name of barbarous crueltie You may suppose cannot forgotten bee And yet mongst all this great indignitie One thing there is which doth King Priam grieue Mâ—re then the rest which is that Exion His sister Captiue here in Greece doth liue And held a Concubine by Telamon Dishonestly not like a noble Knight Whose care should be with all his power might To saue and keepe poore Ladies in distresse But regarding nought her high degree By no meanes will this open wrong redresse But he still persisteth in his villanie Which his so great and fowle an oversight Most noble King belongs to you of right To looke into and with a Princely care Seeke to restraine as much as in you lies Such foule misdeeds and as a friend you are To Telamon see how you may deuise T' amend and to redresse the iniurie Wherein consisteth true Nobility This thing hath caus'd King Priam now to moue Your Grace with this embassage by me brought For to intreat in friendship and in loue That by your mediation may be wrought The meanes that Exion may deliuered be Out of her thraldome and captiuitie Which recompence so small he doth request For all the wrongs that vnto him were done By you and yours so much he doth detest To liue in warre and strife which for to shun He is content all quarrells to surcease Desiring onely her returne with peace Which his request so lawfull if you will Procure King Telamon to grant with speed He you assures his promise to fulfill Or else he must by force of armes proceed Which by this meanes he doth desire to stay And this my Lord is all I haue to say When Peleus had Anthenors message heard His heart was so possest with wrath and ire That on him with a furious looke he star'd With eies enfiam'd as red as any fire And with dispightfull and incensed heart Vpon his feet did sodainlie vp start Disdainfullie reiecting the request By Priam made and setting him at nought Said that both him and his he did detest Euen from his verie soule and inward thought Commanding Lord Anthenor not to stay But presentlie to get him thence away On perill that thereafter might befall
Within the Isle and presently he road Vnto their Court which was not very far And there he found thē both to whom with speed He shewd the cause that made him to repaire To them as then and so gan to proceed With words most graue and courage bold stout To tell his mind without all feare or doubt And said my Lords whose power here extends For to command may 't please your Graces both To know that Priam King of Troye me sends To you in Princely wise as being loth To giue offence your ayd and helpe to haue T' obtaine a suite that he would gladly craue Of Telamon who gainst all equity Doth hold his Sister Princesse Exion As Concubine with great indignity Whose liberty and restitution To him againe is onely his desire Which to effect he humbly doth require You would vouchsafe your ayd therein t' afford Not doubting but as y' are discreet and wise That by your mediation and good word King Telamon will follow your aduise And Exion shall to him restored be Out of her long and hard captiuity Which his request he praies you not deny As you are Kings for valour high renownd Discreet and wise and of great maiesty And he shall thinke himselfe to you much bound And all his former wrong he will suspend For that to liue in peace he doth intend As he that is right prudent and discreet Forecasting what may after come to passe And seeth what perills and what dangers great Doe follow warre which neuer is nor was Without confusion misery and woe As Histories vnto vs plainly shoe Which to eschew he thinketh it the best And wisest way for euery man t' auoid The hatefull path of strife and it detest For by it many a Country is destroid Which by this meanes he is in hope to shun And that hath made him doe as he hath done In peace to craue your aid that Exion May be with speed sent home to him againe And thogh you may suppose that cause ther 's none Why he should you request to take this paine In his behalfe let this be his excuse That Princes ought to punish all abuse And by all meanes should seeke the same to stay He in like case desires your Princely aid And hopes you will it not to him denay And he will thinke himselfe full well apaid This is the summe of his petition Which he referres to your discretion When both the Kings Castor and Polux had Attentiuely heard what Anthenor spake King Castor sodainlie like one halfe mad Into such choller and impatience brake That by no meanes he could his furie stay But in most wrathfull wise to him did say I know not friend why thou of vs shouldst craue To haue amends for trespasse by vs done Vnto the King to whome we neuer gaue Cause of offence But when Laomedon First offring wrong to vs we did inuade And of his Towne a noble conquest made Wherein we did but right and equitie For had not he first offered offence To vs and ours with great indignitie We nere had sought for any recompence Nor he nor his been brought vnto their ends For which if that thy Master aske amends At our hands tell him 't is all too late For we with him desire no vnitie Peace nor accord but rather mortall hate Dissention strife and vtter enmitie Which he may chance hereafter for to feele If that he dare presume with vs to deale For we so little do his friendship prise That what he saith or doth I doe not care Therefore if that he 'le follow our aduise Let him prepare to enter into warre And it may chance to breed his owne decay And so from vs thou maist vnto him say And for thy selfe it seemeth vnto me Thy Lord and Master Priam loues thee not That sent thee messenger to vs to be And thou thy selfe hast foolishly oreshot To take on thee so perillous a thing As to the Grecians tydings such to bring Whereby thy life thou hast indangered But be thou rul'd by me if thou be wise Vnlesse thou art cleane voyd of feare and dread And get thou out my sight I thee aduise For if thou stayst mine anger is so bent That thou mayst chance thy follie to repent Anthenor to auoid the Court was glad And presentlie with speed from thence did goe And entring ship such hast from thence he made That though the wind contrarie then did blow He put to sea and failed prosperouslie To Pilon where Duke Nestor then did lie And there did hold a sumptuous Princelie Court Of whome he craued leaue submissiuelie To shew the cause that made him then resort To him and there withall to signifie King Priams mind as he had gin him charge From point to point as fullie and as large As he had done to other men before And all to one effect so that in vaine It were for me to show it any more Or to recite it word for word againe For his conclusion ended still in one As you haue heard concerning Exion Whereat Duke Nestor did so fret and fume And in so great a choller then did grow That all the bloud did presentlie consume Out of his face and he as pale did show As ashes and so grieued was in heart And therewithall did feele such inwardsmart Through wrath and ire that so possest each vaine And ioynt he had that he did seeme to shake Like Aspen leafe and hardlie could refraine Vpon Anthenor straight reuenge to take Like Lyon fell that hunteth after pray Whose furious course no man as then can stay So much his mind from him was alienate That t'yeeld himselfe by no meanes then he might And at his heart he was so passionate Which boyled with such ranchor and dispight That all that him beheld would iudge him mad So strange a looke and gesture then he had At last in midst of this perplexitie Into a sodaine choler out he brake And with a voice distraind from crueltie Vnto Anthenor furiously he spake With countenance so gastlie to behold That sure to make a man to feare it would Saying thou friend that canst so smoothly glose I think thou knowst not well whom thou hast told Thy needlesse tale nor yet dost thou suppose Who that I am that darest be so bold Thus to presume mine eares so to offend Pretending that King Priam did thee send Vnto the Greekes to aske them in his name Redresse for wrongs that nere by vs was done And turnst on vs the merit and the blame For iniuries wrought by Laomedon To vs and ours and in presumptuous wise Accusest vs with most notorious lies Which thy abuse most odious in mine eare So much doth fret and anger me at heart That by no meanes I can endure 't to heare And but I know a messenger thou art And that I do mine honour more respect Then thee I would in cruell wise correct And chastise thy so great temerity For by the rigour of our ancient law
wrongs done long agoe And still haue borne it in thy memory That dailie by experience we doe see That while men seeke reuenge for iniury Done long before they oft deceaued be And with a double harme ere th' are aware Fall sodainly into another snare And wrongs that cleane forgotten were and dead Renewed are by trump of flying fame Through salse report rumor that is spread And often hurt mans honor and good name Especially when he doth rashly run Vpon reuenge not carring how 't is done And by his pride and ouer-hasty mood Doth worke his own destruction and decay Remembring not the prouerbe old and good Which vnto men discreet and wise doth say Let him that 's well be sure to keepe him so Least afterward he doth himselfe beshrow And he that walkes on plaine and euen ground Needs not to feare nor doubt a stumbling cast Vnlesse of carelesnes as oft is found He ouerthrow himselfe by too much hast And wilfullie aduentures t' haue a fall As hauing of his state no care at all So must I vnto thee King Priam say That all too retchlesse thou hast euer been The care on fickle fortune so to lay Of thy secured peace for it is seen And knowne to be her custome commonly That when a man trusts most assuredly In her that is so blind and so vnstable She will to him then most inconstant be And as she alwaies was deceaueable Bereaue him soone of regall dignitie And with a trice downe from her wheele him throw Her power and force vnto the world to show Against the which it nought availes to striue For when a man thinkes his estate most sure And that in peace and welfare he doth liue She can when he thinks least his fall procure Therefore let no man hope for happy chance At fortunes hand so full of variance Nor hazard his estate vpon her wheeles Vnlesse he cares not how the same doth goe Nor whether well or ill with him she deales For neuer man did her so constant know That he might say he had continued In one estate and neuer varied Let Priam King of Troye vnfortunate Example hereof be that wilfully Without aduise orethrew his owne estate And brought himselfe into such misery That he his wife and all his Sons being â—laine His noble Citie was destroyd againe And all his Country round about laid wast And whollie brought vnto confusion The memorie whereof while world doth last From age to age and by succession Shall both in bookes and songs recorded be That men thereby may learne plainly see What comes of rash conceit and wilfulnesse When men will run vpon extreamitie And put their happy state in doubtfulnesse By warre wherein there 's no securitie For he that therein seemes most fortunate Oft vnawares doth soon'st receaue the mate For harme once done too late is to amend And sieldome doth a wrong of hatred done Procure to him that doth it happie end Let men therefore be wise and seeke to shun King Priams course and so their steps direct That they in time their error may correct To shew how he into this error fell Which bred his vtter ruine and decay Then must you know that wrath and envie fell Burnt so within his breast both night and day Vpon the answere that Anthenor brought That he could neuer rest till he had wrought The meanes to be reuenged if he might Vpon the Greekes and so in hast he sent For all his Lords and many a noble Knight To summon them vnto a Parliament Commanding them therein to make no stay But with all present speed to come away Where being come and all together met The King with words most graue courage bold When euerie man in his degree was set His will and his intent gan to vnfold What caus'd him that assembly there to make And in this sort vnto them then he spake And said my Lords I know your minds so well That long discourse at this time shall not need The cause of our assemblie for to tell And therefore to the point I will proceed And vnto you as brieflie as I may Declare th' effect of that I haue to say You know full well how that not long agoe By counsell of you all I sent to Greece Anthenor on embassage for to shoe That my desire was with loue and peace To haue my sister Exion home againe But all my suite and labour was in vaine For that the Grecians most vncourteously With threatning words and speeches full of dread Receau'd and vs'd him so despightfully That hardlie he escaped with his head Desying vs most proudlie for the same To our no small dishonour and our shame Which dailie more and more will still encrease Vnlesse that we some remedie procure For whereas we do seeke for loue and peace And all our wrongs would patientlie endure They offer war and flatlie vs denie A small request to grant or satisfie And for the harmes that they to vs haue done They say they will no other order take But for amends our Countrie t'ouer run And bloudie war on vs and ours to make Which their desire increaseth our despight But would to God their hearts were so contrite To cease all strife and friendly to accord That all the mischiefe and the crueltie That bloudie wars doth commonlie afford Might be converted into amitie But they alas are so possest with pride That they disdaine all peace and vs deride Still threatning vs in most despightfull wise But God forbid that all on vs should light Which they suppose and gainst vs do surmise But sith they seeme to shew so great despight And vnto vs pretend such crueltie We must be forced of necessitie By helpe of God their furiousnes to stay And in our owne defence most boldlie stand Sith that our cause is iust Which that we may The better do let vs with heart and hand Ioyn'd all in one most firme and full decree On them with might and maine reueng'd to be Which if we do we doubt not to preuaile For where mens minds agree not in consent Of victorie they shall be sure to faile But when vnto an vnitie th' are bent They cannot choose but nappilie proceed And helpe each other when they stand in need My counsell therefore is that we agree And ioyne in one consent for to withstand The Grecians and the more assur'd to bee Before that we begin to take 't in hand I dare affirme our strength and forces far Exceeds the Grecians power what ere they are Our skill in armes is great as well you know Our Knights they are most valorous and stout Great store of horse and foot-men we can show Well arm'd for war and this we need not doubt But that our towne is most invincible And for our foes to win 't impossible Therefore I do intend by your consent With all the speed I can for to prepare A Navie well appointed to be sent Into the Grecian Land which shall not
should of nature for my sorrowes grieue And with all speedy meanes for to relieue My troubled mind and great aduersitie Sith that you see it doth torment me so And that the cause concernes both you and me Whom nature bind to feele one selfe same woe And as he spake and thus to them did mourne His face vnto Prince Hector he did turne And said Hector my Son my chiefe and only ioy My trust my sole delight my eldest child And here sucessiuelie to raigne in Troy Of whom my hopes as yet were nere beguild Thou that art nam'd the root the spring the well Of Chivalrie and dost therein excell Thy Brethren all whereby thou dost obtaine The soveraigntie of high renowne and fame Esteeme not I thee pray my words in vaine But yeeld and giue consent vnto the same And do the thing for which I long so sore For in thee is my trust and in no more This thing t' effect and wholly bring about And for that cause I make thee Generall Of all my force and herein make no doubt But that thou wilt go forward therewithall And yeeld t' accept of this my iust request For in thy valor onely do I rest And vnto thee it chieflie doth belong As being wise and full of gouerment Flowring in youth actiue and passing strong And hast thy mind to honour onelie bent Though yong in yeares yet of discretion Belou'd of all and of most high renowne And all thy younger Brethren shall obay To thee and at thy will be alwaies presâ— With thee to liue and dye and therefore say If that thou wilt consent to my request And let me heare thine answere herevnto That with all speed we may prepare thereto When Priam thus had shewed them his pretence Hector the patterne of Nobilitie Bowing his knee with humble reuerence Vnto the King as full of curtesie His answere gaue with sober countenance Th' effect whereof was this in full substance My most renowned Lord and Father deare Sith that it is your pleasure and your will That I should speake and you are pleas'd to heare Attentiuely I shall your mind fulfill And such good counsell as my wit affords I le giue to you in few and pithy words True'tis my Lord that natures lawes doe bind And still prouoke mans heart for to aspire And all Gods creatures else of seuerall kind With earnest and most resolute desire To seeke reuenge for wrongs by them sustaind And specially such men as haue attaind Vnto the honour of Nobility For vnto them t' were great reproach and shame And wholly gainst their state and dignity To suffer wrongs done to their name and fame For euery trespasse must considered be And wayd according to the qualitie Of him gainst whome the jniurie is wrought What way or meanes soeuer that it be As also of the person that it sought For t is more griefe to men of high degree To suffer hurt or harme by aduenture Or any wrong vniustly to endure Then vnto men of meaner quality And jniury maliciously contriu'd Is more offence to Princelie Majesty And men from high Nobility deriu'd Then vnto such as by their wealth aspire To worship though the world doth theÌ„ admire This well considered of much bound are we To seeke by force our honour to increase Sith we descend of Royall pedigree And let vs not from iust reuenge surcease For beasts that are by nature voyd of sence Desire the same and seeke their owne defence And for my part I know assuredly That none of all your Sons was ere more prest Vpon the Greekes to be reueng'd then I And herevpon my faith I doe protest That with despight gainst them I burne like fire And thirst their bloud with all my whole desire For as I am your eldest by degree So am I mooued most with angry mood And long by valour and by chiualry With sword in hand to shed the Grecians bloud Which they perchaÌ„ce shall feele ere that they ween When time doth serue as shortly shall be seene But first I must aduise you t' haue a care Ere you begin t' effect this your intent And thinke and way how great the dangers are Which vnto bloudy war are jncident And long not the beginning for to see But studie on the end what it may bee Which if you do you can by no meanes faile For counsell giuen in my opinion Is little worth and nothing may availe Nor yet deserueth commendation Which doth not tend t' advise men seriously To thinke vpon future adversity For though that men at pleasure bring about The first beginning of their tragedies Yet oftentimes it commonly fals out That they doe end with great extreamities And what availes beginning fortunate That after causeth strife and great debate I say therefore great wisedome t is to doubt At th'entring into any enterprise What issue may thereof in th' end fall out Which who so doth I hold him to be wise For that beginning is most fortunate Where midst and end continue in like estate But when they do not happilie proceed T' were better wholly from it to abstaine Then t'hazard mans estate when there 's no need For who so doth assured is to gaine Nought else but mischiefe and adversity And end his daies in great extreamity Let not your Majesty I yow beseech In any wise with me displeased be Nor yet to take exception at my speech For there 's no sparke of any thought in me To giue a cause vnto you of offence For that I speake is onely with pretence To counsell you to see that wilfully You enterprise not that which in the end By misadvice may chance vnhappily And be the cause in fine your selfe t' offend Nor of your foes too small account to make For so men oftentimes themselues mistake But thinke how they hold in subiection All Affrica and Europe wide and long With many another warlike Nation And that they are most valiant Knights and strong Esteem'd of all the world for worthinesse Abounding in great wealth and happinesse So that with your support I dare bebold T'aâ—â—irme that danger tis them to displease And if our quiet state disturbe we should It 's to be feard we must our selues disease And say that Asia should vs aid to fight It is not like vnto the Grecians might And though our Aunt the Princesse Exion Against all right be held by Telamon It is not fit for her redemption To bring vs all vnto destruction My counsel 's not to buy her halfe so deare For that perhaps all we that now sit here And many more might also for her right In doubtfull warres loose both their lire lim And after long and many a bloudy â—ight Perehance shall nere get her away from him Which were no wisedome as it seemes to me And it may hap ere long time passe that she Her fatall course and daies on earth will end And then what shall we reap for her to striue And with our Grecian
enemies contend But onely euer after while we liue Be sure of mortall warre and enmity Sorrow and griefe and all extreamity My counsell therefore is that we endure Our wrongs forepast without contention And not vnto ourselues more hurt procure For t is a point of great discretion Think not my Lord I speake thus much for feare Or cowardise but yet I say that t' were Great folly to commit our happinesse Sith that we now â—iue in security To fortunes hands so full of doublenes And barre our selues of all felicity This is said he all that I did pretend To say to you and so his speech did end When Hector thus his mind declared had And with most graue conclusion so did close The wise discourse which be to them had made His second brother Paris therewith rose And to the King along discourse did make Which in these words with courage bold he spake And said my Lord if 't like your Grace to heare And giue me leaue to speake then must I say And will it proue you haue no cause to feare Nor would I wish you long the time delay With braue and valiant heart to vndertake Vpon the Greekes asodaine warre to make Therewith their pride and malice to confound Sith that you know yourselfe to be so strong Of valiant Knights and that we do abound With plenty of each thing that doth belong Vnto the warres and how our towne most wide Is able all their proud assaults t' abide And which is more invincible to win Besides all this great Princes many aone Our friends so were this warre with them begun Will vs assist to their destruction Let them therefore be nere so bold and stout I see no cause at all why we should doubt Nor reason why we should our selues dismay Therefore if you my counsell now will take I thinke it best you should no time delay Your Nauie to prepare and if you 'le make Me Generall thereof I you assure That I will such a speedy meanes procure That Exion shall recouered be full soone And in such sort it shall by me be wrought That I esteeme it easie to be done For I deuised haue within my thought By Knightly force with strong and mighty hand To rauish some faire Lady in that Land Of high estate and without tarrying Despight of them when as I haue her wonne With all the speed I can to Troy her bring That so you may haue restitution By change of her whom you long so to see And this shall soone by me dispatched be All were the Grecians nere so strong bold And that hereof you may be out of doubt I will in briefe to you the meanes vnfold How I with ease will bring the same about And hope thereby your mind so to content That you 'le reioyce that I was thither sent For that the Gods of their benignitie Haue shewed to me by reuelation Which way the same may well effected be And to that end I had a vision Not long agoe as in a sleepe I fell Which if you marke and it consider well You need not feare to faile nor yet to care To get her home whome you so much desire The manner of my dreame I will declare And in most humble wise your Grace require With patience to abide till I haue done And I will it in briefe soone over-run Your Grace remembreth well to what intent By your command and with commission large Into the Indian land of late I went For things that are committed to my charge And I as then tooke on me to effect Which that I might the time no whit neglect When Titan with his beames most faire and cleare From Gemeny his furious steeds did chace And in the signe of Cancer gan apeare Which called is Lucinaes mancion place When as the Sun was in the highest degree Which in the midst of Iuno we find to bee At that same time as soone as day I saw When Phoebus gan to shew his radiant light Commanding Pirrous vp his wane to draw And Dame Aurora beautifull and bright Began her face out of the East to shew And cast on hearbs and flowers her siluer dew I rose out of my bed with present speed And full intent on hunting forth to goe For that within my heart I had decreed Some honour vnto Cupid then to show And Ladie Venus that day magnifie Which called is the Queene of Venerie And reverently the ancient rights obserue Of Cinthia nam'd the faire bright shining Moone And her in all submissiue wise to serue The which by vs the better to be done My mates and I for pleasure and delight Determined to rest and stay till night Within a wood to play and make some sport As best beseemeth men of youthfull mind And pleasantly our selues to recomfort For that day vnto Venus was assign'd And hallowed to her sacred deity With honour and with soueraigne Maiesty Which euery one obseru'd both small and great For on a Friday t' was when forth we went And when within the pleasant woods we met To hunt for game as t' was our sole intent With labour great we rode both too and froe So long till many a fearefull Bucke and Doe By strength were kilâ— as we them chanst to find And mongst the dales and vallies steepe and low With hounds did chase the Hart tripping Hind Till Phoebus glistring in his chaire did show Iust in the midst or the Meridâ—en When as the beames most burning hot did shine And we vpon our chase most busied were As I by chance strayd from my companie Who in the woods were scattered here and there A mightie Hart did start forth sodenlie From out the thickets hasting to the greene With most swift pace which when that I had seen I spyed my horse and after gallopt fast Vp hils downe dales through bushes thick thin And yet for all I made as then such hast I could by no meanes ground vpon him win But maugre all I did to my despight In little space t' was gone out of my sight Into a wood that Ida had to name Wherewith I waxt so faint that I did stay To rest my selfe and so left off the game And for because that I had lost my way And that my horse whereon I then did ride Foam'd at the mouth and swet on euery side And all his flankes in every place were staind With bloud that with my spurs from him I drew So hotly in the chase I him constraind The Hart that ran so swiftly to pursue With hope in th' end he should by me be caught But all that I could do availd me nought When a mongst the thick lofty trees so greene I found by chance a sweet and pleasant shade As smooth and plaine as ever man had seene I lighted off my horse and fast him made Vnto a tree and wearie as I was I â—ayd me downe vpon a tuft of grasse Hard by a riuer side whose streames most cleare
on him by stealth did cast an eye Though outwardly none could her well espie For as she thought she never saw his peere Mongst all the men that on the earth did liue For comelinesse and beautie passing cleere Nor that to her contentment more did giue So that on nothing else she set her mind But how she might a fit occasion find And haue the meanes and opportunitie Conveniently with him a word to speake In other place at better libertie Which was the onely thing that she did seeke And stil her countenance chang'd For Cupids fire In both their hearts had kindled like desire And cloathed them with Venus liverie And yet no message twixt them then there went But privie lookes glauncing from the eâ—e Assured them what each to other ment And made them wish in heart that secretly An amorous combate twixt them they might try And their desires vnto each other shoe At last as Paris by degrees him gat Vp higher and vnto the place did goe Whereas the faire Queene Helena then sat In secret wise together they did speake And as they might their minds to other breake Declaring what did punish them at the heart But this was done least that it should be spied When as the presse of people did depart And such as stayd were busie occupied To stare vpon the temple and to gase About the same as people in a mase To see it so adornd in sumptuous wise And while they spake not any one might heare A word that past least that they should surmise That twixt them any bad intent there were Nor what their secret speech as then should meane At last it was agreed by the Queene And Paris with one full and free consent What time they should together meet againe And so they both out of the Temple went Though loath with hearts repleat with louers paine And that they might avoyd suspition When Paris from Queene Helena as gone With present speed vnto his ship he went Where hauing staâ—d a while without delay For all the Troyan Lords and Knights he seat To whome in pithie words he gan to say My Lords and friends in briefe to you to tell The cause vnto you all is knowne full well Wherefore to Greece my Father hath vs sent And what Commission to vs he did giue You know it was the full of his intent That we should seeke to take and to relieue My noble Aunt the Princely Exion Out of the hands of proud King Telamon The which to do I can deuise no way How it by vs should well effected be For no man can this vnto me denay That he is mighty strong in his Country And well alied with friends on everie side And hath an heart abounding with such pride That to leaue her by force he doth disdaine The best way then that I can now deuise Sith with him so to deale it is in vaine And that our power thereto doth not suffice Because we are not able to withstand His force nor with him fight within his Land Is sith that fortune hath vs hither brought And caus'd vs by adventure here to land When as God knows it was not in our thought At Venus home that not far hence doth stand And wherein at this time there is great store Of Iewels Gold and other treasures more The which the Greekes vnto it hither bring By sea and land and there both rich and poore To Uenus vse to make their offering And her therein most solemnly adore And that the faire Queene Helen now is there I thinke that it the best course for vs were To beare her hence by force and prisoner make And having put the Grecians to the foile Their gold and treasure forcibly to take And them of it and of their liues to spoile Which hauing done without all tarrying The same into our ships this night to bring Whereof we cannot faile who ere saith nay And to that end said he let 's ready make And without further respect or delay Our armours and our weapons to vs take To set on them with all our force and might Which said within their ships they staid till night Till Phebus did on earth no more appeare But was gone downe as t' was his woonted guise And glistring stars did shine most bright cleare Before the Moone that time began to rise They all went forth their ships in braue array And to the temple straight did take their way Intending not long in the same to tarry And so in hast they entred Citheron Where going straight vnto the Sanctuarie Without all manner of devotion To Venus done in her Oratorie For it was then out of their memorie To worship her they had no such intent But onely for to rob and spoile the same Whereto as then their minds were wholly bent All what so ere vnto their hands then came They tooke and bore away and nothing left Within the Church nor I sle but them bereft Of all their Iewels precious stones and gold Their reliques and their vessels sacared And every other thing what ere they could Were it prophane or were it hallowed They made it prey and in their furious mood Did kill and slay all those that them withstood And many that with gastly wounds did bleed Which they receaued had to saue their right As prisoners to their ships with them were led Not able to withstand their puissant might Which after liu'd in long captiuity With sorrow griefe and great extreamity While Paris earnestlie for Helen sought Whom when he found in courteous wise he kist And ioy fullie within his armes her caught For she seem'd not to striue nor to resist But yeelded vnto him without delay For 't had been but meere follie to say nay Her heart being woone before that he came there She could not striue for women t is not fit And for that cause to yeeld she had lesse feare And he with such good words as then were meet Did comfort her and therewith did her beare Vnto his ship and letting her stay there Well guarded by his men returnd againe To make an end of his desired pray Not far from thence within a pleasant plaine A Castle stood where many souldiers lay To keepe the same who waking gaue a shout And sodainly at once did issue out Andran in hast to rescue Citheron But ere they came the Troyans had their pray And with the same vnto their ships were gone Wherewith the Greekes did make no long delay But followed them and then began to fight On either side with all their force and might And Tygar like each other slew and kild Till many dead within the field did lie For neither vnto other then would yeeld But at the last the Greekes were forst to flye For that the Troyans doubled them in nomber With multitudes and did them fore incomber And made them run backe to the Castle gate In hope to saue themselues therein by flight But all in vaine for them for
left You tell me that the best way for me were To make a meanes vnto the Greeks to get A peace as if of them I stood in feare And that I were so simple to forget The many and most extreame outrages The slaughters mortall warres and domages The cruelties and great destruction By them so long and often don to me This towne and to my subiects euery one Which when I call to mind I cannot be Perswaded thereunto though I should die And loose all that I haue For I espie Such danger in that which by you is ment And so great falsehood couertly to be Therein that if you compasse your intent In such sort as you moue it vnto me It will in fine be my confusion And this townes vtter desolation For vnpossible t' were for me to shun The mischiefe that thereon depends which I Were sure to find if that the same be don Which you do seeke without all remedy For this most sure and certaine is no doubt The issve of the peace you go about Wherewith Aeneas grieued at the hart Rose vp vpon his feet and moued sore Against the King before he did depart Out of the counsell chamber voud and swore With many bitter words and taunts which he Vnto him gaue that he reuengd would be On him if he in time no order tooke For better satisfaction in that case Whereto he bad him with all speed to looke And so in mighty rage he left the place And with the Lord Anthenor went his way And would no longer in the counsell stay At whose departure Priam grieud to see Himsefe by them so hardly vsd he was Therewith so vexed at the heart that he Could not refraine to shead forth eeares when as He thought thereon and then considering more And deepelier then he had don before What trechery and treason they had wrought And secretly conspired and devisd Against the towne of Troy and him and sought Their vtter ruine he thereby surmisd And feared they two would him by some way In secret wise vnto the Greeks betray If he did not the same with speed preuent And shape some way their malice to withstand And thereby turne the treason which they ment To worke gainst him and had then tane in hand To practise with the Greeks before it wrought Th' effect vpon themselues that had it sought That so the guerdon of their trechery Might light on them that first inuented it For treason and all false conspiracie Should be requited as it is most fit With treason for he that works villany For iust reward a shamefull death should die And to effect the same King Priamus With many teares did grieuously complaine Vnto his bastard sonne Amphimachus And when they had together twixt them twaine Shewd their dislikings of the trechery Anthenor and Aeneas secretly Deuised had with others to betray Him and the towne into the Grecians hand With many sighs he did vnto him say Good Son I pray thee marke and vnderstand My meaning well and thereto giue good eare Thou knowest that I am thy Father deare And how that now there are no more aliue Of all my Sons but thou alone to be Mine onely heire and after me t'suruiue I pray thee therefore if thou louest me And of thine owne estate hast any care Thinke on this treason by the which we are As now in so great danger to be brought If we do not preuent it by some way And practise quickly by vs to be wrought Whereby we may their furious courses stay And first intrap and take them in the snare Which they for vs do craftely prepare Which to effect my meaning is to call Them this night vnto counsell purposely Where being come thou shalt vpon them fall With many Knights and kill them sodainly The which meane time see thou do not disclose To any man but onely vnto those Whom thou with thee wilt take to do the deed And so we shall preuent them vnaware The which to do Amphimacus agreed And bad King Priam lay on him the care Thereof t' accomplish it with as much speed As was to be required in such need But as by Prouerbe old it 's often said There is nothing so closely gon about Nor counsell that 's so secretly conuaid But by some meanes or other t will come out And that a murther oft done priuily And many yeares vnknowne to men doth lie The beasts and birds of th' aire will it discrie And that the dumbe and senceles earth likewise Oft times casts forth that within it doth lie And makes itknowne Therefore let men be wise And not disclose their secrets sith they say Two can keepe counsell when one is away But specially great Princes should haue care Aboue all men to keepe their secrets well Because that they like vnto Mirrors are Whereon men looke For if they chance to tell Or speake a thing out of their mouths that shold Not vttered be men presently lay hold Thereon and spread't abroad both farre wide When they do least suspect that it is knowne And would it from the common people hide That it may not about the world be knowne And so by indiscreetnes oft disclose Their secrets great vnto their chiefest foes And some perhaps in whom they most do trust And doe familiarly to them resort Will soonest show themselues to them vniust And to the world giue them a bad report And therefore it is best for them to spare To speake and of their words to haue a care That which a Prince doth secretly intend Shold not vnto the vulgar sort be told For they their wits and wils do chiefely bend And do it as a common custome hold Vntruely to report that which they heare And make it cleane contrary to appeare For they do conster things as they desire To haue them and to reason are not tide And are compard vnto a wispe of fire Which makes a blast but doth not long abide Within the same but strait-way doth consume It is not good on such men to presume That fier and water both in one hand hold And vnto either side do bow and bend And as men say are neither hot nor cold And t'euery new found tale their eares do lend To day they loue to morrow they do hate And neuer do continew in one state To trust to them there is no certaine stay For much like to a broken staffe they bee Which when a man leanes on 't it shrinks away And therefore Lords and Princes ought to see That they commit not too much secresie To them for in them ther 's no constancie For Priams counsell though it were deuisd Betweene him and his sonne alone t was told Vnto Aeneas who thereby advisd Of that which he thought Priam neuer would Haue done did make Anthenor vnderstand In how great danger both their liues did stand And therefore they together did consent Asecret counsell with their friends to hold And others that vnto their partie bent
Fell at debate with them for they devis'd A tale the which they told him and surmis'd That which was never practised nor wrought By any one of all the Greeks not yet In any wise imagined nor thought By them though he for truth belieued it For they told him that while the Grecians were Before the towne of Troy that falslie there Pallamides his sonne was murthered By night as he within his bed did lie The which they said was done by Diomede And false Ulisses with great crueltie Which truth to say and giue to them their due They never did for it was most vntrue They also did most confidentlie tell The King that all the Princes did consent Vnto that deed and knew thereof full well Although there was nere any such intent And specially that King Agamemnon And Menalus were by when it was done But all they said was false and nothing so Yet nere the lesse they did the king perswade So well that he gaue credite therevnto And verilie belieu'd the Grecians had Conspir'd the death and the destruction Of valiant King Pallamides his son And better to averre their false report They fain'd said that letters twaine were sent Out of the towne which treason did import And said that King Pallamides was bent To favor them of Troy and that he had Receau'd a sum of gold of them and made Condition more to haue so that he would Delay the time and cause their enemie To leaue the siege and for them only hold And more to make their matter good did lie And said they found the letters in the field Enclosed fast within a Troyans shield That in the fight was flaine and that thereby The whoâ—e contents of all the treason wrought And practis'd by the Troyans secretly With King Pallamides to light was brought And though that he was guiltles of the same The Grecians more to slaunder and to blame They said Ulisses falsly practised With one that on Pallamides did wayt And him with gold and words most faire so fed That at the last he caught him with a bait And got him to agree and be content To grant to his request and giue consent To take a bag of gold and secretly By night convay the same into the bed Whereas his Lord Pallamides did lie Which he accordingly accomplished And to make all seem true the gold then laid Within the bed was so much as was said Pallamides receaued had in hand That when the matter once in question came He should not well gainst his accusers stand It being found and prou'd to be the same Iust summe of gold the which was specifi'd In those two letters in the Targat hid Which being found and to the Grecians told They were to vproare moued in such wise Concerning those two letters and the gold That they did in a muttering arise And all together ran with one consent In furious wise vnto the royall tent Wherein the king that innocent and cleane Of that suppos'd offence then was remaind And little knew what they thereby did meane And would by no intreaty be restraind To stay but when before him there they stood Like vnto men that had been mad or wood They did begin against lowd to crie And bitterly to raile and chafe withall And by no meanes their rage would pacifie But readie were on him therefore to fall And specially the kings Agamemnon And Menalus with indignation Against him in their hearts conceaued than Without advise or any care at all Of his estate or high degree began For iustice there beâ—ore the Greeks to call The which when king Pallamides perceau'd And saw what malice they gainst him conceau'd At first he was somewhat therewith abast But presently againe without all feare He stood vp on his feet and at the last When as he saw how hot at him they were And that they still persisted that he shold Condemned be To show his courage bold And valor great he flatly did deny That which by them on him was falsly layd And swore before them all it was a lie For proofe whereof he offer made and said That he his life would venture like a Knight With any whatsoere he were to fight In single combat hand to hand to try And proue by force that he no treason wrought Respecting not his Soveraigne dignity Nor royall bloud and them therefore besought To grant and giue consent that presently That day the combat might be fought thereby To find and know the truth if any one Against him durst within the field appeare Which proffer made they all stood mute and none Of all his foes that his accusers were The combate would accept for Diomede And King Ulisses authors of that deed Withdrew themselues and never did make proffer To take his gauntlet vp which he had laid Before them on the ground nor yet would offer To proue that which of him they falsly said Behind his backe but with a fained show Made as if they thereof did nothing know And for his part Ulisses craftily As 't was his common practise to dissemble With all men and to flatter faine and lie Wherein he did the serpent slie resemble That closely lyeth hidden in the grasse To sting and bite such as thereon do passe When as he heard Pallamides deny The treason to him laid and offer made To proue them false that would it iustifie He seemd as if therefore he had been glad And like a friend that meant nought else but well He did begin in double wise to deale And openly seemd him thereof t' excuse And gaue advise vnto the Greeks to cease From charging him with treason and to vse No more opprobrious speeches in that case And by that meanes appeaz'd their muteny And did perswade them that most certainly That accusation false and slanderous Vpon him was imposed wrongfully By some that had with hearts malicious Conspir'd to do him that great villany And to procure his everlasting shame Yet he himselfe was author of the same But when he saw he could not bring to passe That which he had devised to betray And charge him with that he a traitor was He subtilly found out another way Which by consent of Diomede he brought Vnto effect and in this wise he wrought He went vnto him late vpon a night And as a secret friend vnto him told First swearing him by th'onor of a knight Not to disclose that which reveale he shold That he could bring him to a place whereas Great store of gold and treasure hidden was That had to him been privately disclos'd And none else but himselfe thereof did know And that is lay within a well enclos'd Which as a friend he offred him to show So that he promise would that night to go Accompani'd with them two and no mo To fetch it secretly into his tent Which he belieuing all that they did say Agreed vnto and forth with them he went Vnto the well whereas he said it lay And