Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	feel_v	fortune_n	great_a	29	3	2.0896	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19170	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 vnfortunate 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. VVritten by Iohn Lidgate monke of Berry, and by him dedicated to the high and mighty prince Henrie the fift, King of England.	Colonne, Guido delle, 13th cent. Historia destructionis Troiae.; Benoît, de Sainte-More, 12th cent. Roman de Troie.; Lydgate, John, 1370?-1451? Troy book.	1614 (1614)	STC 5581.5; ESTC S119764	480,848	336

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 ●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 butl● 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 ●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

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 no● 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

against a power innumerable And yet they would not yeeld one foot of ground Till many of them were wounded and t'weake The Grecians fierce and angrie moods to stay That spar'd them not in cruell wise to slay And shew'd not any mercie what so ere So that of force they were constraind to run As fast as ere they could in extreame feare The furie of their foes as then to shun For truth to say and brieflie to conclude They had gainst them too great a multitude And by constraint abandoning the place To saue their liues vnto their Castle fled The Grecians hotlie following them in chase And leaving in the field great numbers dead Pell mell with them got to the Castle gate Whereas perforce vnto their cruell fate They entred in and did it fiercelie win And without mercie slew them every one And all the treasure that they found therein Vnto their ships did beare which hauing done Intending there to make no longer stay They brake the Castle downe did it lay Flat on the ground which being cleane defast And not a stone left standing they decreed To goe from thence and making all the hast They could did saile to Tenadon with speed A Castle then within the Troyan land That six miles frō the towne of Troye did stand And not farre distant from the sea was set Within a faire and pleasant plot of ground And aire most wholesome fresh and verie sweet Environed with spacious plaines and round About it grew all kind of corne and vines Wherof they made great store of pleasant wines Fruits hearbs flowers of faire severall kinds And everie other thing that man could wish To serue his turne with store of Harts Hinds Calues Hogs and Sheepe and everie sort of fish That surging seas doth yeeld so that it might Be cal'd a place of pleasure and delight In which the souldiers liu'd in all content Whereto when as the Grecians did arriue And fore it boldlie did themselues present The Troyans hoping them from thence to driue Most part of them well arm'd with speed went out And casting forth a huge and hideous shout Marcht valiantlie against their foes as then Vpon the land in faire and rich array And with so great a multitude of men That all the strand and field along the way Vnto the Castle walls was covered By them but yet the Troyans without dread Demanding not wherefore they came nor what They sought as then within the Troyans land Assailed them with so great courage that The aire at their encounter hand to hand Did sound with noise of Drum trumpets braue And with the strokes that either side then gaue On helmets shields armes from whence the fire In sparkes flew out and many a man was slaine And some lay wounded groveling in the mire Some bleeding and in great and deadly paine Their Horses running maisterlesse about And all the field and all the way throughout Was fild with legs armes heads and hands of men Smitten off and fiercelie hewd and cut in sunder And thousands on each side were slaine as then But on the Grecians part the greatest number The Troyans did so fiercely them assaile But all their force at last could not preuaile Against so great a power and multitude Of Greekes that then were fortie at the least Gainst one of them so that for to conclude They were constraind as being overprest With all the speed they could for to retire Though wanting neither manhood not desire To fight against their foes and in great hast As many of them ●● could escape a●ay And saue their lines by force through th' enemy past And to the Castle go● and that same day Some road in po●st with no little feare The newes vnto thetowne of Tr●ye to beare And need they had●● flie with all their might For in the chase the Gr●●kes did them pursue Vnto the gates and never left till night But many of them in incruell wise then flew That stragling here and there did chance to light Into their hands as they were in the flight Nor any one of what degree so ere Was spar'd by them nor ransome would be tane Such hatred to the Troyans they did beare And when they had great nombers of them slaine They did besiege the Castle round about So closely that they could not issue out Which doue the bulwarks presently they wonne And then with fierce assault they did assay To scale the walls but they within full soone Mounting thereon their furious moods did stay And draue thē thence with so great force might Of stones long bowes blows of coutl●s bright Pikes Crosse bows darts wild-fier which they cast Downe from the walles and did the same defend So valiantly that spight their hearts at last When as the Greekes with ladders did ascend They were by thē thrown headlong down the wall And forst with great despight on ground to fall Till at the last the Grecians gins did frame Wherewith against the Castle stones they threw And in such wise they battered the same That Troyans hardly could their faces shew And then againe their ladders rear'd vpright And mounting vp vs'd all their power might To enter on their enemies forcibly But Troyans nought abasht with valiant mood For their defence at them let arrows flie From off the walls and mightily with stood Their fierce assault and beat them off againe At which time many Grecians prowd were slaine By push of Pike and huge and mighty stones Which from the walls they cast and therewithall Did breake the Grecians necks bruise their bones And spight their hearts constraind thē down to fall Vpon the ground in pale and deadly hew But once againe the Greekes ●h'assault renue And with so great a number did ●●saile The Castle on all sides that in the end The Troyans forces cleane began to saile And were no longer able to defe●●d Themselues when no succo●● they perceiued They waxed faint and so at men bereaued Of all reliefe they did the best they might To saue their lines but Gre●●●●● valiantly Did enter and in rage and great despight Kild all that were within most furiously And when the Castle strong they had so woone They plast their ensignes on the walls which done They ransackt it and what so ere they found Gold treasure and each other costly ware In packes and fardels they't together bound And to their ships with present speed it bare And breaking downe the Castle made it plaine And even with the ground and so againe Returned vnto their ships and when they had Refresht and eas'd themselues and to declare They ioy for victory gaind great triumph made Their Generall whose chiefe and speciall care Was to reward each one in his degree Caus'd all his Captaines to assembled bee And all the treasure they as then had wonne Brought forth laid in open view he made To rich and poore like distribution But most to them that

deny'd His small request and boldly him defi'd Which vnto vs not any vantage brought But onely was the meanes of our despight And afterwards no little mischiefe wrought For if that we by provident foresight Had not deny'd all harmes had been eschewd That after by the Troyans were pursude At Cithera nor yet the treasure great And costly jewels woone by Paris had Been carried vnto Troye their regall seat Nor slaughter of our men by them been made Nor yet the woe that Helena procur'd In Grecian land so long therein endur'd Nor any wrong to Menelaus been done If we I say had well considered Thereon and him restored Exion Nor had we been so foolishlie misled To spend our treasure and our goods in vaine To come to fetch Queene Helena againe With no small costs or charges to vs all And dangers great as you may well suppose And yet we know not what may chance befall Or whether we in fine shall win or lose Sith that nothing on earth is permanent But vnto alteration still is bent And for that fortune all things can subvert And to a good beginning giue bad end All dangers therefore from vs to divert And wiselie to begin that we pretend My counsell is ere further we proceed To send vnto King Priamus with speed To will him to make restitution Of Helena as reason doth require And of all other wrongs vnto vs done By Paris vnto which our iust desire If he consent we may returne to Greece With honor and all further troubles cease But if he seeme this offer to refuse And wilfullie reiecteth our demand Then shall we haue occasion iust to vse All rigour whatsoere within his land To spoyle his towne and lay it flat on ground And vtterly both him and his confound And two things will our action iustifie The one is that our quarrell iust and right Which to be so no man can well denie Will maintaine vs and boldly for vs fight And vs and ours will lawfully excuse But them condemne because they did refuse Our iust demand to them first offered The other is that through the world so wide All men will say that we were iustlie led To take revenge and will hold on our side And them perpetuallie for ever blame Of wilfulnesse to their erelasting shame And all extreames that by vs shall be vs'd Gainst woman child or man of each degree For causes fore aledg'd will be excus'd I●●s and we shall wholly freed bee Though that we kill and spoile them every one And shew no mercy vnto any one But yet before we enter thereinto My counsell is this offer should be made To them and that with speed the same you do And by this meanes as I before haue said We shall great praise and commendation gaine Which said he sat downe in his throwne againe But mongst the Grecian Princes many were Of cl●ane contrarie minds and would not grant That any should such message from them beare To Priamus least he should brag and vant That they to him had sent to craue amends And m●tion made with him for to be friends Yet such as more experience seemd to haue To Agamemnons counsell did agree And to the same their free consents then gaue That Diomed and Vlisses sent should bee Their minds vnto King Priamus to shoe Who straight without delay to Troye did goe At such time as the Sun with radiant light Had past along the whirling Hemisphere At noone-time with his beames exceding bright Vpon each hill and valley shone most cleare And when vnto the towne of Troye they got They entered therein and staied not But straight vnto King Priams pallace went For that the streets directlie led them to 't Not showing any man what their intent As then might be nor asking leaue to do 't Intending without feare or any dread In their Embassage boldlie to proceed And truth to say no man did them resuse To enter nor to passe along the street For t' may be that as then they did not vse For pasports or safe conducts to intreat For messengers but such as in that sort To any Prince or Countrie did resort Had leaue to enter freely without doubt And at the last they came to Ilyon The which with admiration round about They viewed well esteeming it alone Surpast all others both in breadth and length Beautie exceeding richnesse and for strength And yet they wondred more thogh't did thē good Within the court all pau'd with lasper stone To see a tree in midst thereof that stood Which like vnto the Sun for brightnesse shone But could not iudge it to be naturall Or made by workemen artificiall Or framd by divellish inchantation Or cunning of some learnd philosophie Or whether t' was but meere illusion And did appeare that t' was not to the eie And long they stood much troubled in their mind To see if that they could by reason find The ground of such a woonderfull devise But t' was too hard for them to comprehend So that if nere so long they should surmise Or on the same whole yeares in studie spend To find the truth thereof t' was impossible And yet to all mens sight t' was visible And palpably for to be felt with hand The stocke whereof was gold most bright cleare Which straight as any Mast or Palme did stand And did a huge and great proportion beare The height twelue cubits at the least and more And many branches great and small it boare Which large and wide all ore the place did spread And such a breadth it bare that round about The court therewith was wholly shadowed The branches and the leaues thereof throughout The tree in paires together coupled were The one ol gold the other silver clere The fruit it bare was precious stones most fine Of colours white greene red and saphire blew Which on the same exceedingly did shine And every day the blossoms did renue And on it hung with colours variable Which to the Grecians seemd most admirable Who having long beheld it at the last Went forward with intent t' effect their charge And never staid but through the pallace past So long till that into a chamber large They entered whereas King Priamus Sat in a throane most rich and sumptous Accompanied with his Nobilitie Who all along the chamber on each side About him sat with princely maiestie On whome the Greeks which did exceed in pride With visage sterne and froward countenance As having then but small rememberance Of honor look't most boldlie in the face And without any curtesie or word Once offered sat downe and tooke their place Right opposite against the counsell bord And there regarding not the Maiestie O● Priamus nor his Nobilitie When they had paws'd awhile with courage bold Vlisses gan vnto King Priamus Th' effect of their Embassage to vnfold So stoutlie and with words presumptuous That all that were assembled did admire His pride mus'd what he would then require And said

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 cānot 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 thē lose their groūd 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 she●d And helmet broke and cleft lay in the field And many a horse ran ma●●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 Pr●●●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

meanes had much encreast her fame With heart that was possest with great despight That she had lost so many maidens so In furious wise into the field did go One day betimes vpon the Greeks to set With full intent to be reveng'd therefore And in the battaile first with Pyrrhus met Who cause he her and she him hated so With courage stout she spurd her gallant steed So hard that she did make his sides to bleed And ran at him and he at her likewise And with their puissant speares set in their rests And countenances sterne and wrathfull eyes Directly aymed at each others brest And gaue each vnto other such a stroke That both their speares in many peeces broke But neither of them fell vnto the ground Not once within their sadles bowd or bent And yet the Queene gaue Pirrhus such a wound With her speare head into the brest that went Cleane thrugh his armes that he therwith bled sore Which when the Grecians saw they were therfore So grieu'd that with hideous noyse they crid And like to swarmes of Bees vpon her fell And did enclose her round on euery side But she did fight against them all so well And valiantly that they did her admire And spight their hearts she made thē back retire Whereby long time it was ere they could get Or haue aduantage on her till at last Being sore opprest and round about beset So thicke by them that they smot her as fast As Smiths vpon an Anuile head they broke Her helmet and with many a cruell stroke Of axes swords and other weapons tare And rent her armes and cleft her shield in twaine Whereby her shoulders naked were and bare Yet nerethelesse she did the fight maintaine Against them all so long and valiantly That many Greeks dead at her feet did lie Till Pirrhus wounded as before is sayd And feeling so great anguish smart and paine Within his heart that he was sore afraid To die thereof in hast ran to the plaine Intending whatsoere of him became To be reuenged on her for the same Whom when she saw come running in such hast And doubting she by him should be assayld She turnd about and to him made as fast And with her sword first strake at him but faild To hit him for the Greeks on her did come So thicke and fast that she could haue no roome To lift and weld her sword aboue her head But he smot her a blow with mighty force And cut her arme cleane off wherewith she bled So sore that she fell dead off from her horse And not contented therewithall to shew His cruelty he did her body hew And mangle with his sword in peeces small And yet the blood did run out of his wound So fast that he constrained was to fall As if he had been dead vpon the ground Where groueling in a trance awhile he lay Till that his Knights did beare him thence away Vpon a shield with sad and heauy cheare Sore bleeching and deepe wounded to his tent But when the Amasoman Maids did heare Their Queene was slaine in furious wise they went Like vnto women desperate and mad And as if of their liues no care they had Among the thickest of the Greeks and then So cruesly assayld them that they slew Two thousand of their best and brauest men And did the fight more terrible renew Then it had been all that day long before And fought that time so desperarely and sore That wonder t' was that women could endure To do so much but all to little end When they had lost her that could them secure And by her valor great did them defend As being she who onely and alone For worthines inferior was to none For both they and the Troians then were in Such danger great for want of one to guide Them in the field that they did all begin Like sheepe disperst to run on euery side And scatteringly for their defence to stand To keepe themselues out of the Grecians hand Who then so furiously vpon them ran With full pretence their losses to require That they dismaid to saue themselues began To make retrait wherein with great despight The Grecians did ten thousand of them slay And they to Troy-ward from them fled away For all the Grecians then at once came on Vpon them whosoeuer them withstood Were by them slaine without exception But specially the Amazons whose blood They chiefest sought to spill because they had Together with their Queene such slaughter ●ad Of them while she did liue for she alone A terror was to them and therefore they Without all mercy or compassion In great despight did them so fiercely slay And draue the Troians fore them to the towne And neuer ceast to kill and beat them downe Till they in mighty feare and great distresse Got in and after them their gates did close Being out of hope as men cleane comfortles Of euer fighting more against their foes In open field sith their best knights were slaine And therefore thinking it to be in vaine For them to issue ●orth they purposed To keepe themselues close in their towne as then Impregnable if it were furnished As they supposd of victualls and of men And able to resist and hold out all The forces of the world though they should fall Vpon it all at once But for all that The Greeks no whit despayring at the last To win it set strong watch at euery gate And sentinels to see that no man past Out of the towne no● victualls were conuaid Into 't while they in siedge before it staid And they within the towne great sorrow made For Panthesillias sake who valiantly In their defence against the Grecians had By Pyrrhus hand been slaine but specially Because that they could find no meanes to haue Her mangled corps to bury it in a graue With honor which thereto did appertaine And to that end sent to the Greeks to pray And to entreat them for 't but all in vaine For mooued sore they flatly said them nay And swore and vou'd with protestations great That they nere should her body from them get But to despight and grieue them sayd it should Be throwne to dogs and fowles of th' aire to be Deuourd and torne by them before they would Showd so great sauor to their enemie To whom they did so deadly hatred beare But though that they to her so cruell were Yet Pyrrhus somewhat milder then the rest Would not consent vnto such cruelty And said to them that he did thinke it best To giue her body to the enemy But Diomede sayd plainely to them all That she had not deserued buriall That in her life had slaine so many men And in that sort they stroue and did contend With many words about the same but when They had long argu'd mongst themselues in th' end They all agreed and did the body take Despightfully and cast it in a lake Or pond of water nere vnto the towne

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 ●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 ●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 ●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 wi●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 T●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 ●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 ●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

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 ●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 es●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