to me some skill That loftie verse by stately tearmes may yeild To valiant Knights their honour due in field Assist herein likewise i ft be thy will Calliope to Orpheus mother deare Who insweet musicke so exceld for skill That with the sound of harpe as doth appeare He pleasd the monster Cerberus so well That he had leaue to enter into hell To fetch his loue out of th' infernall lake Where Pluto held her for his owne sweet-hart But with the musicke he to them did make He graunted she with him should thence depart And with the dew of thy sweet liquor wet My tongue so harsh and in right tune it set For thou art sayd of Rethoricke to beare The onely praise and patronesse for skill And eke of musicke pleasant to the eare Thou canst direct each instrument at will Deny not then sweet Muse thy ayd to mee And I shall rest beholding vnto thee Els will the clowds of ignorance enclose And round incampe my wits that are so bare And cause the rude to Poets vtter foes To laugh at me But such as learned are I will intreat what faults soere they find To winke thereat and keepe them in their mind And if that in my verses I haue err'd As no man but may erre what ere he be I must confesse I never yet deseru'd To haue the praise for excellent Poetrie For God he knowes when I this worke began I did it not for praise of any man But for to please the humor and the hest Of my good Lord and Princely Patron Who dained not to me to make request To write the same least that obliuson By tract of time and times swift passing by Such valiant acts should cause obscur'd to lie As also cause his Princely high degree Provokes him study ancient Histories Whereas in Myrrour be may plainely see How valiant Knights haue won the masteries In battailes fierce by prowesse and by might To run like race and proue a worthy knight And as they sought to clime to honors seat So doth my Lord seeke therein to excell That as his name so may his fame be great And thereby likewise Idlenesse expell For so he doth to vertue bend his mind That hard it is his equall now to find To write his Princely vertues and declare His valor high renowne and Maiestie His braue exploits Marshall acts that are Most rare and worthy his great dignitie My barren head cannot devise by wit T' extoll his fame with words phrases fit This mighty Prince whom I so much coÌ„mend Yet not so much as well deserues his fame By royall blood doth liâ—ally descend From Henrie king of EnglaÌ„d forth by name His eldest Son heire vnto the Crowne And by his vertues Prince of high renowne For by the graft the fruit men easly know Excreasing th' honour of his pedigree His name Lord Henrie as our stories show And by his title Prince of Wales is hee Who with good right his father being dead Shal weare the Crown of Brittain on his head This mighty Prince hath made me vndertake To write the siege of Troy the ancient towne And of their warres a true discourse to make From point to point as Guydo sets it down Who long since wrot the same in latin verse Which in the English now I will rehearse The time when first I tooke the same in hand To say the truth was in the fourteenth yeare Of famous Henrie King of England The Fourth by â—â—ne my Princes Father deare When Phoebus shew'd in altitude to be Fine three times told and foure and one degree When he did in his Chariot downe descend With golden streames into the Ocean strand To bath his steeds and light to others lâ—nd That farre remote inhabite th' Indian land Where when our Summer is cleanâ— past and gon Their spring begâ—â—s but newly to come on And when Lucina faire with paler light Began in cold October to arise T'enhase the darkenes of the winters night And glistring starres appeard in christall skies And then was in the signe of Scorpion And Hesperus then westward running downe His course to hasten gainst tomorrow bright As Lucifer that driues darke clouds away Is sayd to bee the messenger of light And shineth at the dawning of the day When Phoebus early shoes his glistring face Ascending from Proserpins obscure place Where Pluto sits environed about With furies of the fowle infernall Lake In this yeare moneth and time as it fell out This Historie I first in hand did take And of the Troyan wars the truth vntwind As in my ancient Author I it find For if no Authors had the truth set downe In written Bookes of things that are forepast Forget fulnes would soone haue trodden downe Each worthy act and cleane extinct at last Which Serpent never ceaseth to assaile The world to cause all truth on earth to faile And had no ancient Histories been found But all things vnto memorie were left Truth surely then would soone be layd in ground And men of knowledge vtterly bereft But God intending Sathan to prevent That hath foreseene and writers alwaies sent From age to age still to renew the same That truth might alwaies spring and come to light And thereby win an everlasting name Against the which sowle envy still doth fight But famous Clarkes not ceasing truth to show By writing leaue the same to vs to know Els time with syth would soone cut downe the grasse And reâ—ening death extirpe the root and all And nothing whatsoere on earth did passe Should haue record the same to mind to call Nor honor due to valiant Knights be read But it with them should rest and lie as dead And so not onely name but fame would die And wholy be defaced out of mind But Histories explain the same to th'eie As daylie by experience we may find Nere ceasing spight of envy to vnfold The truth of all which may not be controld Therein we see of high and low estate The life and acts as it were on a stage For writers that are wise in heart do hate To speake vntruth or flatter any age For tyrauts being dead they will not feare To write and shew their follies as they were And t'yeild each man as he shall well deserue Be 't good or bad and therefore it iâ— best For every one that credit will preserue In life to vertue cleaue and vice detest For after death know this and marke it well Clarkes will not spare the truth of them to tell For such vnpartiall dealing in their daies Great Princes in them tooke no small delight For truely blasing forth their laud praise Their high renown their power their might Their knightly acts their victories fame Eternally with glory of their name For they still sought to shun the sisters three Fraud Negligence and Sloth that none might doubt Ought was forgot or more pâ—t in to bee Then truth requird and as the truth fell out Els worthy acts
the same The messenger thereto did thus reply And sayd though for the King you do not care This privileged you can me not deny In decent tearmes the message to declare Which now to you I bring what ere it bee Good or els bad there is no fault in mee And wheresoere it pleaseth you to stay The choise is in yourselues as being free Yet thus much vnto you I must needs say You haue no cause now to be wroth with me But leaue your threatning while you here remain And doe your worst when as you come againe For wisedome doth require silence now And secresie till that you be at large And then you may your courage boldly show But truth to say it longs not to my charge To stand and striue with you or make debate Yet better t' were betimes then all to late For you to shun the harmes that may befall And at this time I will with you be plaine For my discharge to tell it to you all That pittie t' were that here you should be slaine Or offered any point of villany Sith that no man whatsoeuer can deny But that your good behaviour doth declare And shew you worthie Personages to bee To governe and command in peace and warre And to descend of great and high degree But least with words perchaÌ„ce I might you grieue I le say no more but take of you my leaue The night ore-past at dawning of the day When as the Larke with sweet and pleasant note Doth straine hir brest as much as well she may To greet the streames of Phoebus Chariot As then beginning in the Orient skie To shew themselues with crimson colourd die And faire Aurora with her silver showers The fragrant Roses had begon to wet And all bedew'd the blooming silver flowers As Lillies Cowslippes and sweet Margaret And made them spread their leaues both fresh bright Which had been closed vp by glooming night And hony-Suckles mong the bushes green Perfumed had the aire with pleasant sent Long ere that Titans glistring beames were seene And to our Hemisphere their course had lent To comfort and relieue each living wight Which by his heat receiue their streÌ„gth might Long time I say before the Sun did rise Prince Iason and his fellow Hercules With all the speed they could in hasty-wise Prepard themselues to put vnto the Seas Commanding every man his way to take Abord the ship and all things ready make The Ankor vp with merry heart and glad They hoysed Sayles and straight put from the land For Iason knew the little traine he had Could not suffice the Troians to withstand As being much more weaker to conclude Then Troians were for strength and multitude So that as then warre with them to begin Was not his wisest way to take in hand Nor likely was the victorie to win As having but a small and feeble band For he that hewes aboue his head too hie Perchance a chip may fall into his eie And therefore made great speed to get away And having wind at will did saile so fast That finding no occasion them to stay They did ariue at Colchos safe at last By Fortunes aide although sometime vnstable That did them helpe as much as she was able In Colchos Isle a goodly towne did stand Which for the riches worthines and fame Was principall and chiefe within that land That called was Iaconites by name With streets full large and howses very faire And seated in a good and wholsome aire Round compassed with towred walles about The which did make a stately show to see And strong and deepely ditched all without To make defence against the enemy Wherein King Oeta with his Princely traine As fittest place did specially remaine And at such time as Iason thether went He found him there with many a worthy Knight For whom the King then purposely had sent To shew his great magnificence and might That so his fame reported farre and neare Vnto the Greekes for truth might then appeare About this towne were hilles and mountaines steep And valleies faire and pleasant to the eie With divers Rivers sweet and fresh and deep That every where within the land did lie And many a lake and many a goodly well Commodious for their vse which there did dwell And store of Parkes for beasts both wild and â—ame And wods and medowes fresh and very greene With sundry hearbâ— and flowers in the same Of faire and divers colours there were seene As pleased nature paint and set them out As time of yeare when Summer came about For fishing fowling and for Princely game Of hunting and of hauking in the field No countrey in the world did passe the same Nor yet more store of fish and fowle did yeild And plenty of each other kind of thing As Corne and graine that firtile soyle did bring There likewise did the Birds most sweetly sing In time of yeare with pleasant harmony When trees and bushes gan to bud and spring Procuring with their cheerefull mellody Great joy and comfort to the wounded harts Of lovers that were peirst with cupids darts That certainely when Summer past away And winter cold and chill did end the yeare And that the faire delighfull month of May With Lady Flora did begin t' appeare And deckt the fields with flowers of strange devise That stately land did seeme a Parradise And for all kind of dainty food and fine Dame Ceres that the name had alwaies borne To be the Queene of plenty sent them wine Flesh fish and fowle with every kind of coâ—â—e in so great plenty and exceeding store No Nation in the world could wish for more For what soere Dame Nature could devise Was found therein for nothing there was seant That pleasure might procure to hart or eyes Nor any man therein complaind of want So great increase this little Islâ— did bring Of all and eke of every kind of thing Vnto this Towne Prince Iason straight did goe With Hercules and all their noble traine Who in the way did make a goodly shoe As hand in hand they marcht in rancks of twaine Each one of stature big and very tall Young lustie strong and hady therewithall Their countenances sad and full demure In so good sort and in such comely wise That vnto every man it did procure Such pleasure to behold their greekish guise That all the Towne did run in flocks to see And learne what countrey people they might be That in such manner came into the Towne So vnexspected of the King and Peeres And every one went walking vp and downe To hearken and to tell what newes he heares So rude they were to wonder stare and gase And gape and looke as it were in a maze For such as in great Townes do vse to dwell Are commonly jnquisitiue of newes But of King Oates now I must you tell How kindly he those strangers then did vse And at their first ariuall in the court Receiu'd and welcom'd them
in princely sort For presently as he did vnderstand Th'ariuall of Prince Iason and his traine Of worthy grecian Knights within his land He did not seeme their comming to disdâ—â—â—â— But rising from his chaire without delay In person went to meet them on the way Receaving them with glad and joyfull cheare In stately wise as it becomes a King And that his bountie might the more appeare Vnto his royall court he doth them bring With charge vnto his officers to see They should be seru'd each one in his degree And that not any thing what ere should want That might procure their pleasure or their ease Nor any one in duty should be scant To honor them if him they sought to please That don he leads them to his Royall place Where he doth welcom theÌ„ with Princely grace And passing through a Marble paved yeard He went into a stately sumpteous hall Wherein no cost of any thing was spard That might adorne and beatifi't withall The walles beser with Images of gold And hangd with Arras costly to behold Where being entred in and he set downe He doth them all in hearty manner greet And welcome bids to Iacomtes towne Each one in his degree as he thought meet Commanding straight great store of wine bear To be broght forth their wearied limbs to chear The King thus set and plast in Royall chaire All hang'd with rich and costly cloth of gold And gilt and set with pearles very faire Most sumptious and most stately to behold Environed with Lords and Knights that were At his command then summond to be there Beholding with a gracious countenance Prince Iason and his fellow Hercules Their honors more t' encrease and to advance Willd them to sit downe by him for their ease But Iason would no longer time let pas To shew the King wherefore his comming was Which he in words but few yet wisely told Began to tell with such a comely grace And so demurely as full well he could That all that were then present in the place Admird his wit his memory and tongue To be most perfect in a Prince so young But ere he did begin his tale to frame With good advise and great discretion He did in mind premeditate the same And to each sentence gaue direction And did his meaning then so wisely say That Oetes his request could not denay And so with stoâ—â— and princely courage bold He started vp with due obedience And kneeling fore the King began t' vnfold Wherefore he came and shewed the full pretence Of his so strange and valiant enterprise Which in this manner thus he did deuise Most puissant Prince and King of Colchos land May 't please you of your high and speciall grace Beningly now to heare and vnderstand The cause of my repaire vnto this place And in good sort not taking of offence Vouchsafe therein to giue me audience To vse long speech and many words were vaine And might perhaps breed cause of tediousnes Or moue offence but soothly to be plaine Reiecting rethoritian curiousnesse In briefe t' vnfold the some of mine intent I must confesse that honour hath me bent To trie th' adventure of the golden fleece And win the glory to atchiue the same And for that cause I passed out of Greece In hope t' augment my valor and my fame Which if your grace will giue me leaue t' assay I doubt not but to beare the prise away And though I know what ever men pretend And vndertake in hope of victory Vnlesse the gods some savour to them lend In whom consisteth all felicitie It were in vaine for any man to venter Or on him take in perill great to enter For peace and warre dishonor eke and fame Doe all vpon their willes and mights depend And no man can withstand them in the same What ever fortune shall vnto me send I will not spare th' adventure now to trie And doe my best for once I can but die If that your Grace thereto will giue consent And grant me leaue my force therein t' assay Vnto your lawes therein is my intent In each respect to yeild and to obay And craue no favour whatsoere betide Hap good or ill I will it all abide Most humbly craving that without delay My mind heerein your grace will not withstand But rather flatly bind me to a day The same t'achieue if so I tak 't in hâ—nd Speake gracious Prince grant to my request And loe your Knight at your command is prest While Iason thus his mind did boldly say The King that full attentiuely the while His speech had mark't with silence seem'd to stay Before he spake at last he gan to smile And friendly him beholding in the face Vnto him sayd with glad and cheerefull grace Young Knight although thy mind be fully set And wholly bent vpon this enterprise So dangerous that no man can thee let Nor hold thee from 't yet follow my advise And wisely with thy selfe resolue in mind Ere thou begin't what danger thou shalt find For know thou must though valiant be thy hart That this adventure is so hard to win As being wrought and fram'd by magicke Art That strength of man can not prevaile therein But he that dares the same once vndertake To end his life a full account must make No favor nor no hope for him is left That doth presume to take the same in hand For by the law he is thereof bereft Which by no means he may in ought withstand As having choise before he gines to venter To leaue the same and not therein to enter But once begun he must therein proceed For backe he may not turne what ere betide And though he stand in never so great need His dome is past he must his chance abide For death is his reward that doth begin And take in hand the golden fleece to win So strickt a law binds him that this will trie Which vnto thee yong Iason I must tell I can by no meanes change nor yet deny To any one therefore advise thee well Before thou ventrest t' vndertake the same Least afterward on me be layd the blame Of thy so desperate destruction Wherefore for my discharge I thee require With hearty and with true intention To leaue the same and let not high desire Procure thee to incurre thine owne decay By this so hard and vnexpected way Sith then thou seest what danger lies therein For that from point to point I haue thee told The truth of all before thou dost begin Let reason rule and be not overbold To take in hand while time thou hast to chuse Least when thou wouldst thou canst it not refuse The time doth now afford thee space to take Or to refuse th' adventure which you will For looke what law God Mars himsefe did make I must the same in all respects fulfill What ere he be that venters in this case Let him be sure he gets no other grace Thus youthfull Iason
In presence of her Mother to fulfill And satisfie his fierce and bloody will And Priamus as you likewise may read Had thirty valiant bastard children All sonnes which did so much in armes exceed That in their times they proved valiant men Whose names to show as now I le overpasse Till that occasion serues in other place WHile Priam so the castle did inclose To win the same by force dayly sought All meanes he could to ouercome his foes The wofull newes vnto him there was brought How that the Greekes the towne of Troy had won And kild his father King Laomedon The walles and howses thereof cleane cast downe The people all slaine with great cruelty And left nought standing vpright in the towne But all on ground did flat and euen lie And Exion made to Thelamon a prey Who had her captiue led with him away He was in mind so much astonished And sodaine woe his sences so did straine That for a while he seem'd as one were dead And inwardly did feele such mortall paine That he did thinke his heart within his brest Would cleaue in twaine so much he was opprest With sorrow griefe perplexitie and woe And therewithall the teares did fast distill Out from his eies downe to the earth so low That sure if that he might haue had his will He rather would haue chosen there to die Then to haue felt so great extremitie Wherewith he did on fortune much exclaime That she to him was so deceaueable To worke him such disgrace and open shame And shew'd her selfe to be so mutable With most despightfull sterne and cruell face As one cleane void of mercy and of grace For she of envious heart and spightfull thought In cruell wise did shew her fell intent And all at once her malice on him wrought As vnto his destruction fully bent So wauering and vnconstant is her mind Wherein her greatest pleasure she doth find For which forthwith he made no more delay But with a heavy heart and face full pale He did put off his faire and rich array And never ceast his fortune to bewaile With mournfull cheare still casting downe his head And in that sort a dolefull life he led Apparelling himselfe in mournfull blacke And minding there no longer to abide In all the hast he could the â—iedge vp brake And presently to Troy ward forth did ride With all his hoast who likewise were full sad And for his losse and theirs great sorrow made And when the towne so much defast he found And that the walles that were so huge and strong So plaine and even beaten were to ground And nothing stood but all was laid along The towers that reacht allmost vp to the skie And builded were so faire and sumptuously Cleane overthrowne with great confusednesse His people slaine and Sister led away And all made wast like to a wildernesse For griefe and woe he wist not what to say Such and so great was his extremitie But at that time he could't not remedie Which made him most extreamly sob and weepe For nothing could his sorrow great asswage And from his brest to fetch great sighes and deepe And in that wofull plight and furious rage His men and he a mournfull life did lead And in the same three daies continued Till at the last when clowdes of sorrow backe Began to cleare and stormes of woe to cease And that their mourning somewhat seem'd to slack And causd them in their minds to find some ease For when the floood of warre is gone and past An ebbe of ioy doth follow it in hast Still to lament and mourne doth not amend But more impaire and though we vse to waile And weepe for friends our sorrow once must end For after death teares will then nought availe King Priamus abandoning all care Devising how he might the towne repaire Determin'd in that great extremitie To show himselfe a Prince of courage braue And making vertue of necessitie Couragiously his credit then to saue When as his sorrowes great orepassed were And that the aire began somewhat to cleare And void the mists of his adversitie And that the prime of woe and heauinesse Night past and gone was forst away to flie By sonne-shine of some new found joyfulnesse For that the friend of woe and miserie Is joy when men haue past extremitie When he had grieu'd in mind a little space And long indured sorrow woe and smart And that his care did somewhat overpasse He rous'd himselfe and plucking vp his heart More ioyfull to his souldiers did appeare And so hegan to worke as you shall heare CHAP. II. ¶ How King Priam Sonne to Laomedon butlâ— the Cutie of Troy againe much stronger greater and fairer then euer it was before KIng Priams sorrow great and griefe ore-past As vnto you before I did declare He purposed vpon the ground made wast Where as the ancient monuments first were To build a towne much stronger then it was Which to effect he did no time let passe But straight sent forth into each Countrey For certaine men or wit ingenious And skilfull worke men in Geometrie That could invent workes fine and curious As Masons Cervers Carpenters and all That skilfull were in Arts mecannicall And wheresoere he could once know or heare Of any expert workemen of that kind He would not spare to send both farre and neare Nor never ceast vntill he did them find For such as could devise a stately wall With battlements and rauelings great small For men that were of fine and subtill head The Marble stone to pollish with the graine And Alablaster white and Purphier read To hew and cut and make them smoth and plaine For gravers of all kind of Images And such as Art of painting did professe And cunning were their works to beautifie With colours fresh that long time would indure And that could make an Image with an eye As if it were a liuely creature And counterfeit in mettall wood and stone As curious worke as ere Pignalion Devised or as Histories doe tell Apollo could invent for he did frame Darius Tombe the which did so excell For wormanship that none ere past the same Which th' emperor commanded him to raise That men thereby his worthy fame might praise He sent likewise for ioyners that had skill In Cedar Cipresse and in Walnut-tree To worke and with imbossed flowers to fill The creasts that round about the walles should bee And whosoere in building was erpert And praise deserued therein by desert Or had the name in workeman-ship â—excell The King would his direction therein haue How farre or wide soever he did dwell Or what soever wages he would craue No cost he spard in any kind of thing That he his worke vnto effect might bring Intending such a sumptuous Towne to frame That it should passe all others whatsoere And in most spacious wise to build the same For widenes breadth length that it should beare And with so high so thicke
time held the same and did defend The regall state thereof by valiant hand For Casar did ast's said from him descend And first jmperiall Diadem in that land Did weare and by his pollicie and wit Ordaind the civill lawes to governe it What further of Aeneas travelling You seeke to know in Uirgill you may see The same at large who writeth everie thing By him atchieu'd though some perswaded bee That Virgill was long dead and buried Before his booke was fullie finished CHAP. XI ¶ How Agamemnon sent Achilles and Thelephus into the island of Messa for victuals and how they of the Isle withstood the Greekes and fought with them in which battaile the King of Messa was slaine and Thelephus was made King of Messa by consent of all the Nobility of the Island YOu heard how while Ulisses did soiourne With Diomed in Troye what there had past And also what King Priam did returne For answere to the Grecians who in hast Vpon the same a generall counsell call Where in the full assemblie of them all King Agamemnon spake to them and said My Lords as well you know t is now high time That care by vs should speedilie be had And chiefly now while we are in the prime Of our affaires for things that needfull are To serue our turnes while we maintaine the war Gainst Troye and first that good provision Of victuals should be made for if we faile Thereof t' will be our owne confusion Which to prevent and better to prevaile In the enterprise which we as now pretend My counsell is that presently we send If you think 't good vnto an jsle hard by Cald Messa where great stoâ—â— of victuals are From whence we may in our necessity Our selues thereof provide without all care Of sending into Greece and to that end I pray you name whom you will thither send With which advise the Grecians all consent Agreed amongst themselues that Thelephus And with him stout Achilles should be sent To th'jsle of Messa rich and populous For victuals to suffice them and their host And for to bring it thence what ere it cost At which time in that fertile Island raignd King Tenteran that valiantly by might The Scepter and the Crowne thereof obtaind And had with iustice equity and right Long ruled in the same in peace and rest Till Grecians did his quiet state molest Though some men do affirme that Messa lies Within the bounds of the Sicilian King And that the name of Messa signifies Aboundance great and store of every thing Which therein grew and that it had the name From Messena a Citie in the same Exceeding rich and plentifull from whence Great store of ships and vessels laden were With victuals which they did convay from thence To everie place and Countrie farre and neere Which for such wares as to that jsle they brought They did excange and of those people bought And some men say that Messa named was Of Messanus a King that rul'd the same Who in his time all others did surpasse For riches great exceeding power and fame This shall suffice in breife to let you know What Messa was and now I will you show That when the Grecian Princes had decreed That Thelephus and Achilles should be sent To Messa with three thousand men with speed They put to seas and ere long time was spent Arriued there and straight their men did land But when the King thereof did vnderstand He marched with an army to the strand And there with horse and footmen valiantly The Grecians power by force sought to withstand Giuing the onset most couragiouslie And gainst them did a cruell fight maintaine Wherein great numbers of their men were slaine On either side and many wounded were That bleeding on the ground in great distresse Lay never likely armes againe to beare And in so great a rage and furiousnesse Each partie did against the other fight That long it was ere that perceiue you might Advantage twixt them both so equally The battaile went and at that time was fought Till in the end the Grecians valiantly Draue backe their foes but it avail'd them nought For presently they were constrain'd to run And backe t'retire with speed againe to shun The furie of the enemies that were Three to their one that cruelly then slew And made to flie in great distresse and feare Which at that time they could not well eschew But when with angry mood Achilles saw His men so fiercely slaine and forst to draw Backe to the strond in great extremitie With trenchant blade in hand he entered Amongst the thickest of the enemie Where many of his men in field lay dead And others wounded sore away did flie And there behau'd himselfe so valiantlie That in short space he had recovered The field againe and in most furious mood Feld wounded and before his feet lay dead All that he found or him as then withstood And therewithall his men so comforted And by his valor great encouraged That where before they fled and lost their ground Their enemies were forced to retire And flie to saue themselues and none was found That durst withstand his fierce and furious ire For who so ere he met was sure to die And none escapt such was his cruelty And sure if that his valor worthinesse Exceeding force and courage passing bold Had not prevail'd against the hardinesse Of Tentrans men without all doubt they would That day in field haue slaine the Grecians all But he like to a strong puissant wall Withstood them their ranks so fiercely brake That maugre all their power he made them lie In heaps before his feet and way to make And at the last when as he did espie King Tenteran a braue and valiant Knight Like Lyon fierce defend himselfe in fight And here and there the Grecians so opprest That many of them by him were fiercely slaine And beaten downe and that he never ceast To overthrow all that he could attaine He did not stay but with most fierce desire And heart that burnt with rage as hote as fire Made way through thicke and thin round about Him kild his foes so fast on every side That at the last he found King Tentran out Whereas he fought and with exceeding pride Gaue him a blow so fiercely on the crest That 't made his head bend down vnto his brest And then againe his blow redoubled And with the same so deepely did him wound That therewithall most grievously he bled And with a thrid blow stroke him to the ground And then from off his head his helmet rent In furious wise with purpose and intent To strike it off and to that end did heaue His hand on high with bloody sword to giue The Fatall blow that should his life bereaue So much the slaughter of his men did grieue Him at the heart which he perceiu'd was made By him alone and that he onely had Been cause thereof But ere the blow did fall Young
and therewith feard The stroake of death with pale and deadly cheare To Thelaphus he spake as you shall heare My sonne sayd he sith I from hence must passe And leaue this world for neither force nor might Intreaty presents pardon nor yet grace Can saue my life as equitie and right Requires the same here in the audience Of all my Lords to cleare my conscience I tell thee that the worthy valiant Knight Thy Father Hercules once conquered This â—â—and by his valor and his might And when that he therein had stablished A perfect peace and all things quiet were Because he did to me affection beare He freely did assigne and giue to me The regall crowne and scepter of the same With all the Princely power and dignite That thereunto belong'd or he could claime And of him I it held I must confesse So that his state therein was nere the lesse And now for loue of him sith I must die I giue to thee that which from him I had Which is the Crowne and soveraignty Of this same Isle and likewise as he made Me King thereof I also thee create King in my stead to maintaine the estate And dignity thereof while thou do'st lâ—ue And to thine heires for ever to remaine Though I confesse the thing which I thee giue Before vnto thy selfe did appertaine By true descent and right paternall line As Hercules did giu 't to me and mine And to that end he sayd vnto them all That round about him stood I doe declare That sith the Gods out of this world do call Me hence without an heire and that you are Left destitute of one to be your guide To th' end that you all care should set aside I heere doe make my will and Testament And by the same do grant assigne and giue My scepter crowne and regall ornament To Thelaphus to hold't while he doth liue And after to his heires by true discent Which sith it is my will and my intent I pray you all as soone as I am dead Without delay let it performed be And set the regall crowne vpon his head And honour him as you haue honord me And after hauing written what he sayd He pawsd a little while and then he praid And hartily desired Thelaphus That presently assoone as he was dead Of Knight-hood for to be so courteous To cause his body to be buried With royall pompe and Princely funerall Fit for a King and then turn'd to the wall And suddenly fell Parcas cut in twaine This thred of life and made him yeild his goast Which as the Poets in their fables faine Straight tooke her way vnto Th'lizian coast Whose body feard and balm'd withâ—ut delay King Thelaphus a tombe of Marble gray Caus'd to be made in rich and sumptuous wise Whereon in golden letters he did place An Epitaph the which he did devise To show how Tentran died and what he was And how he gaue his crowne to Thelaphus Whereof th' effect In verses six was thus Here lies King Tâ—ntrans body in this tombe Who by Achilles cruelly was kild In fight but ere of death he had his dombe By testament to Thelaphus he wild And freely gaue the Crowne and Soveraignty Of Messa Isle and so in peace did die Which being done and every other thing Performed with great pompe and royalty And Thelaphus of Messa crowned King By full consent of the Nobility And fealtie and homage to him made As they before to Tâ—ntran promist had Achilles straight vnto his ships did carry All things that he would aske desire or haue That for the Grecians turnes were necessary As Corne and Wine such as the soyle there gaue Flesh fish fruits fowles of every kind such store That he could not desire nor wish for more And order with King Thelaphus did take That he should there remaine to rule the land And when occasion seru'd provision make Of such things as the Greekâ— in need did stand That at all times in their necessitie Of victuall they well furnished might be Though willingly he would haue gone againe With him to Troy but that Achilles praâ—'d And hartely desird him to remaine In Messa that he might the Grecians ayd When they in any need should stand straight With all his ships with victualls fully fraught He sayld to Troy againe and soone did land At Tenadon and there relation made What entertainment they in Messa found And how King Tentran then resisted had And valiantly the Grecians power assaild And without doubt against them had prevaild As hauing three men to their one but he By valor slew King Tentran in the field Who being brought vnto extremitie And at the point of death himselfe did yeild And how before he died he did consent And order tooke by will and testament That Thelaphus should king of Messa be Whereto the whole Nobility agreed And Crowned him with great solemnitie And how that he had left him there when need Requird to make provision Of victualls and of munition And lastly shewd what victualls he had brought With him from thence to serue them presently Assuring them they need not doubt that ought Should want to ayd them in necessitie Wherewith the Greeks well pleas'd did much esteem Achilles for his valour thanking him That he therein had been so dilligent And brought his charge vnto so good a passe Which done he road vnto his tent Where he with great applause receaued was And welcomed of all his men as glad That he from Messa safe retourned had But now for that mine Author turnes his stile And leaues the Grecians power at Tenadon And of the Trâ—â—â—ns actions for a while Doth speak to show what they meane time had don To fortifie themselues against their foes And then at large particularly shoes What force they had procur'd and severally The names of all the Princes doth declare That came to Troy and there couragiously Their ayd did lend to Prians in the warre Which he so long and valiantly maintain'd Against the Greeks and finally obtain'd Although at last t' was his destruction Eternall fame which death could ne're deface Nor tract of time put in oblivion But mongst the rancks of worthies doth him place I will them orderly each one declare And show what several names armes they bare And first he saith three Kings of noble fame Came vnto Troy to ayd King Priamus Their countries he omits but doth them name Andrastrus Tapor and King Pandarus And with them full three thousand Knights they brought That valiantly against the Grecians â—ought And from the Isle of Coleson there came Fiue thousand knights that by foure Kings were led The first of them King Carras had to name A Prince for valor great much honored The second called was Imaâ—ius Nestor the third the fourth Amphimacus From Licia land with Glaucus Valerius So there came his sonne and heire Prince Sarpedon Both were alied to King Priamus Who in those warres great fame and honor won And with
them three thousand knights did bring Well furnish't for the warres of euery thing Out of the famous rich Larissian land Two Kings there came to ayd the Troyan Who with theÌ„ brought the Grecians to withstand A thousand Knights and from Licacian The valorous Euphenius their King A thousand armed Knights with him did bring By Hupon and by Epidus together Fiue hundred Knights to Troy conducted were King Remus also did with him bring thither Three thousand Knights that silver armes did bear Out of Tabaria Isle which distantlay From Troy a tedious long and dangerous way Foure Dukes likewise with all their chivalry And Earles eight that great experience Had in the warres came in his cumpany Who without any manner difference When as they armed were within the field Did beare a crest of Gold vpon his shield Whereby the King and all that with him came Were known although besides theÌ„ many a knight Vpon their shields and pennons bare the same When they did enter in the field to fight From orientall Thracia the King Cald Pilex iust a thousand Knights did bring And Alchamus a Duke that with him came A hundred Knights in his conduction had Preâ—emâ—ssus a King of worthy fame Great preparation in Panomie made Of men and armes to ayd King Priamus With whom a valiant Duke adventurous Cal'd Stupex was and in their company A thousand Knights all arm'd and furnished With darts and speares wherewith they vsually Doe fight and are so well eâ—perienced With them to throw that when they list they can Directly strike and kill both horse and man By nature they are wild and furious And of most cruell fierce and angrie mood Yet valiant Knights and very ventrous In fight to spill and shed their enemies blood Their couÌ„tries full of woods and desart ground And nought but trees groues therein are fouÌ„d For howses very few or none there bee Their lodging is in woods and groues whereas T is sayd men oft and commonly doe see When they along and through the same do passe Most strange and fearefull sights of monsters fell Not much vnlike the furious fiends of hell As Satyres Faunes by cornes and incubus And such like shapes of dum Gods as we In Poets bookes of tales incredulous Doe read within the woods and groues to be Which often times put men in such a feare That they doe seeme as out their wits they were From Boetine Isle three Dukes together came In company all Princes valorous The one of them Amphimus had to name The other two Samus and Forcius And with them full twelue hundred Knights they brought That valiantly against the Grecians fought From Boetine land which doth so much abound With Spices gummes fruits Corne wine store Of rare and holsome roots which there are found Whereof no countrie hath the like nor more Two braue and valiant Kings together came That Boetes and Epristius had to name And with them iust a thousand Knights there were And from the land cal'd Paflagonie The which as ancient Authors witnes beare So farre remote in th'Easterne parts doth lie That as they say it is impossible To travell to t and cal 't inuisible Nor that it is not to be seen nor found But onely for because it is so farre And yet t is sayd the countrey dâ—th abound In silver gold and precious stones â—ost rare And that vpon a River great it lies Which issues from terrestriall Paradise By name cal'd Tibris nere to Eâ—phraâ—â—â— Which Philomene a gyant huge and fell Whose admirable stature Guydo sayes All other men for greatnes did excell A thousand Knights in steele all aâ—med were And every one a goodly shield did beare Of Cuâ—rboilie all guilt and farely set With precious stones which forth the Rivers cleare That issue out of Paradise are fet And from the Ethiopian land that nere To India lies came many a valiant man With Perses and King Menon he that wan So great renowne and honor by his might And with him valiant Sigamon his brother Who also was a stout and hardy Knight As Barons Earles Dukes and many other Besides three thousand Knights all arm'd in steele Which caus'd the Greeks full oft their force to feele And from the land of Therdo there came With valorous and wise King Theseus That sole and Soveraigne Prince was of the same His most renowned sonne Archilagus Who both were of King Priâ—â—s royall blood And iust a thousand valiant Knights and good Besides two Kings of great renowne and fame And passing rich of gold and euery thing That man can wish yet none of them doth name But saith that that they did from Agrosta bring A thousand valiant chosen Knights to fight Against the Greeks to trie their force and might And from Lissinia land which faâ—re did lie From Troy with prudent King Epistrophus Whose fame throughout the world abroad did â—â—ie As knowne to be a Prince most vertuous Discret right wise and provident withall Well learned in the Arts cald liberall In warre approu'd a stout and valiant Knight A counseller in peace exceeding sage And at that time a man of passing might Although as then he was well stricken in age A thousand Knights there came in company The proud and hauty Grecians to defie Besides an Archer strange and monstrous That with him came who such proportion had That to behold him it was maruelous For from his Navill vpward he was made Like man in shape and downeward like a horse And therewithall of most exceeding force His vpward part like man proportioned Had skin as blacke as cole and rough as beare And was with curled haire cleane covered His eies like to a burning furnace were As red as fier his face most horrible And looke exceeding fierce and terrible His vgly shape and diuelish countenance Was such it did the Greeks so much dismay That whensoere he did himselfe advance To set on them they fled and ran away And stoutest of them all for feare did quake He did so great a slaughter of them make Within his hand a bow he alwaies held Which he so well could vse and had such skill That whosoere he hit to ground he feld And thousands of the Grecians he did kill That they of him were in no little feare As in the storie you at large shall heare Thus many Kings and Princes of renowne From diuers strange and severall countreis Farre distant from the famous Troian towne Assembled were therein as enemies Profest against the Grecians and to lend Their ayd vnto King Priamus their friend Who with them brought well furnish't for the warr Thirty two thousand Knights adventurous Besides their Squiors that armes pennons bare And show'd themselues in field couragions Against their furious foes and to conclude There nere was seene so huge a multitude Of Knights and Princes great assembled Within one towne not counting those that came From India nor such as were borne and bread In Troy and dwelt as then
within the same Which were so many and so great a number That for to thinke theron t would make men woÌ„der And more if that it be considered right It is most sure that since the worlds creation Or Phoebus on the earth did cast his light There ne're was seen in any Nation So many Kings and Princes met together As on both sids at that same time were come thither For all the flower of chiualry was there Kings Princes Dukes Earles Barons Knights Squien And all their power of men that armes could beare With full intent and resolute desires Within the towne for to defend their right Without the towne to win it if they might Let them that read and doe peruse this booke Consider for what cause this warre began And if without vnpartiall eies they looke They shall perceiue that many a valiant man For small or no occasion lost his life In that so needlesse strange and bloody strife For truth to say for nought this warre began And nought there was on either side obtain'd For though the Greeks the towne of Troy then wan Yet if it be considered what they gain'd The storyshewes that when that all was don Their reckoning made they lost more theÌ„ they won For many thousands of them there were slaine And lost their liues before the towne of Troy And neuer did returne to Greece againe The honor of their victory to enioy And those that liu'd and backe to Greece did goe Did after end their daies in griefe and woe And on each side the flower of Chivalry Most woefully did end their fatall daies With hundred thousands in their company And altogether as the storie sayes That bloody quarrell then did vndertake For nought but for a sillie womans sake Great pittie t' was so many Knights should die And headlong run vnto destruction To end their daies in extreame miserie For small or rather no occasion Bettet it were at first to end or cease A quarrell of no moment then t' encrease In malice and reuenge for nought to take For wise men shold forecast what harmes might hap nd seeke an end of small debates to make Ere that they fall in wauering fortunes lap And so procure their owne decay perforce And after wish they had tane another course It is a vse mongst men when fier doth take In any house or place to ring a bell Or els some other noyse or signe to make Thereby to warne such as about them dwell To lend their ayd in that extremitie And speedily to seeke for remedie Before it doth increase to greater fier T' were then too late and folly in a man That comes to helpe to aske or to inquire Which way the fier in the howse began And to neglect the quenching of the same When time doth serue for which he thither came For danger doth require no delay And he that 's wise doth commonly forecast Such dangers as may fall in time to stay For t is too late when as the time is past But now I le leaue the Troians for a while And to the Grecians armie turne my stile You heard that while the Grecians did abide At Tenedon how that they all decreed To send to th'isle of Messa to provide Such victualls as their puissant hoast should need While they made warre within the Troian laud And how Achilles tooke that charge in hand Now while that he was gone and staied there The noble King Palamides ariued At Tenedon with thirtie ships that were All fild with valiant Knights the which reuiu'd The Grecians hearts as glad to see him there For that not any one of them but were Sore grieued that he staied so long behind As one they much esteem'd and honoured And many of them great fault with him did find That he had not at Athens mustered Suspecting him of partialitie But he to cleare himselfe and satisfie Their minds declard in open audience The cause whie he to Athens did not goe According to his promise and pretence And for to proue the same to them did show That sickenesse onely had procur'd his stay And forst him to absent himselfe away So long from them where with they satisfied Excused him for that which he had showne And for because they much on him relied And honoured him as second vnto none Mongst all the Greeks for bounty power wit As being one for all attempts most fit For whatsoere he once did vndertake Most valiantly he would the same effect And spight of all that could resistance make Nere leaue it off nor any wise neglect Tell that he had acchieu'd his enterprise And in regard they knew him to be wise And of the greatest reputation Amongst the Greeks that then assembled were They did intreare and pray him to be one Of those that sit in counsell for the warre Which he accepting they straight waies agreed For to besiedge the towne of Troy with speed But mongst theÌ„ questioÌ„ grew what time they might Vnto the towne of Troy most safely goe Some sayd they thought it best when it was night In secret wise to hoyse their sayles that so Without resistance of the enemy They might take land with most securitie But others sayd great dangers might ensue To them to sayle the River in the night And specially because they hardly knew The ready course and that by chanâ—r they might For want of light out of the channell stray And so cast both their ships and men away Thus being of contrary minds they stayd And for that time made no conclusion But put it off and still the same delaid And tooke not any resolution What they would doe but lay still where they were As if their hearts had been possest with feare Till valiant Diomedes grieu'd to see Them lie so long at rest in Tenadon And that they could not mongst themselues agree Nor fall to any resolution For to besiege the towne of Troy with speed As they at first and firmely had decreed Sayd vnto them my Lords whose worthy fame Throughout the world both farre neare doth flie I cannot chuse but needs I must you blame And discommend your great prolixitie That let the time thus passe as you haue don For now a yeare is almost over-run And yet you stir not hence in any wise But still lie here and giue your enemies cause To thinke you do 't for feare and cowardise And which is worse allow them time to pause On their affaires and at their libertie Taugment their strength with opportunitie Vs to withstand and valiantly resist Whereof assure your selues they will not faile For they not any day nor howre haue mist To seeke for ayd against vs to prevaile And bar their gates make their walls most strong For to withstand asiedge both great and long And which is more they haue their spies to see And hearken what we doe here in our hoast And doe affirme and boldly say that wee Dare not effect the thing whereof we
been their whole destruction And vtter overthrow if that in hast The worthy valiant Knights and chivalrous Paris Deiphobus and young Troielus With many Troian Knights in company Had not come forth to ayd them in their need Who gainst the Grecians fought so valiantly That in short space despight of them they freed The Troians from distresse and did constraine The Grecians to retire in hast againe Backe from the walles for worthy Troielus So valiantly himselfe that time did quite And shewd a heart so stout and valorous That whosoere with sword or launce he hit He did him either wound cast downe or slay And causd the Greeks for feare to make him way And by that meanes the Troians succoured At which time when Lucina cleare and bright Shewd forth her face and day surrendred Her place vnto obscure and glooming night Achilles with the Greeks road to his tent To rest himselfe the Troians likewise went Into the towâ—e of Troy where as in hast Their gates were shut and barricadoed sure And round about their walles great watches plast That able were long gainst their foes t' indure Meane time King Agamemnon wisely chose And pointed out a place for to inclose His army and intrencht it round about With ditches walls and palisadoes strong And for each Prince and Captaine quartred out Their lodgings and their courts of guard moog Them did appoint his officers to see That every man in order plast should bee Within the same and presently they made Their tents and rich pavilions to be plaâ—st And speedily set vp and such as had No tents wherewith to shrowd themselues in hast Built cabins shades and cotages to keepe Themselues from wind and weather to slepe And rest therein and all that night vnshipt Their horses and their furniture for warres And no occasion time nor hower ore-â—â—ipt Their victualls to vnlade and to prepare All other things and to their tents to carry That which for such a siedge was necessarie Which don their ships in warlike wiâ—e they plast Within the Port and then with cables strong Vpon the land to getties made them fast With full intent to hold a siedge so long And puissant before the tovne of Troy That in the end they would it cleane destroy And vtterly deface which to effect Each one with vowes protested for his part While life should last all danger to reiect And with a courage stout and noble heart There to remaine and resolutely lie Till t' were perform'd or valiantly to die And so with burning fiers bright and cleare And minstrels that both loudly plaid and song That night they held a watch by such as were Fresh men and had not fought all that day long Appointing new supplies for to relieue And second them if th' enemies should giue Them battaile or assaile them in the night And such as at their landing wounded were And those that all that day had held the â—â—ght And valiantly the Troyans force did beare Did rest and in their tents and cabinâ—s slept While others in the campe straight watches kept And so till that with clouds of crimson die The sun began in th'orient to apeare And spread his beames throughout the Cristall skie The valiant Greekes abandoning all feare Incamped layd attending the euent Of doubt full waâ—re with full and whole intent T' effect their wills what ere to them befell Where for a night I le leaue them in the field And orderly at large vnto you tell What further course on either side was held During the siedge without and eke within The towne And so my third Booke I le begin FINIS THE LIFE AND DEATH OF HECTOR THE THIRD BOOKE CHAP. I. I Shewing the first battayle fought between the Troians and the Grecians after they had planted their siedge before the Towne wherein Hector behaved himselfe most valiantly aboue all others WHen with avading pale and deadly light Auroraes face lay covered ore with shade Of th'obscure cold and darke and glooming night And in her cheekes a ruddy colour had As blushing sore for shame for to be seene Because that she too long â—n bed had beene With Phoebus her most deare and chosen Knight For which she was so much abasht that she Did for a while absent her selfe from sight Of any man vntill such time as he With Flegoâ—te his lusty steed had gon And swiftly mounted boue the horrison And with his radiant beames most bright cleare Had comforted her heart with shame opprest And made her change her sad and heauy cheare That is when Titan mounting in the East The dawning of the day once past did rise And shew his face within the christall skies Hector the most renowned champion Who for his valor great surpassing all That euer liu'd the chiefe command in towne Next Priam had and also Generall Of all the Knights assembled at that time Within the same When day was in the prime Commanded all that in the towne then were Both Princes Kings Knights squiers every one That able was to fight and armor beare Without exception vnto any one In hast to meet him with their troopes of men Before Dianaes Temple which as then Stood in the midst of Troy within a plaine Of great and spacious breadth wherein he ment To mustar them and also to ordaine Such battailes as he would should forth besent That day against th'incamped Greeks to fight To driue them thence againe if that he might In this faire plaine in midst of Troy so set At his command in braue and warlike wise The Troian Princes all together met Each with such standerds pennons and devise As vsually in battaile they did beare And on their coats of Armes shields did weare To tell what armes each Prince Knight then had Would be ore long and tedious to declare Most sure it is each one prouision made Of every thing that 's needfull for the warre Each severall people Province Land or nation Bearing such armes as was their ancient fashion Some had their Canvas Cassocks or their Iacks That plated were with steele some then came With ancient Almaine rivets on their backs Their sleeues of male and goriets of the same Some coats of male some caps of steele did weare And in their hands a bill or holberd beare Some in their compleat armes were brauely clad With Poldrons with Vanbras what more Thereto belond'g and on their heads they had Their Caskets with their Beavers close before Throgh which being shut they might their foes be hold And let theÌ„ fall to breath when as they wold Some gantlets had some not to overlade Themselues with armes the easier to fight Had quilted Iacks that were of Canvas made And covered ore with silke most braue to sight Some Iepons had some hauberions and some Into the field with Cassocks long did come Downe to their knees in their hands did beare Round Targets made of bone or else of wood The which all ore with
the conduct thereof gaue To Hupon and Andelius brethren twaine Both Knights couragious valorous and braue This Hupon of Larisse land was King And many men with him to Troys did bring To ayd them in their wars that were so long And sure he was a very valiant Knight Of stature huge and tall and passing strong And no man was like vnto him for might In all the great and spacious Troyan towne But onely Hector that braue Champion And gainst his foes he was so fierce and fell That he of them brought many to the ground Who spight their hearts did try his force too well Hector with these two brethren forth did send His bastard brother cald Dimarechus A stout and valiant Knight adventurous And to them to conduct with standards braue And to be led when they should come in field Twice sure and iust three thousand men he gaue All Knights well horst armd with speare shield Who taking leaue of Hector curteously Road forward to the field couragiously The fift ward which next orderly did stand Into the field against the Greekes to goe Was giuen vnto the King of Cesoyne land Whose name it seemes the Author did not know And to his Brother cald Pollidamas Those people named Cesoynes did surpasse The common sort of men for stature tall Proportion strength and great dexterity For which they were admir'd prais'd of all That them beheld and marked earnestly The colour of the shield the King then boare Was only gules and nothing in it more Who when his charge of Hector he had had His leaue he tooke and with his brother road Couragiously before his Knights that made A gallant show when they in order stood Meane while Prince Hector ceast not paines to take The sixt ward with all speed he could to make Which he vnto King Protemense gaue Who both in force and wisedome did excell And to a Duke cald Sterepes to haue The conduct of the people that did dwell In Poenie land and them to guide that day Which people vse of custome as men say Their enemies in furious wise t'assaile Onely with bowes and arrowes sharpely ground On horsebacke without armes or coate of male And theÌ„ cleane throgh their armors sore to wound And Hector with those people also sent His Brother Deiphobus to th' intent They might securitie into the plaine Where they should fight so they went their way But ere they past Prince Hector did ordaine A band of men to goe with them that day Well arm'd into the field least they shold venter Among the Greekes so nakedly to enter And be orethrowne which band of men he tooke Out of those Knights that from Agresta came And that they should the better to them looke And for to be conductors of the same He did appoint two valiant Kings to ride Along with them and by them to abide During the fight against the Greeks that day The one of them King Esdras had to name The other was King Philon but to say Where they did dwell or froÌ„ what place they came I cannot for mine Author doth not show Because as I suppose he did not know Or else I thinke he had it cleane forgot He saith that rich King Philon sumptuously Apparelled sat in a Chariot The which was made of pure white Ivory With wheeles of Heban wood most finely wrought Which wood out of the Indian land is brought And as men say is hard as any stone His Charet within was all inchast with gold And precious stones and pearles vpon the bone And was so rich and sumptuous to behold That as I thinke the like was never seene Before nor since within the world t' haue beene Two Knights this Chariot drew some did ridâ— About it strongly arm'd with speare shield For to defend their King on every side So he and Esdras road into the field Accompanied with stout Pithagoras That one of Hectors bastard brethren was Who of that wing to haue the chiefe command Of purpose sent him out with them to goe The battaile that next ready plast did stand Hector vpon Aeneas did bestow Which had no other Knights within the same Then those that with Ewphemy thether came So farre out of their natiue Country For Hectors sake to ayd King Priâ—â—â—â— The which were Knights of great activity Good horsemen and exceeding valorous Who being brauely horst and furnished Their Coronell Aeneas followed And went out of the towne couragiously As if each one God Mars himselfe had been Hector meane time the eight ward orderly Ordained had and rank't it out wherein No other Knights nor men but Persians That thither came to ayd the Troyans By him were plast which wing he did command Vnto his brother Paris to obay As Captaine over them and when they stand All ready to set forward on their way Hector his brother Paris kindlie staid And louingly spake vnto him and said Brother the thing that I of thee require And which for thine owne good to thee I moue Is that I doe thee heartilie desire If thou thine owne securitie dost loue When thou this day in field against thy foe Shalt fight see that thou ventrest not to goe Too farre amongst the thickst of them least they Intrappe thee vnawares as sure they will If that they can by any meanes or way For their inveterate hatred to thee still Encreaseth more and doth their hearts embrace So ferventlie that nothing can it race Out of their minds but thy destruction Which to prevent be thou not far from me In any wise least when thou art alone They should some hurt or mischiefe do to thee Before that I could come to thy reliefe Which vnto me would be no little griefe Keepe therefore neere to me at any hand That I may ayd and helpe thee in distresse And doubt not but we shall our foes withstand How furiously so ere on vs they presse To whome his brother Paris answere made And said that he in mind resolued had Vnto his hests in all things to obay And so his leaue of Hector hauing tane Withall his Knights in order road his way Out at the gate while Hector did ordaine The battaile that the ninth last should be Wherein he plast the flower of Chivalrie For in the same fiue thousand Knights there was Most worthy men and of most great renowne And such as for their valor did surpasse All other Knights that were within the towne And all of them right Troyans by discent Borne in the towne This battaile Hector menâ— Should by himselfe into the field be led And of his bastard brethren chose out ten To ride with him whome he much honored As knowing them to be right valiant men And such as for their prowesse their mights Of all men were esteemd most hardie Knights And when he had his battailes made plast In order as before I haue set downe And all of them one after other past In braue and warlike wise
not greatly care Though rude I be vnto you to declare In simple tearmes such as my wit doth yeeld Which to say truth are rusticall and plaine What order Agamemnon in the field That day did take his battaile to ordaine On Grecians side as having no intent That any man should find him negligent For t' was no time as then for him to sleepe Therefore with all the speed he could devise He did prepare that day the field to keepe As he was valiant politicke and wise Against his foes twentie six battailes great Which he in ranks most orderly did set The government whereof he did commit Vnto such puissant Kings and Princes braue As he for valor thought to be most fit To take that charge the first whereof he gaue Vnto a Prince of honor great and fame Which Gâ—idâ— saith Patroclus had to name Which was compos'd of Myrmidons most strong And puissant Knights that came from Thessalie And onely to Achilles did belong And with them ioynd the same to fortifie Such Knights as he himselfe did thither bring All strongly arm'd And with this valiant wing He was the first that on the Grecians lide Began the fight against their enemie The cause why he the Myrmidons did guide Was for because Achilles then did lie Sore wounded in his tent and came not outâ— That day for that his Surgions were in doubt If he should stirre his wounds that were so sore And very greene would festar ranckle bleed And trouble and torment him more and more Which to prevent it was by them decreed To keepe his bed and for to ease his paine To lie therein till they were whole againe And so vnto Patroclus did commend His Knights because he was of royall bloud And his assured true and perfect friend Exceeding rich and much esteemd for good And great discretion wit and curtesie And one in whom he wholly did relie For twixt them both there was such entire loue Affection great and perfect amitie That nothing could out of their hearts remoue The constant and assur'd fidelity Which mutually they did t'each other beare Whereby their hearts together linked were And knit in one as they were bound together For will and wealth was one betwixt them both And what so ere the one did or the other It was confirmd on either side as loath To moue dislike or discontentment breed Twixt them that had resolu'd full decreed To liue die true friends in heart mind Which to their ends they strictly did maintaine The second ward to Menon was assignd Who in that war great honor did obtaine And to the worthy King Idumenes To whome was ioynd a Duke cal'd Menestes With full three thousand men well furnished And all th' Athenian Knights in armour bright The third by King Ascalaphus was led And Philomene his Son a worthy Knight Who both in proud and stately wise together Conducted those that froÌ„ Cuman came thither King Archelaus the fourth ward did command And with him was Securidan the stout And Prothenor who with that warlike band All three together valiantly went out Against their foes had within the same None but the Knights that from Boâ—tia came King Menelaus a worthie Prince was made Conductor of the ward next following And lift in talâ— which in it onlie had The Knights which he did thither with him bring From Sparta and the Isles about the same Who likewise as his subiects thither came And of the battaile next and sixt the King Epistrophus was chiefe Commander made And with him stout King Gelidus to bring The same into the field which in it had The Knights that came out of the famous Isle Which by the Geeekes is called Fordessle The seventh battaile next ensuing led By worthie famous Thelamon Aiax King Of Salamine was onely furnished With Knights that he vnto the siege did bring And with them were foure Earles of high degree Whose names I find the storie saith to bee Theseus the first the next was Doxeus Polixarie the third the fourth was he That all men called stout Amphimacus The eight ward Agamemnon did decree Should by the King cald Thoas forth be led With many Knights well arm'd and furnished The ninth ward Cileus Aliax did command The tenth was led by King Philoctetes Th'eleaventh the which next orderly did stand The most renowmed King Palamides King Naulus son of whome the Greeks did make So great account into his charge did take Before the twelfth Duke Nestor full of pride And melancholy humors in his mind A very stout and valiant Knight did ride The thirteenth to King Honux was assign'd That was Maâ—berethes Son by true dissent Who with it to the field most proudly went The fourteenth battaile that day for to guide The subtill King Ullsses was sent out And with the fifteenth ward to field did ride King Humelus a worthy Prince and stout The sixteenth vnto Duke Caribulus A Knight of great account and valorous Committed was to lead and in that band The Knights of King Prothesalus did go Whom Hector slew that day the Greeks did land T' incourage them to be reveng'd And to King Rodus was assignd the seventeene The eighteenth to the King of Occeâ—ene And of the nineteenth stout King Zanâ—â—ppus Of Lidia leader was The tweentith band Commanded was by King Amphimacus Philoctetes King of Lariffia Land The one and twentith band with him did lead The two and twentith by King Diomed. The three and twentieth Agamemnon gaue Vnto Aeneas King of Cyparie The leading and command thereof to haue That day against their Troyan enemie And with the foure and twentith ward did ride Prothecatus a King the same to guide King Carpenor of Carpadie was made Conductor of the fiue and twentith band A noble Prince that great experience had In warre and peace both on the sea and land And valiantly himselfe he did defend Vntill the Troyan warres were at an end The six and twentith battaile and the last That was sent out against the enemie King Agamemnon Generall of the hoast A puissant Prince of great authoritie Reserued for himselfe and in it led Great store of armed knights well furnished The battailes thus ordain'd the Greeks were led In order to the field where as they staid Each Prince and chiefe Commander at the head Of every band with ensignes rich displaid And streamers wavering in the wind that shone In braue and warlike wise against the sun At which time many a creast and helmet faire And richly gilt and graven there were seene Wherein great store of strange devises were And plumes of feathers yellow red and greene Blacke blew and white with other colors more And some that day for loue of Ladies bore Their favors on their Crests for to be seene And to encourage them that day to fight Couragiously as if that they had beene In presence and before their Ladies sight And dolefull noyse of Drums trumpets shrill Which with a fearefull sound the aire did
did fret And burne with wrath that entring in the presse In cruell wise whosoever that he met He killed beat downe and wounded mercilesse And spared none of what degree so ere So that from him the Grecians fled for feare And in that furâ—e great and crueltie Wherewith the Greeks as then he did oppresse As Guide doth declare and certifie And as his Author Dares doth confesse If that we may beleeue the Historie Which truth of things sincerely should desâ—â—e After he did his latter wound receaue Not reckoning those whereof I spake before With his owne hands he hid of life bereaue A thousand Grecian Knights and more and more He did pursue them with such cruelty That all his sword was turnd to crimson die With Grecians blood So that his chivalry So much by them was feard that euery one Of high and low estate from him did flie And mongst them all ther was not any one That after all that day durst him withstand Or offer to resist him hand to hand And yet although that Hector slew them so And valiantly held them at such a bay Their Generall Agamemnon would not go Into the field to ayd them all that day Whereby as then the Greeks were sore opprest For Hector like a Lyon did not rest To kill and wound them in such a furious wise That they constrained were for ayd to flie Vnto their tents with many shootes and cries The Troians following them couragiously By traces of their blood along the way And in their tents great store of them did slay And did from them much of their treasure take And bare it vnto Troy victoriously And of them there such hauocke then did make That that same day they had most certainly Been vtterly orethrowne for euermore By Troians that oppressed them so sore And valiant Hectors valor and his might Who all that day most valiantly had fought And with the ayd of many a Troian Knight Vnto such great extremitie them brought That had't not been by their owne foolishnes And pride of heart with ore-much carelesnes Without all doubt they verily had gain'd A great and most triumphant victory Against the Greeks and therewithall obtain'd Dominion rule and Soveraignty Ore them and all their land continually Which well might haue indurd perpetually Ifâ— had not been for hard and cruell Fate The which in things begon with wilfulnesse Is alwaies prest and ready to debate And striues to make them end with wretchednesse By hir most enuious disposition Vnhappy chance and resolution And turning of her light and slippery wheele Which ticklesse is and full of â—icklenesse That t' will not stand when as a thing is well For fortune's wholly bent to wilfulnesse Great pitty t' was they were so ouershot And at that time themselues so much forgot And would not their good fortune then pursue And chiefely Hector that renowned Knight That would not marke what after might ensue And to prevent the mischiefe if they might Which at that time did presse on them so nere But sure it is too much they blinded were That day in field when as victoriously They saw themselues triumphantly to bee Set on the top of fortunes wheeles so hie That of meere negligence they could not see What danger might ensue and all for lacke Of providence which did them cleane forsake And made them loose that great and speciall grace Which fortune offered them although vnstable Sometimes she bee and set before their face For in a man it is not commendable If fortune seeme on him to laugh and smile And with faire show doth favor him awhile To succour and relieue him in distresse When he therein most deeply plung'd doth lie So great good hap to loose by wilfulnesse And Fortune to let slip so carelesly When as she doth impart to him such grace For when he would she will him not embrace An other time when he of her hath need And ready is downe from her wheele to fall Nor yet will care to stand him once in steed Or to vouchsafe to succour him at all But in regard of his ingratitude With frowns mocks mowes will him delude When he doth thinke himselfe secure to bee For she so much is bent to wilfulnesse Deceit and guile and extreame crueltie That when a man with foolish carelesnesse Her favors most vncertaine doth deride Another time t' shall be to him denide When he desireth most the same to haue For at some time it is a thing most sure She graunts some man the thing that he doth craue And â—tmay be that he neuer shall procure The like againe of her though he should liue A thousand yeares and nere so much would giue T' obtaine the same as most vnhappely To worthy Hector it befell that day That needs would spare the Greeks so wilfully And proudly favord them when as it lay In him to overthrow them and to kill And vtterly destroy them at his will And by his valor great triumphantly With honor and renowne t' haue entered Into the Towne of Troy with victory Which he that day too much by folly led Resused and could neuer more attaine The like advantage while he liu'd againe For as he road and cruelly did slay And wound the Greeks on euery side he met With valiant Thelmon Aiax in the way Who furiously and with great envy set On him like to a Lyon fierce and wood And though that he his kinsman was by blood And therewithall a young and gallant Knight Yet did he brauely venture to assayle His Nephew Hector and with him to fight Couragioosly presuming to prevaile To cast him off his horse and yet they were Of blood each vnto other very nere For he was sonne vnto King Thelamon A worthy Grecian Prince and valerous That him begat vpon faire Exion That sister was vnto King Priaâ—â—us And so he did the first occasion take To moue the Greeks that warre on him to make And to that end first with a sturdy speare At Hector ran and he at him likewise And each the others blow did brauely beare Like two most fierce and and hardy enemies For both of them in valor did excell And then like Lyons fierce and Tygers fell Vpon their horses fought with sword in hand And cut and hewd each others armors strong And each his enemies furie did withstand Most valiantly the which indured so long Betweene them both till that by providence Divine or els by naturall influence Which diues into the mind of man so farre And searcheth both the heart and euery vaine Of those that of one blood and linage are They moved were their rancor to restraine And thereby both their furies molefied Onely for that they were so nere ali'd Though neither of them then the same did know Nor yet the least suspition thereof had Till nature it vnto them both did show And them in heart of foes as friends had made For naturally blood will to blood be kind And friends to friends
hath power and is availeable By liuely force and kind humiditie Life to infuse in flower hearb and tree And likewise did the power thereof extend Into each vaine and sinew in his brest Backe armes hands and downeward did discend Through all his bones and ioynts and ne're did rest Till it did run into his thighs and feet At which a voyoll full of gumme most sweet And balme was set which neuer would decay Nor yet impaire by no distemperature But still increast and waxed euery day Of greater force and sweeter did endure Where of the vapor vpward did assend And such a pleasant savor forth did send And made all round about the aire to rise For that it t' was most exquisitely good That it did seeme an earth by Paradize And fore the corps foure lamps of gold there stood Within that place continually gaue light And neuer ceased burning day nor night All â—â—ld with oyle if it be credible The which is sayd to be of such a kind That it was sound â—â—be impossible To 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 tempest 〈◊〉 or wind Not neuer 〈…〉 in many yeares Which lampes did hang high 〈…〉 by wiers And such 〈…〉 That 〈…〉 the same to sâ—ell And when this worke was brought vnto an end And euery thing was done exceeding well And pleasd the eies of all that did it see They made a grate of wood of Heban tree Which wood aâ—â—rmed is will ere indure And being cut doth smell exceeding sweet â—â—d can by no meanes wast for this is sure T will neuer burne by any extreame heat Of fier as it hath been tried oft â—â— waâ—er â—â— nâ—re swimmeth vp aloâ—t But downe into the bottome straight doth go And as some men thereof make mention This tree hath been long since esteemed so And heldon in such reputation That in the fertile soyle of India And in the land of Ethiopia They vsd to pay a tribute as t is sound Of Ivory fine gold and Heban tree To th' Emperor as they thereto were bound And when King Priam saw the worke to bee Performed in so braue and sumptuous wise That he in heart no better could deuise He did ordaine a quier of Priests to pray Continually with great deuotion Before that Princely throne both night and day For Hectors â—oule and gaue them pentions To liue vpon and roomes wherein to lie And bound them to do 't perpetually But while that they are in their orations With Hectors death my third Booke I will end And for a while will leaue the Troians In sorrow great and woe the time to spend And show you what the Grecians meane while do If that you please to hearken therevnto FINJS THE LIFE AND DEATH OF HECTOR THE FOVRTH BOOKE CHAP. 1. ¶ How the Grecians depriued Agamemnon of his place of Genorall of their Armie and made Pallamides Generall in his place THe worthy Champion Hector beeing slaine And fierce Achilles borne vnto his tent Whereas he lay in danger great and paine King Agamemnon for the Grecians sent Next day betimes assooue as sonne did rise To aske of them their counsell and advise What would be best for them as then to doe Sith they by vallant Hectors death were free From danger great which he had put them two And out of feare of his great crueltie And when that they were altogether met Within his tent and there in order set And silence made he spake vnto them all And sayd my Lords and Princes euery one That now are heere If you to mind will call What good the Gods of late for you haue done You ought to giue them thanks with humble voice And inwardly in heart and mind reioyce To thinke on Hectors death for he alone Was th' onely prop and chiefe support of Troy Their whole defence and their protection Their chiefest trust their honour and their ioy And vnto vs confusion and death For that while he enioyed vitall breath We neuer could his valor great withstand Nor victory against our foes obtaine For when that we did first set foot on lend Prothesalus by him was fiercely slaine And next day when in field againe we met He did vpon Patroclus fiercely set And with his sword did cleaue his brest in twaine And after kild King Menon furiously And next by him Archilagus was slaine And in his wrath and extreame crueltie He slew the most renowned Prothenor And then the valiant King cald Alphenor King Phillis also and Epistrophus And Merian a Prince of great renowne And after him a King cald Zantipus And in the field as he road vp and downe He flew two Kings the one cald Dorius The other had to name King Cedius And after that he kild strong Polibet Lâ—â—aboniâ— Policenes and more For in his wrath he slew King Phiâ—bâ—â— And to the ground in surious wife he bore And kild the valiant King Isidius And then the noble King cald Humorus For eighteene great and worthy Kings and many Braue Earles Dukes and Princes he hath slaine With thousands more So that not euer any Likevalor to him showd nor could obtaine Such victory gainst vs for that his hand Was th' onely terror to vs in this Land But'now he 's dead to our no little ioy The Gods be thankt therefore and to the woe And great distresse of all that are in Troy As by experience time to them will show Laud also and much honor giuen be To Fortune for her great benignitie Vnto vs showne in helping vs so well To bring that furious Champion to his end By turning of her â—alse and fickle wheele And vnto vs such fauor did extend That by his death while this warre doth endure All we that now are here may liue secure With comfort great and ease of extreame care And feare we had of him while that he liu'd Where contrary the Trâ—ians all now are By death of him that onely them relieud Texpect nought els but their destruction And finally their townes subversion For now he 's gone they cannot long endure For be assur'd we will them so much grieue That from hence forth we may our selues assure To haue our wils on them ere we them leaue And make this siedge to them importable If we doe hold together firme and stable Their ship in th' end is like to proue a wracke And ready with huge billowes t'orewhelme For all their hope and comfort goeth backe And deepe despaire is guider of theâ—â— helme And maketh them continually depend On death while we our state do still amend By ayd of God both on the sea and land For now without all ambiguitie We may expect the victory at hand And boldly light with great securitie Against our foes without all feare or dread But yet my counsell is ere we proceed T' assaile our foes as we intend to doe To stay a while and not to passe our bonds Till that Achilles to the fieild may goe With vs when he is healed of his wounds And then we will assaile
them valiantly And put them to most great extreamitie And till we haue destroid them neuer cease Meane time we le send vnto King Priamus A messenger for to entreat with him for peace For two moneths space if he will graunt it vs Whereto I doe not doubt but he 'le agree Sith for his good as well as ours t will bee For he thereby may libertie obtaine To celebeate the funeralles of those Dead Troians that within the field lie slaine And serue for food to beast and carrion Crowes And such a shincke into the aire doe cast That t'cannot chuse but breed the plague at last And we the while may doe the same likewise And heale our wounds and giue our bodies rest And so when they had all agreed by good aduise Considered of his speech and found it best For them to do 't They did thereto consent And presently a messenger was sent To Troy for truce which graunted was full soone By Priamus and he returned againe With speed and made to them relation What he had done while he did there remaine And for that truce their counsell brake vp so And euery one vnto his tent did go And while the truce endur'd and they lay still And leisure had to thinke on their estate Pallamides whose heart began to fill And swell with pride disclaine and deadly hate Grutch in his mind that King Agamemnon Because he had the sole dominion And ore the Grecian house was Generall And for that cause did envy him so much And into such a great conceit did fall Of his owne worth that he began to grutch And murmured with indignation At him and in his furious passion Did seeme to vse such tearmes to his disgrace That all that heard the same might easily know What he did meane and yet he let it pas As thought he made no account thereof in show Till in the end that King Agamemnon Who was a Prince of great discretion Did heare thereof and knowing his intent Determind with him selfe to moue the same Vnto the Grecian Princes in his â—enâ— And when they all together thither came And orderly were set That worthy King Agamemnon a Prince in euery thing So cercumspect so wise and prouident So temperate demure and vertuous So prudent well advisd and patient And neuer giuen to be malicious Although he knew Pallamides intent And saw how much his heart to pride was bent With decent tearmes and great discretion As he that could well frame and tell his mind And so restraine the same from passion And hastines or any other kind Of bad behauiour or vnseemelinesse That nothing past but with advisednesse Out of his mouth as first considered Within his heart with great sincerity And neither for affection nor for dread Would seeme to breake the bonds of modesty Nor in his speeches superfluously let pas One word or sentence that vnseemely was He first saluted all his company And when he had causd silence to be made In seemely wise and in great curtesie He spake vnto Pallamides and sayd You need not King Pallamides said he As I suppose if you advised be To muse oâ— grutch that I am Generall Of our great hoast if you considered How I attaind thereto by choise of all The Princes here and that t' was offered To me by full and free Election And not hy any composition By me or any for me to procure The same in my behalfe once giuen or made For there of in my heart I am most sure No such ambitious thought I euer had Nor neuer dreamt of any such pretence But am most cleare thereof in conscience Which neuer moued was with such vaine glory As to aspire or any waies contest For this estate which is but transitory Though I must say that I haue done my best To see and looke that all things might be well And for the good of this our common wele And also that I had a speciall care As t is my charge while I the same do hold Of every mans estate particular And euer an indifferent eye did hold To all degrees of persons high or low To help them in their need when I did know That they had need of ayd and day and night Was alwaies moued with great carefulnes And speciall heed as much as ere I might To see that none did fall into distresse And such a iealous eye thereto I had That in my heart I was exceeding glad To do the best I could to please each one And that no man should at me take offence Nor haue in me the least suspition Of envy sloath or any negligence In my estate but euer more desir'd To doe my best as time and place requir'd For euery man without exception And therefore I assure my selfe full well That in the hoast there is not any one Of high or low estate that I can tell That can or may accuse me certainely Of falsehood or of partiality In his behalfe for I haue alwaies had So great a care to nourish vnitie And friendship mong you all that I was glad To see you liue in loue and amitie So that till now I am full well assur'd That while I in this office haue endur'd No such occasion hath been ministred And all the Gods well know I neuer feard Nor cared though you had determined An other in my place to haue preferd And giuen him the soueraintie And let me liue at ease and libertie In quietnes of mind as many more Great Lords and Princes here amongst you may That I might with my whole desire and power Fight for our common weale both night and day And ere in this our quarrell if so be It please the Gods it should so hap to me Which for my part I speake and doe not faine For t' were no boot for me herein to lie And where you say and thereof do complaine That I was chosen without your priuitie T is true indeed as euery man can tell You were not here if you remember well Nor came not hither vnto Troy well nere After that we our voyage had begun And planted this our siedge in two whole yeare And for to let so long time ouer-run To stay till you had come it might perchance Haue been to vs a mighty hinderance And extreame hurt for if that we had staid And laine so long at Athens still for you As by your selfe it cannot be denaid It 's like we had remained there till now And where you did esteem't vncredible And held it for a thing impossible For Grecians to presume in any wise Without the ayd and helpe of yours and you To take on them so great an enterprize It 's nothing so as you see plainely now For they without offence to you be 't sayd By force and power without you or your ayd Performed haue with most victorious hand And by their valor great and worthines Great matters both by water and by land And where you thinke and say of me no lesse
may with speed vpon the same agree Where thou well arm'd in secret wise shalt stand With certaine knights and readie be at hand To kill him there while he for me doth stay Where let him of his death be surelie sped And see that by no meanes he scape away Out of thy hands vntill that he be dead Which I thee heartly pray as 't is my will Effectuall for my sake to fulfill And see thou failest not to do the same Whereto he did agree and presentlie Against Achilles to the Temple came With twentie valiant knights there secretly Did stay Meane time Queene Hecuba did send A messenger t' Achilles to that end As she with Paris had determined By whome she made him certainlie belieue That she did meane and fullie purposed Her daughter Policene to him to giue And at his comming would as she did say Agree twixt them vpon the marriage day Where to he did most willinglie consent As he that no suspition had in mind Of treason for his heart it was so bent And set on fire with loue that he was blind And could not see nor yet perceiue at all By reason and aduise what might be fall To him by going into Troy so soone At her request he had offended so By killing of her Sons as he had done But hap what would needs thither would he go As louers all are fond and despratly No perill shun although that they should die T' enioy the thing wherewith in loue they are Their maladie it is so furious Vntill they are intrapped in a snare And so Achilles and Archilogus Duke Nestors Son that bare him company Did goe to Troy and entring presently Into the Temple of Apollo went Where Paris with his Knights for him did stay In secret wise with purpose fully bent Him there as he deserued had to slay And sodainly assoone as he was in T' assaile him altogether did begin By night as some do say but when so ere The same was done when as Achilles saw Himselfe assaild abandoning all feare He did his sword out of his scabberd draw And in short space despight of all their mights In furious wise he slew seuen Troyan knights And did defend himselfe so valiantly Against them then although they were so many And with them fought with such dexterity That long it was ere vantage they bad any On him at all till Paris who as then Stood watching oportunitie and when He saw Achilles such resistance make Tooke vp a Dart and aim'd at him so well And so directly that therewith he strake Him through the heart and therewith all he fell With pale and deadly face vpon the ground And body mangled sore with many a wound And so was slaine his treason to requite As reason is that such as traitors are And while they liue in treachery delight Should at the last fall in the selfe same snare Which they for others had prepar'd And thus Achilles and with him Archilogus Were slaine by Paris in the Temple at Queene Hecubaes desire and request Who presently did giue commandment that Their bodies in the Temple should not rest And made them to be drawne out of the bounds Thereof and to be throwne vnto the hounds Loe here the iust reward of treachery And of deceit which while he liued he Delighted in and how with equitie God punisheth all such as traitors be For reason is that he that seeks t' obtaine His will by treason should likewise againe With treason be requited for his paine As false Achilles was that tooke delight In treason while he liu'd and so was staine Within Apollos Temple in the night But yet their bodie were not as t is said Although that they in th' open streets were laid That with great ioy the Troyans might them see Devour'd by hounds as by commandment Of Hecuba they were ordaind to be For Helena vnto King Priam went And on her knees of him did humbly craue Their bodies from that cruelty to saue Who willinglie did therevnto consent And caus'd them to be kept as she desir'd Till that King Agamemnon to him sent A messenger and leaue of him requir'd To fetch them and to giue them buriall The which he did for whome in generall The Grecians did such extreame sorrow make And were so much discomforted therefore That in great feare each vnto other spake And said alas now farewell euermore Our trust our hope our ioy our confidence Our welfare and our soueraigne defence Sith valorous Achilles now is dead For he in knighthood did so much excell That while he liu'd we neuer stood in dread To overcome this towne but now full well We may both feare and plainlie say that we Nere in our liues shall masters thereof be And while that they such sorrow great did make And plunged were in extreame doubts feares For their great Champion fierce Achilles sake Agamemnon two costly Sepulchers For workemanship most rare and curious Caus'd to made one for Archilogus The other for Achilles wherein they Intombed were with great solemnitie In Paynim wise and both vpon a day To shew the whole particularity And manner of their ancient buriall Were over-long to trouble you withall It shall suffice to tell that they did make Much sorrow and endur'd great heauinesse For death of them and how in mournfull blacke They brought them to their graues to expresse Their woefulnes with heauie heart and mood Some threw sweet gums some cast milk blood Into the funerall fires and how they made Playes which by them were called palestrall And wrastrings at the wakes and how they had Great store of customes ceremoniall At burials of the dead the which much more Then needfull were to tell as now therefore I le leaue herewith And vnto you declare How therevpon King Agamemnon sent For all the Grecian Princes that then were Within the hoast to come vnto his tent And when they all assembled were therein And orderly set downe he did begin To speake to them and said my Lords t is now No time to moue nor need t' encourage your Against your Troyan foes sith that you know And too well find by good experience how Vnconstant fortune hath now chang'd her face And sodenly cleane altered our case And fild your hearts with rage and iust despight To thinke vpon the murther horrible Of late done to Achilles which in sight Of God and man is foule and odible Despightfully by Hecuba the Queene For which I thinke it shortlie shall be seene If that within your valiant hearts there be Or resteth any man-hood force or wit To make a vertue of necessitie And to refraine till that occasion fit To take revenge therefore and t'recompence The iniurie despight and great offence Vnto you done and giuen thereby fall out As reason t is it should requited be For very beasts insensible no doubt Would do the same in like extremitie But yet as you are wise and prouident I would faine know your
To keepe them from the Grecians cruelty And Menalus Queene Helena did saue As she for whom with such hostilitie He had been cause to moue that bloody warre And for whom long in heart he had such care The Greeks the while with hot and ragingire Neare ceast to breake and furiously pull downe The walles to consume and burne with fire The howses rich buildings in the towne So that therein they left nothing vpright Nor vndefac'd but with most great despight Destroyed all without exception Of any place or person whatsoere Vnlesse t were those which by condition They had before protested to forbeare And did belong and appertaine vnto Aeneas and all those that did vnto The treason by them practised consent And from their fury great would not forbeare That day till King Agamemnon had sent For all the Grecian Princes that were there To meet in Pallas Temple Vnto whome When they therein were altogether come He asked them if they would constantly Obserue their faith and promise made to those By whom they had obtaind that victory Which they so long had sought against their foes And what they would with all the treasure do Which they within the towne had won Wherto They answered that for their promise made And truely sworne vnto by them they would In each respect obserue it well and sayd That all the gould and treasure gotten should By iust diuision be distributed To euery man as he had merited Of what degree estate or dignity Soere he was and that it should be done By him without all partialitie So that mong them there might not any one Haue cause to be offended nor to blame Him for the true division of the same Which done while they within the Temple staid Some speech about Queene Helena did rise Whereto when some had answere made and sayd Their minds therein as they could best aduise King Thelaphus with great seuerity Sayd that she well deserued had to die For whom so many men their liues had lost And vrged that she might haue iudgement giuen That as they dyed for her it should her cost Her life likewise that day ere it was euen Which many more of them agreed vnto And cause for her there was so much adâ— Agamemnon and Menalus sat still And durst not speake one word to saue her life Least that the Greeks in â—ury should her kill There was mong them as then so great a strife Till that Ulisses with much Eloquence And good perswasions made in her defence Did satisfie them all so well in th' end That they contented were that she should liue And ceasing more about her to contend To Mâ—nalus they did her freely giue And when their Generall Agamemnon Perceiued that they were agreed theron He made request to them that they would giue Cassandra vnto him for recompence Of all his paines and sayd while she did liue He would her keepe and when they went froÌ„ theÌ„ce Take her with him and they contented were It should be so And then before them there Aeneas and Aâ—â—henor to them told And iustified it vpon their oath That Helenus King Priams Son nere would Agree vnto the war but still was loath That Priamus his Father and the rest Should take the same in hand and did his best To let it by his counsell and aduise And how that by the mediation Of him and of Cassandera the wise Whose hearts were moued with compassion Achilles murthered body was not made A prey for hounds as Hecuba had said That it should be and further that they were Much grieued for the murther and likewise For many other matters that were there Don in the towne contrary to thâ—aduise Which they from time to time had giuen to those That of the war had order to dispose To whom because that they were innocent Of all the wrongs that to the Greeks were don They graunted with one voice and full consent That they should haue a full remission And pardon of their liues Then Helenâ—â— With humble voyce and visage piteous Fell on his knees with great submission And thanking them for pardon to him giuen Submissiuely besought Agamemnon With many salt and brinish teares that euen As he had freely pardoned his offence For which he could make him no recompence He would be pleasd to haue compassion Vpon the silly blood of children And with a gratious eye to looke vpon The sons of valiant Hector who as then Nere had don wrong to him nor any other And that he would vouchsafe theÌ„ with their mother His widow left all comfortles alone A pardon of their liues and liberty To whom the King mou'd with compassion At his request did graunt securitie Of life and lim and licence free to go Whereas they list the like he did vnto The rest of all the women then in Troy That in the Grecian furie were not slaine And gaue to them free liberty t' enioy Their dwellings there or else-where to remaine Within the land for which most humbly They gaue him thanks with many aioyfull crie Which done the King with all the Grecians went Out of the Church and presently agreed To leaue the towne and to that end they sent Their treasure and their men aboord with speed Intending to returne to Greece againe But such a sodaine storme of wind raine With great and hideous tempests did arise Vpon the surging seas and such fowle weather Of thunder and of lightning in the skies Continued for one whole moneths space together That none of them durst with their ships aducÌ„ture That dangerous time into the seas to enter But were constraind vpon the land to tarry Till beâ—â—er wind and weather did ensue And finding it still more and more contrary They asked Calchas counsell if he knew What those great stormes tempests signified That them so long of passage had denied Who told them that those stormes tempests fell By prouidence Diuine that had provokt The vgly fowle and furious fiends of Hell To moue the same and could not be reuok't Nor yet would cease till they were punished By death that had Achilles murthered And that their God Apollo angry was Because thereby his Temple they did staine With blood and that therefore they should not paâ— Till they had pleased him with blood againe Which must be done by offering Pollicene Who by her extreame beauty cause had beene And th' obiect of that cruell murther don Vpon Achilles body to apease And giue Apollo satisfaction The which he sayd if they would haue the seas Propice they must needs do ere they went thencee To take away all causes of offence This answere made fierce Pyrrhus sought about In euery place for Pollicene but could By no meanes heare of her nor find her out Till some man at the last vnto him told That she was closely kept and hidden by Aeneas and Anthenor priuely Whereby so great a rumor suddenly Arose gainst them that by that meanes they were In danger
may be â—eard And that you with reason iudge and be Vnpartiall in this case twixt him and me And first consider well and way withall That while you here so long in siedge did tarry I onely out of Messa brought you all Prouision that for you was necessary That you no want of victuals might sustaine By any meanes while you did here remaine And further as concerning feats of armes Performed in the field in Knightly wise I euer ready was at all alarmes And daylie fought against our enemies And as I am assurd full well kild more Of them then those that greater countnance bore You also know that I slew Philomen To whom King Priam sent his youngest Son To keepe with store of treasure great and when I had him slaine and all that riches won I brought it vnto you and therewith did Relieue you much and did supplie your need And sor your sakes I slew the Frizian King And store of gold and treasure from him won And all those spoiles vnto the Campe did bring You likewise further know what I haue don T' augment and to aduance your soueraignty By conquering two kingdomes valianly While you in siedge here lay and did them ad Vnto your puissant Empire and likewise The prouinces to Troy annexed made All Subiect vnto you What otherwise I with Achilles did t' increase your fame I know that you cannot forget the same And therefore needles t were for me to say Or shew you all I could produce to proue My merits more then his do euery way Deserue a greater recompence and loue Of you And therefore whatsoere he saith No right vnto Palladion he hath The iudgement in this case I do referre Vnto you all the which that you may know The better how to giue you first shall heare His qualities which I will to you show In him there is no manner worthines Knight-hood valor nor yet hardines For when time serues that he should in a need Shew forth his might he dates not enterprize That which he boasts but proues as he 's indeed A coward right as plainely with your ciâ—s You see ther 's iâ— him nought but craâ—tines Words many falsehood decâ—â—â—fulnes For he is still in heart imagining How to effect by craft and subtilty His purpose and the same to passe to bring T' intrap and to deceaue his enemy For never any thing as yet there was By him archieu'd nor fully brought to passe For which he well deserued praise or laud But it was done it's knowne vnto you all By some devise of treachery or fraud For like vnto a goodly painted wall He makes a faire and pleasing outward show But no man can his inward meaning know And by such sleights deceit and pollicy He got the Image cald Palladion And thereby to our shame and villany It may be said the conquest we haue woone Vpon the towne by treason gotten was And not by our great knighthood brought to passe The onely cause whereof as I haue said Ulisses is for he vnto our shame This stumbling blocke hath in our honor laid And thereby much ecclipsed all our fame The truth thereof sith all of you do know I le leaue for this time more of him to show And of you all my Lords together craue You iudgements which of vs deserveth best For his deserts the jmage faire to haue That for the same we may no more contest Which words thus vsed by King Thelaphus Ulisses having heard with mind suspicious And seeing how with envie great he was Incenst and mou'd gainst him with good advise He bare with him a while and let ore-passe His choller and as he was passing wise Determing no iest thereof to make To answere him on this wise to him spake And said with countance bold before his face My Lords if that I may haue leaue to speake I hope before we part out of this place And yet intend no peace thereby to breake To proue directly that with equitie The jmage onely doth belong to me Which I will keepe and hold while I do liue Despight of all that thereto dare say nay And first for proofe this instance I do giue That at the siege wherein so long we lay In double wise I did my selfe acquit As well by valor great as by my wit For by advise I was the onely man T' intrap them in a snare and for your good Devis'd the meanes and way whereby we wan The towne of Troy which otherwise had stood And flourisht to this day and truth to tell As it is not vnknowne to all full well If you will speake vprightly and with reason I dare avouch though Thelaphus saith no I was chiefe cause of their confusion How often of Embassage did I go To make the treatie with them in such wise As I for our advantage could devise And when I saw that all that we had done Was but in vaine the towne of Troy to win And that for vs advantage there was none While that the holy Image was therein By my advise so subtillie I wrought That I to you Mineruaes Image brought Which Thelaphus maliciously doth say That to your great dishonour and your shame By treacherie I brought it thence away And thereby much imblemished your fame But sith you are so wise I pray you take The quarrell now in hand and thereof make An end betweene vs twaine and so prouide That th'jmage at this time may iudged be All fauour whatsoever laid aside To him that it deserues and as for me I le stand to your award Which having said He paused and from speaking further staid Whereat with courage great King Thelaphus In heart and mind exceeding lie much mou'd Respecting no man there in furious And raging wise despightfullie reprou'd And chafed at Vlisses with disdaine And he at him replide with like againe Whereby they two great enemies became And into hard and bitter tearmes did fall And threatning each the other for the same King Thelaphus in presence of them all Said that before they two did end that strife It should vnto Vlisses cost his life By his hands if he did not well defend Himselfe Which when the Grecian Princes heard The quarrell grown between them two to end The matter was by all of them deferd And wholly put to th'arbitration Of Menalus and King Agamemnon Which afterward did breed a mortall iarre For when they two considered had thereon They iudged cause Ulisses t'whom they bare Affection great the jmage faire had woon He should possesse the same as his reward And Thelaphus from claime thereof debard The reason that made them therein preferre Ulisses and King Thelaphus to thwart Was for because they both beholding were To him for that he friendly tooke their part When as the Greeks bout Helen were at strife To haue her kild and he to saue her life Perswaded them so well that they content To let her liue to Menalus her gaue When Thelaphus with furie gainst her
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
comming thither told them that he wold Go downe into the well to fetch the gold Supposing to haue found it there indeed But being downe into the bottome gone As they before between them had agreed When aid and succor for him there was none For vp againe himselfe he could not rise They stoned him to death in cruell wise And went their waies vnto their tents with speed Where down they laid themselues to take their ease As if that they had never done the deed And so they said that King Pallomides Was murthered by Ulisses treachery And Diomede and it was but a lie Deuis'd to slander them that guiltlesse were And also all the Grecians else beside For he was with an arrow slaine in warre By Paris while they did in siege abide But they that are to falshood wholly bent Can tales devise that nere were done nor ment And as for those two letters that were brought Out of the towne as by them was surmis'd No such thing by Pallamides was wrought It only was maliciously devis'd And nothing else but falshood vntroth Of purpose told to make king Naulus wroth And angry with the Greeks in generall Thereby to worke their ruine and decay And mou'd him for that cause on them to fall As they returned homeward on their way For presently king Naulus and his sonne Belieuing that such treason had beene done And wrought by Greeks as was vnto them told Did sweare and vow reveng'd to be therefore Vpon them by all waies and meanes they could And vnto them in heart such hatred bore That without any favor merciles When as the Greeks were on the surging seas And saild along the shore by Naulus land He caused fires to burne and set vp lights Vpon the coast the which on hills did stand And might be seene farre off in winter nights To make the Greeks to erre and go aside Out of the way for when they had espi'd The lights on shore and did not vnderstand The reason but supposing harbor neere They did direct their course vnto the land And thinking them for sea-marks placed there To shew them how to fall on land by night Without all feare they made vnto the light Whereby vpon the rockes sand they stroke And by that meanes two hundred ships they lost Which sodainly were all in pieces broke And cast away vpon king Naulus coast Which cost the life of many a worthy man And so to take revenge he first began Vpon the Grecians with destruction Of them and of their Navie huge and great But yet by fortune King Agamemnon Escaped death and safely home did get With Menalus King Diomed and more That followed them yet there was great store Of Earles Kings and Princes cast away At that same time But when as Oetes knew That they were gone and that he could not stay Them as he would he vowd some should it rew And presently imagined a wile Wherewith he did Agamemnon beguile By writing of a letter to his wife Which set so great contention tweene theÌ„ twaine That it did cost Agamemnon his life The letter did in it thus much containe That her deare Lord and king Agamemnon A great and mighty wrong to her had don The which could not but breed most extreame blame And detriment vnto her in the end Although she nere had merited the same The which he said was that he did intend A daughter of king Priamus to take To wife and would her vtterly forsake Though she surpast her much for excellence Of beauty and of comely feature That never had vnto him done offence Whereof he did her certainly assure And that it was his purpose and intent That she should into banishment be sent A thousand miles froÌ„ thence when he came home Advising her that she should warily Looke to her owne estate This was the sum And generall contents of that which he Within his letter sent vnto the Queene Although the king was innocent and cleane Of that which he to her did falsly write And loud her while he liu'd with all his heart And in none else but she did take delight Nor had no such intent from her to part But 't may be that the letter which he sent Made her to do more then she ever ment And to giue credite thervnto too soone Who thanked Oetes for his carefulnesse In her behalfe and his compassion Shewd therein to preserue her from distresse And yet as in the story you shall find She was a most false Lady and vnkind To him while he was absent in the warre But nerethelesse she was so diligent To looke vnto her selfe and to prepare A bait for him and thereby to prevent All mischiefe whatsoever might ensue To her by that which she thought to be true That finally she brought him to his end What trust can man repose in worldly glory Though all men to obtaine't their wits do bend Which proues to be so vaine and transitory Or in the wavering ioyes of prowd ambition Which sodainely are turned vpside downe Or flying fame that mounteth vp so hie And is orethrown in twinckling of an eie Or as vaine boasting of great victory That vanisheth away so sodainly Or in dissembling fortune most vniust In whom no man could ere so surely trust As that he might assure himselfe that she Would vnto him a constant friend remaine Gainst whom no man whats'euer that he be Can once resist or victory obtaine For on her wheele though he clime nere so fast Let him be sure shee le throw him downe at last Her favor's not to be relide vpon For she 's so full of mutability That he which doth repose his trust thereon Doth build vpon a meere vncertainty To day shee le be a friend and seeme to smile To morrow she will falsly men beguile Her pride is such she spareth no degree Great Emperors Kings Dukes Princes all are one With her for in their greatst felicity When they are plast in high and Princely throne And liue and raigne in honor and renowne For all their mighty power she casts theÌ„ downe As you may see by King Agamemnon Who while he liu'd so puissant was of state That mong the Greeks there was not any one Esteemd nor found to be more fortunate Nor greater yet for all his excellence He could not make resistance nor defence With all the power that on him did attend Against conspired murther nor prevent The treason wrought to bring him to his end Which his Queene Clytemnestra did invent And purposely deuise But he that knows All things on earth his iudgment often shows On such as take delight in murthering Of men which God doth vtterly forbid And specially the murthering of a king Which is so foule and horrible a deed That all the paine that Exion feâ—les in hell With other foule infernall spirits that dwell With Belzebub are not sufficient To take revenge nor punish such â—one As hath a heart so mischieuously bent For that
excedeth in comparison All other kinds of treason whatsoere And no man can vprightly with it beare But God will them assuredly confound And bring vnto an end vnfortunate For they are worse then Cerberns the hound Who though that he of malice doth vs hate He barks before he bites but such as lie In wait to kill a man will sodainly Assaile and set on him ere he 's aware But bloud so shead vndoubtedly doth crie To God for iust revenge on those that are The actors and will fall assuredly On them which though sometimes he doth prolong Yet he is iust and punisheth all wrong Done vnto every man but specially To mighty Kings as this Agamemnon In his time was of such authority That comparable to him there was none In all the Grecian campe but fate so wrought That when vnto his house he came thought To liue in peace he should there end his life By vnexpected murther which was done By policy and mischiefe of his wife For that when to the shore he came assoone As ever foot vpon the land he set In seemely wise Clytemnestra with him met Who outwardly with countenance bening And friendly show did welcome him with much Great courtesie and honour whome the King In loving wise embrast and thought no such False treason had vnto him then been ment And straight with her vnto his Pallace went Where she no whit respecting faithfull vow Nor promise made in wedlocke set aside All duety and respect she ought to show Vnto the king and shamelesly vntide The knot of loue and proued so vnkind That she did set her heart and all her mind Vpon a knight that in her favor stood Whose name Egistus was though truth to tell He neither came of noble birth nor blood Nor yet in armes nor knighthood did excell But cause he did his businesse well by night She tooke in him such pleasure and delight That he her loue from all men else had wone Which moued her her husbands blood to shed And for because she could not he alone She made him her copartner in her bed And by him at the last a Daughter had Cald Exion and promise to him made Vpon the paine of loosing of her head That should be her Lord and King when as Her husband King Agamemnon was dead The which accordingly to bring to passe Agamemnon next night by him was slaine Whereof the Queene exceeding glad faine No longer time delayd but presently Did marry with Egistus and did bring His purpose so to passe by treachery That he was of Messena crowned King And gaue him thereof full possession And thereby disinherited her Son And lust with her abounded in such wise That reason bore no sway within her mind For they are alwaies deadly enemies And wrong and falshood now more favor find Then equity true dealing righteousnes Honor estate desert or worthinesse For by her beastly foule adultery A sin which never raignes in man alone She practised with false conspiracie To murther her deare Lord wrong her Sonne And thereby heapt one sin vpon another Which down to hell with her did sinke together And to her did erelasting woe procure Which she full well deserued for her paine Who can himselfe here in this life assure When Kings in traiterous wise are falsly slaine To make and stirre vp alteration In kingdomes great by wrong succession Which they that are the authors may pretend To do with colour of some equitie But God the Iudge of Iudges in the end Will right all false intrusions speedily On those that seeke by force and violence To wrong such as nere did to them offence For though thereby she thought her selfe secure As having all the Country at command And dreamt long in that happy state t' endure Yet she cold not the punishment withstand Which God for her prepar'd for when 't was known That she her selfe s'vnnaturall had shown Vnto her Lord and King Agamemnon As so to murther him and afterward So falsly disinherited her Sonne And had him from his lawfull right debard Her Son that was of yong and tender age Horestus cald to shun his mothers rage Was secretly convaid and sent away Out of the Land by King Taltabius Into the Isle of CreetÌ„e where he did stay And nourisht was by King Idumeus And Carkasis his Queene whose onely heire A daughter was of beauty passing faire Climenea cald and by them vs'd as well As their owne child where he continued Till he waxt great and did in armes excell And with him thence a puissant army led To conquere his inheritance by might Which false Egistus held without all right And equity from him But for a while I le let him stay where he was nourished In tender yeares for I must change my stile And tell you somewhat of king Diomed Who for his part likewise great woe endur'd The which to him was enviously procur'd And falsly brought to passe by Oetes traine Which he for him and many others more Prepared had of malice and disdaine Which he vnto the Grecian Princes bore To take revenge on them for murthering Pallamides the which to passe to bring Though 't were vntrue yet he and Naulus both Perswaded otherwise would 't not belieue But in their minds conceaued so much wrath And hatred gainst the Greeks that to bereaue Them of their liues was all their care thought Thus gainst the said king Diomed they wrought Within the great and spacious Grecian land There was a mighty kingdome long and large Which towards the Easterne parts therof did stand Composed of Calidoâ—ie and Arge Both ioynd in one abounding in great store Of wealth whereof he that the scepter bore And raignd therein Polentus had to name To whome his wife a son daughter bare The sonne Assandrus called was whose fame Both far and neere was spred for knighthood rare His daughter faire the name of Egra bore Who cause he had two children and no more He did vpon his death bed so provide That when he should depart the world All strife they two his kingdome should divide to cease Betweene them and together liue in peace Whose daughter afterward he being dead Was married vnto king Diomed. Who while he did at Troy in siege remaine Lou'd Cressida that Calchas daughter was And for her sake endur'd much griefe and paine But I will let his loue to her orepasse As nothing to the matter pertinent Who not long after they were married went Vnto the siege of Troy accompanied With Assandrus her brother who together Vpon the seas out of the way were led And driven too and fro with stormie weather And cleane contrary wind they had which bore Them forcibly vpon Boetia shore Whereas they did as glad a while to stay And rest themselues take land there remaine Till Thelaphus the King thereof heard say That they were there and thereat much disdaind Because that they to land thereon would venter Before that he did
liu'd and di'd a Virgin without spot And with them also ioyne Queene Hecuba Whose like for vertue while she liu'd was not In all the world and also Cassandra That did deserue great praise for stedfastnesse And Panthasilia for her gentlenesse With many more that well might be set downe And he shall find if hethe truth confesse The vertuous and such as deserue renowne The greater number be and th' other lesse Gainst whome he doth so enviously invay And all men that do favor them will say That he did erre in his opinion To tax them so without exception And while Vlisses staid with Alphenon Ere he from thence determind to he gon A messenger vnto him certified That if from home he did long time abide Without all doubt his Queene Penelope By some great Lords whose countrey bordred Next vnto his by force should rauisht be And in despight of all his men be led Out of his land full sore against her will For she to him remained constant still Yet nerethelesse they had all flatly sworne That if by force she were not rescued She should without delay away be borne And to that end with her continued And would not part from thence but with her staid Who in hir heart therefore was much dismaid But yet so wisely with them dalied That they could get no vantage at her hand But with delaies to their demands were fed Which heavy newes when he did vnderstand And knew the truth by letters which she sent To him he was in heart so fiercely bent That he would stay no longer but begon In hast from thence and then most humbly praid His sure and trusty friend King Alphenon To bring him home which he not once denaid But with him put to sea when wind was good And finding nought that them theron withstood They soone ariud within Ulisses land And in the night were secretly conuaid Vnto the place where those that did withstand And make resistance gainst his wife then stay Where sodainely before they could awake He did them vnawares surprize and take And without more delay or mercy shewen As he them found fast sleeping in their beds He causd them all in peeces to be hewen And on the castle walles did set their heads The which before the Cocke next day did crow Were seen thereon to stand vpon a row Which done that night they there continued close Till morning that the Larke with pleasant song Began to mount aloft when Phoebus rose At which time with a mighty force and strong They entred in the towne and by the Queene Were welcomed as she that â—â—â—g had beene In sorrow great and had endur'd such paine For th' absence of her Lord she lou'd so well That wonder t was she could so long maintaine Her health but if I should vnto you tell And orderly set downe the pleasures great And joy they did conceiue when as they met And what they to each other friendly said Wiâ—â—â—â—ry â—â—es and many â— sweet embrace When as they were in bed together laid And lovingly beheld each others face As also what great joy their subiects made When they beheld their soueraigne Lord that had So long been absent from them in the warre And what rich presents they to him did make To shew the loue which they vnto him bare And that he did a new alleigeance take Of them againe and how that every one Great honor shew'd vnto king Alphenone And thank't him for the succour he had lent Vnto their Lord to helpe him in his need And how ere he out of that countrey went A mariage was by those two Kings agreed Betweene the daughter of king Alphenon Cald Naufica and young Prince Thelamon Ulisses Son whereby an aliance great Betweene those Kings perpetually was made It would be overlong for me to set It downe to you and be a meanes t'orelaid My Booke with that wherein I would be briefe As Guido is who toucheth but the chiefe And speciallest matter and goeth on To shew how when that mariage was agreed And consumated twixt them Alphenon Tooke shipping and went home againe with speed Into his Land and left Ulisses still In ioy with Queene Penelope vntill That fierce and cruell Atropos did bend Herselfe against them both and did bereaue Him of his life and vnto him did send A sodaine death vntill which time I le leaue To speake of them and for a little while Change matter and to Pyrrhus turne my stile CHAP. II. ¶ Here the Author sheweth the stocke of Pyrrhus by lyneall discent and telleth how his Grand-fathers name was Peleus and his Grand-mother Thetides AS Guido doth so must I likewise tell And shew at large what of Achilles Son Young Pyrrhus did become and what befell To him when as the Troian warre was don Whose grand-fire as the story telleth vs While he did liue was cald King Peleus His grand-mother nam'd Thetides whose Son Achilles was that falsely lost his life Within the towne of Troy when he had won Great honor at that siege that tooke to wife Dardanica the faire who as I read Was daughter to a King cald Lycomead And on her his Son Pyrrhus did beget Whom some men vse to call Neptolemus Her grand-sire King Atastus was so great An enemie vnto King Peleus Achilles and to Pyrrhus with the rest Of that same stocke that he did sore detest And hate them all and furiously when as King Peleus staid in Thessaly alone And then without his Son Achilles was Who to the mighty siege of Troy was gone He entered by force into his land And finding none that could him there withstaÌ„d He tooke the same from him and made him flie Into a Caue with Thetides his wife And there he was compelled secretly To hide himselfe whereas to saue his life Long after in great misery he lay While cruell King Atastus every day Sought all the meanes he could devise or find To bring his Nephew Pyrrhus to his end And therevpon determind in his mind In secret wise his knights abroad to send To take and to intrap him on the way As he returned home and him to stay But Pyrrhus out of all the snares escapt Which he for him did lay by sea and land And at the last as Fortune for him shapt As no man can his Desteny withstand With losse of many men and treasure great Before the towne of Malasus did get Vnto the shoare where he did vnderstand Of Thetides and Peleus bannishment By violence out of their natiue land And how false King Atastus was so bent Gainst him that he each hower and minit sought His death nere would cease till he had brought The same to passe Which when as Pyrrhus knew He purposed his malice to prevent By some sinister meanes and to eschew The furie of Atastus gainst him bent Who as the story saith had two Sons more Th' one the name of Menalippus bore The other of them was Polistenes Two Knights of great
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF Hector ONE AND THE FIRST OF the most Puissant Valiant and Renowned Monarches of the world called the Nyne worthies Shewing his jnvincible force together with the marvailous and most famous Acts by him atchieved and done in the great long and terrible Siege which the Princes of Greece held about the towne of Troy for the space of Tenne yeares And finally his unfortunate death after hee had fought a Hundred mayne Battailes in open field against the Grecians The which heerein are all at large described Wherein there were slaine on both sides Fourteene Hundred and Sixe Thowsand Fourscore and sixe men Written by Iohn Lidgate Monke of Berry and by him dedicated to the high and mighty Prince Henrie the fift King of England AT LONDON Printed by Thomas Purfoot Anno. Dom. 1614. THE EPISTLE AS IT vvas dedicated vnto the high and mightie Prince HENRY the Fift MOST puissant Prince whose fame is knowne so well And whose renowne so farre abroad doth shine That it is found all others to excell And equall with that of the worthies Nine Borne by discent of right Paternall line To be the heire and thâ—onor to obtaine To weare the Crowne of mighty Kingdomes twaine Who even as farre as Phoebus in the spheare Celestiall doth spread his beames most bright And as Lucina with her face most cleare The world doth compasse round cast her light Art held to be the most renowned knight And worthy for the honor of thy name To sit on high in throane of Lady Fame And â—hold the palme of honor in thy hand In triumph for thy noble victory For which thou feared â—â—â—t by sea and land And ever with perpetuall praise and glory Shalt for thy conquest fresh in memory Sit opposite before her to be seene With wreath about thy head of Lawrell greene In former time for Conquerors ordain'd That constantly persever'd to the end And valiantly warre once begun maintain'd For causes iust and did their right defend And therevnto their forces did only bend Whose fame's still spread was long time agone Among whom thou by right mayst sit for one For through the world it 's known to every one And flying Fame reports it farre and wide That thou by naturall condition In things begun wi lt constantly abide And for the time dost wholly set aside All rest and never carst what thou dost spend Till thou hast brought thy purpose to an end And that thou art most circumspect and wise And dost effect all things with providence As Iosua did by counsell and advise Against whose sword ther 's none can make defeÌ„ce And wisedome hast by heavenly influence With Salomon to iudge and to discerne Mens causes and thy people to governe For mercy mixt with thy magnificence Doth make thee pitty all that are opprest And to withstand the force and violence Of those that right and equity detest With Dauid thou to piety art prest And like to Iulius Caesar valorous That in his time was most victorious And in one hand like worthy Prince dost hold Thy sword to see that of thy subiects none Against thee should presume with courage bold And pride of heart to raise rebellion Thereby to shake off thy subiection And in the other Scepter to maintaine True iustice while amoÌ„gst vs thou dost raigne Then sith thou art adorn'd with Maiestie Grace wisedome pitie and benignitie With humble heart I craue submissiuelie That thou wilt not disdaine but pleased be T' accept this Booke though rudely done by me Thereby thy great and Princely mind t' expresse By taking pitie of my simplenesse And in thy high and magnanimious hart With naturall jngrafted Sapience Remember Christ accepted in good part The wido wes almes of two poore single pence When she without expecting recompence Gaue to the poore with willing heart and glad That little gift being all that ere she had Let this if that it may thee not offend Example be vnto thy Noblenesse And of thy great benignitie extend Thy favor vnto me with gentlenesse Not to disdaine me for my barrennesse Of wit and though I haue no skill in muse Let my good will and meaning me excuse More then good heart none can whatsoere he bee Present or giue to God nor vnto man Which for my part I wholy giue to thee And ever shall as farre foorth as I can Wherewith I will as I at first began Continually not ceasing night and day With sincere mind for thine estate thus pray First that thou maist Gods mercy so procure Vnto thy selfe that he may still advance Thine honor and that thou maist here endure Thy raigne ore vs with long continuance And all thy Subiects true obeysance And that he will vouchsafe to giue to thee All vertues whatsoere may reckned bee Lenvoy GO forth my Booke vaild with the Princely Grace Of him that is extold for excellence Throughout the world but do not shew thy face Without support of his magnificence And whosoere against thee takes offence Be thou not stubborne with presumption But see thou arme thy selfe with patience And gently yeeld to their correction The Translator to his Booke ANd sith thou art not limb'd with trees not flowers Of Eloquence but clad in white and blacke Thou must prepare thy selfe t' abide the showers Of them that of dislike occasion take And when thou likeliest art to go to wracke Seeme not gainst them thine error to defend But rather yeeld a little and giue backe And pray them that they will thy faults amend THE PREFACE TO The READER MY Muses subiect tending to intreate Of ancient warres and acts of Chivalrie Whereby renowned Knights much honour get And with Eternall parises deifie Their names and fames is forced to require Thee mighty Mars with Art him to inspire Whose fiery nature bent to wrath and thrall As being of complexion hot and drie Melancholicke and furious withall For in thy bowels chollor hid doth lie Doth rightly cause all Poets sound thy fame And thee the God of warres in stories name Sith then thou art of warlike influence And that my stile of battailes must indite Assist me with some Marshall Eloquence That I may frame my hand and pen aright With words of Art and arteficiall phrase Of valiant Knights to sing th' eternall praise And if at my request thou dainst to list Or graunt the thing which I of thee do craue Yet for her sake that lovingly thee kist Blacke Vulcans wife and further fauour gaue Vouchsafe thy ayd my verse so to infuse That I therein fit tearmes and phrase may vse Els truth to say so barren is my wit And void of Aureat liquord Eloquence That I confesse my selfe to be vnfit Or able to accomplish my pretence Helpe then God Mars for faire Bellonaes sake And of my worke vouchsafe protection take And thou sweet Clio with thy sisters deare Whose chiefe aboad is on Pernassus hill By Helicon the fountaine faire and cleare Lend me thine ayd and giue
That it consum'd the people great and small And left not one but all di'de sodainlie Except the King who desolate alone Went wandring in the woods to make his mone Where for a time he walked to and fro Lamenting sore in mind his dolefull state And to himselfe complaining of his woe Began to curse his hard and cruell fate Till in the wood he chanst to spie a tree For height and thicknesse huge of quantity Which at the foot a hole had in the ground From whence of Ants great quantitie did creepe Which when this Prince so desolate had found He felâ— vpon his knees and sore did weepe And Paynim-like his prayer gan to make To moue the Gods some pittie on him take By miracle to shew their power as then In transformation of those Ants so little Into the right and perfect shape of men Therewith againe his Land to fill with people And so his poore distressed case to tender For which he vow'd continuall thanks to render Which his request as Ouid setteth downe With pitty mou'd God Inpiter did heare And by a sodaine transmutation The Ants did cause in forme of men t' appeare Who presently arising on their feet With all speed went their famous Prince to meet Which people by their strength and hardinesse The Storie saith obtained lofty fame And anciently for their great worthines As first I said Myrmidoâ—s had to name Who for their great fore-sight in euery thing The Poet fain'd them from those Ants to spring For as the Ant in Summers heat by care Prouides his food in Winter time to liue This people so their labour did not spare Industriously their bodies to relieâ—e In Peace and Warre prouiding for their need As all men should the better for to speed For if that care and labour we neglect Our food and clothes in time for to prouide We may perchance our follie so derect That men our â—loath will openly deride But to affirme this fable to be true Therein I leaue the iudgement vnto you And of King Peleus further will declare Who as mine Author saith did take to wife One Thetides of shape and beauty rare And liu'd with her a long and happie life From whome descended by paternall right Achilles while he liu'd a valiant Knight For mong the Greeks none might compare with him For valour high renowne and chiualrie He would so boldly venture life and lim Which caus'd the Troians feele his cruelty Before the Towne which if you list to heare Read on this Booke and there it will appeare And though that Peleus did the Scepter hold Yet was his elder Brother liuing still Whose name was Aeson but of yeares so old That vnto loue and lust he had no will And was so feeble and decayd in wit That for to rule the land he was vnfit His memorie as then became so bad And sences all from him were cleane bereft Who when he saw age him depriued had Of meanes to rule the Land the Crowne he left And regall state which he so long had held Vnto his Brother in his stead to weld CHAP. II. ¶ How King Aeson by reason of his age would no longer rule in the Kingdome of Thessalie but caused his Brother Peleus to be crowned in his stead YOu heard that when King Aeson did perceiue His sences eyes and all his strength decay Expecting death would shortly him bereaue Of life and all he did no time delay To cause his Brother Peleus to be crownd As his next Heire then liuing to be found And made him King of Thessalie by name For of his body was no jssue left When he was dead for to enjoy the same And so of Princely power cleane bereft He liu'd a quiet solitarie life In peace and rest cleane voyd of care and strife But as some Authors in their Bookes explaine The Gods such grace to Aeson did jmpart That they restor'd him to his youth againe By false enchantment and by deuilish Art Of charmes devised by Medeas skill That could command foule spirits at her will For shee compos'd a drinke as it was found By magicall confections in such wise That casting it vpon a barren ground Both buds and blossomes presently would rise As fresh and greene as possible might bee Or any man in pleasant spring could see The which for that it semeth strange and rare And truth to say impossible like wise I will it vnto you at large declare And how she did her diuâ—lish charmes devise As Ovid doth set downe the same to vs With in his booke the which he saith was thus Medea who by Art and skill knew well What hearbs would serue t' effect so strange a thing For that she did in Magicke much excéll Desiring it with speed to passe to bring That she might praise obtaine made no delay But presently alone did goe her way Abroad into the fields to seeke for some Such as she lik t whereof when she had sped And with the same into a place did come Which she as then of purpose halowed She made two Altars all of Turâ—e of which One vnto triple Hecate the witch Th' other vnto youth was consecrate And hauing couered them in decent wise With Verviâ— and with shrubs such as she gat There in the fields to offer sacrifice She cut the throats of two black Rammes whose blood Mixt with a bowle of pure white milke and good And with as much sweet hony clarified She put into two pits of purpose made Within the ground and after that she cryed And certaine mumbling prayers softly sayd To Pluto and his Wife the Lords of hell And all the Elfes and Gods on earth that dwell To spare old Aesons life a little space And not in hast his wearied lims depriue Of his most aged soule and t'giue him grace To hold the same That he might longer liue Whom when she had in that sort long besought She wild that Aesons corps shold forth be brought To her Whereas with certaine carmes she said She cast him straight into a slumber deepe And then before the Altar he was layd Vpon the hearbs as dead but yet a sleepe Which done with haire disperst about her head The Altars she devoutly compassed And dipping sticks within the pits of blood She kindled them vpon the Altars twaine Betwixt the which at that same time she stood And then vnto her purpose to attaine She did with Brimstone fire and water pure Thrise purge old Aesons corps that slept full sure Meane time the medecine boyld within a pan Of Brasse which she of purpose had broght thither Which at that time to gather froth began Where roots seeds flowers and leaues she sod together Which for that straÌ„ge confectioÌ„ she thoght best With pretious stones that came out of the East And grauell fine that in the West she had And dew that fell vpon a Monday night With flesh and feathers of a wicked jade A filthy witch that had her sole delight In shape of
Whom after long and cruell fight he slew And on a mighty Spaniard did not let To trie his force though it reported were That in one shape he did three bodies beare And after went vnto the gates of Hell And there assaild the Triple headed hound Cald Cerberus most cruell fierce and fell Who there to keepe th' infernall gates was bound And hauing overcome him at the last Did tie him in an Iron chainefull fast And like a Dog did lead him in his hand And ventring with a stout and valiant mind The Harpies slew within th' Arcadian land And after that in Mayden wood did find A flying Hart which he did swiftly take And by his force a prise thereof did make And did the monstrous Centaurs overthrow And after kild the strong and cruell Snake Of Lerna which in peeces cut did grow Together still and double force did take And in the Thracian Land when he did see The pampred Horses mangers fild to bee With flesh of men in such a rage he grew That after he their mangers downe had cast The Iades themselues in cruell wise he slew And to their Maister did the like at last The monstrous Giant Cacus he orecame By Tiber. And to his eternall fame With stout and Valiant courage he assaild A Lyon fierce and horrible to view 't Against the which his force so much prevaild That after long and dangerous fight he slew't And from the backe thereof the skin did teare Which after for an Armour he did weare His valor also did so much excell That boldly he adventured to take The golden Apples from the Dragon fell And after did a bloody combat make Against a fiery Cat with vgly sight Which lost her life by his exceeding might And entring in Arcadia againe His fortune was to trie his mightie strength Vppon a cruell Bore which hauing slaine He travelled to Atlas Mount at length And there t is said vpon his shoulders square By extreame force the Firmament he bare But for because to mind I cannot call His worthy deeds each one as they were don In Ovids Booke there shall you find them all And how his fame throughout the world did run As also of the Pillars he did rayse Within the Straights to his eternall prayse Which Alexander Prince of great renowne Who for to conquer all the world did mind As Guydo in his storie setteth downe With his great hoast went purposely to find For that beyond the same there was no ground Inhabited that any man had found Nor Sea to Sayle for then it was vnknown As beeing farre beyond the Ocean shore For neuer any man that way had gon Nor Saylor past that narrow place before Which now is cald the Straights of Gibraltarre Well knowen to euery Nation neere and farre Which Guydo saith stout Hercules did set And in that place erect vnto this end The passage of all men that way to let And while he liu'd did valiantly defend That none durst be so bold through it to pas So great a terror to the world he was This now shall serue his puissance to know Who in his time of honor bare the prise And now againe I will of Iason show Who joyfully in most couragious wise Without delay did great provision make Of such things as he ment with him to take And so began his strange and hard adventure As Guydo saith about the very time When as the Sunne in Cancer gan to enter And parching Summer then was in his prime When silly shepheards were full blith and glad To shun the heat and seeke the pleasant shade WheÌ„ Phebus beames most bright cleare did shine And cast their extreame heat vpon the ground Directly downe and straight as any line Whereby the aire exceeding hot was found And every place great store of Corne did yeild And men did mow the grasse in pleasant field And on the hills and valleys let it rest Till moisture cleane consum'd from it away And prittie Lasses with their cheerefull brest Did sing sweet notes at tossing of the hay At that same time Prince Iason did begin With joyfull heart his Ship to enter in And with him many a hardy grecian Knight All furnished in braue and Warlike wise With gilt and graven Armour for delight As then it was the manner and the guise And hoysing sayle did lanch into the deepe With purpose their directest course to keepe To Colchos ward Philoctetes their guide Still caring loadstone in their sight to keepe Whose skill in that same Art both sarre and wide Was knowne to be most exccellent and deepe As also to prepare for stormes and wind Before they came which Saylers often find For no man more experience had then he In both the Pooles which every one should know That takes on him or will a Sayler be And how the Poole Articas still doth show And cleerely shine vnto vs in the night But Antarticus neuer comes in sight But Saylers that are provident and wise Doe thinke they haue experience â—nough When as the starres shine cleerely in the skies For to direct their course by Arthures Plough By which they make account they cannot faile Of any coast or place whereto they sayle With help of Loadstone and true compassing For Saylers that are expert wise and bold Whensoever they a voyage doe begin Their course directly by the starres to hold That Arthurâ— doe inviron round about Which circle for to put you out of dout Is called Artophilx by his name Which vnto Saylers when it giveth light If that they be acquainted with the same Sufficeth to direct them in the right And bring them safely to their journeis end If God from stormes and tempests them defend To tell you what the ancient Poets faine And in their Bookes of those two Pooles do wright Although it seeme a fable false and vaine Yet will I set it downe for your delight With choice for to conceiue thereof in mind As you best liking of the same shall find They say Calixto and Arcadius Hirsonne were both in heaven stellefied Where they remaine as Starres most glorious And by devine permission deified For that the Goddesse Iuno did hir spie When shee with great God Iupiter did lie For which she did hir to a Beare transforme And so she long remaind on earth below And did her woofull state lament and morne Till Iupiter that favor did her show As Ovids Metamorphosis doth tell To place hir in the skies where she doth dwell Among the starres and there shee is instald To be a certaine signe at Sea to find And by the name of Vrsa Mayor cal'd Her Sonne likewise a starre of selfe same kind Was oppositely set and for his fame Of Vrsa Minor beareth still the name Which fixed starres their Pilot knew so well As being in that Art the most expert And did in Navigation so excell That he deseru'd great praise by due desert That of his course he could not lightly faile If stormes
and winds did not too much prevaile And when the greekes with trauell overprest Had long on Seas been tossed too and fro Desiring to relieue themselues and rest Their wearied limmes they sought on land to go And being cast vpon the Trâ—iâ—â— soyle They lande there to ease their wearied toyle CHAP. IIII. ¶ How Iason â—â—â—is Voyage to Coâ—chos by fortune was cast vppon the câ—â—st of Troy where he were on Land to refresh himselfe and his company THe Ship at anker by the Frigian coast Vntill the weather waxed cleare and faire The Greekes that had so long on Seas been tost Went all on shoare to walke and take the aire Glad to relieue their wearied lims of paine And after to returne to ship againe At Syâ—eonâ— a haven hard by Troy Where they did stay and ment there to abide Not hurting any Woman Man or Boy A day or two attending time and tide To hoyse vp Sayle and toward Colchos wend Where first to go they onely did pretend Not once jntending treason hurt or guile In any wise nor troublesome to bee Vnto the countrey people all the while They staied there for their necessitee For that as long as on the shoare they lay They did nought els but sport theÌ„selues play But Fortune that so swiftly turnes about Delighting men of pleasure to bereaue Was th' onely cause though causeles without doubt To make the Troians falsely to conceiue The Grecians sodaine landing did pretend Some mischiefe to their countrey in the end For by such bad and false suspition Most puissant Kings and Princes of great fame Haue brought themselues vnto destruction And been the onely causes of their shame Let Troyes example for this time suffice Which first did breed vpon a bare surmise Which was the cause and chiefe occasion As in the ancient Historie is found Of that most famous Townes destruction Whose mightie walles were rais'd vnto the ground And many men and many a worthy Knight Did loose their liues in that most bloody fight And many Ladies proper fine and faire Their Husbands and their Children being dead Were heard lament their losse in great dispaire And Mayds in tender yeares by Grecians led As slaues in bondage to their paine and griefe Did liue without all comfort or reliefe And onely for that fortune doth delight To shew her power and her majestie And make it knowne vnto each mortall wight In taking vengeance with such crueltie As on that famous Citie shee did shoe To their destruction miserie and woe Great pittie t' was that men of such estate Both on the valiant Greekes and Troian side For little cause should fall at such debate But truth it is and cannot be deni'd That envy having entred in the hart From thence doth not so readily depart For from a little graft doth oft arise A faire and goodly tree both huge and tall And he that climeth high may well surmise If that he slip to haue the greater fall And of a sparke full small wee often see And find that mighty fiers kindled bee And as a gnat that 's but a little thing Doth often cause the flesh of man to rise And swell abroad with pricking of his sting So many Princes mighty strong and wise And famous Townes at mortall warres do fall For slight or else for causes very small But if they had been well advis'd in time When sparks of envy first began to show And sought to quench and kill them in the prime Full many Cities now that lie full low Would haue stood still and flourisht till this day Which hatefull malice brought vnto decay For when the flame of envy spreads so wide That it embraceth heart and head and vaine And makes them bnrne so hot on either side There is no meanes to remedy that paine But fowle and cruell murther warre and strife Bereaving each the other of their life And thus death is the â—ine of enmetie And though the first beginning be but small Th' encrease doth breed to such extremitie That th' end bereaueth joy and pleasures all As vnto Troy wee read it so befell Which makes me sigth the truth thereof to test That for small cause such vengeance shold proceed Vnles it were by providence divine And heavenly wisedome secretly decreed Their fall should cause a greater joy in â—ine For Troy destroy'd by such occasion And finally brought to destruction Was th' onely meanes that th' ancient Citie Roome Receav'd her first beginning from the race And offspring of Aeneas that did come From Troy when Grecians banisht him the place Which Towne of Roome as Authors plainely say Of all â—he world once bare the chiefest sway Troy likewise brought into so great distresse And vtter ouerthrow of ancient fame Was cause that many Cities did encrease And divers Countries first obtain'd their name For Troiaus wanting habitation By force did enter many a Nation And after long and weary toyle orepast Aeneas many Countries Sayling by With all his ships did chance t' ariue at last Vppon the pleasant coast of Italy Who wan the same by conquest and by might And made himselfe the Prince thereof by right And after him his Sonne Ascanius Succeeded and as lawfull heire he raign'd Who beeing dead his sonne Prince Siluius The Diadem of Italy obtaind Of whom did come by right discent and true Most worthy Brute that Albion did subdue Wwo having woon't by force from Giants fell And conquest braue did thereof change the name And cal'd it Britaine as our stories tell And was the first inhabited the same With this Aeneas from the Troian towne Came Francus also Lord of great renowne Who afterward his honour to advance Did build a towne both stately faire and great Cald Parris whieh doth stand in midst of France The which he made his chiefe and Princely seat And first gaue name of France vnto that land Which he did win by strong and valiant hand And Anthenor a Lord of Troian race Began the towne of Venice to erect Where during life he made his resting place And Sicanus in whom was no defect Of Troian blood as Cronicles doe tell Won Cicile and long time therein did dwell And after him a Prince of worthy fame His Valiant brother Siculus did raigne Within that I le of whom it tooke the name Of Cicile as records therein explaine Aeneas hauing conquered Italy Did not himselfe therewith so satisfie But into Tuscan entred which he wan And in the I le of Cicile to his praise The regall Towne of Naples first began Which flourisheth so much in these our dayes With braue and welthie Marchant men of fame Who throgh their traffick great inricht the same And of the Greekes that Troy did helpe to spoyle King Diomed who with most great desire When he had spent his time with paine and toylâ— Ten yeares in warre and thought home to retire And there to liue and rest secure from harmes He found his men and countrey vp in armes With full intent
his entry to withstand And to bereaue him of his Diadem And princely state thrust him out of his land Who being thereby brought to that extream Was forst for his reliefe as stories tell To seeke another Countrey where to dwell And entring in Callabria by strength He brought the Countrey to subiection And there did rule in peace till at the length Dame Fortune seeking his subversion By Cerces meanes his grecian Knights did change Into the forme of Birds most rare and strange Which presently did flie into the aire And euer since continew thereabout Their seathers shining bright and very faire And called are to put you out of douâ—t As wee in Isydore the same may read Among the Greekes the Birds of Diomede But as some Authors list hereof to wright They say this Metamorphosis was don By Venus in her malice to that Knight Because against Aeneas hir deare Son Feirce Diomede did cast a cruell dart As they too fought to strike him to the hâ—rt Which when his Mother Venus had espide She causd a mistie clowd twixt them to rise And therewith did hir Sonne Eneas hide From sight of Diomedes cruell eies And afterward wroght him that spightfull scorne And did his men in shape of Birds transforme And in that sort from time to time they flie Vnto the place of Diomedes graue Where as his body deepe intombd doth lie To shew that still a mind of him they haue For yearely on his day of Funerall They flock about that place both great small And there from morne till night you shall theÌ„ find It further is reported to be true That those straÌ„ge Birds do loue the Greekes by kind And vtterly doe hate and still eschew The Latins and do know them well asunder When they theÌ„ see Which seemeth such a wonder To me that I by no meanes can espey Nor yet conceiue by any manner way The hidden causes of such sorcery But this I know and that I dare well say The first beginning of so bad jntent Was wrought by art of foule jnchantment But faith doth teach vs boldly to defie And flatly banish all jllusion Which Satan daily casts before our eye To bring vs thereby to confusion And thus by famous Troyes subversion Full many ancient Cities first begun And diuers Lands with many a wealthy towne By sequell of that warre long flourished Which fore that Troye was cruelly throwne downe Lay wast and were not then jnhabited But to declare them orderly by name Were labour great for me to do the same And therefore to Prince Iason I le returne That went a shore at Simeont by Troye And for a day or two did there soiourne The comfort of the pleasant aire t'enjoye And of his weary toyle himselfe to ease Till wind and waues did calme vpon the Seas But enviously a false report was blowne And to the King Laomedon declar'd That certaine Grecian Knights to him vnknowne To enter in his land themselues prepar'd Well armed at each point which bred surmise They sought t'jnvade the Country by surprise Else would they first say they a licence craue And not so proudly land without consent Of him or his and no safe conduct haue Which argued but a signe of bad intent Which if the King would not prenent in time They said might proue his prejudice in fine For if said they he will not seeme to feare Their landing but deferre by negligence T' enquire know from whence they are where They meane to go and what is their pretence He may perchance repent his little care Of making hast against them to prepare For sodaine things require sodaine sight And should not be deferd till mischiefe fall And Dogs are to be fear'd that first do bite And flie vpon a man before they braule So wisedome doth require present speed To stop a mischiefe ere it further breed Thus did the Troyans murmure in the towne And speake thereof each one vnto the other As in the streets they walked vp and downe That at the length there spread so great a rumor That Laomedon did forthwith prepare A messenger to know from whence they were And without counsell taking in the same In hast did send to will them to depart Or else he said their pride he would so tame That stoutest of them all should wish in heart He had not been so bold to giue the venter Without his leaue within his land to enter The messenger in this sort sent away Made hast to let Prince Iason vnderstand What Laomedon willed him to say And to command him to auoyd the land Who all this while did nought but sport play Attending time from thence to saile away Th' effect of which his message to declare From poynt to poynt verbatim as it was As neere as ere I can I will not spare And what thereof did after come to passe Which in the Chapter following shall appeare If to the same you giue attentiue eare CHAP. V. I How Laomedon King of Troye sent to Iason to command him and his company forthwith to depart out of his Countrie and what answere they returned to the King againe THe high and mighty Prince of great renowne My most redoubted Lord and soueraigne true Laomedon of Troye that beares the crowne By me his messenger hath sent to you To let you know he doth not well conceaue Of this your bold arriuall without leaue Within his land thus armed as you seeme Not once vouchâ—afing first to know his mind As though of him you made so small esteeme That no resistance gainst you he could find The which to let you well perceiue and see He doth expresly send you word by mee That presently and that without delay Both you and yours depart out of this land And Troiaâ— bounds and get you hence away Or else by force he minds you to withstand And will you nill you make you leaue the place If you presume to offer him disgrace My counsell is beleeue it if you list To get you hence in peace and quietnes For folly great t' were for you to resist And of meer pride or glorious wilfullnes Seeke to disturbe my Lorde feliâ—itie Which now doth liue in great tranquilitie And doth his kingdome governe and maintaine With so great wisedome and magnificence By valor and by might that t were in vaine For any to withstand him of pretence Wherefore I wish you all if you be wise Herein to take and follow mine advise And seeke not further now to moue offence Least you procure your perill woe and smart And find that true by good experience Which friendly vnto you I doe impart This is my Lords embassage too you sent Conceiue it as you will tis his intent The messenger in this sort having said What Laomedon charged him as then Iason therewith not very well apayd In face and colour waxed pale and wan Yet soberly with wisedome held his peace Not seeming once in chollor to encrease Nor yet to
take offence what ere fell out Although it vext and grieu'd him at the hart But stood as mute at last he turnd about And vnto all his fellowes did jmpart What message Laomedon had him sent And how to him and them he seemed bent And willing them about him to draw neare He thus began his words and speech to frame My friends and fellowes whom I loue so deâ—â—e Know that King Laomedon doth vs blame For entring as he saith within his land Before we craved licence at his hand And for that cause a messenger hath sent With threatning words to let vs know his mind That to driue vs from hence is his intent If here we stay Wherefore he doth vs bind And straightly charge eft-foones without delay All scuses set apart to packe away Behold said he what blindnes he dothâ—â—e And how he doth on honor set his mind That vnto wearied strangers doth refuse To giue them leaue a little ease to find In their distresse who nothing lesse pretend Then him or his in any wise t' offend But where is antient libertie become Is neigher loue nor kindnes to be found Both which in Princely harts should haue a roome And where is honor gon that vs'd t' abound In Princes minde who of an antient right Still mooved them with care and great delight To entertaine all strangers that resort Vnto their Courts or countreys whatsoere That afterward they might of them report What Princely and what noble minds they beare But neither loue nor libertie are found In this Kings Court or countrey to abound For if he were of noble heart and kind He could not chuse â—ot in them both delight And to shew forth his great and Princely mind He would command his subjects to their might To succour men opprest with woe and griefe And not haue sent vs hence without reliefe For if that he had chanced from the seas By fortune or adventure whatsoere T' ariue and set his foot on shoare for ease Where any Grecian Prince doth Scepter beare With much more honor like to his degree He should not faile by vs receau'd to bee But sith that he for ought I can espie Hath banisht out of mind and doth disdaine All freedome honor and humanitie And cleane contrary vices doth retaine We must and will his mind herein fullfill Because as now our power 's not like our will For this is sure and so it shall be found That this disgrace which to vs now is don In th' end may chance vpon himselfe rebound Sith that he hath of malice thus begon And peradventure it may chance fall out Ere Phebus thrice the Zodâ—ack runnes about For let him trust and thereof be assurd We will him serue with such as he hath sent And if I liue and what he hath procurd He shall not faile thereof by my intent Albeit now I set no time nor tide Sith longer here I mindd not to abide Till I haue better leisure to soiorne And so with stearne and yet with liuely cheare At that same word began about to turne And suddenly vnto the messenger That from the King as then to him was sent In this wise he declared his jntent My friend quoth he know well and vnderstand The message which as now thou bringst to me From Laomedon King of Trâ—iâ—â— land Vnfit doth seeme from such a Prince as he For by each point thereof I doe perceaue How he doth vse of strangers to conceaue And cannot chuse but deepely in my mind Thinke much on his great favor to vs showne And of his liberalitie so kind And gifts which on vs now he hath bestowne Nor can I well let slip out of my thought The least reward that thou to vs hast brought For trust me well I can it not forget But needs must deepe jmprint it in my mind How by his honor he so much doth set As that he studieth onely to be kind That by thee now doth send vnto vs here Such intertainment great and dainty cheare Cleane contrary to that we did expect From such a worthy famous Prince as he But god which doth all secrets deepe detect Can beare vs witnes jnnocents to be From any hurtor any bad pretence That we ere ment gainst him to cause offence And Gods to record in this case I call With my whole heart to justifie the same Whatsoever may hereafter chance to fall We haue not once deserved any blame Nor violently taken any thing From man or boy so mayst thou tell the King But being forst by great and stormy wind Necessity compelled vs to land Vpon this coast some succour here to find And rest our wearied limmes vpon the strand Intending but a day or two to stay And then againe with speed to go away Vnto the place where we desire to bee Which thou vnto thy Lord for truth maist say And further that the time he shall once see When as perchance more thanks receiue he may From vs or els it may be from some other So go thy waies and farewell gentle brother When Iason thus an answere had returnd And bad the Trâ—â—an messenger depart The noble Knight stout Hercules that burn'd With rage and fury inwardly in hart As he was gonâ—â—ad him againe turne backe Disdainefully and thus to him he spake Good fellow thou that art the messenger Of thy good Lord who hath thee hither sent Content thy selfe and stand thou not in feare That here to stay is ought of our jntent For that before the Sunne shall rise againe We will be gon and so I tell thee plaine And not a man of ours on shoâ—re shall be To morrow at this time what eâ—e befall And therevpon my troth I pledge to thee And Gods to witnes to the same I call For we intend no longer here t'soiorne But to our ships againe with speed returne As soone as it is dawning of the day On paine to suffer fowle reproch and blame But ere three yeares shall fully passe away Who euer saith contrary to the same We will returne againe into this land And cast our Ankors here vpon this sand Take heed thereof and note full well the time And let this now suffice and warning be That some new change shall follow of this Prime Which if Iliue thy King shall plainely see And when his power gainst vs shall not extend For his safe conduct we will scorne to send And then I tell thee plainely for no lie We will no more regard him then a straw Nor of his words nor threats that are so hie The least of vs shall stand in any awe Till when because we will him not deceaue We mind not once of him to take our leaue For that of vs he seemes to make a jest As though we were not worthy better cheare But though he now doth thinke to liue at rest I sweare by God he shall abide it deare Which in the end shall turne vnto his shame And see that to the King you tell
theÌ„ce coÌ„â—ay The streets were smothly pau'd in chequer wise With pollisht stories of colourred and white And any Trade whatsoere man could devise King Priam vsd and sought all meanes he might To bring 't into the towne where men did see Each severall Art in severall streets to bee That so they might for more commoditie And better meanes to sell and vent their ware Worke by themselues at their one libertie As goldsmith rich that seâ—lles the jewels rare Th'imbroderer and weauers of each kind The Mercers in whose costly shops men find Rich cloth of Gold of Arras Tapistrie Of sendall and of Taffetie most faire And every other stuffe which vsually The weauers make and commonly men were Smiths also that could make and forge full well Darts Daggers swords speares of perfect steele Pollaxes billes and kniues most sharpely ground And arrowe heads with other weapons more That in the fields are vsd were therein found Of Bowyers and of fletchers eke great store And such as make coat armors faire and braue And ensignes which in field men vse to haue And euery other kind of furniture For Marshall men which commonly we see Worne in the warre and dayly put in vre And euery other Art that nam'd may bee Was in that towne most plentifully found So much it did in every thing abound And through the towne a Riuer swift and cleare Did passe along deviding it in twaine Which on each side great store of Milles did beare In time of need to grind each kind of graine The name whereof was Xaâ—tas as I find Which did abound with fish of euery kind Which River was so cunningly conuaid That in the arches built vpon the same Great store of pipes of lead were closely layd Whereby into the houses water came And serued many Conduits in the towne And scowr'd the filth away as it ran downe In channels which did run cleane vnder ground Whereby they were washt and scowred cleane That neither filth nor durt was to be found Nor in the towne could any way be seene And was convaied thence so secretly That no man could the passage thereof spie Wherby you might haue gon throughout the street And neither durt nor dunghill once haue seene Which made the Towne so pleasant and so sweet Because that it was kept so faire and cleane That it was void of all corruption Pestiferous aire and fowle jnfection Which often by their force and violence Doe breed continuall fowle and noysome smels And are the onely cause of pestilence A River like to this as Virgill tells Within the towne of Roome devised was Cald Tiber which through the midst therof doth passe To people this so great and famous towne The Troyans being but in number small King Priam sent to each place vp and downe In countreys farre and neere to moue and call All men to come and to jnhabite there Respecting not from whence they came or were And made them free to trafficke and to deale Within the Towne as natiue Countrey-men By that meanes to enrich the common-weale Of his new Towne Which being done and when It did begin with people to increase And that they liu'd in pleasure wealth peace King Priam moued with gseat affection Which vnto Mars the God of warre he had Determined of pure devotion In honour of his name there should be made A yeerely Iusts where valiantly on horse Each Knight should shew his power strength force Within the towne to win renowne and fame And to that end a place he did ordaine All raild about of purpose for the same Which halfe a mile in circuit did containe To wrastle in and at the Barriers fight With playes in the Isle of Greet of ancient right Were long since found and onely dedicate To Mars their God for they did then beleeue By doing so he would preserue their state And in their need would aid them and releeue The like did noble Priamus furâ—ise And to that end-those triumphs did devise Men sayd within this towne was first found out The game of Chests so subtill and so wise Which who so plaies beleeue it without dout Must driue out of his head all fantasies It is so full of shifts and subtiltie And more and more a man may still devise Whereby if men should study all their daies To learne the skill of this so curious game He neuer could remember halfe the plaies That are and may be vsed in the same It doth consist of such diuersitie Of wards found out by skill and subtiltie Of Troians as mine Author testifies Which his supposed meere oppinion Iacobus de Vitriaco denies And in his Booke for truth makes mention How that a graue Philosopher and wise Cald Philometer first did it devise In Caldea with pollicy he wrought To stay a tyrants fierce and furious mind And though froÌ„ thence it into Greece was brought They say likewise the Troians first did find The playes of dice and tables dayly vsd Which since that time had been so much abusd For that in them there is so great deceit By false and cousning dice and wrangling play Which many vse the simple sort to cheat That much debate ariseth night and day Mongst ihose that dayly excercise doe make Of play and game and pleasure therein take For if the dice doe favor men a while And giue them leaue to win by happy chance An other time againe they â—them beguile Which makes the players fall at variance For that when as they thinke to mend their state By play at dice they proue vnfortunate And many that are plunged in distresse And by their play made needy poore and bare By playe sometime attaine to great riches And some mans joy procures an others care And by a chance at hassard or passage Ones glad and laughes an other he doth rage For if one win another doth contrary Like as the bones are throwne out of the hand An Hundred times a day th' are seene to varry And no man can his chance at them withstand Wherefore I wish each man such play to shunne Least that he loose and so may be vndone In Troy likewise they vsed comedies In Theaters for pleasures and delight And many strange and stately Tragedies Which vsually were playd both day and night The difference whereof that you may know I will in briefe the same vnto you show A Comedie doth many times begin With actions that dislike at first doe cause But at the last as men proceed therein They end in joy with gladnesse and applause And onely speakes of men of meane degree And such as fallen are in povertie A Tragedy contrarily doth treate Of matters which doe prosperously proceed And showes the liues and hearts of persons great As Princes which in honour doe exceed But ends with sorrow griefe and miserie That happeneth vnto them before they die And also tells how fortune doth beguile Full nany Kings and Emperors of fame Whose acts she seemes to favor for a while
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
Three thousand valiant Knights of great activity And twenty two faire ships well furnished With all things that to them belonging were Who having all provided that should need King Priam did no longer time deferre But willed Lord Aeneas Anthenor And Polidamus and many Troians more To arme themselues and preparation make With Paris on that voiage for to goe And when they came their leaues of him to take In pithie words he did vnto them show The full effect of his intention Was chiefly to recover Exion For when that Voyage especially he made And so the time no longer to delay When Paris and the rest together had Their leaues of Priam tane they went their way And entring ship did presently set sayle In Venus name in hope she would not fayle By ayd of Ioue t' assist them in their need And entring Sea with weather faire and cleare And wind at will they sayled with great speed That in short time they vnto land grâ—w neare For nothing in their voyage did them let And yet by chance vpon the Sea they met A Ship wherein King Menalaus then was That Sayled vnto Pyilon there to see Duke Nestor and the time with him to passe Suspecting not each to other foes to bee Within those ships the which King Menalaus Vnto King Agamennon brother was And husband to Queene Helena the faire That sister was vnto the brothren twaine King Castor and King Pollux Knights that were Of great renowne in armes and did attaine Vnto such height therein that for the same No Grecian Knights did ere deserue more fame Who at that time remaind within a Towne Cald Strinester their cheife and princely seat Wherein they joyntly raignd with great renowne For that the loue betweene them was so great That they could not jndure to liue alone And with them was the Princes Hermione A Lady that in beautie did excell The daughter of their sister Helena And yet although as then it so befell That they together met vpon the Sea And that they saild close by each others side Yet were their hearts fild with inward pride That neither to each other one made show To call or aske from wence they came or were But past along and for the wind did blow Directly with the Troians and did beare Them swiftly thence they did within a while Ariue before an old and ancient Isle Which Cithera is called at this day And there within the haven did anchor cast Where presently not making any stay Apparelling themselues they did in hast Set foot on land with resolution stout And hope to bring their purposesone about Within this Isle an ancient Temple was Most pleasant and most beautifull to see For that in sumpteous worke it did surpasse All other whatsoere in that countrie Which honourd was of all both farre and neare Throughout the Land and once in every yeare A solemne feast was kept within the same Where many men with great devotion In honour of the Goddesse Venus came To whom they vse with superstition Which by them was obserud from age to age To bring great gifts and went on pilgrimage And every man did offer sacrifice Where while they kneeld and most deuoutly said Their Orations to her in Parum wise The Image vnto them an answere made Of every thing whereof they stood in doubt Resolving them how that it would fall out This custome they do vse continually Within that Church so sumptuous and so braue And did obserue the same most reuerently In hope that they the better speed should haue And as the Gods would hau 't their fortune was To goe on shoare the selfe same day when as This yearely feast was kept in solemne wise Whereto great store of Grecians flockt and came From every place to offer sacrifice And other rights t' obserue about the same The which as soone as Paris did espie He tooke with him some of his company And with them to the Temple went his way Apparelled in braue and sumptuous wise T' obserue the ancient rights there vsd that day At Uenus shrine and t'offer sacrifice And kneeling downe with great devotion Before her Altar made his Oration And on it layd great store of Iewells rare Orientall pearles rich stones and heapes of gold For at that time he would not seeme to spare Which made the Greekes admire and to behold His beauty sumptuous port and Maiestie And in their hearts to muse what he might be For as the story saith he was so faire That no man might therein compare with him And therewithall so fine proportion bare For comely shape of body and of lim That there was never seene a brauer Knight For all men to behold him tooke delight And prest in heaps about him for the same Desiring much his name and state to know And for what cause as then he thither came And prayd his men the same to them to show But they did make their answere in such wise That no man by their speech could ought surmise Yet some of them not fearing to declare The truth both of his name and dwelling place Did boldly tell and thereof made no spare That Priam King of Troye his Father was A Prince of mighty force and great renowne And that he thither came for Exion And thus of him they did enquire and spake As they together were and every one Of severall minds did severall verdicts make And all of them were in suspition But chiefly they in whome no iudgement were For euery man desireth newes to heare And whilst of him the speech went far and neare And past from man to man in Greecian land Queene Helena at last thereof did heare And when as she the same did vnderstand And truth thereof for certainty did know Of those that went and came both too and fro She could not rest vntill that with her eie She found report and sight in one t' agree And for that time determined to trie The truth and those braue Troyan Knights to see But more God knows of meere intention For Paris sake then for devotion She fained on a Pilgrimage to goe Vnto the shrine of Venus bright and cleare That vnto her some honor she might shoe And when all things for her prepared were And she adorn'd most like a stately Queene She went to see and likewise to be seene For what should mooue her else with such desire And in her heart put such a motion To goe to see new sights but secret fire Of wanton lust and no devotion Vpon the Goddesse Venus then to call And as the manner is of women all Delighting to be there where great resort Of people are and tâ—shew themselues at playes And at each common pastime and disport That men their beauties may commend praise And at their better libertie to see How they may find an oportunitie T' effect their wils and alwaies lie in wait In places where their minds and thoughts are seâ— In couert wise their wanton lookes to â—ait And
ioy farewell my chiefest blisse Now strangers haue thee in possession And I the thing I loue do so much do misse And must endure 't with extreame passion Would God I knew how that they doe intreat My Helena that was to me so sweet Now thou art gone the thought of thee me slayth And I must liue in sorrow griefe and woe Expecting still my end by cruell death And therewithall he said that he would goe To Sparta therein comfortlesse alone His great grievous losse to waile and mone But Nestor would not leaue his company But went with him for consolation By all meanes seeking how to pacifie His mind and hauing great compassion On his distresse did make no longer stay But did him to his Country thence convay And being there arriu'd with woefull heart By letters sent in post to euery place He did vnto his brethren twaine impart His great mischance and sad and woefull case Desiring them to come to him with speed To aid him with their counsell in his need And first to King Agamemnon did write And to King Castor and King Pollux send Desiring them with all the speed they might In his distresse their ayd to him to lend And when they came and saw his countnance dead Like to a man with thought halfe murthered They could not chuse but for his sorrow grieue And by perswasions sought the same to ease But when they saw they could it not remoue Out of his mind nor him no whit appease King Agamemnon wisely gan to speake And in these words his mind to him did breake Brother said he what woe what heauinesse What deadly griefe doth thus torment your mind And as it seemes your sences all oppresse So furiouslie and we no case can find You should do thus but grant it to be true That cause for to be grieu'd is giuen you Yet you should be so arm'd with providence That what so ere dislike were offered you You should thereat not seeme to take offence And make as though thereof you nothing knew For that a wise man in adversitie Should ioyfull countenance shew and secretly Conceiue in mind the thing that doth him grieue And priuilie within his breast inclose His wrath and ire that none might it perceiue Nor let it once be knowen vnto his foes For t is the counsell of the provident That when mans heart with furie thinks to rent He should not seeme to be possest with ire Till that he findeth fit occasion To kindle and reviue the burning fire Of vengeance when his foe thinks not thereon For griefe shew'd outwardlie by proofe we find Two things doth breed which are of several kind First it provokes thy friend to sigh full sore For nature binds him to lament thy griefe And it doth cause thy foe reioyce the more For he is glad when thou dost want reliefe Wherefore when griefe most in thy heart doth lie Shew cheerefull face to crosse thine enemie And make as though thou dost esteeme at nought The thing which doth thee most torment and vex And evermore remaineth in thy thought Ye though it doth thee nere so much perplex And where thou hast most cause for to complaine There make best show ioyful countnance faine For into teares although thou should'st distill And never cease tormenting of thy mind Yea though thy selfe thou shouldest therewith kill Thou could'st but little ease and pleasure find For vengeance nere was tane nor honor wonne By any thing that man that way hath done For though it lasteth long it brings no gaine It 's said the man that can dissemble wrong Although it be with inward greete and paine Is subtill and of valiant heart and strong And he that can be peaceable in smart Doth well declare he hath a noble heart For he that weepes like women in their rage And thinkes by words and teares to ease his paine His sorrow and his griefe shall nere asswage And by no meanes to honor shall attaine Let 's not with words but with our weapons fight And hold our tongs manlike try our might Words are but wind and water t is we weepe And though the stormes flouds of either two Do multiply and vs in sorrow keepe They do no good but still increase our woe And to our foes when as that they do â—eâ—â—e That we doe make so sad and heauie 〈◊〉 It doth increase and multiply their ioy And giues them cause much more to laugh at vs Wherefore let not this sorrow thee annoy Which now doth seeme so to torment thee thus For it is said the courage of a Knight Is prou'd when as with mischiefe and despight He is not feard nor in adversity Doth not himselfe faint-heartedly submit To any danger what so ere it be Nor doth impaire his honor any whit Through foule despaire but hopeth alwaies well And hath a mind as firme as any steele T' effect the thing that he doth take in hand And his desire at last to satisfie For this from me I pray you vnderstand That he which in himselfe hath fantasie T' assaile his foe and venture life and lim What ere befall or happeneth vnto him And takes the chance that vnto him is cast He commonly nere failes in victorie And hauing dangers all cleane over-past In fine obtaineth praise eternally And now t is time to speake in words but few Good brother mine your valour forth to shew To cheare your heart and for to make you strong The forces of your foes for to withstand And to revenge your domages and wrong And we thereto will put our helping hand And all with one consent and force and might Assist you in your need t' obtaine your right And in despight of all that shall vs let Within the fields before the Towne of Troye Will plant our siege and there our tents vp set And ere we part will 't vtterlie destroy Albeit as now I can appoint no day Therefore let vs with all the speed we may Send messengers into the Grecian Land The Princes of the same to certifie Of these your wrongs craue their helping hand T' assist you and the same to remedie And so full well revenge your selfe you may And this is all that I to you can say King Menelaus therewith somewhat appeas'd Began more cherefull countenance to make And with his heart and mind thereby was eas'd All outward griefe did presently forsake And seeing that by care he could't not mend To all his friends throughout the land did send And first his Kinne and allies he did moue By showing them what had chanced vnto him Desiring them of courtesie and loue His case as t' were their owne for to esteeme And with their powers assistants to him be To ayd him in his great extreamitie His letters seene and read there did resort Achilles and Patroclus Princes stout Diomedes and others to his Court Who having heard what things had fallen out Did all with one consent and will agree Vpon the King
of Troye reveng'd to bee And in that case and enterprise refer'd Themselues vnto the prudent government Of valiant King Agamemnon prefer'd By them with all their full and free consent To be the chiefe Commander of their host Provided at each severall Princes cost With faithfull vow and promise to maintaine And follow warres while life meanes should last Against their foes triumphantly to gaine Renowne and fame when vitall daies were past Thereof to leaue perpetuall memorie From age to age to their posteritie But ere they did assemble all their men And bring them to the place by them assign'd Queene Helena had two valiant bretheren King Pollux and King Castor grieu'd in mind To thinke thereon their ship did rig in hast And with the same to sea did hie them fast Accompanyed with many a valiant Knight In mind t'oretake the Troyans on the way And to recouer Helen by their might But Gods decree no mortall man can stay For ere that they three daies had sail'd along The Grecian seas the wind did blow so strong And such a darknesse rose within the skies That it did seeme as day had turn'd to night And therewithall so great a storme did rise That billows huge against the ship did smight And then a great and mighty clap of thunder Stroke down their masts broke theÌ„ cleane in sunder And with the furious blasts of Eolus The waue so high did mount vnto the skie And made them swell so huge monsterous That every man made full account to die And after they had tossed too and fro Sometimes aloft and then againe as lowe The waters greene and white so sore did rage And seem'd to boyle with furie of the wind That nothing could th'vnpiteous tempest swage Nor yet procure the Grecians ease in mind For what so ere resistance they would make At last the ship in many pieces brake And rent in twaine with great extreamity Whereby not one escapt but all were drownd And in the raging Seas cast furiously And of them all not any one was found To saue their liues except the Brethren twaine Who as in Stories Poets of them faine The Gods did in the heavens deifie And in the skies did place them there to be A starre in th' aire by name of Gemini And as the learned in Astronomie Affirme it is by Constellation Of Mercurie the house and mansion Which is both male and female in his kind The Eagle and the Dolphin in it rise And in the same iust three degrees we find The Dragons taile exalted is likewise In Man it 's said to rule the armes and hand And mongst the signs the third in place doth stand Thus were these stout valiant brethren twaine In heauen pla'st if that we may belieue The fables of the Poets fond and vaine Which earnest did the valiant Grecians grieue And was to them beginning of their woe And to the Brethren twaine their overthrow CHAP. VI. How the Grecians assembled to be reuenged of the Troyans for rauishing of Helena ERe that mine Author Guido doth declare What Grecian power did gainst the Troyans goe It seemes he had a great and speciall care The forme and shape of everie Prince to shoe Both on the Greekes and on the Troyans side The which while he amongst them did abide In time of truce beheld with great delight Omitting neither port nor seemelinesse Beautie nor yet deformitie that might Be seene in them but as he doth confesse Hath made a true and right description Of everie one in his proportion And first he setteth downe Queene Helens shape As Dares hath describ'd the same at large Wherein no point thereof he doth escape But tels the truth his promise to discharge And saith she had a scarre vpon her face And yet it did her beautie not disgrace He saith King Agamemnon was a man Of bodie strong and good proportion Of stature tall of colour pale and wan And flegmaticke of his complexion Vnquiet and impatient in his brest Eschewing and refusing ease and rest So much to war and strife his mind he gaue And yet he was to vertue whollie bent And therewithall a Prince most wise and graue Learned discreet and passing eloquent Whereby amongst the Grecian Princes all He was elected to be Generall King Menelaus was valiant stout and strong Of courage and of heart victorious His stature middle-siz'd twixt short and long Of good proportion and desirous Vnquietlie to liue in warre and strife Then to possesse great wealth with quiet life Achilles was of stature huge and tall With sholders broad breast both big square Faire faced and right seemely therewithall And in each part the like proportion bare With eies most great deepe broad very quicke And a browne haire that curl'd it was so thicke In Armes most fierce and right couragious And did in strength the Grecians all surmount And yet of looke was passing amorous Of liberall mind and made so small account To giue large gifts and royally to spend That all men for the same did him commend The valiant Grecian Tantalus was strong Of bodie huge and good proportion Indifferent grosse and neither short nor long Of sanguine colour and complexion Vnsteadfast ey'd and wavering in his head Abhorring strife whereas he saw no need Of word and promise true what so ere he made And never any quarrell tooke in hand Vnlesse that he a good occasion had And when he knew and well did vnderstand His cause to be both lawfull iust and right Then would he shew himselfe a valiant Knight Oileus Aiax was of bodie great And in apparell rich and curious Whereon his heart and mind was onely set And yet of shape both huge and monstrous With armes so great sholders broad square And waied so much no horse could well him bare His stature it was high and very tall Vnweldy and vnseemely to behold Of speach he was both rude and rusticall And car'd not how his mind he did vnfold And though to ayd the Greeks he did his part Yet was he but a coward in his heart Another Aiax surnamed Telamon There was a man that learning did adore Of bodie straight and faire complexion His haire cole blacke and turning vp before Who did so much in eloquence abound That in his time the like could not be found In Musicke sweet his time most part he spent Wherein he tooke such pleasure and delight That he did his owne instruments invent And yet he was a braue and valiant Knight And one that hated pride and flattery With honor seeking fame and victory Vlisses was a Prince of power and might That liued in great fame and royalty And yet he tooke great pleasure and delight To vse all kind of fraud and subtilty Of double hollow deepe dissembling heart And well could play a perfect lyers part With face that made a â—hew cleane void of guile And words full smooth wheÌ„ nothing lesse he ment Much giuen to mirth yet
that the Percian King Came to the Greeks with many a worthy Knight And with him diuers thousands more did bring To succour them with all his power and might And that he was of body tall and long Yet very fat and therewithall most strong Red haire and beard and deepe and fiery eyes And in his face great store of warts he had His countnance sterne and often times would rise Into such rage that he did seeme halfe mad Which did in him so deepe jmpression take That therewithall his body it would shake Thus much I find that Dares doth declare Of all the Grecians shapes and personages But of the Troians he no paines doth spare In cerious wise at large them to expresse Omitting none as you may well behold The Chapter next ensuing doth vnfold CHAP. VII ¶ The description of Priam and his sonnes and daughters and of the arriuall of the Greeks at the Temple of Diana ANd first he sheweth how King Priamus Of body was both slender tall and strong Of countenance and looke right gratious Delighting much in musicke and in song And therewithall was most desirous To heare such ditties as were amorous A seemely Prince and of great hardines Cleane void of feare abhorring flattery And with low voyce his speech he did expresse Of word most true much given to equitie And never did refuse to any wight To doe him vpright justice law and right No favor nor no loue made him decline Nor leane vnto the greatest or the least His manner was full sone in morne to dine And of all Kings he was the worthiest One that esteem'd each worthy Knight and trew Or any valiant souldier that he knew On whom he did bestow great store of gold And did aduance them vnto dignitie And spared not his treasure to vnfold Mongst them to show his magnanimitie And by that meanes in such wise with them dealt That every one his bounty largely felt Of many sonnes he had the eldest was Hector the famous Prince and worthy Knight Who all the world in valor did surpasse Such was his courage hardinesse and might The very root and spring of Chivalry As ancient Histories doe certifie And therewithall so sober wise and sad Courteous demure and full of gentlenesse That in his time no Prince more honor had And truth to say he did deserue no lesse Forvertue did so much in him abound That throughout all the world he was renownd Of flesh and bones he was so well compact And rightly formed in proportion And every lim so perfect and exact That no defect has found in any one Huge made he was and of just hight length Thereto compleat and of surpassing strength Liuely well breathed and able to sustaine Against his foe a long and furious fight So that no mortall man could ere attaine Vnto the fame of that most valiant Knight For his surpassing strength and courage bold If vnto him his due ascribe I should Wherewith he was so wise and so discreet And louely though a Prince of high degree To rich and poore that met him in the street That all men prais'd his great humilitie A Prince that vs'd few words to any one And shew'd good countenance vnto every one That all men joyed when as they him beheld Vnto his Troian Subiects he was kind But when as he once entred in the field His foes did him a furious Lyon find So valiantly he could himselfe maintaine And by his might their forces all sustaine No man was euer able to endure The moile of the paine that he would take For as the story plainely doth assure And thereof doth a large relation make He neare had feare nor did in fighting faile Nor with faint heart his enemies assaile Of all the valiant Knights that ever were He was the best for vertue prowesse and might And did the prize of honor from them beare The which he might by valor claime of right For none could euer equall him therein Since that this earthly globe did first begin In whom Dame nature did so much prevaile And like a skilfull workeman fashioned His mold that not one thing did in him faile But was compleat saue that he stammered But had no other imperfection And was of sanguine pure complexion His brethren Deiphobus and Helenus In each respect and every property Were both so like vnto King Priamus That twixt them three was no diversitie Except in age he old they young and light The first he was a strong and valiant Knight And in his warres did many a valiant deed But Helenus to learning wholy bent Of feates of armes and prowesse tooke no heed But in all Arts became so excellent And had such knowledge in Astronomy That he could tell what future things should be Of Troilus to speake it is most sure There never liu'd a more couragious Knight Nor likelier in Armes for to indure As hauing therein pla'st his whole delight Of body well compact of stature tall Young lustly fresh and hardy therewithall So valiant strong and stout a Champion That equall vnto him neare any was For none with him could make comparison So much he did in worthines surpasse For which his great and most exceeding might He was a second Hector cal'd by right He did behaue himselfe so valiantly In that great warre against his enemies In loue he did perseuere constantly And was therein most secret firme and wise Of face most faire and of a pleasant cheare Wherein no alteration did appeare He was so firme and constant in his heart And therewithall so loving and so kind That nothing could disswade nor make him start From that which he had once decreed in mind So true he was in word and so vpright And to his foes he was so sterne a Knight And fierce that they could not his force withstand Vnto the Greeks it was confusion When as he held his bloody sword in hand And to the Troians their protection For that his Knight-hood was of such account That no man might in valor him surmount Thogh al the world they shold haue sought throghout What â—hall I say to make his praises last More then I haue but that amongst the rout Of Greeks and Troians all none him surpast Vnlesse it were his jnvinsible brother Hector alone and neuer any other King Priamus sonne cal'd Paris was a Knight So beautifull of flesh and blood to see That for to yeild to him his due and right I must confesse none was so faire as he Whose crisping looks that shin'd like golden wier Made all men his great beautie much admire His sole delight was shooting in a bow And hunting in the woods to chase wild deare And did therein such skill and cunning show That he all Archers past that euer were And was a Knight of great renowne and fame Whose valiant deeds did well approue the same Aeneas that King Priams daughter had Was light of lims and eyâ—d bright and cleare Well brested and of good proportion
made Sterne of his looke yet glad in port and cheare And in the Towne of Troy held great estate In all his actions wise and temperate A man surpassing in great eloquence And did so much his mind to study giue That he thereby attaind great sapience And of all those that in the Towne did liue In lands and goods he did them all surpasse Such and so great his gold and treasure was Anthenor was a slender man and tall Right circumspect and of good gouernment Discreet and wise and elopuent withall Copious in words and one that much time spent To iest when as he was in companie So driely that no man could it espie And therewith held his countenance so well That every man receiued great content To heare him speake and prety iests to tell When he was pleasant and in meriment For though that he most commonly was sad Yet in his speech some iest he alwaies had His sonne cal'd Polidamus was most strong Of person and of shape in each degree Like to his Father tall and somewhat long Gentle and true and soone would moved be To anger though he kept it covertly And yet it would be gon full suddainly King Merdon was large brested huge and tall Vpright and well compact of bone and lâ—m And of so good proportion therewithall That none therein might well compare with him His haire it was as yellow as the gold And finely curld most pleasant to behold Demure and still and kind to euery one And passing strong all actions to assay Ne're vsing rigor vnto any one Delighting much in pleasure sport and play And one that wondrous feates in Armes achieu'd While he amongst the Troian Princes liu'd Queene Hecuba was faire but pale and wan In members and proportion strongly made Enclining more vnto the shape of man Then woman such a manly corps she had Right vertuous wise discreet and womanly And did behaue her selfe most prudently In all her actions vnto every wight In jesture mild demure in countenance And while she liu'd did take a great delight Her servants and her favorites t' aduance Vnto the poore most pittifull and kind Bestowing almes with glad and liberall mind Andrâ—macha Prince Hectors faithfull wife In shape was like to Hecuba his Mother And was so chast and vertuous all her life That in her time there was not such another And did in good behauiour much delight Her stature tall her breast round faire and white With ruddy cheeks not over coloured And peircing eyes most beautifull and cleare Her haire like gold her lips were soft and red And alwaies did of colour fresh appeare Wherewith she had a countenance right sweet And poore and rich in friendly wise would greet And gaue good words to all and every one Perferring all poore suters as she might And by her will there did not any one With heauy heart depart out of her sight And every man whatsoere stood in need Of ayd from her that was sure thereof to speed To them that had committed an offence She was so giuen vnto compassion That gladly with all care and diligence She got their pardon and remission Such was her care her Subiects to preserue And of each one good words and praise deserue Cassandra was a Princesse beautifull And did in body good proportion beare Her colour white her countenance bashfull And in her face great store of warts there were Whose onely ioy and chiefe felicitie Was chast to liue in pure virginitie And vertuously shuâ—'d imperfections Which naturally doe raigne in women kind And by leauing of all bad occasions She did so much on learning set her mind That reading Bookes was her felicitie But most of all to learne Astronomie A Prophetesse she was and could foretell What future things should happen and would be And therein while she liu'd did so excell That she was thought one of the Cybiles three That liu'd on earth whose fame so much surpast And shall doe while this mortall world doth laâ—t Of Polycene to speake it were in vaine Or to declare the great perfection Of beauty wherevnto she did attaine And t' were in me a great presumption To seeke therein your minds to satisfie For it aboue my simple reach doth lie Sith nature in the framing of this maâ—d Vsd all her Art and to selfe-will was bent And by all meanes she could devise assaild To make her beauty seeme most excellent And to her selfe sayd in her proud conceit Behold and see my workmanship so great For as the sonne aboue the clouds in skie Shewes passing cleare so is it in my might My worke to adore and beautifie to th' eye By mixing of like faire and white With ruddy rose in such equallity That no excesse in them you may descrie And for to proue my saying to be true A pattern of my Art you may behold In Polican which if you marke and view I dare affirme is not to be controld Whom I must say and know it very well In beauty doth all others much excell Thus did this Dame of her most proudly say And sure she did not lie for true it was Her beauty full as much as doth the day Excell the night all others did surpasse Her body straight and middle fine and small Her hands exceeding white her stature tall And every other member whatsoere With due proportion was so fashioned That great simplicitie in me it were That am of Rethorick vnfurnished Her beawty to describe for sure t' was much And truth to say there ne're was any such And therefore thinke it best to make an end With her for that mine Author saith no more Concerning this But doth his purpose bend To show their Knightly valor and their power While that the siedge did last as you shall find In this discourse and thus he tels his mind WHen cold and shiuering winter gan decline And drew his frostie face from off the grouÌ„d Which made each tree flower to mourne whine When they in th' aire so cold no comfort found When Titan had cleane passed Aquarie And Pisces in the Moneth of Februarie And to the horned Ram his course did bend And on the mountaine tops his beames did smite And to each plant and tree did vigor send And caus'd the flakes of snow that are so white To melt and made the water to distill Downe from the same the valleys low to fill When th'â—ce which then vpon the Rivers flow'd Dissolved and with heate began to melt And with their streames the medowes overflow'd And to each ditch and pit their largesse dealt When as the most delightfull time of spring With new fresh greene did comfort every thing By Phoebus gentle heate and temperature Which then assends the sphere celestiall When March to Trees and hedges did procure 〈◊〉 â—lossomes and th'equinoxiall â—hen as both day and night are of a length Was halllowed and began to show his strength At that same season sweet and amorous The Greeks to show
their puissant force and might As they that were of hearts couragious Assembled many a stout and hardy Knight In Athens where a Navy huge they had And there their preparations all were made To sayle to Troy whose number was so great That never since this fatall world began So many Knights at once were knowne to meet Nor hath it ere been seene by any man That such a Navy was assembled As by the valiant Greeks as then was led Whereof to shew and make description What every Prince vnto the same did bring My Author sayth that King Agamemnon A hundred ships with men and every thing That needfull was prepared at his cost To joyne with that most huge and famous host King Menelaus the causer of that fleet From Sparta brought threescore great ships and tall Prothenor and King Archelaus there met With fiftie ships whereof some great some small From Sithmene with Duke Achedaphus Came threescore ships and with him Helenus The Kings Epistraphus and Thedaus Together brought full fiftie ships compleat King Telemon Aiax and Amphimachus Duke Theseus and Earle Dorion with a great And puissant Duke that was by name cald Tentar With that same fleet their fiftie ships did venter Nestor a Duke of furious mind and thought Whose choller was not easie to appease Full fiftie ships from Piron with him brought King Thoas and the King of Dianes A hundred ships had in their companie Well fraught with Knights of great activitie And Thelamon surnamed Pelâ—â—â— Had 36 ships in his leading King Polidete and stout Amphimacus Did thirtie ships from Calidonia bring King Merdon and Idameus from Creet Fourscore good ships had with them in that fleet Vlisses King of Thracia with him had Fiftie faire ships well furnished with men Duke Meleus and Prothecatus both made Provision of great ships in number ten And from the Isle of Philiarcha strong Prothesilaus brought 50 ships along Machon and his brother Polidrus Twenty two ships did bring well furnished From Trincico and out of Phicius Achilles did in his conduct then lead Iust Fiftie ships and from th'isle Rhodomus Came twenty ships with King Thelapobus And with a valiant Duke cald Antipus From Hesida Eleaven ships there came In company of Duke Amphimachus That partner was in furnishing the same Polibetheâ— the stout and valiant King Did fiftie ships from Recha with him bring And Duke Lifuisus bare him company Diomedes vnto this army brought Fowerscore great ships out of Caledony And with him came two Knights that honor sought The one of them they did Thelemus call The other was the mighty Duriall And with the valiant Knight Poliphebus Came seauen ships well rigd and furnished And in that puissant fleet King Phineus Eleauen ships at his command then led Prothoyelus of Demenesa King Did fiftie ships with him to Athens bring King Carpenor from fertile Capadie With fiftie ships in likewise thither came King Tricorius from his countrie Cald Borsa to win honor great and fame wenty two ships vnto that fleete did bring Well furnished with men and every thing And many ships more in that fleet there were Then Guydo in his Booke doth mention For that in honors works it doth appeare Whereas he seemes to make description Of all the Grecians ships they were so many Ahat ne're the like fleet had been seen of any Accounting those that with Palamides Came to their ayd the number to augment Which being ready their to put to Seas And to the Troians full destruction bent With many a valiant Lord Earle Duke King In Athens where they were assembling King Agamemnon generall of all That fleete a Prince discreet and very wise When as his charge to mind he gan to call Did study how he might best way devise In that most cerious businesse to proceed With honor as they fully had decreed Esteeming it a point of wisedome great To foresee all with care and diligence Their enterprise that nothing might it let Nor hinder their determined pretence That as with honor they began the same It might so end to their eternall fame Least that through hast and misadvisednesse They might oreshoot themselues and be deceiu'd And by orewhelming pride and wilfullnesse Of their conceiued glory be bereau'd He caused all the Lords and Princes great Which in the hoast together then were met To hold a counsell with him in the field Without the Towne of Athens where each one His reasons and his arguments might yeild About their warres as then in question And when they all together did appeare He spake and sayd to them as you shall heare My Lords and Princes all whose worthines Is such and of so great account and fame That in good truth I cannot but confesse The world is fild with glory of the same For without doubt the flower of Chivalry Is met together here in company For who ere saw so great a multitude Of valiant Knights assembled at one time So young so fresh and all so well indued With courage bold and in the very prime Of Youth as we amongst vs can afford And are together come with one accord So that if Fortune be not to contrary In this same warre by vs now tane in hand And that the Gods cause vs not to miscarry And our pretence of purpose doe withstand We doubt not but great honor we shall gaine And of our foes the victory obtaine For sure I deeme him wholly without sence And worse then mad that dares oppose or set Himselfe against our power to make defence Or any wayes our enterprise to let Or privily seekes to do to vs despight Or wrong but we full soone would him â—require For I could in this great assembly find An hundred Knights and more so fierce and bold And that doe beare so valerous a mind That with their forces onely durst and would Adventure for to take this warre in hand And valiantly our enemies withstand Presume then what our forces ioynd in one May doe against the Troians to requite The wrong that they of late to vs haue done For all you know how with their power and might They entred into Greece and bare away King Menelaus deare wife Queene Helena With many prisoners more and all the gold And treasure that in Cithera they might Lay hold vpon with reason then we should Not onely seeke revenge for that despight But boldly warre against them vndertake And I suppose we shall them so awake That they shall feare hereafter while they liue To be so bold to dare to take in hand The like attempt gainst vs or seeme to giue Occasion of dislike to Grecian land For which offence by them done to vs so late Our hearts within doe burne with deadly hate The heat whereof converts them to such ire That it renewes our rage and deadly paine And day by day so setteth vs on fire That we by no meanes longer can refraine But with all speed our mortall power advance For this our wrong on them
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 Iâ—â—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 clâ—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 mâ—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 theÌ„ 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 Oâ— 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
Thelaphus that did by chance perceiue What he would doe to him in hast did call And stepping forth did on his shield receaue The stroake and did Achilles friendly pray At his request his furious mood to stay And for a while in Knightlie curtesie To grant him life sith wounded sore he lay Before his feet and ready was to die For every Knight saith he his wrath should stay And on his foe some pittie ought to haue When he in humble wise doth mercie craue To whom Achilles said I marvaile why You seeme to craue that I should mercie show To him and spare his life who furiously With pride which in his heart did overslow Would not vnto our just request giue eare But without cause did armes against vs beare And with disdaine and meere presumption The Grecians in most furious wise assaild Though now against his expectation He findeth that it hath him nought availd And he himselfe is fallen into the snare Which for vs as he thought he did prepare Though we deseru'd no such thing at his hand As having no intent him to molest Nor yet by force t' invade him or his land So that if now he finds himselfe opprest He can it not deny but must confesse His rash attempt deserved hath no lesse But Thelaphus againe did him require Of knight-hood to take pittie on the King And for that time to grant to his desire For while said he my father was living He and king Tentran were confederate Though here as now he lies in woefull state With pale and deadlie face vpon the ground Expecting when his soule shall hence depart And for that heretofore I haue him found To beare a noble mind and Royall heart When I by chance past through his countrey Where he with all his Lords and chivalry Received and feasted me most Royally In every place where I did ride or goe Within his land So that humanitie Binds me the like vnto him now to show And in my mind his curtesie to beare Least men should say that to vnkind I weare Which might heereafter turne to my disgrace Wherefore that I in part may him requite I you beseech take pittie on his case And spare his life as yo' are a noble knight Whereto Achilles presently did yeild And there before his souldiers in the field King Tenteran vnto Thelaphus did giue To do with him as he should thinke it best Who to behold him in that case did grieue And at his heart with sorrow was opprest To see there was no other remedie But that of force he could not choose but die And when the sonne vnto the Westerne part With speed declind the battaile at an end And Tenteran did feele great paine and smart Yet no reliefe his woefull state could mend For that his wounds still more more did bleed His men made all the hast they could with speed To beare him thence vnto his court with ease And to that end they for a litter sent And layd him in 't and while he past the prease Thelaphus and Achilles by him went And to his Royall Pallace him contraid Where in his bed when as they had him laid Perceiving that he drew vnto his end For that his vitall spiriâ—s 〈◊〉 to faile And nature vnto him no force could lend Nor surgery noâ— Phisike ought prevaile Nor any comfort noâ— reliefe was left To him as then of worldly joyes bereft For Thelaphus and Achilles he did send And with a voice most feeble faint and weake And sighs and teares fast drawing to his end In woefull wise he did vnto them speake And said my Lords health honor high degree All worldly joy and great prosperitie I wish vnto you both with all my hart But specially to thee Prince Thelaphus Who at this time such favor doth â—mpart To me and art so kind and gratious That in my paines so grieuous and so strong Thou seek'st my life if 't might be to prolong But now alas there is no remedie But die I must and can it not withstand For as you see here prostrate I doe lie Expecting th'hower when from deaths cruell hand The fatall blow will come to pierce my hart And that my soule out of my corps shall part To make an end of all my miserie Which so much more increaseth in my hart To see the hower of death approach so nie And that out of this world I must depart And leaue no heires within this Isle to raigne The Crowne and Scepter thereof to maintaine When I am dead which by that meanes alas I feare will soone be spoyld and ouer-run Which I full loath would be should come to pas Sith that at first with labour great I won And conquered it and ever since by might And warlike force maintained haue my right Gainst all my foes for many yeaâ—es now past Yet once it had been lost without recure And I from thence had vtterly been chast But that I did the aid and helpe procure Of Hercules the stout and valiant Knight Who by his extreame force and passing might Which at this day is fresh in memorie And while the world indures shall ever bee Orecame and vanquished my enemie And did againe restore this Isle to mee And while he liu'd the feare of him was such And every man respected him so much That spight of all my foes I did enioy My Scepter and my Crowne in peace and rest And no man durst by word and deed annoy My quiet state nor me in ought molest Whereby it doth appeare this little Isle Belongs vnto the Kingdome of Cicile Where Hercules did place two pillars great Which at this day are extant to be seene And for perpetuall memorie there set To show how farre he in that land had beene Which pillars some men cald Columnia And others did them name Herculea Which Island once was in subiection Vnto the Mores and long time so remaind But after by the valiant Romaines won When they th'jmperiall diadem obtaind Of all the world and by their puissance Their names fames did farre wide advancâ— And after many valiant Conquerors Succeeded had each other by degree And of the Towne of Roome been Emperors And therein ruld with power and Majestie One Fredericke the second of that name That sometime was an Emperor in the samâ— And King of Cicile by inheritance Because he did a great affection beare Vnto that Isle and in remembrance Perpetuall of him therein did reare And make a huge and mightie Tower of bricke With walâ—es that were exceeding strong thicke And cause the aire was pleasant good sweet And that therein great store of flowers were Some Authors doe report he named it The new faire land which name long time it beare And was therein by vse continued Till that the Emperor Fredericke was dead But to returne vnto King Tenteran WheÌ„ he had vsâ—â—â—e speech which you haue heard And that he did perceiue his life began To draw vnto an end
blowes of fierce Palamides strong hand Who all that day had fought so valiantly And wounded kild and brauely beaten down The Troians that at last he made them flie In all the hast they could vnto the towne With cries and shouts and in great feare doubt Whereat Prince Hector mou'd in hast came out With countenaÌ„ce fierce like Mars the god of warr As beeing of all Worthies worthiest That ever any earthly woman bare And of all men the strong'st and hardiest For as the Sun with beames most cleare bright Excells the starres so did this worthy Knight Surpasse all other Knights that ever were And sure it was a most delightfull sight To see him arm'd so brauely he did beare Them when he road into the field to fight Wherein he was a Load-stone and a guide To all and every Knight both farre and wide Who entring richly arm'd into the field Vpon a lusty strong and goodly steed Did for his armes beare on a golden shield Three furious Lyons passant as I read But what the colours were I doe not know The which did make a faire and gallant show Vpon the brest of that most worthy Knight When as with all his troopes he entered Amongst the Greeks at whose aproach the sight Of him alone abasht them all he led Them through the thickst of them so furiously And therewithall such mightie blowes let flie And kild beat downe and wounded them so fast That no man could his mightie force withstand And in despight of all the Greeks he past Couragiously with glistring sword in hand And severed all their rancks and neuer left Till hundreds of their liues he had bereft Still ryding too and fro throughout the field And beat and bare downe all that in his way He found and at the last as he beheld Prothesilaus who valiantly that day Kild and pursued the Troians furiously And beat them downe with extreame cruelty Such mortall hatred vnto them he had And to his valiant chivalry tooke heed And saw what slaughter of his men he made He was so mou'd that straight he turn'd his steed To him and with his bloody sword he gaue Him such a blow that it in sunder claue His helmet and his head and did not rest But past through every sinew bone and vaine That were within his body and his brest And forcibly did cut him cleane in twaine And with that fatall blow and deadly wound His body in two parts fell to the ground On each side of his horse Which done he road Amongst the Grecian Knights couragiously And bath'd his trenchant sword within their blood So that as farre as ere they could him spie They fled to saue their liues for none durst stand To feele the waight of his victorious hand They feard it so and more did it admire It t' was so strong and of such passing might And for that cause they askt and did inquire What Knight he was that did so brauely fight Supposing that in all the world so round A worthier Knight was not for to be found Vnlesse it were Prince Hector And at last They felt too well by proofe that it was he Who in his daies all other Knights surpast As th' onely Myrror of all chivalry For none of all the Grecians durst adventer Against him hand to hand in fight to enter Of all that day so terribly he beat And draue them downe before them to the strand Sore wearied wounded breathlesse and all wet Close to the Sea whereas he let them stand And like a most triumphant Knight went backe To Troy againe his rest a while to take Who being gone the Greeks somewhat releast Of former feare perplexitie and griefe Began againe to vow and to protest If fortune would vouchsafe them some reliefe With valiant hearts to venture life and lim Vpon their foes the field againe to win The which from morning that the fight begon With great and extreame labor losse and paine Eight times that day they valiantly had won And lost the same as many times againe For as Dame fortunes slippery wheele turn'd round So they that day did win and lose there ground But Hectors valiant entry in the field Was th' onely thing that did them most dismay Who spight their hearts â—â— such a bay them held That none of them before his face durst stay For he alone with sword in hand did driue Them to the place where first they did ariue And closely held them there with great despight As long as he did in the field remaine Which was till that it gan to draw to night At which time he returnd to Troy againe But then more Greeks vpon the shoare ariu'd With cruell fierce Achilles which reuiu'd And comforted the Grecians hearts so well That they againe assaild the Troians And by Achilles ayd which did excell In valor all the other Grecians They beate them backe and draue them to the plaine And by that meanes did win the field againe In which conflict Achilles did pursue The Troians in such wise that he onely For his part many hundreds of them slew And at that time had in his company Three thousand knights in glistring armor bright Who likewise were so hot and fierce in fight That with their Prince th' only champion Of all the Greeks they â—lew their foes so fast And cruelly not sparing any one That many of the Troians fled in hast To saue their liues such was their rage and ire Which in the Grecians hearts did burne like fire Against the Troian Knights but specially Achilles tooke great pleasure and delight To beate them downe and to behold them lie In heapes vpon the ground and with despight That day to die and bath his sword in blood Which in the plaine ran like vnto a flood Such hatred in his heart he did conceiue And still increast it with such cruelty That nothing but their deaths could it bereaue Out of his mind the which to satisfie He never left with all his Knights so fast To kill beat downe and wound them that at last With dreadfull noyse and cries he made them run Vnto the gates of Troy where while they fought To saue their liues and therewithall to sâ—un His fierce and cruell blowes it holp them nought For that meane time the Grecians got to land Withall their power and force and from the straÌ„d Marcht with so great a multitude of men That th' onely sight of them did terrifie The Troians fearefull hearts but much more when They saw that with most great extremitie They could not chuse but must perforce abide A hard and cruell fight on every side Which by the Grecian Knights couragiously Was giuen so that with hearts discouraged And cleane dismaid they were constraind to 〈◊〉 Into the towne where as they entered Achilles did so hotly them pursue That many of them before the gates he slew And at that time made such occision And slaughter of the Troians that at last It would haue
Leather covered were And some their enemies furious force withstood With shields of steele of length froÌ„ head to foot Some with their bows arrows fiercely shoot Some with their swords some with their darts in haÌ„d Some with a foure squar'd headed Pollax fight And some with Cros-bows with Pikes do stand Prepar'd to show their valor and their might And every one desiring for to doo 't Stood ready there on horsbacke or on foot After the manner of his Country And while they staid each one his armes did mend In every place whereas necessitie Requir'd the same the better to defend His body but in tearmes of Art to show What there vnto belongs or let you know More touching this I must my selfe excuse And pardon craue if therein I do misse For sure t is not the thing which I doe vse A Pen and not a Pike my weapon is T is want of skill breeds imperfection In me to make a right description Thereof in marshall tearmes as some men could But vnto him that 's wise I will referre My selfe herein and pray him that he would His censure mildly in this case deferre And such defects as he shall iustly find To winke thereat and beare them in his mind When Hector had them all well viewd and saw What power assembled in the field there was With speed he did each one command to draw Aside and then in ranks he did them place Which done in marshall wise he did ordaine His battailes orderly within the plaine And then he caus'd the gate Dardanides To be vnbard and to be opned wide Intending thereat gainst his enemies To salie forth and valiantly to bide A battaile whatsoever did befall And then his Bastard brother he did call That had to name Cincinabor the stour And valiant Glaucus Prince of Licia Land To whome by him of purpose chosen out He did appoint the leading of the band Which first that day against the Greeks in field Should fight to which they willingly did yeeld And in that wing a thousand knights there were Which purposely he chose out of them all And did command them valiantly to beare The forefront of the battaile and to fall Couragiously vpon their Grecian foe Which said out at the gate he bad them goâ— Who with their banners spred that shined bright Their armors and their sheilds that glistered Against the Sun did make a goodly sight When they vpon the enemie were led But least that they should be opprest by might And overlayd by multitudes in fight To second them he did appoint a band Of valiant Knights that iust a thousand were Commanding it in readines to stand To succour them and Grecians force to beare If need requir'd The charge whereof he gaue Vnto the King of Thrace stout and braue And with him ioynd his Son Arâ—â—â—agâ—â— A Prince endowed with good qualities For he was wise and very vertuoues Strong and most hardy gainst his enemies Those two the second wing together â—â—d And valiant 〈◊〉 followed The battaile that next after issued Out of the towne against the enemie By Hector was commanded to beled By two braue Kings of worthie memorie The one the Phrigian King cald Zantippus The other ioynd with him cald Alcanus In it three thousand knights well arm'd there were All resolutelie bent to trie their might Against the Greekes and everie one did beare A severall armes which was no small delight To those that stood to see them passe arraid So gallantly with banners broad displaid Then Hector cald his brother Troyelus A Knight of great desert and worthy fame And one that was so stout and valorous That every man extold him for the same To whome he gaue the charge and goverment Of those that he within the third wing sent That day against the Greekes wherein there was Three thousand braue gallant Knights that were All yong and of couragious hearts such as At other times him company did beare Who as he passed forward Hector staid And lovingly spake vnto him and said Brother quoth he my care of thee is such Moou'd therevnto by perfect amitie That though I know thy valor to be much And therein take a great felicitie For every man for it doth thee commend And shall do till this mortall world doth end Yet when I thinke vpon thy valiantnes And cald to mind thy yong and tender yeares Which commonly are given to wilfulnes I fall into a thousand kind of feares Least that thy courage fierce and violent Should make thee of thy life so negligent By over great presumption of thy might And pride of heart that it would thee perswade With ease to shun what ere on thee should light And out of all extreamities to wade Regarding neither hurt nor safety If once thy youthfull bloud should moued be Reposing trust in fortune mutable Which turns her wheele now vp then downe again And evermore is crosse and variable In warre when men thinâ—â— honour to obtaine Which causeth me full oftentimes to wake When I should sleepe and care for thee to take Fearing thy great and hastie wilfulnesse But deare and louing brother I thee pray What ere befals thee in thy hardinesse To haue regard vnto thy selfe this day And following of thy enemies take care Thou entrest not into their troopes so farre That thou canst not relieue thy selfe againe Let reason rule thy hote and furious mind And bridle thy affection with her raine Least thou an vnexpected danger find And giue our enmies cause to laugh and geere At thy so great misfortune brother deare And so beseeching Mars the God of warre This day and evermore thee to defend From all mishap and of thee to haue care Against thy Grecian foes I doe thee send To trie thy force wishing with heart to thee As to my selfe triumphant victorie To whome this valiant fierce and hardy Knight Young Troyclus whome no adversitie Could ever daunt with heart most fierce light Made answere with most great humilitie And yet with countnance glad ioyfull cheare Saying my Lord and my good brother deare I ft please the Gods I will to you obay And what advise so ere of gentlenesse To me you giue and shall command or say I will the same fulfill with readinesse For t is not my desire nor my intent T' infringe one point of your commandement But willingly with heart t' effect the same As farre as in my power it lyeth to doe So loath I am for to incurre the blame Of any disobedience shewed to you And truth to say my heart it sore would grieue And therewithall of Hector tooke his leaue And forth he road so like a valiant Knight Amongst his men and entred in the field With so great grace that t' was a goodly sight To looke on him who on an axure shield Three Lyons passant on 't did brauely beare And gainst the Greeks road forward without feare Young Troylus gone Prince Hector did ordaine The fourth ward and
fill As messengers and signes of shedding bloud Were â—eard in every place throughout the Campe And prancing steeds with fierce and furious mood Vpon the ground their feet did beat and stampe And neigh and some at mouth on either side Attending signes of battaile with great pride Both Greeks and Troyans longing sore to trie Their knightly force and valors in the field Each one that day against the enemie And readie prest with furious looke beheld Their deadly foes there standing in the place Which from each other was but little space Till that the battailes first in order set On either side remou'd and forward went And in most furious wise together met Where Hector that in heart was discontent And formost on the Troyans side did stand Vpon his horse with mighty Lance in hand Whose wrath and ire by no meanes could asswage Like fierce and cruell Lyon that for pray With hungry mood doth hunt in furious rage Against the Greeks first onset gaue that day And ran so fast vpon his gallant steed That with his spurs he made his sides to bleed His Knightly heart so much was set on fire With mortall wrath and hate revenge to take Which when the Greeks did see with great desire They also for their parts like hast did make T' advance themselues and first without abode Patroclus that the formost of them rode In proud and hautie manner spurd his horse T' encounter Hector fiercly in the field And with a speare that was of mightie force Road vnto him and hit him on the shield So great and strong a blow that with the same He pierst it through with such a force it came But hurt him not at all for that it brake Yet with the point through plate male did passe And did a hole within his harnas make But neither brest nor skin of his did race And though with most great violence it came Yet could he not stirre Hector with the same Nor make him once out of his sadle rise Nor backeward nor yet forward for to yeeld Nor yet t' incline himselfe in any wise Vpon his horse so fast thereon he held But Hector vnto his confusion Most like a strong and puissant Champion Cast downe his speare with his sword in hand In furious wise vnto himselfe he swore That spight of all that durst or would 't with stand Patroclus at that time should die therefore And therewith such a blow vnto him gaue That with the strength thereof his head he claue In sunder to the brest and then againe A second blow him gaue withall his force Which finally his body claue in twaine Wherewith Patroclus tell off from his horse With pale and deadly face vpon the ground As he that had receau'd his mortall woâ—â—â— In presence of his men and in the sight Of all the Greekes and then without delay Hector off from his horse with speed did light And like a Lyon fell that seekes for pray Determin'd in his heart that burnt like fire Against his Grecian foes with great desire To spoyle Patroclus of his armes that were So gallant rich and sumptuous to behold As being set with precious stones most cleare In chast and richly gilt with purest gold For then great Lords and Princes vs'd to beare Most sumptuous arms wheÌ„ as in field they were And to that end while he was busied With couetous desire to take his pray In sight of all the Greekes his horse he led In one hand by the reine and thought to lay The body of Patroclus on the same But ere 't was done King Menon thither came And with three thousand Knights inclos'd him round Who all together hotely him assail'd Whereas so great resistance then he found That of his purpose at that time he faild And forced was to let Patroclus lie For to resist the force of th' enemie Which caused him in boyling rage to fall To whome King Menon fell and furious The spake and said in presence of them all O greedy Wolfe and Tygar ravinous O Lyon fierce and beast insatiable Whose avarice is most vnreasonable Vpon this prey as now thou shalt not feed Go seeke elsewhere for other carrion For fifty thousand men haue all decreed This day to worke thy sole destruction And that they may in their intent prevaile Thy hatefull pride at once they wâ—ll assaile And then in furious wise on him they set With Launces swords and other weapons more And on him as vpon an anvile beat On every side behind and eke before With full pretence his horse from him to take And what so ere resistance he could make For all his valor force and puissant might He was constraind to fall vpon his knee But like a most couragious hardy Knight By passing strength and magnanimitie Despight of all the Greeks he did by force 〈◊〉 vp againe vpon his gallant horse And to King Menon road with furious mood And heart possest with extreame cruelty Wherein his sole delight and pleasure stood And without doubt had slaine him presently If that three thousand knights chivalerous With Theseus Glaucus and Archilagus Had not in time to rescue him come thither Who all with one consent and great despight Agreed to follow Hector and together In furious wise to kill him if they might But nere the lesse who sâ—ere did him assaile Was surely kild for nought could him prevaile Against his puissant arme and trenchant blade So that the Greeke that met with him that day Need take no care for ransome to be made To saue his life for ere he scapt away He was most certaine without doubt to die So that for feare each one from him did flie Whereby he had the meanes to breake the prease Of those that did enclose him round about And where so ere he road he did not cease To kill and beat them downe till he got out And made a path before him smooth plaine Vntill he came vnto the place againe Whereas the body of Patroclus lay To spoyle him of his armor if he might And fore him on his horse to beare 't away In view of all the Greeks to their despight And at that time had surely had the same But that King Idumeus thither came And with him broght two thousa'd knights of â—reeâ— Where he was King that did inclose him round And valiantly on all â—ides on him set While he vnarm'd Patroclus on the ground And to them came a king cald Merion Although at last to his confusion And ere that Hector could about him looke Despight of all his valor and his might His gallant horse perforce from him they tooke Whereby he was compeld on foot to fight But yet his knightly heart they could not feare For with his sword he slew all that were neare Or him withstood and at that time began To hacke and hew the Greeks on euery side And t'cuâ— off armes legs of horse and man That none of them before him durst abide For he in
and not relieu'd the blame And worthily will turne vpon your head For if with speed you do him not relieue Men will report and verily belieue That onely by your meanes it came to passe That Troyelus this day had this mischance And by the Grecians prisoner taken was Let vs then to that end our selues advance And valiantly our honors herein saue That no discredite we thereby may haue Wherewith the worthie King cald Alchanus Was so much moou'd in heart that presentlie Like to a Lyon fierce and furious He tooke a speare in hand and sodainlie Did spur his horse as fast as ere he might And after road till that he had a fight Of those that yong Prince Troyelus prisner led And with his speare ran at a Grecian Knight And pierst him to the heart that he fell dead Vpon the ground and then againe did smite Another Grecian Knight with such a force That he not onlie cast him off his horse But with his mightie Launce did pierce him cleane Through 's body sholder bone armor strong So that the steely point thereof was seene Out at his backe at least a handfull long And then the Phrigian Knights as thicke as haile Came riding downe did the Greeks assaile With so great courage and dexterity That maugre all resistance they could make They did procure Prince Troyelus liberty And him out of their hands by force did take And help't him to his horse againe with speed Whereof as then he had no little need And with them also was King Zaâ—â—ippus Who when he saw Duke Menestes with speed And with a noble heâ—â—t and valorous In furious wise he spurd his lusty steed And run at him with speare in hand so fast That with the blow through sheild male he past With so great force that without doubt he had Been slaine if that his armes had not been good But Menestes was furious wood and mâ—d And raging freâ—â—ing â—â—ming chasing stood And like an Aspen leaâ—e with anger shooke Because the Troyans Troyelus from him tooke Despight of him and all his Chivalty And foming like a Bore at mouth did baâ—le And to th Athenian Knights aloud did cry To will them on the Troyan Knights to fall And be reveng'd on them for that disgrace Before that they should stir out of that place Wherewith they all at once with fury great The Troyans did assaile right valiantly And for their parts they likewise did not let To fall vpon the Greekes couragioussie And then began a fierce and furious fight And did so fiercely one the other smight That fire out of their sheilds armes did fly And sparkle all abroad in fearefull wiâ—e And many a valiant Knight that day did die And in the field cast our most dolefull cries Of life or death they tooke as then no heed For that they had determin'd and decreed Each other to destroy confound and kill And furiously to worke their enemies bane And at that time the battailes that stood still On every side came downe into the plaine And with most pale and deadly faces met And on each other valiantly did set With hote and burning jre so that as then Nought else but blows of Launces sword darâ— Were heard and seene within the field and men Did shout and cry alowd and on each part The fight began in such sort to renew That many a man in fine the same did rew For Hector like a most renowned Knight So furiously still on the Greekes did set And with most puissant blows and passing might Did kill beat downe maime all those he metâ— And mercilesse with extreame cruelty Did them confound that pitty t' was to see And Menestes with heart repleat with spight Because his pris ner Troyelus had beene tane So forcibly from him and that in fight His men had then so many of them been slaine Where so ere he road in furious wise did slay Beat downe wound fore him draue away The Troyan knights that he might take revenge For th' iniuries that they to him had done And as he round the field about did range Like Wolfe for prey and here and there did run In furious wiâ—e to kill his enemies He met a Troyan knight cal'd Miseres Who in despight of all his Chivalrie His pris ner worthie Troyelus had tane By force from him that day and set him free And some of his Athenian knights had slaine And knowing him againe by th' armes he bare Vpon his shield before he was aware And ere of him he once tooke heed or care He spurd his horse ran at him in hast And mongst the ranks of Troyans that were there Him to the ground out of his saddle cast Then to the field on Troyans side there came A valiant King that Hupon had to name That with him full two thousand knights did bring Who on the Greekes in furious wise did set And to encounter them for Greekes a king Cald Prothenor couragiously did meet And Archelius the noble warrior That of Boetia Land was Governor Who with the ayd of valiant Prothenor The Troyans did assaile as cruelly As he had been a Tygar or a Bore And Prothenor himselfe couragiously Did also many a Troyan fiercely slay But Hupon by his valor great did stay Their furious moods and through his Chivalry Not only did the Troyans then defend But in most cruell wise and furiously Brought many Grecian knights vnto their end And thus twixt them the fight then equall was Till that the worthy knight Polidamas Anthenors sonne that valiantly did ride Before his knights amongst the Greekes did enter And brauely them assaild on every side And by that meanes did breake their ranks asunder And cruelly kild many a Grecian knight For they could not resist against his might He was so hardy stout and furious And for to second him the worthy king Cald Remus that of knights chivalerous Three thousand to the field with him did bring Into the battaile came and there did fight So valiantly and with such force and might That all the Troyan knights that him beheld Tooke great delight were exceeding glad To see him kill chase the Greekes in field And that such havocke of them there he made Whereby as then great noyse of strokes cries Within the field was heard and gan to rise And while king Remus in this sort still â—ights And on the Greeks in furious wise did set King Menelaus with all his Spartane knights Into the battaile proudly came to let And to restraine king Remus in his course And to that end set spurres vnto his horse And valiantly vpon king Remus set And Remus likewise gainst him road as fast And with their speares so furiously they met That each the other to the ground did cast For in their course they did so fiercely run That neither of theÌ„ each others blows could shun Meane time the valiant knight Pollidamus Who onely sought to honor to
where euer they theÌ„ find Which was the cause that Hoctor mou'd in mind Of Knighthood and of inward ameâ—ie When he in Aiax did such valor find Vnto him spake and said in curtesie Nephew if thou the Grecians wâ—lâ— forsake And come to Troy I dare well vndertake Of thine alies and noble kindred Thou shalt receaued be with chearefull mood And welcommed without all feare or dread And specially by those of Royall blood And such as are of Princely high degre The which me thinks great pleasure were to thee And naturally thou shouldst in heart be glad To liue among thy friends that wish thee good Sith that no greater joy there ean be had Then to restore thy selfe vnto thy blood For by the valor great that thou do'st show Which naturally within thy heart doth grow I know thou art of Troian blood descended Forsake the Greeks therefore withall thy heart That long and often times haue vs offended And willingly gainst them with vs take part I pray thee doe me not herein deny But Aiax answere made and did reply And sayd sith that by birth he was a Greeke And from the time of his Nativitie Among them had been bred and fostredeke And had receiu'd the order and degree Of Knight-hood there armes for theÌ„ had borne And thereto had protested vou'd and sworne For to be true to them and to their Nation He said he would obserue and keepe their hest And would of blood make no exception Onely he did of Hector then request That if in courtesie and gentlenesse He would of Knight-hood and of worthinesse Show vnto him so great affection To cause the Troians forces to retire And to withdraw themselues into the towne And leaue them and their tents at his desire And for that time their furious fight to stay And to assaile the Greeks no more that day Sith vnto them saith he it may suffise That in the field they haue the victory And by their valors great in Knightly wise Haue overcome the Greeks triumphantly He sayd he would the same most kindly take And him thereby to him beholding make Which Hector straight did graunt although alas T' was done with two much hast and wilfulnesse And sodainly ere Aiax thence did passe Made no delay without advisednesse But caus'd a Trompet in the field to blow To giue the Troian Knights thereby to know That t' was his will they should themselues withdraw According to the custome of the warre And of the old and ancient Marshall law Which alwaies hath been vsed neere and farre When they most hot and earnest were to fight And gainst the Greeks to show their force might And had them forst to flie vnto the strand Intending there with full and great desire For that the Greeks could not their force withstaÌ„d To kill them all and set their ships on fire And so to worke their whole confusion Which they without all doubt that time had don If Hector had not had compassion On them and causd the Troians to retire Vnto the towne without discretion T' accomplish that which Aiax doth require And fight no more against the Greeks that day The which at last did breed his owne decay With th'vtter ruine and subversion Of Priamus and all his whole estate And finally the townes destruction But sure it was their hard and cruell Fate For no man can withstand the iust decree Of God though nere so great a Prince he bec CHAP. II. â— How the Grecians made suite to King Priamus to grant theâ—â—â— truce for eight weekes which he agreed vnto and of their baâ—tailes after the truce was ended THus haue you heard as Gâ—â—do doth declare What twixt the Greeks Troians had bâ—n don That day in field and how the Troians were By Hector when they had the battaile won Commanded to retire and go their way Out of the field and fight no more that day To whom although they willingly obayd Because he was their Prince and Generall Of all the hoast and might not be denaid Yet had they knowne what after should befall Without all doubt they would it not haue don But no man fatall Destiny can shon For from that time they might assuredly Say farewell honour victory and fame From Troians tane by perverse Desteny And Fortune that most false and cruell Dame Who vnto them a mortall foe still waâ— But for a while I le let that matter passe And now I will proceed and further show That when the Troian Knights the field did leaue Vpon the sound of Trompet that did blow And did themselues of victory bereaue Supposing that they did it for the bestâ— They went into the towne to take their rest Where hauing shut their gates and made them fast When they had well refresht themselues that night They layd them downe to sleepe which being past WheÌ„ Phoebus shone next day most cleare bright And with his beames reflect their hemisphere And made Auroraes glistring face t' appeare All those that had no wounds armes could beare Of purpose did prepare themselues to enter Into the field as they commanded were And valiantly against their foes to venter To overcome them that day if they might For t' was decreed by Hector overnight That fore the Sun that morning did appeare Assoone as ere they wakt they forth should goe And to that end no time they did deferre But speedily themselues in armes did shoe Within the large and spacious plaine whereas The Temple of Diana placed was And therefore Hector staid But ere they went Out of the towne of Troy into the field The Grecians early in the morning sent To Priamus to craue of him to yeild And grant vnto a truce that should abide For two moneths space which he not once deâ—â—de But with consent of Hector and the rest Of all his Marshall counsell did agree And willingly did yeild at their request That it on his behalfe obseru'd should bee And they likewise did promise for their part To doe the like and so they did depart Vnto their tents where while the truce did last They buried all their men that had been kild When they did land and on the day forepast According to the Pay-nim lawes they held And which by them observed was as then Where all the bodies of the meaner men Were burnt and cleane consum'd to ashes pure And such as were of great and high degree Had other kind of Princely sepulture According to their state and dignitie And in that sort the time did ouerpasse Till the two moneths of truce expired was In which time it is sayd Achilles made Much sorrow and such griefe in mind conceiud For his deare friend Patroclus death that sad And full of woe he was and cleane bereau'd Of ioy whereby great lamentation Long time he made with much affection For him and sith he lou'd him as I say To haue him still in memory he made A tombe to be set vp of Marble gray To bury him
therein For then they had A custome to intombe and bury those That Princes were and richly to inclose Their bodies faire in tombes most brauely made And so Patroclus and Prothesilaus Were buried in solemne wise and lay Together yet in severall tombes and thus The Grecians in their tents without still lay While Troians in the towne likewise did stay To cure their men that wounded were in fight And to recouer health and strength againe To those that sâ—re diseased were and might Not stirre themselues for dolor griefe and paine And in that cruell fight much blood had shed And ere the two moneths truce was finished Such diligence did vse that every man Was whole and sound but Priamus the King Made so great sorrow for Cassibellan That he would not be mou'd for any thing To cease his griefe but still he sobd and wept And while the corse aboue the ground was kept He caus'd a tombe of metall curiously Ingrau'd and wrought for to be made and when T' was finished and with solemnity In Venus Temple set and placed then He held a great and stately funerall For him and there accompanied with all His Lords vnto God Mâ—â—â— were offered His honors as his helmet sword and shield And last of all his braue and gallant steed The which when as Cassandra beheld And saw how all the company did crie And made great mone and sighed bitterly For him and with great lamentation For all their friends that likewise had been slaine And lost their liues in fight before the towne She was so grieu'd that she could not refraine To cry and sayd alas and well away That ere we saw this cursed dolefull day Oh most vnhappy wretches that you bee I st possible that ere you should indure The troubles and the woes that you shall see The which the Greeks vnto you will procure While they besiedge you round on euery side And seeke to be reuenged on your pride Most certaine t is that full well I know You can it not avoid for without doubt They will to you no grace nor mercy show But ere that many yeares shall come about They le kill and slay you cruelly each one And neuer leaue the siedge tell it be done Alas alas why do you not in time Seeke with your Grecian foes to make a peace While that the warre as yet is in the prime And fore the sword of vengeance mercilesse And old and young doth execution And brings this towne vnto destruction When all the streets therein with children small In woefull mothers armes heapt vp shall lie With gastly wounds and faces dead and pale Slaine by the Grecians furious cruelty And Maydens into Greece shall captiues goe And there bewaile in miserie and woe Their servitude and losse of this our towne That is so rich so famous and renownd Which by the Greeks shall sure be beaten downe And vtterly defaced to the ground And we perforce with patience must it beare Alas wee buy Queene Helena too deare Sith for her foule and vnadvised rape All we shall die a death most pittious Yong old rich poore not any one shall scape The wrath of them shall be so furious Gainst vs and ours and there 's no remedy But onely death to end our miserie And thus did she with pittious noyse and cry Forewarne the King her bretheren and all Within the towne into what miseries By pride and their presumption they should fall And like to one that 's mad in every street Run vp and downe told it all she meet Till Priamus her furious mood to stay Did cause her to be shut in prison fast And bound with chaines and in that sort she lay Close kept the while the Grecians siege did last And could not once be heard for no man would Belieue nor credite her though truth she told For neither wisedome nor discretion Counsell nor wit advise nor providence Truth reason nor yet good perswasion Can ought availe whereas no audience Is given thereto For were man nere so wise In counselling by wisedome or advise And could by perfect art and learning know What could in time hereafter come to passe And would the same vnto the world foreshow The obstinate would count him but an asse For counsell with a foole prevaileth nought Nor truth likewise how deare so ere t is bought As we may by Cassandra see full well Who though she did such wholesome counsell giue To them of Troye and did the truth foretell Of their decay they would her not belieue But cast her into prison Where a while I le leaue her to the Greeks to turne my stile And now will shew how king Palamides While that the Greeks these two months still did lie Was so possest with envies foule disease That he disdaind and grudged scornfully At all the Grecian Princes that gaue voyce And of King Agamemnon made their choyse To be the chiefe and Generall of that hoast And of so many Kings and Princes great That there assembled were from every coast Throughout the world and said he was not meet Nor worthy of so great authority And that himselfe of greater dignity Among the Grecaâ—â—ns was and bare more sway Then ere he did and fore them all dem'd To follow him or his command t' obay And said he would no longer there abide To yeeld to him the least subiection Sith he was not at his election Affirming that when choise of him they made There was no more but three Kings present there That thereto gaue consent and voyces had And thirtie Kings at least then absent were And therefore swone it was not his intent Nor will that he should haue that government Here may you see and perfectly behold What mischiefe breedeth by contention Mong Princes and Commanders great that shold Agree in one without dissention But envie and desire of rule is cause That makes men breake the God of peace his laws This cursed vice is cause of troubles great And mischiefes that in many Countries bee For when in Princes hearts it once doth get And maketh them contend and disagree That Kingdome cannot prosper nor encrease Till they agree againe and liue in peace The which the Greeks considering well forbare To giue consent vnto Palamides And wisely sought by good advise and care To stop the course of envies sore disease And wrought so well with him that in the end He was content t' agree and not contend With them therein but willing was to yeeld Vnto their choyse and did from strife surcease But now I le shew how they did meet in field On either side againe when as the peace Was ended and their battails did ordaine Before the towne of Troye vpon the plaine The truce expyr'd King Agamemnon made A muster of the Greeks in generall And with all speed assoone as ere he had Pervsed them he did the Princes call Together vnto him and forth of hand Appointed vnto every one a band By them to be conducted
such a blow That with the same he bled exceedingly Wherewith he was in heart offended so That furiously vnto him straight he went And ere that he his bow againe had bent Stept into him and with exceeding force Gaue such a dangerous deepe and fatall wouâ—d Vnto that monster Demy man and horse That dead he fell down groueling on the ground Whose death when as the Grecians did behold Abandoning all feare with courage bold They did vpon the Troians set agâ—â—â—â— And furiously constrained them to â—â—iâ— And to retire in hast into the plaine Where Duke Policinare most valiantly Great store of them did of their liues bereaue Whose crueltie when Hector did perceiue In furious wise he did vpon him set And slew him with his sword wiâ—h great despight And then as he by chance Achilles met Couragiously and like a hardy Knight With launce in rest he ran at him amaine And he at him with purpose to haue slaine Each th' other if they might and in their wroth So fiercely strake each other on the shield That with their blowes they were vnhorsed both And laid along flat downe vpon the field But fierce Achilles with dispightfull hart First vp againe into his sadle start And sought by all the meanes he could to take Gallathe Hectors horse if that he might With full intent a prey thereof to make And hauing tane't to Hectors great despight He gau 't his men to lead out of the field And Hoctor by that meanes was then compeld To fight on foot amongst his deadly foes Who in most furious wise on them did fall And kild and beat them downe with mighty blowes And then vnto his Troian Knights did call And willed them vpon the Greeks to set And forcibly his horse from them to get And they in hast to rescue it againe Achilles did assaile and gainst his will Tooke it by force from him vpon the plaine And brought it vnto Hector who the while The Grecians fiercely slew with great despight And then by force most like a valiant Knight Despight of all that round about him keapt And like Smiths on an anvell at him stroke Vpon his gallant horses backe he leapt And by maine â—orce through thickest of them broke And then againe so fiercely with them fought That they his wrath and anger dearely bought And mongst them riding bramely here and there Like Lion strong the Greeks did wound and slay So furiously that cleane poâ—â—est with feare As death his sword they shun'd and fled away And by that meanes the Troians did begin Vpon the Greeks the field againe to win But it befell in 〈◊〉 so furious fight That vnawares Anthenor went so farre Amongst the Greeks that by maine force might They did him for their prisoner take and bare Him straight froÌ„ theÌ„ce vnto their tents with speed And yet his sonne to helpe him at his need Spard neither paine nor valor to relieue And rescue him but all was labor lost For which at heart he did so free and grieue That many a Grecians life that time it cost By valor great which he as then did show But for because the sonne then waxed low And it began in hast to draw to night They made an end and fought no more as then Because at that same time they wanted light And either side retired with their men The Greeks vnto their tents vpon the plaine The Troians went into the towne againe And rested there till morning did appeare When Phoebus gan his glistring beames to shew And Dame Aurora with most ioyfull cheare The hearbs and flowers did moisten with her deaw And hungd her siluer drops like pearles fine On euery bush which gainst the Sun did shine And show themselues so orient and so cleare On every valley hill and pleasant greene In morning when the Crimson clouds appeare And in the skies most beautifull are seene Vntill the heat of Phoebus glistring beames Dries vp their moisture with his fiery streames And makes the vaper mount into the aire When as the skie did not exceed with heat And that the weather shew'd both cleare and faire Which time the Troians purposed to meet Then foes and with most braue warlike show In order plast into the field did goe Gainst whom likewise the Grecians valiantly Did goe into the field and when they met And each the others armies did espie They did vpon each other fiercely set And presently great store of launces broke And many a mighty strong and cruell stroke On either side was giuen and many a shield With axes billes and trenchant â—ades were clâ—â— And many a Knight sore wounded in the field In little space was of his life bereft And such a cruel laughter there was then On either side that many thousand men That day were brought vnto confusion But greatest losse on Troians side did fall Yet Guido of no Prince makes mention That then was slaine but speakes in generall And saith that cruell fierce and bloody fight Betweene them held from morning vnto night Which Troians for their parts full dearely bought For Fortune then vnto them was no friend But rather with the Grecians gainst them fought And so when day did draw vnto an end The Troians went againe into the towne The while the Greeks vnto their tents went down And there did rest till they againe could see At which time all the Grecian Princes met And mongst them did with one consent agree To send vnto the towne of Troy to get A truce for 3 moneths space to which intent Ulisses and fierce Diomede were sent That message vnto Priamus to beare And when vnto the gates of Troy they came A Troian Knight cald Dolon met them there And courteously convaid them through the same And brought them to King Priams royall hall Where he then sat amongst his Princes all Where they to him their message briefely told Which was a truce for 3 moneths space to haue If he would be content the same to hold To whom the King a friendly countenance gaue And sayd he would advise of counsell take And then to them he would an answere make And they did all agree and were content To yeild vnto the Greeks in that respect Saue Hector who thereto would not consent But at the first their motion did reiect And did affirme that t' was but meere deceit By them then vsed of Priam time to get And that two things them therevnto procur'd First that they might haue time and libertie To bury all their dead while truce endur'd And vnder colour thereof secretly More victualls to prouide which they did want And which as now with them was very scant And by that meanes the famine to preuent Which then was in their campe with pollicie He sayd he knew was only to th' intent That they the longer there in siege might lie And being well prouided of each thing That needfull is sayd he they might vs bring While they increase and we decrease our store
sho According to the Pagans ancient rights The funerall was there accomplished In presence of great multitudes of Knights And Lords and Ladies faire who then did shead Great store of teares with much affection And on their knees fell downe before the throne Whereas the corps of that most worthy Knight Vnburied stood vpright vpon his feet And seemd as fresh and faire vnto the sight By vertue of the precious gums most sweet And balme the which his flesh did so reuiue That he did shew as he had been aliue And at this feast and great solemnitie Queene Hecuba with Policene and other Faire Dames and Princes of great dignitie Sat weeping and in company together Apparelled in sad and mournfull blacke Such lamentation at that time did make For Hectors death as nere the like was seene And yet for all the sorrow that they made The faire and goodly Lady Pollicene No part of her great beautie changed had But still a crimson red and white most cleare Within her face and countnance did appeare For all the teares that she as then did shead Which trickled downe her cheeks like poaâ—les fine Her haire that then hung round about her head In careles wiâ—e like golden wier did shine And show'd like Phebus glistring beams most bright When he doth cast on vs his radiant light Which with her fingers small â—â—e rent and tare Whose beautie when Achilles did behold He did esteeme the same to be so rare That he did muse how God and Nature could Deuise and make so faire â—â— creature For comlines of face and feature So Angell-like she did to him appeare That he to looke on her could not indure For with her christall eies most faire and cleare She stroake him then into the heart so sure That for her loue which was his whole desire He burnt within as hot as any fire And sodainely againe with griefe he shooke Like one that is in feare yet euermore Vpon her he did cast a glancing looke For Cupids dart had pierced him so sore Into the brest and giuen him such a wound That it was likely neuer to be sound And as he durst he lookt her in the face And still approacht vnto her with his eie For whom if that in her he found no grace He made account assuredly to die For he was fallen and caught in such a snare That of his health he was in great despaire And in his heart he was perplexed so That care of all things els he did reiect For knowing not what he were best to do He did himselfe and all his state neglect To set his thought on her and in this wise He fed himselfe with sight of her faire eyes Till Phoebus with his charâ—â—â— did decline And to the Westerne coasts began to draw And on their hemisphere no more did shine When as he cast his eies about and saw Queene Hecuba with Pollicene and mo Out of the Temple to the Pallace go On whom he neuer ceast to haue a sight As she did pas along till that she went Out of the gate and he no longer might With her faire eies giue to his heart content And then no longer in the towne be staid But going to his tent himselfe he layd Vpon his bed with sad and heauy cheare Whereas he lay still thinking on his loue Whose beauty in his sight did so appeare And as he thought still more and more did moue His heart the same with great desire to craue That he no rest noâ— any ease could haue For loue of whom such burning heat he felt And extreame paine which did torment him so That with the same he thought his heart wold melt And in that sort he tumbled too and fro And like a man halfe dead and fore dismaid Vnto himselfe he spake and thus he sayd Alas quoth he that fortune so vnkind Should be to me to make me feele and know Such griefe that I no end thereof can find For that it doth my heart so ouerflow As I suppose that since the world began There nere was found a more distressed man For I that whilome was of so great might Renowned throughout the world of high and low And honoured and feared of euery wight For no man euer heard noâ— yet did know Of any Knight that was more valorous Then I nor euer more victorious For neither Hector that most valiant Knight That was my Lady Pollicenes deare brother Although he was of most exceeding might And hardy therewithall nor any other The power had when he on me did set The least aduantage vpon me to get Nor in the field my courage once could daunt Or make me yeild of fearefully to flie Whereof I may vnto my selfe now vaunt Because I am assurd iâ— is no lie Now now alas a mayd of tender age Hath suddenly set me in such a rage And with the streames of her faire Christall eies Hath pierst my woefull heart and euery vaine That I cannot by any meanes deuise How to relieue my selfe or ease my paine On whom shall I for counsell now reâ—â—e Or who can giue me any remedy To ease and cure my griefe and heauines For this is sure that hope for me ther 's none If death end not my woe and great distresse But her good will and that from me is gone For neither prayer wealth nor comlines Strength power courage nor yet Noblenes Birth honor blood nor great affinitie Can ought availe to helpe me now in need To moue her stony heart to pittie me For whom my heart with inward griefe doth bleed What fury hath possest my restles braine That it should so gainst nature me constaine And make me proue so much vnfortunate As for to seeke mine owne confusion To loue and like of her that doth me hate But truth to say when as I thinke thereon No marvell t is that she doth me despise Sith I am come to Troy in warlike wise To kill and to destroy her kindred And all her friends by fierce and cruell warre Wherein the blood I haue already shead Of Hector her deare brother who both farre And neare was known to be the valiantst knight That euer liu'd for valor and for might Alas for woe now may I quake for feare And of my life dispaire both day and night For with what face can I fore her appeare Or be so bold to come into her sight That haue offended her in such a fashion As that in truth I merit no remission Nor pardon at her hands but certainely Must yeild my selfe the sentence to abide Of cruell death to end my miserie Which doth enclose me round on euery side And so with many sobs and sighes most deepe He did begin so bitterly to weepe And made such woefull lamentation That pittie it was for any man to heare Or see the griefe and cruell passion Which he with great extremitie did beare Within his mind and outwardly exprest And so he lay and by no meanes could rest But tumbled
shoe Which he by law and without blame mya take And be diuorst from Helena sith she So shamelesly in Greece did him forsake For Paris and commit adulterie Thereby with foule disgrace vnto her name And truth to say to her perpetuall shame For many great examples extant be And through the world are to be heard seene How that for filthie foule adulterie Great Princes from their wiues divorst haue beene And therefore it can be no preiudice If for that most accursed sinfull vice King Menelaus doth iustlie her forsake And of another wife doth make his choise The which of him much more account will make Whereto if that you all will giue your voice T' will for our good be cause this warre to end Wherein our liues and blood we vainly spend And likely is if it continue long To cost much more both of our liues and bloud For Troy is so invincible and strong And furnished with worthy Knights and good And in so great a number that though wee Should stay here still the vttermost to see We neuer should be able to attaine To that we do pretend and so desire And therefore sith t is so it were in vaine For vs to stay and proudly to aspire With wilfulnes to that we cannot get But rather let 's our minds on reason set And thinke more of our profit then our glorie And wisely in good time withdraw our power While honor graceth vs with victorie Sith we cannot make fortune if she lower To stay her wheele which is so variable And therefore ere she waxeth mutable And doth begin on vs to change her cheere Let vs leaue off the warre and liue in peace And go our way and stay no longer heere For better t is from bloodie warre to cease While we may doo 't so our honor saue For of the warre th' advantage yet we haue For all men know that by our valor great Our principallest foe Prince Hector's slaine My counsell therefore is we should not let Th' advantage goe while we do still retaine Our honor and ere fortune gins to lower And seekes to crosse vs by her mighty power With one consent and sole opinion Of heart and mind we should no more soiourne Hold at this siege but let vs euery one With speed into our natiue Land returne For if that we our quarrell still maintaine Which now so long hath held I tell you plaine I am in doubt great detriment will be Our shares at last Wherefore I thinke it best Our follie to reiect and ere we see Worse happen vnto vs set vp our rest To leaue the warre while as t is knowne to all We are in fame and honor peregall With them of Troy and them surpasse if we Our state he hold in his assention And while that it is in the highst degree But least some men should make obiection And say that we cannot our honor saue If we returne to Greece and cannot haue Our wills to beare faire Helen backe againe Into our natiue land for whome so many Of vs haue in this cruell warre been slaine I say if that amongst vs there be any That thinks and is perswaded in his mind If we go hence and leaue her here behind It will to our most great dishonour bee I say that it to vs can be no shame If that into the depth there of we see Sith we haue one for honor and for fame As great as she and by her birth as good For she descends of high and royall blood As all you know the Princesse Exion King Priams sister who against their will In Greece is holden by King Thelamon As Helen is by Paris gainst our will And therefore sith it now can be no other My counsell is to set th' one gainst the other And all the wrath and envie that doth rest Betweene vs and the Troyans to appease The which I thinke and know would be the best For vs and them and for our good and ease Which otherwise said he will never end If you vnto my counsell will not bend To whome with extreame wrath King Menelaus Who with Achilles words did seeme most tucht And Thoas also and Duke Menestes Who likewise at his insolency grucht All with one voyce vnto Achilles spake And into mightie choller gainst him brake And with them all the rest impatientlie The Court perturb'd and did begin to fall Into great words much vnadvisedlie Against Achilles and at last said all They would not to his counsell then consent Nor to make peace in any wise were bent Wherewith Achilles full of wrath and ire The which did seeme to burne within his heart To see they would not grant to his desire Did sodenlie vpon his feet vp start And in a furie great did go away And said he would no longer mongst them stay Nor aid nor succor them in any wise What need so euer they of him should haue To fight against their Troyan enemies And to his men a speciall charge he gaue To see they did not aid the Grecians In any wise against the Troyans When so euer they to battaile forth should go In which his resolution firmely standing He did a while himselfe so constant show That while gainst them in that sort he was banding The Grecians many overthrows receau'd And thousands of them were of life bereau'd And while this controversie thus remaind The Grecian host great want of victuals had Whereby as then much hunger they sustaind For which mongst them great muttring there was For at that time they were so much distrest made For want of food that they were sore opprest Till that their Generall Palamedes To remedie the same a Court did call Of all the Princes in the host t' appease Their murmuring and by consent of all That then assembled were did order take A fleet of ships in readinesse to make Whereof the King Agamemnon should be Commander and with speed with them should saile To Messa for some victuals if that he In that same Isle of so much could prevaile As need requird for their necessitie To put them out of that extremitie Who being there arriu'd such favor had Of Thelaphus the King that therein raign'd That he not onlie ready was and glad To aid the Greeks therein but straight obtaind Commission presently and with all speed Of him to take as much as they should need Of euery kind of victuals in that jsle Commanding all his subiects to fulfill The same with speed and so in little while According to his pleasure and his will They made so great prouision of each thing That seru'd for food that presently the King Did fraught and fill their ships with mighty store Of victuals that so much as then they had That in them they could put nor lade no more Whereof King Agamemnon being glad He tooke his leaue of Thelaphus and so With all his ships full laden forth did go And put to sea and so with wind and weather
you could not faile To your perpetuall honor and your fame But win a great and noble victorie On them and make the Grecians by the same For evermore ore them triumphantlie To raigne and while the world doth still endure To Troyans euerlasting shame procure But to his words Achilles tooke no heed Nor yet of Hebers bodie seemd to haue The least respect though 't lay before him dead Nor in a manner leaue vnto them gaue To speake their minds for 't was to him allone Whats'ere they said for counsell he wold none But like a man that 's deafe and dumbe he stood And made as though he did not heare at all And neuer seemd in countenance nor mood In any passion for the same to fall For in one eare no sooner entred't was But out againe at th' other it did passe Herein a man may see a louers state That wholly therevnto addicts his mind Who rather then he 'le prooue vnfortunate And in his loue desireth ioy to find All honor worship manhood valiantnes Strength reputation might and hardines Encrease of vertue fame and victorie Knighthood renowne and every other blisse Glorie in armes and all activitie He will forsake and count them none of his And as vaine toyes will lay them all aside When he in Cupids bands himselfe hath ti'd Such power Cupid hath on him to seaze When once his heart within his snares is cought That he is loath to anger or displease In word or deed in countenance or thought Her whome he doth esteeme his Lady deare For with a looke of her faire eies and cleare She onlie t is can daunt his pride of heart For Venus with her flattring tong can bind His sences thoughts and euery other part So strictly that nought else in his mind But his sweet loue and so doth make him lie In Cupids bands restraind from libertie Which was the onlie cause without all doubt Why all that day Achilles was not seene Abroad nor t'aide the Grecians would go out Into the field for he fear'd Pollicene Least she should be offended if he went Into the field and gainst the Troyans bent His force and so should seeme her enemie Whome he esteemd his deare and speciall friend And while he lay in this extreamitie And with conceits of her the time did spend The Grecians fought against them of the towne Till Phoebus with his Chariot went downe At which time all the Troyans did begin Because they wanted light to go their way With speed to Troy but ere they entred in Yong Troyelus and Paris made them stay While they tooke vp Deiphobus whom they found Complaining sore of his most deadly wound And when they saw him in that pittious case They could not choose but weepe sore lament And with salt teares bedew'd their eies and face And were so fild with griefe and discontent Within their hearts and did such sorrow make As if they would haue died for his sake And while that they in this sort by him stood He waxt so weake that he began to die For he had lost such quantity of blood That t'saue his life there was no remedy Yet while his valiant brethren did lament Because they saw his vitall breath was spent He lifted vp his eies and when he heard That Paris King Pallamides had slaine He seem'd therewith to be a little cheard And to release the sore and deadly paine He bad them draw his speare out of his wound Which done he fell down dead vpon the ground Whose body straight they bare in mournfull wise Into the towne with great solemnity I need not shew what sorrow and what cries For him was made with much extreamity By all the men and women in the towne As also for the death of Sarpedowne And specially by old King Priamus Queene Hecuba his sisters Pollicene Cassandra and his brother Helenus With other of his worthy bretheren This shall suffice that vnto you I tell That 't was most great as you may iudge full well And to be briefe for him and Sarpedon King Priamus in hast two toombs did make In sumptuous wise of pollisht Marble stone And when that they were finisht for their sake He made a great and costly funerall Whereat the people all in generall Were present did mourne make great mone According to their old and ancient right And while that this within the towne was done The Grecians with all speed and hast they 〈◊〉 Did make a tombe for their most worthy 〈◊〉 Pallamides and at his burying Did vse such ancient customes as they had Amongst them and their sorrow to expresse Great griefe and extreame dolor for him made And in that sort brought him with heauinesse In royall wise vnto his sepulture And then because they might not long endure Without a Prince to be their gouernor By full and free election of them all They made King Agamemnon who before Had held that place and rul'd them Generall And chiefe Commander of their hoast againe In stead of King Pallamides then slaine Which done on either side without delay The Troyans strongly arm'd did issue out Of Troy and went into the field next day T' assaile the Greeks who without feare or doubt In warlike wise and face to face them met But Troyelus on them so fiercely set That by his valor great and mighty force The Greeks durst not abide before his face For he so many of them did vnhorse And did begin so hoâ—ely them to chase That where so ere he road the field about They fled from him in mighty feare doubt And with him were the Knights that he then led Yong lusty and well arm'd with speare shield Who so much Grecian bloud that day did shed That all the ground showd red within the field And streames of blood ran downe along the plaine At which time there did fall so great a raine And huge a mist that men could hardly see But most of all vpon the Grecians side By means whereof and with th'extremitie And smart of wounds which they did then abide And through the valiant proweâ—â—e and the might Of Troyelus the strong and hardie Knight They were constraind to shun his crueltie And to avoyd the storme which then did rise To saue their liues in mightie feare to flie And to giue place vnto their enemies Ran to their tents some succor there to find The Troyans them pursuing fast behind In cruell wise and with exceeding pace But for because the storme did still encrease At that time they no longer held the chase But both from it and fighting did surcease And entred into Troy and there did stay Till morning when the Larke did sing next day That Troyelus betimes did issue out Determining the Greeks againe t'assaile Where in the field as he did ride about Among his foes he did so much preuaile Gainst them that who so euer he did smight With his stroÌ„g sword was maim'd or kild ouâ— right And in that furious
rather vnto his eternall shame Out of thy worthy learned Booke deface His name and of him make no memorie Therein at all for surely in this case When as I heare his name me thinks the skie Infected is therewith and that throughout The world all men against him do crie out For if he had esteem'd Nobilitie Knight-hood renowne or worthines or fame Praise honor glory or gentilitie Or in Fames Booke t' haue registred his name He would haue been aduisd and taken heed For honors sake t' haue done so fowle a deed To draw so great a Prince when he was dead At his horse tayle who was so braue a Knight That while he liud and in Troy flourished To speake the truth and yeild to him his right Surpast Achilles far in each degree Of Knight-hood valor and actiuitie But to returne where I did leaue when as His brother Paris did behold and see Him dead and drawne by Achilles as he was With such despight and so great crueltie Such griefe and sorrow at that time he had Within his heart that like a man that 's mad He fard and with all speed that he could make Pollidamas and he together ran And many more to see if he could take His body from Achilles but as than The Grecians fought so hotly that in vaine They labored for they could not obtaine To their desires what meanes so ere they made Till Menon who entire affection bare To Troielus and great compassion had To see him dead without all feare or care Of fierce Achilles valor did protest That he would neuer leaue nor take his rest Till he reuengd his death vpon the man That had him slaine and presently did take His speare in hand and at Achilles ran To whom in fierce and furious wise he spake And sayd thou traitor false and mischiuous Thou Scorpion most vile and enuious That in dishonor of all chivalry This day hast slaine the worthiest Knight that liu'd Vpon the earth by thy false trechery Who cannot but be vexed mou'd and griu'd To see a worthy Knight of his degree Drawne in such wise as he is now by thee At thy horse tayle in scorne and great despight Hast thou forgotten and abandoned All knight-hood that thou sholdst now take delight To do so great disgrace to him that 's dead Who while he liu'd was better knight then thou The which I meane to proue vpon thee now And for this vile and most vnknightly act Reuenge his death whom thou this day hast kild By treason with thy Myrmidons compact And by this meanes thy trechery fulfild Whereby thou thinkst great honor to haue gotten But thy fowle fact will neuer be forgotten While that the world endures and presently He set speare in rest and spurring's horse Ran at Achilles and most valiantly Hit him vpon the brest with so great force That with the blow he ready was to fall Vnto the ground and brauely therewithall Drew out his sword that he might well know That he of him did stand in little dread Strake him therewith a strong and mighty blow And gaue him such a wound vpon his head That notwithstanding all his puissant force He made him fal downe headlong from his horse Vpon the ground whereon in extreame paine He lay long time as if he had been dead Till that his Knights did take him vp againe And notwithstanding that full sore he blead Got him at last to mount vpon his horse And when he had recouered his force And felt himselfe well eased of his paine With purpose to reuenge the iniury He thought he had receiud in great disdaine He spurd his puissant horse and furiously At Menon ran whose comming when he spide He likewise set spurs to his horses side And like a valiant Knight that feard him nought With courage bold met with him on the plaine Wherewith their swords they both together fought And twixt them did a combat long maintaine With fierce and mighty blowes till in the end King Menon did himselfe so well defend That he th' aduantage of Achilles had And in despight of all his fury great For he as then fought as he had been mad So valiantly vpon him then did set That he had surely slaine him but that then There came twixt them so great a troope of men On either side that they were forst to stay Their combat and by that meanes parted were And each from other borne cleane away At which time such a cruell slaughter there Was made of many a valiant knight and stout That all the field and all the plaine throughout Was fild with men that slaine and wounded sore Lay mangled on the ground in cruell wise For neither Greeks nor Troians would giue ore Till Phoebus did begin to leaue the skies And to descend at which time they withdrew Themselues out of the field and did renew The fight againe next day and met together Assoone as sunne did rise and euery day For seuen daies ensuing one the other Continually from fighting did not stay While that Achilles in his tent did lie To cure his wounds and there new trethery Within his mind did practise and devise To be reuengd on Menon who as then He hated sore because that in such wise He wounded him and to him cald his men And bad them when they fit occasion found Within the field t' inclose King Menon round On euery side and when they had him so Amongst them to assayle him altogether And by no meanes from them to let him go But not to kill him till that he came thither That he himselfe on him reueng'd might be And so they did for as he did decree With them in secret wise to do the same The next day in the morning when they met And either side gainst other fiercely came Into the field with rage and choler great Achilles and King Menon met together And valiantly assayled each the other On horsebacke as they sat where they did fight So long and in such furious wise that both Oâ— them compelled were by force t' alight And so on foot in mighty rage and wroth Fought valiantly But while that on the ground King Menon stood he was enclosed round By Myrmidens and as Achilles bad When he was in the middest of them all And not one Troian Knight to ayd him had In furious wise they did vpon him fall And though long time he did the fight maintain Against them all at last he was there slaine In traiterous wise by false Achilles hand Who by that meanes did his desire obtaine But yet he did so valiantly withstand Him and them all ere he by him was slaine That fore that he fell dead vpon the ground He gaue Achilles such a cruell wound That all men thought he would thereof haue died Now Homer iudge in truth and with good reason Aâ—by no vpright mind't can be deni'd If this were not most vile and filthy treason The which Achilles wrought and say with right
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
they now are broght full low And vtterly destroid for euermore Whereby you see what is the end of all That do such false and fained Gods adore And vnto them for helpe and succour call What did Mineruaes Image them preuaile By whom they hoped nere of aid to faile Or any of their supersticious vaine The which they did so deerely buy at last Not onely with a short and earthly paine But with eternall woe that ere shall last Oh Troy therefore I must lament thy fall And when I thinke vpon thee ever shall With pitie thee bewaile that wert so brought Vnto thine end and sometime was so great And populous that no towne ever mought Compare with thee when thou wast proudly set In honors throane as those that thee then knew Can witnesse beare but now all men may rew And pittle thy decaied walles that stood About thy stately building loftily And Priamus thy Prince of Royall blood That made and builded thee so sumptuously I thinke no man that in the world liues now By pen or tongue can tell which way or how To frame or to devise a dolefull crie Convenient to describe thy miserie No though it were the Prophet Ieremie That mourned for the great Captivitie Of that most famous towne Ierusalem And of the woefull Iewes bewailing them With bitter teares Nor yet Ezekiell That to King Zedechias earnestly Fore-shewed the Captivity that fell In Babilon and for his Prophesie Was ston'd to death nor he that cruelly Was saw'd in twaine though all of them did crie And bitterly lament the Iewes orethrow Nor Daniell that within his heart did grieue With extream paine when God his power to show Vnto King Nabuchadneser did giue The shape of beast his hautie pride t'imbase And seuen yeares did make him feede on grasse For I suppose if all of them had beene Heere living in that dolefull time againe And with their sore and warry eies had seene The great distresse which Troy did long endure And all the bloody slaughters had beheld Betweene the Greeks and Troians in the field There fought on either side in cruell wise I verily perswaded am that all Their bitter teares would by no meanes suffice To grieue for those great sorrowes that did fall Vpon the towne of Troy by Grecians brought And also by false treason gainst them wrought But this shall now suffice thereof to speake For like as he that against the wind doth saile And seeth his masts and yardâ— begin to breake Knowes well to 〈…〉 availe So were 't in vaine for me to tell you all The miseries that did to 〈◊〉 befall Or to prefume to shew how eursed Fate Was bent in fierce and cruell wiâ—e to make An end of them and of their happy state The which on me I dare not vndertake And therefore of the siedge I le make an end In rude and simple wise as it is pend And so the fourth Booke finish with the leaue And fauor of your Princely Maiestie The which if that your grace to me will giue The fifth Booke I le begin and specifie Therein what dangers and aduentures fell Vnto the Greeks vpon the sea and tell How they therein were â—rownd and cast away And thâ—â—e that did escape and got to land To shew that man hath here no certaine stay And cannot fatall Deâ—â—iny withstand Vnfortunately died and so together Such measure had as they did meet to other FINIS THE LIFE AND DEATH OF HECTOR THE FIFT BOOKE CHAP. 1. ¶ Wherein is shewed how the Greeks in their returne to Greece after the destruction of Troy by tempests on the seas were most of them drowned and how the rest that escaped and got to land dyed miserablie by malice and treason wrought in Greece one against the other WHen Eolus whome Poets faine to bee The ruler of the winds appeased was And he and Iunâ— did together gree To make the seas so calme that men might passâ— Securely through the same and skie t' appeare With faire christall hew The Greeks that were Desirous to returne to Greece with speed To see their natiue Land when they had woone And vtterlie destroied Troy decreed To ship themselues and forthwith to be gone FroÌ„ thence where they had ten yeres space maintaind A painefull siege and little thereby gaind Considering all the losses they had had Yet triumphing for victorie obtaind Reioyst that they so good an end had made But fortune that their pride and ioy disdaind Soone chang'd their mirth into adversity For when they thought themselues secur'd to be And that they should in peace and quiet rest She stirred vp foule discord and disdaine Their happie state to trouble and molest And did in stead of ioy procure them paine And made their hearts with pride and rank or swell Whereby at strife among themselues they fell In middest of their high and greatest glory When as they most reioyst and triumphed That they by force had woone the victorie Against their Troyan foes and flourished In honor and by trumpe of flying fame Eterniz'd had the glory of their name From East to West and mak'st it swiftly flie Throughout the world to shew their worthines As farre as Phoebus compasseth the skie For suddenly by great vnhappines Their glory that did shine so cleare bright Ecclipsed was vnto their great despight And all their welfare and prosperity Subuerted cleane by enuy and debate Which Sathan through his craft and subtilty Made sodenly to creepe into their state For Thelaphus with rancor and discord Before the Grecian Princes went abord Complaind against Ulisses in this wise And sayd my Lords if that it please you stay To heare me speake and thinke as you are wise That reason moueth me thereto I say That at the winning of the towne of Troy The treasure that thereby we do enioy And forcibly did get into our hand Together with the riches which by might And valor great we wan within the land Me thinks is not if it be iudged right Distributed by iust devision Nor with indifferent proportion According to the law of equitie Which in such case to those that merit best And are of high degree and dignitie Affordeth better part then to the rest And giues to euery one as he deserud The which mong vs hath not been well obserud In euery part without exception For Pallas Image cald Palladion Whereof Ulisses hath possession I say that right vnto it he hath none Although he hath a false apparance found To iustifie his title and doth ground The same hereon that t is his owne by right Because he woon't as he doth brag and vaunt Though subtilly and not by force and might And saith t was giuen to him by speciall graunt Of euery one and yet it is not true For I deni 't and flatly say to you That he doth not deserue the same nor shall Enioy it long for that as iust reward For my desarts it to my â—â—â—â—â— doth fall If that indifferently I
bent Before them all said flatly she should haue Her head cut off and suffer deadly paine Because for her so many had beene slaine And by that meanes King Thelaphus was crost And put besides Palladion gainst his will For which he swore thogh deare it shold him cost Ere long time past he would Vlisses kill And one day likewise be reveng'd vpon King Menalus and king Agamemnon And therewith in a mighty rage he went With all his knights and left the company Who with him in their hearts were fully bent When they a fit occasion might espie In cruell wise ere long reveng'd to be Vpon their foes but chiefly on those three And for that cause such hatred to them bare That nothing but their deaths could thâ— content But they that of his purpose were aware With policie his furie to prevent Did cause their knights about them to attend If that occasion serued to defend And keepe them from the furie of their foes And likewise soone to rid them of that doubt For earely in the morne ere Phoebus rose The matter was so quicklie brought about King Thelaphus that braue and worthy knight Most cruelly was murthered in the night And in the morning bleeding sore was found Within his bed whereas his body lay Sore mangled hewd cut with many a wound Which thing when as the Grecians heard next day They did abhorre that act so horrible And cause to God and man t was odible They could not choose but for his murther weepe And grieue to thinke how foule and traiterously He had been kild when he was fast asleepe And mong them then there rose so great a cry Throughout the hoast for that most wicked deed That all his friends within their hearts decreed His death should be revenged vpon those That had that cruell murther brought to passe The which although no man would it disclose Yet every one that in the hoast then was For it had most and great'st suspicion On Menalus and King Agamemnon But chiefly on Vlisses vnto whome By common voice of them in generall His sodaine death imputed was and some Did vow and sweare what euer did befall Mong whom yong Pyrrhus specially was one They would revenge the death of him full soon Vpon Vlisses who by treachery Had falsly wrought the same but to preuent And scape from Pyrrhus furie sodainly Aboard his ships next morning straight he went And hoising saile in hast from thence he fled And left the jmage with King Diomed. And of the fact in heart had great remorse Who in that sort thus fled away and gone Yong Pyrrhus tooke his bloudy mangled corse And made a fire and laid the same thereon In presence of the Greeks that it beheld And burnt it vnto ashes in the field And afterward the ashes being cold He tooke them vp and did them safely put With reverence great into a box of gold The which with his owne seale of armes he shut And sent them to be buried there whereas While he did liue the soveraigne Prince he was And hauing all the ceremonies vs'd For him in every point most orderly He still vpon the cruell murther musd Which vnto him was done so traitrously And sware and vowd it should be dearly bought By them that it so wickedly had wrought And for that cause great hatred bare vnto King Menalus and King Agamemnon Who well advis'd and taking heed thereto For feare thereof nere went abroad alone But strongly garded daily did attend What issue would ensue thereof in th' end Which Pyrrhus likewise did and would not cease By all the meanes he could to seeke some way T' intrap them and his wrath would not appease And in that sort they three from that same day Were sterne and deadly foes each vnto other And while that they in such wise iar'd together And enviously each other did pursue Still more and more their malice did encrease And hatred great on each side did renue Till Anthenor their furies to appease By policie did cut of all disdaine On either side and made them friends againe And to that end prepard a royall feast And did invite the Grecians to the same And to intreat and pray them never ceast Till they three with the rest vnto it came That all the Princes of the hoast might see They had their anger left and did agree Together like good friends as ere they were To write the great and sumptuous fare they had With all the severall dishes that were there As also what rich Presents then were made And by Anthenor given liberallie Vnto the Greeks it 's no necessitie Let it suffice they wanted nothing that Might please and giue contentinent vnto man And while at table they together sat Some one among them enviously began To speake against Aeneas and t' accuse And charge him with most great and vile abuse Especially because he did conceale And hide away the Princes Pollicene And would by no meanes tell them noâ— reveale What was become of her that cause had been Of fierce Achilles death and for the same They did impose vpon him so much blame That they did all with one consent agree He should therefore be banisht out of Troy Contrary to their former grant that hee The freedome of the Towne should still enioy But nere the lesse they did with one consent Comdemne him to perpetuall banishment The causer of the same I cannot tell But sure it is Anthenor and none other Within the Towne of Troy did know it well And secretly betraid his traiterous brother That with him holpe to bring that thing to passe Which in the end the Townes destruction was Which when Aeneas knew and saw no way For him by any meanes to mollifie The Grecians hearts to giue him leaue to stay He humblie praied them of courtesie That of their princely favor and their grace They wold vouchâ—afe to grant him 4 months space To stay in Troy while he provided had All things that should for him be necessaire And further vnto them petition made That he from thence might also with him carrie The ships that into Cithera did go With Paris iust number twentie two Which being by the Grecians full consent Vnto him given with licence for the space Of time he askt to stay to Troy he went With heavie heart to see 't in such a case And specially when he to mind did call That all the woes which on the same did fall Came onlie by the treason he had wrought Against the Towne and also to remember That he could not enioy the thing he sought But must of force depart and stay no longer Where he had liu'd sometime in great estate And cursed his most hard and cruell fate To see him selfe so plung'd in that distresse And banisht by the Greeks and knew not why Nor who had sought his fall till he did gesse And saw by signes Anthenor subtilly To get him out of Troy procured it For which he sware
renowne and valorous And one faire daughter named Thetides While his old aged grandsire Peleus With Thetides his wife lay in a caue In great distresse their woefull liues to saue And yet cleane out of hope relieud to be Or comforted in that extremety Vnles it were by Pyrrhus meanes when he Returnd for which he praid continually And curst the time of his so long aboad Which heavy newes when Pyrrhus vnderstood At Malasus he straight to sea did hie With full intent if he did safely get Vnto his natiue land of Thessalie He would false King Atastus purpose let And be reuengd on him ere it was long For all the mischiefe cruelty and wrong That he had done vnto King Peleus But first before that to the Sea he went He cald to him two knights one Crilippus The other named Adrastus whom he sent To Thessalie to heare and vnderstand Where King Atastus kept within that land And what gainst him he did intend to do And that they might the better bring 't to pas He gaue them letters which he sent vnto One Assandrus a Lord that sometime was A counsellor vnto King Peleus And Chamberlin and when he had done thus He entred ship and would no longer tarry But through the seas did scowre and staied not Although the wind and weather were contrary And stormes arose till at the last he got To Thessalie where t' was his chance to land Hard by the place wherein the caue did stand Where Peleus and his wife themselues did hide Mong bushes briers and thornes all alone Did walke vpon the sand without a guide And when he had with heavy heart thus gone A little while King Peleus comming out His Cauâ— to take the aire was in a doubt To loose his life when as he saw a knight There all alone and sore abashed staid Till he of him had taken better sight And when he had beheld him well dismaid In mind he thought that he Achilles saw And therewithall did neerer to him draw For he so like vnto Achilles was For visage shape and personage that none Could know the one from th' other well so as King Peleus to himselfe did musethereon And straight with teares distilling downe his face He ran his nephew Pyrrhus to embrace And being somewhat better comforted With ioyfull heart though grieud to him did tell How cruelly he had been banished And forced in a caue long time to dwell In misery and woe and nothing left To succour him but all from him bereft With crowne and Kingdome by the cruelty And hatred of Atastus that had don It causeles vnto him whose tiranny For want of ayd he could by no meanes shon Which Pyrrhus hauing heard and marking well Into so great an agony then fell That he stood still and would not speake a word And therewith in his heart exceeding wroth To heare the cause so much the same abhord That speechles to his ships from thence he goeth And would not make an answere therevnto Still studying with himselfe what he should do Till he was told how that the selfe same day Atastus with his Sons was ridden out Into a wood not far of from that way To hunt for deare and that they were in doubt To be assayld by him which when he knew He stayed not but straight himselfe withdrew And putting of his clothes apparelled Himselfe like one of poore and meane degree And girding on his sword without all dread Went all alone into the wood to see What Fortune or advantage he could find Therein to ease his sad and troubled mind And as he went along from place to place Much like a man that seem'd to make great mone At last it was his chance to heare the chace And therewithall he slept aside that none Of them should see nor find him where he stood And when he had a while been in the wood It was Prince Menalippus chance to ride That way with Prince Polistines his brother Where Pyrrhus theÌ„ did stand whom wheÌ„ they spid They staid their horse and both of them together With countnaÌ„ce sterne before they theÌ„ce wold pas Went vnto him and askt him what he was And whence he came and why so poorely clad He wandred in that manner all alone Like one that neither ioy nor comfort had And he that seemd in heart to sigh and groane With heavy cheare and countenance full sad Replied to them againe and answere made That he by chance was cast vpon that shore By tempest and how all his companie Were drownd at sea and that he and no more Escapt with life but yet vnhappelie Had lost all that he had and without joy A Grecian borne that lately came from Troy There wandred solitarilie and praid Them that they would vpon him then bestow Some money and apparell for to aid Him in his need that had been brought so low Who pitying his estate did not denay To do him good but bad him there to stay That they might see what he could do whan They had said so and turn'd their heads aside Behold a mightie Hart before them ran Wherewith Prince Menalippus straight did ride In hast to follow it with spheare in hand And left his brother there who still did stand By Pyrrhus talking with him all alone And seeming to be wearie lighted there Off from his horses backe which hauing done He laid him downe to rest and giving eare Vnto the woefull moane that Pyrrhus made No feare of any hurt or treason had Where sodainely ere he perceiu'd the blow He was by Pyrrhus thrust into the hart From whence the blood in streame began to flow And there he died while Pyrrhus side-waies start And left him lying groueling on the plaine Till Menalippus came to him againe Where while with weeping eies and colour wan To looke vpon his brothers corps he stood Fierce Pyrrhus in great furie to him ran And with a mind that thursteth after blood Straight with his sword his life from him bereft And by his brother dying there him left And so they were vnfortunatelie slaiue By Pyrrhus who when he had done the same Withdrew himselfe out of that place againe And as he went he saw a Knight that came Vnto him wards of whom he did enquire His name and what the reason was that there He road alone so farre out of the way Who answered his name was Cineras Great King Atastus knight who that same day Did hunt within the wood and that he was Not far from thence whom Pyrrhus without â—â—ord Repliâ—d to him againe smot with his sword And kild him in that place and then forsooke The Forrest and directly went his way Vnto his ships with fierce and furious looke Where he put of his clothes and did array Himselfe in purple velvet like a king And to the Forrest backe againe did fling Where sodainely while he walkt too fro He met with king Atastus all alone Who wondring much to see him clothed so Askt
in joy and quietnes If possible it were perpetuallie And I will never cease both night and day Withall my heart vnto the Lord to pray For him by whose commandement I tooke On me though farre vnfit to do the same To translate into English verse this Booke Which Guido wrote in Latin and doth name The siege of Troy and for his sake alone I must confesse that I the same begon When Henrie whom men fourth by name did call My Princes Father lived and possest The Crowne And though I be but rusticall I haue therein not spard to do my best To please my Princes humor Though A thing that I should not haue tane on me Which am a Monke by my profession In Berry cald Iohn Lidgate by my name And weare a habit of perfection Although my life agrees not with the same That meddle should with things spirituall As I must needes confesse vnto you all But seing that I did therein proceed At his command whom I could not refuse I humbly do beseech all those that reade Or leysor haue this story to pervse If any fault therein they find to bee Or error that committed is by mee That they will of their gentlenes take paine The rather to correct and mend the same Then rashly to condemne it with disdaine For well â—â—vot it is not without blame Because I know the verse therein is wrong As being some too short and some too long For if with faults men should not sometime beare But all for some seeme wholy to refuse Then must I say in vaine my labor were Let ignorance and rudenes me excuse For though my verse for harshnes you reiect Yet if you to the some haue good respect I doubt not but that you therein shall find That all the substance of the matter is Set downe that Guydo wrote to please your mind And if that any word be plast amis I pray you mend the same in curtesie For to condemne an error vtterly Which is not made nor done with bad intent No commendation to him that 's wise For no man vnto scoffing more is bent Behind mens backs nor sooner will surmise A lie then he that hath no wit at all He treadeth sure that neuer hath a fall I oft haue read in Authors new and old Which write of mens behaviors good and ill That no man is more foolish and more bold Then he that is an Idiot without skill For that blind Bayard feares nothing at all Till in a ditch he sodainlie doth fall And none so ready is to prate and prattle Nor sooner will condemne a man then he But for all those that vse such tittle tattle I care not what they say or speake of me For I do not to them direct my Booke But vnto such as with a sincere looke Pervse the same and with mens falts do beare And can amend an error without blame To him that writes and tell not what they heare To hinder or impeach a mans good name But vsed are to speake well of their friend Whereto all honest men their wits should bend For Chawcer that my master was and knew What did belong to writing verse or prose Nere stumbled at small faults nor yet did view With scornefull eie the works and Bookes of those That in his time did write nor yet would taunt At any man to feare him or to daunt His courage in that kind of exercise But rather vse their weaknes to support And as he was well learned and very wise And able to instruct and to exhort Such as did use to write would winke and smile At faults and yet say nothing all the while So that if to describe him I should striue I must needs say vnlesse from truth I varry That never any man as yet did liue Vntill this day that worthy was to carry His inckhorne in respect of Poetrie But if within this Land or Realme there be Such men as able be his steps to trace To them it is that I direct my Booke And wholy to their skills referre my case With their judiciall eies thereon to looke Beseeching them to mend what is amis And t'adde or to diminish all that is Superâ—â—uous or else wanting And although They find therein no phrases that are new Nor Eloquence as they suppose enough Yet I do hope that they shall find all true In substance as mine Author wrote the same Wherein I know I shall incurre no blame ANd he that list and doth desire to see The wavering state and infelicity Of ages past may here instructed be And find how Fortunes mutability Hath alwaies been so great that no man could Put trust in her And therewithall behold How Princes cleane bereft of Royalty Were sodainely brought into great distresse And Kings redu'st to such extremity That poverty and want did them oppresse Great slaughters made in kingdomes enviously Murthers committed by conspiracie False treason secret ambushes despight Subversion of whole kingdomes sodainely The ravishing of women for delight The root of warre and great hostility Maintaining of most fowle adulterie Which caused many Princes great to die To shew thereby that since the cause of all Such wickednes receiues reward most iust Which sodainely vpon mankind doth fall For that in worldly ioyes there is no trust And in this Booke examples you shall find If you consider well thereof in mind How every man must vnto nature yeild When time doth serue both young and old of age And wither like the grasse within the field For here our life is but a Pilgrimage Repleat with sorrow miserie and woe Which if men mark't tooke good heed therto And wisely would consider of their end They would esteeme all pleasure but a toy And no more time therein so vainely spend Nor take so much delight in worldly joy For by Troyes fall it plainely doth appeare That neither King nor Emperor hath here A permanent estate to trust vnto Therefore to him that died vpon the rood And was content and willing so to do And for man-kind did shead his precious blood Lift vp your minds and pray with humble 〈◊〉 That he his aid vnto you will impart For though you be of extreame force and might Without his helpe it will you nought availe For he doth giue man victorie in fight And with a few is able to prevaile And overcome an armie huge and strong And by his grace makes kings and Princes long To raigne here on the earth in happinesse And Tyrants that to men do offer wrong And violence doth sodainly suppresse Although their power be nere so great strong And in his hand his blessings all reserveth For to reward each one as he deserueth To whom I pray with humble mind and hart And so I hope all you wil doe no lesse That of his grace he would vouchsafe t' impart And send all joy wel fare and happines Health victory tranquilitie and honor Vnto the high and mightie coqueror King Henrie the Fift that his great name May here on earth â—'extold and magnified While life doth last and when he yeilds the same Into his hands he may be glorified In heaven among the Saints Angels bright Therein to serue the God of power might At whose request this worke I vndertooke As I haue sayd And now that I haue don And with great labour finished my Booke I doe intreat all those that looke thereon T' accept thereof and tak 't in as good part As I it send to them withall my hart FINIS
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
I should put thee vnto th'extreamity By horses wild throughout the streets to draw Thy bodie vild and it in pieces teare To teach thee and all others how to beare Such friuolous tales to any Prince or Lord Vnlesse thou better knowst the man before So much by me thy message is abhord And Priamus thy King in heart much more In whose dispight this should to thee be done For iust reward of thy presumption If thou wert vs'd as well thou dost deserue And now be gone out of my sight with speed If thou thy life from danger wilt preserue For that the sight of thee to me doth breed Both in mines eies and heart so great offence That I can take no rest till thou goest hence Anthenor hearing this thought it the best For him not to reply but to be gone And with all speed he went and did not rest Till that he entred ship and left Pilon Directly sayling vnto Troye in hast But presently the clouds gan ouer-cast The Seas to roare and rage in furious wise The wind to blow and waues most high to swell And fearefull lightning flasht out of the skies And thunder-claps vpon the ship downe fell With so great force that maine mast gan to cracke And both the yard and it in sunder bracke The ship with billowes tossing too and fro In fearefull wise now mounting vp most hie And then againe descending downe so low As if that vnder water it would lie So fearfully the heauens then did frowne That they expected still whē they should drown For euery man made full account to die And to their Gods gan vowes and prayers make And with deuotion great on them to crie For aid and helpe with promise t' vndertake On pilgrimage to goe in Paynim wise If they escapt to offer sacrifice At last the skies as then as darke as night Began to cleare and Seas did cease to rage And Phebus with his cleare and shining light Did sodainly the tempest great asswage And not one man within the ship did perish Wherwith their hearts began againe to cherish And presently the Gods sent them such grace That hauing well escapt their danger great They did arriue at Troye in little space And safely euery man on shore was set For which Anthenor straight without delay Vnto the Temple went therein to pray And thanke his Gods for his deliuerance The like did all the rest with humble heart Reioycing much for their so happy chance Which done he did with speed from thence depart And to King Priam presently did goe Th' effect of his proceeding there to shoe Whom he as then found sitting in his throne Accompanied with his Nobilitie To whom he did at full and large make knowne What he had done and what extreamitie He had escapt amongst the Grecians fell And first vnto King Priamus did tell How Peleus vsd him most vncourteously And hardly could endure him in his sight And how with visage fell most cruelly King Telamon in rage and great despight Disdained him and his request denide And Priam with most threatning words defide And how the proud and hawty brethren twaine Castor and Pollux in most furious wise Commanded him to get him thence againe And not to slander them with false surmise Of wrongs by them supposed to be done To Troye Troyans when the towne they woon And lastly how Duke Nestor cruelly Like to a man out of his wits distraught Did rage and raile at him despightfully And Priam and his message set at nought And in what perill of his life he was Before that he from euery place could passe When Priam heard Anthenor thus declare What ill successe amongst the Greekes he had His mind was so possessed with despaire That it him wholly out of comfort made Either by peace or warre then to obtaine The meanes to get his sister home againe For well he saith by proofe that t' was in vaine For him to deale with them by courtesie And that thereby he neuer should obtaine The thing he sought so great hostilitie He found in them that more he did intreat The lesse they it esteem'd or by him set Which grieued him for that he saw no way But by constraint he must be forst to vse Another course which gladly he would stay If that he might sith that they did refuse His profered peace and stubbornly denie To grant the things he sought so courteously And that nought else would please their appetite But bloudy warre engendred of discord And ranchor old their chiefe and sole delight For peace and friendship they so much abhord That to giue eare to equitie and right They would not grant throgh malice despight Which did so much torment King Priams heart That fire of enuie kindling in his breast He vow'd from thence it neuer should depart Nor would he be content nor take no rest Till that he were reuenged on his foes Although that he thereby were sure to lose And in the warre most like a valiant Knight What ere befell aduentur'd life and lim For to maintaine his honour and his right While that one drop of blood remain'd in him Intending first a Nauie forth to send There with by sea the Grecians to offend And boldly to assaile them on the land With fire and sword their haughty pride t' abate And whosoeuer durst or would withstand To kill and to destroy Such was the hate Which he as then conceaued in his mind Gainst Grecians that to him were so vnkind But tell me Priam what hard desteny What trouble new what hatefull influence What great despight what infelicitie Out of the skies by sodaine influence Descended is thy sorrow to encrease That should be cause thou canst not liue in peace What sodaine chance what fortune hard sharpe What wilfull lust what foolish hardinesse Hath made thee on the strings of war to harpe What carelesse thoughts what vnaduisednesse Hath put thy mind out of tranquilitie To make thee wearie of prosperitie Dost thou in bitter gall more pleasure take Then hony sweet that wilfull motions Should canse thee peace and quietnesse forsake To yeeld vnto thy hatefull passions Cleane voyd of wit of reason and of sence And wholly without discreet prouidence What should thee carelesse make not to foresee The things that after might to thee befall And not to shun the great aduersity Which through thy follie brought thee into thrall Sure t' was the mists of error made thee stray The crooked paths of the ready way Where were thy guides discretion and aduise That should haue kept thee from sensualitie And counseld thee in time for to be wise But sure 't is not in mans abilitie Nor can he from his wilfulnes refraine When sodaine wrath therto doth him constraine Thou first shouldst haue forecast thy destenie And by good counsell wisely haue been led And not haue wayed thy securitie In ballance that doth hang but by a thred And rather haue dissembled all thy woe And cleane forgotten