to me some skill That loftie verse by stately tearmes may yeild To valiant Knights their honour due in field Assist herein likewise i ft be thy will Calliope to Orpheus mother deare Who insweet musicke so exceld for skill That with the sound of harpe as doth appeare He pleasd the monster Cerberus so well That he had leaue to enter into hell To fetch his loue out of th' infernall lake Where Pluto held her for his owne sweet-hart But with the musicke he to them did make He graunted she with him should thence depart And with the dew of thy sweet liquor wet My tongue so harsh and in right tune it set For thou art sayd of Rethoricke to beare The onely praise and patronesse for skill And eke of musicke pleasant to the eare Thou canst direct each instrument at will Deny not then sweet Muse thy ayd to mee And I shall rest beholding vnto thee Els will the clowds of ignorance enclose And round incampe my wits that are so bare And cause the rude to Poets vtter foes To laugh at me But such as learned are I will intreat what faults soere they find To winke thereat and keepe them in their mind And if that in my verses I haue err'd As no man but may erre what ere he be I must confesse I never yet deseru'd To haue the praise for excellent Poetrie For God he knowes when I this worke began I did it not for praise of any man But for to please the humor and the hest Of my good Lord and Princely Patron Who dained not to me to make request To write the same least that obliuson By tract of time and times swift passing by Such valiant acts should cause obscur'd to lie As also cause his Princely high degree Provokes him study ancient Histories Whereas in Myrrour be may plainely see How valiant Knights haue won the masteries In battailes fierce by prowesse and by might To run like race and proue a worthy knight And as they sought to clime to honors seat So doth my Lord seeke therein to excell That as his name so may his fame be great And thereby likewise Idlenesse expell For so he doth to vertue bend his mind That hard it is his equall now to find To write his Princely vertues and declare His valor high renowne and Maiestie His braue exploits Marshall acts that are Most rare and worthy his great dignitie My barren head cannot devise by wit T' extoll his fame with words phrases fit This mighty Prince whom I so much coÌ„mend Yet not so much as well deserues his fame By royall blood doth liâ—ally descend From Henrie king of EnglaÌ„d forth by name His eldest Son heire vnto the Crowne And by his vertues Prince of high renowne For by the graft the fruit men easly know Excreasing th' honour of his pedigree His name Lord Henrie as our stories show And by his title Prince of Wales is hee Who with good right his father being dead Shal weare the Crown of Brittain on his head This mighty Prince hath made me vndertake To write the siege of Troy the ancient towne And of their warres a true discourse to make From point to point as Guydo sets it down Who long since wrot the same in latin verse Which in the English now I will rehearse The time when first I tooke the same in hand To say the truth was in the fourteenth yeare Of famous Henrie King of England The Fourth by â—â—ne my Princes Father deare When Phoebus shew'd in altitude to be Fine three times told and foure and one degree When he did in his Chariot downe descend With golden streames into the Ocean strand To bath his steeds and light to others lâ—nd That farre remote inhabite th' Indian land Where when our Summer is cleanâ— past and gon Their spring begâ—â—s but newly to come on And when Lucina faire with paler light Began in cold October to arise T'enhase the darkenes of the winters night And glistring starres appeard in christall skies And then was in the signe of Scorpion And Hesperus then westward running downe His course to hasten gainst tomorrow bright As Lucifer that driues darke clouds away Is sayd to bee the messenger of light And shineth at the dawning of the day When Phoebus early shoes his glistring face Ascending from Proserpins obscure place Where Pluto sits environed about With furies of the fowle infernall Lake In this yeare moneth and time as it fell out This Historie I first in hand did take And of the Troyan wars the truth vntwind As in my ancient Author I it find For if no Authors had the truth set downe In written Bookes of things that are forepast Forget fulnes would soone haue trodden downe Each worthy act and cleane extinct at last Which Serpent never ceaseth to assaile The world to cause all truth on earth to faile And had no ancient Histories been found But all things vnto memorie were left Truth surely then would soone be layd in ground And men of knowledge vtterly bereft But God intending Sathan to prevent That hath foreseene and writers alwaies sent From age to age still to renew the same That truth might alwaies spring and come to light And thereby win an everlasting name Against the which sowle envy still doth fight But famous Clarkes not ceasing truth to show By writing leaue the same to vs to know Els time with syth would soone cut downe the grasse And reâ—ening death extirpe the root and all And nothing whatsoere on earth did passe Should haue record the same to mind to call Nor honor due to valiant Knights be read But it with them should rest and lie as dead And so not onely name but fame would die And wholy be defaced out of mind But Histories explain the same to th'eie As daylie by experience we may find Nere ceasing spight of envy to vnfold The truth of all which may not be controld Therein we see of high and low estate The life and acts as it were on a stage For writers that are wise in heart do hate To speake vntruth or flatter any age For tyrauts being dead they will not feare To write and shew their follies as they were And t'yeild each man as he shall well deserue Be 't good or bad and therefore it iâ— best For every one that credit will preserue In life to vertue cleaue and vice detest For after death know this and marke it well Clarkes will not spare the truth of them to tell For such vnpartiall dealing in their daies Great Princes in them tooke no small delight For truely blasing forth their laud praise Their high renown their power their might Their knightly acts their victories fame Eternally with glory of their name For they still sought to shun the sisters three Fraud Negligence and Sloth that none might doubt Ought was forgot or more pâ—t in to bee Then truth requird and as the truth fell out Els worthy acts
and 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
were wholy done in vaine And those that honour sought had lost their paine And time by length of yeares and ages past Would haue defaced name and honor cleane Of Conquerors for what can ever last Vnlesse record thereof were to be seene Which Clarkes for which they merit and deserue Continuall praise haue sought still to preserue For Histories and Bookes are sayd to bee The keyes of learning memory and skill In them and by them all men plainely see What hath forepast and what is good or ill Witnesse the fall of Thebes the ancient Towne In Stacies Booke for truth at large set downe Where you may read and see how Polinece Was nere content with Etocles a day Nor would like louing Brother liue in peace Till Thebes Towne was brought vnto decay And hâ—w Tedeus through that mortall ctrife And by dissention was bereft of life How Oedipus with sorrow griefe and woe Did loose his eies so bitterly he wept And how the Smoâ—kes devided were iâ— two Of fiers made when funerall feasts was kept Which fier brothers hatred did engender And death to both for iust reward did render Mine author Guydo in like sort doth show As by his Booke most plainely it appeares Of all the Troian Princes overthrow While Greeks besieg'd the towne so many yeares In very truth and though t is long since past No time nor age the storie hath defast For maugre them you may it still behold In Bookes set downe most plainely to mens eies For truth by lying will not be controld Though enviously some seeke it to disguise Transforming all the substance of the matter By fayned tales dissembling to flatter As Homer did who truth would seeme to show Yet covertly did seeke the same to hide And by vntruth which he full well did know With Artificiall words doth truth deride Who seeming Greecians honour to defend Doth faine the Gods from heaven to descend In shape of men and openly were knowne To helpe the Greeks against the Troians fight And many such vntruths by him are showne In sugred words and phrases for delight Pretending so his malice for to hide For falsehood seekes in darkenes to abide The cause why he the Greeks so smothly prais'd Was for that he vnto them was allide And therefore sought their glory to haue rais'd But such as loue the truth cannot abide Gainst conscience for to praise or discommend Where no desert their action may defind But Cupid as the Poets faine is blind And giues his doome more after lust then law So Sicophants as we by proofe doe find Commend and praise the men they never saw By false report extolling them to skie Of whom in heart they know full well they lie Whereby such men as never merit faâ—e But iust disgrace are highly magnified And they contrary that deserue good name Are either not remembred or beli'd For favor now doth beare so great a sâ—ay That true desert is driven cleane away Ovidius Naso likewise hath devisâ— A Booke in verse of Troian â—â—â—s to show Part true part false but in such sort disguisd That who so reads it can by no meanes know Which way to sound the deapth of his intent His phraise therein's so misâ—ically bent Like story also Virgill doth declare When of Aeneas traâ—â—â—les he doth write Where truth to tell in part he doth not spare Although sâ—â—â— time he seemth to delight In Homers course with Rethoricke to glose And truth with falsehood often to compose Dares an ancient Author first was found And Ditus eke of Troian warres to write Who both set down the truth perfect grouÌ„d As being there and did behold the fight And thogh their books in seuerall language be Yet they are knowen in all things to agree The Books in time to Athens being brought Salustius cousen one Cornelius By diligent enquirie out them sought And being of a mind industrious Translated them with great earnest care In each respect as th' Authors doth declare His only fault was that he did not write The story full at large as he it found But â—ure he did in breuity delight Els would he not haue spar'd to shew the grouÌ„d And first beginning of that mortall strife Which cost so many thousand men their life And how the Greeks came both by sea laÌ„d The nuÌ„ber of their â—en and of their ships The manner how they first did take in hand To plant their siege all this he ouerskips How envy was the root and cause of all The mischiefe that on Troy at last did fall How many Kings and Princes thither went In warlike wise to win them high renowne How they agreed all with one conscent To see the full subâ—erâ—iâ—â—â— of the Towne What armes they â—are what men they did retaine Who in the siege did longest there remaine How one the other Knightly did assaile How many valiant Princes lost their life How of t they met in field to giue battaile How hatred still increast and bred new strife Nor of their deaths â—e â—iteth not the yeare Thus much he leaueth out as doth appeare Which lately causd an Author to arise Whose truth in writing is not to be blaâ—'d That tooke in hand this stâ—â—iâ— iâ— such wise As that of Ditus and of Dares nam'd He hath not sought one sentence to neglect Nor yet in ought the meaning to reiect This Clarkethat wrote so true so iust so well Was Guydo of Columpna by his name Who in sweet Rethoricke did so much excell That he enricht his storie with the same So Eloquently hath he set it downe That he deserueth praise and high renowne For which in heart and voice I will not stay To giue him praise and commendation due And with applause in truth and rightly say He was the flower most certainely and true Of all that sought this storie to compile For wit and soveraignty of stile Whose treces as I can I will obserue If God vouchsafe me time and grace to do 't And graunt my labour may of him deserue The Princely praise that first provokt me to 't Beseeching all that see 't with heart mind Not spare to speake if any fault they find And with good will I shall amend the same For many eies may see much more then one Correct then freely where you find the blame But find not fault whereas deserueth none And so in hope I shall your favours win With your support this storie I le begin THE LIFE AND DEATH OF HECTOR THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. 1. I How Peleus King of Thessalie lost his people men women and Children by diuine punishment and after by prayer vnto the Gods obtained others IN Thessalie King Peleus once did raigne For vertue held a Prince of worthy fame Whose subiects as mine Author doth explaine Were Myrmidons so called by their name Of whose beginning Ouid doth rehearse The History at large in Latine verse And saith that in that Countrie downe did fall So furious a tempest from the skie
whatsoere betide I haue thee told and openly let know What danger thou art sure thereby t' abide Which if I could I would haue kept thee fro But truth to say I can it not deny To any man that sekes the same to try Then to conclude sith now thou dost perceiue What danger lies herein take heed in time Of her that turnes the wheele least she bereaue Thee of thy life while it is in the prime Doe as thou wilt thou getst no more of mee Of weale or woe the choise consists in thee With that the King did rise out of his seat When time drue neare for dinner to provide Whereto the preparation was so great That care of all things els being set aside Each Officer was busied to see That nothing whatsoere should wanting bee The tables couered stately to behold And Cubbards well and costly garnished With store of plate of silver and of gold Whereof the King was richly furnished And Trumpets sounding every man to call When as the meat was brought into the hall The King set downe with in his Royall seate With Hercules and Iason at his bord Great store of sundrie kinds of dainty meate Were served in as time did then afford That done the Marshall placed all the rest Each one in his degree as he thought best Where every man was entertaind so well That wonder t' was to see their costly fare Which in each thing did there so much excell By reason that the King no cost did spare That all the Court admir'd his noble mind Cause he to strangers shew'd himselfe so kind And more for to delight their minds withall Musitions never ceased still to play On Citern Lute Bandore and Base-Viall Cornet and Flute to passe the time away With pleasant notes and in such stately wise As it had been an earthly Paradize For truth to say such plenty there was found That Oetaes liberalitie was prays'd And so extold in all things to abound That his great fame vnto the skies was rays'd For entertaining strangers in such wise By all the wayes and meanes he could devise To tell each severall kind of meate by name Or halfe thereof in order to descrie Impossible it were to do the same There was so much and great diversitie It shall suffice to say such was the store That wit of man could well devise no more And to be briefe the King did so excell In every point of liberalitie That rightly might be sayd in him did dwell The patterne of true magnanimitie No marvell then as it did well appeare He made the Greekes so great and royall cheare And more for to augment his fame withall He caus'd his onely Daughter to be brought Out of her chamber downe into the hall Whose beautie if the world throghout were sought Could not be matcht so much it did excell That to describ't were hard for me to tell Whose Princely presence wrought no smal delight Within the hearts of all the company When in most stately wise each Grecian Knight She gan salute and no man did deny Hir courteous entertainment to afford As she did passe along from bord to bord And chiefely to behold hir comely face For whitenes like to Alablaster cleare With Roseat cheekes yet mixed with such grace That no accesse of colour did appeare Wherein dame Nature plaid so kind a part That well she proved mistresse of her Art This Princesse cald Medea as we read Was th' only child King Oeta had aliue And rightly in his Kingdome should succeed If she her father chanced to suruiue So ripe of yeares and gallant to behold That nature neuer fram'd a finer mold But notwithstanding this her beauty rare And youthfull yeares sufficient to inspire Her heart with loue yet was her onely care To read and study with no small desire All kind of books that might or could be found Whereby she learn'd of euery Art the ground So perfectly that neuer yet was found A man that did attaine vnto her skill Her learning was so great and so profound For to discusse of euery thing at will And nothing what so e're but she could tell Concerning things in heauen earth and hell No secrets of the earthly globe so round But she could well disclose them at her will The course of Starres and Planets she had found And did attaine vnto so lofty skill That by their motion she could truely show What should befall vpon the earth below She was so learned in Astronomie The Nigromancian Art she knew so well And thereto did her mind so well apply That by her charmes she called out of hell Th' infernall spirits and forst them to obay Her word and will they durst it not denay With words shee vsd to say in sundry wise First casting incense sweet into the fire And doing of some diuelish sacrifice With Goat horns milke bloud her whole desire She could attaine when time conuenient She knew would be to worke Inchantement Such was her skill and eke so well she had The heauenly and celestiall bodies found How to discerne that times both good and bad By them she chose to make and to compound Her drugs wherby she brought to passe her will In euery thing what euer good or ill She could command the winds to storme blow And make the ground to freeze in euery vaine And cause it thunder lighten haile snow And when she list it sodainly should raine And turne the day full cleare to vgly night And then againe cause Sun to shine most bright She could the waters make to rise and rage With huge and lofty billoes to the skye And then againe make calme eke asswage The tempest were it nere so great and hie She could yong trees dry vp both root rind And them reuiue againe in selfe same kind And in the deepest time of Winter cold When buds and blossomes wither and decay And euery thing doth fade and waxeth old She could the earth make greene eke array The fields with flowers of euery seuerall kind And colours as in Summer we them find And when she list she could the Summer cleare Cleane alter and convert to Winter cold And make it looke with darke glooming cheare Strange woonderfull and vgly to behold Old men she could to youth againe restore And make them fresh and lusty as before And yong men that no haire on face could show Soone would she cause appeare both gray and old Such was her skill that bought on earth below But she could change and secrets all vnfold And trees with fruit she would at will make bare Of barke and leafe a secret strange and rare She could the Sun and Moone ' gainst nature stay And cause ecclipses out of time by force For no man that is learned can denay But they are tyed vnto a certaine course As by the Lord ordain'd at first it was The which they may nor can by no means passe For till the Sun with glistering beames
To tell to you when we shall meet againe So much I do my selfe vnto you bind For which I aske of you but to be kind All this and more said Iason will I do And what so euer else you shall deuise And by my faith do bind my selfe thereto So much your face and sweet intising eies And beautie rare surpassing all that liue Haue moou'd my heartall honour you to giue Your bountie in like sort doth so exceed In that such care of my estate you haue That while I liue how euer that I speed I le be your faithfull Knight else do I eraue The Gods to send iust vengeance for desert If I to you shall beare â— fained heart Conditionallie that you to me fulfill The promise which it pleaseth you to make And as you say so vse your Art and skill That in the thing which I now vndertake I may preuaile and win the victorie My name and fame t' aduance perpetuallie For truth to say your beautie is so great Surpassing all that euer I did see That well it doth deserue the supreame seat In beauties bower and highest dignitie Excelling beauties all as much and more As doth the Rose surpasse each other flore Which in the Summer mongst the leaues full green When as the spring hath forced out to flow The moisture that had long enclosed been And caus'd the soile that ' barren greene to show And trees leaus that winters blasts made bare With buds and blossomes new refreshed are And euerie garden's fild with flowers store Of sundrie kinds most pleasant to the eie And makes the buds Dame Flora to adore With ioyfull and melodious harwonie And that the heaueulie dew doth moist each place And to his sundrie colour yeeld his grace Doth shew to be the fairst of euerie one So nature hath you made with good aduise As she that should deserue the same alone Of beautie and thereof to beare the prise Aboue all earthlie and each mortall thing And of all bountie great to be the spring As you surpasse without comparison All others what so ere on earth do liue For wisedome kindnesse and discretion The praise whereof I cannot choose but giue Vnto your grace as she that vnto me So courteous and so kind I find to be For if in this extreame you had me left I were for euer vtterlie vndone And of all aid and succour cleane bereft But your exceeding bountie hath so wonne And ouercome my heart that while I liue To pleasure you my life for you I le giue Sith that to aid me now when I haue need You spare not your good will to me t' extend In liew whereof if I should shew the deed Of an vngratefull or vnthankfull friend I might of right be counted obstinate And held a foole so to with stand my faâ—e For he that in extremitie should lie And knew how to relieue or ease his want And would refuse a Ladies curtesie I thinke of wit he should be very scant And in the ship of fooles deserues to bâ—â— Preferred and extold to highest degree And therefore now I whollie do resigne Heart body life and lim into your hand And till that death shall vitall thread vnâ—â—ne I will you not in any thing withstand And hereby oath I bind my selfe to be Your faithfull friend as you haue promist me And henceforth will not faile in ought t' obay What ere shall be your pleasure and your will At any time as well by night as day Till death shall with his dart my bodie kill Let this suffice to satisfie your mind That vnto you I le neuer prooue vnkind Medea hearing him protest and sweare So earnestly to be her faithfull Knight And that to her such loue he swore to beare She was in heart surprizd with such delight That for reply ere she from thence did go The secrets of her heart she did him sho And said braue Prince then will I soone ordaine A way whereby we may together meet When we will with good leisure twixt vs twaine Take order in this case and louely greet Each other and by holy Sacrament Confirme our vowes with heart and true intent For that as now the time will not permit Nor yet affoord vs place of secresie But when night comes when euening gins to shit In secret wise I will you certifie The time when as you shall your selfe conuay And come into my chamber by some way In priuatenesse Where to our great delight We may each other louingly embrace Which shall be when as glistring Phoebus bright Doth Westward wend yeeld dark night his place With thicke and gloomie clouds to ouer-shade Our Hemisphere and cause the light to vade Which time by fauour great which fortune sends To louers arue affoords conueniency T' effect their wills and likewise to them lends Occasion how to speake in secresie Then as I say my deare and louing frend To send for you I purposely intend To come to me when as without all doubt In louing wise out minds we will vnfold And there determine how to bring about The thing whereof in part I haue you told And when we haue accomplished our will And of our pleasures had the scope and fill I will deuise how we may meet againe In secret sort when so it shall vs please Who ere saith nay and quietly obtaine Our hearts delights our comfort and our ease Which shall be when that Dame Lucine bright Doth walke abroad in darkest time of night For mighty Ioue who secrets all doth see Full well doth know my heart and my intent And how to you I will for euer be A faithfull friend so much my mind is bent To loue and honour you withall my hart If you will do the like for your owne part Wherewith Prince Iason lowlie did encline And said to her Dame set your heart at rest And be assur'd I will my selfe combine To you while life doth last For I detest To be accounted false in thought or deed Vnto your Grace how euer that I speed And though with painted words I cannot glose Nor yet with phrases fine perswade your mind I would not haue you thinke nor yet suppose In this my vow you shall me faithlesse find But while that breath doth in my corps remaine I will true loue within my heart retaine And to confirme my deed with heart and mind Lo here my hand and faith to bind the same Assuring you of certainty to find My ioue and zeale shall neuer merit blame And therewithall an end of speech to make Each for that time of th' other leaue did take Medea straight rose vp out of her place First hauing taken leaue in stately wise And with a braue and passing Princely grace With-drew her selfe as was her woonted guise Into her priuate chamber where at will She might her mind with contemplation fill Of her new loue and find meanes how to frame The thing which shee had purposed in heart Without disgrace or blot
spare In our behalfe and to defend our right T' invade the same and with our force might To burne their townes lay their Country wast And vse them as they well deserued haue At our hands for iniuries forepast For by my will they shall not one man saue But cruelly put all vnto the sword For they the like vnto vs did afford And let not their forepassed victory Against vs woone be cause to make vs doubt For they that oft in field are forst to flie Do many times with courage bold and stout Couragiously turne backe and fight againe And in the end the victory obtaine Such is the chance of warre wherein there is No certaintie but oftent mes it 's seen That he that this day victory doth misse The selfe same day the Conqueror hath been And he that held the field victoriously By him that fled before been forst to flie For no man may in warre himselfe assure So fickle and vnconstant it is found For Mars this day will to a man procure A conquest great and cause his honor sound By trumpe of Fame throughout the world so wide And when he list he can for him prouide A sodaine fall and like the summer flower That vadeth with a blast and is consum'd And cleane distroyd in minute of an hower His honor stain'd which he at first presum'd Could never faile and cause it to decay And all within the space of one short day And where before his name was magnifide Even as the ebbe doth follow floud apace As by experience oft it hath been try'd Full sodainly he can't as much abase For though this day the Sun doth shine most clear Next day to vs perhaps t' will not appeare When thick mistie clouds the Sun doth trouble And for a time obscure his radiant beames Even so of Mars the chances are most double And mixed with a number of extreames Now vp now downe now low then aloft As fortune will whose mind doth change full oft For when she list she 'll make a man ascend Vpon her wheele his honour to advance And sodainly she 'll cause him to descend And much againe by some vnhappy chance This day she will exalt him to the skie And next abase in twinckling of an eye Turning her wheelevnstable like a ball She smiles on some and others she doth flout And while one mounts another hath a fall For every man when it doth turne about Must take the chance that she on him will thrust But he that knowes her frauds wiles vniust Will soone perceiue sweet hony mixt with gall In all her actions what so ere they be For honour and renowne mischife and thrall Peace bloudy warre and every dignitie Are at her will and pleasure for to grant Let no man therefore in his fortune vaunt For though the Grecians gainst vs did preuaile When they my Father slue it may so chance That now they shall of their good fortune faile Therefore let every man himselfe advance And as you are renown'd for hardinesse Valour and might shew forth your worthines And vnto fortune do your selues commend And let no feare your manly hearts possesse But boldlie fight your Country to defend As I perswaded am you 'le do no lesse Now let me heare your answeres herevnto And what for me and mine you meane to do This said the Nobles all with one consent Made answere vnto him and did reply That they with hearts and minds were fully bent In his and their iust quarrell for to die And venture goods and all that ere they haue The honour of their Country for to saue For which the King did thanke them heartily And gaue them leaue each one for to be gone And went into his chamber presently Where solitarilie and all alone He sat still musing how to bring to passe The thing that wholly his desire was For he thereon did onely set his thought So much his mind vpon revenge did run That though his own decay thereby were wrought Yet would he not the danger thereof shun And so resolu'd made this conclusion With present speed and resolution To send for all his Sons legitimate And those likewise that basely borne were To take advise of them 'bout his estate And none but they alone that he might heare What counsell they to him as then would giue His troubled mind with comfort to relieue Concerning his pretence of warre to make Vpon the Grecians for their cruelty Which he did mind in hast to vndertake Who being all assembled priuately And every one set downe as his degree And age required the flower of Chiualrie Prince Hector who as then returned was Out of the Prouince of Panomie Next to the King in order tooke his place Whome when he did behold with watrie eye And sighes full sore and deepe from out his heart He did vnto them all his mind impart But ere that he as then a word would speake A floud of teares from out his eyes distild Fast trickling downe vpon his aged cheake So much his heart with griefe as then was fild At last as 't were a man with sobs dismaid With heavy heart these words vnto him said My deare and louing sonnes as I suppose You all record and freshly beare in thought How that the Greekes our old possessed foes In cruell wise their furies on vs wrought Slaying my Father King Laomedon Burnt euen with the ground his ancient towne Put all his subiects to the sword not one Escapt their rage and in captiuitie Led wiues and maids and mongst them Exion My sister deare who in extreamity Still there remaines to our no small offence And your reproch that fetch her not fro thence The which to shun nature me thinks should moue And cause you in your hearts to feele much griefe That she whom you cannot all choose but loue Should there remaine so long without reliefe And with most great dishonour of her name Indure th' abuse she doth vnto your shame Alas my Sons why seeke you not the way To be reueng'd for this great jniurie Vpon our foes and that without delay And her relieue in her extreamitie In truth me thinks sith that you are so strong You are to blame to driue it off so long And thus from day to day the time deferre By Knightly force and valor great t' assay With might and maine vpon them to make warre It grieueth me you seeme so long to stay To grant to my request whose whole desire And heart gainst the doth burne like flaming fire With hatred as you plainely may behold Till that I be reueng'd with present speed The which if you regarded as you should And resolutely in your hearts decreed While you haue strength and valor so to do You would not be so hardlie drawne thereto Remember how t' was I did you beget And fostred you with care as tenderly As I could do and now you are thus great And held to be the flower of Chiualrie You
Nor iudge thereof vnlesse they naked there Before me stood that at my libertie I might behold if everie member were As faire in all respect and each degree As outwardlie their faces faire did show And then my doome they presentlie should know When they had heard me speak they gaue consent And did agree my mind therein t' obay And straight to strip themselues were all content The which to do they made no long delay For they had all decreed before they came That in no point they would denie the same When naked all before me there they stood And that I did behold them at the full And vewed everie part it did me good To see their bodies faire and beautifull But when mine eies on Venus bright I cast For her without delay my iudgement past And vnto her the Apple gaue with speed As fairest of them all excepting none And as at first it was by them decreed I should not partiall be to any one So did I iudge her beautie great to be Much more then th' others two in each degree For as me thought her eies most faire and bright That cast forth streames so cleare and delectable Were like the starre that shines to vs by night Cald Hesperus and so most amiable Faire Venus shewd her selfe ye t' was true I could not choose but giue to her her due Whereat this Goddesse faire did much reioyce And in her heart therewith did seeme to glorie That of her beautie rare I made the choice T' excell the rest and that the victorie By iudgement vnto her as then did fall To be the fair'st and beautiful'st of all And as the winged God to me did say What should be my reward of Venus part She said she would performe without delay And from his vowe and promise neuer start And saying so the Goddesses all three Did vanish and depart away from me And Mercurie with wings began to flie And soaring vp with speed his waie did take Directlie to the cleare and cristall skie And sodainlie therewith I did awake Out of my deadlie sleepe and vp I start And mounting horse from thence did straight depart Now my good Lord whom I both loue dread I ft please your Grace your selfe herein t' advise And vnto that which I haue said take heed You will it not esteeme nor yet surmise To be in vaine by Venus to me said And therefore I wish you not to be afraid But boldlie let me goe to Greece in hast With some great power of men about the thing Which I haue said and ere long time be past I doubt not but the same to passe to bring And as by Venus I am promised Of some faire Ladie certainlie to speed That by exchange of her you may obtaine An easie and a most assured way To get your Sister Exion home againe This is said he all that I haue to say For my advise and counsell to your Grace And so sate downe againe into his place But Priam what should cause thee to forget Thy selfe so much that thou shouldst be so vaine Thy hope and trust vpon a dreame to set I cannot choose but needs must tell thee plaine That shallow was thy wit and thy discretion To trust vnto a false illusion As that thou all care hadst set aside To follow after dreaming fantasie T' is sure that reason then was not thy guide That thou vpon meere follies wouldst relie As Paris did that Pallas did neglect And sacred wisedome wilfullie reiect And some also carelesly reâ—us'd With riches and with all her offers great And she that hath all men so much abus'd And at whose hands their 's nothing els to get But pleasure and the fond delights of loue Which onely doe a man to folly moue Faire J'enus cal'd the blacksmith Vulcans wife Whose seruice though it doth nought els procure Vnto a man but bloody warre and strife By him preferred was but t is most sure That Paris in his judgement was vniust And that his mind was wholy set on lust Whereby the great and famous Troian Towne When it had long been vext with bloudy warre Was in the end brought to confusion By Paris meanes that had so little care When it was offred him his choise to make Of wisedome gold and valor and to take A Woman that was cause of all the woe Which vnto Priam afterward befell Aâ— in this Booke hereafter I will shoe And now on dreames I will no longer dwell But to my matter seriously proceed And shew you what by Priam was decreed Vpon the dreame by Paris then declard But first of all in briefe I 'le let you know What Diophebus sayd who having heard His brothers speech stood vp his mind to show And grauely with a countenance benign Obedience made and spake vnto the King And sayd my Lord if every man should doubt And in his mind forecast and deepely way Concerning future things what might fall out It would be cause to make men often stay All actions whatsoere and neuer bend Their wits nor wils to bring them to an end Nor would they seeke their valours forth to show For he that doubts dares nothing vndertake For if a man before that he doth throw His Corne into the grouÌ„d should recknoning make How many grains thereof consum'd would be By Birds or by some other Casualtie I'would make him feare his ground to sow againe Let vs lay all such foolish doubts aside For I esteeme and hold them meerely vaine And counseil now no longer to abide Nor slacke the time but with a Navy strong Send Paris into Greece for to revenge our wrong This I dare affirme and boldly say That he hath counselled you and vs full well Which no man to speake truth can well denay So that I thinke and must you plainely tell Great error t' were his purpose to contrary And therefore let him now no longertarry But thither with a warlike Navy goe That we may quit them for the villany Which they vnto vs and ours did show In former times with extreame cruelty And for the better execution And getting of our Aunt faire Exion Whom they doe hold from vs by force and might And long haue done to our no little shame And that against all equitie and right Which wounds my heart to thinke vpon the same For remedy whereof I must needs say There is no better meanes nor readier way Then to send forth a strong and warlike band With him to Greece that forcibly he may Some Lady take within the Grecians land And mauger all their might her thence conuay And bring her vnto Troy with present speed By which so braue exploit and warlike deed You may haue meanes to satisfie your mind By changing her for Princes Exion This is the readiest way that I can find For to procure her restitution Which my good Lord I hope you do intend Quoth he my counsell I will end Which sayd his brother Helenus did rise Out of his seate
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
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
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
against a power innumerable And yet they would not yeeld one foot of ground Till many of them were wounded and t'weake The Grecians fierce and angrie moods to stay That spar'd them not in cruell wise to slay And shew'd not any mercie what so ere So that of force they were constraind to run As fast as ere they could in extreame feare The furie of their foes as then to shun For truth to say and brieflie to conclude They had gainst them too great a multitude And by constraint abandoning the place To saue their liues vnto their Castle fled The Grecians hotlie following them in chase And leaving in the field great numbers dead Pell mell with them got to the Castle gate Whereas perforce vnto their cruell fate They entred in and did it fiercelie win And without mercie slew them every one And all the treasure that they found therein Vnto their ships did beare which hauing done Intending there to make no longer stay They brake the Castle downe did it lay Flat on the ground which being cleane defast And not a stone left standing they decreed To goe from thence and making all the hast They could did saile to Tenadon with speed A Castle then within the Troyan land That six miles froÌ„ the towne of Troye did stand And not farre distant from the sea was set Within a faire and pleasant plot of ground And aire most wholesome fresh and verie sweet Environed with spacious plaines and round About it grew all kind of corne and vines Wherof they made great store of pleasant wines Fruits hearbs flowers of faire severall kinds And everie other thing that man could wish To serue his turne with store of Harts Hinds Calues Hogs and Sheepe and everie sort of fish That surging seas doth yeeld so that it might Be cal'd a place of pleasure and delight In which the souldiers liu'd in all content Whereto when as the Grecians did arriue And fore it boldlie did themselues present The Troyans hoping them from thence to driue Most part of them well arm'd with speed went out And casting forth a huge and hideous shout Marcht valiantlie against their foes as then Vpon the land in faire and rich array And with so great a multitude of men That all the strand and field along the way Vnto the Castle walls was covered By them but yet the Troyans without dread Demanding not wherefore they came nor what They sought as then within the Troyans land Assailed them with so great courage that The aire at their encounter hand to hand Did sound with noise of Drum trumpets braue And with the strokes that either side then gaue On helmets shields armes from whence the fire In sparkes flew out and many a man was slaine And some lay wounded groveling in the mire Some bleeding and in great and deadly paine Their Horses running maisterlesse about And all the field and all the way throughout Was fild with legs armes heads and hands of men Smitten off and fiercelie hewd and cut in sunder And thousands on each side were slaine as then But on the Grecians part the greatest number The Troyans did so fiercely them assaile But all their force at last could not preuaile Against so great a power and multitude Of Greekes that then were fortie at the least Gainst one of them so that for to conclude They were constraind as being overprest With all the speed they could for to retire Though wanting neither manhood not desire To fight against their foes and in great hast As many of them â—â— could escape aâ—ay And saue their lines by force through th' enemy past And to the Castle goâ— and that same day Some road in poâ—st with no little feare The newes vnto thetowne of Trâ—ye to beare And need they hadâ—â— flie with all their might For in the chase the Grâ—â—kes did them pursue Vnto the gates and never left till night But many of them in incruell wise then flew That stragling here and there did chance to light Into their hands as they were in the flight Nor any one of what degree so ere Was spar'd by them nor ransome would be tane Such hatred to the Troyans they did beare And when they had great nombers of them slaine They did besiege the Castle round about So closely that they could not issue out Which doue the bulwarks presently they wonne And then with fierce assault they did assay To scale the walls but they within full soone Mounting thereon their furious moods did stay And draue theÌ„ thence with so great force might Of stones long bowes blows of coutlâ—s bright Pikes Crosse bows darts wild-fier which they cast Downe from the walles and did the same defend So valiantly that spight their hearts at last When as the Greekes with ladders did ascend They were by theÌ„ thrown headlong down the wall And forst with great despight on ground to fall Till at the last the Grecians gins did frame Wherewith against the Castle stones they threw And in such wise they battered the same That Troyans hardly could their faces shew And then againe their ladders rear'd vpright And mounting vp vs'd all their power might To enter on their enemies forcibly But Troyans nought abasht with valiant mood For their defence at them let arrows flie From off the walls and mightily with stood Their fierce assault and beat them off againe At which time many Grecians prowd were slaine By push of Pike and huge and mighty stones Which from the walls they cast and therewithall Did breake the Grecians necks bruise their bones And spight their hearts constraind theÌ„ down to fall Vpon the ground in pale and deadly hew But once againe the Greekes â—h'assault renue And with so great a number did â—â—saile The Castle on all sides that in the end The Troyans forces cleane began to saile And were no longer able to defeâ—â—d Themselues when no succoâ—â— they perceiued They waxed faint and so at men bereaued Of all reliefe they did the best they might To saue their lines but Greâ—â—â—â—â— valiantly Did enter and in rage and great despight Kild all that were within most furiously And when the Castle strong they had so woone They plast their ensignes on the walls which done They ransackt it and what so ere they found Gold treasure and each other costly ware In packes and fardels they't together bound And to their ships with present speed it bare And breaking downe the Castle made it plaine And even with the ground and so againe Returned vnto their ships and when they had Refresht and eas'd themselues and to declare They ioy for victory gaind great triumph made Their Generall whose chiefe and speciall care Was to reward each one in his degree Caus'd all his Captaines to assembled bee And all the treasure they as then had wonne Brought forth laid in open view he made To rich and poore like distribution But most to them that
deny'd His small request and boldly him defi'd Which vnto vs not any vantage brought But onely was the meanes of our despight And afterwards no little mischiefe wrought For if that we by provident foresight Had not deny'd all harmes had been eschewd That after by the Troyans were pursude At Cithera nor yet the treasure great And costly jewels woone by Paris had Been carried vnto Troye their regall seat Nor slaughter of our men by them been made Nor yet the woe that Helena procur'd In Grecian land so long therein endur'd Nor any wrong to Menelaus been done If we I say had well considered Thereon and him restored Exion Nor had we been so foolishlie misled To spend our treasure and our goods in vaine To come to fetch Queene Helena againe With no small costs or charges to vs all And dangers great as you may well suppose And yet we know not what may chance befall Or whether we in fine shall win or lose Sith that nothing on earth is permanent But vnto alteration still is bent And for that fortune all things can subvert And to a good beginning giue bad end All dangers therefore from vs to divert And wiselie to begin that we pretend My counsell is ere further we proceed To send vnto King Priamus with speed To will him to make restitution Of Helena as reason doth require And of all other wrongs vnto vs done By Paris vnto which our iust desire If he consent we may returne to Greece With honor and all further troubles cease But if he seeme this offer to refuse And wilfullie reiecteth our demand Then shall we haue occasion iust to vse All rigour whatsoere within his land To spoyle his towne and lay it flat on ground And vtterly both him and his confound And two things will our action iustifie The one is that our quarrell iust and right Which to be so no man can well denie Will maintaine vs and boldly for vs fight And vs and ours will lawfully excuse But them condemne because they did refuse Our iust demand to them first offered The other is that through the world so wide All men will say that we were iustlie led To take revenge and will hold on our side And them perpetuallie for ever blame Of wilfulnesse to their erelasting shame And all extreames that by vs shall be vs'd Gainst woman child or man of each degree For causes fore aledg'd will be excus'd 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
let it as now no woonder bee That we do vse no kind of courtesies Nor honors at our entrie vnto thee To whome we are most deadlie enemies For where as ranckor and disdaine takes place Great follie t' were to shew a flattering face And truth to say whereas the heart with fire Of envie burnes and beares a deadlie hate Vnto a man it never doth desire His welfare but subversion of estate To him and his and therefore I le not spare Th' effect of our embassage to declare As it to vs delivered was in charge From Agamemnon our braue Generall Whereof in briefe our duties to discharge We tell thee plaine and so we do to all That here assembled are this present day That he hath sent to thee for Helena Whome thou from Grecians forciblie didst take And gainst all right and by meere violence Broughtst her to Troye of whome he wils thee make Deliverie vnto vs and straight from hence To send her to her Lord King Menelaus Without delay excuse or further pawse He also asketh restitution Of all the wrongs and iniuries that were By Paris in the Grecians Country done When he to rauish Helena was there And thou the same not onlie doest maintaine But Paris in his error doest sustaine Whereof he willeth thee without delay To make amends as reason doth require And so thou maist the Gods from vengeance stay If thou dost grant to that he doth desire Whereto we counsell thee if thou beest wise But if thou seemst this message to despise And wilt refuse to grant vnto the same Assure thy selfe and thou shalt find it true Wherein none but thy selfe shall beare the blame Both thou and thine hereafter shall it rue Vnlesse herein some order thou dost take For nought but cruell death an end shall make Twixt thee and vs of this contention For thou and thine in fine destroid shall be Without all pittie or redemption And which is more and say I told it thee Thy towne which now is built so huge strong Against our force shall not continue long But we will beat it downe lay 't fulllow And vtterly in great despight and rage The houses wals towers thereof orethrow Vnlesse our angrie moods thou dost asswage Seeme not therefore our counsell to despise But shew thy selfe herein for to be wise When Priam heard the Grecians with such pride Before his face their embassage declare And in a manner seemd him to deride As though for him and his they did not care Much mou'd thereat yet his furie staid Vnto Vlisses spake and thus he said I woonder much that thus within this place You dare presume to make your prowd demand And which is more so boldly to my face As if that you the power had to command And me constraine your message to obay And that thereto I durst you not denay Nor yet deny what ere you do require I tell you plaine it doth offend me much To heare your prowd and insolent desire And which is more mine honor so doth tuch That truth to say I hardlie can refraine To be reveng'd on you but I le restraine My wrath as now and in my bounds will hold Yet nere the sooner grant to your request For know you shall I will not be controld Sith you and yours I vtterlie detest And brieflie for to answere your demand It doth not with the regall honor stand Of any King to grant to your desire Although he were in great extreamitie And truth to say great wrong t' were to require That at his hands which you demand of me And hardlie can I thinke though you proceed To do as you do vaunt you haue decreed You shall therein so much gainst vs preâ—aile For if it please the Gods I tell you plaine I will such order take that you shall faile Of your expected hope and little gaine Therby although with vows you haue it sworne And seeme as now both me and mine to scorne For your request as everie man may see To aske of me a satisfaction Is without ground of truth or equitie Sith you your selues gaue first occasion By killing noble King Laomedon My Father and destruction of his towne With slaughter of his men and many more Great iniuries which if the truth were knowne All causlesse you haue done vs heretofore Which overlong as now were to be showen For which my heart with griefe is so possest That while I liue it nere shall be at rest Till that I be revenged for the same And for my Sister Exion if I may Whome you although to your no little shame Led Captiue into Greece and to this day Still hold her there not like to her degree Which you may well suppose much spiteth me And yet for all these wrongs you aske amends Of me that not long since to liue in peace Sent vnto you to th' end we might be friends And that all former enmitie might cease To pray you to send Exion home againe Which you not onlie seem'd much to disdaine But spightfullie my messenger abus'd And threatning him with death for coÌ„ming there My iust demand to you then made refus'd Wherefore sith that to me such spight you beare I will not heare nor grant to your request So much I do your pride and you detest And die I will with honor in the field Before that to one point of your demand In any wise I will consent or yeeld And to that end I let you vnderstand That th' onelie thing that I as now doe crave Is warre not peace with you and yours to haue Sith you gainst vs haue vs'd such crueltie And know you shall that for your bold attempt To threaten me you presentlie should die But that the law of armes doth you exempt From death because Embassadors you are Wherefore in hast t' were best for you prepare With speed to go from hence out of my sight And void the towne assoone as ere you may For that to see you heare t is such despight And griefe to me that I can hardlie stay From iust revenge on you such is the rage That moues my heart by no means will swage King Priamus this answere having made Diomedes with scornfull smile then rose And in disdaine spake vnto him and said If that our presence now as I suppose Be to thy heart so great a griefe and paine And makes thee rage when as we are but twaine Then for a truth we let thee vnderstand That thou shalt never while thou liu'st want woes To see so many Grecians in thy land And all of them thy stearne and deadlie foes Whose number are an hundred thousand strong That will be here before thy gates ere long Against whose mightie power invincible Though thou farre stronger werâ— theÌ„ now thou art Vs to resist it were impossible Wherefore I wish thee play a wise mans part And be advis'd for t' will thee nought availe To striue gainst theÌ„ for sure thou canst not faile
Both thou and thine to die by Grecians swords Thy towne destroid and all that longs thereto Although thou seemst to vse such hautie words And with thy tong speak'st more thē thou canst do But better t' were such boasting speech to leaue And vnto our good counsell credite giue When Diomedes proudlie with disdaine Had spoken thus some Troyans in a rage Drew out their swords would him straight haue slaine But Priamus their furies to asswage Rose vp and with a countenance seuere On paine of death commanded them t'forbeare From wronging such as for Embassadors were Sent vnto him or t'offer them offence For though said he a foole will not forbeare To speake without discretion wit or sence A wise man must from rash attempts surcease And wincking at such follie hold his peace For if a foole speakes vnadvisedlie And by that meanes doth moue dissention A wise man should not hastilie replie Nor shun no kind of indiscretion For vnto fooles it properlie belongs For to bewray their follie with their tongues And wise men should be wary what they say And well advis'd in all their actions And both their hands and tongs discreetly stay From giuing cause to nourish factions For fooles by custome indiscreetly speake And oftentimes into great choller breake But wisemen can dissemble what they heare And till that time and place convenient bee With th'vnadvised rage of follie beare Which lasts not long as commonlie we see And for my part I do you all assure That rather would I wrong my selfe endure Then to permit the least offence that is For to be done by any man what ere For things which they suppose to be amisse To any messenger that now is here Within my Court for t is not fit that we For everie small offence reveng'd should be For many times wrongs rashlie offered When little cause or none to do 't there is Whereof some great revenge hath followed For hastiemen of woe doe neuer misse Wherefore I charge you everie one sit downe And see that no man by presumption Attempteth for to wrong in any wise Th'Embassadors of Grecia hither sent Nor furiously in malice gainst them rise But let them freelie shew the whole intent And scope of their embassage whatsoere And sit you still while we with silence heare With that Aeneas rose out of his seat Which next on th' one side of King Priam was And in a furious rage and choller great Said to the King with licence of your Grace I thinke when one without advise doth speake That he not onlie well deserues a cheake But punishment that men by him may take Example how in open audience Such vproares and dissentions they do make Thereby t' offend your roiall Excellence And truth to say it might so come to passe That I the bounds of reason might surpasse In this respect and hastilie commit A great offence whereby your royall Grace Might censure me to die therefore but yet I ft were not for your presence in this place I would revenged be vpon these twaine That haue so proudlie spoken in disdaine Of you for t is a most vnseemely thing To heare a foole with great presumption In presence of a high and mightie King Take on him without all discretion To speak that which to him might breed offence And preiudice to his magnificence To teach him how in better sort to learne To vse his tongue and when to hold his peace And of the persons better to discerne To whome he speakes and not with such excesse As he hath done that now before your Grace So prowdly spoken hath to your disgrace For which I counsell him if he be wise Out of your Graces sight with spreed to goe And not to stay long here vpon surmise That what so ere presumption he doth shoe The law of armes is his protection For if he do he 'le feele the smartfull soone Wherewith Diomedes disdainfully In proud and hawty words and yet but few Did to Aeneas sodainlie reply Saying thy speech sufficientlie doth shew That without doubt thou art exceeding wise And that the Prince that followeth thine advise Or vnto thee his secrets doth impart Can never erre nor do ought that 's amisse Because thou of so good a iudgement art That wilfullie without all good advise Prouok'st thy Prince the laws of armes to breake But would to God I might once with thee speake Alone when oportunitie doth serue That I might thee requite for thy great skill And curtesie as thou dost well deserue Which if I liue assuredly I will And thereof make account for if we meet In field with other tearmes I will thee greet But wise Vlisses rising vp then spake And seeming Diomedes speech t' excuse Vnto him said now further words to make Or longer here more arguments to vse Meere follie t' were for vs and to the King He said sith thou wilt do no other thing Nor make no further answere then thou hast Wee le stay no longer here but straight be gone And make relation what twixt vs hath past Vnto the Grecian Princes every one And how we find thee obstinately bent To hearken or to grant to their intent And so without delay to horse they mount And to the Grecians armies road in hast And there to Agamemnon did recount All what King Priam said and what had past Twixt them in Troye wherby the Greeks did see The Troyans purpose and intent to bee Not once to yeeld Queene Helena to send To them againe but valiantly to fight And gainst their foes their Citie to defend And if they could by valour and by might Driue them frō thence which though it pleasd thē not Yet sith they saw that such had been their lot To vndertake that hawtie enterprise And that there was no other remedie They did consult what waies they should devise To helpe themselues in their necessitie Of victuals and all other things beside Whereof in hast they did themselues provide But first before I shew what meanes they made To helpe themselues whil'st they fore Troye did lie I must declare what 's of Aeneas said By Guido who for truth doth certifie His father Duke Anchises was and that He on the Goddesse Uenus him begat And how that after Troye was cleane defast And overthrowen he sail'd from thence by seas And having past by many Coasts at last At Carthage did arriue where for to ease Himselfe he stayd and then tooke ship againe And sail'd so long that with great toyle paine His ships arriu'd in Italie in th' end The which by him was wholly conquered And that Augustus Casar did descend From him that was so highlie honored For many Conquests valiantly atchiu'd By him while on this earthly mowld he liu'd And Iustine that was Emperour a while Within his booke Autentikes cald by name The Rubrikes of Aeneas did compile In memory of him because he came So long a iourney into Italie And conquered it for his posteritie Which long
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
Into great want and famine at the last For by their meanes we can prouide no more And this sayd he is it which they forecast For that which doth for their advantage make For certaine doth from vs advantage take Yet nerethelesse sayd he what did befall Sith to the truce you willingly agree I will not be repugnant to you all Noâ— gainst so many striue and disagree And so they did consent on either side That for 3 moneths the truce should firmly bide And be obseru'd that while it did indure Such as sore wounds and sickenesse doe oppresse Might time and leasure haue their wounds to cure And for their paine and sicknesse seeke redresse And while the truce for that time did abide It was twixt them agreed on either side That to procure Anthenors liberty Who at that time the Grecians prisoner had King Thoas then held in captiuity Within the towne should for him free be made And neither ransome pay but while they sat In counsell thereupon it chanced that The Troian Bishop Calchas cald to mind And thought vpon his daughter Cresida Whom he left in the towne of Troy behind When he the same forsooke and went away At Delos to the Greeks for whom in hart He dayly felt great sorrow woe and smart Supposing that she being there alone Should for his sake because of his offence And treason which without occasion Gainst Troians he had done in his absence Be hardly vsd and little favor find For which he was full sore perplext in mind And made account that he should neuer be Releast nor freed from extreame griefe and paine Till he his daughter Cresida did see And that she were restor'd to him againe And therefore still within his mind forecast While that the time of 3 moneths truce did last How he mihgt her relieue and get away Out of the towne of Troy where he her left And to that end vpon a certaine day As one that were of comfort cleane bereft Sore weeping in great woe and heauinesse He did himselfe vnto the Greeks addresse And humbly on his knees before them fell And with great floods of teares submissiuely His hard and woefull state to them did tell Beseeching them with great humilitie On him and his t' haue compassion And to procure him restitution Of Cresida his child and onely ioy Whom he because he had the Troians left Durst not goe fetch out of the towne of Troy Least he by them should of his life be reft Desiring them that they a meanes would be That she might be exchanged and set free With Thoas for Anthenor which he thought If they to his request would giue consent By their good mediation might be wrought And they for Calchas sake were all content And presently a messenger did send To Priam King of Troy vnto that end To whom they gaue expresse commission To bring their sure for Cresida to pas But when the Troians hard their motion And found that it for Calchas daughter was Whose Father was become so odious To all the towne and to King Priamus That all men sayd he was a traitor false And for his treason great and trechery Well worthy to be hanged by the halâ—e And that he well deserued had to die A farre more cruell death for by the law They sayd they should his traitrous body draw Vnto the place of execution And hang it there till that halfe dead it were And in that sort with speed to cut it downe And it in quarters foure to cut or teare And said sith that he was so badly bent To Troy that death was not sufficient For his offence and answere therefore gaue That sith he had such treason gainst them wrought They flatly sayd he should no fauour haue Of them therein nor yet would graunt to ought That might his mind in any wise content Nor should his daughter Cresida be sent To him as he requird but flatly sayd If they could euer hands vpon him lay He should haue that which he deserued had And vnto his request sayd flatly nay But at the last allthough with much adoe They were content and granted therevnto For Prians King of Troy his sentence gaue That she with Thoas should exchanged be And both of them should for Anthenor haue Their free discharge out of captiuitie Which his decree with Princely promise seald The Troians could by no meanes get repeald But must the same against their wils fulfill And by that meanes she did from Troy depart Although it were full sore against her will For that much grieu d and vexed at the heart Great sorrow and complaint therefore she made Which when time serues vnto you shall be sayd CHAP. IIII. ¶ How during the time of the three moneths truce Hector went into the Greekes campe and there spake with Achilles and what speeches past between them at that time THe truce confirmd as I before did say And for three moneths agreed on either side It chanced that vpon a certaine day Hector out of the towne of Troy did ride And with him many Lords of high degree Determining the Grecians campe to see And entring thereinto directly went With courarge stout and bold saluting none That with him met vnto Achilles tent For he was mou'd with great affection To speake with him although he did intend If that he could to bring him to his end And truth to say Achilles had as much And great desire of Hector t' haue a sight Though as his foe he bare him mighty grutch Intending his destruction if he might Because he nere had meanes nor libertie Hector vnarmd at any time to see And when that they together both were met And each be held the other for a while As in that sort they were together set Achilles vpon Hector gon to smile And sayd great pleasure Hector t is to me That here disarmd at this time I thee see For nere before could I of thee haue sight But in the field when thou thine armes didst were And valiantly with trenchant blade didst fight And therewith put the Grecian Knights in feare But truth to say it 's much more griefe to mee Which am so deadly enemy to thee That now of thee I cannot haue my will For here of be assur'd if that the peace Restraind me not forthwith I would thee Kill So much my wrath against thee doth increase For th' onely thing which I in heart desire Is cruell death to thee t' appease mine ire For oftentimes when t' was my chance to fight With thee in field full sore against my mind I haue both tri'd and felt thy puissant might As by the wounds which I about me find Which yet doth ake and are both fresh greene And for iust proofe are extant to be seene For with thy sword thou oft hast shead my blood And sought to bring my life vnto an end And like a Lyon furious sierce and wood Thou hast not spard my armes to teare and rend And
cruelly as I the signes can show Most furiously the same didst hac and hew Whereby mine armes that forged are of steele When thou with puissant force on theÌ„ dist smight Could neuer yet assure my corps so well But that thy trenchaÌ„t blade through theÌ„ would 〈◊〉 Into my flesh full deepely and profound As well appeares by many a mortall wound Which in the same are now both long and wide And at this time full sorely ake and smart And put me to such paine on euery side For which as now it seemeth that my heart Doth rise swell beat and pant when I thee see With great despight reuengd on thee to bee And is so full repleat with furious rage And rancor old with such extreamitie That by no meanes it never will asswage Till with my hands thy death I giue to thee But one thing doth torment me most of all Which is when I vnto remembrance call And with my selfe in mind expostulate How to content thy fierce and bloody will With trenchant blade thou diddest separate Patroclus corps in twaine and didst him kill Whom I did loue with heart and mind intire And vnto him so great good will did beare That as my selfe I must the truth confesse I loued him and such affection Vnto him had as no tongue can expresse And thou thereby didst make division Twixt him and me that liu'd and lou'd together Like brethren twaine and so had done for euer While life endur'd for that betwixt vs twaine Our faithfull hearts were knit to fast together As if they had been linked in a chaine No griefe nor no adversity could sever Our hearts and thoughts how great soere it was Till by his death thou broughtst the same to pas And by that meanes our faith full loue didst part Whose death so deepe in printed in my thought So sore doth griue and vex me at the heart That I protest it shall be dearely bought And 't may be if I reckon not amisse Before this present yeare expired is For be assurd that onely for his sake When Fortune shall afor'd the time to do 't Revenge by cruell death on thee I le take And thereof make account and looke well to 't For if I liue it shall be surely don WheÌ„ thou shalt haue no means the same to shun For right requires that sith by death thou wert The cause and meane to part two louer true Death should to thee be rendred for desert Which I my selfe will giue thee as thy due That all the world through out may thereof know And heare how that Achilles kild his foe To be revenged for Patroclus death And though that I doe hate thee for the same And will as long as I on earth doe breath Thou hast no cause nor reason me to blame For well I wot thou hast my death conspird And many a day the same in heart desird So that to end this strife I tell thee plaine Nought els but cruell death shall vâ—â—pâ—â—r bee For till thou I or both of vs be slaâ—â—â— It shall not cease The which I hope to see Ere it be long for sure it shall be dâ—â— By me or thee the which thou shalt not shun When Hector had Achilles speech well hard And giuen him leaue to tell so long a â—ale As he that for the same full little card With countenance glad and yet with anger pale He did thereto reply and answer made Vnto the same and thus to him he sayd Achilles thou no maruell oughst to haue That as thou saist I doe thy death conspire And howrely the same of fortune craue As th' onely thing which I in heart desire And that to kill thee still I he in wait Because to thee I beare so deadly hate For if in mind thou didst consider well The sentence graue which verity doth proue And vnto vs for certaine truth doth tell That neither I nor any man can loue Nor any kind of fauor show to one That dayly seeketh my confusion And me and mine to vanquish and destroy With deadly hate and great presumption Besieged hath the noble towne of Troy To bring vs wholly to destruction Not can I any cause nor reason find That in my heart I should to him be kind Nor loue nor fauor him in any thing That seekes my death For loue doth neuer breed Of bloody warre and strife nor yet doth spring From fowle and deadly hate but doth proceed And takes her first and true originall From faithfulnesse which is the principall And onely cause that makes mens hearts t' agree And neuer from true faith and loue to start But doth them still preserue in vnitie Of words and will desire mind and hart And neither life nor death can loue disseuer For faithfull loue continueth true for euer But hatred and dissention is contrary From whence proceeds and followes as we see When as mens hearts and minds dissent varry Nought els but rancor strife and enâ—â—itie Whe which once bred makes men proceed so far That at the last they fall to mortall warre The which all loue cleane vanisheth away But nerethelesse I will that thou shalt know That whatsoeuer thou to me dost say In proud and vaunting words and makest show As if that thou wouldst doe that vnto mee Which while thou liust shal neare be don by thee I care not whatsoere thou dost or sayst For without bost hereof I thee assure When as thou hast don all that ere thou â—â—yst If that this warre long twixt vs doth indure I hope if that it be my chance to liue The Grecians so to terrifie and grieue That thou and they full well shall find and feele How with my trenchant blade when we shall meet I le hac and hew their armors made of steele And beat them downe and tread them vnderfeet And thine and all their pride so much will daunt That if you stay and still these warres doe haunt I le make you all repent your comming here For this I know and well assured am That th' onely thing as plainely doth appeare For which vnto this towne you hither came Proceeds of pride and indiscretion Els would you not with such presumption A thing of such importance take in hand As is the siedge of this our towne so great Which able is your forces to withstand And you and yours from thence by force to beat For th' enterprise I tell you true and plaine Is ouer hard and heavy to sustaine And will because to make you all in fine As hauty and as stout as now you seeme To leaue your pride and lowly to decline And stoop vnto the burthen which you deeme To be but very easie small and light With your no little shame and great despight And this I say Achilles vnto thee That whensoeuer thou dost me assayle Death shall vnto thy selfe be giuen by mee Before that thou against me shalt prevaile To do the thing wgich thou so easie deem'st Though of thy selfe thou nere so
aid Achilles did withstand Who at that time in extreame danger stood And could not scape by any likelihood But either had been taken or else slaine For Hector on him set so furiously That he had not beene able to sustaine The fight gainst him and those that busilie Vpon him set till that King Thelamon Much grieu'd thereat when as he heard theron With many thousand Grecians thither road And in despight of all the Troyans force Who notwithstanding brauely him withstood Did rescue him and holpe him to his horse But not without the losse of many a knight But for because as then it drew to night They left the battaile for that time and went Out of the field the Troyans to the towne The Grecians everie one vnto his tent And for that night to rest themselues lay downe And after that as Dares Frigius saies Continually for space of thirtie daies They neuer ceased valiantly to fight And furiouslie each other to destroy On either side but yet for all their might The Grecians lost much more then they of Troy And Priam lost in those most furious fights Six Bastard sons all braue and valiant knights For whome he made much dole and heauinesse And neuer ceast to weepe and to complaine And in that time as Guido doth expresse Hector a wound got in his face againe And in that sort each t'other did procure Great losse while all those battailes did endure Till Priamus vnto the Greeks sent downe For truce for six months space if that they would Grant therevnto which King Agamemnon With all his Lords contented was to hold And so it was confirm'd on either side For so long time betwixt them to abide And while it held the worthy Champion Hector the chiefe defence of Troy did lie To heale and cure his woâ—nds in Ilion King Priams Princelie house Whereof if I Should take on me as Dares sets it downe To make to you a full description I feare I shall want learning to expresse And shew the same to you for t is too much For my bare wit to doo 't I must confesse For truth it is there nere was any such In all the world before that ere was seene For riches nor the like nere since hath beene For as he saith t' was made for great delight And stood vpoÌ„ twelue mightie stones foure square The which were all of Alablaster white The true and right proportion that it bare Was twenty paces in the latitude And iust as many in the longitude The pauement vnder foot was Christ all cleare And all the walls compos'd and made of stones The which most costly rich and sumptuous were As Rubies Saphires Agaâ—s Diamones Topas Emrands Turques Crosolites Purfier Iasper Iet and Margarites And many other kinds the which are found And with great labour sought and digged out Within the rich and fertile Indian ground And all the Countries of the world about The which did glister shine and show as bright Within that faire sumptuous house by night As when the Sun by day therein did shine And round about the hall most curiously Huge pillars therein stood exceeding fine And brauely made of pure white Ivorie Which on the tops of each of them did hold Most great and massie Images of gold Inchast with Pearls precious stones most bright So that the stately workemanship and fashion Of that most sumptuous Pallace to the sight Was likelier by estimation To be compos'd by incantation Then wrought and made by mans invention And rather seem'd a thing celestiall And framed by the heauenly Deity Then any house of Prince terrestriall But for because I never did it see I will conclude and briefly to you tell Thâ—â— iâ— all other buildings did excell And turnd againe vnto King Priamus Who while the truce aforesaid did endure Most earnest was by workemen curious To make most costly tombes for Sepulture Of his six Bastard sons aforesaid dead That in the warre their liues had finished And all this while King Diomede lay sicke And inwardly did feele great woe and smart By Cupids shaft that cruelly did pricke And sting him through the brest into the heart For loue of his faire Lady Cresida For whom he neuer ceast both night day To fret grieue with deepe sighs complaine And for that cause most wilfullie begun To leaue all food and foolishlie abstaine From earthly ioy and lookt so pale and wan That he did seeme to be a man forlorne And one that all terrestriall blisse did scorne And ever vnto her did still complaine And prayed her of loue and charitie To shew some grace to ease him of his paine And nor to put him to extreamitie Which surely was for her sweet sake to die If vnto him her loue she would denie But cunningly she held him at a bay And for to haue and keepe him in good hope She still did vse to feed him with delay Yet would not seeme to giue him too much scope But as it were twixt hope and deepe despaire Shewd vnto him a countnance glad and faire To ease him partlie of his heauinesse And then with some new tricke as in disdaine Would put him to some other new distresse And rather more then lesse encrease his paine As wylie women well can play such parts With men that pierced are with Cupids darts And make them oftentimes to giue assaies Yet wau'ringly to stand twixt hope and dread By putting them to Non-plus by delaies As Cresida dealt with King Diomede Of purpose for to set him more on fire For naturally all women doe desie When they haue made men after them to dance Twixt hope and dread both linked in a chaine Vnequally to hang them in ballance Of most vncertaine end of either twaine To make them long and many yeares to serue Nought caring whether they doliue or starue Loe here what by too fervent loue is got For she to keepe him still in seruitude Held him at such a bay that he could not Perceaue what she did meane but to conclude Left him in doubt wherein I le let him lie And vnto you will further certifie How well themselues the Troyans did defend Against the Greeks their enemies in field When as the six months truce were at an end Who after that twelue daies together held Continuall fight and never would refraine Wherin great store of valiaÌ„t knights were slaine On either side all in their owne defence Which in the field long did vnburied lie Whereof ensu'd so great a pestilence Among the Greekes by much extreamitie Of heat and by contagiousnes of aire That they therewith did fall in great despaire For day by day so many of them dyed That in short space their number did decrease Most mightily the which when they espyed And saw the plague still more more encreast Their Generall a messenger sent downe With all their whole consents vnto the towne To craue a truce if Priam would consent And yeeld thereto for thirtie dayes
on his bed till night came on Wherein as little comfort he receau'd As in the day for rest he could get none So that of all reliefe and ioy bereau'd He did continue still in griefe and sorrow Till that the starre cald Lucifer next morrow Began in th' east ere Phoebus did arise To shew itselfe and brightly to appeare When drencht in teares with wet and heauy eies For want of rest and quaking with the feare And griefe he had conceiued in his hart He held his peace and presently vp start And calling one to him he trusted well And whom he knew desird and wisht his good He did from point to point vnto him tell What he had done and how with him it stood And sent him to the towne of Troy to speake With Hecuba and vnto her to breake The matter and by his discretion To find a meanes if possible it were To giue to him some satisfaction In that which he sâ—mpatiently did beare Who presently vnto the Queene did go And handled the matter with her so And did so wisely play his part therein Before that he did vtter their pretence That he had licence graunted of the Queene To tell his mind to her without offence With promise whatsoever that it were She would vouchsafe the same of him to heare To whom he did his message so explaine That no man euer heard a better pâ—â—d For from his mouth there past no word in vaine Noâ— sentence but was spoken to some end And at the last he brought it finely out With many circumstances fetcht about And told her that the full conclusion And purpose of his message verily Was with a stedfast resolution To set a perfect peace and vnitie Betweene the Greeks and Troians that same day Whereto he sayd he knew no better way If he might be beleeu'd for both their ease And t' end the mortall strife and bitter rage Of warre and all dissention to appease Then speedily to make a marriage Betweene Achilles and faire Polixene Her daughter if that so t'wold please the Queene Whereby he sayd all enmitie would cease If she could by her good discretion Find meanes King Priams anger to appease And by her wit and mediation Get him to be well pleased and content With willing mind to giue his free consent That Polixene his daughter should be made Achilles wife vpon condition As he at first vnto her then had sayd That all the Greeks should presently be gon And leaue that bloody warre assoone as euer They two by marriage should be linckt together Whose message when the Queene did vnderstand And know th' effect of that he did require She did a while as one amazed stand And ere she answere made to his desire She sighed sore and then with heauy cheare She spake and sayd vnto the messenger My friend concerning that thou dost request I cannot of my selfe thereto consent Yet for my part I will be alwaies prest And with my heart am willing and content Thy maisters will therein to satisfie â— And so I would thou shouldst him certifie But first I must King Priams pleasure know If he will graunt to that which thou dost moue And I must likewise vnto Paris show Th' effect and meaning of thy maister loue To see if he will giue consent thereto The which as soone as ere I can I le doe Whereof I will an answere make to thee Within three daies and then I le satisfie Thy Lord if he will send againe to me Meane time thou mai'st returne with safety And satisfie thy maister in some part Of his desire to ease his troubled hart And therewithall the messenger went backe Vnto Achilles tent with countnance glad To whom he did in such wise answere make Concerning that which he declared had Vnto Queene Hecuba that he thereby Was somewhat easd and looked cheerefully In hope that by that meanes he should in th' end Attaine to that which he so much desird And so well pleas'd in mind he did attend The three daies time by Hecuba requird To answere vnto that he did propound Who presently when she King Priam found At leisure all alone to him did moue The matter touching that Achilles had Made knowne to her and that he was in loue With Pollicene and for her sake had made A profer to procure a finall peace Betweene the Greeks and Troians and to ceaâ—â— All warre and mortall strife so that he would Giue her to him The which when he perceiud He did the Queene with countnance â—ad behold And as it were a man of speech bereau'd Sat mute and woundred to himselfe wherefore Achilles should loue Pollicene so sore That he would make that offer for her sake And at the last he sigh'd and sayd alas What griefe is this that I no peace can make For can Achilles wrong so lightly pas Out of my head when as I thinke how he Slew my son Hector by his crueltie Who while he liu'd as 't cannot be deni'd Of me and mine was th' onely safety And speciall stay supporter and the guide Of all that vnder my command now be And to speake truth he was as t' were the light Of both mine eies for by his puiffant might He did protect and saue me from the rage And cruell furie of my Grecian foes And was the staffe of all my age But now alas which filles me full of woes Achilles hath him slaine which from my mind Shall neuer pas for who in heart can find To be alied vnto his mortall foe And hard it were to bend my heart to loue Him that is cause of all my griefe and woe And by that meanes the Grecians proud doth moue T' insult on me now fortune doth mâ— crosse And frownes on me and onely for the losse Of Hector my deare son that was my stay Yet gainst my heart which doth for anger riue Sith that as now there is no other way I will though loath against my nature striue For truth to say it grieueth me full sore Yet to eschew great dangers many more Which likely are to happen vnto me And to preserue my sonnes that yet do liue I am content and therevnto agree My youngest daughter Pollicene to giue Vnto Achilles on condition he Shall hold his promise he hath made to be The meanes to make a truce and finall peace Betweene the Greeks and Troians and that wee Our mortall warre from hence-forth shall surcease But least that he should meane some treacherie I will that he shall first performe the offer Which he so freely of himselfe doth proffer Without all fraud or false collusion Which Paris also did consent vnto The rather for that no exception What they with faire Queene Helena would do Was made therein whereby he did suppose That Menelans should her for euer lose And neuer haue her into Greece againe And therefore he did freely without strife Agree thereto that he might so obtaine His will to haue Queene Helen for his wife
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
was exceeding strong And therein put an arrow sharpe and long Which had the head so strongly poysoned That who so ere he chanst therewith to smight Was sure to die and then he followed Pallamides and with exceeding might Shot at him and did giue him such awound Into the throat that he fell to the ground And died forthwith Whose death mou'd such a cry And feare amongst the Greeks that with great griefe Complaining for his death most pittiously Because he was their Generall and chiefe Of all the hoast and their espicall stay Like vnto sheepe that without sheapheard stray Amased sore for want of one to guide And gouerne them they resolutely bent Themselues to flie and speedily did ride Each man to saue himselfe within his tent Which when the Troyans saw with mighty pace They followed and so hotely did them chase And slay and beat them downe so cruelly Receauing none to mercy nor to grace That all the plaine with dead Greeks full did lie And still continued fiercely in the chase Vntill the Grecks to shun their cruelty Constrained were of meere necessity To turne againe to fight and to defend Themselues a while but t' would them not availe Because the Troyans did so fast descend And did them in such furious wise assaile That what resistance s'ever they then made They were so beaten downe and so dismaid That they could not against them make defence But were constraind to flie away in hast The Troyans did with so great violence Beat downe pursue and follow them so fast Along the plaine and not contented so In furious wise vnto their tents did go And therein fiercely kild and beat them downe And all their gold and treasure that they found They tooke and carried it into the towne And overthrew their tents vnto the ground And after that fierce Troyelus did ride With Paris downe vnto the water side Who as they went slew all that with them met Or scattering here and there they could espie And there the Grecians ships on fire set The flame whereof ascended vp so hie Into the aire that they that were in Troy Might see 't for which they made no little ioy And at that time had burnt them all if then King Thelamon Aiax had not speedilie Run to the ships with many thousand men To stay their furious course and valiantly Withstood them like a braue and worthy knight And then began a new and cruell fight Betweene the Greeks and Troyans in such wise That many valiant knights as then were slaine And yeelded vp their ghosts with wofull cries And all the field about and all the plaine Was fild with dead and maimed men that lay All â—ackâ— and hewd on euery side the way The which so sore and cruelly did bleed That all the grasse and ground was dyed red shead With blood which they out of their wounds did And still the cruell fight continued Amongst them to decide their deadly hate Which they with blows betwixt theÌ„ did debate And like to Bores and Tygars fell did fare Each tearing and sore mangling others flesh And to beat downe their enmies did not spare As thicke as men do corne when they do thresh At which time worthy Thelamon did fight So valiantly and shewd such passing might The Grecians by his prowesse to deliuer From Troyans hands that no man could do more And by maine force so furiously did seuer Their troops that all before him downe he bore And shewd himselfe so valorous and stout That had't not beene for him without all doubt Their ships had all been spoiled vtterly By Paris and yong Troyelus who there So fiercely fought and did so furiously Aslaile them assault them that there were Full fifty ships cleane burned and destroyd Before the Greeks could any way avoyd Their furious force or Thelmon Aiax came To rescue all the rest that did remaine And yet although by force he did the same There were so many Greeks at that time slaine That Troyans had the honor of that fight And onlie by the valor and the might Of Troyelus who for his part did slay So many Greeks that they compelled were To make retreat and fast to run away Out of the field in mighty dread and feare For 't was no boot for them to stay when as They saw they were brought vnto such a passe Amongst the which Prince Heber Sonne vnto The King of mighty Thracian land was one Who moou'd with indignation therevnto And wounded so that hope of life was none In him as then for in his brest their stacke The trunchion of a mightie speare that brake Within the same went to Achilles tent Where he had laine and came not out that day For loue of Pollicene for his intent Was not to aid the Grecians any way Because they would not grant to his desire And him reproacht with extreme wrath ire Of faintnesse and of verie cowardise That he that day to his no little shame Had not come forth nor would in any wise Giue aid vnto the Greeks whereby his fame He said would befor euer blemished Especially when he was certified Into what mischiefe and confusion They were redust and at the verie brinke And mouth of extreame desolation And he thereat did seeme as 't were to winke And nere made shew for them at all to grieue Nor would of knighthood them therin relieue And while he thus vnto Achilles spake And him so sharpely did reproue therefore They did out of his brest the trunchion take Which as I say broken in the same he bore And therewithall he turned vp the white Of both his eies and in Achilles sight Fell downe and died At which time sodenlie One of his Knights into his tent did come Of whome he did enquire earnestly What that day of the Grecians was become And how the case at that time with them stood Who answered him with sad and angry mood And said in sooth my Lord vnhappilie For Greeks alas haue had the worst in fight And by the Troyans haue most cruelly And to their shame been put vnto the flight And such a number slaine and spoild this day That few or none of them could scape away Vnmaymed or without some deadlie wound The Troyans vs so cruelly pursu'd Who as I thinke if truth thereof were found Were in the field so great a multitude This day that I am of opinion That they left not a man within the towne That able was to fight with speare or shield Or any other weapon what so ere But he came forth with them into the field Gainst vs so great a multitude they were So that 't was hard for vs to take in hand Against so huge a company to stand But now my Lord said he it waxeth night And they will shortly to the towne go backe For they are faint and wearied with the fight Wherefore if that your armor you will take And valiantly go out and them assaile While they are in that case
for feare did shake And sayd to him how can you now sustaine And beare this great and cruell iniurie To soe your men before your face thus lie Dead on the ground and slaine in cruell wise Within your tent and take therof no heed But stay still here when as your enemies Haue sworne and with full intent decreed To kill you thus disarmed as you stand If by your mighty force and puissant hand You doe them not resist and valiantly Shew forth your courage and ere hence they passe Requite them for the extreame cruelty Which they haue showd to vs herein this place Which when Achilles heard with furious ire Which in his brest did burne as hot as fier He armd himselfe and soming like a Bore Forgetting that whereof so much he drempt And thought vpon vnto himselfe he swore To be reuengd for loue was cleane exempt Out of his mind and Pollicene also For whom he had endured so great wo And for her beauty felt such griefe in hart Vpon the Troians for their crueltie That suddenly vpon his feet he start And calling for his horse road speedily Into the field where in short space he had So great a slaughter of the Troians made And did so furiously vpon them set For like a greedy woolfe that seeks for pray He kild and spared none that with him met Or that durst him witstand along the way Whereas he road That in a little space He made the Troians flie before his face And shun his sword all died with their blood Wherewith he had so many of them slaine For there was none that him as then withstood But he was soone layd dead vpon the plaine Till Troielus that by fortune did behold How he the Troians slew with courage bold Ran at him with most great and puissant force Whose comming when Achilles did espie He likewise spurd his strong and gallant horse And ran at him with like dexteritie And met together with such puissant might That each the other to the ground did smight Both pierced in their brests but differently Achilles with a wound most daungerous Whereof he was constrained long to lie Within his tent to heal't but Troielus A little prickt and so that day till night And six daies more ensuing they did fight And neuer ceast in furious wise to kill And to destroy each other valiantly And in that time great store of blood did spill Vnto no little damage certainely On either side for many a worthy Knight Was brought vnto his end with great despight In that same time But cause I doe not know Their names nor of what dignities they were For Guydo in his Booke doth it not show To write them I must likewise now forbeare And let their names and titles with them die And in obliuion rest perpetually But when King Priamus was certified How fierce Achilles in the field had been That day to fight and thereby falsified His promise made for loue of Pollicene Sore grieud he was and did himselfe perswade Achilles with his words had him betraid But truth to say t' was neither fraud nor guile Nor any treason secretly decreed But heat of loue which lasteth but a while Which for that time did vex Achilles head And made him sweare to do more then he could And like the wind that none by force can hold Let words from his dissembling mouth be heard Contrary vnto that he ment to do The which a man that 's wise should not regard And make as though he gaue no eare thereto For though Achilles had tofore been gotten In Cupids snare he had it then forgotten And card not in his furie to displease His Lady whom so much he seemd to flatter He had not any will the warre to cease As he had sayd but cleane contrary matter Was in his head then he made shew to meane And promist to the Queene and Pollicene And for that cause King Priam did vpbraid And cast her in the teeth with light conceit Of false Achilles loue wherein she layd Her trust whereas he ment nought but deceit For which she was sore grieud because that shee Did to the Queene her mothers will agree To marry with Achilles to th' intent That by her meanes and marriage there might be A peace for euer made But t' was not ment By trecherous Achilles for when he Was healed of his wounds he did deuise And in his traitrous heart a way surmise To be reuengd on Troielus who still Stake deepely in his cruell heart and mind If that he might haue meanes t' obtaine his will And him at some aduantage take or find Such hatred in his heart to him he bare That day and night he tooke no other care Nor set his mind vpon no other thing But onely how to quench the burning fier Of enuy gainst him borne and how to bring The same t'eflect according t' his desire For he had sworne and bound it with a vow That Troielus should die he card not how Nor by what meanes by his hand and none other And to that end with purpose fully bent T effect his will he cald his Knights together And when they were assembled in his tent One morning when the Grecians forth did go Into the field with braue and warlike sho To fight against their Trâ—â—â— enemy Who in like sort out of the towne were come With all their force the Grecian to defie And ready stood with sound of fearefull drume And trumpets shrill to call and to invite The Grecians to a fierce and cruell fight He did to them of Troielus complaine For th' iniuries that he to him had done And prayed them that they would take the paine That day to let all other things alone And onely watch on Troielus to hold And to enclose him round if that they could In midst of them and when they had don so In furious wise t'assayle him altogether And not by any meanes to let him go But yet to saue his life till he came thither That with his sword alone he might him kill To satisfie his fierce and cruell will Lo here the valor of this worthy Knight Who enviously with rancor and in pride By treason and with rage and great despight All honor and true Knight-hood layd aside Doth seeke to kill a worthier Knight then he Alas that ere such trechery should be Within the heart of any man aliue That doth professe to be a valiant Knight And honor seekes to win and to achiue Most valiant acts and who is bound by right And law of armes while life in him doth rest All falsehood and fowle treason to detest And to maintaine all truth and equitie For now he doth in secret wise conspire The death of him by great disloyalty That onely vnto honor did aspire And he that was the braust and worthiest knight That euer ware or put on armor bright But that which by Gods will ordained is Though nere so much men seeke it to withstand
Must fall out in the end and cannot mis. The which his Myrmidons did take in hand And promised to do as he had sayd And so no longer time therein delaid But went into the field where Troielus With all the Troian troopes did ready stand Who valiantly with heart couragious And with his strong and trenchant blade in hand Vpon the Grecians set and of them made Such hauocke that in little time he had So many of them slaine and ouerthrowne And furiously sore wounded euery where As he amongst them road and past that none Of them durst stand against him and appeare Before his face and did so hotly chase And kill and beat them downe in euery place That they began for feare of him to flie So that despight of all the Greeks he won The field of them and with such crueltie Pursued them that ere it was full noone That day he had constraind them to retire To saue their liues and shun his furious ire Till that Achilles Myrmidons began T' inclose him round about on euery side And with most great despight vpon him ran And he to them in furious wise did ride And though alone he was amongst them all Like Lyon fierce vpon them he did fall And in such furious wise did them assayle And valiantly to kill them did not cease That in short space he did so much preuaile Gainst them that he their number did decrease For some he slew out right and some he bore Downe to the ground some he wounded sore And some he maim'd and some he cleft in twaine And hackt and hewed them most cruelly And did the fight so valiantly maintaine Against them all with such dexterity That they could not his hautie heart subdue But still he seem'd his courage to renew And them with force and valor great t'assayle And by no meanes to giue them any rest But what could all his power and strength preuaile When as he was so mightily opprest And that three thousand knights did neuer cease In furious wise vpon him still to presse And more and more on euery side him held At such a bay that cowardly in th' end They kild his horse whereby he was compeld To fight on foot and yet he did defend Himselfe so valiantly that they well felt The puissant blowes which he amongst them delt But nerethelesse he was so sore beset That all he did could him no whit prevaile By any meanes from midst of them to get For they did him so furiously assayle That mauger his most puissant force might Off from his head they did his helmet smight And hackt and heawd his armor in such wise That naked both with head and necke he stood In midst of all his furious enemies Without reliefe Yet like a Lyon wood He shewd himselfe a valiant Champion And neuer ceast to smight and beat them down And to withstand them mightily and long Disarmed as he was till in the end Achilles entring in amongst the throng Of Myrmidons where Troielus did defend Himselfe gainst them fought with courage bold Whom when he did in such a case behold Sore wearied with fighting and in need Of ayd as then with extreame cruelty Ere Troilus of him tooke any heed Behind him fiercely road and cowardly Smot off his head and not contented so Vnknightly his great crueltie to sho He causd his mangled body to be bound Vnto his horses tayle and in a rage Drewt after him along vpon the ground Throughout the field his choler to asswage And to content his fierce and cruell will Which tooke delight his enemies blood to spill By treason as too well it doth appeare By that disloyall act which he then wrought But he that such a traiterous heart doth beare All honor and renowne doth set at nought So that he may effect his cruelty And bad intent against his enemy But now I must a little change my stile And leaue the Greeks and Troians in the fight And vnto learned Homer speake a while Who as it seemes did take a great delight To praise Achilles for his chivalry And all the Greeks t' extoll and magnifie But Homer thou hadst need to blush for shame And to condemne thine owne partiality For magnifying of Achilles name That in thy booke extolst him to the skie Who while he liu'd was full of fraud and guile And neuer did deserue so loftie a stile I must confesse that with great Eloquence And Rethoricke thou hast set forth his praise And like a Poet of great excellence Dost say he was the best Knight in his daies Yet in one point thou greatly art to blame Without iust cause to magnifie his name And t'eleuate commend and glorifie Him with a title of such happines As that for euerlasting memorie Thou dost declare that through his worthines And Knight-hood he the honor did obtaine By his owne hand two Hectors to haue slaine One who in truth for Knight-hood did surpas All men that euer liu'd for such an other Was neuer found and Troielus that was A most renowned Knight his youngest brother Who likewise well deserued for his fame And valor great a second Hectors name If thou wast moued by affection And loue which thou dost seeme in heart to beare Vnto the valiant Greekish Nation To praise him thou shouldst not for loue nor feare Refuse to write the truth of euery thing And set aside all lies and flattering For when that he slew Hector in the field It was when he without all feare or care To ease himselfe a while had cast his shield Behind him at his backe and fore him bare A Kings dead corps before his sadle bow And of his comming did full little know For if he had perceiud his trechery Thou hadst not had the cause of him to boast As now thou hast for by his chiualry He would haue made Achilles to his cost To feele his puissant force and valor great And him besides his purpose would haue set And so he did to Troielus likewise Who being all alone enclosed round Amongst the Greeks his deadly enemies And fighting there on foot vpon the ground Disarmed head and necke in great distresse And redy for to faint with wearinesse He road behind him and most cowardly Smot off his head when he suspected least He would haue vsed him so traiterously Now iudge you all I pray at my request I ft were an act of any valiant Knight To kill a man sore wearied in fight Which he had held gainst thousands all that day And much of his most Princely blood had spent In midst of them as he stood at a bay Bare headed with his armor all most rent Cleane off his backe not able to sustaine Himselfe but in great danger to be slaine And in that case to come so cowardly Behind his backe and kill him vnawares To couer his devised trechery As one that of his honor had no care Praise him not therefore Homer for the same But
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
their faces faire With flouds of teares t' expresse their heauinesse Were vnto me a thing impossible And yet in truth it was not comparable To that which faire Queene Helena did make Who with a deadly cheare and wofull face Cast forth most dolefull cries for Paris sake And running furiouslie vnto the place Whereas his body lay fell flat thereon And though that it was cold as any stone Embrast it in her armes and wofully Lamenting on the same fell in a sound And likely was in that extreamitie To die and t' haue beene laid into the ground With him if those that were with her by force And strength had not pul'd her off froÌ„ the corse Wherewith she rent and tare her golden haire Like one that 's mad waxt so pale and wan That her most comelie face which was so faire Chang'd in such sort that it therewith began To looke and show like vnto ashes cold And with her hands which she did ring fold Together smote her white and deadly face And sounding fell againe vpon the ground And in her armes did Paris corse embrace And with her brinish teares did fill his wound And was so much perplexed in her mind That she could neither ease nor comfort find But rather seem'd to wish with great desire To die with him in whome her sole delight Was placed and in that most furious ire To end her daies with her most louing Knight And liue no more sith that she was bereft Of him and in such great discomfort left So that I may well say that neuer any Poore woman felt the like nor more distresse Although I could rehearse and tell of many That haue been plunged in great heauinesse As Cleopatre going to her graue And Thesbie that did come out of the caue And smote her selfe for griefe into the heart And Oristilla who no sooner spied Her Lord take shipping and from her depart Sore grieu'd for loue of him fell downe and died And Iulia that lou'd her Lord so well That sodenly dead on the ground she fell When she beheld his cloaths all dasht with blood And Portia that was so true a wife To Brutus that when as she vnderstood That he was slaine because she had no knife In readinesse to kill herselfe withall To show her loue into the fire did fall And burnt herselfe And that most noble Queene Cald Arthemisia who when she had found Her Knight Mausalus graue and there had seene His bones did take them vp out of the ground And with an heart repleat with griefe and care Vnto her Pallace solemnly them bare And beating them to powder every day Did drinke thereof till it was cleane consum'd Who with the rest aforesaid I must say And as in truth it is to be presum'd No doubt great griefe endur'd but not so much As faire Queene Helen did nor nothing such Who would haue kild her selfe for Paris sake Desiring to her graue with speed to go And rather of her life an end to make Then to liue after him she loued so And languishing in woe long time remaind And never could from weeping be restaind He that doth say that women cannot cry Deceaues himselfe for t is a thing most sure They can by nature doo 't and certainly Though they no griefe nor sorrow do endure Yet they can false and fained teares distraine Out of their eies without cause complaine I say not this Queene Helena t' accuse Of fained teares whose heart with woe was fild For then I should you with vntruth abuse For she for griefe her selfe would faine haue kild And yet it seemes she was not in such hast As she made shew for when the storme was past She soone forgot the great extreamitie That she was in for all things haue an end And every woe how great so ere it be Must passe away for follie't were to spend Long time in that which may be remedied For though that faire Queene Helen would haue died For Paris sake as then yet afterward She did repent for nature did her moue And told her that it was a thing too hard For her so soone to kill her selfe for loue She was a woman what would you haue more She thought it folly great to die therefore But I will speake no more hereof as now For it would be too long and teadious For me to shew and to declare to you Her grieuous woe and passions furious And all her dolefull lamentation The which would moue vnto compassion The hardest heart aliue to heare it told For Priam and Queene Hecuba likewise Such pitty had to see and to behold Her shead such flouds of teares out of her eies And in such fort to grieue and to complaine That they almost endured as much paine Within their hearts for her as she had had For Paris but there was no remedy But to conclude when they an end had made Of all their woe King Priam speedily Did cause a rich and costly sepulchre To be set vp in Iunoes Temple where Most sumptuóusly and in their Paynim wise His bodie was entomb'd but to declare The manner of the great solemnities Then vsed at their funerals which are So many and so diuers it would be Too long to be declared now by me CHAP. VI. ¶ How Panthasilia Queene of the Amazons comming to ayd the Troyans against the Grecians shâ—â— obtained great honor and was slaine by Pyrrhus the Soâ—â—e of Achilles KIng Priamus in doubt of his estate And brought into most great extreamity By fortune and his hard and cruell fate When he perceiu'd no other remedie Shut fast the gates of Troy and day and night Kept watch and ward as strongly as he might For all the Troyans generally were So much abasht and did such sorrow make For Paris death that they could not forbeare To weepe and waile and durst not vndertake Against the Greeks to fight nor issue out But kept within the towne in feare and doubt Expecting nought but finally to end Their daies in woe Which when the Greeks did see Agamemnon to Priamus did send A messenger t' intreat with him as he Before had done to issue with his might Out of the towne against the Greeks to fight But Priamus the motion did detest And flatly said it was not his intent To issue out of Troy at his request And that he was most resolutely bent Not once to set one foot out of the towne But when he list without compulsion And yet the cause why he so long time staid From issuing out against the Grecians Was for because he did expect some ayd From Panthasilia Queene of Amazons Who at that time was comming with great speed And mighty force to helpe him in his need Whose Countrie as some Authors say did stand Farre distant in the orientall part Twixt Asia and Europe In which Land None else but women-kind did dwell whose art And chiefe delight and onelie exercise Was managing of armes in warlike wise And valiantly into
And offring her his gold and treasure great And all things else that necessary were For to refresh her and her maids he let Her take her rest in hope through her to be Revenged of his Grecian enemie And all the wrongs and malice to require Which he long had endured at their hand For after that she ceased not to fight Against the Greeks and daily to withstand Their power so well that they were still coÌ„peld With losse and great disgrace to leaue the field Till Menelaus returned backe againe From Lycoâ—edes Land and with him brought Yong Pyrrhus son t' Achilles that was slaine In Troy by Paris hand and treason wrought By Hecuba whose comming did reioyce The Grecians much for they all with one voyce Did welcome him and were exceeding glad To see him and because he was the son And heire vnto Achilles he was made Commander of the Myrmidons Which done And homage made to him by full accord Of all his knights as to their Soueraigne Lord King Agamemnon did create him Knight And t'honor him the more King Thelamon Did gird his sword about him as the right And custome was and when he put it on Said vnto him good Cousin Pyrrhus see Thou prou'st in time as good a knight to bee As ere thy father was For truth to tell While mongst vs he enioyed vitall breath He did all men for valor great exceedâ— And see likewise that thou revenge his death And after that two Grecian Dukes did kneele Vpon the ground and put on either heele A spur of beaten gold and when that all The ceremonies vsuall ended were King Agamemnon openly did call For th'arinor which Achilles vs'd to beare Vpon hiâ— backe when he in field did fight And gaue it vnto Pyrrhus as his right With all his treasure and his tent that was Left in the Grecian campe when he was dead And after that they had for eight daies space Throughout the Grecian hoast solemnized A royall feast to shew the ioy they had Conceiu'd for Pyrrhus that then knight was made The next day after when as Phaebus bright Which spreadeth forth his radiaÌ„t beams so far Had driuen away the browne and obscure night And cleane defast the beauty of the star Cald Lucifer which commonly men say And tearme to be the messenger of day They did prepare themselues againe to fight And with the Troyans in the field to meet Determining with all their force and might That day to shew their valors and to set On them and to assaile them on each side And to that end out of their tents did ride In order brauely plast where Pyrrhus bare His fathers warlike armes vpon his shield And his Coat-Armor also which he ware And in that sort road formost to the field Well horst Where he no sooner entred was But he encountred with Pollidamas Whom with his sword in hand he fircely smot And he the like did vnto him againe But Pyrrhus on him such advantage got That he was in great danger to be slaine By him as then if that King Phylomen Had not come thither t'aid him with his men But Pyrrhus smote king Phylomen a blow Vpon the helmet with such extreame force That sore amaz'd he was constraind to bow And bend his body backward on his horse And without doubt had tane him prisoner then If he had not been holpen by his men Who to relieue and saue him fiercely fought And stroue against the Greeks but nerethelesse The valor great they shew'd availd them nought For Pyrrhus on them did so strongly presse With Myrmidons that they could not sustaine His fierce assault but many of them were slaine And beaten downe whereby King Phylomene Still was and stood in danger great to die Or to be tane if that he had not beene Somewhat relieu'd in that extreamitie By stout Pollidamas that fiercely fought To succour him but it availd him nought For at that time the Myrmidons did fight So furiously and with such valor great That he could not to his no little spight Relieue him nor out of that danger set Till Panthasilia comming furiously Vpon the Greeks assaild them valiantly And with hermaidens who for their delight That day did issue forth into the field With Cassocksore their armors all of white So hote a skirmish with the Grecians held And did so many of them fiercely slay That they constrained were to giue her way For who so ere he was that with her met Was sure to die till Thelmon vnaware With furie great vpon her fiercely set And with his Launce out of her sadle bare Her to the ground and laid her on the plaine But she no whit abasht roâ—e vp againe And with her sword gaue Thelamon a blow That feld him to the ground then by force Her Amazons their valors great to show Despight of all the Greeks brought her an horse And made her mount thereon But nerethelesse The Myrmidons on Phylomene did presse So hotely and so sore that all the might And force his men in his behalfe could sho Did nought availe for to their great despight They tooke him prisoner and began to go With him through midst of them out of the field Which when the Queene of Amazons beheld Assembling all her maids she did begin To follow them and did so fiercely set Vpon them that with furiâ—enâ—ring in Amongst the thickest of the presse she beat Them downe so fast that she did them constraine Despight their hearts to let him go againe Out of their hands and fought so cruelly Against them at that time that she compeld Them in great hast before her face to flie And backward to retire out of the field Whose valor great when Pyrrhus did espie He did begin vnto his knights to crie And said it was a shame for them to lose Their liues by womens hands and so to yeeld Them ground and giue occasion to their foes To scorne them and by them to be held As cowards that could not the force withstand Of women if they did not take in hand With speed to daunt their pride and kill them all And by that meanes requite them for the shame They had endur'd by them and therewithall T' encourage them forthwith to do the same With sword in hand and with a knightlie cheare Before theÌ„ marcht WhoÌ„ when the Queen did here In that sort to his knights to crie she staid Her horse and scorning once to turne her backe Or of his threatning words to be affraid With courage stout and bold vnto him speake And said Pyrrhus I know thy father well Slew Hector that all others did excell Throughout the world for peerelesse chivalrie Not fighting with him like a valiant knight But vnawares and by false treachery Before that he of him had any sight Which traiterous act my hart doth so much grieue That I shall thinke vpon it while I liue And for the same my heart perswadeth me That iust revenge without exception Should therefore first
earnest were t' agree And bring the peace to that effect they sought And chiefly that Amphimacus should be Exiled as Anthenor closely wrought A sodaine noise among them did arise As it had been the lamentable cries And dolefull plaints of men in extreame woe Whereat Ulisses and King Diomede As they did out the Counsell chamber go Were stricken in no little feare and dread And thought the people that great favor bore T' Amphimacus would be revenged fore His exile causlesse done to their despight And therfore fear'd that they should murthered be With furie great within the towne that night By some devise and foule conspiracy Of false Anthenor and Aeneas both In whome they did repose but little troth And yet in truth there was not any man That heard the noyse and rumor in the hall That could câ—â—ceiue or know how it began Which made the Greeks in greater feare to fall And to sufpect the Commons would arise And kill them as their deadly enemies But to assure and put them out of dout And danger of all tumults what so ere Anthenor did convay them safely out Of Ilion and when they gotten were Out of the way to an assured place Ulisses with a pale and deadly face Scarce freed from feare with dissembling smile Began to charge Anthenor and to say They feared that he meant them to beguile Because he put them off from day to day And nought perform'd of that he promist had When they at first the cov'naÌ„ts with him made So that said he we thinke and certainly Belieue for truth as reason doth vs moue That you meane nothing else but treacherie But false Anthenor from them to remoue All causes of suspition what so ere Spake vnto them with sad and sober cheare And said I do the Gods to witnesse call Who onlie know the secret of mans heart That without any fraud or guile in all That I haue tane in hand as 't is my part I haue been faithfull true and diligent To bring 't to passe with all my whole intent One thing there is whereat you must not grieue Which is the cause I cannot as I would Performe't so soone which if you giue me leaue Shall brieflie vnto you by me be told This towne as old records declare to vs Long since was Builded by King Ilius Who in perpetuall honor of his name And to preserue it from oblivion When he had fullie finished the same Gaue vnto it the name of Ilion Wherein with most exceeding cost and charge He did erect a Temple faire and large In Pallas name the which long time was had And holden by all men in reverence great Which Temple being raised vp and made As high as to the roofe ere he had set And laid the beames and lead vpon the same Pallas because of her it had the name To shew how much the honor they her bore She did accept as pleasing in her eies And also to encourage them the more Vpon her Altars t'offer sacrifice A miracle so strange did shew as then That nere the like was seen before of men For from the skie did sodainlie descend A faire and goodlie Image so well made And curiously compos'd that none could mend The workmanship thereof nor ever had Seene any thing so exquisitely form'd Nor in all points so cunningly adorn'd For it was made within the heavenly bower Of Angels by divine Mineruaes hand And by her sent to shew her mighty power Downe from the skies into the church to stand Therein for vs perpetually to be A preseruation in extreamitie And to maintaine and keepe the towne from all Distresses harmes and dangers what so ere At any time should hap thereon to fall For that as long as it remaineth here Within her Church Troy well may be annoyd By enemies but nere shall be destroyd For Pallas of her grace to vs doth show Such favor that while it is in the Towne There 's no terrestriall power can overthrow Nor haue the meanes by force to breake it downe Vnlesse the Image could be stolne away From hence and yet there is no man that may Remoue it from the place where it doth stand Vnlesse it be the Priest whose office is Alone t' attend thereon and with his hand Is licensed to doo 't because it is Impossible for any other man To stirre or lift the same do what he can And who so ever sees and doth behold The Image cannot tell whether it be made Of wood or stone of mettall or of mold For certaine t is no earthly man ere layd Hand therevnto it is so heavenly A piece of worke and wrought so curiously By power divine and wise Mineruaes hand Who of her grace hath giuen it vnto Troy Within her Temple evermore to stand And granted them this priuiledge t' enioy That while it there remaines they shall not need The force and power of enemies to dread If they do yeeld due honor therevnto And by succession so shall still remaine From King to King who by true title do And shall the Troyan Diadem obtaine If they preserue the same with reverence And loose it not by their owne negligence The name whereof is cald Palladiowne Because it was sent downe out of the skie And by Minerua given to the Towne Within her Church to stand perpetually For their defence and this is th' only thing Which hindreth me my word to passe to bring Whereto Ulisses said if it be so That Troy cannot be given into our hands As thou to vs protested hast to do While th' Image in Mineruaes Temple stands And that it is impossible t' attaine To our desires therein It is in vaine For vs t' expect that at thy hands which thou Canst not effect and folly in thee to take On thee to do that which thou knowst not how By any meanes t' accomplish nor to make Thy promise good to vs therefore I say It 's best for vs to seeke some other way To whome Anthenor made reply and said As yet there 's nothing promised by me But shall be well perform'd though 't be delaid As by the sequell plainly you may see The manner how to you I will declare If so much time to heare it you will spare My meaning is said he forthwith to go Vnto the Priest that hath the custody Of Palladowne and to perswade him so By promising to giue him presently A sum of gold in hand that he shall be Content at my request to grant to me To bring the Image to the place whereas You shall appoint If that meane time you will Content your selues and letting care ore-passe Stay patiently a little while vntill That I this thing haue fully brought about Wherein said he I pray you not to doubt For I will take the charge of it in hand And do assure you of Palladiowne Whose purpose when the Greeks did vnderstand They tooke their leaues to go out of the Towne But to avoid suspition ere they went Anthenor
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
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