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
he bore And for that cause he made no more delay But arm'd himselfe againe with full intent Against his fathers will that bad him stay To go into the field and forward went For feare whereof his wife did cry shout And with her child in both her armes ran out And did to him most pittiously complaine Beseeching him her sorrow to behold And of his Princely loue to ease her paine By granting her request and that he would Not onely pittie her but haue a care Of his yong Son which in her armes she bare Who all the while would not from crying keepe By any meanes what so euer that she made When as he saw his wofull mother weepe And kneeling on her knees vnto him said Alas my Lord haue pittie now on me And on this tender babe whome here you see So wofully before you weepe and crie And be not so hard hearted and vnkind T' abandon vs and suffer vs to die Let Troy some mercy at thy hand now find Mine owne deare Lord least it and we each one Be put to cruell death when thou art gone For want of aid Thus did Andromecha Her Husband Hector mournfully desire To stay at home The like Queene Hecuba His mother also of him did require Together with his Sisters Cassandra And Policene with faire Queene Helena Who all at once downe at his feet did fall And pittiously their haire did rent and teare And lowdly cri'd and dolefully did call On him that he would for that day forbeare To go into the field and of the towne With them and her to haue compassion And to behold their sad and pittious mone For that he was the bulwarke and the wall And chiefe defender of the towne alone And th' only true supporter of them all In whome their onely safety and good With all their weale especially then stood But all this could not moue his heart to stay Nor grant to their request yet still they kneel'd And him with many brinish teares did pray Vnto their cries and woefull sute to yeeld And that they might some sparks of grace theÌ„ feele To come out of his heart as hard as steele By pittying them and on their woe to rew Which likely was to their destruction And overthrow still dailie to renew For that of their most famous Troyan towne His death would be the ruine and decay Yet all this could by no meanes make him stay But forth he would with heart couragious Which was inflam'd with extreame wrath rage And like a Lyon fierce and furious Would by no meanes his crueltie asswage For neither crie nor lamentation Could him withdraw from his opinion For casting everie danger cleane aside And all perswasions what so ere were made He spurd his horse and forward gan to ride Wherewith his wife such extreame dolor had Within her heart that with face pale and wan In furious wise vnto the King she ran So sore amaz'd and in such wofull case That she could hardly tell where she did go And with salt teares be-dewing all her face So strangely lookt that no man could her know And in that sort with great perplexitie She fell before King Priam on her knee And vnto him her wofull case did shoe Desiring him to put his helping hand To stay her husband Hector that would goe Out of the towne whom no man could withstand Vnlesse't were he who presentlie did bid One bring his horse and forth in hast he rid And pittying her estate did for her sake Set spurs vnto his horse with so great hast That he did Hector speedilie oretake Before that he out of the gate was past And straight laid hold vpon his horses reine And made him gainst his will turne back again Wherein he would his father not gaine say Although he was full loath the same to doe And by that meanes intreated was to stay And partly was by force constraind thereto And so he did downe from his horse alight With heart so full of ranckor and despight Melancholie and hot and burning ire That his couragious heart did boile in blood And with disdaine was set on such a fire That like a Tygar fierce or Lyon wood And furious depriued of his pray He did behaue himselfe all that same day Or like a Bore that as he goes doth whet And grind his tuskes still walking vp and downe While that the Greekes they of Troy did meet Where at the first yong Troyelâ—â— fore the towne In furious wise vpon his gallant steed By chance did meet with fierce King Diomede And both of them so furiously assaild And set vpon each other with such might That neither armes nor weapons had preuaild But one or both of them in that hard fight Had died if that King Menelaus had not beene That sodenly came riding them betweene And made them part and after valiantly Did spurre his horse and ran at Mereon The Phrigian King and him most cruellie With sword in hand assaild and set vpon And at him stroke a blow with so great force That with the same he feld him off his horse And at that time he surely had bin tane Or lost his life the Greeks so mightily Assaild and set on him and on the plaine Enclos'd him round about and furiously Pluckt off his helme and band vpon him laid And had him led away If to his aid Pollidamas had not come sodenly With many valiant knights with him and when He saw King Mereon in extreamitie And mongst a troope of Grecians prisoner then In furious wise he did vpon them set And him out of their hands by force did get But ere he could relieue him cleane from thence On either side there was such mortall strife For that the Greeks gainst him made great defence That many a valiant knight then lost his life For rather then he should from them be tane They swore vowd that he shold first be slaine And by that meanes he was in danger great But sodainly to free him from the same Yong Troyelus vpon the Grecians set And at the first as he amongst them â—aâ—â—e He did behaue himselfe gainst them so well And in such furious wise vpon them â—ell That in despight of them and all their traine Most valiantly he holpe king Mereon And him restor'd to libertie againe And then into the field came Thelamon That of three thousand knights the leader was And sodenlie vnhorst Pollidamas And him in midst of all his knights cast downe Vnto the ground But worthy Troyelus T' encrease his hautie fame and great renowne Despight of them with courage furious Holpe him perforce vnto his horse againe But at that time the Troyans were so slaine And beaten downe by Greeks on euery side For fierce Achilles then so cruelly Pursued them that they could not abide Before his face but of necessitie Constrained were perforce to flie away And by no meanes within the field would stay But fiercelie chast by him vnto the towne Close by
Porter staid Whom I entreated courteously to pas And churlishly put backe with words most vile I seeing that he did me so revile Much grieued that he vsd me in that sort Did kill him with a blow on th' eare which whan The guard did see that watch held in the fort They issued and together on me ran And I compeld to fight though gainst my will In my defence fifteene of them did kill Whereby I am thus wounded as you see And like to loose my life as well as they That sought if that they could t' haue killed me And this if these here present truth will say The reason was we fought and they were kild By me which when Ulisses heard he wild Him to declare where he was borne and what His Father was and where he then did dwell Who answered the King and told him that He would the truth thereof vnto him tell And said he was borne in an Isle that stood Within the sea of high and Princely blood And that he to his mother had a Queene Cald Circes who both fâ—r and nâ—â—â— was knowne And how he had his Father neuer â—â—erio But said that by his mother he was showne That he was gotten by a king who as He did returne from Troy did chance to pas Along that way and as she told to me Said he his name Vlisses was Whom I Did long and such desire had to see That taking ship I set sayle presently And in short space I came into this land Where I was told and given to vnderstand That I should find my Father in this place But now I see my labour is in vaine And feare that I shall never see his face And therefore sith I haue tane so much paine And cannot vnto my desire attaine I will if that I liue returne againe Into my natiue soylo and seeke no more With danger of my life for that which I So long to find and yet it grieues me fore T' haue tane such paines and cannot satisfie My mind This is all that I can you show Said he of that which you desire to know Whereby Vlisses sighing sore when as He had heard him that answere to him make Perceiving he his Son by Circes was With griefe began to tremble and to quake And sheading store of blood out of his wound He fainted and did full into a swound And with a countnance heavy dead and pale Said now I see my woefull Destiny Fulfilled is for by this young mans â—ale I know and find there is no remedy For me and that the time is now too lâ—â—e To strine against my hard and cuâ—sâ—â— Faâ—e For now my Son which here by me doth stand Hath given meâ—â—y death and made an end Of his old Fathers life and with his hand Hath finishe that whereto my dreame did tend Which words pronounst young Thelagon began With countnance sad and face â—oth pale wan To sigh when as he knew and vnderstood That gainst the lawes of nature he had flame His Father and so fiercely shed his blood That him begot and felt such grieuous paine In heart that he did presently sincke downe And fore them all did fall into a swone And comming to himselfe when he had torne His clothes and puld his haire off from his head He said alas that ever I was borne That by my hands my Father should be dead Curst be my hard and woefull Destiny And fortune fell the which I could not flie Curst be the hand that hath been so impure Whereby this wicked deed by me is don Accurst be I of every creature Accursed be my constellation And cursed be and most vnfortunate The hower wherein my father me begat Oh would to God for this vnhappy deed T' excuse his death I might for my reward In presence of you all die in his steed And wholy of all comfort be debard And that men would me vtterly forsake But when the King such sorrow hard him make And knew he was his Son that Circes bore By him in th'isle Aulides as be found By many signes which he rehearst before He made him to be tane vp from the ground Whereon he lay and pardned him his death Being ready then to yeild his vitall breath And lying in so great extreamitie With speed did call for his Son Thelamon Who at that time in prison straight did lie Who presently when as he heard thereon Vnto his Father went and when he saw That he began vnto his end to draw And by enquirie knew the truth and found That Thelagon who fore him there did stand Was he that had given him his deadly wound With mighty rage he tooke his sword in hand And thought his brother Thelagon to kill But ere thâ—â— he of him could haue his will Ulisses made his men to run and hold His hand and then for all the paine he had He cald his Sons and told them that he would Haue them t' agree and to be friends made Them graâ—â— and promise to be so which â—on He did expresly charge Prince Thelamon That he without dissimulation Should loue and in most friendly manner liue While vitall breath did last with Thelagon His brother and to him the halfe should giue Of all his goods as heire by true discent To him whereto he freely did consent And neuer from his Fathers will did varry Which said his men a Chariot did provide And did him to his chiefest Citie carry Where afterward within three daies he dide Whose body was interred by hie Sonne Within a costly Tombe of Marble stone And after that they Crowned Thelamon And made him King with great solemnity With whom a whole yeare after Thelagon His brother staid to whom most lovingly And kindly he nere any thing denide And when he would n◠〈◊〉 there abide He dubd him Knight and after did prepare A ship and gold for him whereof he had Great store wherewith he did againe repaire Home to Aulides Isle and thereby made His mother Circes heart exceeding glad That had for his long absence been full sad For she by Negromancian Art could tell That he through many dangers great had past And scapt them all And after that she fell Into an extreame sickenes and at last Well stricken in yeares she died as all men must When as their time is come For God most just Hath death ordaind for every living thing Who having vnto nature paid her debt Prince Thelagon her Son was Crowned King Of Aulides whereas with honor great He did his Crowne Kingdome long maintaine And threescore yeares full coÌ„pleat ther did raigne While Thelamon liu'd in Achaia land And thereof held the Scepter and the Crowne For seaventy yeares together in his hand Till from his throne death proudly puld him down Vnto the ground and with his piercing dart In cruell wise did strike him to the hart This shall suffiice to let you see and know Th'adventures of the Greeks by sea and land When
Thelaphus that did by chance perceiue What he would doe to him in hast did call And stepping forth did on his shield receaue The stroake and did Achilles friendly pray At his request his furious mood to stay And for a while in Knightlie curtesie To grant him life sith wounded sore he lay Before his feet and ready was to die For every Knight saith he his wrath should stay And on his foe some pittie ought to haue When he in humble wise doth mercie craue To whom Achilles said I marvaile why You seeme to craue that I should mercie show To him and spare his life who furiously With pride which in his heart did overslow Would not vnto our just request giue eare But without cause did armes against vs beare And with disdaine and meere presumption The Grecians in most furious wise assaild Though now against his expectation He findeth that it hath him nought availd And he himselfe is fallen into the snare Which for vs as he thought he did prepare Though we deseru'd no such thing at his hand As having no intent him to molest Nor yet by force t' invade him or his land So that if now he finds himselfe opprest He can it not deny but must confesse His rash attempt deserved hath no lesse But Thelaphus againe did him require Of knight-hood to take pittie on the King And for that time to grant to his desire For while said he my father was living He and king Tentran were confederate Though here as now he lies in woefull state With pale and deadlie face vpon the ground Expecting when his soule shall hence depart And for that heretofore I haue him found To beare a noble mind and Royall heart When I by chance past through his countrey Where he with all his Lords and chivalry Received and feasted me most Royally In every place where I did ride or goe Within his land So that humanitie Binds me the like vnto him now to show And in my mind his curtesie to beare Least men should say that to vnkind I weare Which might heereafter turne to my disgrace Wherefore that I in part may him requite I you beseech take pittie on his case And spare his life as yo' are a noble knight Whereto Achilles presently did yeild And there before his souldiers in the field King Tenteran vnto Thelaphus did giue To do with him as he should thinke it best Who to behold him in that case did grieue And at his heart with sorrow was opprest To see there was no other remedie But that of force he could not choose but die And when the sonne vnto the Westerne part With speed declind the battaile at an end And Tenteran did feele great paine and smart Yet no reliefe his woefull state could mend For that his wounds still more more did bleed His men made all the hast they could with speed To beare him thence vnto his court with ease And to that end they for a litter sent And layd him in 't and while he past the prease Thelaphus and Achilles by him went And to his Royall Pallace him contraid Where in his bed when as they had him laid Perceiving that he drew vnto his end For that his vitall spiriâ—s 〈◊〉 to faile And nature vnto him no force could lend Nor surgery noâ— Phisike ought prevaile Nor any comfort noâ— reliefe was left To him as then of worldly joyes bereft For Thelaphus and Achilles he did send And with a voice most feeble faint and weake And sighs and teares fast drawing to his end In woefull wise he did vnto them speake And said my Lords health honor high degree All worldly joy and great prosperitie I wish vnto you both with all my hart But specially to thee Prince Thelaphus Who at this time such favor doth â—mpart To me and art so kind and gratious That in my paines so grieuous and so strong Thou seek'st my life if 't might be to prolong But now alas there is no remedie But die I must and can it not withstand For as you see here prostrate I doe lie Expecting th'hower when from deaths cruell hand The fatall blow will come to pierce my hart And that my soule out of my corps shall part To make an end of all my miserie Which so much more increaseth in my hart To see the hower of death approach so nie And that out of this world I must depart And leaue no heires within this Isle to raigne The Crowne and Scepter thereof to maintaine When I am dead which by that meanes alas I feare will soone be spoyld and ouer-run Which I full loath would be should come to pas Sith that at first with labour great I won And conquered it and ever since by might And warlike force maintained haue my right Gainst all my foes for many yeaâ—es now past Yet once it had been lost without recure And I from thence had vtterly been chast But that I did the aid and helpe procure Of Hercules the stout and valiant Knight Who by his extreame force and passing might Which at this day is fresh in memorie And while the world indures shall ever bee Orecame and vanquished my enemie And did againe restore this Isle to mee And while he liu'd the feare of him was such And every man respected him so much That spight of all my foes I did enioy My Scepter and my Crowne in peace and rest And no man durst by word and deed annoy My quiet state nor me in ought molest Whereby it doth appeare this little Isle Belongs vnto the Kingdome of Cicile Where Hercules did place two pillars great Which at this day are extant to be seene And for perpetuall memorie there set To show how farre he in that land had beene Which pillars some men cald Columnia And others did them name Herculea Which Island once was in subiection Vnto the Mores and long time so remaind But after by the valiant Romaines won When they th'jmperiall diadem obtaind Of all the world and by their puissance Their names fames did farre wide advancâ— And after many valiant Conquerors Succeeded had each other by degree And of the Towne of Roome been Emperors And therein ruld with power and Majestie One Fredericke the second of that name That sometime was an Emperor in the samâ— And King of Cicile by inheritance Because he did a great affection beare Vnto that Isle and in remembrance Perpetuall of him therein did reare And make a huge and mightie Tower of bricke With walâ—es that were exceeding strong thicke And cause the aire was pleasant good sweet And that therein great store of flowers were Some Authors doe report he named it The new faire land which name long time it beare And was therein by vse continued Till that the Emperor Fredericke was dead But to returne vnto King Tenteran WheÌ„ he had vsâ—â—â—e speech which you haue heard And that he did perceiue his life began To draw vnto an end
shewes at large First how she was to him deliuered With Thoas for Anthenor and was led By them out of the towne accompanied By Troiclus and many more that road With him and her and how King Diomed Did lead her horse and her great kindnes shewd Till that she came vnto her Fathers sent Where she did light and straight into it went And then declares how she therein did stay What speches she to him and others vsed While she with them sat talking all that day And how that soone her selfe she did abuse For Gâ—ldo saith that day before t was night She cleane forlooke her deare louing knight And gaue her heart and loue to Diomede To shew what trust there is in women kind For she of her new loue no sooner sped But Troiclus was cleane out of her mind As if she had him never knowne nor seene Wherein I cannot gesse what she did meane Vnlesse it were because she did delight In novelty as women doe by kind And nature which vnstable is and light As by experience commonly we find But now no more of loue I will declare But turne my stile againe vnto the warre CHAP. V. ¶ Of the Eâ—â—â—ailes fought betweene the Greeks and the Troians after the truce of three moneths was expired The description of the Pallace of Ilion in Troy of a great pâ—stâ—â—â—â—ce that happened in the Grecians hoast Whereby they were constrained to seeke for a truce which they obtained of the Troians for 30. daies THe three moneths truce aforesaid being don The next ensuing day when Titan had His Indian course from West to East out run And after he great sport and cheare had made In sweet and faire Auroraes company And rose from her and would no longer lie But with his Radiant beames that shone most clear When as the â—arke did sing with great delight Did on the walles and towne of Troy appeare Hector the strong and most victorious Knight His battailes in good order did ordaine And ready was to goe into the plaine To fight against the Grecian enemy The first whereof himselfe well armed led And with him had to beare him company Full fifteene thousand Knights well furnished Next vnto him braue Troielus did goe With iust ten thousand Knights in warlike shoe And after him the Percian archers went That had his brother Paris for their guide Each with his Bow in hand all ready bent And sheaâ—es of peircing arrowes by his side In number full thre thousand archers braue The leading of the fourth ward Hector gaue Vnto his brother Deiphobus that had Three thousand men well arm'd in corslets cleare And of the rest Aeneas leader made And as the story â—aith as then there were An hundred thousand valiant Knights stout By Hector to the field that day sent out And as I find by Dares Frigius And Guido too against them forth were led Seven thousand Grecian Knights by Mâ—â—â—â—â— And iust as many more by Dâ—â—â—ed And next to them Aâ—billes with his â—and Of Myrmidons in order plast did stand Then Zantipus a King of great renowne Conductor of three thousand Knights was â—â—dâ— And last of all into the field came downe The Generall of the hoast that with him had So huge a band of Grecian Knights that all The plaine with them was fild straight dâ—â—â—â—â—â— And set vpon the Troian Knights so fast That many men at that encounter died And furiously vnto the ground were cast And as by chance King Phillis Hector spied That cruelly the Greeks beat downe and chast He spurd his horse and ran at him in hast And with his launce vpon him fiercely set Which when as Hector saw he coucht his speare And him with so great sorce and fury met That he did him out of his sadle beare And gaue him such a deepe and cruell wound That he therewith fell dead vpon the ground Whose death when as the Grecians did espie With griefe for him they waxed pale and wan And many to revenge it valiantly On Hector set and first vpon him ran King Zantipus who with most great disdaine And griefe to see King Phillis there lie slaine His launce vpon him brake which to requite Hector at him most furiously did flie And with his speare so fiercely did him smite That with the blow he did most cruelly Giue him a wound so deepe into the side That he therewith fell off his horse and died For whom the Greeks complain'd and grieued sorâ— And hated Hector for his cruelty And each to other promised and swore With Troian blood his death reuendg'd should â—e And at that time did them so sore pursue That many of them in little space they slew And mongst the rest Achilles cruelly Lichaon and Euforbius both did slay Two Knights that came out of their Countrey Which distant was from Troy a mighty way To ayd and help their friend King Priamus And while the Greekes set on the Troians thus Hector by chance was wounded in the face Wherewith the blood out of his Bever ran Whome when the Troyans saw in such a case They were so much abasht that they began To flie in great hast to leaue the plaine And in the chase great store of them were slaine Before that they could get out of the preaâ—e The Grecians them so hoâ—â—â—e followed And to pursue and kill them did not cease In furious wise as they before them fled And chased them almost vnto the towne Till Hector that most worthy Champion Perceiuing them to flie so fast away Vnto them went t' encourage them againe And made them turne spight their hearts to stay And valiantlie to fight and to maintaine The battaile gainst the Grecian enemies For when as he by chance cast vp his eies Vnto the wals of Troy and did behold Queene Hecuba and Policene that stood Thereon to see the fight his heart waxt cold As being moou'd with fierce and furious mood For verie shame to see the Troyans flie And made them turne with great dexteritie And staid their â—light with them backe did ride Vnto the plaine and in his way he met A Grecian King cald Merion neere allide T' Achilles and on him most fiercelieset And with his sword gaue him so great a blow That therewithall his body claue in two Whome when Achilles found in that sort dead Much grieu'd to see 't but 't could him noght availe He tooke a speare and Hector followed With full intent t'revenge him without faile And to that end ran at him valiantly And on the shield smote him most cruelly But could not once remooue him with the stroake Nor make him in his sadle rise nor bow For he sat sure and steadfast as an Oake But mooued sore when as he felâ— the blow With sword in hand he did Achilles smite So great a stroke with all his force and might That with the same he did his helmet breake And tare his Bever off and made him reele And on his horse
Soone did arriue before the Troyan coast Where safely landing all his ships together He presently relieu'd the Grecian hoast With victuals who thereof had then great need And thankt him that he broght it with such speed The Grecian host relieu'd as you haue heard Palamedes went to their ships to see If they had any need to be repair'd And what so euer requisite to bee Bestowd on them was found he did with care Cause to be done And likewise did not spare Of every thing what so ever it did cost To see prouision made and to supply All things that needfull were within the host The which he did performe most carefully While time of truce endur'd was out-run And that their bloudy warre againe begun Which many on each side most dearely bought Whereof to write at large is my pretence And shew how they together fiercely sought Each th' other to destroy in their defence And still continued in their deadly hate The which they held between the without date Vnto the great destruction and decay Of many valiant knights while it did last For as they were accustomed next day Ensuing after that the truce was past In warlike wise well arm'd with speare shield They entered againe into the field Where with their banners wavering in great pride And drums and trumpets sounding fearefully They met together brauely on each side And at the first encounter valiantly Deiphobus like a Lyon furious Met with a Grecian King cald Creseus And with his strong puissant speare in rest Ran at him with so great and mighty force That he did pierce him deepe into the brest Wherewith starke dead he fell off from his horse Whose death so much the Greeks did terrifie That sore amaz'd they did begin to flie Vnto their tents as fast as ere they could To saue themselues with mighty feare and dread The which when as the Troyans did behold They chased them till that King Diomede And with him also King Palamodes With most despightfull hearts and merciles With twenty thousand knights accompanied Vpon the Troyans sodainly did set And where the Grecians then before them fled They did so fiercely kill cast downe and beat The Troyans that their furious 〈◊〉 vs to shun Then made them fore the Greeks as fast to run And at that time came Thelamon Aiax in Conducting of another Grecian band At whose approach such slaughter did begin On Troyans side by his victorious hand That many of them then were fiercely kild And all the plaine with Troyans blood was fild And as he thus in furious wise did set On them and like a Lyon fierce for pray Did range about the field by chance he met The worthy knight Sicilian in his way A bastard Son of 〈◊〉 whome he Assailed with such extreame crueltie That with his sword he cut his arme in twaine And he therewith fell dead within the field Whome when Deiphobus saw so fiercely slaine By Thelamon and his dead corps beheld With speare in hand he smote so great a stroke At Thelmon that his Launce on him he broke And yet did hit him with so great a might That with the trunchion which did whole remaine He did him cleane out of his sadle smight And laid him all along vpon the plaine Which stroke when King Pallamides beheld And saw how he vnto the ground was feld He was therewith so vexed at the heart That to revenge King Thelamon he sware On Deiphobus and ere he thence did part With mighty speare which in his hand he bare He ran and smote Deiphobus such a stroke That therewithall he pierst his brest broke The speare within the same and therein left The trunchion and the head still sticking fast Wherewith he was of vitall breath bereft But ere the same out of his body past Which long within his breast could not abide It was his brother Paris chance to ride That way where he lay in a manner dead Whome when he did behold in such a case He was therewith so much astonished That he did looke with pale and deadly face And for him grieu'd and wept most bitterly And bad his knights conuay him speedily Out of the field and prease wherein he lay Aside into a place to take the aire Who presently did beare him thence away Vpon a shield with easie pace and faire And with great griefe sorrow laid him downe Hard by the wall close vnderneath the towne Where when he had a little while still laine With heauie cheare he lifted vp his eies And being in extreamity of paine Vnto his brother Paris softlie cries And said good brother let me one thing craue Of thee that thou wilt pittie on me haue And kindly and for lone and brother hood Remember what to thee I now shall say Sith that thou canst do mono other good Because I must depart from thee away Thou seest what woefull case I here lie in For Atropos will now no longer spin My thread of life nor favor to me shoe Good brother let me craue so much of thee Before that I out of the world hence goe That by thy meanes I may revenged bee Of him that hath bereau'd me of my breath And in this sort hath giuen me my death That I may be assur'd before I die That he is slaine and first gone downe to hell And in that soule inâ—ernall lake doth lie With Pâ—â—â—to there eternally to dwell Amongst the damned soules in griefe woe The which wheÌ„ my poore dying hart shal knoâ— I shall depart contentedlie and glad Out of this world and will esteem 't a blisse To me that he his death before me had And that with me thereof he did not misse Wherein I pray thee do me not denie And then pull out this speare and let me die Which his desire t' accomplish Paris went With speed into the field in mightie griefe Sore weeping to revenge with full intent His brother who meane time without reliefe Lay languishing and drawing on to death Expecting everie hower to yeeld his breath And seeking vp and downe he came whereas Pallamides was fighting hand to hand With Sarpedon a valiant King that was Come vnto Troy to Priam with a band Of valiant Knights to aid him gainst his foes And while that they together fiercely close And each the other furiously did smight For Sarpedon was valorous and strong And shewd himselfe to be a puissant knight Pallamides when they had â—ought so long That both of them were wearie puissantly Stroke Sarpedon a blow vpon the thigh And cut it cleane a sunder wherewithall King Sarpedon not able to endure Vpon his horse dead on the ground did fall Whose death vnto the Troyans did procure Such feare that they were forced to retire For that with heart repleat with wrath me Pallamides slew them so furiously That they durst not abide before his face Whose cruelty when Paris did espie And thought vpon his brothers woefull case He bent his bow that
preserue you seeme with carelesnesse Not to respect and to obscure the light Of your renowne which euer was so cleare And through the world did shine exceeding bright In field to fight with vs you do forbeare Remember how the Grecians haue been slaine Before your tent and also in the plaine In cruell wise and euery place throughout The field and you no pittie on them take Why should you then refuse and be so stout Without a cause them whollie to forsake Who vntill now haue been their Champion Their chiefest helpe and their protection And for their sakes haue osten shedyour blood Against their foes when they with theÌ„ haue fought And by your aid not onely them withstood But their confusion valiantlie â—aue wrought And mightilie their enemies did assaile Without whose aid they may not long prevaile Against their foes no more may any one Of vs how stout and strong so ere we bee For t is you onlie that can do 't alone If that you will vouchsafe with vs t' agree To fight against the Troyans and thereto Lend vs your aid as you were woont to do And as we doubt not but you 'le grant the same To succour vs in our necessity Nâ—◠〈◊〉 for your owne perpetuall fame But to redeeme vs from extreamitie And to that end we come to you as now To craue of you your mind herein to show Whereto Achilles presentlie began Assoone as ere Ulisses ended had His tale to speake with visage pale and wan For angâ—â— and in this sort answere made Ulisses if so be our meaning were As you to me at this time do declare Of purpose and with one entire consent The famous towne of Troy to overthrow And vtterlie to spoile't and that we bent Our minds thereto and thereby meant to show Our power and might I must you plainly tell That we of truth therein haue not done well To put cur selues by indiscretion So carelesly without advisednes Into so dangerous an action To hazard the estate and happines With liues and goods of all the Chivalry Of Greece that put the same in ieopardy For little cause or none the truth to tell For hath â—ot many a worthie King and Knight Who both in fame and honor did excell Consum'd his wealth and lost his life in fight Here in this siege that might haue liu'd in peace And honor still if he had staid in Greace For hath not King Pallamides been slaine But now of late whose life was of more worth Then all the cause for which we here remaine And hold this dangerous siege to tell the troth And many other Knights and Princes great That on both sides are here together met To shew their puissant valor and their might And to attaine to honor and to fame Haue lost their liues vnhappily in fight And many more are like to do the same If that long time this cruell warre doth last For euery day the number lesneth fast Both on the Greeks and Troyans side likewise So that if this most cruell rage and mood Continue long and in such furious wise If that it be not otherwise withstood It 's likely that it will such hauocke make Of Princely bloud that clownes will vndertake To rule and gouerne here vpon the earth And of the same haue sole dominion And such as are of no degree nor birth Will Lords become when Princes there are none For is not Hector that most valiant Knight That was the onlie mirror and the light Of Chivalrie vnfortunatelie slaine In this same warre and so may I likewise Perchance be kild that neuer shall attaine To Hectors worth while light is in mine eâ—es For there 's no way deaths furious dart to shun If we vpon the point thereof will run And seeke it of our selues while we are here And therefore such a motion now to make Concerning this our warre as you require Is but in vaine for I do meane to take Another course and in this bloudy strife No more to stand in hazard of my life For I had rather to impaire my name Then wilfully to die or to be slaine Thereby to be eternized by fame For honor after death is but a vaine And needlesse thing and soone is set aside For though that fame be spred both far wide Obliuion and forgetfulnes may soone Impaire't by tract of times length of daies And make thereof a wrong conclusion For that the fame of Knighthood and the praise Of honor wisedome and of worthines Of freedome bounty and of gentlenes Of vertue and of euery other grace Wherewith a man is in this world endowd Forgetfulnesse can darken and deface And in oblivions mantle doth them shrowd And with a false report maliciously Doth crop the Palmâ— of worthy Chivalrie And therefore for my part I do intend Such folly now to leaue and henceforth liue In peace and all mine actions thereto bend And for that cause this counsell to you giue To make a peace with Troyans if you may And therein do no longer time delay Before that further mischiefe doth arise And cruell death should chance to be your share And therefore good my Lords if you be wise Of this my counsell see you take some care This is said he my purpose and intent Which you may show to him that hath you sent With which his resolute conclusion Ulisses Diomede and Nestor went Vnto their Generall Agamemnon And vnto him declared the intent And answere of Achilles which he made To them as I before vnto you said And there vpon he presently did call The Princes of the Greeks vnto his tent And when they were assembled to them all Did show whereto Achilles mind was bent And that he was desirous of a peace With them of Troy that all their warre might cease Refusing flatlie t' enter in the field With them against the Troyans any more And for that cause a counsell with them held To know of them what will thereto they bore And what therein they did intend to do Sith that the case with them as then stood so Whereto the first of them that did reply Was Menelaus who with an angry mood Began to chafe and flatlie did denie To make a peace and therein boldlie stood And said that it was never his intent By any meanes thereto to giue consent Sith that the towne of Troy was in such need And at the brinke of their destruction Now Hector and Deiphobus both were dead That whilome were their sole protection So that they might all comfort cleane reiect And nothing else but cruell death expect And therefore flatlie said without all feare Though that Achilles will vs helpe no more The burthen of our enterprise to beare We need not any whit to doubt therefore But that without him we shall overthrow Our enmies by our force as well I know Whereto Ulisses speedilie repli'd And Nestor both of one opinion And gainst his false assertion iustifi'd That touching peace whereof the motion As
of their liues till trayterously Anthneor to auoid all cause of feare And better to make knowne his villany Had sought searcht so long and busily That at the last he found her out brought Her forcibly vnto the Greeks and there Deliuered her to them when she least thought That she vnto her death had been so neare Who presently without compassion Was iudged to die by King Agamemnon And taking care that execution Vpon her should be done without delay He did giue order and commission To Pyrrhus for the same who made no stay But tooke her by the hand and furiously Drew her vnto the place where she should die Great was the presse that ran vnto that place To see and to behold young Pollicene Who for her beauty comlines and grace Within the world her like had nere been seene So that they all were grieud that she should die And for because there was no remedy Let many a salt and bitter teare distill Out of their eyes for pittie to behold Her woefull stare and gladly by their will Wisht that she might escape faine they would Haue ventred to haue tane her forcibly From Pyrrhus hands but that they verily Beleeud that without she died they nere Should haue faire wind nor go to Greece againe To see their Natiue Land whereto they were Most certainely perswaded by the vaine Suggestions which their Prophet Calchas had Concerning her vnto them falsely made And when vnto Achilles graue she came Whereas the Grecians would her sacrifice She kneeled downe devoutly fore the same And lifting vp her faire and tender eies With wringing hands vnto the Gods she praid In most submissiue wise and thus she said OH mighty Gods that in the heauens abide And see and gourne all things whatsoere At whose command the world that is so wide And eke the seas and skies created were And by your word all formd framd of nought To whom the depth secrets of mans thought Is knowne for nothing from your Deities By any meanes conceald or hid can â—e I humbly pray your heauenly maiesties That you will now be mercifull to me And my poore soule into your hands receiue When bitter death shall me thereof bereaue I do confesse with all humilitie That with a holy care of chastitie I haue preserued my virginitie Vntill this day wherein I now shall die A maiden vndefild for thought or deed Although the Greeks haue iudged and decreed To put me to this hard and cruell death The which I nere deserud as you can tell For as my conscience to me witnesseth And I in truth may sai t sweare it well I am most cleare of that which they accuse Me for yet they will me not excuse But die I must to satisfie their will As they alledge because I gaue consent My brother Paris should Achilles kill Whereas God knoweth I am an innocent And neuer did in will deed word nor thought Giue my consent such treason should be wrought Gainst him whom I do know did loue me deare But was therefore right â—ory in my hart Though presently as now it doth appeare I must for him endure great paine and smart Because they haue decreed for his â—ake That they on me alone will vengance take Without all mercy or compassion And offer me vp for a sacrifice T' appease the Gods great indignation Oh Grecians blind me thinks you are not wiâ—e So cruellie to seeke my death for nought And merciles to bend your hearts thought To kill a poore desolate young maid That neuer did offence to any one For which it may full well of you be said That you haue hearts as hard as any stone And that you farre in cruelty excell The Tyger fierce and hungrie Lyon fell Tâ—assent vnto so villainous a deed And to destroy a silly fearefull maid Vnto her death so hastily proceed As that it may by no meanes be delaid To giue her time and oppertunity To mourne and weepe for her virginity For which your great and monstrous cruelty My giltles blood will sure for vengance call Vnto the Gods that shall with Equity Iudge euery man on earth both great and small And make the truth of all things openly Appeare which now lie hidden secretly I say not this nor yet doe I complaine To haue redresse or to released be From death as if that I did feare the paine Thereof for it 's now welcomer to me Then life sith all my brethren now are dead And in this woefull towne lie buried My father slaine in this vnweldy age And I my selfe left desolate alone To see this towne by Grecians furious rage Brought into vtter desolation The which doth make my heauy heart so sore That I am able now to weepe no more And therefore wish for death to end my wo. For now to liue were vnto me a death And better t' were out of this world to go And presently to end my vitall breath Then to be led into captiuity And there with strangers liue in pouerty And now good death no longer time delay With thy most piercing dart my heart to riue Strike sure and firme I will not start away Nor with thee in no wise contend nor striue Now is the time to shew thy power on mee That ready stand here to attend for thee A mayden true and Virgin pure I am That neuer was nor would be known of man As pure in mind and thought as ere I came Out of my mothers wombe and boast I can That when that I am dead it may be sayd That Pollicene did liue and die a mayd And now vnto the Gods I doe commend My soule of whom I craue submissiuely In mercy to behold â—e and to send Me patience in this great extremity And vnto euery mayden better grace Then t' end their liues in such a dolefull case And longer time to liue in wealth and ioy Then I haue done and to defend and saue Them from all foule misfortune and annoy Beseeching all good maids of me to haue Remembrance and example by me take How they of worldly â—oy account shall make And that they would vouchsafe to shed some teares For me when I am dead and out of date To thinke how I in my most tender yeares Did end my daies by death vnfortunate And thus vnto the Gods I do commend My soule said she and so her speech did end And with that word she bowed downe her head And shut her eies attending stroke of death Which Pyrrhus with a furious spirit led Gaue her and soone bereaud her of her baeath And being dead his cruelty to show In peeces small he did her body hew As it vpon his Fathers graue did lie I muse how he could haue a heart so hard To mangle it so in peeces cruelly And not contented therewith afterward To satisfie his rage in furious mood Like Tygar fierce did take her giltles blood And cast it with his hand all ore the graue
proud in highest degree For Cupids chiefest officer is hee Who doth enforce both high and low of state In perills great and troublesome to enter And bringeth men by hard and cruellfate Vnto their ends and thousand dangers t'venter For loue of feare nor perill takes no heed So that in his proceedings he may speed But shame of other nature that consists Is alwaies bashfull cowardly and faint And dares not once so much as bend her fiâ—â—s Vnlesse it be through very meere constraint For cowardise doth make her hide her face For feare least she should fall into disgrace Much like a child of young and tender yeares As hauing neither courage will nor heart To giue assault she is so full of feares And yet full oft hath playd a peuish part And many louers crost when they should speed By counsell of his foster brother dread For feare and shame if they together lie Bereaue hot loue of heart and hardines And both together flatlie him denie The meanes or any power a word t' expresse Or once his mind to open and declare To ease himselfe of sorrow woe and care For when that loue doth boldlie thinke to speake And is vpon the very point t' assay And giue the venture forth his mind to breake Sharue sâ—eppeth out and vtterly saith nay And causes loue like Snaile his hornes to shrinke And bashfully with both his eies to winke And by that meanes he doth his suite impaire And thus is shame still froward and doth vary From hardie loue and puts him in despaire By helpe of feare which both do him contrary For if that shame fond loue would neuer cheake Loue often times his lawes would surely breake For as a horse that seeks to be at large In furious wise breaks bridle bit and raine And striues to free himselfe from Keepers charge Solouers true to ease themselues of paine Iâ— feare shame did not their wyls with-hold T' effect their lusts would be too hot and bold But all the while that shame is kept in mew Within the breast that no man doth it know No such effect of loue there doth ensue But still it makes an honest outward show For did not shame withstand loues lawlesse lust Loue out the hart all danger soone would thrust And were not shame the keeper and the gaile Of womens hearts as Authors plainely say It were in vaine the Castle to assaile Or any siege against the same to lay For in that case long parle shold not need For women hate delay and loue to speed But shame and feare loues combe so short had cut And humbled him so much in heart and mind That they had him cleane vnto silence put And he no meanes to ease himselfe could find And thus twixt loue and shame in great distresse Medea sat in care and pensiuenesse Which she could not by any meanes endure So hot she burnt within her tender brest For when as loue did her in part assure In fine to giue some comfort ease and rest Vnto her heart shame put her in a doubt With feare to thinke how that it would fall out And thus she stood still more and more in feare Twixt loue and shame as it were at a stand For shame was great but loue more force did beare And in the end did get the vpper hand For feare and shame she durst not once discouer The fire of loue which in her heart did houer Which easely she could not well shake off And so she sat perplex't without reliefe Till fortune full dispos'd at her to scoffe By turning of her wheele did ease her griefe But with vnhappy chance as she doth vse All those that put their trust in her t' abuse For when that men do thinke to sit at ease On top of fortunes wheele and nothing doubt That smiling Lady can them soone displease By giuing it but one small turne about And cause them fall as much as they did rise When they least of her treason do surmise For she is alwaies false and eke vnstable Prouoking men to things aboue their reach Which though that they t' attaine theÌ„ are not able With fained showes she can them finely catch And make theÌ„ break their brains both night day Bout haddy-wist when she with them doth play With her deceitfull face and flattery As she that well cap bring such fooles to bed And caus'd them to their own destruction hie And when that she to mischiefe hath them led She turnes her back with a pleasant smile Doth joy to thinke how she can men beguile And striuing thus within her selfe at last When reason could not win the field of rage And she sometime in musing had ore-past At length her inward torment to asswage She gaâ—n both pro contra to debate The matter with her selfe as still she sate And said in vaine Medea thou dost striue For sure one of the heauenly Gods it is That bends his force gainst thee Doth any liue That euer saw so strange a thing as this Is any thing like vnto burning loue Should I my Fathers hests esteeme aboue All measure hard truth 't is th' are hard and sore Why should I feare this strangers death so much Sith he 's a man I neuer saw before Why should his perill me at heart so tuch Vnhappy wench if thou couldst find some rest And coole the heat which burneth in my breast It were a good and blessed turne for thee For where as griefe now seemeth thee to kill Thou mightst thereby at heart well eased be But now a strange disease against my will Doth draw me on fond loue perswadeth me And though by Art what 's best for me I see Yet do I headlong follow that is worst Why should I thus so fondlie seeme to raue And on a stranger dote as one accurst And seeke a forraine husband so to haue When as at home to my content and mind I may a louer meet for me well find But who can tell if he shall liue or no And yet I pray long life may be his lot For without all offence I may pray so And wish him well although I loue him not For what offence hath Iason done to me Who pittieth not his youth should cruell be What is she but his valour might her moue But setting that aside who would not rage And burne at heart with hot and feruent loue With Iasons faire and goodlie personage My heart is toucht therewith assuredly And if that I prouide not remedy The burning breath of Buls will him so blast That with the fires his body sing'd shall be And of the seeds that he in ground shall cast A strange and vncoath haruest he shall see Of armed men that out the earth shall grow Against whom he had need his valour show And as a prey he shall likewise be set Against the fierce and cruell Dragon fell Which things if that I do not seeke to let Then must I trulie say and shew full well That
Towne and wall For vnto ashes men they will consume Wherefore beware and see thou not presume The Ram t'assaile least thou thy labour loose But take aduise and vse discretion To leaue the same while thou hast time to choose How to preserue thy honour and renowne And striue not to aduance thy worthinesse By follie and by too much hardinesse And cast thy selfe away where otherwise Thou maist preserue thy life from danger great If thou dost â—arken now to mine aduise Whereto I would thee willingly entreat And therfore think what answere thou wilt make Before thou dost this danger vndertake Medeas speech thus ended as you heare Iason therewith did grow impatient And said mine onely loue and Ladie deare Is this your mind your will and your intent To counsell me to leaue mine enterprise And staine my name and fame with cowardise A coward might I well be thought and deem'd That should begin a thing to vndertake And could nor durst not bring it to an end So men a common jest of me might make And giue report to my confusion That I of pride and meere presumption Had boasted I would do a thing in word Which when it came t' effect I durst noâ— venter Nay Lady deare I sweare vpon my sword I rather had in perill great to enter Of life and lim then cowardly forsake The enterprise I meane to vndertake Your counsell to this end is meerely vaine And so good Lady mine I you entreat To leaue your care herein for this is plaine What ere you say no more of me you get But that I meane my purpose to effect And feare of danger vtterly reiect For it I should through faintnes of my heart Refraine from such an enterprise begun And from your Court and pleasant jsle depart Ere for mine honour some thing I had done While life doth last reproach would me pursue And shame eternall be mine onely due For through the world report ful soone would spread That Iason did this conquest vndertake And that his heart was so possest with dread That he an end thereof durst neuer make But be assur'd it neuer shall be said That danger could yong Iason make afraid And there vpon my faith I you ensure I will performe the thing I haue begun As long as life and limbs of mine endure Although thereby no honour may be woone And that mine onelie guerdon should be death Yet had I rather yeeld my vitall breath Then be reproacht of cowardise and shame For worse report of man cannot be spread Then that he hath dishonoured his name It were much better for him to be dead For euery man should seeke and striue t' aspire To honours seat with heart and whole desire And though it were with losse of life and lim Before he would procure his owne disgrace And breed the meanes for men to laugh at him And so for shame be forst to hide his face Then be assur'd what euer I abide No danger shall me cause to start aside Then do I well perceiue your wilfull mind Said she to him and that you sooner chuse Your life to present danger now to bind And my good counsell vtterly refuse Then to your selfe you 'le reape perpetuall shame And yet it is in earnest and no game With Monsters strange vnwarilie to deale And hazard life when as your choyce is free And therefore I am mooued for your weale In heart and mind your follie great to see That leauing all aduise discretion Counsell and good deliberation You rather choose hard and cruell end And wilfullie vnto the same will goe Then yeeld vnto the counsell of your friend Which shewes that youth and courage ouerslow Within your heart keepe your mind in awe And make you thinke your lust to be a law Which in the end will breed your woe and griefe If you persist as now you do pretend For be you well assur'd there 's no reliefe From certaine death your bodie to defend For neither force nor humane wit can serue Your life in this great danger to preserue Wherefore in heart I purposelie am bent To seeke your good and find a remedie Whereby you may this perill great preuent So loath and grieu'd I am to see you die And rather then your fortune should be such I will my father whome I loue so much And all my friends for euermore displease And vtterlie abandon them each one So that I may procure your ioy and ease Which certainly by me shall soone be done For setting care of all things else aside In this your need I meane to be your guide And for your sake I will my royall seat And Princelie Pallace leaue with heart and will My honour too which I esteeme so great I le set asid your pleasure to fulfill All this and more if you to me be kind For you lie do and that you 'le bend your mind To recompence the kindnes I deserue And thinke it not a thing of small esteeme From cruell death your body to preserue Though you perhaps contrarilie may deeme But ne're the lesse I will so well ordaine By Art and skill of mine betwixt vs twaine That fore that we from others shall depart I hope all shall be well If you do rest Vpon this point that happen woe or smart To satisfie my mind you 'le do your best And there vpon my aid to you I le lend And vndertake you shall th' aduenture end Good Ladie said Prince Iason â—est content And be assur'd it is mine onelie cane To satisfie your will and whole intent And nothing to omit nor yet to spare My life nor lims all perill to endure Your pleasure and preferment to procure Then friend said she refer to me the rest But first to me by faith you shall be bound And with your heart vnfain câ—â—â—e protest That no vntruth in you there shall be found And sweare you must to take me to your wife And hold me as your owne for tearme of life This is the thing that I of you require If you will doo 't and hold your word with me Yet onething more I will of you desire That when to Greece you shall prepared be To make returne and readie to set saile To take me with you hence you will not faile And when your father dies and you succeed To raigne as King see that you not forget To shew your selfe most true in word and deed And let your heart on me be wholie set To maintaine me as my estate requires And seeke no change to please loues fond desires And while you liue haue in rememberance My courtesie to you in this your need And think with what great hap it was your chance To win my heart when none but you could speed For be assur'd no man that liues hath might Against the Buls and Dragon fierce to fight Vnlesse of me he first be taught the way And meanes whereby the conquest to obtaine The which as now my heart will not denay
And presently without delay command That his desire should straight performed bee And yet he sayd I am abasht to see That thou wâ—th so great wilfulnesse wilt run Vnto thy death and be the onely cause Of thy decay when as thou maist it shun The which thou oughst to doe by natures lawes For men will put the blame in me and say That I by Princely power and force might stay Thy course and so by wrong opinion And populer report would lay on mee The onely cause of thy destruction Which God forbid should ever hap to thee My counsell therefore is thou shouldst aduise Thy selfe heerein and doe it not dispise For better t is thine honor to retaine And safely and securely to retire Therewith into thy natiue soyle againe Then with vaine hope and over fond desire So wilfully to seeke to take in hand An enterprise which no man can withstand This is my doome my counsell and advise Be ruld thereby and shun thy cruell fate Refuse it not I say if thou beest wise Least thou repent when as it is too late But if thou dost persist and wilt not bend Thine eares to mine advise The Godâ— defend And saue and keepe thy life what ere befall And vnto them I le pray with great desire To be thy guide and shield from dangers all That thou maist from that enterprize retire In safety vnto thy land againe Without whose aid be sure thou shalt be slaine And so though grieud to see I cannot stay Thy youthfull fond desires from th'enterprize I le hold my tongue for more I cannot say But wish thou hadst been ruld by mine advise And to the Gods thy enterprize commend Beseeching them good fortune to thee send When as the King to Iason had thus said And by no manner reasons he did vse Could draw him from his course not once dismaid He did his counsell vtterly refuse And humbly kneeling downe vpon his knee With Knightly grace did thanke his maiestie That he vouchsaft to haue such speciall care Of him and so to pitie his estate And therewithall such favor to him bare That fearing he should proue vnfortunate And end his daies in that strange enterprize To keepe him from 't had giuen him that advise But yet said he your grace shall vnderstand For th'enterprse which I now vndertake And mind by force of armes and valiant hand T' effect the same I will it not forsake For no mans counsell nor perswasion Shall turne me from my resolution But as the law and statute hath decreed Which in this case is made to be obserud I will therein couragiously proceed If that my life from danger be preserud But whatsoere befalls Ile take th'adventer And first said he before that I do enter Into the same herein this Princely place And presence of his noble audience I do protest vnto your royall grace That no man can against you take offence If that I die in this mine enterprize Because I do refuse your good advise And of my selfe doe onely tak 't in hand Reiecting any counsell whatsoere And therefore doe protest thereto to stand And without dread or any manner feare Vnto the Gods my selfe I doe commit Hap life or death and what they shall thinke fit T'ordaine for me I will accept the same And take it in good part what ere it be And neither them nor you therefore will blame But willingly will beare th'extremitie And thereof I my full account do make And so as now sayd he my leaue I take First of your grace as dutie doth me bind And then of all this noble audience And so with louing countenance and kind Farewell vnto them all he went from thence And downe vnto the water side did go T' effect his charge as I to you well sho When Titan with the fervor of his heate And brightnes of his beanes had driuen away The Roseat deaw that flowers and hearbs did weat About the howre of nine a clocke that day Iason put on a costly armour bright And joyfully like to a valiant Knight Vnto the water side did take his way And there alone into a boate did go Which purposely prepard for him there lay And with the same vnto the I sle did row Whereas the Bulls the golden Ram did keepe And presently vpon the shoare did leape And making fast the boat vnto the strand Withall the speed he could the next path-way That he did find marcht vp into the land Till wearied for a while and for to stay Downe on the grasse he sate and there he thought Vpon the course Medea had him taught To hold when he should enter into fight Against the brasen Bulls and Dragon fell And when like to a wise and valiant Knight He had a while thereon considered well He rose againe and went so long till hee Came to the place where he the Bulls might see But there I must digresse and to you tell That when he first the enterprize began Medea grieu'd into such passion fell That her faire face became both pale and wan And with a grieued countenance and sad She sat and wept and such great sorrow made That all her face and clothes bedewed were With teares that from her christall eies did fall Which onely did proceed of griefe and feare By her conceiu'd when she to mind did call What danger he might cast himselfe into If carelesly he should forget to do As she had sayd and taught him ere he went And for that cause she was so grieud in mind That nothing could her please nor giue content Vnto her heart the which no rest could find For sobbing and for sighthing till in th' end Into a Terret hie she did assend On top whereof there stood a pinacle From whence the aue being cleare and faire she might Without all let or any obstacle Behold and see her deare and loving Knight And there with teares whichout her eies then ran To speake vnto her selfe she thus began My dearest friend sweet Iason thou that art To me so great a comfort and delight And th' onely joy and pleasure of my hart If that it were within thy power and might To know what griefe for thee as now I feele Thou wouldst to me continue true as steele Meanewhile withall my heart I wish and pray The gods to make thy enterprise to thee So fortunate and prosperous this day That thou therein a conquerer maist be And safe and sound returne with euery member To me againe And that thou maist remember To do as I thee taught in each respect And to obserue it orderly and well And nothing therein any wise neglect That so thine honor which doth now excell May more and more encrease Which vnto me The greatest joy that ere I had would be For if to thee ought happen should amisse Then might I say fare well my hearts delight Farewell my health farewell my worldly blisse Farewell my mirth farewell my loving Knight Farewell my fortune and mine onely joy
But at the last she brings them vnto shame And turnes their glory into miserie To make of them a woefull Tragedie The manner how their Tragedies they playd Was in this sort whereas they did devise Within a Theater as first I sayd To set an Altar made halfe circle wise Which on the top a loftie pulpit bare Wherein there stood a Poet to declare With Eloquent and Rethoricion phrase The noble deeds of Kings and Princes great And eke the fame of Conquerors to rayse Which in their liues by valor they did get And how that they with lawrell crowned were For their deserts as stories witnes beare An'd liud in honour great tell Parchas fell Did end their liues by stroke of Atropos And afer that in mournefull wise did tell How piteously each one the same did lose And were by Fortune brought vnto their end Gainst whom it is but folly to contend And how the fine of all their worthines Their honour fame and magnanimitie Was onely sorrow and great heavines Procur'd by treason false or subtilty By murther poyson or by enmity Wrath or despight or some extremity And how their floud of joy was not so hie But that at last it had an ebbe as low And how that Fortune by her subtiltie To show her spight had wrought their overthrow All this with face full pale the Poet sayd And while that he within the pulpit staid Their jssued forth out of another place Men purposely disguisd and clad which plaid With gastly and with pale and deadly face By signes all whatsoere the Poet said Twixt whom no difference was in any thing For What the Poet spake or loud did sing They on the ground the same did represent And shew'd by outward gestures what had hapt To Princes in their liues and how they spent Their daies on earth till fortune them intrapt And suddenly orewhelming their estate Did end their liues by death vnfortunate These sports they vsed commonly to play When Birds for ioy in woods and bushes sing In pleasant months of Aprill and of May To see the tree and flower begin to spring Thus haue you heard how Tragedies began And in what place they first were plaid whan Now will I show how Priam did proceed When as the Towne of Troy erected was To build a stately Pallace with all speed Which did the rest of all his works surpasse And high vpon a rocke did place the same In midst of Troy and Ilion did it name The forme whereof was round as any ball Well wald about with Marble faire and cleare And other costly stones mixt therewithall And did in hight six hundred paces beare With Towers high and great that whose would Mount vp the same might round about behold The Countrey farre and neare as it did lie And all the walles within and eke without Imbost with knots and flowers most curiously And richly guilt and painted thoroâ—ghout Whereon when as the Sun shines cleare bright The gold did cast a most exceeding light And in the midst of this his Pallace faire A sumptuous great and stately hall there stood Which did in leÌ„gth breadth like distance beare All fram'd of Cedar tree and Heban wood Which Heban tree they say is onely found In Ethiopia and the India ground Which colour hath as blacke as any jet And beeing cut and wrought doth waxe so hard That it will not consume with any wet The pauement vnder foot was marble squard Both white and gray which chequor wise did lie And made it show most beautifull to th'eie Within this hall was plast a royall throane Which was King Priams seat Maiesticall All made of Iasper and of Purphire stone Most richly guilt to beautifie't withall At foot whereof a sumptuous table stood Halfe Ivory and halfe of Heban wood And on each side thereof were diuers chaires Wherein King Priams counsellors did sit There to consult about his chiefe affaires As often times they vsed were to meet Two daynty Tables fram'd of Heban tree Stood longst the walles with bords of Iuorie And opposite against the regall chaire At th' other end an Altar made of brasse â—nchased gilt and grauen passing faire There stood whereon an Image great there was Of massie gold which Priam placed there In honor of his God cald Iupiter This Image fifteene Cubits high was made Besides the waight that equall substance bare And on the head a Crowne of gold it hath Wherein were plast great store of Iewels rare As Rubies red and Saphirs Christaâ—line With many oryent pearles round and fine And mongst the rest a Carbuncle most bright And passing cleare was set in midst of all Which at all times did cast so great a light That night and day that great and spacious hall Did show as bright as if that sonne or moone Within the same continually had showne Which rich and stately Image was so well And cunningly composd in euery part That from the head to foot it did excell â—n skilfull worke deuisd by curious Art Who therein did not once seeme to deny His aid and helpe the same to beautifie And framed thus it was to represent Great Iupiter one of the Planets seaven The which as Poets fainedly invent The Pagans thought to be a God in heauen Which Priam held to be of power so great That he in him his whole aâ—â—iance set To him he prayd in his necessitie And had in him so firme affection That onely to his fained Deitiâ— He did addict his whole devotion Supposing by his vertue power and might To be preseru'd from harmes both day night And onely vnto him he did commend The care of his estate and dignitie Beleeuing that he would him still defend In all distresse and with prosperitie Vphold his throane by his protection Such was his fond and vaine opinion This Image and this Pallace Ilyon Thus being made and fully finished And every thing brought to perfection Which Priam had forecast and purposed Full many yeares in his new towne of Troy He raignd in peace in honor and in joy And long might haue possest this happy state If fortune had not chang'd her smiling cheare As all things subiect are to cursed â—ate And brought him to decay as you shall heare By sequell of the story where is showne how he and his in â—ine were overthrowne CHAP. III. ¶ How King Priam sent Anthenor into Greece to haue his Sister Exion restored home againe OH cursed fiend which lurkest in the brest Of man inflam'd with thy most furious fier And never suffrest him to liue in rest Till that thou hast jncenced him with ire To take reuenge for wrong wherein thou ioy'st Not caring though all other thou annoy'st Thou seed of strife and root of all offence Why causest thou old sores againe to smart With rancor and through fowle jmpatience When thou once creepst into an envious hart Provoking it no time nor houre to cease From hatefull thoughts nor seeking any peace What needest
and cry Against him in most fierce and furious wise And raâ—l'd at him and at the Prophesie His Father told and sayd t' was all but lies Which after proved in conclusion To turne vnto their owne confusion For that 's before ordain'd shall sure fall out And state of things with fate is so inglewd That whatsoere must be without all doubt Will come to passe and may not be eschewd Which cauâ—d them all t' agree in one consent That Paris into Greece should straight be sent Their destiny was such they could't not shun And hauing all agreed thereon they rose And for that time their counsell it was don But when t' was knowne abroad as Guydo shoes Like woman cleane distraught of wit she far'd And wise and learn'd Cassandra thereof heard And sayd alas what will you doe And in most dolefull wise began to weepe And sayd shall Paris thither goe Which words she did pronounce with sighes full deepe And falling in a swound with extreame paine Infurious wise began sore to complaine And woefully gaue many a grieuous groane And for to die she could not then with hold To mourne and make great lamentation And tare her haire and both her hands did fold And said alas a hundred times and more Oh fortune fell why is thy rage so sore Against vs bent that with most angry frowne Thou weau'st the webbe of our adversitie And plotting the vtter ruine of our Towne Procur'st our deaths with great extreamitie By sword of vengeance worse then pestilence Increasing of hate and extreame violence Oh woefull Troy what is thy guâ—lt alas That thou must be destroid brought to nought What hast thou done or what is thy trespasse That for the same such vengance shold be wrought Oh Priam noble King what fault hast thou Committed gainst the Gods that they as now Provoked are such vengeance great to throw On thee and on thy whole posteritie Oh Mother deare Queene Hecuba also Tell me I thee beseech the certaintie What manner crime and other great offence Hast thou committed t' haue such recompence For to behold the daies so terrible When all thy sonnes in cruell wise shall die By dint of sword and death most horrible Why will you not alas your minds applie To hearken to my counsell now in time And seeke how to prevent while t' is the prime These dangers great before they doe proceed Vnto the full effect and period Which by the Gods is certainely decreed And by no meanes nor way may be withstood Vnlesse that wee another course will shape The doome of th' incensed Gods t' escape The memory whereof doth so torment My grieued mind that I cannot jndure The woe I feele And therewithall she went To Priamus her Father to procure Some remedy and fell vpon the ground And wept as fast as if she should haue dround In flouds of teares which trickled downe her face And as her paine would her permit she spake To him and cried in that most woefull case Beseeching him some remedy to take In that extreame as she that too well knew What danger by the same there would ensue But all her teares and cries did nought preuaile For Priam would no answere thereto make For as men say what shall be cannot faile But in due time the full effect will take And fortune with her smoth dissembling face Offended as it seemes with Troian race With malice did in heart against them burne And waighting to intrap them by a wile Vpon a sudden gaue her wheele a turne And that she might the sooner them beguile She hastened them to their confusion With wilfulnesse and jndiscretion Against the Greeks a quarrell to vndertake And therevpon their counsell they did hold And did agree that voyage then to make Into the Grecian land fall out what would But if they had been rul'd by good advise Of those that did perswade them to be wise And followe Hectors counsell which he gaue And Helenus advise retaind in mind And well obserud Percheus sentence graue Which after they to be most true did find And lastly to Cassandraes Prophesie Had bent their â—ares and holden't for no lie They had not fallen into such miserie As afterward they did but had liuâ—d still In honor and in great felicitie But Fortune that will alwaies haue her will Who ere sayth nay was cause that mou'd themso In hast vpon their voiage for to goe And with lookes smoth and full of flatterie And sugred words with venomous intent To show her double heart and trecherie Pretending good but vnto mischiefe beâ—t And watching time against them to preuaile With Faith in face but fraud within her tayle So much intised them to giue consent That Paris should in hast to Grecia goe That by no meanes they could themselues content Till that they had agreed it should be so Whose Voyage in the chapter doth ensue I will at large declare and show to you CHAP. IIII. ¶ How King Priam sent Paris Diophebus and others into Greece to be revenged for the rauishing of his Sister Exion and how they being in Grecia rauished faire Helena wife to Menelaus and brought her with them to Troy WHen time approacht that Titan gan to lead His chariot twixt the starres of Hiades Which haue their seate in Taurus horned head And in the glistring starres cal'd Pleiades Whereof six doe continually appeare Vnto our sight the Seauenth for shame feare Doth hide her head still thinking on her crime And therefore dares nor show her beames so cleare But keepeth backe and will not in due time With her faire sisters openly appeare Because that she with an earthly God did lie And was found with him in adulterie And since that time she hath so bashfull beene And for her fact asham'd as doth appeare That seldome in our sight she wil be seene And when the Sun in the celestiall spheare Betweene these starres in full sixteenth degree Of Taurus heat was iustly found to bee And in the sweet and pleasant moneth of May When Flora fills each medow hill and dale With faire and dainty flowers fresh and gay And Zephyrus with his most pleasant gale Doth ayd to cloth them there in liueries new And makes their blossomes show with liuely hew And bid vs to be merry light and glad That they new fruit vpon them gin to beare Gainst Antumne when as haruest in his had And ripened grapes vpon each Vine appeare In that same moneth when men for their disport Doe walke abroad themselues to recomfort Reioycing to behold the trees so full Of blossomes sweet in hope that they will beare Good store of fruit to gather and to pull In ripening time and season of the yeare In midst of the fresh and pleasant spring When little Birds delightfull notes do sing Paris and Deiphobus that were gon In hast into Panomie purposely To mustar men and make provision And all things for the Navy speedily Returne to Troy and in their company
and therewith feard The stroake of death with pale and deadly cheare To Thelaphus he spake as you shall heare My sonne sayd he sith I from hence must passe And leaue this world for neither force nor might Intreaty presents pardon nor yet grace Can saue my life as equitie and right Requires the same here in the audience Of all my Lords to cleare my conscience I tell thee that the worthy valiant Knight Thy Father Hercules once conquered This â—â—and by his valor and his might And when that he therein had stablished A perfect peace and all things quiet were Because he did to me affection beare He freely did assigne and giue to me The regall crowne and scepter of the same With all the Princely power and dignite That thereunto belong'd or he could claime And of him I it held I must confesse So that his state therein was nere the lesse And now for loue of him sith I must die I giue to thee that which from him I had Which is the Crowne and soveraignty Of this same Isle and likewise as he made Me King thereof I also thee create King in my stead to maintaine the estate And dignity thereof while thou do'st lâ—ue And to thine heires for ever to remaine Though I confesse the thing which I thee giue Before vnto thy selfe did appertaine By true descent and right paternall line As Hercules did giu 't to me and mine And to that end he sayd vnto them all That round about him stood I doe declare That sith the Gods out of this world do call Me hence without an heire and that you are Left destitute of one to be your guide To th' end that you all care should set aside I heere doe make my will and Testament And by the same do grant assigne and giue My scepter crowne and regall ornament To Thelaphus to hold't while he doth liue And after to his heires by true discent Which sith it is my will and my intent I pray you all as soone as I am dead Without delay let it performed be And set the regall crowne vpon his head And honour him as you haue honord me And after hauing written what he sayd He pawsd a little while and then he praid And hartily desired Thelaphus That presently assoone as he was dead Of Knight-hood for to be so courteous To cause his body to be buried With royall pompe and Princely funerall Fit for a King and then turn'd to the wall And suddenly fell Parcas cut in twaine This thred of life and made him yeild his goast Which as the Poets in their fables faine Straight tooke her way vnto Th'lizian coast Whose body feard and balm'd withâ—ut delay King Thelaphus a tombe of Marble gray Caus'd to be made in rich and sumptuous wise Whereon in golden letters he did place An Epitaph the which he did devise To show how Tentran died and what he was And how he gaue his crowne to Thelaphus Whereof th' effect In verses six was thus Here lies King Tâ—ntrans body in this tombe Who by Achilles cruelly was kild In fight but ere of death he had his dombe By testament to Thelaphus he wild And freely gaue the Crowne and Soveraignty Of Messa Isle and so in peace did die Which being done and every other thing Performed with great pompe and royalty And Thelaphus of Messa crowned King By full consent of the Nobility And fealtie and homage to him made As they before to Tâ—ntran promist had Achilles straight vnto his ships did carry All things that he would aske desire or haue That for the Grecians turnes were necessary As Corne and Wine such as the soyle there gaue Flesh fish fruits fowles of every kind such store That he could not desire nor wish for more And order with King Thelaphus did take That he should there remaine to rule the land And when occasion seru'd provision make Of such things as the Greekâ— in need did stand That at all times in their necessitie Of victuall they well furnished might be Though willingly he would haue gone againe With him to Troy but that Achilles praâ—'d And hartely desird him to remaine In Messa that he might the Grecians ayd When they in any need should stand straight With all his ships with victualls fully fraught He sayld to Troy againe and soone did land At Tenadon and there relation made What entertainment they in Messa found And how King Tentran then resisted had And valiantly the Grecians power assaild And without doubt against them had prevaild As hauing three men to their one but he By valor slew King Tentran in the field Who being brought vnto extremitie And at the point of death himselfe did yeild And how before he died he did consent And order tooke by will and testament That Thelaphus should king of Messa be Whereto the whole Nobility agreed And Crowned him with great solemnitie And how that he had left him there when need Requird to make provision Of victualls and of munition And lastly shewd what victualls he had brought With him from thence to serue them presently Assuring them they need not doubt that ought Should want to ayd them in necessitie Wherewith the Greeks well pleas'd did much esteem Achilles for his valour thanking him That he therein had been so dilligent And brought his charge vnto so good a passe Which done he road vnto his tent Where he with great applause receaued was And welcomed of all his men as glad That he from Messa safe retourned had But now for that mine Author turnes his stile And leaues the Grecians power at Tenadon And of the Trâ—â—â—ns actions for a while Doth speak to show what they meane time had don To fortifie themselues against their foes And then at large particularly shoes What force they had procur'd and severally The names of all the Princes doth declare That came to Troy and there couragiously Their ayd did lend to Prians in the warre Which he so long and valiantly maintain'd Against the Greeks and finally obtain'd Although at last t' was his destruction Eternall fame which death could ne're deface Nor tract of time put in oblivion But mongst the rancks of worthies doth him place I will them orderly each one declare And show what several names armes they bare And first he saith three Kings of noble fame Came vnto Troy to ayd King Priamus Their countries he omits but doth them name Andrastrus Tapor and King Pandarus And with them full three thousand Knights they brought That valiantly against the Grecians â—ought And from the Isle of Coleson there came Fiue thousand knights that by foure Kings were led The first of them King Carras had to name A Prince for valor great much honored The second called was Imaâ—ius Nestor the third the fourth Amphimacus From Licia land with Glaucus Valerius So there came his sonne and heire Prince Sarpedon Both were alied to King Priamus Who in those warres great fame and honor won And with
blowes of fierce Palamides strong hand Who all that day had fought so valiantly And wounded kild and brauely beaten down The Troians that at last he made them flie In all the hast they could vnto the towne With cries and shouts and in great feare doubt Whereat Prince Hector mou'd in hast came out With countenaÌ„ce fierce like Mars the god of warr As beeing of all Worthies worthiest That ever any earthly woman bare And of all men the strong'st and hardiest For as the Sun with beames most cleare bright Excells the starres so did this worthy Knight Surpasse all other Knights that ever were And sure it was a most delightfull sight To see him arm'd so brauely he did beare Them when he road into the field to fight Wherein he was a Load-stone and a guide To all and every Knight both farre and wide Who entring richly arm'd into the field Vpon a lusty strong and goodly steed Did for his armes beare on a golden shield Three furious Lyons passant as I read But what the colours were I doe not know The which did make a faire and gallant show Vpon the brest of that most worthy Knight When as with all his troopes he entered Amongst the Greeks at whose aproach the sight Of him alone abasht them all he led Them through the thickst of them so furiously And therewithall such mightie blowes let flie And kild beat downe and wounded them so fast That no man could his mightie force withstand And in despight of all the Greeks he past Couragiously with glistring sword in hand And severed all their rancks and neuer left Till hundreds of their liues he had bereft Still ryding too and fro throughout the field And beat and bare downe all that in his way He found and at the last as he beheld Prothesilaus who valiantly that day Kild and pursued the Troians furiously And beat them downe with extreame cruelty Such mortall hatred vnto them he had And to his valiant chivalry tooke heed And saw what slaughter of his men he made He was so mou'd that straight he turn'd his steed To him and with his bloody sword he gaue Him such a blow that it in sunder claue His helmet and his head and did not rest But past through every sinew bone and vaine That were within his body and his brest And forcibly did cut him cleane in twaine And with that fatall blow and deadly wound His body in two parts fell to the ground On each side of his horse Which done he road Amongst the Grecian Knights couragiously And bath'd his trenchant sword within their blood So that as farre as ere they could him spie They fled to saue their liues for none durst stand To feele the waight of his victorious hand They feard it so and more did it admire It t' was so strong and of such passing might And for that cause they askt and did inquire What Knight he was that did so brauely fight Supposing that in all the world so round A worthier Knight was not for to be found Vnlesse it were Prince Hector And at last They felt too well by proofe that it was he Who in his daies all other Knights surpast As th' onely Myrror of all chivalry For none of all the Grecians durst adventer Against him hand to hand in fight to enter Of all that day so terribly he beat And draue them downe before them to the strand Sore wearied wounded breathlesse and all wet Close to the Sea whereas he let them stand And like a most triumphant Knight went backe To Troy againe his rest a while to take Who being gone the Greeks somewhat releast Of former feare perplexitie and griefe Began againe to vow and to protest If fortune would vouchsafe them some reliefe With valiant hearts to venture life and lim Vpon their foes the field againe to win The which from morning that the fight begon With great and extreame labor losse and paine Eight times that day they valiantly had won And lost the same as many times againe For as Dame fortunes slippery wheele turn'd round So they that day did win and lose there ground But Hectors valiant entry in the field Was th' onely thing that did them most dismay Who spight their hearts â—â— such a bay them held That none of them before his face durst stay For he alone with sword in hand did driue Them to the place where first they did ariue And closely held them there with great despight As long as he did in the field remaine Which was till that it gan to draw to night At which time he returnd to Troy againe But then more Greeks vpon the shoare ariu'd With cruell fierce Achilles which reuiu'd And comforted the Grecians hearts so well That they againe assaild the Troians And by Achilles ayd which did excell In valor all the other Grecians They beate them backe and draue them to the plaine And by that meanes did win the field againe In which conflict Achilles did pursue The Troians in such wise that he onely For his part many hundreds of them slew And at that time had in his company Three thousand knights in glistring armor bright Who likewise were so hot and fierce in fight That with their Prince th' only champion Of all the Greeks they â—lew their foes so fast And cruelly not sparing any one That many of the Troians fled in hast To saue their liues such was their rage and ire Which in the Grecians hearts did burne like fire Against the Troian Knights but specially Achilles tooke great pleasure and delight To beate them downe and to behold them lie In heapes vpon the ground and with despight That day to die and bath his sword in blood Which in the plaine ran like vnto a flood Such hatred in his heart he did conceiue And still increast it with such cruelty That nothing but their deaths could it bereaue Out of his mind the which to satisfie He never left with all his Knights so fast To kill beat downe and wound them that at last With dreadfull noyse and cries he made them run Vnto the gates of Troy where while they fought To saue their liues and therewithall to sâ—un His fierce and cruell blowes it holp them nought For that meane time the Grecians got to land Withall their power and force and from the straÌ„d Marcht with so great a multitude of men That th' onely sight of them did terrifie The Troians fearefull hearts but much more when They saw that with most great extremitie They could not chuse but must perforce abide A hard and cruell fight on every side Which by the Grecian Knights couragiously Was giuen so that with hearts discouraged And cleane dismaid they were constraind to 〈◊〉 Into the towne where as they entered Achilles did so hotly them pursue That many of them before the gates he slew And at that time made such occision And slaughter of the Troians that at last It would haue
out of the towne Like Mars himselfe for courage and for forâ—â— He mounted vp vpon his gallant horrse Cald Galathe the which is said t' haue been The goodliest horse for stature shape and haire Swiftnesse and strength that ever had been seen In any place and therewithall so faire Anâ— tractable that with a reine of twist A man might rule and turne him as he list And thereon richlie arm'd from top to toe Which glistred like the Sun it was so bright Road through the towne with such a gallant shoe That all men to behold him tooke delight Vnto the place where Priams Court did hold And there from point to point vnto him told What battailes and what men he had sent out Into the field against his Grecian foe And fifteene hundred valiant Knights and stout I haue said he ordaind with you to goe That shall attend your royall Maiestie And gard your person where so ere you be And likewise all the footmen that do stay Within the towne excepting no degree Commanded are to waite on you this day With whome I humbly pray your Maiestie Out of the towne into the field to goe And there your selfe in warlike wise to shoe Not far off from the place where we shall fight But suffer none of them to go aside Nor leaue their ranks but there with all your might Betweene vs and the towne I pray you bide In order ready prest vs to relieue Whereof if need require we shall you giue Advise for that still twixt vs men shall goe T'advertise you with all the speed we may Of our estate and vnto you to shoe What likelihoode on either side this day By ayd of Mars the God of warre may be Against their foes to haue the victorie For you shall be our Castle and our wall To succour vs in our extreamity Besides all this which is the principall You must take heed and very carefull be That th' enemie in ambush doth not lurke Behind the towne treason gainst vs worke While we to fight on this side busied are Against our foes whereof in any wise Let me intreat your Grace to haue a care That to prevent and worke by good advise That our affaires may fall out happilie And so we may obtaine the victorie Against our foes If they intrap vs not By vnexpected fraud or violence The which I hope shall neuer be our lot Let these my words said he be no offence Vnto your Grace I humbly you desire Sith all is for our good which I require Wherewith the King well pleas'd and satisfied With countenance benigne and chearfull heart When he had paws'd a while to him replied Hector said he sith that my trust thou art And sole support what euer thou dost say Or shalt desire I will it not denay For next the Gods in thee I do repose My welfare hope and my securitie And by thy strength and power against our foes I onely do expect our safetie And therefore do commit into thy hand The sole command and rule of this my land And as thou dost ordaine so shall it be For no man shall thy will in ought denie And to the Gods I humblie pray for thee To saue and keepe thee from adversitie And that thou maist returne with victorie That so th' eternall praise and memorie Of thee may be enrold by trump of fame Throughout the earthlie globe both farre neare Perpetuallie for th'onor of thy name And so farewell said he mine own Son deare And Hector taking leaue no time delaid But went vnto his Lords that for him staid As he that was their valiant Generall The verie root of perfect noblenesse The ground of ancient Knighthood withall The liuelie patterne of true hardinesse Valor and strength almost invincible For that as much as it was possible For nature to adorne a man withall Was found in him and therewithall he waâ— Indowed with a Grace maiestiâ—all Yet meeke and did in gouernment surpasse For vpright iustice temprance policie Wisedome discretion sence and clemencie The armes which then this Troyan ChaÌ„pion bore Triumphantly vpon his warlike shield And standard both as Guido saith was or A Lyon rampant gules which in the field Was so well known fear'd that th' enemie From it as from deaths piâ—â—cing dart did â—â—â—e And through the streets in order braue did ride With trumpets and with drums that loudly playd And diuers warlike instruments beside As penons rich and ensignes faire displaid And many people flockt in heaps about To view and see those warlike troops go out Thus Hector with couragious heart and mind Like Mars himselfe into the field did ride And though the battaile which he led behind The rest aid goe yet would he not abide With it but through the baâ—â—â—s all did passe And never staid till he the for most was And at the head of all his troopes did stand Not once abasht so many Greeks to find In battaile rankt â—â—th sheild and speare in hand Him to assaile but with a valiant mind No whit of them nor their great force affeard Resolud to be the first that would them â—eard Meane while the Ladies gallant fine and gay Within the towne of most and great'st account As fresh beseene as flowers in month of May Vpon the wals and towers of Troye did mount And round about Queene Helena the faine And Policene King Priams daughter there Did stand to see and to behold the fight Although of them the greatest part did feare And were abasht in heart at such a sight Of armed men as then assembled were That some of them of very tendernesse Some of meere loue and some of kindnesse Amas'd and pale in face and countnance were Least they should loose their louer oâ— their Knight And some their faces hid for extreâ—me feare And durst not looke vpon the armor brighâ— In which their feare I le leaue them for a while And to the Greekes direct my wearied stile And of them make a briefe relation How they that day their battailes did ordaine But first I must with exclamation Cry out and of dame Ignorance complaine That dares presume so boldly in my light To stand and with her shadow dim my sight For she it is that onely makes me erre For want of marshall tearmes and phrase to write Of battailes and of things concerning warre When as I would in order them indite And of an armie pitcht in field should speake But Chaâ—cer's dead and can me neither cheake Nor counsell giue how to direct my phrase Who did in perfect Rethoricke excell All other Rethoritians in his daieâ— For he had drunke and tasted of the well Of Hellicon which on Pernassus stands Wherein as yet I nere could dip my hands Nor once get leaue to mount vpon the hill To see the same one drop thereof to tast Although it was full sore against my will But t is too late to call backe time that 's past And sith t is so I do
and not relieu'd the blame And worthily will turne vpon your head For if with speed you do him not relieue Men will report and verily belieue That onely by your meanes it came to passe That Troyelus this day had this mischance And by the Grecians prisoner taken was Let vs then to that end our selues advance And valiantly our honors herein saue That no discredite we thereby may haue Wherewith the worthie King cald Alchanus Was so much moou'd in heart that presentlie Like to a Lyon fierce and furious He tooke a speare in hand and sodainlie Did spur his horse as fast as ere he might And after road till that he had a fight Of those that yong Prince Troyelus prisner led And with his speare ran at a Grecian Knight And pierst him to the heart that he fell dead Vpon the ground and then againe did smite Another Grecian Knight with such a force That he not onlie cast him off his horse But with his mightie Launce did pierce him cleane Through 's body sholder bone armor strong So that the steely point thereof was seene Out at his backe at least a handfull long And then the Phrigian Knights as thicke as haile Came riding downe did the Greeks assaile With so great courage and dexterity That maugre all resistance they could make They did procure Prince Troyelus liberty And him out of their hands by force did take And help't him to his horse againe with speed Whereof as then he had no little need And with them also was King Zaâ—â—ippus Who when he saw Duke Menestes with speed And with a noble heâ—â—t and valorous In furious wise he spurd his lusty steed And run at him with speare in hand so fast That with the blow through sheild male he past With so great force that without doubt he had Been slaine if that his armes had not been good But Menestes was furious wood and mâ—d And raging freâ—â—ing â—â—ming chasing stood And like an Aspen leaâ—e with anger shooke Because the Troyans Troyelus from him tooke Despight of him and all his Chivalty And foming like a Bore at mouth did baâ—le And to th Athenian Knights aloud did cry To will them on the Troyan Knights to fall And be reveng'd on them for that disgrace Before that they should stir out of that place Wherewith they all at once with fury great The Troyans did assaile right valiantly And for their parts they likewise did not let To fall vpon the Greekes couragioussie And then began a fierce and furious fight And did so fiercely one the other smight That fire out of their sheilds armes did fly And sparkle all abroad in fearefull wiâ—e And many a valiant Knight that day did die And in the field cast our most dolefull cries Of life or death they tooke as then no heed For that they had determin'd and decreed Each other to destroy confound and kill And furiously to worke their enemies bane And at that time the battailes that stood still On every side came downe into the plaine And with most pale and deadly faces met And on each other valiantly did set With hote and burning jre so that as then Nought else but blows of Launces sword darâ— Were heard and seene within the field and men Did shout and cry alowd and on each part The fight began in such sort to renew That many a man in fine the same did rew For Hector like a most renowned Knight So furiously still on the Greekes did set And with most puissant blows and passing might Did kill beat downe maime all those he metâ— And mercilesse with extreame cruelty Did them confound that pitty t' was to see And Menestes with heart repleat with spight Because his pris ner Troyelus had beene tane So forcibly from him and that in fight His men had then so many of them been slaine Where so ere he road in furious wise did slay Beat downe wound fore him draue away The Troyan knights that he might take revenge For th' iniuries that they to him had done And as he round the field about did range Like Wolfe for prey and here and there did run In furious wiâ—e to kill his enemies He met a Troyan knight cal'd Miseres Who in despight of all his Chivalrie His pris ner worthie Troyelus had tane By force from him that day and set him free And some of his Athenian knights had slaine And knowing him againe by th' armes he bare Vpon his shield before he was aware And ere of him he once tooke heed or care He spurd his horse ran at him in hast And mongst the ranks of Troyans that were there Him to the ground out of his saddle cast Then to the field on Troyans side there came A valiant King that Hupon had to name That with him full two thousand knights did bring Who on the Greekes in furious wise did set And to encounter them for Greekes a king Cald Prothenor couragiously did meet And Archelius the noble warrior That of Boetia Land was Governor Who with the ayd of valiant Prothenor The Troyans did assaile as cruelly As he had been a Tygar or a Bore And Prothenor himselfe couragiously Did also many a Troyan fiercely slay But Hupon by his valor great did stay Their furious moods and through his Chivalry Not only did the Troyans then defend But in most cruell wise and furiously Brought many Grecian knights vnto their end And thus twixt them the fight then equall was Till that the worthy knight Polidamas Anthenors sonne that valiantly did ride Before his knights amongst the Greekes did enter And brauely them assaild on every side And by that meanes did breake their ranks asunder And cruelly kild many a Grecian knight For they could not resist against his might He was so hardy stout and furious And for to second him the worthy king Cald Remus that of knights chivalerous Three thousand to the field with him did bring Into the battaile came and there did fight So valiantly and with such force and might That all the Troyan knights that him beheld Tooke great delight were exceeding glad To see him kill chase the Greekes in field And that such havocke of them there he made Whereby as then great noyse of strokes cries Within the field was heard and gan to rise And while king Remus in this sort still â—ights And on the Greeks in furious wise did set King Menelaus with all his Spartane knights Into the battaile proudly came to let And to restraine king Remus in his course And to that end set spurres vnto his horse And valiantly vpon king Remus set And Remus likewise gainst him road as fast And with their speares so furiously they met That each the other to the ground did cast For in their course they did so fiercely run That neither of theÌ„ each others blows could shun Meane time the valiant knight Pollidamus Who onely sought to honor to
therein For then they had A custome to intombe and bury those That Princes were and richly to inclose Their bodies faire in tombes most brauely made And so Patroclus and Prothesilaus Were buried in solemne wise and lay Together yet in severall tombes and thus The Grecians in their tents without still lay While Troians in the towne likewise did stay To cure their men that wounded were in fight And to recouer health and strength againe To those that sâ—re diseased were and might Not stirre themselues for dolor griefe and paine And in that cruell fight much blood had shed And ere the two moneths truce was finished Such diligence did vse that every man Was whole and sound but Priamus the King Made so great sorrow for Cassibellan That he would not be mou'd for any thing To cease his griefe but still he sobd and wept And while the corse aboue the ground was kept He caus'd a tombe of metall curiously Ingrau'd and wrought for to be made and when T' was finished and with solemnity In Venus Temple set and placed then He held a great and stately funerall For him and there accompanied with all His Lords vnto God Mâ—â—â— were offered His honors as his helmet sword and shield And last of all his braue and gallant steed The which when as Cassandra beheld And saw how all the company did crie And made great mone and sighed bitterly For him and with great lamentation For all their friends that likewise had been slaine And lost their liues in fight before the towne She was so grieu'd that she could not refraine To cry and sayd alas and well away That ere we saw this cursed dolefull day Oh most vnhappy wretches that you bee I st possible that ere you should indure The troubles and the woes that you shall see The which the Greeks vnto you will procure While they besiedge you round on euery side And seeke to be reuenged on your pride Most certaine t is that full well I know You can it not avoid for without doubt They will to you no grace nor mercy show But ere that many yeares shall come about They le kill and slay you cruelly each one And neuer leaue the siedge tell it be done Alas alas why do you not in time Seeke with your Grecian foes to make a peace While that the warre as yet is in the prime And fore the sword of vengeance mercilesse And old and young doth execution And brings this towne vnto destruction When all the streets therein with children small In woefull mothers armes heapt vp shall lie With gastly wounds and faces dead and pale Slaine by the Grecians furious cruelty And Maydens into Greece shall captiues goe And there bewaile in miserie and woe Their servitude and losse of this our towne That is so rich so famous and renownd Which by the Greeks shall sure be beaten downe And vtterly defaced to the ground And we perforce with patience must it beare Alas wee buy Queene Helena too deare Sith for her foule and vnadvised rape All we shall die a death most pittious Yong old rich poore not any one shall scape The wrath of them shall be so furious Gainst vs and ours and there 's no remedy But onely death to end our miserie And thus did she with pittious noyse and cry Forewarne the King her bretheren and all Within the towne into what miseries By pride and their presumption they should fall And like to one that 's mad in every street Run vp and downe told it all she meet Till Priamus her furious mood to stay Did cause her to be shut in prison fast And bound with chaines and in that sort she lay Close kept the while the Grecians siege did last And could not once be heard for no man would Belieue nor credite her though truth she told For neither wisedome nor discretion Counsell nor wit advise nor providence Truth reason nor yet good perswasion Can ought availe whereas no audience Is given thereto For were man nere so wise In counselling by wisedome or advise And could by perfect art and learning know What could in time hereafter come to passe And would the same vnto the world foreshow The obstinate would count him but an asse For counsell with a foole prevaileth nought Nor truth likewise how deare so ere t is bought As we may by Cassandra see full well Who though she did such wholesome counsell giue To them of Troye and did the truth foretell Of their decay they would her not belieue But cast her into prison Where a while I le leaue her to the Greeks to turne my stile And now will shew how king Palamides While that the Greeks these two months still did lie Was so possest with envies foule disease That he disdaind and grudged scornfully At all the Grecian Princes that gaue voyce And of King Agamemnon made their choyse To be the chiefe and Generall of that hoast And of so many Kings and Princes great That there assembled were from every coast Throughout the world and said he was not meet Nor worthy of so great authority And that himselfe of greater dignity Among the Grecaâ—â—ns was and bare more sway Then ere he did and fore them all dem'd To follow him or his command t' obay And said he would no longer there abide To yeeld to him the least subiection Sith he was not at his election Affirming that when choise of him they made There was no more but three Kings present there That thereto gaue consent and voyces had And thirtie Kings at least then absent were And therefore swone it was not his intent Nor will that he should haue that government Here may you see and perfectly behold What mischiefe breedeth by contention Mong Princes and Commanders great that shold Agree in one without dissention But envie and desire of rule is cause That makes men breake the God of peace his laws This cursed vice is cause of troubles great And mischiefes that in many Countries bee For when in Princes hearts it once doth get And maketh them contend and disagree That Kingdome cannot prosper nor encrease Till they agree againe and liue in peace The which the Greeks considering well forbare To giue consent vnto Palamides And wisely sought by good advise and care To stop the course of envies sore disease And wrought so well with him that in the end He was content t' agree and not contend With them therein but willing was to yeeld Vnto their choyse and did from strife surcease But now I le shew how they did meet in field On either side againe when as the peace Was ended and their battails did ordaine Before the towne of Troye vpon the plaine The truce expyr'd King Agamemnon made A muster of the Greeks in generall And with all speed assoone as ere he had Pervsed them he did the Princes call Together vnto him and forth of hand Appointed vnto every one a band By them to be conducted
were one of your Royall blood The which I know for all your worldlie good You would by no meanes wish nor gladlie see Wherefore by mine aduise I thinke it best That Thoas should well kept and garded bee Within this towne and quietlie let rest Least as I said to you before it may Fall out that one of vs another day Might hap into their hands and prisoner be And so for him we might haue ours againe Which otherwise if with extreamitie We do proceed we never should obtaine This is my counsell in this case said he And such as I do thinke the best to be Whereto most worthy Hector did consent And with him was of like opinion And said that he no will had nor intent That any wrong to Thoas should be done While he in Troy then prisoner was though he Nere had deseru'd of them well vs'd to be Paris King Priams second son likewise When as his brother Hector had declar'd His mind said vnto them that his aduise Was that he wisht King Thoas should be spar'd And not put vnto death although he said To doe the same they need not be afraid But Deiphobus of cleane contrarie mind Vnto his brethren twaine did say he saw No cause why Thoas should such favor find At Troyans hands who by their marshall law Might iustlie for his merits make him die Being as he was their vtter enemie Whereto with courage bold youthfull heart Prince Troyelus did seeme somewhat t' agree With Deiphobus and said that for his part He did no cause nor any reason see Why they should spare their enemie that sought Their overthrow and to that end had brought His forces fore their towne as fullie bent To worke their vtter ruine and decay But yet said he it is not my intent To counsell you to deale with him that way Least as my Lord Aeneas saith we might Perchance thereby procure our owne despight Whose counsell Lord Anthenor did commend And said that to shew such extreamitie Of marshall Law and rigor to extend To him could not be done advisedlie For that said he there is none of vs all But may into our foes hands chance to fall And with the selfe same rigor vsed be That vnto him we shewd Wherefore I say If that by my advise you 'le ruled be It 's best to let him safe in prison stay And vse him well that we like curâ—esie May haue when need requires of th' enemy Pollidamas his sonne with all the rest Of those that in their Counsell chamber were With one consent did say they thought it best That he should still be kept a prisoner And as Aeneas said be vsed well Till they saw how fortune with theÌ„ would deale But Priamus to wrath and furie bent Did not agree to their opinion And would by no meanes therevnto consent But still maintain'd his first conclusion And said that if the Greeks should once perceiue That we of life do Thoas not bereaue But spare him though vnto that end it were They would report to our no little shame That we dare not attempt to do 't for feare We haue of them and so will vs defame But nere the lesse said he sith you 're content I will though loath vnto the same consent And therewithall their counsell vp they brake And then Aeneas and Anthenor went With Troyelus into the hall and spake With Helena whereas some time they spent With her and with Queene Hecuba that bare Her company with many Ladies faire That with her the Queene then present were Where Troyelus and Aeneas did perswade Queene Helena to set aside all feare Which by the meanes of war that great she had And she although much discontent she were In outward shew did seeme with ioyfull cheare And countenance demure being glad To welcome them as to their state was fit But Hecuba that nere her equall had For vertue bountie eloquence and wit While they vnto Queene Helena so spake Desired them for that faire Ladies sake And for the weale and safety of them all And of the towne that they would not adventer Themselues in field what ever might befall Too farre among the enemies to enter Nor put themselues in danger carelesly And yet besought them to fight valiantly To saue and keepe the towne from that distresse Which th' enemy did seeke to bring 't into The which she said she fear'd she must confesse Although she hope 't they should it never do And so of her and of the Ladies all The knights tooke leaue went out of the hall Meane time the Greeks that morning as I said While Priam in the towne a counsell held Did murmure great sorow mongst them made As in their tents they lay in th' open field To thinke vpon the losse which they sustaind And all of them together much complaind And grieued for the death of many a man Of great account slaine by the cruelties Since that most cruell deadly war began And valor of their Troyan enemies And for the hunger cold and thirst also With sorow thought vnquietnes and woe Which they had had and felt all for nought Or at the least for causes very small If that the ground thereof were truely sought This was the speech and words in generall That through the Grecians campe at that time ran And currantly did passe from man to man But specially amongst the poorer sort Of soldiers who in war most commonly Constrained are t' endure and to support The brunt of all and haue no remedy For though they do find fault grieue therfore Yet are they not relieued nere the more And so they did complaine make great mone To thinke vpon the mischiefe they endured And which to them the Troyan knights had done Thogh't were theÌ„selues that had the same procured Vnto their owne decay and might it shun If they had not that bloudy war begun Which to encrease the next ensuing night So cloudy darke and thicke as pitch became That neither Moone nor star appear'd in sight And such a storme did happen on the same Of thunder lightning wind raine that fell Vpon them as if all the fiends of hell Conspired had their vtter overthrow And therewithall the waters did so rise That all the field and plaine did overflow And with the wind that blew in furious wise Their tents were overthrowne they compeld To leaue the place which all that while they held By reason that the water grew so hie And in that sort the Greeks in great distresse Compelled were all that same night to lie With hearts repleate with griefe and heauinesse In that great storme of thunder wind raine Vntill the water did go backe againe The wind appeas'd and day began t' appeare Next morning when the Sun began to rise Which made the aire shew beautifull and cleare And draue away the clouds out of the skies And with the force and feavor of his heat Dried vp the ground which was
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
t' endure Which when the Troyans heard they were content And willingly the same did them assure In hope the plague whereof they dyed so fast Would be a meanes to kill them all at last CHAP. VI. ¶ How Andromecha in a dreame was foreâ—arâ—ed of her Husband Hectors death if he the next day following entred into the field and how he refusing her counsell was the next day slaine in the battaile by Achilles WHen as the plague among the Greeks did cease And time of truce likewise was at an end The Grecians that in courage did encrease Determined and fully did intend T' assaile and set vpon the Troyan foes Betimes next day assoone as Phoebus rose But as the storie saith the night before Andromecha Prince Hectors louing wife That vnto him two Princelie children bore Whome he did loue as dearely as his life The eldest cald Laomedon the other Astionax much lesser then the other For he as then was small and very yong And onely with his mothers pap was fed And neither had the vse of foot nor tong As she lay fast a sleepe within her bed Was troubled with a sodaine vision Or as men say a revolution By dreame as hapned to King Scipio Whether it were by divine Oracle Or that the Gods did then vnto her shoe And giue her warning as a miracle Wherein she thought that one to her did say That if that Hector issued forth next day Out of the towne his Grecian foes t'assaile That he should not escape but certainlie Fell fate would then so much gainst him preuaile That she would him in trap and finally Fierce Atropos that foule and divellish fend The thrid of her deare husbands life would end Thereby to shew her cruell force and might If he that day into the field did goe Wherewith she fell into so great a fright And thought that she did feele such extreme woe That waking of a sodaine vp she start And for her dreame was grieued at the heart And lay and sighted sore and could not sleepe By reason of the extreame griefe and sorrow She had conceau'd and pittiously did weepe But specially the next ensuing morrow When she beheld the worthy famous knight Hector put on his compleat armour bright And ready was to go out of the towne To whome with flouds of teares within her eies She ran in hast and on her knees fell downe And vnto him declar'd with woefull cries The fearefull dreame she had the night before But he esteem'd it not but was therefore Offended and with indignation Affirm'd and said that folly great it were For men that are of good discretion Such peeuish fond and idle dreames to feare Or trust vnto so foolish fantasies Of visions that most commonly are lies And full of iests and false elusions Whereof the end is onely to delude Such as do trust to their conclusions Although the common people grosse and rude Are mooued with most fond affection To iudge by them in their opinion What may ensue and what they signifie Which many times falls out as they suppose But oftner times do hap cleane coâ—â—â—arie Whereat with wringing hands straight vp she â—â—se But downe againe she fell and there did lie A while as in a trance and then did crie And said alas my loue and Lord most deare Why will you not belieue nor thinke vpon Your louing wife but her refuse to heare That with good will and true affection Desires and wisheth you all good she can And vp she rose like one that 's mad and ran To Priamus and Hecuba that sat Together at that time and downe she fell Vpon her knees but long it was ere that For sobs and sigthes she could vnto them tell Her woefull case till at the last she tooke Some courage and with sad and heavie looke Vnto them shewd the fearefull dream she had The night before when as she waâ—◠〈◊〉 And to them there a full discourse then made Thereof in euery point with sighs most deepe Affirming that for certaine't would fall aur So as she said if Hector did goe out That day into the field sor't was ordaind By fortunes false and mischieuous decree And therewith in most pittious wise complaind And weeping prayd King Priam on her knee Of her and hers to haue compassion And with all speed to giue direction That Hector her deare Lord might not go out That day into the field and therewithall With weeping teares she turn'd her selfe about And in a deadly sound began to fall And with exceeding pale and woefull cheare Cry'd out said helpe help sweet mother dere And of your great benignity and grace Find meanes that my Lord Hector may not go This day into the field to fight noâ— passe Out of the gates and to perswade him so That he this day vse neither speare nor shield But vnto your desire get him to yeeld Whereto they both did willingly agree And readilie did grant to her request And to that end with speed went downe to see When all the battailes readie were and prest To issue forth where Troyelus first of all Appointed was vpon the Greeks to fall And next to him his brother Paris went And after him Aeneas forth did passe And then in order brauelie plast were sent King Sarpedon and braue Pollidamas King Erioâ—â— and King Epistrâ—phus And after them a King cald Forcius All richly arm'd in harnesse bright and cleare And last of all went out King Philomene With all the Kings Lords that then were there To aid King Priamus Who hauing seene Them all before him passe out of the towne Himselfe in person with them did go downe A little way and them in order plast Which having done he bad them forward goe And willed them couragiously to hast And set vpon the Greeks and there to shoe Their valors great gainst them with all their might That ready were and prest with them to fight And proudly stood all armed in the plaine With ensignes spred in braue and warlike shoe But Priamus with speed went backe againe And vnto Hector purposely did goe To will him not to â—â—ue forth that day Into the field but in the towne to stay For which he was sore grieued in his mind And when he saw the battailes all go forth Into the field and he was staid behind He did begin to be exceeding wroth And laid the fault thereof vpon his wife That seemd to be so tender of his life Imposing vpon her th' occasion That he vnto his great disgrace and shame Constrained was to stay within the towne But that it might not derogate his fame Nor giue men cause by false report to say That he for feare did stay within that day He did protest and with an oath it bound That happen life or death he would go out Into the field and therein would be found Yea though he were assured without doubt That he should die a thousand deaths and more So stout a heart within his brest
the walls did loose great store of men Which when the valiant Knight Margariton One of King Priams bastard Childeren Perceau'd and saw such hauocke of them made Such griefe and sorrow in his heart he had And was so moou'd thereat with great disdaine To see them flie and chast so furiously And fore the walls so many of them slaine He purposed with heart couragiously T'revenge them on Achilles if he might And therefore like a strong and valiant knight He spurd his horse through the prease he brake And in the midst of all the Myrmidons Enforst himselfe to kill or else to take Achilles and to that end on him runs And him with fierce and furious mood assaild But notwithstanding all his might he faild Of that which he intended to haue done For as fell fortune did for him ordaine Which by no meanes he could at that time shone He was himselfe by fierce Achilles slaine Wherewith the Troyans presently did flie Vnto the towne with fearefull noise and crie To see the valiant Knight Margariton Dead on the ground so pittiously to lie And also for because King Thelamon Pursued them with so great cruelty And with his sword so fiercely shed their blood Though Paris him couragiously withstood With all his valiant bastard Brethren But nere the lesse the Troyans more and more Fled backe and with the losse of many men Constrained were to giue the field cleane ore And entring into Troye with mighty feare Margaritons dead corps with them did beare And after them shut fast the gates with speed Whose body when as Hector did behold His heart within his brest for griefe did bleed And for that cause he swore and vowd he would Without abode or any more delay Revenge his death vpon the Greeks that day And presently his compleat armes put on And mounting on his horse with speed did goe Out of the towne before that any one Of those that would haue staid him did it know And like a Lyon in his cruelty Assaild the Grecians host so furiously That like to swarmes of Bees they ran away Before his sword and thought it best to get Out of his sight and he that time did slay Two worthy Dukes that then vpon him set Whereof the one was cald Euripalus The other had to name Halcidius And by that meanes the Troyans hauing woone Their ground againe they did the Grecians slay So furiously that they in hast begun To leaue the field and giue the Troyans way Yet though they were pursu'd so then it was Their chance by force to take Pollidamas A Troyan knight but Hector spurd his horse And road into the thickest of the presse And tooke him from them all againe by force And after put the Greeks to such distresse That through his valor great where s'ere he rood He bath'd his trenchant blade within their blood And was so cruell and so mercilesse That none escapt his hands that with him met And then a Grecian cald Leothides Presumptuously would needs vpon him set While he was in his greatest rage and ire But Hector who as then had great desire To make the Grecians feele his cruelty Slew him forthwith and on the ground him cast The which when as Achilles did espie And saw how he the Grecians slew so fast And hackt and hew'd them down spared none He did conceiue in his opinion That while that Hector liu'd it was most sure The Greeks should nere orecome their enemies Nor long gainst them in battaile could endure And for that cause did studie and deuise Which way to find the meanes by force or slight To rid him of his life if that he might And with him also did therein consent Pollicenes an Indian Duke that had His loue vnto Achilles sister bent And she of him her onelie choice had made Who that he might more in her favor stand Presum'd to take that enterprise in hand And him began t'assaile with courage bold But he was slaine by Hector presently The which when as Achilles did behold And saw him there dead on the ground to lie His heart with so great furie was possest That presently he set his speare in rest And ran therewith at Hector furiouslie But Hector with a dart most sharpely ground Which he with mightie force at him let flie Stroke him clean throgh the thigh a mighty wouÌ„d Which grieu'd him so that he could not abide Within the field but was constraind to ride With all the speed he could vnto his tent And there bound vp his wound and presently Did mount vpon his horse againe and went Into the field in feare least he should die Of that same wound so dangerous and sore And not to take revenge on him before For he desir'd no better remedie To case him of the griefe he did sustaine Then for to haue the meanes and libertie That Hector by his hands might first be slaine For of his death he did small reckning make So he might like revenge on Hector take And so he made a full conclusion Death for death to giue him if he might And with that stedfast resolution And heart repleat with choller and despight He road in mighty rage to find him out While Hector rang'd the field and plaine about And like a Lyon fierce and Tygar fell The Grecians slew and beat from place to place And by his valor great which did excell With sword in hand did them so hotly chase That as the sheepe before the Wolfe do flie They ran assoone as they did him espie For none so hardy was on him to set And while that he such hauocke of them made Amongst the Greeks a Grecian King he met That on his backe a goodly armor had Ingrau'd and set with many a precious stone And Pearles fine that bright clearely shone For on the circle of his helme throughout And all the borders of his Crest were set In every place on Velvet edg'd about Most rich and precious stones of value great Whose Armor when as Hector did behold To be so rich of precious stones and gold Assoone as he vnto the king drew neare He ran at him and with exceeding force Cleane through the heart did pierce him with his speare Wherewith â—e died and fell off from his horse And Hector then did presently alight And being of exceending strength might Tooke vp the body armed as it was Before him on his sadle-bow and ride Therewith out of the battaile that when as He had it got out of the way aside He might of his rich armor make a pray And spight of all the Grecians beare 't away Being glad that he had gotten such a prise But out alas that ere he should it see Or set his mind so much on a varice The heat whereof cannot extinguisht bee Out of mans heart if once therein it get For t is the cause that maketh man to set His mind on nothing else but greedinesse Which cleane disgraceth true Nobility And doth
extinguish all the worthinesse Of Conquerors and such as by degree Of honor seeke to climbe to loftie fame And oftentimes cleane blemisheth the same A covetous desire of getting wealth Belongeth not vnto Nobilitie Nor riches gotten so by spoyle or stealth Pertaineth not to worthy Chivalrie For avarice and Knighthood disagree And cannot well together lincked bee For certaine t is that greedinesse of gaine Hath often beene the onely overthrow Of many famous men that haue beene slaine As Guido in this Historie doth show By worthy Hectors fall who coveting To haue the sumptuous armor of that king So greedy was thereof that when he had The body vp and on his horse it bare To haue the spoyle thereof such hast he made That he did hang his shield without all care Behind him at his backe the easier To pull the armor off at his desire And by that meanes his brest cleane open lay And nothing to defend nor saue the fame But his thin plates Wherein I needs must say He was too vnadvis'd and much to blame And 't grieues me that so braue a Champion And of all knighthood the onely pateron Should haue of his owne good so little care As not to thinke vpon his enemie That him so great and deadly hatred bare And watching time and opportunitie On him attended had all that same day To take him at advantage and then lay Close hovering not farre off from him to spie A time t' effect his purpose and desire For at that time Achilles so â—â—â—â— die With heart repleat with wrath and furious ire While Hector so the dead Kings body beare Vpon his horse tookevp a mightie speare And therewith did at Hector fiercely ride And smote him vnawares with great despight Into the heart â—hat he fell downe and dide And so that most renowned Troyan knight Was slaine by carelesse bearing of his shield Whose death when as King Odemon beheld He was so grieu'd there at that presently He road vnto Achilles and despight Of all his Myrmidons most furiously Smote him so great a blow with all his might That downe for dead he fell vpon the plaine As if at that same time he had beene slaine Wherwith his knights straight laid him on a shield And bare him faire and softlie thence away Into his tent where staying to be heald I le leaue him for a while sicke as he lay And show how when that night began t' appeare The Grecians that with fighting wearied were Vnto their tents retir'd and lest the plaine And at that time the Troyans also went With heauie hearts into the towne againe And all the way did mournefully lament For Hectors death whose body solemnly They bare with them and weeping bitterly Vnto the Temple therewith all did goe And in that sort that dolefull day did end And all the night ensuing with great woe And heavinesse did after likewise spend Wherein I will them leaâ—e and for a while To mourne for Hectors death I le turne my stile CHAP. VII ¶ The complaint of Lidgate for the death of Hector and the description of the sumptuous Toombe that King Priam made for him THe fearefull stile which I till now haue held Of dangerous cruell fierce and bloody warre So numbs my hand that I can hardly weld My pen that is so clog'd with feare and care Of valiant Hectors death the truth to write Vnlesse some one vouchsafe me helpe t' indite But vnto whome shall I crie out or call For helpe it must not be to any one Of those faire Nymphs amongst the Muses all That on Pernassus hill by Helicon So Angell-like with heavenly melodie Do sing together with such harmonie That no man can expresse nor well declare The sweet accord of their most pleasant song For they do never disagree nor iarre And haue their instruments most sweetly strong That they on them no dolefull tunes can sound Nor dittie sweet with woefull songs compound Of them therefore it boots me not to craue Their aid to helpe in this extreamitie And sure I am I shall as little haue Of Clio or of faire Caliope I therefore must make sute with woefull mone And many a grieuous sigth and gastly grone Vnto Megaera Alecto and Thesiphone That ever are in sorrow and complaine With brinish teares in bad condition For they still liue in extreame woe and paine Eternally and do in torments dwell With triple headed Cerberns in hell Whome I must pray to be to me bening In this my case which is so lamentable For to a man whome sorrow still doth sting A shew of feare is alwaies commendable And in a matter full of heauinesse A heauie looke the same doth best expresse Helpe me herein oâ— Niobe to mone And in my pen some of thy teares distill Do thou the like oh cruell Exion And Beâ—ides that doest the bucket fill Helpe with thy roling stone good Sesiphus And furtherme also poore Tantalus That hungrest still in water without rest Helpe me I pray you all my plaints to end And let me craue of you to do your best To ayd me so that I my wits may bend With phrases fit the wofull chance to tell Of him that did in worthinesse excell And while he liu'd the root of Knighthood was The onely mirror of all Chivalrie The man that did all other men surpasse For valor and for great actiuitie And th'onlie patterne of all curtesie As Guido sheweth in this Historie Why shouldst thou die oh Hector valorous What was the cause thou tookst no better heed Oh Parchas fell and too too mischievous So carelesly to twist his vitall threed And what did mooue thee Atropos thereto So hastily to cut the same in two Oh Troy alas well mayst thou mourne and cry And bitterly lament thy wofull state That art this day bereau'd so sodainly By most accursed false and wavering fate Of him that was thy speciall proppe and stay And chiefe defence and bulwarke night day And he that onely made thee fortunate Now now alas the brightnes of thy sunne Ecclipsed is and thou art desolate Of comfort and in manner cleane vndone Thy light is out and thou dost plunged lie In darknesse for this day most certainlie Is slaine the brauest and the worthiest The most renowmed and chivalorous And of all valiant knights the hardiest la battaile and the most victorious That ever was or shall be borne most sure Within the world while that it doth endure No maruell then it is thou weepst so sore For him sith he both in thy woe and weale Was thy defence and comfort euermore And he whome thou didst loue and like so well That sure thou canst not proue so much vnkind As not to thinke still of him in thy mind For as the storie maketh mention There was not any one of what degree Or state so ere he was within the towne But rather would in that extreamitie Haue lost his child to saue his life if so The Gods would haue beene pleas'd
to graunt therto The women for their parts of every age Throughout the towne did stand along the street And for his death most pittiously did rage And with great flouds of teares their faces wet And tearing of their haire for griefe and woe In furious wise ran crying too and fro Such extreame dolor at that time they made That pittie great it was the same to see The maids likewise no lesser sorrow had And wringing of their hands most pittiously Did sob and sith and lowdly cry and call And said alas now shortly t' will be fall That we shall see our fathers daily slaine Before our eyes with great extreamitie For no man will our quarrell now sustaine Sith Hectors dead for he was woont to be Our onely trust and in his valor stood Our chiefest stay our safety and our good Whose bodie when King Priam did behold His heart it was so fild with extreame griefe That both his hands together he did fold And like a man cleane void of all reliefe His face with bitter teares did bath and drown'd And could not speake but fell into a sownd And so as cold as any stone did lie And neither stird nor mooued foot nor hand Desiring rather presentlie to die Then in so great extreamitie to stand And in that sort on Hectors body lay Till that his sons by force puld him away Who also sad and sorrowfull to see Their brother there lie dead before their eies Did fall into so great perplexitie That casting out most bitter sigths and crie They far'd as if their hearts would burst in sunder Which made all those that saw theÌ„ much to woÌ„der For every one of them such dolor made And were so fild with griefe and great remorse That they did seeme as if no care they had But onely to haue dyed vpon the corse And did such lamentation make that sure A heart of flint could not so much endure What shall I say of Hecuba the Queene Or Cassandra that was esteem'd so wise Or of his sister Lady Policene Or how should I the sorrow great deuise To shew to you of his most woefull wife That loued him as dearely as her life Who all in great extreamity and woe As if they would haue kild themselues did weepe And rent and tare their golden haire and so Torment themselues and such a noyse did keepe ` About his corse that if particularly I should vpon me take to certifie Their sorrows griefes and lamentations Their pittious sighs and salt and brinish teares Their woeâ—ull cries and exclamations Their sad complaints extreamities and feares And all their mournfull jestures specifie It would too great a volume occupie If I should euery thing in order name And over long and tedious to be heard Of any man to listen to the same For many daies ensuing afterward They wept before the corse most wofully And rent and tare themselues so pittiously That wonder't was they could so much endure But that they 're vs'd to weepe to complaine For t is a point of womens nature sure Teares at command out of their eies to straine For euery thing wherewith they are displeas'd Till that their harts therby are somewhat eas'd And so â—e let them sigh and sorrow still And wofully with extreame griefe complaine In mourning weeds till they haue cryde their fill And I to them do turne my stile againe And shew how Priam by invention Did find a way without corruption To keepe the body still vnburied Aboue the earth the which will putrifie And cleane consume to dust when it is dead If in the aire aboue the ground it lie For if that Art do not surmount nature It cannot there long vncorrupt endure Which to prevent King Priam did devise To haue the same preseru'd from filthy smell And lothsomnesse and horror to the eies To make it shew as liuely fresh and well As if that it still quicke and liuing were The charge whereof he was content to beare Whatere it cost and sent men vp and downe To search and seeke with diligence and care For all the skilfulst workemen in the towne That could by Artsuch costly things prepare As might effect the worke that he would haue And to that end to them commission gaue Without delay to take the same in hand Which they perform'd quickly brought to passe Within an ancient Temple that did stand Hard by the gate cald Timbria and was By Priam built which he did dedicate And to his God Apollo consecrate Wherein hard by the Altar they did frame A Chappell made of rich and costly stone And at the vpper end within the same Vpon a stage did frame a Princely throane So high as that within it they might set An Image of proportion huge and great Supported by foure Pillars all of gold With Angels standing on them all enchast And graven that most stately worke t'vphold The roofe whereof with arches overcast Was plated all with gold most sumptuously Embossed knob'd knotted curiously And in each knob and knot a pretious stone Of value great and price inestimable Which both by day and night so brightly shone That they did make it shew as delectable And lightsome in the darke shady night As at noon-day wheÌ„ Phoebus shone most bright To mount vp to this Princely throane there was Twelue goodly faire and stately steps that were Most curiously compos'd of Christ all glasse Which showd so smooth traÌ„sparant bright clere That men did them admire on each one A pinacle there stood of Iasper stone At either end with Rubies rich enchast Vpon the points most stately to behold And on the top of all this worke was plast A huge and mighty Image made of gold Like Hector which with countnance fierce did stand And lookt vpon the Greeks with sword in hand And in this throane king Priamus did place The body of dead Hector which by art Was made to shew as liuely in the face Eies colour looke and skin and every part As when it liu'd apparelled also As commonly on earth he vs'd to goe For that through pipes of gold which bowed down By skilfull Art and cunning policie A precious liquor ran into his Crowne And from that place with great subtiltie Into his vaines and sineâ—â—â— did deseend And by the vertue thereof did defend And keepe his body from corruption And made his skin and colour show as pure And liuely without alteration As when he was a liuing creature And at his head there stood a voyoll full Of precious balme which ran into his soull And from the same by pipes composd by skill Into his necke and euery other place Did penetrate and with the same did fill The vaines and all the poores of his face And made it show as liuely and as fresh As if 't had been a quicke and liuing flesh The balme therein wrought so effectually Much like vnto a spirit vegitable The which without all sence in things doth lie And yet
sho According to the Pagans ancient rights The funerall was there accomplished In presence of great multitudes of Knights And Lords and Ladies faire who then did shead Great store of teares with much affection And on their knees fell downe before the throne Whereas the corps of that most worthy Knight Vnburied stood vpright vpon his feet And seemd as fresh and faire vnto the sight By vertue of the precious gums most sweet And balme the which his flesh did so reuiue That he did shew as he had been aliue And at this feast and great solemnitie Queene Hecuba with Policene and other Faire Dames and Princes of great dignitie Sat weeping and in company together Apparelled in sad and mournfull blacke Such lamentation at that time did make For Hectors death as nere the like was seene And yet for all the sorrow that they made The faire and goodly Lady Pollicene No part of her great beautie changed had But still a crimson red and white most cleare Within her face and countnance did appeare For all the teares that she as then did shead Which trickled downe her cheeks like poaâ—les fine Her haire that then hung round about her head In careles wiâ—e like golden wier did shine And show'd like Phebus glistring beams most bright When he doth cast on vs his radiant light Which with her fingers small â—â—e rent and tare Whose beautie when Achilles did behold He did esteeme the same to be so rare That he did muse how God and Nature could Deuise and make so faire â—â— creature For comlines of face and feature So Angell-like she did to him appeare That he to looke on her could not indure For with her christall eies most faire and cleare She stroake him then into the heart so sure That for her loue which was his whole desire He burnt within as hot as any fire And sodainely againe with griefe he shooke Like one that is in feare yet euermore Vpon her he did cast a glancing looke For Cupids dart had pierced him so sore Into the brest and giuen him such a wound That it was likely neuer to be sound And as he durst he lookt her in the face And still approacht vnto her with his eie For whom if that in her he found no grace He made account assuredly to die For he was fallen and caught in such a snare That of his health he was in great despaire And in his heart he was perplexed so That care of all things els he did reiect For knowing not what he were best to do He did himselfe and all his state neglect To set his thought on her and in this wise He fed himselfe with sight of her faire eyes Till Phoebus with his charâ—â—â— did decline And to the Westerne coasts began to draw And on their hemisphere no more did shine When as he cast his eies about and saw Queene Hecuba with Pollicene and mo Out of the Temple to the Pallace go On whom he neuer ceast to haue a sight As she did pas along till that she went Out of the gate and he no longer might With her faire eies giue to his heart content And then no longer in the towne be staid But going to his tent himselfe he layd Vpon his bed with sad and heauy cheare Whereas he lay still thinking on his loue Whose beauty in his sight did so appeare And as he thought still more and more did moue His heart the same with great desire to craue That he no rest noâ— any ease could haue For loue of whom such burning heat he felt And extreame paine which did torment him so That with the same he thought his heart wold melt And in that sort he tumbled too and fro And like a man halfe dead and fore dismaid Vnto himselfe he spake and thus he sayd Alas quoth he that fortune so vnkind Should be to me to make me feele and know Such griefe that I no end thereof can find For that it doth my heart so ouerflow As I suppose that since the world began There nere was found a more distressed man For I that whilome was of so great might Renowned throughout the world of high and low And honoured and feared of euery wight For no man euer heard noâ— yet did know Of any Knight that was more valorous Then I nor euer more victorious For neither Hector that most valiant Knight That was my Lady Pollicenes deare brother Although he was of most exceeding might And hardy therewithall nor any other The power had when he on me did set The least aduantage vpon me to get Nor in the field my courage once could daunt Or make me yeild of fearefully to flie Whereof I may vnto my selfe now vaunt Because I am assurd iâ— is no lie Now now alas a mayd of tender age Hath suddenly set me in such a rage And with the streames of her faire Christall eies Hath pierst my woefull heart and euery vaine That I cannot by any meanes deuise How to relieue my selfe or ease my paine On whom shall I for counsell now reâ—â—e Or who can giue me any remedy To ease and cure my griefe and heauines For this is sure that hope for me ther 's none If death end not my woe and great distresse But her good will and that from me is gone For neither prayer wealth nor comlines Strength power courage nor yet Noblenes Birth honor blood nor great affinitie Can ought availe to helpe me now in need To moue her stony heart to pittie me For whom my heart with inward griefe doth bleed What fury hath possest my restles braine That it should so gainst nature me constaine And make me proue so much vnfortunate As for to seeke mine owne confusion To loue and like of her that doth me hate But truth to say when as I thinke thereon No marvell t is that she doth me despise Sith I am come to Troy in warlike wise To kill and to destroy her kindred And all her friends by fierce and cruell warre Wherein the blood I haue already shead Of Hector her deare brother who both farre And neare was known to be the valiantst knight That euer liu'd for valor and for might Alas for woe now may I quake for feare And of my life dispaire both day and night For with what face can I fore her appeare Or be so bold to come into her sight That haue offended her in such a fashion As that in truth I merit no remission Nor pardon at her hands but certainely Must yeild my selfe the sentence to abide Of cruell death to end my miserie Which doth enclose me round on euery side And so with many sobs and sighes most deepe He did begin so bitterly to weepe And made such woefull lamentation That pittie it was for any man to heare Or see the griefe and cruell passion Which he with great extremitie did beare Within his mind and outwardly exprest And so he lay and by no meanes could rest But tumbled
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
may with speed vpon the same agree Where thou well arm'd in secret wise shalt stand With certaine knights and readie be at hand To kill him there while he for me doth stay Where let him of his death be surelie sped And see that by no meanes he scape away Out of thy hands vntill that he be dead Which I thee heartly pray as 't is my will Effectuall for my sake to fulfill And see thou failest not to do the same Whereto he did agree and presentlie Against Achilles to the Temple came With twentie valiant knights there secretly Did stay Meane time Queene Hecuba did send A messenger t' Achilles to that end As she with Paris had determined By whome she made him certainlie belieue That she did meane and fullie purposed Her daughter Policene to him to giue And at his comming would as she did say Agree twixt them vpon the marriage day Where to he did most willinglie consent As he that no suspition had in mind Of treason for his heart it was so bent And set on fire with loue that he was blind And could not see nor yet perceiue at all By reason and aduise what might be fall To him by going into Troy so soone At her request he had offended so By killing of her Sons as he had done But hap what would needs thither would he go As louers all are fond and despratly No perill shun although that they should die T' enioy the thing wherewith in loue they are Their maladie it is so furious Vntill they are intrapped in a snare And so Achilles and Archilogus Duke Nestors Son that bare him company Did goe to Troy and entring presently Into the Temple of Apollo went Where Paris with his Knights for him did stay In secret wise with purpose fully bent Him there as he deserued had to slay And sodainly assoone as he was in T' assaile him altogether did begin By night as some do say but when so ere The same was done when as Achilles saw Himselfe assaild abandoning all feare He did his sword out of his scabberd draw And in short space despight of all their mights In furious wise he slew seuen Troyan knights And did defend himselfe so valiantly Against them then although they were so many And with them fought with such dexterity That long it was ere vantage they bad any On him at all till Paris who as then Stood watching oportunitie and when He saw Achilles such resistance make Tooke vp a Dart and aim'd at him so well And so directly that therewith he strake Him through the heart and therewith all he fell With pale and deadly face vpon the ground And body mangled sore with many a wound And so was slaine his treason to requite As reason is that such as traitors are And while they liue in treachery delight Should at the last fall in the selfe same snare Which they for others had prepar'd And thus Achilles and with him Archilogus Were slaine by Paris in the Temple at Queene Hecubaes desire and request Who presently did giue commandment that Their bodies in the Temple should not rest And made them to be drawne out of the bounds Thereof and to be throwne vnto the hounds Loe here the iust reward of treachery And of deceit which while he liued he Delighted in and how with equitie God punisheth all such as traitors be For reason is that he that seeks t' obtaine His will by treason should likewise againe With treason be requited for his paine As false Achilles was that tooke delight In treason while he liu'd and so was staine Within Apollos Temple in the night But yet their bodie were not as t is said Although that they in th' open streets were laid That with great ioy the Troyans might them see Devour'd by hounds as by commandment Of Hecuba they were ordaind to be For Helena vnto King Priam went And on her knees of him did humbly craue Their bodies from that cruelty to saue Who willinglie did therevnto consent And caus'd them to be kept as she desir'd Till that King Agamemnon to him sent A messenger and leaue of him requir'd To fetch them and to giue them buriall The which he did for whome in generall The Grecians did such extreame sorrow make And were so much discomforted therefore That in great feare each vnto other spake And said alas now farewell euermore Our trust our hope our ioy our confidence Our welfare and our soueraigne defence Sith valorous Achilles now is dead For he in knighthood did so much excell That while he liu'd we neuer stood in dread To overcome this towne but now full well We may both feare and plainlie say that we Nere in our liues shall masters thereof be And while that they such sorrow great did make And plunged were in extreame doubts feares For their great Champion fierce Achilles sake Agamemnon two costly Sepulchers For workemanship most rare and curious Caus'd to made one for Archilogus The other for Achilles wherein they Intombed were with great solemnitie In Paynim wise and both vpon a day To shew the whole particularity And manner of their ancient buriall Were over-long to trouble you withall It shall suffice to tell that they did make Much sorrow and endur'd great heauinesse For death of them and how in mournfull blacke They brought them to their graues to expresse Their woefulnes with heauie heart and mood Some threw sweet gums some cast milk blood Into the funerall fires and how they made Playes which by them were called palestrall And wrastrings at the wakes and how they had Great store of customes ceremoniall At burials of the dead the which much more Then needfull were to tell as now therefore I le leaue herewith And vnto you declare How therevpon King Agamemnon sent For all the Grecian Princes that then were Within the hoast to come vnto his tent And when they all assembled were therein And orderly set downe he did begin To speake to them and said my Lords t is now No time to moue nor need t' encourage your Against your Troyan foes sith that you know And too well find by good experience how Vnconstant fortune hath now chang'd her face And sodenly cleane altered our case And fild your hearts with rage and iust despight To thinke vpon the murther horrible Of late done to Achilles which in sight Of God and man is foule and odible Despightfully by Hecuba the Queene For which I thinke it shortlie shall be seene If that within your valiant hearts there be Or resteth any man-hood force or wit To make a vertue of necessitie And to refraine till that occasion fit To take revenge therefore and t'recompence The iniurie despight and great offence Vnto you done and giuen thereby fall out As reason t is it should requited be For very beasts insensible no doubt Would do the same in like extremitie But yet as you are wise and prouident I would faine know your
sustaine Their mightie blows but forced were againe To run out of the field discomforted Though Diomede did what he could to stay And succour them so many of them dead And wounded sorevpon the plaine then lay And cast out many a great and woefull crie The which when Duke Menestes did espie And saw what great disorder they were in And how the Troyans them so sore opprest Into the battaile fiercely did begin To enter and with mightie Launce in rest Brake through the Troyans ranks till that he was So farre that he met with Pollidamas Gainst whome at vnawares he ran so fast That with a blow which he at him let flie Vpon the ground he did him fiercely cast And while that he amaz'd thereon did lie Had slaine him if with speed he had not beene Relieu'd and rescued by King Philomen Who brauely in despight of all the force And might Menestes had did set him free And made him mount againe vpon his horse Sore bleeding and in great extreamitie Meane time fierce Thelmon Aiax carelesly Vnarmed with great pride yet foolishly Amongst the thickst of all his armed foes Nere ceast to kill and mightily to wound The Troyans and such valor great then shoes That they in heaps lay dead vpon the ground About him and none durst against him stand So fierce he was with bloudy fword in hand To kill and beat them downe still as he road And yet though in the midst of them he was And that so many thousands him with stood On euery side as he through them did passe Noâ— any part of him was perished Nor drop of bloud out of his body shed Which woonder was considering how that he Disarmed fought But when dame Fortune will Preserue and keepe man from extreamitie Nothing can hurt nor him by no meanes kill And yet when as she list shee 'le him beguile And play and sport with him a little while And sodainly when he thinkes least thereon Ore-turne her wheele and cast him on the ground As she that day did vnto Thelamon Who to his cost her most vnconstant found For as he mongst the Troyans with great pride Disarmed through their ranks did fiercely ride And many of the Persian Archers slew With heart cleane voyd of any feare or dread And more and more with furie did renew His force and to his safetie tooke no heed Paris perceauing his great hardinesse And how he did the Persian knights oppresse In great despight an arrow at him shot And with the same as he did fiercely ride Still killing all he met and spar'd them not Pierst him at vnawares into the side So deepe a wound that without remedie There was no other meanes but he must die Which when he did perceiue and saw no way T' avoid his death with heart surpriz'd with ire In furious wise he made no more delay But running through the prease with great desire To be reveng'd on Paris ere he died Sought him so long till at the last he spied Him mongst the thickst of all the Greeks in fight And vnto him with pale and deadly cheare But yet with extreame rage and great despight To thinke vpon his death that drew so neare Said Paris the wound which thou hast giuen me I know and certaine am my death will be For I do feele such extreame griefe and paine Within my heart that I am well assur'd I neuer shall returne to Greece againe And sith that thou my death hast thus procur'd I meane to giue thee such reward therefore That thou aliue to Troy shalt nere go more For as the great despight well meriteth Which thou shewst me I le make thee first to feele Ere that I die the bitter pangs of death And send thee down before me into hell And therefore make account thy glasse is run And that thou canst thy death as now not shun For here my troth I plight and firmely vow That with my sword I le make diuorse betweene Queene Helena and thee and that as now The chaine of fained wedlocke that hath beene So surelie made and knit twixt her and thee Shall now at last be cut in twaine by me And that false knot of thy adulterie Which hath beene cause such slaughter great to make And made so many valiant knights to die In this our warre and onlie for thy sake Shall be vnknitâ— for without remedy Paris said he of my hand thou shalt die And with his sword scarse able to sustaine Himselfe vpright gaue Paris such a wound That with the same he cleft his head in twaine And therewith he fell dead vpon the ground Which hauing done he likewise presently Fell downe and died to beare him company Which when the Troyans saw with dolefull cheare They tooke vp Paris body to convay The same to Troy and in a mighty feare Began to flie where all along the way The Greeks did kill pursue beat them downe Even to the walls and trenches of the towne And more had done but that it did begin To draw to night for then the Sun was downe And when the woefull Troyans were gone in And had secur'd themselues within the towne The Greeks likewise retired backe and went Vnto their Campe each man into his tent To ease themselues but ere as 't them behou'd They tooke their rest that night Agamemnon Commanded that their tents should be remou'd And set and placed neerer to the towne Not farre off from the walls and so they were Which put the Troyans in no little feare So that they durst not issue out to let And hinder them from doing it but glad To saue themselues shut fast their gates and set Watch all that night vpon the walls and made Such sorrow and so pittifully far'd For Paris death that nere the like was heard For by that meanes all Priams sons being slaine They did despaire and out of hope cleane were Of any comfort or release t' obtaine In their distresse and so possest with feare And plunged in most great extreamitie They made account there was no remedie Nor any meanes to aid themselues withall But still expecting their destruction To keepe themselues enclos'd within the wall And rampiers of their strong and mightie towne And for that cause most pittiouslie complaind And so great woe and sorrow then sustaind That nere the like was heard nor seene before But specially King Priam did so grieue For Paris death and did lament therefore So mightilie that nothing could relieue Nor comfort him and from his heart which fild With woe and care then was such teares distild And let fall downe his checkes and aged face That he did seeme as if he would haue died To tell you how in this most wofull case Queene Hecuba his mother wept and cried And what exceeding sorrow for their parts His sisters made and felt within their hearts And how they rent and tare their clothes haire And beat and smote their breasts in great distresse And all bedewd and wet
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
them to get out Their furious clawes with great fearefull cries Like to a Bull that 's tide vnto a stake For to be kild doth mighty roaring make But all in vaine for nothing could him aid And when that he was kild they tooke their way Vnto Mineruaes Temple where they laid Themselues downe at her feet there did stay Wherewith a mighty trembling feate did fall With wonder new strange vpon them all For they suppos'd and thought it to be true That for because Lycaon with his speare Had run against the horse that as a due Deserved plague that punishment he bare And therefore all of them did cry and say Why bring you not this horse without delay Into the Towne the Goddesse wrath t' appease And presently the people did begin To batter downe their wall and did not cease Till they had made a mighty brech therein Which done they set the horses feet vpon Huge planks with wheels that it might slide there on And with great ropes about his necke did draw The fatall horse with men and armor full Which when the women with their children saw They leapt daunst singing holpe to pull And hale it in and glad was he that could By any meanes vpon the ropes lay hold And in that sort it entred in the Towne Vnhappy men to breed their owne decay For as they drew and shou'd it vp and downe Along the streets of Troy vpon the way Foure times it swai'd iog'd against the ground And euery time they heard the armor sound Within the same yet on with it they went And blind with fond desire they had to get That mōstrous horse brought in were not content Till they had it by Pallas Temple set Wherewith Cassandra plainly did them shew By spirit diuine what would thereof ensew But they that for her words did little care Belieu'd her not but like to sencelesse men The Temples strew'd with hearbs did prepare As solemne feasts as if that they had been Secur'd and freed from dangers whatso ere Might happē whē poore wretched men they were At point of death and as we vse to say With one foot stepping in the graue had No longer time to liue but one short day And so great triumph for the time then made That nere the like before was seen in Troy But true it is that after extreame ioy As oft we find ensues adversitie And after peace when men do liue secure Without all feare in great felicitie And thinke that it for euer will endure Comes cruell warre for there 's no certainty In worldly blisse full of variety Deceit and guile vnhappines and trouble And neuer in one state doth long remaine Not much vnlike vnto a water-bubble Which riseth vp straight falls downe againe For though that men haue wealth riches great And on the top of fortunes wheele are set Yet vnawares she soone doth cast them downe As you may well behold and plainly see Here in this Booke by Troy the ancient Towne Which thought it selfe for euer safe to be By bring in that mighty horse of brasse Which th' only cause of their destruction was And when that they in extreame ioy had spent The day without all care till it was past And that the christall firmament had sent Darke night with clouds the skies to ouercast While that the wearied Troyans on the wall Lay carelesly and some on sleepe did fall As fearing nought The Grecians armie soone From Tenadon with all their Navie came And guided by the cleare bright shining Moone With silence great did land and made a flame Of fire out of their admirall to show That they were there and to let Symon know They were prepard to ioyne with him when he Had done his feat within the Towne who when He started vp and looking out did see The light from thence he stole out and began To turne the gins that in the horse were made And when that he his bellie op'ned had He called out Ulisses Athamas Thesander Machon and King Menalus Pyrrhus Achilles son that also was Surnamed by the Greeks Neoptolimus King Thoas and a number more beside Who soone out of the Horses panch did slide And presently vpon the walles did go And there fast sleping found the watch whom they Did fiercely kill and when they had done so Vnto the gates in hast they went there way And brake them vp and then out of the towne Did hang a light which they at Tenadowne Perceiuing armd themselues and fiercely ride To Troy-ward where their fellows watch did keepe And ready stood their comming to abide At midnight when sound sleep on men doth crepe And furiously throughout the Citie ran And sparing neither woman child nor man Kild all they found with extreame cruelty For they as then fast sleeping lay in bed And little did suspect such trechery Till that they felt with gastly wounds that bled Their enemies blowes and saw no remedy But by their hands in cruell wise to die For neither sex nor age by them was spard Whereby a mighty crie and noise did rise Within the towne the which when Priam hard Who little did suspect his enemies So falsely had betraid him and that The towne by them was tane but al to late He found and by experience too well knew Anthenor and Aeneas had betraid The towne and him into their hands drew That traiterous plot the which they falsely said Was for his and their good in generall But it was don to blind his eies withall Till they fit oppertunitie might haue To bring 't passe in such sort as they had Agreed with the Greeks which was to saue Themselue on such conditions as they made In secret wise and cleane contrary told To Priamus which then he might behold To well for at that time the trechery Which with such traitrous hearts they had cōceild Was seene and by the Grecians cruelty Vnto the townes and his decay reueald And th' Authors knowne when as no remedy Was to be found t' auoyd th' extremity That on him fell for then the towne was tane And all the loftie towers thereof began With fierto burne and euery street lane Was fild with Greeks and nothing hard therein But lamentable cries and woefull grones Of men that dying lay vpon the stones Within the streets and howses and that fled Before the Greeks in mighty dread and feare Amazed sore he rose out of his bed And sheading many a salt and brinsh teare Ran to Apolloes Temple comfortles T' escape if that he might in that distresse Meane time the towne was of a flaming fier Which merciles consumd and spoyled all And Greeks on euery side with great desire To be reuenged vpon the Troians fall And murthered and beat them downe so fast That while that most accursed night did last Ere Phoebus shoane the next ensueing day They slew of them boue twenty thousand men And forcibly did take and bare away Their
â—iluar gold all their goods and then With mighty rage extreame violence They sackt spoyld without all reuerence The Temples of the Gods throughout the towne And in despight of them with courage bold Did fiercely rent and furiously pull downe Their ornaments of siluer and of gold In presence of the Gods that then were there While Priamus with sad heauy cheare Before Apollo kneeld and to him praid Devoutly to relieue him but in vaine For at that time there was no hope of aid That he by any meanes could then obtaine But onely there with patience to attend By cruell death his woefull life to end Whereof without all doubt he was most sure Ere long time past by Grecians hand to haue And Cassandra that holy creature Her selfe likewise in that distresse to saue Vnto Mineruaes Temple did repaire Accompanied with many a Lady faire And other Gentle-women of the towne Who there with sobs most bitterly did crie And made their woefull lamentation Attending euery hower when they should die Wherein I le let them with the goddesse dwell For if that I their sorrowes all should tell And show how they in euery lane and street Lay groueling on their Lords and husbands deare And suckt their wounds all their cloths did wet And staind and di'd them with the blood that there Out of their bodies ran that wofully Beheld them with a pale and deadly eye It would be ouer long for me to write And tedious likewise for you to heare But to proceed when they had all that night Nere ceast to kill and ransacke euery where The people and the towne and spard not one Next day in heaps they went to Ilion King Priamus most faire and Princely hall Wherein they found not one to make defence Against them nor to keepe the same for all The people in great feare were fled from thence To saue their liues and left it desolate Where all the gold and riches of the state Enclosed lay within the treasory The lockes whereof they brake and bare away The treasure therein found and cruelly Did fier the howse for no man durst say nay Nor let them to pursue their enterprise Then Pyrrhus in most fierce and furious wise Went to Divine Apolloes Temple where Before the Altar with great cruelty While Priamus deuoutly praied there In humble wise t' Apollo on his knee With fury great not speaking any word Into the body ran him with his sword And gaue him such a deepe and deadly wound That presently he fell vpon his face And pitifully died on the ground And with his blood defild the holy place Aeneas and Anthenor standing by As witnesses of his great cruelty Whose death when as Queene Hecuba perceiud And on the ground there lying did behold His bleeding corse she seemed cleane bereaud Of sences and in wofull wise did fold And wring her hands and pitiously did crie And in great feare out of the Church did flie With Pollicene her daughter who together Were present when King Priamus was slaine To saue their liues and yet they knew not whether To go noâ— run for no man durst maintaine Their quarrell nor no comfort then was left For them that of the same were cleane bereft For all the towne in euery place was fild With Greeks that throgh twith glistring swords did run And euery where the Troians fiercely kild That had no meanes their cruelty to shun And as she ran in that sort through the streete It was her chance Aeneas there to meet Whom when she saw her flesh began to shake And tremble with the griefe she had in mind And therewithall in fury great she spake And sayd to him oh Traitor most vnkind Oh serpent false oh Adder enuious Oh villaine vile and most malicious Thou that art causer by thy wickednes Of all our woes and through thy trechery Hast brought vs now into so great distresse That plunged in the vale of misery We run from place to place distrest in mind And can no ease at all nor comfort find How couldest thou in heart be so vnkind Vnto thy Lord and King as traiterously To stand by with a fierce and cruell mind And see him slaine by Pirrhus cruelly Within the Temple where he shead his blood Who while he liu'd was vnto thee so good And gratious Lord that neuer any man Felt more of his great liberalitie Nor was more lou'd as all men witnes can Then thou by him which thou maist not deny Who now lies dead within that holy place Thou wast not only traitor in that case But didst conspire his death for thou didst bring Fierce Pirrhus to Apolloes Temple where Thou knewest well that he should find the King Of purpose set that he might kill him there Where as thou shouldst as dutie doth thee bind Haue saud his life if thou hadst been so kind But thou not only hast that mischiefe don But didst betray this towne where thou wast bred And fostred with more reputation Then any man saue he that was the head And King thereof which now forgotten is By thee wherein though thou hast done amisse Yet if within thy stony heart there be One drop of pittie or compassion Let me request this favor now of thee That in this time of desolation Thou wilt my daughter Pollicene relieue And vnto her some ayd and succour giue If thou dost any one respect at all Of Priams race as sure thou canst not choose That she by thy protection may not fall Into the Grecians hands her life to loose That when men shall this woefull story read And find therein this fowle treacherous deed By thee so falsely done and brought to pas Against this towne it may the rigor stay Of those that will judge and condemne thee as A Traytor vile and giue them cause to say That though thou didst this great wicked thing Yet at the last thou shewdst thy selfe bening And gratious vnto Pollicene whereby Some little satisfaction thou shalt make In recompence of thy great treachery To vs and giue her cause thy part to take When men of thee to her shall justly say And call thee Traytor false another day If thou wilt now vouchsafe her life to saue But as for me do what thou wilt all 's one I neither do nor will thy fauor craue For sith my Lord King Priams dead gone I care not though that thou some Grecians bidst Do vnto me as vnto him thou didst This motion made by Hecuba the Queene Though sharp it were did moue Aeneus so That pittying faire Lady Pollicene He caused her forthwith with him to go And shut her in a chamber secretly From sight and knowledge of the enemy Least they thereby should find occasion To picke some quarrell with him for her sake And at that time likewise King Thelamon Of pity did in his protection take The wife of Hector cald Andromacha And Priams daughter Lady Cassandra And vnto them his Princely promise gaue
Well mayst thou cruell Pirrhus rightly be Achilles son for Nature to thee gaue A gift to be as piâ—â—les as he And worse for that I neuer of him read That in his life he did so foule a deed As in such sort to kill a silly mayd But for a woman fell great paine and smart And that he felt in loue as it is sayd With Pollicene for Cupid with his dart Did wound him so by casting of his eye On her that he thought verely to die For loue of her how that t was his chance To loose his life for her whom thou didst kill With fierce and furious mood not by mischance But puposely thy pleasure to fulfill For which although thou thoghst it was no shame Assure thy selfe the trumpe of flying Fame Will through the world thy great dishonour spread For doing of an act so horrible And when that men shall chance thereof to read Thy name will vnto them be odible Whose cruell death when Hecuba the Queene That standing by when it was don had seene With extreame griefe she fell out of her wit And tare her haâ—re and furiously did set Vpon the Greeks with tooth and naile and bit And scratcht beat all those that with her met And palted them with stones till at the last The Greeks laid hold on her bound her fast And finally did take and beare her to An Island to the Troyans subiect where They stoned her to death and hauing so Bereft her life they made a sepulchre Most sumptuously compos'd of stone and brasse Wherein with great solemnity she was Entombed as belong'd to her estate Which Tombe stood there long after to be seen And called was the place vnfortunate And in this sort that great and worthy Queene Did end her daies distressed â—ore and mad When as the Greeks throgh Calchas counsell had By Pyrrhus hand her Daughter sacrifiz'd Vnto their God Apollo to appease His furious wrath who foolishly â—urmiz'd That they should never haue faire wind nor seas Vnlesse Achilles death revenged were By death of Policene for they did feare The Gods would nere be pleased nor content To let them passe to Greece till it were done But God that sitteth in the firmament And is the true and only God alone Confound such false and fained Gods and all Their jmages with those that on them call For they are nought but stocks that are without All sence wherein the diuell doth remaine And subtilly by them hath brought about His purpose man to moue whose heart is vaine To pray to them and trulie to belieue That they are Gods and can vs succour giue In our distresse and so induced hath Mankind to leaue th' eternall God of heaven To pray to stocks and stones against the faith Of Iesus Christ that hath his body given To death for him by such false illusion Hath brought him in such error and confusion As he belieueth by jdolatry And offring beasts and blood to jdols vaine That he doth serue the heavenly Maiesty Of God and shall remission free obtaine Thereby for those offences he hath done But God confound them all and every one What title name or qualitie so ere Idolaters vnto them giue Whose number So many are that name of Gods did beare That when I thinke thereon it makes me wonder The which that you as well as I may know I will their names to you in order show First Iupiter Saturne Mercurie Apollo Daphne Mars the God of warre Diana cald the Queene of Chastitie The guide of men by night Lucina faire And Iunâ— that most commonly doth dwell In waters deepe and Pluto God of hell Faire Venus Queene of lust and venery With Cupid blind her son the God of loue Minerua Goddesse of activity The God of wine cald Bacchus thâ—t doth moue Men to desire the same Dame Cithera And Plutoes louely Queene Proserpina Neptunus Flora Vulcan Eoâ—us And Bellâ—des that thirsts still doth draw Vp water in a Bucket Sisyphus Condeâ—nd to rowle a stone by fatall law And nere to cease and hungry Taâ—talus Th'jnfirnall fates and Sisters furious That â—ained are to spin the threed of life The Muses nine that sweetly sing and play Bellonâ— Queene of discord and of strife And double faced Ianus whome they say The Romanes did adore and Priapus The angry fretting Priest cald Genius That 's said to curse all those that froward be To such as friendly are to them and kind Imeneus who hath authoritie The hearts of married couples fast to bind In loue till they are mou'd to disagree By discord that twixt them sets enmitie The Fayries that are vs'd by night and day In houses and in fields to sing and dance The water Nimphs and Siluan Gods that stay In woods and groues and many times by chance Are seen of men as Satyrs Nayâ—des Bycornes Fawnes Incubs and Drâ—â—des With many more And finally to close And make the number compleat Orphâ—â—s The God of sleepe but certainly all those That to such Gods so vaine and â—rivolus Do sacrifice or on them vse to call Will sure at last into some danger fall For recompence of seruing them so well For all such false and faind Idolatrie Proceedeth from the crafty fiend of Hell Who is so full of fraud and subtilty That he deuisd those Idoll Gods to frame And purposely did creepe into the same And spake in them and answere made to those That praid to them and caused men thereby To leaue the true and liuing God to lose Eternall blis in heauen for certainely All those that on such Idolls false do call Serue Belzebub and cleane from God do fall As David in his Psalter doth declare That mong the Pagan Gods there is not one That can relieue or aid vs for they are All made and framd of siluer gold or stone Or els of Copper Brasse Tin Lead or wood And that they neither can nor do man good For eies they haue and cannot see at all And eares likewise and yet they do not heare And legs and feet and cannot stand but fall Vnlesse they leane or somewhat doth them beare And hold vpright and therefore as he saith He that in them reposeth trust or faith Or to bow downe to them which take delight Let him be well assurd that at the last They will him with such recompence requite That head-long downe to hell he shall be cast With damned soules to dwell perpetually And that is his reward when he shall die And in this life misfortune dread and feare With many troubles that on men do light As famous stately Troy doth witnesse beare Which once was of such puissant force and might That it did thinke it selfe to be secure And that it should in that state long endure And gainst her foes to haue prevailed by Apollo Pallas Iuno Uenus and Diana faire the Queene of Chastity Whome they were wont to honor in that land With sacrifice and worship great to show To them by whom
they now are broght full low And vtterly destroid for euermore Whereby you see what is the end of all That do such false and fained Gods adore And vnto them for helpe and succour call What did Mineruaes Image them preuaile By whom they hoped nere of aid to faile Or any of their supersticious vaine The which they did so deerely buy at last Not onely with a short and earthly paine But with eternall woe that ere shall last Oh Troy therefore I must lament thy fall And when I thinke vpon thee ever shall With pitie thee bewaile that wert so brought Vnto thine end and sometime was so great And populous that no towne ever mought Compare with thee when thou wast proudly set In honors throane as those that thee then knew Can witnesse beare but now all men may rew And pittle thy decaied walles that stood About thy stately building loftily And Priamus thy Prince of Royall blood That made and builded thee so sumptuously I thinke no man that in the world liues now By pen or tongue can tell which way or how To frame or to devise a dolefull crie Convenient to describe thy miserie No though it were the Prophet Ieremie That mourned for the great Captivitie Of that most famous towne Ierusalem And of the woefull Iewes bewailing them With bitter teares Nor yet Ezekiell That to King Zedechias earnestly Fore-shewed the Captivity that fell In Babilon and for his Prophesie Was ston'd to death nor he that cruelly Was saw'd in twaine though all of them did crie And bitterly lament the Iewes orethrow Nor Daniell that within his heart did grieue With extream paine when God his power to show Vnto King Nabuchadneser did giue The shape of beast his hautie pride t'imbase And seuen yeares did make him feede on grasse For I suppose if all of them had beene Heere living in that dolefull time againe And with their sore and warry eies had seene The great distresse which Troy did long endure And all the bloody slaughters had beheld Betweene the Greeks and Troians in the field There fought on either side in cruell wise I verily perswaded am that all Their bitter teares would by no meanes suffice To grieue for those great sorrowes that did fall Vpon the towne of Troy by Grecians brought And also by false treason gainst them wrought But this shall now suffice thereof to speake For like as he that against the wind doth saile And seeth his masts and yardâ— begin to breake Knowes well to 〈…〉 availe So were 't in vaine for me to tell you all The miseries that did to 〈◊〉 befall Or to prefume to shew how eursed Fate Was bent in fierce and cruell wiâ—e to make An end of them and of their happy state The which on me I dare not vndertake And therefore of the siedge I le make an end In rude and simple wise as it is pend And so the fourth Booke finish with the leaue And fauor of your Princely Maiestie The which if that your grace to me will giue The fifth Booke I le begin and specifie Therein what dangers and aduentures fell Vnto the Greeks vpon the sea and tell How they therein were â—rownd and cast away And thâ—â—e that did escape and got to land To shew that man hath here no certaine stay And cannot fatall Deâ—â—iny withstand Vnfortunately died and so together Such measure had as they did meet to other FINIS THE LIFE AND DEATH OF HECTOR THE FIFT BOOKE CHAP. 1. ¶ Wherein is shewed how the Greeks in their returne to Greece after the destruction of Troy by tempests on the seas were most of them drowned and how the rest that escaped and got to land dyed miserablie by malice and treason wrought in Greece one against the other WHen Eolus whome Poets faine to bee The ruler of the winds appeased was And he and Iunâ— did together gree To make the seas so calme that men might passâ— Securely through the same and skie t' appeare With faire christall hew The Greeks that were Desirous to returne to Greece with speed To see their natiue Land when they had woone And vtterlie destroied Troy decreed To ship themselues and forthwith to be gone FroÌ„ thence where they had ten yeres space maintaind A painefull siege and little thereby gaind Considering all the losses they had had Yet triumphing for victorie obtaind Reioyst that they so good an end had made But fortune that their pride and ioy disdaind Soone chang'd their mirth into adversity For when they thought themselues secur'd to be And that they should in peace and quiet rest She stirred vp foule discord and disdaine Their happie state to trouble and molest And did in stead of ioy procure them paine And made their hearts with pride and rank or swell Whereby at strife among themselues they fell In middest of their high and greatest glory When as they most reioyst and triumphed That they by force had woone the victorie Against their Troyan foes and flourished In honor and by trumpe of flying fame Eterniz'd had the glory of their name From East to West and mak'st it swiftly flie Throughout the world to shew their worthines As farre as Phoebus compasseth the skie For suddenly by great vnhappines Their glory that did shine so cleare bright Ecclipsed was vnto their great despight And all their welfare and prosperity Subuerted cleane by enuy and debate Which Sathan through his craft and subtilty Made sodenly to creepe into their state For Thelaphus with rancor and discord Before the Grecian Princes went abord Complaind against Ulisses in this wise And sayd my Lords if that it please you stay To heare me speake and thinke as you are wise That reason moueth me thereto I say That at the winning of the towne of Troy The treasure that thereby we do enioy And forcibly did get into our hand Together with the riches which by might And valor great we wan within the land Me thinks is not if it be iudged right Distributed by iust devision Nor with indifferent proportion According to the law of equitie Which in such case to those that merit best And are of high degree and dignitie Affordeth better part then to the rest And giues to euery one as he deserud The which mong vs hath not been well obserud In euery part without exception For Pallas Image cald Palladion Whereof Ulisses hath possession I say that right vnto it he hath none Although he hath a false apparance found To iustifie his title and doth ground The same hereon that t is his owne by right Because he woon't as he doth brag and vaunt Though subtilly and not by force and might And saith t was giuen to him by speciall graunt Of euery one and yet it is not true For I deni 't and flatly say to you That he doth not deserue the same nor shall Enioy it long for that as iust reward For my desarts it to my â—â—â—â—â— doth fall If that indifferently I
vowd he would him quit And to that end sent presently for all The Troyans that then in the towne were left Who willingly assembled at his call For being of their soveraigne Prince bereft They made account he onlie did remaine Aliue to be their Lord and Soveraigne To whome he spake said my friends you see How fortune at this time begins to frowne And with dissembling face to ieare at mee As she hath done at this most worthy towne Her cruelty gainst it and me to shew You know likewise that we are but a few Here resting in this ruin'd place t' abide And I perforce must leaue your company Wherefore I thinke it best that you provide Some meanes for your owne good and safety By looking out among you for a man To governe you with all the speed you can For otherwise I see not how you should Be able long this open Towne to keepe Nor yet your selues from strange invasionâ— hold That here now like vnto a flocke of sheepe Disperst without a sheepheard do remaine And no man left your quarrell to maintaine Wherefore if you my counsell now will take I thinke sithtis so dangerous a thing For you to liue without an head to make And choose some one among you for your king And he whome I thinke fittest man to raigne Ore you and be your Lord and soueraigne Is Anthenor whose knighthood and renowne Is knowne vnto you all if you consent And will agree to my opinion And to that end let one for him be sent And when that he comes here within the towne You shall set on his head a regall Crowne That he may governe you with equity And valiantly defend preserue and saue You from distresse and all extreamity And they agreed and were content to haue Him sent for presently to be their king For they not once suspected any thing Concerning that the which Aeneas ment Whose words and mind contrary were to other For it was his full purpose and intent To slay him presently when he came thither And with his friends prepared to that end All armed stood his comming to attend Who nought suspecting that which did fall out Vnarmed came into the towne where he Was presently enclosed round about By Aeneas and in danger slaine to be If that the common people had not been Who in great hast came running theÌ„ between And downe vpon their knees before him fell Desiring him to haue compassion On them and theirs whom he then knew full well Were left within a bare and naked towne Without a guide and praid him to withhold His hand and furie great from that which wold Be cause of their destruction generall And on them and their woefull case to rue To whome Aeneas said before them all Will you that I forbeare him that 's vntrue And shews himselfe so traiterously bent To you and me with false and bad intent That for it he deserued hath to die For was 't not he that specially alone Conspir'd by treason with your enemie To bring you all vnto destruction And me vnto the Greeks hath sold and bought And vndeseru'd my banishment hath wrought The which they haue decreed without repeale But ere I go from hence I le make him sure The iust reward of his deserts to feele And without all compassion to endure The paine that to a traitor doth belong That at this time hath done me so much wrong To be exild from hence where with you all I purposed to lead my life and take Such part as should vnto our shares befall But by his meanes I must the Towne forsake Which wrong I cannot brooke nor never may And therefore for the same I will him slay Besides all this he was as you haueseene The onely man that to the Grecians gaue The yong and goodly Princesse â—â—lliceâ—e Whom they did slay would you I should saue One that so traitrous is Thus much I say Whos'ever that against the â—ame saith nay Sith you intreat for him he shall go free With life but cause his treason is so great He shall out of this Towne exiled bee And therewith they a time vnto him set When he shold go from thence without all grace Or favour shewd and that he must not passe And thus as traitors both they wrought together To bring the Towne to ruine and decay So treacherously they did exile each other Out of the same and might not therein stay To lead their liues where they were borne bred In peace and rest as they determined And presently Anthenor therevpon Without delay did preparation make Of all things necessarie to be gone From thence with his friends did shipping take And saild by divers Lands and sundry Isleâ— It 's needlesse to rehearse how many miles He travel'd on the seas nor how he scapt The dangers that therein are often seen But to be briefe his course so well he shapt That at the last when he a while had been Tost too and fro with stormy wind weather He spied an Isle with his ships made thither Which Island had to name Gâ—râ—â—diay Where he no sooner foot on land did get But there vpon a â—â—â—ke without delay His men with present speed to worke he set And made a towne that was both broad long With towred wals which were exceeding strong And many plesant woods and waters sweet That on each side the same environed With all things else that for the same was meet Which Isle as then was ruld and governed By Thetides a king of worthy same Who long and many yeres had held the same In peace and never had molested been By any adverse fortune whatsoeâ—e Who vnto Lord Anthenor and his men Great courtesie did shew and by him were In friendly wise receau'd and welcomed And peaceably by him were suffered To plant themselues therein and to enioy Their towne as freely with all priviledge As they before liu'd in the towne of Troy Whose being there once knowen and published A number of the Troyan knights went thither And there encreast and multipli'd together And soone did make it rich and populous And called it the Towne of Menelau To tell you more of him were frivolous For memory of him there should be none Sith he was by his treason cause of all The miseries that did on Troy befall And therefore I will turne my stile againe To tell you what vnto the Greeks befell And how by Prophesie Cassandra plaine And truely did vnto the Grecians tell What happen to them should mong them all Declared to their puissant Generall That he within his house should murthered bee By treason that against him should be wrought And that there was no way for him to flie Nor scape the same what meanes so ere he sought And bad him haue a care of his estate For he should die by death vnfortunate The storie saith when Thelaphus was slaine As in another place I said before He had two sons that liuing did
giue them leaue to enter Though they as he suppos'd did not pretend To do him wrong thereby while they did stay Nor yet by any way or meanes t' offend His subiects but for all they tooke did pay But Thelaphus well arm'd with many a knight Went downe vnto the shore with them to fight And with exceeding furie on them set Where Assandrus so brauely did assaile His enemies that those that with him met Could not against his valor great prevaile So that by knightly force the field he wan Vpon his foes and killed many a man That him withstood which when the King espi'd And saw how he so brauely plaid his part Disdaining sore thereat to daunt his pride With all his force he stroke him with a dart So farre into the breast that he fell dead Vpon the ground the which when Diomed Perceaued to revenge him like a knight Of valor great that time such slaughter made Vpon his foes that by his puissant might He made them run out of the field as glad To saue their liues which done he gan to make Great sorrow for his loving brothers sake And studying what were best for him to do At last his corps from savage beasts to saue Before that he one foot from thence did go He put the same into a Princely graue And buried it with many weeping eyes Vpon Boctia shore in Paynim wise But Oetes to his sister wrote and said That he was slaine by craft of Diomede Who to that end in wayt for him had laid A band of men that he once being dead The kingdome wholly might without all strife Descend by right to him and to his wife And that he would possession thereof take Assoone as he againe returned home And further said that he would her forsake And that with him there did a Lady come Whome he did loue and meant to make his wife And by that meanes did set such mortall strife Betweene them as he in like sort had done Not long before and in the selfe same kind Twixt Clytemnestra and Agamemnon That he possest her sad and heauie mind With such conceit of treason that much grieu'd To heare thereof she verily belieu'd All to be true that vnto her was told So that with heart to wrath and furie bent And face that looked deadly wan and cold She did for her deare brothers death lament Whome she did with so great affection loue That from revenging him no man could moue Her heart that was as hard as any stone Vpon her husband Diomede For when The tedious weary siege of Troy was done And he returned home to her agen She did him on the shore by force withstand And beat him backe not suffring him to land But banished him presently from thence And would not once with him be reconcil'd Who seeing that he could not make defence Against her power to see himselfe exil'd So wrongfully much grieued at the heart Cleane comfortlesse he did from thence depart And went vnto Salerne land whereas A puissant King cald Tentar then did raigne That Brother vnto Thelamon Aiax was Who at the siege of Troy was falsly slaine But Diomede cleane destitute of ayd Vnhappy man not long time therein stayd For when King Tâ—â—â—â—r knew that he was there Suspecting him for death of Theâ—â—mon He did pursue him so that wheresoere He staid he saw that succor there was none For him to haue so that vpon a night In secret wise he tooke himselfe to flight And left Salerne land in hope to find More comfort and reliefe in other place To ease and to redresse his troubled mind If fortune would vouchsafe him so much grace Meane time with heauie heart thought confus'd Like one forsaken wholly and refus'd Of euery man he wandred to and fro From place to place and could no rest procure Vnto himselfe not knowing where to go And all that while great mis'rie did endure Till at the last Aeneas that still staid In Troy the scattred Troyans there to aid Which after the destruction there were left And every day and hower were in doubt To be destroyd and of their liues bereft By enemies that dwelt there round about And had no man to gouerne them nor stand In their defence or that would take in hand To be their guide against their enemies Till that Aeneas t'aid them in their need Vnto them gaue his counsell and advise To send a messenger for Diomed Of whome he did the fortune vnderstand To be expulst and banisht from his land To pray him to come vnto them with speed With all the force and power he could make To saue and to defend them in their need From those that them opprest and t' vndertake To be the guide of them that ready were To be destroyd for want of government Which Diomed did grant vnto and came In hast to Troy and thither with him brought A gallant troope of men and with the same Relieued them and brauely for them fought With whome vpon the way Aeneas met And to the towne with honor great him fet And entertaining him as his degree Requird a banquet for him did prepare Of every thing that might desired bee Where each of them to th' other did declare The miseries and troubles first and last By sea and land which they had overpast Which no man can by any meanes eschew But as dame Fortune for him hath decreed He must take that she sends him as his dew But now vnto the matter to proceed The Troyans that were almost driven out Of Troy by those that dwelt there round about That daily did invade and spoyle their land By Diomed relieued were and set At liberty againe who did withstand Their foes so puissantly that he did get The victory of them foure times at least And them so sore pursued and opprest That finally they tooke and slew them all And such as were found traitors and had done That mischiefe which vpon them then did fall Condemned were and hanged euery one Whereby no man durst do them any wrong And by that meanes king Diomed waxt strong And did in time by his protection And government which he did take in hand As being Lord and Ruler of the towne So valiantly their enemies withstand And such a sway there for a time did beare That of him all the Country stood in feare And by that meanes in fine it so fell out His fame did spread abroad both farre large And his great valor was so blowen about That it was knowne in Calidon and Arge Which when the Queene his wife did vnderstand She feard he would invade her in her land And it by force at last from her would take And to her selfe much mus'd how Diomed Such succor and such grace had found to make Himselfe so great that he so farre should spred His fame for which as politike and wise She did forecast and with her selfe devise By counsell of her Lords in generall To reconcile
and also to implore Their aid therein and when he kneeld before The Altar he by Oracle was told And bidden that without compassion Shewn to his mother Clytemnestra he should Revenge the death of King Agamemnon His father vpon her that was the cause That he was slaine against all humane lawes And that he should no mercy to her show But to fulfill the Gods degree and hest He willed was her body all to hew In peeces small which done he should not rest Till he had slaine Egistus in likewise For iust reward of their great cruelties Enioyning him not to be negligent In any wise but carefully t' effect And execute the Gods commandement On paine if that he did the same reiect Of that which might vnto himselfe ensue Which Oracle which as Horestes knew He entred straight into his natiue soyle Where when he came all that did him withstand He did in hostile wise destroy and spoile And being in the middest of the land Layd siege vnto Methena towne whereas False Clytemnestra the Queene at that time was But ere Horestus fully thither came To plant the fiege Egistus in great post The day before was gon out of the same Intending to prepare a mighty hoast To set vpon Horestus and constraine Him to breake vp his siege but all in vaine For while Horestus still before it lay He ceased not his spies abroad to send To see and to enquire every day Which way he went and what he did intend Or meant to do and purposely did set Some bands of Knights his passages to let Appointing others speedily to ride And follow him about in euery place Commanding them t'assaile him on each side And euer more to keepe him still in chase While he the towne so hotly did assaile That it could not against his force prevaile So that at last he tooke it by assault And entring thereinto at euening late He found the Queene Clemnestra in a vaut Whom when he had set watch at every gate He caused to be bound in chaines layd Therein againe where till next day she staid While traitrous King Egistus hast did make Withall the power of men that he could get T' invade with speed and vnawares to take Horestus him of his purpose let And him thereby an ouerthrow to giue And by that meanes Methena to relieue But all that he could doe did nought availe For vnawares Horestus with him met And with such mighty force did him assayle That in short space he did the victory get And having slaine and put his men to flight Himselfe was tane to his great despight In prison cast with hands and feet fast bound Which done Horestus caused every one Wichin the towne that were consenting found Vnto the death of King Agamemnon As also those that armes against him bare To be committed prisoners did spare None whatsoere he was but all receiu'd Due punishment for their reward were Condemnd to die of their liues bereaud Next day when as the Son shin'd bright clreare And first Clemnestra principall head Of all the rest in mighty feare dread Was fore Horestus brought who presently Severely drew his sword therewithall When as he had condemned her to die Did hew cut her into peeces small And caused her in that sort to be borne Out of the towne to be deuourd and torne By Beasts and Birds and haue no buriall And by that meanes gaue her a iust reward Which done he did for false Egistus call Who when he had likewise his sentence hard Which was that he starke naked drawne should be Along the towne and hang'd vpon a tree And not to be cut downe but there to rot To execution went and so you see What guerdon by Gods iudgement murther got And they are so repaid that traitors bee And then the rest that with them did consent To kill the King and to rebell were sent Out of the towne hangd on gibbets hie That all men might example by them take And so Horestus with severitie Reuenged was for Agamemnons sake On them that him so traitrously had slaine And got his lost inheritance againe But when he had thus finished and don That which the Gods commanded had tane Revenge for death of King Agamemnon So traitrously by Queene Clytemnestra slaine King Menalus ariuing with his fleet Of ships that with him came from Troy in Creet And with him brought Queene Helena the faire That had been cause of all the Troian warre The people did in mighty flocks repaire To see and to behold her beauty rare For which so many Princes great were slaine But things once done cannot b'vndon againe Who hearing of his brothers death that In traitrous wise he had been murthered By Clemnestra his wife was grieud thereat But yet with partiality much led Considering on the fact as it behou'd Him to haue done he was in hart â—ore mou'd Against Horestus that so merciles With rigor great and extreame crueltie Had slaine his mother like one pitiles And cleane bereft of all civility For which he swore vou'd if he did liue He would him of his regall Crowne depriue Affirming for his cruelty so great By law of God that he vnworthily Vpon his Fathers Royall throne did sit And therefore straight againe to ship did hie And leauing Creet to Athens sayl'd so fast That he ariud in Nestors land at last And therein was receaud and welcomed As his estate requird but he possest With fury great and by much choller led Would not content himselfe nor be at rest Till he had told to Nestor why he came And of him askt his counsell in the same Desiring him that he a meanes would be By counsell by power if that he might To put Horestus from his dignitie And Regall throne which though it were his right He said that he had lost the same because He had his mother slaine gainst natures lawes And therevpon to Athens both they went And did require the Princes of the land To meet together there in Parlament Where Menalus gaue them to vnderstand What Horestus to Clytemnestra had don And craued all their iudgements therevpon Who being there himselfe and hearing what King Menalus had said and did esâ—ie His meaning and intent was flatly that He would haue him depriued Did replie With courage bold and sayd he had don nought But that which all the Gods decreed and thought Convenient to be done and then did shew How he commanded was by them to go Into Messena land and there to hew His mother all in peeces and to do The same without all ruth or compassion Because she had kild King Agamemnon And that the murther chiefely had been wrought By her alone against all humane lawes And therefore all the Princes there besought With equitie to thinke vpon the cause And not with any malice nor in rage To seeke to take from him his heritage He being Son to King
Country buried Did sodainly at Menons Tombe appeare In shape and forme like to an Angell bright Environed with stars that shone most cleare And round about the place cast such a light That no man could behold her stedfastly Her countenance did shine so heavenly Descending from the skies celestiall In sight of many men apparelled Divinely and in presence of them all Did make her husbands tombe be opened And out of it did take his bones and beare Them in a chest of gold which she had there Of purpose brought downe with her cleane from thence And on a sodaine vanished away And never was seen there before nor since Which did the standers by so much dismay That at the sight thereof they were affraid And every one his iudgement thereof said Some thinking't was a Goddesse others some Celestiall power descended from the skie Or else the soule of Menon that did come To beare his bones vp to the Deitie But what it was I know not neither will Presume to iudge of that is past my skill As being loath to climbe aboue my reach And therefore of the same I le speake no more But turne againe whereas I made a breach When of Vlisses life I spake before And tell you of his hard and fatall end When Atropas loath longer time to spend In spinning of his threed of life agreed With Parchas fell her office l'execute Who having preordaind the same with speed Tooke out her sheares and it in sunder cut Defend thy selfe therefore Ulisses now Without all feare to shun the fatall blow Which by thy sons sharp sword thou shalt receaue For I am now prepard and do intend To sharpe my pen once more before I leaue My worke long since begun to write thy end And with the same my Books full period make For that my hand with wearinesse doth shake But yet ere that I thereof make an end I must of force to make my Booke compleat A little longer time about thee spend And of thy fatall fate and death entreat Which vnto thee did happen by the dart Of him whom thou didst loue with all thy hart But first I must desire the sleepy God By Poets Morpheus cald who by the might And power supreame of his inchanting rod Doth rule mens minds and fansies in the night And makes men dreame divers visions see Which many times prognostications bee And warnings vnto men of future good Or ill that vnto them shall after hap The which cannot be any way withstood For no man may Gods iust decree escape To rule and guide my wit and pen as now That I to you Ulisses dreame may show The which he had not long before he dyed Wherewith by signes that true and certaine were He was forewarnd and fully certified His end by vnexpected death drew nere Who as he in his bed fast sleeping lay About the time when Cocks crow fore t is day He thought there did before him then appeare A woman of so heavenly feature That she did show as she an Angell were And not to be an earthly creature Who was so faire and beautifull of face That she did seeme t'jlluminate the place Wherein she was and therewithall her eyes Did shine as cleare and bright as any starre And able were t'intrap and to surprise Their hearts that lookt vpon her neere or farre And no defence against them could be made So exquisite a looke and face she had Whom when Ulisses did perceaue he was So much amaz'd to see her that the more He lookt on her he liked her so as He did fast sleeping lye he sighed fore And as he thought put forth his hands to take Her in his arms but she frō him shruncke backe And still the more his eyes on her he cast The farther she from him did seeme to flie As if she would haue shund him till at last When she perceiu'd his importunitie She spake to him askt him what he would With her and why he did her so behold In truth said he faire Lady I confesse That I am so much blinded in my sight That I cannot perceaue nor truely gesse By outwards signes if I should speake aright Whether that your shape divine or earthly be So excellent it seemeth vnto me But this I dare affrme and boldly say That at this time my life death doth stand And are at your devotion if I may Craue so much grace favor at your hand Presuming not thereon by any right To pitty me that am your faithfull knight And so devoted vnto you that sure If I do not my mind as now fulfill And so much favour at your hands procure As this night for to grant me your good will To lie with me there is no remedie But for your sake of force I needs must die And thus twixt hope and feare I haue you told My mind said he wherewith she staid awhile And did him with a countnance sad behold Yet at the last vpon him gan to smile And said the loue which you to me do beare Will be both our destructions I do feare It is so doubtfull and so dangerous That without doubt belieue it certamly If we together take our pleasure thus One or else both of vs shall surely die For that the end thereof can be no other If we as you desire should lie together Which said Ulisses looking on her still And therewithall approaching somewhat neere Vnto her to behold her at his will Who in his mind did shew so bright and cleare He saw that in her hand a speare she held Which on it had a flag whereof the field Was blew and in the midst a Crowne of gold With fishes white environd round about Which while he did most earnestly behold She did begin to leaue him and go out Whereas she was but ere she left the place She staid a little while and turnd her face To him and said I tell you true and plaine That after this we never more shall see One th' other but for parting of vs twaine This greeting said our last farewell shall bee And there withall her leaue of him she tooke Aud after that he sodainly awooke And did begin t' imagine curiously And muse vnto himselfe within his mind What that strange dreame he had might signifie But when he could the same by no means find As being that he did not vnderstand He sent for all th'Inchanters in the Land And such as could the depth and meaning show Of dreames that vse to happen vnto men When they do sleepe that he of them might know The exposition of his dreame And when They vnderstood the same they did agree All in one point and told him plaine that hee Should shortly be bereft of life by one That neerest of his kindred was and that T' avoid it way nor meanes for him was none Which when he heard he woondred much thereat And did begin to looke with visage pale But when he saw it could him not preuaile
by them was tane And Thelamon assaild so cruelly That they supposing him to haue beene slaine Vpon the ground for dead did let him lye Till that his men did beare him to his tent And Thoas prisoner vnto Troy was sent Despight of all the Grecian knights that sought To giue him ayd in that extremity And Menelaus as he in field then tought And road from place to place at last did spie Where Paris did the Grecians fiercely slay For whom he had in wait laine all that day And presently his horse he spurd in hast And ran at him intending if he might Ere that he further mongst the Grecians past To kill him sodainly with great despight But his intent and purpose to prevent Paris that had his puissant bow then bent At him did let a poysoned arrow fly And gaue him therewith all a deadly wound Wherewith he was in such extremity That he fell downe halfe dead vpon the ground Which when his knights did see that then were nere Forthwith vnto his tent they did him beare Where with all speed for Surgions straight he sent Who being come in hast they searcht the wound And ere that they into it put a tent When as they had it viewd vnto the ground They first of all drew out and tooke away The arrow head that in the bottome lay And then did wipe and clense it thorowly Of all the matter and corruption That they could find therein and presently Put in a tent and bound it vp which done King Menelaus no longer would abide But furiously into the field did ride With full intent and purpose to require Himselfe although he had so great a wound On Paris that same day if that he might And never ceast vntill that he him found By fortune cleane vnarmed in the field Of sword or Launce of Target or of shield Or Bow in hand the which as I suppose He did for to refresh himselfe when as He had long fought against his Grecian foes And at that time exceeding wearie was Which Menelaus espying straight did take His Launce in hand towards him did make And without doubt at that time had him slaine Had not Aeneas been that him beheld And sodainly stept in betweene them twaine And did receaue the blow vpon his shield Else Paris had assuredly been kild At that same time disarmed in the field And presently Aeneas set a band Of valiant Knights on Paris to attend And to defend his person and withstand The furie of King Menelaus to th' end He should him not with disadvantage slay For he in wait at that time for him lay And had as then by Hector taken been If that the Greeks had not come sodainly To rescue him with multitudes of men And at that time relieu'd him speedily But Hector by his valor great might Dispersed kild and put them vnto flight So furiously that he did them constraine By force of armes vnto their tents to run And by that meanes the Troyans did obtaine The battaile gainst the Greeks th'onor wun That day and fore them brauely did pursue And beat them till the day to euening drew And Phoebus did descend into the West For he as then was ready to go downe At which time they went home to take their rest And entering againe into the towne Shut fast their gates and so that day did end And when that Phoebus light againe did send Next morning when the skie was covered With crimson coloured clouds which he then sent And ere the azure element did spread Before the Sun did rise in th'orient King Priamus intending not to goe That day into the field against his foe His Privie Counsell summond to appeare Before him that same morning speedily Whose names as I in Guido find then were Hector the flower and root of Chivalry His second brother Paris Deiphobus And lusty yong and worthy Troyelus Anthenor and his son Pollidamas Aeneas and some other Princes more And when that he with them assembled was And that they had shut fast the counsell dore Each one in order set and silence made King Priamus vnto them spake and said My Lords in whome my trust I do repose And onlie on your valors doe relie You know that mongst our sterne deadly foes King Thoas now our pris'ner specially Did alwaies vnto vs great hatred beare Although of him we never stood in feare And to his power hath sought vs to offend And now to seeke our full subversion With all the aid that he the Greeks can lend Is come with them here to besiege our towne And to procure our ruine and decay By all the meanes that possibly he may Wherefore in reason and in equity If vnto you it be acceptable And that it liketh you as it doth me I thinke it not a thing vnreasonable That sith he seeks to do vs iniurie With like for like he should required be And as our deaths he seeketh to procure So let him die for reason doth require That he the selfe same censure should endure Which he in heart to others doth desire This is my doome now let me heare I pray What euery one of you thereto will say To this Aeneas answere made and said If to your Grace it will be no offence That to the proposition you haue made I may reply with leaue and audience Of you and of your counsell learnd wise I will to you herein giue mine advise It doth behooue your Royall Maiestie In all things which your Grace in hand shall take Not to proceed therewith too hastily But ere that you begin your reckning make What may ensue thereof and looke not on The first beginning of a thing alone But as all wise men do forecast the end And then proceed that you may bring to passe With issue good the same which you pretend For that thing sure is well begun when as The end and the beginning both agree And either of them fals out happilie Least otherwise for want of good forecast You might constrained be another day Against your will t'repent your selfe at last The reason why I this to your Grace say Is that I thinke it good you should remember That Thoas who is now your prisoner Is mongst the Greeks one of the principall And greatest Lords of bloud and high degree And that if at this time it should befall He should be put to death by your decree It may be that all those that giue consent Thereto at last full sore would it repent For if by chance which no man can withstand Some of your Sons or chiefe Nobilitie Now in this towne should fall into the hand Of them and by that meanes should prisoners be Assure your selfe they 'le shew like gentlenes To them as you do him in this distresse For if King Thoas now condemn'd should be And put to death you must your reckning make The Grecians will shew vs like crueltie If any of vs they should prisoner take Yea though it