wauering false inconstancy Which here and there with euery wind doth fly For they are of so mutable a kind As if that valiant Hercules should prooue And Sampson both would not suffice to bind A womans heart that it should not remooue For as the subtill flames of burning fire So too and fro they flie in their desire Till they accomplish fullie their delight For like as nature seeketh after forme And therein taketh kindly appetite Till she her course by processe may performe So womens hearts will ne're refraine from man In wau'ring lust deuise what meanes you can Nor will they cease till they haue all assaid Though that their minds to twenty men were bent But would to God as nature is appaid With one forme onely holding her content And nere desireth further to proceed But therein rests and will it not exceed That women her example follow would And hold themselues content and still abide Constant to one as they in duty should But want of footing makes them often slide For not content with perfect vnity They bend their minds to seeke plurality So much in mutability they flow Yet oft pretend a kind of stablenes Which outwardly by signes they seeme to show But inwardly is hidden doublenes So close and sure that outwardly with eye Full hard it is their malice to espy For vnder show and vaile of honestie Their deepe desire is kept full close in mew With fained show of simple modesty Refusing that which they in heart pursue And that an outward praise they may obtaine They will dissemble flatter lie and faine Then must I needs King Oâ—tâ—s tell thee true That in this case thou hadst too little care In that thou didst not doubt what might ensue But let thy daughter faire proceed so farre Without aduise with strangers so to deale To ouerthrow thy selfe and common weale For by that meanes thy treasure it was lost Thine honour staind thy country cleane vndone Thy selfe in thousand cares in sorrows â—ost Thy Daughter with a stranger way did run And in a foâ—raigne land through care thought Was in the end to vtter mischiefe brought And with no little scandall to thy name By miserie by sorrow and by griefe At last was brought vnto her death with shame And thou thy selfe berest of all reliefe Might'st â—it and mourne thy hard doleful case That to preuent it had no better grace If thou by wise and prouident foresight Hadst had the wit to thinke on future harmes And in thy mind would'st haue considered right Of womenâ— soule and most deceitfull charmes Their fraud their falshood and fragility And that in them is no security As Guydo in his verse doth well declare Then surely by thy too much wretchlesnes Thou haddest not with sorrow and with care Bereft thy selfe of all thy happines Thy treasure and thy onely Daughter deare Which both at once were lost as doth appeare What could auaile the carefull prouidence And strange deuise fram'd by inchantement The warie heed and double diligence By thee song vs'd all danger to preuent Against the wylie wit of women-kind Whose subtilties as right by proofe we find Are of great force for will with them is law Bee'â— good or bad it must not be denide Nor yet do they of any stand in awe They are so full of will deceit and pride For as mine Author plainely doth expresse Medea by her wit and craftinesse Bereau'd her father of his treasure great And that because she would her mind fulfill And Iason to her loue by wiles intreate Wherein she did vse all her Art and skill As you shall heare if that ye will proceed The sequell of this History to read For as she had at table take her seat Tweene Oeta and the valiant Graecian knight And that she should haue fallen to her meat Loue did her heart with sodaine passion smight And made her colour alter in her face And fetch an hundred sighes in little space Sometime the blood down to her heart did fall And vp againe into her face would rise Sometime she blusht sometime she shewed pael Now look't she downe then cast she vp her eyes Yet still among to beautifie her colour The fragrant Rose was mixt with Lillie flower And though the Rose would somtimes seem to fleeâ— Yet did the Lillie hold her woonted place Till nature gaue them meanes againe to meet And shew alike within her comely face And thus with cold and eke with sodaine heat Medeas mind with griefe was sore beset Sometimes she burnt sometimes she waxed cold And still as she did seeke with great desire Young Iason in the face for to behold Her heart it was set more and more on fire With his great beauty and his comlinesse Which she in heart most deepely did impresse His yellow crisped haire like golden wire His seemely face his gracious countenance His War-like looke his valerous desire Which he then shew'd his honour to aduance His goodly shape of bodie and of lim And all things else whatsoeuer was in him Within her eies and heart bread so great pleasure That only to behold and view him still She did esteem't taboue all earthly treasure And could haue spent her time by her good will In contemplation of his person rare For that as then for meat she did not care As hauing wholy lost all appetite So much he stucke in her rememberance That for to looke on him was her delight Loue had her then so brought into a trance And mark't her with her burning fiery brand That by no meanes she could escape his hand For she was yoked body heart and all To Iason who within her heart did lie And when that oportunity did fall She would at him cast vp a glancing eye And then againe looke downe vnto the ground Least men should deeme she had some fancies found For as all women right dissemblers bee She kept it close with such an outward show That by herface none might percerue nor see What she did meane nor her intent once know Thereby to take the least occasion Out of their minds of bad suspition For openly there could nothing be seen That should be cause of any heauinesse Her seeking was to make them all to ween The reason why she vs'd such sobernesse Onely of simple woman-hood to bee With honest shame and virgin chastitie Which both at once within her heart had met And caused her that modesty to vse And outward show on inward thought to set In that she seem'd her meat then to refuse The cause as then not being any such But onely loue which her at heart did touch She could so her hypocresie excuse And with an outward show of modesty Giue matter vnto fooles whereon to inuse When as she soughtâ— abuse her chastity For not one word out of her mouth did passe Her looke vnto her heart contrary was For maidens seeme most commonly to spare In outward show t' expresse their inward griefe Or in their words their meaning
against his foe to fight Yet raging fore that he so dangerously Must fight do 〈◊〉 and in such sort did stay Till that a yong and 〈◊〉 Knightpast by Cald Cedar newly knighted that same day Who seeing King Laomedon to fight On foot in danger great with all his might At Nestor â—an and valiantly by force While he with King Laomedon did fight Vpon a sodaine 〈◊〉 him off his horse But he rose vp againe with great despight And did himselfe in furious wise defend Against the King that many a blow did spend On him and he the like on him againe For on each other cruelly they smot And long twixt them the fight did so remaine Till that the King at last advantage got And such a blow on Nestors Bever stroke That there with all in pieces small he broke A circle all with Pearle richly set Which he that time about his Helmet ware And then a second blow at him he set And with the same his crest in sunder care And smote it off whereby Duke Nestor stood Before the King his face all bath'd with blood And surely had no doubt been slaine as then By th'ands of King Laomedon at last Had not the Greekes with many thousand men Come thither to relieue him in great hast For he was stricken downe vnto the ground Among the horses feet where they him found At which their comming Castor furiously A mighty Launce into his hand did take And vnto Cedar road couragiously To be reveng'd on him for Nestors sake But ere he could get to him in the way Segnerides a Troyan Knight did stay His course and of his purpose did him let And with a Launce smote Castor such a stroke Which with a great carriere he did set That it there with in many peeces broke And Castor to requite him for his paine Did with his Launce giue him the like against But in such sort that with the same he gaue Him in the breast a deepe and deadly wound Wherewith yong Cedar gan such griefe to haâ—â— When as he saw him fall vnto the ground That in despight of all that him beheâ—â— He did by force from Castor take his â—â—rieâ—d And with hissword a mighty blow him stâ—ake Vpon the face and vounded him full deepe And then his horse from him likewise did take And to his Squier deliuered it to keepe Whereby as then he was in such a case That he was taken prisoner in that place The which when Pollux did perceiue and knew The Troyans had his Brother Castor tane He did them with a valiant pursue And after he great store of them had slaine Despight of them he resoued him by force And made him mount againe vpon his horse And in that angry fierce and raging ire Vpon the Troyans furiously did set For with revenge his heart did burne like fire And as with furious moode by chance he met The braue and valiant Knight Eliatus Of stature meane yet stour and valorous And yet as then but of a tender age Nephew vnto the King Laomedon And Son vnto the King of great Carthage With all his force he hath him overthrowne And with his Launce in pieces twaine did cleaue His heart and so did him of life bereaue Whose fall when King Laomedon did spie With inward griefe his heart began to bleed And when his death he could not remedy He swore he would revenge that cruell deed And straight he caus'd a horne full lowd to sound Which being heard there did enclose him round Seven thousand Troyan Knights in rich array All making solemne vowes reveng'd to be For that Knights death and straight without delay Vpon the Greekes with extreame cruelty Most furiously did set and made them flie And caused many dead and wounded lie Within the field so that the Greeks at last Not able to resist the Troyans might Were forced to retire from thence as fast As at the first they hasty were to fight And certainly the victory had lost But that there came a messenger in post Vnto the King with sad and wofull cheare The news to tell how that the Greekes by force Had woone the towne of Troye and entred were And yong and old had slaine without remorse Whereat he gan most pittiously to weepe And from his heart did fetch a sigth most deepe For that as then before him he did see The Grecians strong and readie to assaile Him once againe with all extreamitie And in the towne his courage more to quaile Another hoast to set on him behind Which made him so perplexed in his mind And put him to so great extreamitie To thinke vpon his hard and sodaine chance That faine he would haue â—ound the means to flie But as aside his eies he chanc'st to glance From out the towne the Grecians he be held Come marching gainst him proudly in the field And in great hast the Gyant Hercules Like raging Tygar wild and furious Entring amongst the thick'st of all the prease With courage bold and heart most valorous Of new began the Troyans to assaile And with his sword to hew both plate male His blowes they were so terrible and strong That nothing could withstand his passing might Whereby he laid full many a Knight along Dead on the ground for Troyans with the fight Which they against the Greekes all day had held So wearied were that scarcely they could weld Their weapons to defend themselues withall For as he road amongst them here and there You might behold here ten there twenty fall Downe at his feet that soone they forced were To breake their rankes and every man to flie To saue themselue from his great crueltie And so disperst for feare they shun'd the place Abandoning their King vnfortunate Who being left in that distressed case Could not withstand his hard and cruell fate For when as he with fierce and furious looke Laomedon espied his Launce he tooke And setting spurres vnto his horse in hast He ran at him as hard as ere he might And with a blow vnto the ground him cast Which done with speed downe from his horse he light And with one stroke smote of his head in hast Which scornefully vnto the ground he cast Among the horses feet in cruell wise Then in a rage he tooke his horse againe And staring with most fierce and fiery eies Like Lyon fell he ran vpon the plaine And killed all that met him in the way And brought full many Troyans to decay That like to sheepe amazed and in feare As destitute of governor or guide Not able his great cruelty to beare Did run to saue their liues on every side The Grecians likewise in great multitude In every place so fiercely them pursude That scarce a man aliue of them remaind But all were slaine or else did slip aside To saue themselues Thus victorie obtaind The Grecians straight vnto the towne did ride Which presently they razed to the ground And alâ— the treasure which therein they found
spare In our behalfe and to defend our right T' invade the same and with our force might To burne their townes lay their Country wast And vse them as they well deserued haue At our hands for iniuries forepast For by my will they shall not one man saue But cruelly put all vnto the sword For they the like vnto vs did afford And let not their forepassed victory Against vs woone be cause to make vs doubt For they that oft in field are forst to flie Do many times with courage bold and stout Couragiously turne backe and fight againe And in the end the victory obtaine Such is the chance of warre wherein there is No certaintie but oftent mes it 's seen That he that this day victory doth misse The selfe same day the Conqueror hath been And he that held the field victoriously By him that fled before been forst to flie For no man may in warre himselfe assure So fickle and vnconstant it is found For Mars this day will to a man procure A conquest great and cause his honor sound By trumpe of Fame throughout the world so wide And when he list he can for him prouide A sodaine fall and like the summer flower That vadeth with a blast and is consum'd And cleane distroyd in minute of an hower His honor stain'd which he at first presum'd Could never faile and cause it to decay And all within the space of one short day And where before his name was magnifide Even as the ebbe doth follow floud apace As by experience oft it hath been try'd Full sodainly he can't as much abase For though this day the Sun doth shine most clear Next day to vs perhaps t' will not appeare When thick mistie clouds the Sun doth trouble And for a time obscure his radiant beames Even so of Mars the chances are most double And mixed with a number of extreames Now vp now downe now low then aloft As fortune will whose mind doth change full oft For when she list she 'll make a man ascend Vpon her wheele his honour to advance And sodainly she 'll cause him to descend And much againe by some vnhappy chance This day she will exalt him to the skie And next abase in twinckling of an eye Turning her wheelevnstable like a ball She smiles on some and others she doth flout And while one mounts another hath a fall For every man when it doth turne about Must take the chance that she on him will thrust But he that knowes her frauds wiles vniust Will soone perceiue sweet hony mixt with gall In all her actions what so ere they be For honour and renowne mischife and thrall Peace bloudy warre and every dignitie Are at her will and pleasure for to grant Let no man therefore in his fortune vaunt For though the Grecians gainst vs did preuaile When they my Father slue it may so chance That now they shall of their good fortune faile Therefore let every man himselfe advance And as you are renown'd for hardinesse Valour and might shew forth your worthines And vnto fortune do your selues commend And let no feare your manly hearts possesse But boldlie fight your Country to defend As I perswaded am you 'le do no lesse Now let me heare your answeres herevnto And what for me and mine you meane to do This said the Nobles all with one consent Made answere vnto him and did reply That they with hearts and minds were fully bent In his and their iust quarrell for to die And venture goods and all that ere they haue The honour of their Country for to saue For which the King did thanke them heartily And gaue them leaue each one for to be gone And went into his chamber presently Where solitarilie and all alone He sat still musing how to bring to passe The thing that wholly his desire was For he thereon did onely set his thought So much his mind vpon revenge did run That though his own decay thereby were wrought Yet would he not the danger thereof shun And so resolu'd made this conclusion With present speed and resolution To send for all his Sons legitimate And those likewise that basely borne were To take advise of them 'bout his estate And none but they alone that he might heare What counsell they to him as then would giue His troubled mind with comfort to relieue Concerning his pretence of warre to make Vpon the Grecians for their cruelty Which he did mind in hast to vndertake Who being all assembled priuately And every one set downe as his degree And age required the flower of Chiualrie Prince Hector who as then returned was Out of the Prouince of Panomie Next to the King in order tooke his place Whome when he did behold with watrie eye And sighes full sore and deepe from out his heart He did vnto them all his mind impart But ere that he as then a word would speake A floud of teares from out his eyes distild Fast trickling downe vpon his aged cheake So much his heart with griefe as then was fild At last as 't were a man with sobs dismaid With heavy heart these words vnto him said My deare and louing sonnes as I suppose You all record and freshly beare in thought How that the Greekes our old possessed foes In cruell wise their furies on vs wrought Slaying my Father King Laomedon Burnt euen with the ground his ancient towne Put all his subiects to the sword not one Escapt their rage and in captiuitie Led wiues and maids and mongst them Exion My sister deare who in extreamity Still there remaines to our no small offence And your reproch that fetch her not fro thence The which to shun nature me thinks should moue And cause you in your hearts to feele much griefe That she whom you cannot all choose but loue Should there remaine so long without reliefe And with most great dishonour of her name Indure th' abuse she doth vnto your shame Alas my Sons why seeke you not the way To be reueng'd for this great jniurie Vpon our foes and that without delay And her relieue in her extreamitie In truth me thinks sith that you are so strong You are to blame to driue it off so long And thus from day to day the time deferre By Knightly force and valor great t' assay With might and maine vpon them to make warre It grieueth me you seeme so long to stay To grant to my request whose whole desire And heart gainst the doth burne like flaming fire With hatred as you plainely may behold Till that I be reueng'd with present speed The which if you regarded as you should And resolutely in your hearts decreed While you haue strength and valor so to do You would not be so hardlie drawne thereto Remember how t' was I did you beget And fostred you with care as tenderly As I could do and now you are thus great And held to be the flower of Chiualrie You
Wherein let it consume and rot away While vnto you at large I doe setdowne What they did in the towne of Troy that lay Enclosd therein But first I must complaine Of thee oh Mars that mad'st them to sustaine Such extreame losse and by thy furious ire Didst cleane consume the worthy Troian blood Why didst thou with insatiable desire Slay all their Knights gainst them was so wood And furiously bent as to let fall Thy vengance vpon them in generall To make them as a Myrror and a show To all the world of thy great cruelty But t is most true as euery man doth know Thy nature giuen to all hostility Is th' onely cause of strife and of debate Because thou art a starre vnfortunate Hot hatefull drie fiery combustious Wrathfull and giuen vnto dissention The onely ground of malice enuious And cholericke of thy complexion That dost in death and murther take delight And vpon vengance setst thine appetite First motioner of anger and of hate The causer of contention and of warre The root of all dissention in each state That moouest men to wrangle fight iarre Fearefull of looke and gastly to mans sight Whose radiant beams shine as the lightning bright And twinkle like to sparkles burning red Which from great fiers mount vp into the skie And round about the aire themselues do spred Consuming such as by melancholy Within their hearts fowle enuy do embrace Giuing to them in whom thy wrath takes place Of shape to be tall slender leane and small Browne haired pasle and sallow coloured Vnmercifull addicted vnto all Bad qualities to evill easly led Craftie deceitfull and ingenious Backbiting slaunderous and malicious Sad sullen and still full of heauines Inclined vnto theft and robbery Consenting vnto all accursednes To murther death and to fowle trechery Wholy without remorse of conscience And art so mischievous of influence That thou of treason author art mong men In scorpion thy chiefest mansion is And raignest King in Capricorne but when In Taurâ—s thou art plast then thou dost misse Of power strength and all Dominion Thou also hast in thy subiection Warre exile â—etters and imprisonment Bondage proscription banishment and all The miseries and mischiefes that are bent On earth and chance vpon mankind to fall Which for to gnaw poore Troy vnto the bones Thou didst on it powre them out all at ones I cannot chuse but for the great despight Which thou to Troy didst beare condemne thee much For if that men consider it aright It may be sayd there nere was any such Nor so great vengance tane for any thing Gainst land or towne as thou on Troy didst bring As first to kill and spoyle them by their foes And to consume their Knights by fier and sword Then in their towne as prisoners vp to close And shut them fast and no meanes them aford To be relieu'd with victualls or go out Besieged by the Grecians round about I thinke they haue small cause in my aduise With bores or bulles beares Lyons Tygars fell Or any such wild beasts to sacrifice To thee wherewith thou pleased art so well As being Patron of them nor with smoke Of brimstone on thine Altars to invoke Thy name that to them showest such cruelty And didst such extreame vengance on them bring And yet as if thou couldest not satisfie Thy selfe therewith with torments more to sting And plague theÌ„ thou mad'st treason moÌ„gst them worke And secretly within their hearts to lurke And so didst set them at diuision Among themselues whereby we plainely see How th' vgly serpent Discord creepeth on And slyly slides into mans heart till he By tract of time hath therein gotten place And banished from thence all peace and grace With venom of his fowle dissention When once it spreads it selfe in any towne Land common-wealth howse countrey or nation Or iâ—â—ens hearts of small or high renowne For when as men liue not in loue and peace All happines and ioy with them doth cease For where as Discord hath his residence And doth begin amongst men to appeare It 's worse then any sword or pestilence For who are worse then foes familiar Or who can hurt men more if that they lust Then enemies in whom they put their trust And briefely to conclude without a pause All trouble mischiefe and confusion In any land proceedeth from the cause And root of hatred and dissention And much more danger in the same doth lie If it be wrought and stir'd vp secretlie Record whereof is to be found by Troy Where while that in the towne they did agree They held the same and did it long enioy Despight their foes But when they gan to be At strife and hatred mongst themselues crost Each other not long after it was lost For without doubt as often prooued is When men begin together to contend Or that a land in 't selfe deuided is T is not the means them nor their state to mend But rather is a certaine signe and way Of that same land and peoples sure decay For Mars the soueraigne Lord of enmity That vnto men he might his power show And bring Troy into all extremity The seeds of Discord did among them sow Gainst which a man no remedy can find For I am sure perswaded in my mind That treason wrought with fained shew of peace To be procur'd thereby is worse then warre And more then it all mischiefe doth encrease Whereof the principalst actors weere Aeneas Duke Anchises his old Father Pollidmas and Anthenor who together Among themselues did secretly agree And traiterously conspire with bad intent If that the towne of Troy should chance to bee Tane by the Greeks whereof they feard th'vent How they might saue their owne liues goods lands By some devise out of the Grecians hands Which if it might not be as they did doubt It could not be they ment in secret wise Before the vtmost danger should fall out To parle with the Grecian enemies And traitors gainst their towne of Troy to bee Before they would their owne subuersion see Or loyalty vnto their countrey yeild Intending rather to forget their oath And promise made and vowed to be held By them while life did last and faith and troth With due alleagance wholy set aside For them and their owne safety to prouide Esteeming it more wisedome to forecast How they for there owne good should do the same And bring 't about before the time were past And rather saue their liues thogh t were with shame Then foolishly to fall into a trap Which otherwise they might full well escape They though it no disgrace nor worthy blame For to betray the towne so they went free Away with goods and liues out of the same Nor had no care for others to agree But how they might vnto that thing attaine Which they did seeke by treason to obtaine And to that end they went vnto the King To giue him as they sayd some good aduise And
bad of conversation And that the brightnesse of the perfect light Which they should shew be voyd of good devotiō And turned by iniquity to night To whom shall any man repaire or go To learne or take example what to do The chiefest cause thereof is Auarice And greedinesse of getting gaine and gold Which most accursed and pestiferous vice So great a sway within Priests hearts doth hold That with the force thereof it makes them blind And vnto wicked motions stirs their mind For certainly there is no man that liues Vpon the earth that is more rauenous Nor vnto vs so bad examples giues Of greedinesse nor is more covetous Then Priests to scrape catch all that they may For true it is that long since many a day It hath been so fast rooted in the heart Of Priests that are so much therewith in loue That nothing what so ere can make it part Out of the same nor it from thence remoue For t is so firmely grafted in their sect That it makes them all holines neglect For gold is now so glistring and so bright That naturally it draws men to the same Like th' Adamant and dasleth so the sight Of Priests that they do only beare the name To be the men that earnestly embrace That wicked vice of covetousnes and place It in their greedy ravening minds so well That vertue doth not once so soone begin To moue their hearts but vice doth it expell And will not suffer it to enter in Such force it hath all goodnes to supplant As by this wicked Troyan Priest Tonant You may too well perceiue that traitrously The holy jmage to Anthenor sold While Priam and the Troyans busily Collected silver corne and store of gold Of rich and poore in readines to pay Vnto the Grecks which treasure they did lay And shut within Mineruaes Temple there To be reseru'd till all the covenants made On either of their sides performed were As they instructions from Anthenor had Which done the King and all the Troyans went Vnto Apollos Temple with intent To call vpon his name and to adore His Altars and thereon in Paynim wise In hope of grace his aid and helpe t'implore And when they had begun to sacrifice And lay the beasts the incense and the blood Vpon the Altars as the priests then stood Before the same and went about to make The wood to burne two strāge things did appeare The one was that it would no fier take Nor mount vp to the aire with flames most cleare As it at other times was woont to do Although they still did adde more fire thereto And ten times kindled it but 't would nor bee For still it quencht againe and did no other But cast out filthy smoake as oft we see Lyme when it is with water sleckt doth smother So that with all the meanes they deuise For want of fier they could not sacrifice T' appease their Idoll God Apollos ire The other thing was this that when they laid The offring on the Altar while the fire Was kindling and burnt not as it is said An Eagle did descend downe from the skie And with a great and mightie noise did flie Vnto the Altar where the offring lay And seazing on it with his tallents tooke It lightlie vp and bare it cleane away While all the people sore amaz'd did looke And gase on him with extreame dread feare But th' Eagle soring ore the Towne did beare It swiftly thence in all the Troyans sight And flying with it towards the Greeks at last Descended and vpon their ships did light And into them the offering did cast Which when the Troyans saw they had great feare And iudg'd thereby the Gods offended were Against the Towne because the fire went out And therefore to enquire what those things ment And t' ease their minds and put them out of dout Vnto Cassandra presently they sent To pray her that she would them certifie What those two strange events might signifie Who told them that the quenching of the fire Was vnto them a demonstration And certaine signe of great Apollos ire And of the wrathfull indignation Which he most iustly did vnto them beare Because that in despight without all feare Of him they kild Achilles traiterously Within his holie Temple and did staine The same with blood and after cruelly When they had him therein so falsly slaine Without respect of place or person drew His bodie thence and vnto dogs it threw For which she said t' appease his wrath and ire They must go to Achilles tombe by night And there devoutly at the sacred fire Which burned at the walke their Tapers light And with that fire the which without all doubt She said would not by any meanes go out New offrings make with great devotion Which would before Achilles burne most cleare That so they might giue satisfaction To him for murthering of Achilles where His name ador'd should be the which they made In manner as she them commanded had For th' Eagle that with th' offring way did flie Vnto the Greeks she bad them take good heed And said that it did plainly signifie That all the Gods together had decreed That Troy should by some treason be destroyd And that by no meanes they could it avoyd For as they saw the Eagle when she fled With th' offring to the Greeks so should they see The Towne that had so long time flourished In honor great and wealth deliuered bee Into the Grecians hands and vtterly Defast by them with most great cruelty Mineruaes Image could not helpe them then Which they had lost by their owne negligence For it most sure and certaine is that when Gods sentence is pronounst there 's no defence Against it to be made for every man Must stand to his decree do what they can The Grecians likewise woondring much when as They saw the Eagle with the offering Come flying so said surely that it was A signe of some most strange and secret thing That should be brought to passe and for it had Great feare till Calchas exposition made Thereof to them and bad them not to doubt Nor stand in feare at all of any thing For that the issue thereof would fall out Vnto their good and they t' effect should bring That for the which they long had quarrelled And so much of their Grecian bloud had shed And willed them therefore no cost to spare To make an end of their great enterprise And to that end did wish them to prepare Some thing to offer for a sacrifice To Pallas and to shew his traiterous mind To Troy he did a strange invention find The effect whereof was thus When he perceaued King Priam was perswaded to a Peace By false Anthenors meanes as cleane bereaued Of all reliefe and hope of warre to cease And that Anthenor and Aeneas both As traiterous as himselfe were very loth To be discouered in their treachery Before that they had brought the same to passe
That it consum'd the people great and small And left not one but all di'de sodainlie Except the King who desolate alone Went wandring in the woods to make his mone Where for a time he walked to and fro Lamenting sore in mind his dolefull state And to himselfe complaining of his woe Began to curse his hard and cruell fate Till in the wood he chanst to spie a tree For height and thicknesse huge of quantity Which at the foot a hole had in the ground From whence of Ants great quantitie did creepe Which when this Prince so desolate had found He felâ— vpon his knees and sore did weepe And Paynim-like his prayer gan to make To moue the Gods some pittie on him take By miracle to shew their power as then In transformation of those Ants so little Into the right and perfect shape of men Therewith againe his Land to fill with people And so his poore distressed case to tender For which he vow'd continuall thanks to render Which his request as Ouid setteth downe With pitty mou'd God Inpiter did heare And by a sodaine transmutation The Ants did cause in forme of men t' appeare Who presently arising on their feet With all speed went their famous Prince to meet Which people by their strength and hardinesse The Storie saith obtained lofty fame And anciently for their great worthines As first I said Myrmidoâ—s had to name Who for their great fore-sight in euery thing The Poet fain'd them from those Ants to spring For as the Ant in Summers heat by care Prouides his food in Winter time to liue This people so their labour did not spare Industriously their bodies to relieâ—e In Peace and Warre prouiding for their need As all men should the better for to speed For if that care and labour we neglect Our food and clothes in time for to prouide We may perchance our follie so derect That men our â—loath will openly deride But to affirme this fable to be true Therein I leaue the iudgement vnto you And of King Peleus further will declare Who as mine Author saith did take to wife One Thetides of shape and beauty rare And liu'd with her a long and happie life From whome descended by paternall right Achilles while he liu'd a valiant Knight For mong the Greeks none might compare with him For valour high renowne and chiualrie He would so boldly venture life and lim Which caus'd the Troians feele his cruelty Before the Towne which if you list to heare Read on this Booke and there it will appeare And though that Peleus did the Scepter hold Yet was his elder Brother liuing still Whose name was Aeson but of yeares so old That vnto loue and lust he had no will And was so feeble and decayd in wit That for to rule the land he was vnfit His memorie as then became so bad And sences all from him were cleane bereft Who when he saw age him depriued had Of meanes to rule the Land the Crowne he left And regall state which he so long had held Vnto his Brother in his stead to weld CHAP. II. ¶ How King Aeson by reason of his age would no longer rule in the Kingdome of Thessalie but caused his Brother Peleus to be crowned in his stead YOu heard that when King Aeson did perceiue His sences eyes and all his strength decay Expecting death would shortly him bereaue Of life and all he did no time delay To cause his Brother Peleus to be crownd As his next Heire then liuing to be found And made him King of Thessalie by name For of his body was no jssue left When he was dead for to enjoy the same And so of Princely power cleane bereft He liu'd a quiet solitarie life In peace and rest cleane voyd of care and strife But as some Authors in their Bookes explaine The Gods such grace to Aeson did jmpart That they restor'd him to his youth againe By false enchantment and by deuilish Art Of charmes devised by Medeas skill That could command foule spirits at her will For shee compos'd a drinke as it was found By magicall confections in such wise That casting it vpon a barren ground Both buds and blossomes presently would rise As fresh and greene as possible might bee Or any man in pleasant spring could see The which for that it semeth strange and rare And truth to say impossible like wise I will it vnto you at large declare And how she did her diuâ—lish charmes devise As Ovid doth set downe the same to vs With in his booke the which he saith was thus Medea who by Art and skill knew well What hearbs would serue t' effect so strange a thing For that she did in Magicke much excéll Desiring it with speed to passe to bring That she might praise obtaine made no delay But presently alone did goe her way Abroad into the fields to seeke for some Such as she lik t whereof when she had sped And with the same into a place did come Which she as then of purpose halowed She made two Altars all of Turâ—e of which One vnto triple Hecate the witch Th' other vnto youth was consecrate And hauing couered them in decent wise With Verviâ— and with shrubs such as she gat There in the fields to offer sacrifice She cut the throats of two black Rammes whose blood Mixt with a bowle of pure white milke and good And with as much sweet hony clarified She put into two pits of purpose made Within the ground and after that she cryed And certaine mumbling prayers softly sayd To Pluto and his Wife the Lords of hell And all the Elfes and Gods on earth that dwell To spare old Aesons life a little space And not in hast his wearied lims depriue Of his most aged soule and t'giue him grace To hold the same That he might longer liue Whom when she had in that sort long besought She wild that Aesons corps shold forth be brought To her Whereas with certaine carmes she said She cast him straight into a slumber deepe And then before the Altar he was layd Vpon the hearbs as dead but yet a sleepe Which done with haire disperst about her head The Altars she devoutly compassed And dipping sticks within the pits of blood She kindled them vpon the Altars twaine Betwixt the which at that same time she stood And then vnto her purpose to attaine She did with Brimstone fire and water pure Thrise purge old Aesons corps that slept full sure Meane time the medecine boyld within a pan Of Brasse which she of purpose had broght thither Which at that time to gather froth began Where roots seeds flowers and leaues she sod together Which for that straÌ„ge confectioÌ„ she thoght best With pretious stones that came out of the East And grauell fine that in the West she had And dew that fell vpon a Monday night With flesh and feathers of a wicked jade A filthy witch that had her sole delight In shape of
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
should of nature for my sorrowes grieue And with all speedy meanes for to relieue My troubled mind and great aduersitie Sith that you see it doth torment me so And that the cause concernes both you and me Whom nature bind to feele one selfe same woe And as he spake and thus to them did mourne His face vnto Prince Hector he did turne And said Hector my Son my chiefe and only ioy My trust my sole delight my eldest child And here sucessiuelie to raigne in Troy Of whom my hopes as yet were nere beguild Thou that art nam'd the root the spring the well Of Chivalrie and dost therein excell Thy Brethren all whereby thou dost obtaine The soveraigntie of high renowne and fame Esteeme not I thee pray my words in vaine But yeeld and giue consent vnto the same And do the thing for which I long so sore For in thee is my trust and in no more This thing t' effect and wholly bring about And for that cause I make thee Generall Of all my force and herein make no doubt But that thou wilt go forward therewithall And yeeld t' accept of this my iust request For in thy valor onely do I rest And vnto thee it chieflie doth belong As being wise and full of gouerment Flowring in youth actiue and passing strong And hast thy mind to honour onelie bent Though yong in yeares yet of discretion Belou'd of all and of most high renowne And all thy younger Brethren shall obay To thee and at thy will be alwaies presâ— With thee to liue and dye and therefore say If that thou wilt consent to my request And let me heare thine answere herevnto That with all speed we may prepare thereto When Priam thus had shewed them his pretence Hector the patterne of Nobilitie Bowing his knee with humble reuerence Vnto the King as full of curtesie His answere gaue with sober countenance Th' effect whereof was this in full substance My most renowned Lord and Father deare Sith that it is your pleasure and your will That I should speake and you are pleas'd to heare Attentiuely I shall your mind fulfill And such good counsell as my wit affords I le giue to you in few and pithy words True'tis my Lord that natures lawes doe bind And still prouoke mans heart for to aspire And all Gods creatures else of seuerall kind With earnest and most resolute desire To seeke reuenge for wrongs by them sustaind And specially such men as haue attaind Vnto the honour of Nobility For vnto them t' were great reproach and shame And wholly gainst their state and dignity To suffer wrongs done to their name and fame For euery trespasse must considered be And wayd according to the qualitie Of him gainst whome the jniurie is wrought What way or meanes soeuer that it be As also of the person that it sought For t is more griefe to men of high degree To suffer hurt or harme by aduenture Or any wrong vniustly to endure Then vnto men of meaner quality And jniury maliciously contriu'd Is more offence to Princelie Majesty And men from high Nobility deriu'd Then vnto such as by their wealth aspire To worship though the world doth theÌ„ admire This well considered of much bound are we To seeke by force our honour to increase Sith we descend of Royall pedigree And let vs not from iust reuenge surcease For beasts that are by nature voyd of sence Desire the same and seeke their owne defence And for my part I know assuredly That none of all your Sons was ere more prest Vpon the Greekes to be reueng'd then I And herevpon my faith I doe protest That with despight gainst them I burne like fire And thirst their bloud with all my whole desire For as I am your eldest by degree So am I mooued most with angry mood And long by valour and by chiualry With sword in hand to shed the Grecians bloud Which they perchaÌ„ce shall feele ere that they ween When time doth serue as shortly shall be seene But first I must aduise you t' haue a care Ere you begin t' effect this your intent And thinke and way how great the dangers are Which vnto bloudy war are jncident And long not the beginning for to see But studie on the end what it may bee Which if you do you can by no meanes faile For counsell giuen in my opinion Is little worth and nothing may availe Nor yet deserueth commendation Which doth not tend t' advise men seriously To thinke vpon future adversity For though that men at pleasure bring about The first beginning of their tragedies Yet oftentimes it commonly fals out That they doe end with great extreamities And what availes beginning fortunate That after causeth strife and great debate I say therefore great wisedome t is to doubt At th'entring into any enterprise What issue may thereof in th' end fall out Which who so doth I hold him to be wise For that beginning is most fortunate Where midst and end continue in like estate But when they do not happilie proceed T' were better wholly from it to abstaine Then t'hazard mans estate when there 's no need For who so doth assured is to gaine Nought else but mischiefe and adversity And end his daies in great extreamity Let not your Majesty I yow beseech In any wise with me displeased be Nor yet to take exception at my speech For there 's no sparke of any thought in me To giue a cause vnto you of offence For that I speake is onely with pretence To counsell you to see that wilfully You enterprise not that which in the end By misadvice may chance vnhappily And be the cause in fine your selfe t' offend Nor of your foes too small account to make For so men oftentimes themselues mistake But thinke how they hold in subiection All Affrica and Europe wide and long With many another warlike Nation And that they are most valiant Knights and strong Esteem'd of all the world for worthinesse Abounding in great wealth and happinesse So that with your support I dare bebold T'aâ—â—irme that danger tis them to displease And if our quiet state disturbe we should It 's to be feard we must our selues disease And say that Asia should vs aid to fight It is not like vnto the Grecians might And though our Aunt the Princesse Exion Against all right be held by Telamon It is not fit for her redemption To bring vs all vnto destruction My counsel 's not to buy her halfe so deare For that perhaps all we that now sit here And many more might also for her right In doubtfull warres loose both their lire lim And after long and many a bloudy â—ight Perehance shall nere get her away from him Which were no wisedome as it seemes to me And it may hap ere long time passe that she Her fatall course and daies on earth will end And then what shall we reap for her to striue And with our Grecian
Like cristall fine did cast a radiant light And all the stones and sand that therein were Appear'd and shone like gold most pure bright Where presently with my great wearinesse A heauie sleepe did me so sore oppresse That since I first was clad with earthly mold I neuer slept so fast And sodainly As I lay still me thought I did behold God Mercurie descend downe from the skie And stood by me which put me in a feare For he as then his crooked sword did weare Giâ—t to his side and held within his hand His charming rod about the which did wind Two vgly Snakes with which his pliant wand He vs'd to worke all things vnto his mind And at his feet me thought there stood a cocke That crowed each hower as true as any clocke And in his mouth were pipes that plaid so shrill And with so sweet and pleasant harmony That both mine eares and sences they did fill With many severall kinds of melody So that I did assuredly surmise That I had beene in earthly Paradise In this strange sort appeared Mercury And much more strangethen I can well declare Like as Fulgence in his methologie Of him dâ—th write wherein he doth not spare In pleasant verse full of varietie His shape to show as you therein may see To moralise his shape you must surmise His rod so straight which neuer standeth bent Doth signifie men politicke and wise Who by their good and carefull gouernment All dangers do prevent before they fall And by that meanes preserue themselues from thrall His pipes so sweet and pleasant to the eare Significantly vnto vs do show The eloquence which dailie we doe heare And Rethoritian phrases that doe flow Out of mens mouths of great discretion Whereof that God is th' only pateron The Cocke that doth so louely chant and crow And iustly keepes each hower of the night Doth signifie and rightly to vs show The watch fulnesse and the interiour sight Of men that by their care and diligence Driue from their minds all sloth negligence His sword that crookes like to a Fawchion Which neither forged was nor made in vaine Doth serue to force such as haue straid and gone Out of the way of truth to turne againe The serpents which about his rod do wind Are like to diuers crosses which we find And daily see do lie in wait to stop The way of truth by hatred and disdaine And of the same the branches so to lop That by their will it nere should grow againe And so poore truth constrained is to flie And in a hole lie hidden secretly And with this winged God there did appeare As then to me three Goddesses most bright The which so faire and passing comely were That I in them did take no small delight To see and to behold their beauties rare The names whereof to you I will declare The first whereon my gasing eyes I cast Was Venus faire the Goddesse of delight Next vnto her Dame Iuno fore me past A Goddesse of no little power and might The third and last that showd her selfe in place The wise and valiant Goddesse Pallas was Faire Venus to procure the more delight To those that vnto her obedience shew Aboue her head had Pigeons faire and white Who flickering with their wings about her flew To shew to vs that by the same is meant That as those birds are meeke and innocent So louers that are faithfull and do meane T' obserue God Cupids lawes and truely giue To loue her due should be so pure and clane In deed and thought that while that they do liue No manner of disliking nor of blame Should be in them their credits to defame The freshnes of the Roses faire and red Which in the Summer shew most pleasantly And in the Winter are so pale and dead The thoughts of louers yong do signifie And such as in hot loue do burne like fire With fervent hope t' attaine to their desire When loue at first within their hearts beares sway Vntill the time of old vnweldy age When lust is past and seemeth to decay And doth begin no more in them to rage Through feeblenes when spring of youth is gone Which by good proofe to many men is known Venus therefore we oft distiled see To sit within a floud of water deepe To show what trouble and adversity Is found in loue and how that it doth keepe Men in despaire with fancy them to feed Till hopelesse they remaine in doubt to speed Pallas me thought in th' one hand then did beare A shield the which of mettall pure was made In th' other hand a sharpe and warlike speare And round about his head a Rainebow had Oâ— colours three red greene and perfect blew And as it seem'd to me before her grew An Oliue tree which shewd most fresh and greene And in the verdant branches thereof sat The vgliest Owle that ever eye had seene With staring eies and face most brawd and flat Whereof the morrall with the restile show As they in order stand Then must you know The â—â—â—eld which Pallas beares within her hand Dâ—th signifie the power and passing might That 〈◊〉 hath by wisedome to withstand All 〈◊〉 and manly gainst the same to fight Aâ—â— that â—er spearesâ— smoth sharply ground Was forg'd by iust reuenge for to confound And overthrow vniust and wicked men And for that mercie should with rigor goe The staâ—e thereof is shau'd and smothed cleane Least merciles right should iust rigor shoe The Oliue tree â—â—tokens signe of peace Which doth ensue wheÌ„ bloody warre doth cease The broad fac't staring eyed vgly Owle The which gainst death and bankets funerall Of custome hath by kind to sâ—ritch and howle Doth show that death is th' onely end of all The glory of the world and happie's he That dayly beareth it in memory The Rainebow where such severall colours were Of divers kinds to beautifi't withall Doth show what sundry chaunces are in warre Wherein some win some loose some fall Like constant and light wavering greene Varietie so great therein is seene Iunâ— as learn'd Fulgentius to vs tells A 〈◊〉 with barren wombe and dead And alwaâ—◠〈◊〉 in Rivers and in Wells To whom the Peacocke proud is sacared With Argus eyes imprinted in her tayle The which she spreads abroad like to a sayle The waters sayd to be in wells and flouds Doe represent the cares and troubles great That men indure to scrape and gather goods Not sparing paine nor toile the same to get But whosoere within those floods doth row Let him beware for after they doe flow By course of time as it is most true Directed by the Moone their governesse There will an ebbe with present speed ensue The feare is most when Cinthia doth increase And orderly attaine vnto the the full Least Fortune chance the feathers way to pull Of men that doe abound in riches great For she is Queene of mutabilitie And Argus eyes that in the
their puissant force and might As they that were of hearts couragious Assembled many a stout and hardy Knight In Athens where a Navy huge they had And there their preparations all were made To sayle to Troy whose number was so great That never since this fatall world began So many Knights at once were knowne to meet Nor hath it ere been seene by any man That such a Navy was assembled As by the valiant Greeks as then was led Whereof to shew and make description What every Prince vnto the same did bring My Author sayth that King Agamemnon A hundred ships with men and every thing That needfull was prepared at his cost To joyne with that most huge and famous host King Menelaus the causer of that fleet From Sparta brought threescore great ships and tall Prothenor and King Archelaus there met With fiftie ships whereof some great some small From Sithmene with Duke Achedaphus Came threescore ships and with him Helenus The Kings Epistraphus and Thedaus Together brought full fiftie ships compleat King Telemon Aiax and Amphimachus Duke Theseus and Earle Dorion with a great And puissant Duke that was by name cald Tentar With that same fleet their fiftie ships did venter Nestor a Duke of furious mind and thought Whose choller was not easie to appease Full fiftie ships from Piron with him brought King Thoas and the King of Dianes A hundred ships had in their companie Well fraught with Knights of great activitie And Thelamon surnamed Pelâ—â—â— Had 36 ships in his leading King Polidete and stout Amphimacus Did thirtie ships from Calidonia bring King Merdon and Idameus from Creet Fourscore good ships had with them in that fleet Vlisses King of Thracia with him had Fiftie faire ships well furnished with men Duke Meleus and Prothecatus both made Provision of great ships in number ten And from the Isle of Philiarcha strong Prothesilaus brought 50 ships along Machon and his brother Polidrus Twenty two ships did bring well furnished From Trincico and out of Phicius Achilles did in his conduct then lead Iust Fiftie ships and from th'isle Rhodomus Came twenty ships with King Thelapobus And with a valiant Duke cald Antipus From Hesida Eleaven ships there came In company of Duke Amphimachus That partner was in furnishing the same Polibetheâ— the stout and valiant King Did fiftie ships from Recha with him bring And Duke Lifuisus bare him company Diomedes vnto this army brought Fowerscore great ships out of Caledony And with him came two Knights that honor sought The one of them they did Thelemus call The other was the mighty Duriall And with the valiant Knight Poliphebus Came seauen ships well rigd and furnished And in that puissant fleet King Phineus Eleauen ships at his command then led Prothoyelus of Demenesa King Did fiftie ships with him to Athens bring King Carpenor from fertile Capadie With fiftie ships in likewise thither came King Tricorius from his countrie Cald Borsa to win honor great and fame wenty two ships vnto that fleete did bring Well furnished with men and every thing And many ships more in that fleet there were Then Guydo in his Booke doth mention For that in honors works it doth appeare Whereas he seemes to make description Of all the Grecians ships they were so many Ahat ne're the like fleet had been seen of any Accounting those that with Palamides Came to their ayd the number to augment Which being ready their to put to Seas And to the Troians full destruction bent With many a valiant Lord Earle Duke King In Athens where they were assembling King Agamemnon generall of all That fleete a Prince discreet and very wise When as his charge to mind he gan to call Did study how he might best way devise In that most cerious businesse to proceed With honor as they fully had decreed Esteeming it a point of wisedome great To foresee all with care and diligence Their enterprise that nothing might it let Nor hinder their determined pretence That as with honor they began the same It might so end to their eternall fame Least that through hast and misadvisednesse They might oreshoot themselues and be deceiu'd And by orewhelming pride and wilfullnesse Of their conceiued glory be bereau'd He caused all the Lords and Princes great Which in the hoast together then were met To hold a counsell with him in the field Without the Towne of Athens where each one His reasons and his arguments might yeild About their warres as then in question And when they all together did appeare He spake and sayd to them as you shall heare My Lords and Princes all whose worthines Is such and of so great account and fame That in good truth I cannot but confesse The world is fild with glory of the same For without doubt the flower of Chivalry Is met together here in company For who ere saw so great a multitude Of valiant Knights assembled at one time So young so fresh and all so well indued With courage bold and in the very prime Of Youth as we amongst vs can afford And are together come with one accord So that if Fortune be not to contrary In this same warre by vs now tane in hand And that the Gods cause vs not to miscarry And our pretence of purpose doe withstand We doubt not but great honor we shall gaine And of our foes the victory obtaine For sure I deeme him wholly without sence And worse then mad that dares oppose or set Himselfe against our power to make defence Or any wayes our enterprise to let Or privily seekes to do to vs despight Or wrong but we full soone would him â—require For I could in this great assembly find An hundred Knights and more so fierce and bold And that doe beare so valerous a mind That with their forces onely durst and would Adventure for to take this warre in hand And valiantly our enemies withstand Presume then what our forces ioynd in one May doe against the Troians to requite The wrong that they of late to vs haue done For all you know how with their power and might They entred into Greece and bare away King Menelaus deare wife Queene Helena With many prisoners more and all the gold And treasure that in Cithera they might Lay hold vpon with reason then we should Not onely seeke revenge for that despight But boldly warre against them vndertake And I suppose we shall them so awake That they shall feare hereafter while they liue To be so bold to dare to take in hand The like attempt gainst vs or seeme to giue Occasion of dislike to Grecian land For which offence by them done to vs so late Our hearts within doe burne with deadly hate The heat whereof converts them to such ire That it renewes our rage and deadly paine And day by day so setteth vs on fire That we by no meanes longer can refraine But with all speed our mortall power advance For this our wrong on them
time held the same and did defend The regall state thereof by valiant hand For Casar did ast's said from him descend And first jmperiall Diadem in that land Did weare and by his pollicie and wit Ordaind the civill lawes to governe it What further of Aeneas travelling You seeke to know in Uirgill you may see The same at large who writeth everie thing By him atchieu'd though some perswaded bee That Virgill was long dead and buried Before his booke was fullie finished CHAP. XI ¶ How Agamemnon sent Achilles and Thelephus into the island of Messa for victuals and how they of the Isle withstood the Greekes and fought with them in which battaile the King of Messa was slaine and Thelephus was made King of Messa by consent of all the Nobility of the Island YOu heard how while Ulisses did soiourne With Diomed in Troye what there had past And also what King Priam did returne For answere to the Grecians who in hast Vpon the same a generall counsell call Where in the full assemblie of them all King Agamemnon spake to them and said My Lords as well you know t is now high time That care by vs should speedilie be had And chiefly now while we are in the prime Of our affaires for things that needfull are To serue our turnes while we maintaine the war Gainst Troye and first that good provision Of victuals should be made for if we faile Thereof t' will be our owne confusion Which to prevent and better to prevaile In the enterprise which we as now pretend My counsell is that presently we send If you think 't good vnto an jsle hard by Cald Messa where great stoâ—â— of victuals are From whence we may in our necessity Our selues thereof provide without all care Of sending into Greece and to that end I pray you name whom you will thither send With which advise the Grecians all consent Agreed amongst themselues that Thelephus And with him stout Achilles should be sent To th'jsle of Messa rich and populous For victuals to suffice them and their host And for to bring it thence what ere it cost At which time in that fertile Island raignd King Tenteran that valiantly by might The Scepter and the Crowne thereof obtaind And had with iustice equity and right Long ruled in the same in peace and rest Till Grecians did his quiet state molest Though some men do affirme that Messa lies Within the bounds of the Sicilian King And that the name of Messa signifies Aboundance great and store of every thing Which therein grew and that it had the name From Messena a Citie in the same Exceeding rich and plentifull from whence Great store of ships and vessels laden were With victuals which they did convay from thence To everie place and Countrie farre and neere Which for such wares as to that jsle they brought They did excange and of those people bought And some men say that Messa named was Of Messanus a King that rul'd the same Who in his time all others did surpasse For riches great exceeding power and fame This shall suffice in breife to let you know What Messa was and now I will you show That when the Grecian Princes had decreed That Thelephus and Achilles should be sent To Messa with three thousand men with speed They put to seas and ere long time was spent Arriued there and straight their men did land But when the King thereof did vnderstand He marched with an army to the strand And there with horse and footmen valiantly The Grecians power by force sought to withstand Giuing the onset most couragiouslie And gainst them did a cruell fight maintaine Wherein great numbers of their men were slaine On either side and many wounded were That bleeding on the ground in great distresse Lay never likely armes againe to beare And in so great a rage and furiousnesse Each partie did against the other fight That long it was ere that perceiue you might Advantage twixt them both so equally The battaile went and at that time was fought Till in the end the Grecians valiantly Draue backe their foes but it avail'd them nought For presently they were constrain'd to run And backe t'retire with speed againe to shun The furie of the enemies that were Three to their one that cruelly then slew And made to flie in great distresse and feare Which at that time they could not well eschew But when with angry mood Achilles saw His men so fiercely slaine and forst to draw Backe to the strond in great extremitie With trenchant blade in hand he entered Amongst the thickest of the enemie Where many of his men in field lay dead And others wounded sore away did flie And there behau'd himselfe so valiantlie That in short space he had recovered The field againe and in most furious mood Feld wounded and before his feet lay dead All that he found or him as then withstood And therewithall his men so comforted And by his valor great encouraged That where before they fled and lost their ground Their enemies were forced to retire And flie to saue themselues and none was found That durst withstand his fierce and furious ire For who so ere he met was sure to die And none escapt such was his cruelty And sure if that his valor worthinesse Exceeding force and courage passing bold Had not prevail'd against the hardinesse Of Tentrans men without all doubt they would That day in field haue slaine the Grecians all But he like to a strong puissant wall Withstood them their ranks so fiercely brake That maugre all their power he made them lie In heaps before his feet and way to make And at the last when as he did espie King Tenteran a braue and valiant Knight Like Lyon fierce defend himselfe in fight And here and there the Grecians so opprest That many of them by him were fiercely slaine And beaten downe and that he never ceast To overthrow all that he could attaine He did not stay but with most fierce desire And heart that burnt with rage as hote as fire Made way through thicke and thin round about Him kild his foes so fast on every side That at the last he found King Tentran out Whereas he fought and with exceeding pride Gaue him a blow so fiercely on the crest That 't made his head bend down vnto his brest And then againe his blow redoubled And with the same so deepely did him wound That therewithall most grievously he bled And with a thrid blow stroke him to the ground And then from off his head his helmet rent In furious wise with purpose and intent To strike it off and to that end did heaue His hand on high with bloody sword to giue The Fatall blow that should his life bereaue So much the slaughter of his men did grieue Him at the heart which he perceiu'd was made By him alone and that he onely had Been cause thereof But ere the blow did fall Young
extremitie And griefe to see their landing proue â—o bad Vnfortunate and dangerous to be And yet for all that they indured had They fainted not but still continued The fight on shoare for they were seconded By fresh supply of men that entered Next them and with three hundred ships arriu'd Vpon the shoare where being ankored When as they had the wearied Greeks reuiu'd That faintly fought scarce able to withstand The Troians force they did begin to land First placing all their crosoowe shot before And next to them their archers orderly And such as pikes and other weapons bore On either side with full intent to try The Troians might and brauely to adventure Despight of them vpon the shoare to enter Where twixt them at the first the fight was hot And dangerous till that the Greeks let flie Their arrowes out their bowes and croâ—bowe shot As thicke as hayle and with them furiously The Troians slew and first then to withdraw Themselues aside which when the Grecians saw They left their ships and â—â—uing out amaine Vpon the Troians valiantly did set And by that meanes did win the shoare againe Which for that time the Troians could not let Though they with howe 's arrowes fiercely shot To driue them backe but it availd them not And then the fight most hotly did renew When as the noble King Prothsaulus Did enter mongst the Troians and pursue Them with a courage stout and valorous And in the thickest of the presse did slay Them down so tast that each man gaue him way And shun'd his blowes so many of them were slaine And wounded sore whereby the Greeks dismaid Began to be incouraged againe For had not he by force the Troians staid Without all doubt they had before them fled And at time that been wholly vanquished But what availd his valor and his might Or courage bold when as seaven thousand men Were forced on the Grecians side to fight Againgst an hundred thousand Troians then Allready on the strand them to assayle That wonder t' was they could so long prevayle Against so huge and great a company With so few men but sure you must suppose It was because they saw no remedie For at their backs the Sea did them inclose And fore their face stood the enemie So that they thought it best for them to die And cowardly with shame their liues to loose For running backe they must of force be drownd And so resolu'd they fought against their foes As long as any way or meanes they found To ayd themselues though t' was more then they might For other refuge their was none in sight But all the force they vsd did them no good The Troians were so many and so strong And slew them so that men might see their blood Vpon the shoare in streames ran downe along And at the last draue them vnto the strand Whereas they were constrained there to stand Wext weary and in great distresse and griefe Fighting to saue their liues most desperately And there had all been slaine without reliefe Or put vnto some great extreamitie Had not Prothenor and stout Archelaus Set foot on land like Knights chivalrous And ayded them but with great difficultie The Troiaus shot so fast and did aâ—sayle Them on all sides with extreamecruelty Yet at the last the Grecians did prevaile And mauger all their might the shoare they wan And then with valant courages began The Troians hard and freshly to pursue In furious wise and with great cruelty And then againe the battle did renew So hotly and with such hostilitie That all the strand was died into a red With blood of those that on each side lay dead And therewithall Duke Nestor entered The battaile with his Knights in order plast And proudly and in haughty manner led Them to assaile the Troians in great hast At which time many a valiant Knight was slaine And wounded sore and horses in the plaine Lay dead and many masterlesse did runne About the field and then the arrowes flew So thicke and close that for a time the Sunne Did seeme Ecclipst so darke the aire did shew And many Pikes and Lances broken were And many steeds their masters way did beare Sore bleeding dead amaisd and in a sound The aire also with noise and crie was fild Of men that lay halfe dead vpon the ground And still they fiercely wounded hewd and kild On either side and though it grew to night Yet would they not surcease nor end the fight Sohotly on the other did pursue For Prothenor and Archelaus nere left The Troians with their Trunchan blades to hew Till many of them they had of life bereft In hope at last the victory to get So much their minds vpon reuenge were set And therewith fierce King Agalus did land To succour and relieue the Grecians And with him King Attailuâ— with a band Of valiant Knights that charg'd the Troians To whom they were inveterate enemies On every side and in most furious wise Kild wounded hewd beat them downe so fast That for to saue their liues they were compeld To sound retreat and flie away in fiast So many of them were slaine within the field And more had bin had not new troups come down Of fiesh and valiant Troians from the towne All richly arm'd and every one his shield Wherein they bare devises severall Who were no sooner entred in the field But on the Grecians valiantly they fall With hearts that burnt as hot as any fier With envic hatred wrath and furious ire To be reveng'd on them for wrongs forepast And at that time so many of them they kild And charged them so hotly and so fast That to conclude the Grecians left the field And were compeld to flie vnto the strand To whose reliefe Ulisses then did land Who valiantly withall the company He brought with him and those that were on land Before he came and by the enemy Had forcibly been driuen to the strand With courage bold the Troians did assaile And did so much against them then prevaile That where before they had the vpper hand He made the Troians forcibly retire With all the speed they might and leaue the strand And with most burning rage and furious ire Pursued draue and chast them to the plaine Before the towne where many of theÌ„ were slaine And wounded sore and like a Lyon strong That seeks for prey with glistring sword in hand He entred mongst the thickest of the throng Where all he met or durst against him stand He wounded kild and from their horses threw That glad was he that could his blowes eschew Till Philomen the strong and valiant King Of Paslagon did enter in the field With all the Knights that he to Troy did bring To ayd the Troians gainst the Greeks beheld Ulisses such a massacre to make Of them In hand a mighty lance did take And brauely setting spurres vnto his horse In furious wise did run at him so fast That with one
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
fill As messengers and signes of shedding bloud Were â—eard in every place throughout the Campe And prancing steeds with fierce and furious mood Vpon the ground their feet did beat and stampe And neigh and some at mouth on either side Attending signes of battaile with great pride Both Greeks and Troyans longing sore to trie Their knightly force and valors in the field Each one that day against the enemie And readie prest with furious looke beheld Their deadly foes there standing in the place Which from each other was but little space Till that the battailes first in order set On either side remou'd and forward went And in most furious wise together met Where Hector that in heart was discontent And formost on the Troyans side did stand Vpon his horse with mighty Lance in hand Whose wrath and ire by no meanes could asswage Like fierce and cruell Lyon that for pray With hungry mood doth hunt in furious rage Against the Greeks first onset gaue that day And ran so fast vpon his gallant steed That with his spurs he made his sides to bleed His Knightly heart so much was set on fire With mortall wrath and hate revenge to take Which when the Greeks did see with great desire They also for their parts like hast did make T' advance themselues and first without abode Patroclus that the formost of them rode In proud and hautie manner spurd his horse T' encounter Hector fiercly in the field And with a speare that was of mightie force Road vnto him and hit him on the shield So great and strong a blow that with the same He pierst it through with such a force it came But hurt him not at all for that it brake Yet with the point through plate male did passe And did a hole within his harnas make But neither brest nor skin of his did race And though with most great violence it came Yet could he not stirre Hector with the same Nor make him once out of his sadle rise Nor backeward nor yet forward for to yeeld Nor yet t' incline himselfe in any wise Vpon his horse so fast thereon he held But Hector vnto his confusion Most like a strong and puissant Champion Cast downe his speare with his sword in hand In furious wise vnto himselfe he swore That spight of all that durst or would 't with stand Patroclus at that time should die therefore And therewith such a blow vnto him gaue That with the strength thereof his head he claue In sunder to the brest and then againe A second blow him gaue withall his force Which finally his body claue in twaine Wherewith Patroclus tell off from his horse With pale and deadly face vpon the ground As he that had receau'd his mortall woâ—â—â— In presence of his men and in the sight Of all the Greekes and then without delay Hector off from his horse with speed did light And like a Lyon fell that seekes for pray Determin'd in his heart that burnt like fire Against his Grecian foes with great desire To spoyle Patroclus of his armes that were So gallant rich and sumptuous to behold As being set with precious stones most cleare In chast and richly gilt with purest gold For then great Lords and Princes vs'd to beare Most sumptuous arms wheÌ„ as in field they were And to that end while he was busied With couetous desire to take his pray In sight of all the Greekes his horse he led In one hand by the reine and thought to lay The body of Patroclus on the same But ere 't was done King Menon thither came And with three thousand Knights inclos'd him round Who all together hotely him assail'd Whereas so great resistance then he found That of his purpose at that time he faild And forced was to let Patroclus lie For to resist the force of th' enemie Which caused him in boyling rage to fall To whome King Menon fell and furious The spake and said in presence of them all O greedy Wolfe and Tygar ravinous O Lyon fierce and beast insatiable Whose avarice is most vnreasonable Vpon this prey as now thou shalt not feed Go seeke elsewhere for other carrion For fifty thousand men haue all decreed This day to worke thy sole destruction And that they may in their intent prevaile Thy hatefull pride at once they wâ—ll assaile And then in furious wise on him they set With Launces swords and other weapons more And on him as vpon an anvile beat On every side behind and eke before With full pretence his horse from him to take And what so ere resistance he could make For all his valor force and puissant might He was constraind to fall vpon his knee But like a most couragious hardy Knight By passing strength and magnanimitie Despight of all the Greeks he did by force 〈◊〉 vp againe vpon his gallant horse And to King Menon road with furious mood And heart possest with extreame cruelty Wherein his sole delight and pleasure stood And without doubt had slaine him presently If that three thousand knights chivalerous With Theseus Glaucus and Archilagus Had not in time to rescue him come thither Who all with one consent and great despight Agreed to follow Hector and together In furious wise to kill him if they might But nere the lesse who sâ—ere did him assaile Was surely kild for nought could him prevaile Against his puissant arme and trenchant blade So that the Greeke that met with him that day Need take no care for ransome to be made To saue his life for ere he scapt away He was most certaine without doubt to die So that for feare each one from him did flie Whereby he had the meanes to breake the prease Of those that did enclose him round about And where so ere he road he did not cease To kill and beat them downe till he got out And made a path before him smooth plaine Vntill he came vnto the place againe Whereas the body of Patroclus lay To spoyle him of his armor if he might And fore him on his horse to beare 't away In view of all the Greeks to their despight And at that time had surely had the same But that King Idumeus thither came And with him broght two thousa'd knights of â—reeâ— Where he was King that did inclose him round And valiantly on all â—ides on him set While he vnarm'd Patroclus on the ground And to them came a king cald Merion Although at last to his confusion And ere that Hector could about him looke Despight of all his valor and his might His gallant horse perforce from him they tooke Whereby he was compeld on foot to fight But yet his knightly heart they could not feare For with his sword he slew all that were neare Or him withstood and at that time began To hacke and hew the Greeks on euery side And t'cuâ— off armes legs of horse and man That none of them before him durst abide For he in
attaine As he that was both stout and valorous Met with Queene Helens Nephew in the plaine That was a mighty Duke cald Mereus A Prince both gallant yong and vertuous Most richly arm'd and of good carriage And for his time a stout and valiant knight For he was then but twenty yeares of age Yet much renownd for valor and for might But by hard fortune it fell out alas That this braue Troyan knight Pollidamas Ran at him with a speare so furiously That piercing through his armes and coat of male He strake him to the heart and sodainly He fell downe dead with color wan and pale Which when as old King Menelaus beheld And saw him lie dead groueling in the field That sometime Nephew was to Helena His wife he fell into so great a rage That presently he made no more delay But in some part his choller to asswage He ran at stout King Remus in despight And with his sword stroke at him with such might Vpon the head that he could not sustaine Himselfe vpright but fell vnto the ground Wherewith his Knights supposing he was slaine For that the blood did run out of his wound And he as dead vpon the ground did lie They tooke him vp and with him gan to flie As fast as ere they could and would not stay Till that the valiant Knight Pollidamas Vnto them went and stopt them in the way And by no meanes would suffer them to passe Except those that by him appointed were King Remus to the towne of Troy to beare Then to the field on Grecians side there came King Celides a valiant Prince and stout Whom Dares doth report t' haue had the name Amongst the Greeks and all the world throughout T' excell all men without exception For beauty shape and good proportion Behauiour grace and countenance bening For every part of him was most exact And finely made so that not any thing To grace a man withall in him there lackt For nature had him fram'd of such a mold That all men did delight him to behold Which made the gallant Amazonian Queene For passing beauty held to be the flower To loue him so when once she had him seene That she did choose him for her Parramour And loued him so deerely at the heart That from her thought he neuer could depart Who being as I sayd a gallant Knight As soone as ere he entred in the field And saw whereas Pollidamas did fight Against the Greeks and at a bay them held He set his spurres vnto his horses side And in most furious wise to him did ride And with his speare did giue him such a blow That with the same which came with passing might Off from his horse he did him overthrow But to requite him for 't the Troian Knight Pollidamas with pale and furious face Ere Celides departed from the place Drewout his sword and smot him on the head So cruelly and with so great a might That he therewith off from his horse fell dead Vpon the grrund vnto the great despight Of all the Greeks that could him not relieue For which in heart they sore did fret and grieue And while the Greeks and Troians thus did fight And each the other kild in euery place Throughout the field Hector the valiant Knight Like Lyon fierce before him did them chase And furiously did wound beat downe and slay The Greeks so fast that forst to giue him way Like sheepe before the greedy woolfe they fled For gainst his trenchant blade no Greeks durst staÌ„d For with the same their blood so fast he shead That glad was he that could escape his hand And at that time such vengance he did take On them that they compeld were to forsake The field whereas he fought yet would he not Leaue off to kill and chase them till in fine As he road here and there it was his lot Among the valiant Knights of Saloâ—ine T' incounter with King Theseus in the way That many a Troian Knight had slaine that day And as to him in hast he gan to ride The valiant Knight King Tentar thither came With speare in hand and while he lookt aside In furious wise ran at him with the same And with the blow cleane through his armes did pierce And wounded him but while with courage fierce Hector to be reueng'd for that despight On Tentar turnd his horse about in hast He wisely road as fast as ere he might Till he out of his furious sight was past Wherewith his heart was soe possest with ire That in his breast it burnt as hot as fire And when he felt his wound to ake and smart He did within himselfe so rage and fret That for to ease the coller of his heart What Greeke soeuer after that he met Or that durst be so bold him to withstand Was sure to die by his victorious hand And mongst the rest one speciall there was That proudly and of purpose him withstood Whom with his sword which through his arms did He claue vnto the heart with furious mood passe At which most puissant stroke the Greeks did treÌ„ble But nerethelesse they did in troopes assemble And him inclosed round on every side Vpon him such a fierce assault to make Which they supposd he could not long abide That at the last by force they would him take And more and more there number still increast Which on all sides t'assayle him neuer ceast So that to all mens â—ight by likelihood He could not from their hands escape aliue And while in so great danger there he stood And still with them did â—â—ghtâ—â—nd brauely striue Like to a Lyon fierce and furious The worthy Grecian King cald Theseus Of curtesie and of meere gentlenesse In heart was mouâ—d to see him in that case And pitying his heard and great distresse As fearing what in fine might come to passe Because he stood in danger of the wracke In kind and friendly manner to him spake Oh valiant Knight and root of hardinesse Oh spring of man-hood stocke of Noblenesse And th' onely patterne of all worthinesse Why art thou now so carelesse in distresse To saue thy life by Knightly prouidence When as thou seest thou canst not make defence Against so huge a number of thy foes Mongst whom thou art in danger to be slaine For they on every side doe thee inclose And haue all meanes of succour from thee tane And yet thou wilt not helpe thy selfe at all But staist to see the worst that may befall For which all men in heart may well complaine To see that such a worthy valiant Knight Who by his valor Knight-hood doth maintaine And vnto Marshall men is th' only light And as it were th'v pholder of their law Will not himselfe from danger now withdraw But wilfully thy life wilt rather loose Great pitty t' were that thou shouldst here be slaine Withdraw thy selfe therfore whilst thou maist chose For if thou diest not now thou wilt be tane Thy prowesse
hath power and is availeable By liuely force and kind humiditie Life to infuse in flower hearb and tree And likewise did the power thereof extend Into each vaine and sinew in his brest Backe armes hands and downeward did discend Through all his bones and ioynts and ne're did rest Till it did run into his thighs and feet At which a voyoll full of gumme most sweet And balme was set which neuer would decay Nor yet impaire by no distemperature But still increast and waxed euery day Of greater force and sweeter did endure Where of the vapor vpward did assend And such a pleasant savor forth did send And made all round about the aire to rise For that it t' was most exquisitely good That it did seeme an earth by Paradize And fore the corps foure lamps of gold there stood Within that place continually gaue light And neuer ceased burning day nor night All â—â—ld with oyle if it be credible The which is sayd to be of such a kind That it was sound â—â—be impossible To 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 tempest 〈◊〉 or wind Not neuer 〈…〉 in many yeares Which lampes did hang high 〈…〉 by wiers And such 〈…〉 That 〈…〉 the same to sâ—ell And when this worke was brought vnto an end And euery thing was done exceeding well And pleasd the eies of all that did it see They made a grate of wood of Heban tree Which wood aâ—â—rmed is will ere indure And being cut doth smell exceeding sweet â—â—d can by no meanes wast for this is sure T will neuer burne by any extreame heat Of fier as it hath been tried oft â—â— waâ—er â—â— nâ—re swimmeth vp aloâ—t But downe into the bottome straight doth go And as some men thereof make mention This tree hath been long since esteemed so And heldon in such reputation That in the fertile soyle of India And in the land of Ethiopia They vsd to pay a tribute as t is sound Of Ivory fine gold and Heban tree To th' Emperor as they thereto were bound And when King Priam saw the worke to bee Performed in so braue and sumptuous wise That he in heart no better could deuise He did ordaine a quier of Priests to pray Continually with great deuotion Before that Princely throne both night and day For Hectors â—oule and gaue them pentions To liue vpon and roomes wherein to lie And bound them to do 't perpetually But while that they are in their orations With Hectors death my third Booke I will end And for a while will leaue the Troians In sorrow great and woe the time to spend And show you what the Grecians meane while do If that you please to hearken therevnto FINJS THE LIFE AND DEATH OF HECTOR THE FOVRTH BOOKE CHAP. 1. ¶ How the Grecians depriued Agamemnon of his place of Genorall of their Armie and made Pallamides Generall in his place THe worthy Champion Hector beeing slaine And fierce Achilles borne vnto his tent Whereas he lay in danger great and paine King Agamemnon for the Grecians sent Next day betimes assooue as sonne did rise To aske of them their counsell and advise What would be best for them as then to doe Sith they by vallant Hectors death were free From danger great which he had put them two And out of feare of his great crueltie And when that they were altogether met Within his tent and there in order set And silence made he spake vnto them all And sayd my Lords and Princes euery one That now are heere If you to mind will call What good the Gods of late for you haue done You ought to giue them thanks with humble voice And inwardly in heart and mind reioyce To thinke on Hectors death for he alone Was th' onely prop and chiefe support of Troy Their whole defence and their protection Their chiefest trust their honour and their ioy And vnto vs confusion and death For that while he enioyed vitall breath We neuer could his valor great withstand Nor victory against our foes obtaine For when that we did first set foot on lend Prothesalus by him was fiercely slaine And next day when in field againe we met He did vpon Patroclus fiercely set And with his sword did cleaue his brest in twaine And after kild King Menon furiously And next by him Archilagus was slaine And in his wrath and extreame crueltie He slew the most renowned Prothenor And then the valiant King cald Alphenor King Phillis also and Epistrophus And Merian a Prince of great renowne And after him a King cald Zantipus And in the field as he road vp and downe He flew two Kings the one cald Dorius The other had to name King Cedius And after that he kild strong Polibet Lâ—â—aboniâ— Policenes and more For in his wrath he slew King Phiâ—bâ—â— And to the ground in surious wife he bore And kild the valiant King Isidius And then the noble King cald Humorus For eighteene great and worthy Kings and many Braue Earles Dukes and Princes he hath slaine With thousands more So that not euer any Likevalor to him showd nor could obtaine Such victory gainst vs for that his hand Was th' onely terror to vs in this Land But'now he 's dead to our no little ioy The Gods be thankt therefore and to the woe And great distresse of all that are in Troy As by experience time to them will show Laud also and much honor giuen be To Fortune for her great benignitie Vnto vs showne in helping vs so well To bring that furious Champion to his end By turning of her â—alse and fickle wheele And vnto vs such fauor did extend That by his death while this warre doth endure All we that now are here may liue secure With comfort great and ease of extreame care And feare we had of him while that he liu'd Where contrary the Trâ—ians all now are By death of him that onely them relieud Texpect nought els but their destruction And finally their townes subversion For now he 's gone they cannot long endure For be assur'd we will them so much grieue That from hence forth we may our selues assure To haue our wils on them ere we them leaue And make this siedge to them importable If we doe hold together firme and stable Their ship in th' end is like to proue a wracke And ready with huge billowes t'orewhelme For all their hope and comfort goeth backe And deepe despaire is guider of theâ—â— helme And maketh them continually depend On death while we our state do still amend By ayd of God both on the sea and land For now without all ambiguitie We may expect the victory at hand And boldly light with great securitie Against our foes without all feare or dread But yet my counsell is ere we proceed T' assaile our foes as we intend to doe To stay a while and not to passe our bonds Till that Achilles to the fieild may goe With vs when he is healed of his wounds And then we will assaile
likewise that time did fall Vpon the valiant King Neptolemus The prowdest Greeke at that time mongst them all And he likewise with heart couragious At Sarpedon did run and with great might Out of his sadle fiercely did him smight But Sarpedon with fell and wrathfull hart The which with rage and anger burned hot Did suddainly vpon his feet vp start And with his sword Neptolemus he smot Into the thigh a great and cruell wound Wherewith he made him fall vpon the ground But when the King of Percia did perceiue King Sarpedon stand fighting on his feet In danger great he did him straight relieue And on the greeks so furiously did set That in despight of them by mighty force He holpe him soone againe vnto his horse But at that time King Menelaus came thither And Menestes Th' athenian Duke who both With many troopes of Grecian Knights together In furious wise and with exceeding wroth Vpon the King of Percia did fall And did enclose him round amongst them all Who fighting with them valiantly and long At last when he their force could not sustaine They did so thicke and fast vpon him throng He was by them with disaduantage slaine Whose death so much the Troians did dismay That they retird and gaue the Grecians way Till Sarpedon with bloody sword in hand Couragiously did many Grecians slay And did their force and furie so withstand That he not onely forst the Greeks to stay But draue them all before him on the plaine And made the Troians win their ground againe While Priamus vpon the other side With all his sonnes that bare him company Amongst the Grecians valiantly did ride And kild and beat them downe but specially King Priamus with many a bloody wound Did kill and slay all he before him found So that not any Troian young or old What soere he was though nere so high and strong Of body and of lim nor nere so bold That time did fight so furiously and long As Priamus himselfe for he alone That day was many a Greeks destruction And vtter ouerthrow For that theire Wherewith he was at that time wholy led And made his heart to burne as hot as fire For causes two was then redoubled One for th'inveterate hatred which he bare Vnto the Greeks the other cause he sware And vou'd to be reuenged if he might For Hectors death which put him in such rage That while he had the Grecians in his sight He could his choller by no meanes asswage But doubling his strength so fiercely fought That many a Greeke that day t' his death he broght And so continued in such furious wise To take reuenge on them that in despight Of all his fierce and cruell enemies By valor great he put them all to flight But they by slight the Troians to beguile When they had fled before them for a while Did wheel about and suddenly went downe Into a very great and spacious plaine That lay betweene the Troians and the towne Intending some aduantage so to gaine Vpon their foes and to that end did set Great Ambuscadoes euery way to let And keepe them from going into Troy againe And certainely had don 't by likelihood If Priamus had not with mighty paine And valor great most brauely them withstood Who at that time like Lyon fierce and strong With sword in hand did ride into the throng And thickest of the Greeks and valiantly Brake all their rancks with deepe wounds wide Hact hewd beat them downe so puissantly That no man durst his trenchant sword abide For whosoere he stroke was surely slaine Wheresoeuer he did ride throughout the plaine At which time also Paris did so fast Pursue them with his bowes and crosbowes shot And piercing darts which through their armors past And by that meanes such vantage on them got That they began to giue the Troians place And Priamus did them so hotly chase That being put to great extremitie By meanes of his exceeding force and might And to avoyd his extreame crueltie They did with mighty feare and great despight Flie to their â—ents glad they escaped so And they of Troy into the towne did go Because as then it drew fast toward night For Phoebus with his chariot west did hie Vnto the Indian coast to giue them light And so the honour of the victory Was wholy giuen to Priamus alone Who by his valor great the same had wone To ease his heart of that exceeding sorrow Which he therein conceiud for Hectors sake But yet vpon the next ensuing morrow He sent vnto the Greekes a truce to make With them whereto they gladly did agree But how long time the same should holden bee It 's not exprest In which time they of Troy Great preparation made with dilligence The Percian Kings dead body to conuoy According to his state with reuerence And honor great into his countrie That he in decent wise entombe might be And buried mongst his progenitors The Percian Kings and so most solemnely His Captaines and his other officers Did take the corps embalmed sumptuously And layd it in a Chariot couered ore With blacke and so in mournfull weeds it bore To Percia conuaied with a rout Of his owne worthy Knights and many more That in most dolefull wise did ride about The body and behind and eke before The same did goe vnto the buriall And at that time the sumptuous funerall Of Hector was in Troy solemnized According to the manner in those daies The which with honor great was hallowed As Guido and his Author Dares saies For space of fourteene daies continually And all that while within the sanctuary Great store of lights did burne and neare went out Which custome they continually did keepe From yeare to yeare as it did run aboâ—t Wherein they neuer ceast to mourne and weepe And watcht and praied there both night and day In mourning weeds and neuer went away From thence but on there knees continued there Before the tombes of their dead friends and so The Troians who great griefe in mind did beare For Hectors death in woefull wise did goe All clad in blacke to mourne and to lament His death till that full fourteene daies were spent The which they did with great solemnitie While that th' aforesaid truce continued was When as the Greeks might with free libertie Go into Troy and without danger pas The gates thereof and they of Troy also As freely might vnto the Grecians go At which time when Achilles wounds were curd And that he could well trauell vp and downe He had a great desire while truce endur'd To enter into Troy to see the towne And to behold the sumptuous funerall For Hector made by all in generall Within the same and so vnarmd without Assurance other then the truce then made Whereof in those daies men stood not in doubt He went to Troy and entring in nere staid But to Apolloes Temple straight did go Wherein as then with braue and warlike
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
Duke of Athens entered With mighty force the furie great to stay Of Troians and did make the Greekes that fled Aduance themselues againe but in the way Stout Troielus smot him so great a blow That from his horse he did him ouerthrow And then with fury great he entered in The thickest of the presse and beat downe all That with him met and therewith did begin So hotly on the Myrmidons to fall That many of them lost their liues and so Farre amongst the thickest of the Greeks did go That at the last he put them all to flight And by his valor great had them in chase So long till that the day was past and night Began t' appeare when as he left the place And went into the towne and there did stay And rest himselfe till that betimes next day They did begin a cruell fight againe Within the field so fiercely on each side That at that time great store of Knights were slaine And beaten downe and as they stoutly ride To trie their valors one against the other Pollidamas and Philomene together Did take King Thoas prisoner whom they ment T' haue carried vnto Troy with speed had not The Myrmidons before with him they went Out of the field from them by valor got And rescued him for they were very strong At which time Troilus road amonst the throng And thickst of them and like a valiant Knight Kâ—ld and orethrew great store of them by force So long till that by their great strength and might They did enclose him round and kild his horse And thought t' haue tane him prisoner but he foght So valiantly that they full dearely bought His horses life with many of their owne Till at the last his brother Paris spied Him fighting there on foot with them alone And with his other brethren straight did ride To rescue him and forcibly made way Through all the presse and many of theÌ„ did slay And by their valors soone recouered had A horse for him whereon he lightly sprong And then againe such hauocke of them made That though he was enclos'd among the throng He kild and beat them downe so furiously That many of them dead at his feet did lie But as most like a valiant Champion He fought in midst of them enclosed round One of his brethren cald Margariton By Myrmidons receiu'd his deadly wound Whose death set Troilus heart on such a fier With cruelty that in most furious ire He purposed to be reueng'd therefore And with his sword by force he made a way Through thickest of the presse downe he bore All that before him stood or once durst stay To make resistance or withstand him then The like did Paris with his brethren Who altogether furiously did ride Amongst Achilles Myrmidons and there Such hauocke of them made that to abide Before them they durst not but in great feare They were compeld of mere necessiry To set spurs to their horses and to flie In hast to saue their liues For Troielus Did kill and beat them downe so cruelly And was on them so fierce and furious And wounded them so sore and terribly That many of them died in the plaine And yet they did the fight long time maintaine For they were noble Knights and of great worth And knew full well how they their armes shold weild But yet they were by Troielus driuen forth With many wounds sore bleeding from the field Not able to withstand his extreame might Although they held together and did fight Most valiantly and would not separate Themselues long time asunder till at length They were by Troielus fierce and desperate So hotly chast that by maine force and strength He made them breake their rancks in despight Their hearts to flie till that with many a Knight King Menelaus and King Agamemnon Ulisses and most cruell Diomede And with them also fierce King Thelamon Came to the field and when they entered So valiantly assayld the Troians And with such multitudes of Grecians Vpon them set that at that time the fight Betwixt them did so hot and sore renew That it did cost the life of many a Knight On either side and thereof did ensue So terrible a noyse and cry throughout The field of men that maymed lay mought Not helpe themselues that all the aire did sound And ring therewith and many shields were spleet And harnes hackt and hawd all the ground Lay couered ore with hands armes heads feet Of men that cut and mangled dying lay And streames of blood ran downe along the way And in the plaine most fearfull to behold At which time they of Troy for all the might And multitudes of Greeks with courage bold Not once dismaid so valiantly did fight That many Grecian Knights by them were kild And wounded sore and where within the field The fight most strongest horst and furious Was held and where greatst troopes of Greeks withstood The Troians and assayld them Troiclus Couragiously amongst the thickest road And with his Knights such slaughter of them made That in short space he them compelled had To flie and to auoid his furious sword As th' instrument of their destruction And which as death they shuned and abhord And this continued till that Thelamon The fearefull flying of the Greeks beheld Did turne them backe made theÌ„ keepe the field And valiantly the Troian Knights assayld And then againe the fight was hot and strong And Greeks against the Troians sore prevaild But that aduantage held not very long For Troielus relieued them againe And by him then so many Greeks were slaine That he compeld them mauger all their might And great resistance which they theÌ„ did make Before his sword againe to take their flight Vnto their tents and at that time did take An hundred Percian Knights whom he did send To Troy and so that day the fight did end Which being done the Myrmidons with speed Vnto their Lord Achilles tent did go With many wounds full deepe that sore did bleed And in that sort themselues to him did show Wâ—o of their number then were lessened An hundred Knights within the field lay dead With gastly wounds slaine by the puissant might And valor great of Troielus alone Whereof when as Achilles had a sight The night ensuing he did nought but grone And sigh and grieue and was so much opprest With heauines that he could take no rest For in his mind he had a double wo First for his Knights that had been newly slaine And then for Pollicene whom he loued so For he knew well that he should nere obtaine His will of her if to reuenge his men He should once seeke the meanes therfore theÌ„ His heart burnt in his breast with double fier Of wrath and loue which pâ—t him to great paine For wrath prouoked him with great desire To be reueng'd and loue did him restraine From dooing it and got the vpper hand For he in mighty feare and doubt
for feare did shake And sayd to him how can you now sustaine And beare this great and cruell iniurie To soe your men before your face thus lie Dead on the ground and slaine in cruell wise Within your tent and take therof no heed But stay still here when as your enemies Haue sworne and with full intent decreed To kill you thus disarmed as you stand If by your mighty force and puissant hand You doe them not resist and valiantly Shew forth your courage and ere hence they passe Requite them for the extreame cruelty Which they haue showd to vs herein this place Which when Achilles heard with furious ire Which in his brest did burne as hot as fier He armd himselfe and soming like a Bore Forgetting that whereof so much he drempt And thought vpon vnto himselfe he swore To be reuengd for loue was cleane exempt Out of his mind and Pollicene also For whom he had endured so great wo And for her beauty felt such griefe in hart Vpon the Troians for their crueltie That suddenly vpon his feet he start And calling for his horse road speedily Into the field where in short space he had So great a slaughter of the Troians made And did so furiously vpon them set For like a greedy woolfe that seeks for pray He kild and spared none that with him met Or that durst him witstand along the way Whereas he road That in a little space He made the Troians flie before his face And shun his sword all died with their blood Wherewith he had so many of them slaine For there was none that him as then withstood But he was soone layd dead vpon the plaine Till Troielus that by fortune did behold How he the Troians slew with courage bold Ran at him with most great and puissant force Whose comming when Achilles did espie He likewise spurd his strong and gallant horse And ran at him with like dexteritie And met together with such puissant might That each the other to the ground did smight Both pierced in their brests but differently Achilles with a wound most daungerous Whereof he was constrained long to lie Within his tent to heal't but Troielus A little prickt and so that day till night And six daies more ensuing they did fight And neuer ceast in furious wise to kill And to destroy each other valiantly And in that time great store of blood did spill Vnto no little damage certainely On either side for many a worthy Knight Was brought vnto his end with great despight In that same time But cause I doe not know Their names nor of what dignities they were For Guydo in his Booke doth it not show To write them I must likewise now forbeare And let their names and titles with them die And in obliuion rest perpetually But when King Priamus was certified How fierce Achilles in the field had been That day to fight and thereby falsified His promise made for loue of Pollicene Sore grieud he was and did himselfe perswade Achilles with his words had him betraid But truth to say t' was neither fraud nor guile Nor any treason secretly decreed But heat of loue which lasteth but a while Which for that time did vex Achilles head And made him sweare to do more then he could And like the wind that none by force can hold Let words from his dissembling mouth be heard Contrary vnto that he ment to do The which a man that 's wise should not regard And make as though he gaue no eare thereto For though Achilles had tofore been gotten In Cupids snare he had it then forgotten And card not in his furie to displease His Lady whom so much he seemd to flatter He had not any will the warre to cease As he had sayd but cleane contrary matter Was in his head then he made shew to meane And promist to the Queene and Pollicene And for that cause King Priam did vpbraid And cast her in the teeth with light conceit Of false Achilles loue wherein she layd Her trust whereas he ment nought but deceit For which she was sore grieud because that shee Did to the Queene her mothers will agree To marry with Achilles to th' intent That by her meanes and marriage there might be A peace for euer made But t' was not ment By trecherous Achilles for when he Was healed of his wounds he did deuise And in his traitrous heart a way surmise To be reuengd on Troielus who still Stake deepely in his cruell heart and mind If that he might haue meanes t' obtaine his will And him at some aduantage take or find Such hatred in his heart to him he bare That day and night he tooke no other care Nor set his mind vpon no other thing But onely how to quench the burning fier Of enuy gainst him borne and how to bring The same t'eflect according t' his desire For he had sworne and bound it with a vow That Troielus should die he card not how Nor by what meanes by his hand and none other And to that end with purpose fully bent T effect his will he cald his Knights together And when they were assembled in his tent One morning when the Grecians forth did go Into the field with braue and warlike sho To fight against their Trâ—â—â— enemy Who in like sort out of the towne were come With all their force the Grecian to defie And ready stood with sound of fearefull drume And trumpets shrill to call and to invite The Grecians to a fierce and cruell fight He did to them of Troielus complaine For th' iniuries that he to him had done And prayed them that they would take the paine That day to let all other things alone And onely watch on Troielus to hold And to enclose him round if that they could In midst of them and when they had don so In furious wise t'assayle him altogether And not by any meanes to let him go But yet to saue his life till he came thither That with his sword alone he might him kill To satisfie his fierce and cruell will Lo here the valor of this worthy Knight Who enviously with rancor and in pride By treason and with rage and great despight All honor and true Knight-hood layd aside Doth seeke to kill a worthier Knight then he Alas that ere such trechery should be Within the heart of any man aliue That doth professe to be a valiant Knight And honor seekes to win and to achiue Most valiant acts and who is bound by right And law of armes while life in him doth rest All falsehood and fowle treason to detest And to maintaine all truth and equitie For now he doth in secret wise conspire The death of him by great disloyalty That onely vnto honor did aspire And he that was the braust and worthiest knight That euer ware or put on armor bright But that which by Gods will ordained is Though nere so much men seeke it to withstand
left You tell me that the best way for me were To make a meanes vnto the Greeks to get A peace as if of them I stood in feare And that I were so simple to forget The many and most extreame outrages The slaughters mortall warres and domages The cruelties and great destruction By them so long and often don to me This towne and to my subiects euery one Which when I call to mind I cannot be Perswaded thereunto though I should die And loose all that I haue For I espie Such danger in that which by you is ment And so great falsehood couertly to be Therein that if you compasse your intent In such sort as you moue it vnto me It will in fine be my confusion And this townes vtter desolation For vnpossible t' were for me to shun The mischiefe that thereon depends which I Were sure to find if that the same be don Which you do seeke without all remedy For this most sure and certaine is no doubt The issve of the peace you go about Wherewith Aeneas grieued at the hart Rose vp vpon his feet and moued sore Against the King before he did depart Out of the counsell chamber voud and swore With many bitter words and taunts which he Vnto him gaue that he reuengd would be On him if he in time no order tooke For better satisfaction in that case Whereto he bad him with all speed to looke And so in mighty rage he left the place And with the Lord Anthenor went his way And would no longer in the counsell stay At whose departure Priam grieud to see Himsefe by them so hardly vsd he was Therewith so vexed at the heart that he Could not refraine to shead forth eeares when as He thought thereon and then considering more And deepelier then he had don before What trechery and treason they had wrought And secretly conspired and devisd Against the towne of Troy and him and sought Their vtter ruine he thereby surmisd And feared they two would him by some way In secret wise vnto the Greeks betray If he did not the same with speed preuent And shape some way their malice to withstand And thereby turne the treason which they ment To worke gainst him and had then tane in hand To practise with the Greeks before it wrought Th' effect vpon themselues that had it sought That so the guerdon of their trechery Might light on them that first inuented it For treason and all false conspiracie Should be requited as it is most fit With treason for he that works villany For iust reward a shamefull death should die And to effect the same King Priamus With many teares did grieuously complaine Vnto his bastard sonne Amphimachus And when they had together twixt them twaine Shewd their dislikings of the trechery Anthenor and Aeneas secretly Deuised had with others to betray Him and the towne into the Grecians hand With many sighs he did vnto him say Good Son I pray thee marke and vnderstand My meaning well and thereto giue good eare Thou knowest that I am thy Father deare And how that now there are no more aliue Of all my Sons but thou alone to be Mine onely heire and after me t'suruiue I pray thee therefore if thou louest me And of thine owne estate hast any care Thinke on this treason by the which we are As now in so great danger to be brought If we do not preuent it by some way And practise quickly by vs to be wrought Whereby we may their furious courses stay And first intrap and take them in the snare Which they for vs do craftely prepare Which to effect my meaning is to call Them this night vnto counsell purposely Where being come thou shalt vpon them fall With many Knights and kill them sodainly The which meane time see thou do not disclose To any man but onely vnto those Whom thou with thee wilt take to do the deed And so we shall preuent them vnaware The which to do Amphimacus agreed And bad King Priam lay on him the care Thereof t' accomplish it with as much speed As was to be required in such need But as by Prouerbe old it 's often said There is nothing so closely gon about Nor counsell that 's so secretly conuaid But by some meanes or other t will come out And that a murther oft done priuily And many yeares vnknowne to men doth lie The beasts and birds of th' aire will it discrie And that the dumbe and senceles earth likewise Oft times casts forth that within it doth lie And makes itknowne Therefore let men be wise And not disclose their secrets sith they say Two can keepe counsell when one is away But specially great Princes should haue care Aboue all men to keepe their secrets well Because that they like vnto Mirrors are Whereon men looke For if they chance to tell Or speake a thing out of their mouths that shold Not vttered be men presently lay hold Thereon and spread't abroad both farre wide When they do least suspect that it is knowne And would it from the common people hide That it may not about the world be knowne And so by indiscreetnes oft disclose Their secrets great vnto their chiefest foes And some perhaps in whom they most do trust And doe familiarly to them resort Will soonest show themselues to them vniust And to the world giue them a bad report And therefore it is best for them to spare To speake and of their words to haue a care That which a Prince doth secretly intend Shold not vnto the vulgar sort be told For they their wits and wils do chiefely bend And do it as a common custome hold Vntruely to report that which they heare And make it cleane contrary to appeare For they do conster things as they desire To haue them and to reason are not tide And are compard vnto a wispe of fire Which makes a blast but doth not long abide Within the same but strait-way doth consume It is not good on such men to presume That fier and water both in one hand hold And vnto either side do bow and bend And as men say are neither hot nor cold And t'euery new found tale their eares do lend To day they loue to morrow they do hate And neuer do continew in one state To trust to them there is no certaine stay For much like to a broken staffe they bee Which when a man leanes on 't it shrinks away And therefore Lords and Princes ought to see That they commit not too much secresie To them for in them ther 's no constancie For Priams counsell though it were deuisd Betweene him and his sonne alone t was told Vnto Aeneas who thereby advisd Of that which he thought Priam neuer would Haue done did make Anthenor vnderstand In how great danger both their liues did stand And therefore they together did consent Asecret counsell with their friends to hold And others that vnto their partie bent
To keepe them from the Grecians cruelty And Menalus Queene Helena did saue As she for whom with such hostilitie He had been cause to moue that bloody warre And for whom long in heart he had such care The Greeks the while with hot and ragingire Neare ceast to breake and furiously pull downe The walles to consume and burne with fire The howses rich buildings in the towne So that therein they left nothing vpright Nor vndefac'd but with most great despight Destroyed all without exception Of any place or person whatsoere Vnlesse t were those which by condition They had before protested to forbeare And did belong and appertaine vnto Aeneas and all those that did vnto The treason by them practised consent And from their fury great would not forbeare That day till King Agamemnon had sent For all the Grecian Princes that were there To meet in Pallas Temple Vnto whome When they therein were altogether come He asked them if they would constantly Obserue their faith and promise made to those By whom they had obtaind that victory Which they so long had sought against their foes And what they would with all the treasure do Which they within the towne had won Wherto They answered that for their promise made And truely sworne vnto by them they would In each respect obserue it well and sayd That all the gould and treasure gotten should By iust diuision be distributed To euery man as he had merited Of what degree estate or dignity Soere he was and that it should be done By him without all partialitie So that mong them there might not any one Haue cause to be offended nor to blame Him for the true division of the same Which done while they within the Temple staid Some speech about Queene Helena did rise Whereto when some had answere made and sayd Their minds therein as they could best aduise King Thelaphus with great seuerity Sayd that she well deserued had to die For whom so many men their liues had lost And vrged that she might haue iudgement giuen That as they dyed for her it should her cost Her life likewise that day ere it was euen Which many more of them agreed vnto And cause for her there was so much adâ— Agamemnon and Menalus sat still And durst not speake one word to saue her life Least that the Greeks in â—ury should her kill There was mong them as then so great a strife Till that Ulisses with much Eloquence And good perswasions made in her defence Did satisfie them all so well in th' end That they contented were that she should liue And ceasing more about her to contend To Mâ—nalus they did her freely giue And when their Generall Agamemnon Perceiued that they were agreed theron He made request to them that they would giue Cassandra vnto him for recompence Of all his paines and sayd while she did liue He would her keepe and when they went froÌ„ theÌ„ce Take her with him and they contented were It should be so And then before them there Aeneas and Aâ—â—henor to them told And iustified it vpon their oath That Helenus King Priams Son nere would Agree vnto the war but still was loath That Priamus his Father and the rest Should take the same in hand and did his best To let it by his counsell and aduise And how that by the mediation Of him and of Cassandera the wise Whose hearts were moued with compassion Achilles murthered body was not made A prey for hounds as Hecuba had said That it should be and further that they were Much grieued for the murther and likewise For many other matters that were there Don in the towne contrary to thâ—aduise Which they from time to time had giuen to those That of the war had order to dispose To whom because that they were innocent Of all the wrongs that to the Greeks were don They graunted with one voice and full consent That they should haue a full remission And pardon of their liues Then Helenâ—â— With humble voyce and visage piteous Fell on his knees with great submission And thanking them for pardon to him giuen Submissiuely besought Agamemnon With many salt and brinish teares that euen As he had freely pardoned his offence For which he could make him no recompence He would be pleasd to haue compassion Vpon the silly blood of children And with a gratious eye to looke vpon The sons of valiant Hector who as then Nere had don wrong to him nor any other And that he would vouchsafe theÌ„ with their mother His widow left all comfortles alone A pardon of their liues and liberty To whom the King mou'd with compassion At his request did graunt securitie Of life and lim and licence free to go Whereas they list the like he did vnto The rest of all the women then in Troy That in the Grecian furie were not slaine And gaue to them free liberty t' enioy Their dwellings there or else-where to remaine Within the land for which most humbly They gaue him thanks with many aioyfull crie Which done the King with all the Grecians went Out of the Church and presently agreed To leaue the towne and to that end they sent Their treasure and their men aboord with speed Intending to returne to Greece againe But such a sodaine storme of wind raine With great and hideous tempests did arise Vpon the surging seas and such fowle weather Of thunder and of lightning in the skies Continued for one whole moneths space together That none of them durst with their ships aducÌ„ture That dangerous time into the seas to enter But were constraind vpon the land to tarry Till beâ—â—er wind and weather did ensue And finding it still more and more contrary They asked Calchas counsell if he knew What those great stormes tempests signified That them so long of passage had denied Who told them that those stormes tempests fell By prouidence Diuine that had provokt The vgly fowle and furious fiends of Hell To moue the same and could not be reuok't Nor yet would cease till they were punished By death that had Achilles murthered And that their God Apollo angry was Because thereby his Temple they did staine With blood and that therefore they should not paâ— Till they had pleased him with blood againe Which must be done by offering Pollicene Who by her extreame beauty cause had beene And th' obiect of that cruell murther don Vpon Achilles body to apease And giue Apollo satisfaction The which he sayd if they would haue the seas Propice they must needs do ere they went thencee To take away all causes of offence This answere made fierce Pyrrhus sought about In euery place for Pollicene but could By no meanes heare of her nor find her out Till some man at the last vnto him told That she was closely kept and hidden by Aeneas and Anthenor priuely Whereby so great a rumor suddenly Arose gainst them that by that meanes they were In danger