to me some skill That loftie verse by stately tearmes may yeild To valiant Knights their honour due in field Assist herein likewise i ft be thy will Calliope to Orpheus mother deare Who insweet musicke so exceld for skill That with the sound of harpe as doth appeare He pleasd the monster Cerberus so well That he had leaue to enter into hell To fetch his loue out of th' infernall lake Where Pluto held her for his owne sweet-hart But with the musicke he to them did make He graunted she with him should thence depart And with the dew of thy sweet liquor wet My tongue so harsh and in right tune it set For thou art sayd of Rethoricke to beare The onely praise and patronesse for skill And eke of musicke pleasant to the eare Thou canst direct each instrument at will Deny not then sweet Muse thy ayd to mee And I shall rest beholding vnto thee Els will the clowds of ignorance enclose And round incampe my wits that are so bare And cause the rude to Poets vtter foes To laugh at me But such as learned are I will intreat what faults soere they find To winke thereat and keepe them in their mind And if that in my verses I haue err'd As no man but may erre what ere he be I must confesse I never yet deseru'd To haue the praise for excellent Poetrie For God he knowes when I this worke began I did it not for praise of any man But for to please the humor and the hest Of my good Lord and Princely Patron Who dained not to me to make request To write the same least that obliuson By tract of time and times swift passing by Such valiant acts should cause obscur'd to lie As also cause his Princely high degree Provokes him study ancient Histories Whereas in Myrrour be may plainely see How valiant Knights haue won the masteries In battailes fierce by prowesse and by might To run like race and proue a worthy knight And as they sought to clime to honors seat So doth my Lord seeke therein to excell That as his name so may his fame be great And thereby likewise Idlenesse expell For so he doth to vertue bend his mind That hard it is his equall now to find To write his Princely vertues and declare His valor high renowne and Maiestie His braue exploits Marshall acts that are Most rare and worthy his great dignitie My barren head cannot devise by wit T' extoll his fame with words phrases fit This mighty Prince whom I so much coÌ„mend Yet not so much as well deserues his fame By royall blood doth liâ—ally descend From Henrie king of EnglaÌ„d forth by name His eldest Son heire vnto the Crowne And by his vertues Prince of high renowne For by the graft the fruit men easly know Excreasing th' honour of his pedigree His name Lord Henrie as our stories show And by his title Prince of Wales is hee Who with good right his father being dead Shal weare the Crown of Brittain on his head This mighty Prince hath made me vndertake To write the siege of Troy the ancient towne And of their warres a true discourse to make From point to point as Guydo sets it down Who long since wrot the same in latin verse Which in the English now I will rehearse The time when first I tooke the same in hand To say the truth was in the fourteenth yeare Of famous Henrie King of England The Fourth by â—â—ne my Princes Father deare When Phoebus shew'd in altitude to be Fine three times told and foure and one degree When he did in his Chariot downe descend With golden streames into the Ocean strand To bath his steeds and light to others lâ—nd That farre remote inhabite th' Indian land Where when our Summer is cleanâ— past and gon Their spring begâ—â—s but newly to come on And when Lucina faire with paler light Began in cold October to arise T'enhase the darkenes of the winters night And glistring starres appeard in christall skies And then was in the signe of Scorpion And Hesperus then westward running downe His course to hasten gainst tomorrow bright As Lucifer that driues darke clouds away Is sayd to bee the messenger of light And shineth at the dawning of the day When Phoebus early shoes his glistring face Ascending from Proserpins obscure place Where Pluto sits environed about With furies of the fowle infernall Lake In this yeare moneth and time as it fell out This Historie I first in hand did take And of the Troyan wars the truth vntwind As in my ancient Author I it find For if no Authors had the truth set downe In written Bookes of things that are forepast Forget fulnes would soone haue trodden downe Each worthy act and cleane extinct at last Which Serpent never ceaseth to assaile The world to cause all truth on earth to faile And had no ancient Histories been found But all things vnto memorie were left Truth surely then would soone be layd in ground And men of knowledge vtterly bereft But God intending Sathan to prevent That hath foreseene and writers alwaies sent From age to age still to renew the same That truth might alwaies spring and come to light And thereby win an everlasting name Against the which sowle envy still doth fight But famous Clarkes not ceasing truth to show By writing leaue the same to vs to know Els time with syth would soone cut downe the grasse And reâ—ening death extirpe the root and all And nothing whatsoere on earth did passe Should haue record the same to mind to call Nor honor due to valiant Knights be read But it with them should rest and lie as dead And so not onely name but fame would die And wholy be defaced out of mind But Histories explain the same to th'eie As daylie by experience we may find Nere ceasing spight of envy to vnfold The truth of all which may not be controld Therein we see of high and low estate The life and acts as it were on a stage For writers that are wise in heart do hate To speake vntruth or flatter any age For tyrauts being dead they will not feare To write and shew their follies as they were And t'yeild each man as he shall well deserue Be 't good or bad and therefore it iâ— best For every one that credit will preserue In life to vertue cleaue and vice detest For after death know this and marke it well Clarkes will not spare the truth of them to tell For such vnpartiall dealing in their daies Great Princes in them tooke no small delight For truely blasing forth their laud praise Their high renown their power their might Their knightly acts their victories fame Eternally with glory of their name For they still sought to shun the sisters three Fraud Negligence and Sloth that none might doubt Ought was forgot or more pâ—t in to bee Then truth requird and as the truth fell out Els worthy acts
his entry to withstand And to bereaue him of his Diadem And princely state thrust him out of his land Who being thereby brought to that extream Was forst for his reliefe as stories tell To seeke another Countrey where to dwell And entring in Callabria by strength He brought the Countrey to subiection And there did rule in peace till at the length Dame Fortune seeking his subversion By Cerces meanes his grecian Knights did change Into the forme of Birds most rare and strange Which presently did flie into the aire And euer since continew thereabout Their seathers shining bright and very faire And called are to put you out of douâ—t As wee in Isydore the same may read Among the Greekes the Birds of Diomede But as some Authors list hereof to wright They say this Metamorphosis was don By Venus in her malice to that Knight Because against Aeneas hir deare Son Feirce Diomede did cast a cruell dart As they too fought to strike him to the hâ—rt Which when his Mother Venus had espide She causd a mistie clowd twixt them to rise And therewith did hir Sonne Eneas hide From sight of Diomedes cruell eies And afterward wroght him that spightfull scorne And did his men in shape of Birds transforme And in that sort from time to time they flie Vnto the place of Diomedes graue Where as his body deepe intombd doth lie To shew that still a mind of him they haue For yearely on his day of Funerall They flock about that place both great small And there from morne till night you shall theÌ„ find It further is reported to be true That those straÌ„ge Birds do loue the Greekes by kind And vtterly doe hate and still eschew The Latins and do know them well asunder When they theÌ„ see Which seemeth such a wonder To me that I by no meanes can espey Nor yet conceiue by any manner way The hidden causes of such sorcery But this I know and that I dare well say The first beginning of so bad jntent Was wrought by art of foule jnchantment But faith doth teach vs boldly to defie And flatly banish all jllusion Which Satan daily casts before our eye To bring vs thereby to confusion And thus by famous Troyes subversion Full many ancient Cities first begun And diuers Lands with many a wealthy towne By sequell of that warre long flourished Which fore that Troye was cruelly throwne downe Lay wast and were not then jnhabited But to declare them orderly by name Were labour great for me to do the same And therefore to Prince Iason I le returne That went a shore at Simeont by Troye And for a day or two did there soiourne The comfort of the pleasant aire t'enjoye And of his weary toyle himselfe to ease Till wind and waues did calme vpon the Seas But enviously a false report was blowne And to the King Laomedon declar'd That certaine Grecian Knights to him vnknowne To enter in his land themselues prepar'd Well armed at each point which bred surmise They sought t'jnvade the Country by surprise Else would they first say they a licence craue And not so proudly land without consent Of him or his and no safe conduct haue Which argued but a signe of bad intent Which if the King would not prenent in time They said might proue his prejudice in fine For if said they he will not seeme to feare Their landing but deferre by negligence T' enquire know from whence they are where They meane to go and what is their pretence He may perchance repent his little care Of making hast against them to prepare For sodaine things require sodaine sight And should not be deferd till mischiefe fall And Dogs are to be fear'd that first do bite And flie vpon a man before they braule So wisedome doth require present speed To stop a mischiefe ere it further breed Thus did the Troyans murmure in the towne And speake thereof each one vnto the other As in the streets they walked vp and downe That at the length there spread so great a rumor That Laomedon did forthwith prepare A messenger to know from whence they were And without counsell taking in the same In hast did send to will them to depart Or else he said their pride he would so tame That stoutest of them all should wish in heart He had not been so bold to giue the venter Without his leaue within his land to enter The messenger in this sort sent away Made hast to let Prince Iason vnderstand What Laomedon willed him to say And to command him to auoyd the land Who all this while did nought but sport play Attending time from thence to saile away Th' effect of which his message to declare From poynt to poynt verbatim as it was As neere as ere I can I will not spare And what thereof did after come to passe Which in the Chapter following shall appeare If to the same you giue attentiue eare CHAP. V. I How Laomedon King of Troye sent to Iason to command him and his company forthwith to depart out of his Countrie and what answere they returned to the King againe THe high and mighty Prince of great renowne My most redoubted Lord and soueraigne true Laomedon of Troye that beares the crowne By me his messenger hath sent to you To let you know he doth not well conceaue Of this your bold arriuall without leaue Within his land thus armed as you seeme Not once vouchâ—afing first to know his mind As though of him you made so small esteeme That no resistance gainst you he could find The which to let you well perceiue and see He doth expresly send you word by mee That presently and that without delay Both you and yours depart out of this land And Troiaâ— bounds and get you hence away Or else by force he minds you to withstand And will you nill you make you leaue the place If you presume to offer him disgrace My counsell is beleeue it if you list To get you hence in peace and quietnes For folly great t' were for you to resist And of meer pride or glorious wilfullnes Seeke to disturbe my Lorde feliâ—itie Which now doth liue in great tranquilitie And doth his kingdome governe and maintaine With so great wisedome and magnificence By valor and by might that t were in vaine For any to withstand him of pretence Wherefore I wish you all if you be wise Herein to take and follow mine advise And seeke not further now to moue offence Least you procure your perill woe and smart And find that true by good experience Which friendly vnto you I doe impart This is my Lords embassage too you sent Conceiue it as you will tis his intent The messenger in this sort having said What Laomedon charged him as then Iason therewith not very well apayd In face and colour waxed pale and wan Yet soberly with wisedome held his peace Not seeming once in chollor to encrease Nor yet to
in princely sort For presently as he did vnderstand Th'ariuall of Prince Iason and his traine Of worthy grecian Knights within his land He did not seeme their comming to disdâ—â—â—â— But rising from his chaire without delay In person went to meet them on the way Receaving them with glad and joyfull cheare In stately wise as it becomes a King And that his bountie might the more appeare Vnto his royall court he doth them bring With charge vnto his officers to see They should be seru'd each one in his degree And that not any thing what ere should want That might procure their pleasure or their ease Nor any one in duty should be scant To honor them if him they sought to please That don he leads them to his Royall place Where he doth welcom theÌ„ with Princely grace And passing through a Marble paved yeard He went into a stately sumpteous hall Wherein no cost of any thing was spard That might adorne and beatifi't withall The walles beser with Images of gold And hangd with Arras costly to behold Where being entred in and he set downe He doth them all in hearty manner greet And welcome bids to Iacomtes towne Each one in his degree as he thought meet Commanding straight great store of wine bear To be broght forth their wearied limbs to chear The King thus set and plast in Royall chaire All hang'd with rich and costly cloth of gold And gilt and set with pearles very faire Most sumptious and most stately to behold Environed with Lords and Knights that were At his command then summond to be there Beholding with a gracious countenance Prince Iason and his fellow Hercules Their honors more t' encrease and to advance Willd them to sit downe by him for their ease But Iason would no longer time let pas To shew the King wherefore his comming was Which he in words but few yet wisely told Began to tell with such a comely grace And so demurely as full well he could That all that were then present in the place Admird his wit his memory and tongue To be most perfect in a Prince so young But ere he did begin his tale to frame With good advise and great discretion He did in mind premeditate the same And to each sentence gaue direction And did his meaning then so wisely say That Oetes his request could not denay And so with stoâ—â— and princely courage bold He started vp with due obedience And kneeling fore the King began t' vnfold Wherefore he came and shewed the full pretence Of his so strange and valiant enterprise Which in this manner thus he did deuise Most puissant Prince and King of Colchos land May 't please you of your high and speciall grace Beningly now to heare and vnderstand The cause of my repaire vnto this place And in good sort not taking of offence Vouchsafe therein to giue me audience To vse long speech and many words were vaine And might perhaps breed cause of tediousnes Or moue offence but soothly to be plaine Reiecting rethoritian curiousnesse In briefe t' vnfold the some of mine intent I must confesse that honour hath me bent To trie th' adventure of the golden fleece And win the glory to atchiue the same And for that cause I passed out of Greece In hope t' augment my valor and my fame Which if your grace will giue me leaue t' assay I doubt not but to beare the prise away And though I know what ever men pretend And vndertake in hope of victory Vnlesse the gods some savour to them lend In whom consisteth all felicitie It were in vaine for any man to venter Or on him take in perill great to enter For peace and warre dishonor eke and fame Doe all vpon their willes and mights depend And no man can withstand them in the same What ever fortune shall vnto me send I will not spare th' adventure now to trie And doe my best for once I can but die If that your Grace thereto will giue consent And grant me leaue my force therein t' assay Vnto your lawes therein is my intent In each respect to yeild and to obay And craue no favour whatsoere betide Hap good or ill I will it all abide Most humbly craving that without delay My mind heerein your grace will not withstand But rather flatly bind me to a day The same t'achieue if so I tak 't in hâ—nd Speake gracious Prince grant to my request And loe your Knight at your command is prest While Iason thus his mind did boldly say The King that full attentiuely the while His speech had mark't with silence seem'd to stay Before he spake at last he gan to smile And friendly him beholding in the face Vnto him sayd with glad and cheerefull grace Young Knight although thy mind be fully set And wholly bent vpon this enterprise So dangerous that no man can thee let Nor hold thee from 't yet follow my advise And wisely with thy selfe resolue in mind Ere thou begin't what danger thou shalt find For know thou must though valiant be thy hart That this adventure is so hard to win As being wrought and fram'd by magicke Art That strength of man can not prevaile therein But he that dares the same once vndertake To end his life a full account must make No favor nor no hope for him is left That doth presume to take the same in hand For by the law he is thereof bereft Which by no means he may in ought withstand As having choise before he gines to venter To leaue the same and not therein to enter But once begun he must therein proceed For backe he may not turne what ere betide And though he stand in never so great need His dome is past he must his chance abide For death is his reward that doth begin And take in hand the golden fleece to win So strickt a law binds him that this will trie Which vnto thee yong Iason I must tell I can by no meanes change nor yet deny To any one therefore advise thee well Before thou ventrest t' vndertake the same Least afterward on me be layd the blame Of thy so desperate destruction Wherefore for my discharge I thee require With hearty and with true intention To leaue the same and let not high desire Procure thee to incurre thine owne decay By this so hard and vnexpected way Sith then thou seest what danger lies therein For that from point to point I haue thee told The truth of all before thou dost begin Let reason rule and be not overbold To take in hand while time thou hast to chuse Least when thou wouldst thou canst it not refuse The time doth now afford thee space to take Or to refuse th' adventure which you will For looke what law God Mars himsefe did make I must the same in all respects fulfill What ere he be that venters in this case Let him be sure he gets no other grace Thus youthfull Iason
Perswade thy selfe thou art to me more deare Then tongue can speake or pen devise to write And therefore will I bend both wit and skill To teach thee how thou shalt obtaine thy will And bring to passe the conquest of the Ram By shewing thee the dangers of the Isle And how t' avoid the perill of the same Therefore abide and stay a little while And find thou shalt my words and deeds t' agree In all and euery thing I vowe to thee And therewithall out of her bed she rose And in a costly coffer went to looke Where as she vsd her treasure to inclose From whence a silver Image forth she tooke Which she did bring vnto him in her hand That vertue had and power to withstand All Magicke Art and cunning Sorcerie And to vndo jnchantments strange and rare Which was devised by Astronomy At such an howre as those that skilfull are In starres and planets know full well to chuse Such Images the ancient Clarks did vse When as they sought by magicke Art to bring The strange effectâ—s of Incantations Vnto an end As Ptolomy the King Of Egyt land and other nations We read haue done and by their learned skill Effected many wonders at their will This Image she did Iason will to beare In secret wise about him till that hee His enterprise had don and nothing feare But his desire should well effected bee According to th' instructions he should haue Next oyntment pure to him likewise she gaue To keepe him from the force of fier and flame The which the Buls out of their mouths wold throw More sweet then balme wild him with the same His body to annoint from top to toe And so he need not feare the flames so great Would should or could by any wayes him let A Ring of gold then vnto him she gaue Wherein a stone of value great was set That vertue had him to preserue and saue From venome and the force thereof to let That vgly Serpents breath might not annoy His valiant heart nor yet the same destroy Within this stone an other vertue rare And strange was found enclos d therein to lie For who so ere the same about him bare And in his hand did hold it secretly From all mens sight invisible should goe And no man could him see perceiue nor know Those stones as ancient Authors do declare Are onely found in Cicile Isâ—e to be And Uirgill writes that Uenus hauing care To saue her Son Aeneas when as he By Sea vnto the Isle of Carthage went One of those precious stones vnto him sent And then againe to Iason she betooke A writing that to him should much availe Which foulded was in manner of a booke And willed him to see he did not faile If he desired happely to speed With great devotion all the same to read Ere he the Ram did touch in any wise With further charge he should not vndertake Nor venter to effect his enterprise Before he did his Supplication make And on his knees with humble heart and will Beseech the Gods his prayer to fulfill Therein containd And lowly of them craue To pittie his estate and from distresse And danger great his body then to saue And further loue vnto him to expresle And for his best and surest remedy To saue and keepe him in extreamity A Viall full of liquor forth she brought The whith all feare of danger set aside She willed him when with the Bulles he fought As oft as with their jawes they gaped wide He should it cast into their mouthes with speed That done to stand in feare he should not need That they could hurt or harme him any way For that their jawes together fast would cleaue So as of force they must to him obay Then might he them of power cleane bereaue And do with them what ever that him list For by that meanes they could him not resist This said when she had shew'd all her intent In every thing how that he should proceed To scape the dangers that were incident It in th' effect he would but take good heed They did agree and hold it for the best To part as then ere men out of their rest Awaked were for then it waxed day And beautifull Aurora gan t'arise And shew her pleasant face in morning gray And that no man should any thing surmise Or of them haue the least suspision In twilight ere the Sun on earth had shon They tooke their leaues parted each from other With kisses sweet as lovers vse to doe When as in secret wise they meet together And he out of the chamber straight did goe And left her still in bed whereas she lay In hope to find her there an other day And being gon from her without delay No longer time to spend nor to neglect Withall the speed he could he went that day Vnto the King his conquest to effect And bring the thing to passe for which he came And in this sort he did effect the same When as the clowds with crimson coloure red At rysing of the Sun began t' appeare And early in the East themselues did spread And when the Larke with glad and joyfull cheare And pleasant notes salutes in morning gray Anrora faire all th'opening of the day Which orderly fore rising of the sunne Is wont t'enchase the clowdy darksome night When faire Diana bright her course had runne And Titan with the comfort of his light And brightnes of his beames ore covered had Each verdant hill and valey and had made The fragrant flowers with comfortable show To spread their leaues and lift their heads on hie Iason with all his company did goe Vnto the King who in great maiestie As then in councell sat accompanied With many Lords and Knights on cuery side And when that he into his presence came with courage bold his Maiestie he praid To graunt to him the conquest of the Ram As he before had promised and said Sith that his comming thither purposely Was that he might that strange adventure trie He would as then his vow performe and all That there vnto belongd without delay By him should be fulfild what ere should fall Yea though it were his ruine and decay Protesting that death neare should dant his hart Nor moue him once to play a cowards part Nor any way to doe his honor wrong And therefore prayd the King in humble wise The time therein no longer to prolong To grant to him that valiant enterprise That in the same he might his fortune trie To win it or couragiously to die When Iason thus had spoken to the King And he the while attentiuely gaue eare And did in mind confider every rhing And all the words and arguments that were Aledg'd by him And saw no feare could daunt His hautie heart he was content to graunt To his request though much against his will And sayd sith that he saw he neads would stand Vnto his vow he would his mind fulfill
seeming very glad That his so great good fortune was t' aduance His honour and his house and that he had By Knightly force so much extold his name And home retourne with victory and fame From Calchos Isle Yet gladder had he beene Although in outward show he did explaine The contrary that he had neuer seene His safe returne to Thessalie againe A nd yet to play a right dissemblers part He welcomd him although against his heart Admiring how he could so soone obtaine By that aduenture strange and perillous The fleece of Gold and â—ome roturne againe In so short time and so victorious But couertly his treacherie to hide Without delay all scuses set aside To Iason he resigned presently His Kingdome which to him belong'd of right With Scepter Crowne and â—â—gaâ—â— dignity And all his Soueraignty and might His promise to obserue which when he went He made to him though otherwise he ment Supposing that he nere should come againe But he that for another digs a pâ—â— May faile in his imagination vaine And be the first himselfe that falls in it As Peleus did which sought his nephews end With deadly hate yet seemd his louing frend Which Iason did accept without delay And thanking him with louing face and cheare Besought him to giue eare what he would say And his request indifferently to heare Concerning Tooyans wrongs done as he went To him and his when he no huâ—t them ment And said my Lord when as we sailed by The coast of Troye a tempest in the aire Began to rise with such extreamity That we of life were wholy in despaire And in that care necessity and griefe We forced were to land there for reliefe Not minding any iniury or wrong Vnto the King in any wise to doe But t' ease our selues and then to passe along To Colchos Isle where first we ment to goe But Laomedon not therewith content A messenger in hast vnto vs sent Pretending of meere malice vs to grieue And churlishly bad vs depart from thence Or else he said by force he would vs driue Off from his coast as taking great offence That we would seeme to enter in his land So sodainly with sueh a warlike band When we nought els but peace friendship ment As glad to be relieu'd in our distresse Not hauing any kind of bad intent That should him moue to seeke vs to oppresse Now then my Lord sith he did so abuse Both me and mine and seem'd vs to refuse A place of rest from danger vs to saue Against the lawes of common courtesie I humbly you beseech that we may haue Your aid of men and mony both to trie By force of armes if that we can requite The Troyan King for his so great despight For truth to say my mind and will is bent To saile to Troye with all the speed I may And to destroy the Land is mineintent And cruelly Laomedon to slay According to the vow that I did make When I was forst the Troyan soile forsake Is that it please your Grace to giue consent To my request and lend your helping hand And doubt not ere that many months are spent But maugre Troye and Troyans all wee 'll land With all our power of Graecian chiualrie And soone requite the Troyans crueltie When Peleus did Prince Iasons mind perceaue Without delay he said it should be so Aâ—luring him he did so well conceaue Of his intent that he himselfe would go With him and all his company to Troye By force of armes that Country to destroye Whereto his whole Nobility agreed And none of them vnto the King said nay But promised their aid with present speed Preparing for the same without delay Of which their Iourney chiefe Solicitor Was Hercules the worthie Conqueror Who in all hast his forces to prepare In readines to Sparta straightway went Which is an Isle from Thessalie not farre And subiect to the Graecian gouernment Wherein as then two Princes great did raigne King Castor and King Pollux brethren twaine Whome Poets in their Histories do set Brethren to be â—â— Helena the faire Whome Iupiter on Ledâ— did beget Whose beauty was esteem'd to be so â—are Which Helena they write conceaued was In Tynâ—â—â—â—â— an Isle which as men passe Along the seâ—s â—â—â—s by Sicâ—â—â—â— Land And that her name Tynâ—â—â—â—â— of that Isle Was also cald◠〈◊〉 longer I le not stand Their pedigree to tell but speake a while Of Hercules to show how he did craue The aid of those two Kings as then to haue To goe with him vnto the Towne of Troye With all the power they had whereby he ment The same by force and valor to destroye To whose request they straight did giue consent And promised in readines to lie Till he to them the time should certifie When he would put to Sea Wherewith content He thanked them and did no longer stay But straight his course vnto Messena bent And there arriu'd about the breake of day And to the King cald Telamon did goe The cause of his repaire to him to shoe Whose comming when he knew he was full glad To see him and in braue and Princely wise Receaued him To whome when as he had Such honour done as he could well deuiseâ— He promised to aid him with all speed With mony and with men what he should need And personally himselfe with him to goe Which Hercules accepting in good part Did take his leaue his Princely mind to shoe And yeelded thanks to him with all his heart And entring Ship returnd to Thessalie To tell King Peleus and to cerâ—â—â—â— How he had sped Beseeching him to write To all the Lords and Barrons in his Land And them command with all the hast they might In readines to make a warlike band And to prouide a counsell wiâ—e and graue Which he that goes to warre he said must haue For that the wit of him that 's growne in age Is more then strength without experience But when as force is ioynd with counsell sage It is a bulwarke strong for our defence And he that long a trauailer hath beene And by experience many things hath seene Is meet in peace and war to rule and guide For vnto age experience greatâ— and â—â—â— Belongs of right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 That strength and courage youth should best 〈◊〉 And when both youth and age with one consent To worke and ioyne together are content In any cause of equity and right Men need not feare with glistering sword shield By helpe of God the giuer of all might Against their foes to 〈◊〉 in the field For neither fame of Knight-hood not the glory Not yet the conquest nor the victory Of warre are got or woone by multitude But as experience saith of right belong To counsell wisedome and to fortitude Therefore said he let vs revenge our wrong With courage bold sith that our cause is good And for our honours spend our dearest blood And that we may our valours brauelie
hope your favors I shall win I will proceed the story to begin WHen as the noble King Laomedon Was slaine in field by cruell Hereules When as the Greekes did first destroy the towne He had a sonne and heire as Guido saâ—es Cald Priamus a Prince of courage stout Whose fortune was at that time to be out With Hecuba his wife and did assault A Castle strong wherein a Lord did lie Which at that time did stubbornly revolt And long before had warred cruelly Against the towne of Troy with force and might Yet subiect was vnto the same by right Where Priam and his sonnes in campe did lie Accompanied with many a worthy Knight Their power and force against their foes to trie And it besieged round both day and night With vow the same by fierce assault to win And to destroy them all that were within For he as then was strong and valorous Young lusty and of fierce and hawtie heart And therewithall so stout and ventrous That feare of death could neuer make him start And to be first that in the field did enter Against his foes his life therein to venter Whereby hewan great honour and renowne And for his time was held a worthy Knight Till Fortune from her wheele did cast him downe And in his fall did show her power and might To change and alter things as she thinks good Respecting neither poore nor Princely blood This Priamus by Hecuba his wife Eight goodly faire and Princely children had Which all were slaine and died in the strife And bloody warre that Grecions gainst him made Whereof there were fiue sons daughters three Which I will name each one in his degree The first and eldest Hector had to name Whose worthinesse as farre abroad doth flie And is extold by Trumpe of Lady Fame As Phoebus doth râ—n compasse â—out the skie In one daies space for authors certifie And say be was thâ—â—ooâ— of chivalâ—ie Of Knight-hood true the onely Soveraigne And Mirror bright and cleare of Noblenesse And did therein vnto such hight attaine That no man can sufficiently expresse The great and valiant acts he did archiue Surpassing all that ever yet did liue And therewithall he was most vertuous Discreet and wise and friendly to each one Of whom the deeds and prowesse marvelous Reported are and haue been long agone By many ancient Authors fore our dayes That write of him to his eternall praise The second Sonne by birth and Dignitie Was Parris cald who did exceed so farre In person beautie shape dexteritie And was esteem'd therein to be so rare That in his time as farre as I can heare Vpon the earth there neuer liu'd his peere Who likewise was a stout and worthy Knight And in a bow had such delight and skill Wherewith he vsed commonly to fight That where he aim'd he would be sure to kill None ever did surpasse him in the same And Alexander was his other name Deiphobus was the third Sonne by degree A Knight of worthy same and great renowne Strong hardy and of courage franke and free Exceeding wise and of great discretion A counsellor in peace and warre most graue And in the field a Champion bold and braue The fourth of them was Heleâ—â—â— by name Who onely gaue his minds vnto his booke And was so much addicted to the same That pleasure in no other thing he tooke Whereby so wise and learned he became That all men did admire him for the same The Fist Sonne was a hardie valiant Knight Although the last and yongest of them all And puissantly against his â—oes did fight Whom Troyâ—lâ—s the historie doth call And for his valiant heart and courage braue The name of second Hector men him gaue So many valiant acts hy him were don While that the Grecian warre continued Whereby so much renowne therein he won That after Hectors death he was so feared And did the Greekes so cruelly assaile That nought against the Towne they could prevaile Yet Uirgill in his Booke of Troyan warre By him cald his Enâ—idos saith thus That Hecuba vnto King Pryam bare Two younger Sonnes the one Polidorus Whom when the Grecians first did take in haâ—d Their bloody warre and entred in his land As then but young he straight did send away Vnto a King that was his trusty friend With store of treasure great with him to stay Till he might see what jssue and what end The warre would haue as then but new begon Betweene the Greekes and him before the towne But he in whom he did repose his trust When as he vnderstood King Pryams state Desirous of the gold which makes men thurst Did cause the Troian Prince vnfortunate To be bereav'd of life most cruelly And buried in a place full secretly Hard by the Sea so deepe within the ground That no man could his treason great espie Nor never afterward his body found And so the Proverbe old did verefie Who so on gold doth set his onely care To win the same no mischiefe he will spare The second of those two cald Ganimed Vpon a time did hunt for his disport And straying in a wood by fortune led God Iupiter as Uirgill doth report Vp to the skies did sodainely him take And there for ever Butler did him make The eldest of King Priams daughters three Cerusa nam'd the story doth declare Was married to a Lord of high degree Aeneas cal'd a man of beauty rare Whose Father was a Duke of noble fame And Uirgill saith Anchises had to name And on the Goddesse Uenus him begot For this Aeneas honor and his fame Uirgill compild a Booke wherein he wrot His travells all at large and doth the same From his departure out of Troy begin And showes how he all Italie did win Long after that the great and famous Towne Of Troy destroyd and cleane defaced was And what great conquests were archieu'd and dâ—n By him as he along the Seas did passe And how that first at Carthage he did stay Ere that he further forth went on his way Whereas Queene Dido pierst with Cupids dart Of him became so much enamored That for because from thence he did depart For loue of him her selfe she murthered All which and more in Virgill you may see In Latine verse at large declard to bee King Priams second daughter had to name Cassandra as the ancient stories saies Who by her wit attaind so loftie fame That she was holden for a Prophetes Her skill in Arts of all kinds was so much That like to her there nere was any such For future things she could declare and show And what was done within the world so round Before it came to passe she did it know Her learning was so deepe and so profound Her manner was religiously to liue And onely to the same her mind did giue The third and youngest daughter Policene For shape and beautie past her sisters twaine Who liued all her daies a Virgin cleane Till she by Pirrhus cruelty was slaine
thou thy malice to vnfold The ashes of discord againe to sift And causing a new debate to rise of old And halfe forgotten enuie But thy drift Is onely to procure the woe and fine Of those that to thy nature doe incline Why hast thou wak't King Priam from his rest And with thy poyson fowle incenst his braine That he in mind and heart should so detest A quiet life and through perswasions vaine Procured him to seeke revenge in hast Vpon the Greekes for harmes so long forepast For where as he in peace did rule and raigne With honour great and no man him annoyd The Serpent Enuie entring in his braine By no meanes would from thence againe avoyd But with such deepe impression there did rest And did so much inflame his furious brest With his inveterate malice new reviu'd That by no meanes he could the same forget Whereby for ever after while he liu'd He brought on him and his such trouble great That wheretofore h'enioy'd a happy life His blisse was turn'd to bloody warre and strife For Priam in his riches glorying Wherein as then he tooke no small delight Imagining his state so flourishing His Towne of so great puissance and might His war-like Knights so many and so strong That no man could noâ— durst him offer wrong Was so possest with Enuie and with Pride That hap what would he had in heart forecast To take no rest vntill that he had tride How he might be reuengd for wrongs forepast Which to effect with full intent and mind He did a time and fit occasion find To summon all his Lords and Knights each one To make repaire all scuses set aside Vpon a day perfixt at Ilion Which his command not any one denide But there with speed did presently appeare Where all his sonnes likewise assembled were But Hector Who from Troy as then was gon Into the Province of Panomie Which Priam held in his subiection A new rebellion there to pacifie The which not long before was rais'd among The Countrey people there for certaine wrong But Hector well advis'd and patient Loth to reuenge where mercie might take place With curtesie so wanne them to content That he appeased them and offring grace And pardon vnto all that did repent Each one with satisfaction home he sent Such was the great and noble princely mind Of that most braue renown'd and valiant Knight Alwaies vnto his subiects iust and kind And rather did in mercie more delight Then vse the force and rigor of the law When as in them no great offence he saw Meane while the King that held an open court With entertainment great and Princely cheare Did wellcome all that thither did resort Which being done and they assembled were In open hall he did with courage bold And words most graue his mind began t' vnfold And sayd my Lords assembled heere as now Whose loyalty I haue no cause to doubt I am assurd not any one of you But well doth know what vnto vs fell out When as the Grecians causeles did inuade Our Towne and what a spoile therof they made And how with extreame barbrous crueltie They murthered our Subiects every one The memory whereof cannot but lie As fresh within your thoughts as it were done But th' other day for 't may not out your mind If to your Countrey you be kind For sure in my oppinion I suppose Nought can you moue vnto forgetfulnesse Of harmes forepast by your most deadly foes Nor can you be without great heavines To thinke thereon for I must plainely tell Out of my heart I can it not expell For yet me thinks I see it with mine eie So fresh it is and yet doth still remaine within my brest and ever there shall lie The which I hope you likewise doe retaine To thinke how they haue slaine our Ancestors If while they liu'd were valiant warriors Our Cittie burnt and brought vnto decay And left it wast like to a wildernes And borne and taken forcibly away All that they found our goods and our riches And slayne my Father King Laomedon Without all cause or just occasion Amends whereof we lawfully may craue And both with reason and with conscience Which all the Gods I trust will let vs haue Sith that by vs was offered none offence But mongst all their so extreame crueltie One thing there is which chiefly grieueth me When as I call to mind their villany In offering such wrong to Exion With whom as with his concubine doth lie The proud and hautie Grecian Telamon Abusing her with great dishonestie Not caring for her state nor high degree Nor if she was the daughter of a King Which vnto me can be no little scorne But they as seemes respect not any thing Iudge then if she that is so highly borne Be vsed so with what extreamitie Poore wiues and mayds of them abus'd shall be With others of your friends and your alies Within their hands as captiues then did fall Assure your selues what wrongs they can devise To doe to them to vex you therewithall They will not spate to vse them in their lust For in the Greekes there is no truth nor trust For neither bewtie age ne high estate Doe they respect but all like slaues doe liue So that in heart I cannot chuse but hate Their cursed race and you likewise must grieue As well as I for you as well as me It doth concerne Therefore reueng'd to be Should be your care and bend your onely thought To find the meanes your wrongs for to redresse For long ere now the same we should haue sought And haue relieu'd our friends from their distresse Let vs therefore joyne all with one consent And in our hearts jmprint a firme jntent Of all their malice rapes and crueltie To be reuenged for if that we vnite Our minds in one it cannot chuse but be A doubling of our strength and we shall fight With courage bold for vengeance doth belong As reason is to him that offereth worng And though till now wee haue deferred it Yet doubt I not but wee a time shall find To yeeld to them such measure as they mete And vse both them and their in selfe same kind And all the Gods I hope will vs assist In our just cause and the in wrong resist You know our Towne is strong and walld about With high and mightie Towers for the warre The like whereof in all the world throughout Is not to find that with it may compare So that we may be well assur'd therein That th' enemy by force shall never win Of men and valiant Knights we haue no want For all you know what number we can make Our store of victualls also is not scant And whensoeuer we shall vndertake To enter warre we need not be afraid But we shall likewise find some forren aid To help vs to revenge our open wrong Wherefore I thinke that now the time is fit Sith that we know our selues to be so
strong To â—et on them and not still jdle sit For valor bids vs make no more delay To be revengd hap what so ever may The Proverb saith delay may danger breed For by delay men often times are crost And to take time when time doth fall with speed I never heard by it that men haue lost And sith we nothing want why should we pauâ—â— And stay revenge in our so iust a cause But least we might too hasty be esteem'd And wilfull thought to runne so carelesly Vnto the warre which alwaies hath been deem'd A doubtfull thing We will not doggedly Bite ere we barke but first to Greece wee le send To know if that they will our wrongs amend Which if they seeme vnto vs to refuse And obstinately will deny the same Then may we iustly force and power vse And no man for it can nor may vs blame But first we will with curtesie assay To see if we can win them by that way But if that they refuse with gentlenesse To hrare vs speake when as we are content To aske amends with peace and quietnesse I hope in th' end they shall the same repent For better t is by peace to haue redresse Then seeke for warre with vnadvisednesse Therefore let vs with patience yet indure Our wrongs and our great iniuries sustaine In humble wise vntill we may procure That they to vs an answere send againe For though it be my whole and full desire And that our iust occasion doth require In furious sort of them to take vengeance I will as t' were in meere forgetfulnesse Put all their wrongs out of remembrance And cleane expell all griefe and heavinesse Out of my heart and of them aske no more But that they will againe to me restore My Sister that vnto me is so deare There by to stint all bloody warre and strife And for the rest we shall with patience beare And never cal 't in question during life Which to fulfill â— purposely am bent If you thereto will giue your full consent Speake then my Lords are you content to stay Till that they answere make to our request Say all with one consent your yea or nay And what for vs to do you thinke is best For I do meane Anthenor straight shall goe Vnto the Greeks our mind herein to show Of whose discretion courage and advise You need not once to doubt for I haue knowne And found him by experience to be wise When he of other messages hath gone And therefore I of him my choyse doe make And thinke him fit that charge to vndertake The King thus hauing spoken as you heare The Lords and all the Nobles did agree That Lord Anthenor should the message beare From them vnto the Greeks and straight should be Dispatcht and with instructions sent away With charge he should no longer time delay But wind and weather serving straight set sayle Who hauing his instruction and at large Informd therein as carefull not to fayle In any point that should concerne his charge Did presently take ship for Thessalie Where being landed with his companie He went to seeke the King cald Peleus Who at that time the story saith remaind Within a Citie named Monosius Of whom he was at first well entertaind But when that he the cause did partly know Wherefore he came he willed him to show Th' effect of his Embassage and his charge And with a frowning looke and visage fell Sat still till that Anthenor did at large With courage bold the same vnto him cell With words most graue and such as fitting were For time and place spake as you shall heare Priam the most renowned King of Troy My Soveraigne Lord his Princely Maiestie Wishing to your grace prosperitie and ioy In friendly wise saluteth you by me A messenger expresly by him sent To shew to you his will and his intent If you vouchsafe to giue me audience Wherein if that in ought I shall offend I you beseech to heer 't with patience And let the law of armes my guilt defend For as you know Embassadors are free To tell their message what soere it bee Your Grace I thinke doth yet remember well What wrongs of late by you and yours were done In Troian Land when ye with hearts most fell And cruell minds the same did overcome And how without cause or occasion You brought them all vnto destruction The Citie burnt and vtterly throwne downe Their riches by you tane and borne away How that the noble King Laomedon As then was slaine and would your rage not stay But in your fury Children Wiues and men Were all destroyd and murthered as then Some Mayds except which to fulfill your lust You led with you into captiuitie Which iniuries so great and most vniust Deserving name of barbarous crueltie You may suppose cannot forgotten bee And yet mongst all this great indignitie One thing there is which doth King Priam grieue Mâ—re then the rest which is that Exion His sister Captiue here in Greece doth liue And held a Concubine by Telamon Dishonestly not like a noble Knight Whose care should be with all his power might To saue and keepe poore Ladies in distresse But regarding nought her high degree By no meanes will this open wrong redresse But he still persisteth in his villanie Which his so great and fowle an oversight Most noble King belongs to you of right To looke into and with a Princely care Seeke to restraine as much as in you lies Such foule misdeeds and as a friend you are To Telamon see how you may deuise T' amend and to redresse the iniurie Wherein consisteth true Nobility This thing hath caus'd King Priam now to moue Your Grace with this embassage by me brought For to intreat in friendship and in loue That by your mediation may be wrought The meanes that Exion may deliuered be Out of her thraldome and captiuitie Which recompence so small he doth request For all the wrongs that vnto him were done By you and yours so much he doth detest To liue in warre and strife which for to shun He is content all quarrells to surcease Desiring onely her returne with peace Which his request so lawfull if you will Procure King Telamon to grant with speed He you assures his promise to fulfill Or else he must by force of armes proceed Which by this meanes he doth desire to stay And this my Lord is all I haue to say When Peleus had Anthenors message heard His heart was so possest with wrath and ire That on him with a furious looke he star'd With eies enfiam'd as red as any fire And with dispightfull and incensed heart Vpon his feet did sodainlie vp start Disdainfullie reiecting the request By Priam made and setting him at nought Said that both him and his he did detest Euen from his verie soule and inward thought Commanding Lord Anthenor not to stay But presentlie to get him thence away On perill that thereafter might befall
Which he in hast did presentlie obay And vnto him his companie did call With whome he made no longer time of stay But thence did saile directlie to a â—owne Salerne nam'd which long'd to Telamon Whereas the King and all his Lords then were And to the Court Antheâ—or straight did hie Where when he did before the King appeare At first he entertaind him courteouslie And without seeming once to take offence With present speed did grant him audience For Exions sake who then stood by his side For otherwise in heart he sore abhord All Troyans and by no meanes could abide To see or heare of them nor yet afford A friendly thought of them such was his rage Gainst theÌ„ conceauâ—d that nothing could't asswage This nere the lesse he was content to heare Anthenor speake and patientlie to stay Till that he had with words that see mely were Declared what as then he had to say Who hauing to the King his reuerence made With courage bold vnto him spake and said Most noble Prince sith that it pleases your Grace To heare the message which as now I bring With patience and t' afford me time and space For to declare the same and euery thing That 's giuen me in charge I will not stay But tell it you as briefly as I may Know then great King without offence be 't done That Priam King of Troye my soueraigne Lord Desirous strife and bloudie warre to shun Intreateth you in friendly wise t' afford This fauour vnto him to be content And thereto giue your full and free consent That Exion may her libertie obtaine And be deliuered from Captiuitie Whome you do hold as I must tell you plaine In slauish wise not like to her degree And to her great dishonour and her shame For which although he may you iustlie blame Yet he content all wrongs to pacifie And peace and loue with you and yours to hold Desireth that you will him not denie This his request and that vouchsafe you would For to restore her vnto him with speed Which doing you shall act a Princely deed And saue your honor now imblemished By wronging her whome you so much abuse Wherein you haue so long time been misled That truth to say you can it not excuse Yet he 's content to lay this wrong aside And many more so that you will prouide To send her vnto Troye without delay And this is all the sum and full effect Of that I had in charge to you to say The which if that you seeme now to reiect It will old hate and enmitie reuiue Speake now my Lord what answere you will giue When Telamon had heard Anthenor speake And knew King Priams will and his desire He did into such extreame chollor breake That both his eyes did shine like flaming fire And in his face was not a drop of blood So that with cheeks most pale and angry mood He lookt aside and turning vp the white Of both his eies with most disdainfull smile Gnasht all his teeth and seemd his tong to bite And after hauing paws'd a little while With furious voyce shewd forth the mortall hate That burnt within his heart most obstinate Saying my friend what euer that thou be I muse in heart what strange and sodaine thing Hath mooued Priam thus to send to me And that thou darst so proud a message bring I thinke thee but a foole or else starke mad That of thy selfe so little care hast had To put thy life in danger for his sake With whom I neuer had nor haue to deale Nor he with me and this account do make Neuer will haue and so thou mayst him tell And as we haue acquaintance very small He may be well assured I neither shall Nor will do any thing at his request For that it wholy is against my mind With him to deale and let that be his rest Which by experience plainly he shall find If so he list to try if that he may Fetch her by force of armes from me away This well I wot that but a while agoe I crost the seas with many Grecians more And saild to Troye and if that thou wilt know The cause it was for that not long before Laomedon had vs a trespasse done And for the same the Towne by force we wonne And slew the King and all that with him held Not cowardly as you perchance suppose But Knightly meeting him in open field And for I entred first vpon our foes Into the Towne by full consent of all The Grecian Lords vnto my share did fall This faire and Princely Lady Exion Of whome I presently was there possest And since that time haue held her for mine owne And euerwill let Priam doe his best To fetch her hence and therefore 't is in vaine For thee to send for her I tell thee plaine For be assur'd and trust me if thou wilt Thou getst her not from me if that I may And rather shall my dearest blood be spilt And many thousands more before that day Shall ere be seen that I will her forsake Though all the world her quarrell vndertake Thinkst thou I will so easly let her goe Whome for to win much of my blood was lost And for her did receaue so many a blow No sure for that full deare she hath me cost And in good faith I le let her if I can From going from me to another man So deare her person and her seemly grace Her beautie bounty and her comlinesse Her faire and passing amiable face And all her Princely gifts I must confesse Are printed in the closet of my heart That while I liue from theÌ„ce they shall not part Let Priam therefore doe the vttermost That he can do he shall but loose his paine For neuer did a thing so dearely cost As she shall do ere he haue her againe For nought can her redeeme but sword speare And deepe and gastly wounds that mortall are For there shall sure be raised such a strife And deadly warre ere she restored be That it will cost full many a man his life This is the answere that thou getst of me And bid thy Master when he list begin But I suppose he will but little win And for thy selfe as first to thee I told I thinke thee mad and more presumptuous Then thou shouldst be that darest be so bold To bring this message so audacious The noble Grecians therewith to offend But let him thee no more vnto me send On perill of thy life that may betide To thee for thy reward and now get hence With speed I thee command for if thou bide Here longer in my sight to breed offence Thou knowst the price who euer sayeth nay Therefore be gone and see thou make no stay Anthenor hearing this without delay Straight entred ship and put to Sea in hast And sailed to an Island nam'd Achay Where when that he on shore had anchor cast He heard that both the Kings as then abode
wrongs done long agoe And still haue borne it in thy memory That dailie by experience we doe see That while men seeke reuenge for iniury Done long before they oft deceaued be And with a double harme ere th' are aware Fall sodainly into another snare And wrongs that cleane forgotten were and dead Renewed are by trump of flying fame Through salse report rumor that is spread And often hurt mans honor and good name Especially when he doth rashly run Vpon reuenge not carring how 't is done And by his pride and ouer-hasty mood Doth worke his own destruction and decay Remembring not the prouerbe old and good Which vnto men discreet and wise doth say Let him that 's well be sure to keepe him so Least afterward he doth himselfe beshrow And he that walkes on plaine and euen ground Needs not to feare nor doubt a stumbling cast Vnlesse of carelesnes as oft is found He ouerthrow himselfe by too much hast And wilfullie aduentures t' haue a fall As hauing of his state no care at all So must I vnto thee King Priam say That all too retchlesse thou hast euer been The care on fickle fortune so to lay Of thy secured peace for it is seen And knowne to be her custome commonly That when a man trusts most assuredly In her that is so blind and so vnstable She will to him then most inconstant be And as she alwaies was deceaueable Bereaue him soone of regall dignitie And with a trice downe from her wheele him throw Her power and force vnto the world to show Against the which it nought availes to striue For when a man thinkes his estate most sure And that in peace and welfare he doth liue She can when he thinks least his fall procure Therefore let no man hope for happy chance At fortunes hand so full of variance Nor hazard his estate vpon her wheeles Vnlesse he cares not how the same doth goe Nor whether well or ill with him she deales For neuer man did her so constant know That he might say he had continued In one estate and neuer varied Let Priam King of Troye vnfortunate Example hereof be that wilfully Without aduise orethrew his owne estate And brought himselfe into such misery That he his wife and all his Sons being â—laine His noble Citie was destroyd againe And all his Country round about laid wast And whollie brought vnto confusion The memorie whereof while world doth last From age to age and by succession Shall both in bookes and songs recorded be That men thereby may learne plainly see What comes of rash conceit and wilfulnesse When men will run vpon extreamitie And put their happy state in doubtfulnesse By warre wherein there 's no securitie For he that therein seemes most fortunate Oft vnawares doth soon'st receaue the mate For harme once done too late is to amend And sieldome doth a wrong of hatred done Procure to him that doth it happie end Let men therefore be wise and seeke to shun King Priams course and so their steps direct That they in time their error may correct To shew how he into this error fell Which bred his vtter ruine and decay Then must you know that wrath and envie fell Burnt so within his breast both night and day Vpon the answere that Anthenor brought That he could neuer rest till he had wrought The meanes to be reuenged if he might Vpon the Greekes and so in hast he sent For all his Lords and many a noble Knight To summon them vnto a Parliament Commanding them therein to make no stay But with all present speed to come away Where being come and all together met The King with words most graue courage bold When euerie man in his degree was set His will and his intent gan to vnfold What caus'd him that assembly there to make And in this sort vnto them then he spake And said my Lords I know your minds so well That long discourse at this time shall not need The cause of our assemblie for to tell And therefore to the point I will proceed And vnto you as brieflie as I may Declare th' effect of that I haue to say You know full well how that not long agoe By counsell of you all I sent to Greece Anthenor on embassage for to shoe That my desire was with loue and peace To haue my sister Exion home againe But all my suite and labour was in vaine For that the Grecians most vncourteously With threatning words and speeches full of dread Receau'd and vs'd him so despightfully That hardlie he escaped with his head Desying vs most proudlie for the same To our no small dishonour and our shame Which dailie more and more will still encrease Vnlesse that we some remedie procure For whereas we do seeke for loue and peace And all our wrongs would patientlie endure They offer war and flatlie vs denie A small request to grant or satisfie And for the harmes that they to vs haue done They say they will no other order take But for amends our Countrie t'ouer run And bloudie war on vs and ours to make Which their desire increaseth our despight But would to God their hearts were so contrite To cease all strife and friendly to accord That all the mischiefe and the crueltie That bloudie wars doth commonlie afford Might be converted into amitie But they alas are so possest with pride That they disdaine all peace and vs deride Still threatning vs in most despightfull wise But God forbid that all on vs should light Which they suppose and gainst vs do surmise But sith they seeme to shew so great despight And vnto vs pretend such crueltie We must be forced of necessitie By helpe of God their furiousnes to stay And in our owne defence most boldlie stand Sith that our cause is iust Which that we may The better do let vs with heart and hand Ioyn'd all in one most firme and full decree On them with might and maine reueng'd to be Which if we do we doubt not to preuaile For where mens minds agree not in consent Of victorie they shall be sure to faile But when vnto an vnitie th' are bent They cannot choose but nappilie proceed And helpe each other when they stand in need My counsell therefore is that we agree And ioyne in one consent for to withstand The Grecians and the more assur'd to bee Before that we begin to take 't in hand I dare affirme our strength and forces far Exceeds the Grecians power what ere they are Our skill in armes is great as well you know Our Knights they are most valorous and stout Great store of horse and foot-men we can show Well arm'd for war and this we need not doubt But that our towne is most invincible And for our foes to win 't impossible Therefore I do intend by your consent With all the speed I can for to prepare A Navie well appointed to be sent Into the Grecian Land which shall not
should of nature for my sorrowes grieue And with all speedy meanes for to relieue My troubled mind and great aduersitie Sith that you see it doth torment me so And that the cause concernes both you and me Whom nature bind to feele one selfe same woe And as he spake and thus to them did mourne His face vnto Prince Hector he did turne And said Hector my Son my chiefe and only ioy My trust my sole delight my eldest child And here sucessiuelie to raigne in Troy Of whom my hopes as yet were nere beguild Thou that art nam'd the root the spring the well Of Chivalrie and dost therein excell Thy Brethren all whereby thou dost obtaine The soveraigntie of high renowne and fame Esteeme not I thee pray my words in vaine But yeeld and giue consent vnto the same And do the thing for which I long so sore For in thee is my trust and in no more This thing t' effect and wholly bring about And for that cause I make thee Generall Of all my force and herein make no doubt But that thou wilt go forward therewithall And yeeld t' accept of this my iust request For in thy valor onely do I rest And vnto thee it chieflie doth belong As being wise and full of gouerment Flowring in youth actiue and passing strong And hast thy mind to honour onelie bent Though yong in yeares yet of discretion Belou'd of all and of most high renowne And all thy younger Brethren shall obay To thee and at thy will be alwaies presâ— With thee to liue and dye and therefore say If that thou wilt consent to my request And let me heare thine answere herevnto That with all speed we may prepare thereto When Priam thus had shewed them his pretence Hector the patterne of Nobilitie Bowing his knee with humble reuerence Vnto the King as full of curtesie His answere gaue with sober countenance Th' effect whereof was this in full substance My most renowned Lord and Father deare Sith that it is your pleasure and your will That I should speake and you are pleas'd to heare Attentiuely I shall your mind fulfill And such good counsell as my wit affords I le giue to you in few and pithy words True'tis my Lord that natures lawes doe bind And still prouoke mans heart for to aspire And all Gods creatures else of seuerall kind With earnest and most resolute desire To seeke reuenge for wrongs by them sustaind And specially such men as haue attaind Vnto the honour of Nobility For vnto them t' were great reproach and shame And wholly gainst their state and dignity To suffer wrongs done to their name and fame For euery trespasse must considered be And wayd according to the qualitie Of him gainst whome the jniurie is wrought What way or meanes soeuer that it be As also of the person that it sought For t is more griefe to men of high degree To suffer hurt or harme by aduenture Or any wrong vniustly to endure Then vnto men of meaner quality And jniury maliciously contriu'd Is more offence to Princelie Majesty And men from high Nobility deriu'd Then vnto such as by their wealth aspire To worship though the world doth theÌ„ admire This well considered of much bound are we To seeke by force our honour to increase Sith we descend of Royall pedigree And let vs not from iust reuenge surcease For beasts that are by nature voyd of sence Desire the same and seeke their owne defence And for my part I know assuredly That none of all your Sons was ere more prest Vpon the Greekes to be reueng'd then I And herevpon my faith I doe protest That with despight gainst them I burne like fire And thirst their bloud with all my whole desire For as I am your eldest by degree So am I mooued most with angry mood And long by valour and by chiualry With sword in hand to shed the Grecians bloud Which they perchaÌ„ce shall feele ere that they ween When time doth serue as shortly shall be seene But first I must aduise you t' haue a care Ere you begin t' effect this your intent And thinke and way how great the dangers are Which vnto bloudy war are jncident And long not the beginning for to see But studie on the end what it may bee Which if you do you can by no meanes faile For counsell giuen in my opinion Is little worth and nothing may availe Nor yet deserueth commendation Which doth not tend t' advise men seriously To thinke vpon future adversity For though that men at pleasure bring about The first beginning of their tragedies Yet oftentimes it commonly fals out That they doe end with great extreamities And what availes beginning fortunate That after causeth strife and great debate I say therefore great wisedome t is to doubt At th'entring into any enterprise What issue may thereof in th' end fall out Which who so doth I hold him to be wise For that beginning is most fortunate Where midst and end continue in like estate But when they do not happilie proceed T' were better wholly from it to abstaine Then t'hazard mans estate when there 's no need For who so doth assured is to gaine Nought else but mischiefe and adversity And end his daies in great extreamity Let not your Majesty I yow beseech In any wise with me displeased be Nor yet to take exception at my speech For there 's no sparke of any thought in me To giue a cause vnto you of offence For that I speake is onely with pretence To counsell you to see that wilfully You enterprise not that which in the end By misadvice may chance vnhappily And be the cause in fine your selfe t' offend Nor of your foes too small account to make For so men oftentimes themselues mistake But thinke how they hold in subiection All Affrica and Europe wide and long With many another warlike Nation And that they are most valiant Knights and strong Esteem'd of all the world for worthinesse Abounding in great wealth and happinesse So that with your support I dare bebold T'aâ—â—irme that danger tis them to displease And if our quiet state disturbe we should It 's to be feard we must our selues disease And say that Asia should vs aid to fight It is not like vnto the Grecians might And though our Aunt the Princesse Exion Against all right be held by Telamon It is not fit for her redemption To bring vs all vnto destruction My counsel 's not to buy her halfe so deare For that perhaps all we that now sit here And many more might also for her right In doubtfull warres loose both their lire lim And after long and many a bloudy â—ight Perehance shall nere get her away from him Which were no wisedome as it seemes to me And it may hap ere long time passe that she Her fatall course and daies on earth will end And then what shall we reap for her to striue And with our Grecian
enemies contend But onely euer after while we liue Be sure of mortall warre and enmity Sorrow and griefe and all extreamity My counsell therefore is that we endure Our wrongs forepast without contention And not vnto ourselues more hurt procure For t is a point of great discretion Think not my Lord I speake thus much for feare Or cowardise but yet I say that t' were Great folly to commit our happinesse Sith that we now â—iue in security To fortunes hands so full of doublenes And barre our selues of all felicity This is said he all that I did pretend To say to you and so his speech did end When Hector thus his mind declared had And with most graue conclusion so did close The wise discourse which be to them had made His second brother Paris therewith rose And to the King along discourse did make Which in these words with courage bold he spake And said my Lord if 't like your Grace to heare And giue me leaue to speake then must I say And will it proue you haue no cause to feare Nor would I wish you long the time delay With braue and valiant heart to vndertake Vpon the Greekes asodaine warre to make Therewith their pride and malice to confound Sith that you know yourselfe to be so strong Of valiant Knights and that we do abound With plenty of each thing that doth belong Vnto the warres and how our towne most wide Is able all their proud assaults t' abide And which is more invincible to win Besides all this great Princes many aone Our friends so were this warre with them begun Will vs assist to their destruction Let them therefore be nere so bold and stout I see no cause at all why we should doubt Nor reason why we should our selues dismay Therefore if you my counsell now will take I thinke it best you should no time delay Your Nauie to prepare and if you 'le make Me Generall thereof I you assure That I will such a speedy meanes procure That Exion shall recouered be full soone And in such sort it shall by me be wrought That I esteeme it easie to be done For I deuised haue within my thought By Knightly force with strong and mighty hand To rauish some faire Lady in that Land Of high estate and without tarrying Despight of them when as I haue her wonne With all the speed I can to Troy her bring That so you may haue restitution By change of her whom you long so to see And this shall soone by me dispatched be All were the Grecians nere so strong bold And that hereof you may be out of doubt I will in briefe to you the meanes vnfold How I with ease will bring the same about And hope thereby your mind so to content That you 'le reioyce that I was thither sent For that the Gods of their benignitie Haue shewed to me by reuelation Which way the same may well effected be And to that end I had a vision Not long agoe as in a sleepe I fell Which if you marke and it consider well You need not feare to faile nor yet to care To get her home whome you so much desire The manner of my dreame I will declare And in most humble wise your Grace require With patience to abide till I haue done And I will it in briefe soone over-run Your Grace remembreth well to what intent By your command and with commission large Into the Indian land of late I went For things that are committed to my charge And I as then tooke on me to effect Which that I might the time no whit neglect When Titan with his beames most faire and cleare From Gemeny his furious steeds did chace And in the signe of Cancer gan apeare Which called is Lucinaes mancion place When as the Sun was in the highest degree Which in the midst of Iuno we find to bee At that same time as soone as day I saw When Phoebus gan to shew his radiant light Commanding Pirrous vp his wane to draw And Dame Aurora beautifull and bright Began her face out of the East to shew And cast on hearbs and flowers her siluer dew I rose out of my bed with present speed And full intent on hunting forth to goe For that within my heart I had decreed Some honour vnto Cupid then to show And Ladie Venus that day magnifie Which called is the Queene of Venerie And reverently the ancient rights obserue Of Cinthia nam'd the faire bright shining Moone And her in all submissiue wise to serue The which by vs the better to be done My mates and I for pleasure and delight Determined to rest and stay till night Within a wood to play and make some sport As best beseemeth men of youthfull mind And pleasantly our selues to recomfort For that day vnto Venus was assign'd And hallowed to her sacred deity With honour and with soueraigne Maiesty Which euery one obseru'd both small and great For on a Friday t' was when forth we went And when within the pleasant woods we met To hunt for game as t' was our sole intent With labour great we rode both too and froe So long till many a fearefull Bucke and Doe By strength were kilâ— as we them chanst to find And mongst the dales and vallies steepe and low With hounds did chase the Hart tripping Hind Till Phoebus glistring in his chaire did show Iust in the midst or the Meridâ—en When as the beames most burning hot did shine And we vpon our chase most busied were As I by chance strayd from my companie Who in the woods were scattered here and there A mightie Hart did start forth sodenlie From out the thickets hasting to the greene With most swift pace which when that I had seen I spyed my horse and after gallopt fast Vp hils downe dales through bushes thick thin And yet for all I made as then such hast I could by no meanes ground vpon him win But maugre all I did to my despight In little space t' was gone out of my sight Into a wood that Ida had to name Wherewith I waxt so faint that I did stay To rest my selfe and so left off the game And for because that I had lost my way And that my horse whereon I then did ride Foam'd at the mouth and swet on euery side And all his flankes in every place were staind With bloud that with my spurs from him I drew So hotly in the chase I him constraind The Hart that ran so swiftly to pursue With hope in th' end he should by me be caught But all that I could do availd me nought When a mongst the thick lofty trees so greene I found by chance a sweet and pleasant shade As smooth and plaine as ever man had seene I lighted off my horse and fast him made Vnto a tree and wearie as I was I â—ayd me downe vpon a tuft of grasse Hard by a riuer side whose streames most cleare
Nor iudge thereof vnlesse they naked there Before me stood that at my libertie I might behold if everie member were As faire in all respect and each degree As outwardlie their faces faire did show And then my doome they presentlie should know When they had heard me speak they gaue consent And did agree my mind therein t' obay And straight to strip themselues were all content The which to do they made no long delay For they had all decreed before they came That in no point they would denie the same When naked all before me there they stood And that I did behold them at the full And vewed everie part it did me good To see their bodies faire and beautifull But when mine eies on Venus bright I cast For her without delay my iudgement past And vnto her the Apple gaue with speed As fairest of them all excepting none And as at first it was by them decreed I should not partiall be to any one So did I iudge her beautie great to be Much more then th' others two in each degree For as me thought her eies most faire and bright That cast forth streames so cleare and delectable Were like the starre that shines to vs by night Cald Hesperus and so most amiable Faire Venus shewd her selfe ye t' was true I could not choose but giue to her her due Whereat this Goddesse faire did much reioyce And in her heart therewith did seeme to glorie That of her beautie rare I made the choice T' excell the rest and that the victorie By iudgement vnto her as then did fall To be the fair'st and beautiful'st of all And as the winged God to me did say What should be my reward of Venus part She said she would performe without delay And from his vowe and promise neuer start And saying so the Goddesses all three Did vanish and depart away from me And Mercurie with wings began to flie And soaring vp with speed his waie did take Directlie to the cleare and cristall skie And sodainlie therewith I did awake Out of my deadlie sleepe and vp I start And mounting horse from thence did straight depart Now my good Lord whom I both loue dread I ft please your Grace your selfe herein t' advise And vnto that which I haue said take heed You will it not esteeme nor yet surmise To be in vaine by Venus to me said And therefore I wish you not to be afraid But boldlie let me goe to Greece in hast With some great power of men about the thing Which I haue said and ere long time be past I doubt not but the same to passe to bring And as by Venus I am promised Of some faire Ladie certainlie to speed That by exchange of her you may obtaine An easie and a most assured way To get your Sister Exion home againe This is said he all that I haue to say For my advise and counsell to your Grace And so sate downe againe into his place But Priam what should cause thee to forget Thy selfe so much that thou shouldst be so vaine Thy hope and trust vpon a dreame to set I cannot choose but needs must tell thee plaine That shallow was thy wit and thy discretion To trust vnto a false illusion As that thou all care hadst set aside To follow after dreaming fantasie T' is sure that reason then was not thy guide That thou vpon meere follies wouldst relie As Paris did that Pallas did neglect And sacred wisedome wilfullie reiect And some also carelesly reâ—us'd With riches and with all her offers great And she that hath all men so much abus'd And at whose hands their 's nothing els to get But pleasure and the fond delights of loue Which onely doe a man to folly moue Faire J'enus cal'd the blacksmith Vulcans wife Whose seruice though it doth nought els procure Vnto a man but bloody warre and strife By him preferred was but t is most sure That Paris in his judgement was vniust And that his mind was wholy set on lust Whereby the great and famous Troian Towne When it had long been vext with bloudy warre Was in the end brought to confusion By Paris meanes that had so little care When it was offred him his choise to make Of wisedome gold and valor and to take A Woman that was cause of all the woe Which vnto Priam afterward befell Aâ— in this Booke hereafter I will shoe And now on dreames I will no longer dwell But to my matter seriously proceed And shew you what by Priam was decreed Vpon the dreame by Paris then declard But first of all in briefe I 'le let you know What Diophebus sayd who having heard His brothers speech stood vp his mind to show And grauely with a countenance benign Obedience made and spake vnto the King And sayd my Lord if every man should doubt And in his mind forecast and deepely way Concerning future things what might fall out It would be cause to make men often stay All actions whatsoere and neuer bend Their wits nor wils to bring them to an end Nor would they seeke their valours forth to show For he that doubts dares nothing vndertake For if a man before that he doth throw His Corne into the grouÌ„d should recknoning make How many grains thereof consum'd would be By Birds or by some other Casualtie I'would make him feare his ground to sow againe Let vs lay all such foolish doubts aside For I esteeme and hold them meerely vaine And counseil now no longer to abide Nor slacke the time but with a Navy strong Send Paris into Greece for to revenge our wrong This I dare affirme and boldly say That he hath counselled you and vs full well Which no man to speake truth can well denay So that I thinke and must you plainely tell Great error t' were his purpose to contrary And therefore let him now no longertarry But thither with a warlike Navy goe That we may quit them for the villany Which they vnto vs and ours did show In former times with extreame cruelty And for the better execution And getting of our Aunt faire Exion Whom they doe hold from vs by force and might And long haue done to our no little shame And that against all equitie and right Which wounds my heart to thinke vpon the same For remedy whereof I must needs say There is no better meanes nor readier way Then to send forth a strong and warlike band With him to Greece that forcibly he may Some Lady take within the Grecians land And mauger all their might her thence conuay And bring her vnto Troy with present speed By which so braue exploit and warlike deed You may haue meanes to satisfie your mind By changing her for Princes Exion This is the readiest way that I can find For to procure her restitution Which my good Lord I hope you do intend Quoth he my counsell I will end Which sayd his brother Helenus did rise Out of his seate
and with due reverence Vnto the King as beeing learnd and wise Desired him he might haue audience To speake and to declare vnto them all What future danger might on them befall And so with sober countenance and sad He spake and sayd my Lord may 't please your grace To giue command that silence now be made And that I may haue licence for a space Without deceit or guile to shew my mind What I by secret Art and science find Hereafter will fall out wherein as yet I never fail'd as well your grace doth know And sure I am you doe it not forget For whatsoere I tooke on me to show Did come to passe as I did tell it you And you likewise did find it to be true And by Gods leaue I will not spare as now To tell the truth without all flattery For I haue tane an oath and made a vow That from my mouth there shall proceed no lye I say therefore with true intention And as t' will follow in conclusion If you to Greece my brother Paris send I know it well by Revelation Though he effect the thing you doe pretend In fine t will be our owne confusion For so I find by true Astronomy And never yet in any Prophesie Was I deceau d in future accident Nor any that did put his trust in me Then sith all things must haue their true event I counsell you by me forewarn'd to be And by no meanes for malice nor for pride Seeke not reuenge what ever may betide Against the Greeks for if that you proceed T' effect the thing which you as now intend And as within your mind you haue decreed Which is that you to Greece will Paris send Know for a truth and full conclusion T will be the cause of our destruction For by that meanes will certainely befall The ouerthrow of our most ancient Towne Wherefore the howses Pallaces and wall Shall be destroyd and cruelly throwne downe Few words me thinks heerein should now suffice To men that are esteemd to be so wise Wherefore if you respect your owne estate Or doe regard my words I doe not doubt But that you will before it be too late Bethinke your selfe ere worse to vs fall out For better t is for to refraine in time From your pretence which yet is in the prime They hastily t' agree and giue consent Vnto a thing that can vs nought availe And in the end will make vs all repent For this is true and by no meanes can faile T will be the death without exception Of all of vs that are within this Towne First you my Lord th' effect thereof shall trie And by the Grecians fury end your life Your noble Queene that by your side doth lie And long hath been your true and faithfull wife Shall end her daies by extreame cruelty In sorrow woe and great extreamity Your subiects all most woefully shall passe By dint of sword and none from it be freed For silly Infants then shall find no grace If that in your intent you doe proceed And willfully a warre begin to make Against the Greeks and fondly vndertake To trouble your most peaceable estate And so procure the ruine of vs all I say no more but ere it be to late And fore this mischiefe doth on vs befall My counsell is against it to prouide And set all foolish willfulnesse aside Especially when death as I Iaue told Will be the end and finall destenie If that this dangerous purpose you do hold Which all too soone both you and we shall trie Whereof be sure for it will fall out so If Paris in this Greecian voyage go And therewith hauing giuen his aduise With heauy cheare and pale and deadly face As by his countenance sad they might surmise He sate him downe againe within his place At which his words astonied they were And all their hearts were stricken into a feare So that to speake not any one was bold But every man as mute his lips held close Till Troylus did them so sad behold With courage stout out of his place arose Who like a valiant and couragious Knight Desiring nought but gainst his foes to fight And manfully with them his force to trie Then with a mind exceeding light and glad He did behold his Fathers heart to die With feare and all his brethren there so sad And all the rest to looke with heauie cheare T' incourage them he spake as you shall heare And sayd My Lords most valorous and strong Whose wisedomes and discretions well I know Why should you offer to your selues this wrong That sodainely such signes of feare you show Are you perplext within your valiant breasts And feared at the words of coward Priests For all of them as you full well shall find By nature are addicted vnto rest Desirous from their hearts by very kind To liue at ease and travell doe detest Abhorring warre and onely doe apply Their minds to lust and filthy gluttony And care for nought but how they may devise To fill their guts and please their appetite In eating drinking and in avarice They haue their onely joy and sole delight And all their study is on lust and ease For nothing els their greedy minds will please Now fie for shame why are you so dismayd And set abashed thus with inward griefe To heare the words that Helenus hath sayd Whom I dare swere doth shake as t' were a leafe And tremble but to heare vs speake of fight And which is more against all law and right In preiudice of th'immortallitie Doth take on him the truth to certefie Of future things decreed in heauens hie As if he had a spirit of Prophesie Given vnto him alone in speciall And that he were in science coequall With all the Gods and in him had the skill By wisedome and prescience to declare When vnto men shall happen good or ill But I suppose that none so simple are Vâ—â—eâ—â—e they want their sences to beleeue That any man that on the earth doth liue Hath knowledge to deuine of things to come Nor yet can show the fatall destinie Of any one although that there be some Which take on them to do 't but sure they lie For that such things conceald in secresie Reserved are to Gods owne privitie Men may divine but nought it will availe To credit them for as it doth appeare None of them all but doth in judgement fayle Wherefore my counsell is good Father deare And brethren all this feare aside to lay Out of your hearts and let not that dismay Your courages which Helenus hath told Let him within the sacred Temple lie If that in heart he feares as no man would To helpe vs to revenge our jniurie And spend his time in contemplation And fast and pray with great devotion In those most holy places dayes and nites And study vpon his spels and charmes And let such as are lusty valiant Knights Imploy their greene and youthfull time in armes
That they may know the better how to weild A sword and lawnce when as they come in field Against their foes for to revenge their wrong And giue command to Paris straight to goe As you pretend well furnished and strong With all your ships his puissant force to show Vpon the Greeks our jniuries to requite Which to our shames are vnrevenged yet And with that word he did sit downe againe And sayd no more when all that present were Did much commend his wit and warlike vaine And sayd that he deserued praise to beare For valor high renowne and chivalrie And with applause extold him to the skie Wherewith the King gaue thanks vnto them all Dismissing them as then and presently To dinner went in his most sumptuous hall Withall his sonnes and his Nobilitie And hauing din'd as soone as he did rise From Table cald his sonnes in secret wise Prince Paris and Deiphobus his brother And bad them straight into Panomia hie And take with them great store of Knights other To ayd them and to beare them company And therewith speed a Navy to prepare To put to Sea vpon the Greeks to warre And next day after Priam hastily Appointed all his counsellors to meet In Ilyon and they accordingly With speed did come and when they were all set The King commanding silence to be made In pithie words spake vnto them and sayd My noble Lords and Counsellors most graue The cause that I for you as now haue sent Is your advise and counsell wise to haue About our Grecian warres which my intent I did jmpart to you not long agoe And now againe the same doe meane to show It 's not vnknowne vnto you all full well How that the Greeks gainst vs so enviously In most dispightfull wise like Tygars â—ell Did execute their cruell tyranny The which is yet so fresh within my thought That I cannot forget it if I mought Which day by day increasing more and more Within my breast it doth so much torment My grieued heart and vexeth me so sore That in my mind I cannot becontent Especially when as I thinke vpon My deare and loving Sister Exâ—â—â— Who by them still is held in servitude Which many times constraineth me to weepe And doth all joy ouâ— of my heart exclude And makes me fetch most extreame sighes deepe Whose cruelty we haue too deerely bought And yet of late in friendly wise I sought To them to graunt me one thing and no more In recompence of all the wrongs I had Which was my Sister Exion to restore To me againe but they an answere made Contrary to my expectation In scornesull wise and great presumption Refusing that so small and iust request And with proud threats and brags did me defie And sayd that in their hearts they did detest In any thing my mind to satisfie But as we learne by rules of Surgerie We must with Irons sharpe seeke remedie To cut away dead flesh which oft doth lie Within a wound and will by no meanes heale Though nere so many oyntments we applie Even so we must be forst with them to deale For sith peace can procure no remedie It 's our best way to vse extremitie Therefore by your advise I do jntend As soone as ere I can without delay A Navy to the Grecian land to send With Paris to find meanes if that he may Despight of all that dare him there withstand Some Lady faire by force take in that land And bring her vnto Troy and so constraine Them spight their hearts t' exchange faire Exion For her before they get her home againe Which by vs cannot faile for to be done If that the Gods to vs be favourable And this my counsell be acceptable To you each one as well as 't pleaseth me For when a thing concernes the whole estate Of Subiects and their Princes dignitie It 's reason they both should thereof debate And that before they doe thereon decree They should with one consent agree For things that meerely touch the comminalty Of right should be approved by them all And therefore by you all advis'd to be What I should do this counsell I did call Now let me heare sayd he what you will say And therewithall his speech as then did stay This sayd a Knight Percheus cal'd by name Stood vp who was as Ovid telleth vs The sonne of that most worthy man of fame In his time cal'd the great Euforbius In whom as Ovid fames transformed was The soule of learn'd and wise Pithagoras And in most humble wise these words he spake My soveraigne Lord may 't please your noble grace To giue me leaue and no displeasure take In this most high and honourable place With faithfull zeale my mind now to declare And giue you my advise I will not spare To tell the truth for favor nor for dread And to my power advise you to beware Of danger that as now begins to breed For doubtles this t' affirme I boldly dare That if you meane to do as you pretend And Paris into Greece of purpose send You will repent the same â—re long time passe For that my Father cal'd Euforbius Whose skill in Art so true and perfect was And therewithall most wise and vertuous Who future things by his prescience knew And could divine what after would ensue And plainely tell by true Philosophy Th' event of future Fortune ere it fell For nothing whatsoere of secresie But he it knew and could the same foretell And all men esteem'd him wise and sage When he was iust an hundred yeares of age I do remember well would sit and weepe And let fall teares vpon his beard so gray And many times with sighes full sore and deepe And mournfull wise would to me speake and say If Paris once be sent to fetch a wife By force in Greece t' will breed such mortall strife Against vs all that this most noble Towne By Grecians force and extreame crueltie Shall be destroi'd and vtterly throwne downe And nothing shall procure our safety But Grecians swords shall all of vs devoure So much sayd he shall fortune on vs lowre Wherefore I you beseech now euery one Without offence at that which I haue sayd Let all revenge for former wrongs alone And your pretended voyage likewise stay And let not malice be the cause to cease The pleasant course of your most happy peace Nor let vs not commit ore hastely Our happines to fickle Fortunes hand Ne yet disturbe with ancient enmitie This state which now so flourishing doth stand For if that to the same you giue consent Ther 's none of you but shall it sore repent And if thereto your minds so much are bent That by no meanes this voyage you will stay Let some man els in Paris place be sent That so perhaps the better speed you may This is sayd he my counsell in this case Which I thought good to giue vnto your grace Which sayd they all began to shoot
Three thousand valiant Knights of great activity And twenty two faire ships well furnished With all things that to them belonging were Who having all provided that should need King Priam did no longer time deferre But willed Lord Aeneas Anthenor And Polidamus and many Troians more To arme themselues and preparation make With Paris on that voiage for to goe And when they came their leaues of him to take In pithie words he did vnto them show The full effect of his intention Was chiefly to recover Exion For when that Voyage especially he made And so the time no longer to delay When Paris and the rest together had Their leaues of Priam tane they went their way And entring ship did presently set sayle In Venus name in hope she would not fayle By ayd of Ioue t' assist them in their need And entring Sea with weather faire and cleare And wind at will they sayled with great speed That in short time they vnto land grâ—w neare For nothing in their voyage did them let And yet by chance vpon the Sea they met A Ship wherein King Menalaus then was That Sayled vnto Pyilon there to see Duke Nestor and the time with him to passe Suspecting not each to other foes to bee Within those ships the which King Menalaus Vnto King Agamennon brother was And husband to Queene Helena the faire That sister was vnto the brothren twaine King Castor and King Pollux Knights that were Of great renowne in armes and did attaine Vnto such height therein that for the same No Grecian Knights did ere deserue more fame Who at that time remaind within a Towne Cald Strinester their cheife and princely seat Wherein they joyntly raignd with great renowne For that the loue betweene them was so great That they could not jndure to liue alone And with them was the Princes Hermione A Lady that in beautie did excell The daughter of their sister Helena And yet although as then it so befell That they together met vpon the Sea And that they saild close by each others side Yet were their hearts fild with inward pride That neither to each other one made show To call or aske from wence they came or were But past along and for the wind did blow Directly with the Troians and did beare Them swiftly thence they did within a while Ariue before an old and ancient Isle Which Cithera is called at this day And there within the haven did anchor cast Where presently not making any stay Apparelling themselues they did in hast Set foot on land with resolution stout And hope to bring their purposesone about Within this Isle an ancient Temple was Most pleasant and most beautifull to see For that in sumpteous worke it did surpasse All other whatsoere in that countrie Which honourd was of all both farre and neare Throughout the Land and once in every yeare A solemne feast was kept within the same Where many men with great devotion In honour of the Goddesse Venus came To whom they vse with superstition Which by them was obserud from age to age To bring great gifts and went on pilgrimage And every man did offer sacrifice Where while they kneeld and most deuoutly said Their Orations to her in Parum wise The Image vnto them an answere made Of every thing whereof they stood in doubt Resolving them how that it would fall out This custome they do vse continually Within that Church so sumptuous and so braue And did obserue the same most reuerently In hope that they the better speed should haue And as the Gods would hau 't their fortune was To goe on shoare the selfe same day when as This yearely feast was kept in solemne wise Whereto great store of Grecians flockt and came From every place to offer sacrifice And other rights t' obserue about the same The which as soone as Paris did espie He tooke with him some of his company And with them to the Temple went his way Apparelled in braue and sumptuous wise T' obserue the ancient rights there vsd that day At Uenus shrine and t'offer sacrifice And kneeling downe with great devotion Before her Altar made his Oration And on it layd great store of Iewells rare Orientall pearles rich stones and heapes of gold For at that time he would not seeme to spare Which made the Greekes admire and to behold His beauty sumptuous port and Maiestie And in their hearts to muse what he might be For as the story saith he was so faire That no man might therein compare with him And therewithall so fine proportion bare For comely shape of body and of lim That there was never seene a brauer Knight For all men to behold him tooke delight And prest in heaps about him for the same Desiring much his name and state to know And for what cause as then he thither came And prayd his men the same to them to show But they did make their answere in such wise That no man by their speech could ought surmise Yet some of them not fearing to declare The truth both of his name and dwelling place Did boldly tell and thereof made no spare That Priam King of Troye his Father was A Prince of mighty force and great renowne And that he thither came for Exion And thus of him they did enquire and spake As they together were and every one Of severall minds did severall verdicts make And all of them were in suspition But chiefly they in whome no iudgement were For euery man desireth newes to heare And whilst of him the speech went far and neare And past from man to man in Greecian land Queene Helena at last thereof did heare And when as she the same did vnderstand And truth thereof for certainty did know Of those that went and came both too and fro She could not rest vntill that with her eie She found report and sight in one t' agree And for that time determined to trie The truth and those braue Troyan Knights to see But more God knows of meere intention For Paris sake then for devotion She fained on a Pilgrimage to goe Vnto the shrine of Venus bright and cleare That vnto her some honor she might shoe And when all things for her prepared were And she adorn'd most like a stately Queene She went to see and likewise to be seene For what should mooue her else with such desire And in her heart put such a motion To goe to see new sights but secret fire Of wanton lust and no devotion Vpon the Goddesse Venus then to call And as the manner is of women all Delighting to be there where great resort Of people are and tâ—shew themselues at playes And at each common pastime and disport That men their beauties may commend praise And at their better libertie to see How they may find an oportunitie T' effect their wils and alwaies lie in wait In places where their minds and thoughts are seâ— In couert wise their wanton lookes to â—ait And
write So much they did in heart and mind delight That Paris safely home returned is And in his voyage sped so luckily And of his men not any one did misse But all had scaped death most happily And to fulfill their ioy vpon next day As Guido in his Latine verse doth say They did the time no further off prolong But with all speed t' Apolloes Temple went And fore the Larke that morne begun his song Together did with full and free consent Giue faith and troth knit the wedlocke band Betweene them two for euermore to stand Whereto the King himselfe did giue consent And all his Lords and Nobles in likewise The Commons also were therewith content And greed thereto in favour of Paris And so the wedding feast most royally Continued was with great solemnity Within the towne of Troye for eight daies space To write each kind of revell sport and dance The severall sorts of mirths that then there was The braue attire and lofty countenance Of Courtiers proud and lovers amorous The privie grutching of the jealious The runnings and the tilts on every day The divers courses serued at the feast The seuerall kinds of musicke that did play The Largis given the overplus did rest When all was done whole thousands to suffice My English will not serue for to devise Such tearmes and phrases as sufficient were To shew the same But when the certainty Thereof did come vnto Cassandraes eare A thousand sighs she fetcht and gan to cry And woefully did teare and rent her haires And in this sort her face all wet with teares Said wretched Troye why erst thou in this case And giu'st consent vnto this villanie Why art thou now become so voyd of grace As to maintaine so foule adultery And suffrest Paris thus to wed and wiue Queene Helena whose husband is aliue Oh woefull Troye too cruell is thy fate The time is come thou shalt destroyed be To shun the same it is now all too late For many Fathers shall their children lee This day in health the next day shall be slaine And midst the fields lie wounded in great paine And many wiues in sorrow great shall weepe To see their husbands lie in open field Their bodies pierst and cut with wounds full deepe And there in grieuous wise their breaths to yeeld Alas how can they chuse but sore complaine And yet must be content and this sustaine Oh wretched Mother woefull is thy case To loose thy children without remedy And see them slaine each one before thy face And shall not help't though nere so lowd thou cry Alas good Queene what griefe shall thee surpresse And yet shalt and no ease in thy distresse Oh Troyans blinded with security Why will you not be rul'd by my aduise And to avoyd the Grecians cruelty With speed make seperation twixt Paris And Helena and their foule act abhorre And her againe vnto her Lord restore What thinke you that his theft and cruell deed The Grecians will forget and not require No no assure your selues without all dread The sword of vengeance shall most sharpely bite For his offence and will endure the smart When as we shall behold in spight our heart Our Pallaces and houses all cast downe And cruelly destroyd before our face And lastly the subversion of our towne Which at the Grecians hands shall find no grace Alas alas most wretchlesse Queene Helaine Vnhappy woman causer of our paine Bold misadvis'd and meerly without grace Thou onely art procurer of our care And sole disturber of our happie peace And kindled hast the brand of cruell warre For thou alone art ground and root of all The mischiefe that on vs is like to fall And shall see many a dolefull funerall And mournfull feasts held herewithin this towne Thus did Cassandra loudly cry and call To every one as she went vp and downe Throughout the streets boldly to them told What by that meanes vnto them happen shold Still crying out alas and welaway Are you so hard of heart that you nought feare And no man could her furious course then stay Till Priamus the King thereof did heare Who that she might no more such crying make About the Towne he did her cause to take And being bound with chaines in prison cast Where she remain'd long time in miserie And no man for her words and counsell past But liued all in great securitie Where I will let her lye to weepe and mourne And to the Greekes my stile againe retourne The most vnhappy time being come and while That fortune wild the Troyans to be glad And with dissembling face on them did smile For which great ioy and triumph then they made Supposing that all things would fall out wee le Not thinking on the turning of the wheele Of her that is as wavering as the clocke And when men trust her most will turne aside And sodainly vnto them giue a mocke For in deceit she hath her onely pride And loues to hide her beauty vnder cloud Against whose might ther 's no man can him shroud For when she fawnes she 's least to trust vpon For in her smile the Troyans little thought That she pretended their confusion And by that means which they as then had sought For they suppos'd of that to be secure Which they desir'd should the Greeks procure To yeeld vnto their wills and not resist Supposing by that thing by Paris done They should be forst to doe what ere they list But when report thereof abroad did runne And tydings vnto Menelaus was brought Of all the wrongs gainst him by Troyans wrought Whil'st he with Nestor did at Pirrha stay Where he receaued newes most certainly What they had done in th' Island Citheray And what exceeding rage and tyranny They did vpon his men there execute As also of th' assault and hot pursute That on the Greekes they made that fled away And how they spar'd no man nor woman-kind But killed some and tooke the rest as pray And all the gold and treasure they could find And when he heard how they had tane his wife Whome he did loue as dearely as his life And more if more might be a thousand fold His face did looke with pale and deadly hue And therewithall his heart did wax so cold With sorrow which therein did still renue That with much griefe being cast into a sound Like sencelesse corps he fell vnto the ground And could vpon his feet no longer stand Which when Duke Nestor mark't saw him striue Twixt life and death he tooke him by the hand And speedilie did him againe reviue Wherewith he sigh'd and said now woe is me That of my wife I should bereaued be Which was my onely ioy and my delight Come death I say and with thy cruell dart Sith fortune hath to me done this despight In pieces twaine now cleaue my wofull heart For I cannot indure that Helena My Queene should thus frō me be borne away Farewell my
best deserued had And ventured life and lim for honors sake But he himselfe no part thereof would take As having more desire to win their hearts Then t' haue their goods for he that 's liberall And mongst his souldiers willingly imparts His treasure into danger nere doth fall And bountie wins their hearts doth them moue Their Generals to honor and to loue CHAP. X. ¶ How Agamemnon assembled all the Nobles â—â—â— chiefe Commanders of the Grecians where vpâ—â— deliberation taken amongst them they sent 〈◊〉 and Diomedes Ambassadors onto Priam Kiâ—â— of Troye to demaund restitution of Queen Helena and the domages done by Paris in the Temple of Cithera THe treasure dealt among them as you heare Commandment was by Agamemnon made That gainst next day the Princes should appeare Before him to conferre and when they had Tane rest a while and that the radiant light Of Phebus glistring face did shinemost bright Vpon the earth The Grecions on the land And Agamemnon plast in royall seat With all his power which bout him then did stand And all the Princes there together met And placed were each one in his degree Silence once made and oportunity Then offered The King with princely grace And pleasing tearmes as being eloquent And very wise rose vp out of his place And shew to them his will and his intent Th' effect whereof in substance doth appeare Hereafter as you presently shall heare My Lords said he you know and must confesse That we of right and meere necessity Compelled are at this time to redresse A wrong to vs done by the cruelty Of Troyans vnto whome we gaue no cause To breake the ancient God of peace's lawes True t is that we as all the world doth know Are of sufficient power force and might And are esteemd and knowne of hie and low To be the men that able are to right All wrongs whatsoere both by sea land T' effect such things as we shall take in hand Despight of all that gainst vs will resist Yet I suppose and 't ever hath been seene That power which in it selfe doth not consist Nor is puft vp with pride hath alwaies beene And to the Gods is most acceptable And longest doth remaine vpright and stable For is there any one amongst vs all But knows for truth and can full well expresse What harmes and griefs do oftentimes befall By envie pride and diuellish wilfulnesse And when by pride men take a thing in hand The Gods incenst their actions do withstand And crosse all those that are superbious For truth to say it is avice abhord Of every man and held most dangerous For pride nought else but mischiefe doth afford Yet must we not for pride esteeme or hold The valor in a man of courage bold For he that vnto pride his mind doth giue Or doth converse with one that 's proud in heart And takes delight with such a man to liue Can neither will nor chuse but haue his part Of all such crosses as to pride befall Which commonly despised is of all And nothing doth impaire mans honor more Of what estate so euer that he bee Then pride Wherfore let vs the same abhore And from it as from cruell viper flee And wholly race it out of heart and mind And so we shall the Gods more gracious find Especially when as our quarrel 's iust And that we ground it vpon equity But if that pride and envie should vs thrust Into a warre without necessity Or lawfull cause but onely of meere hate The end thereof would proue vnfortunate But all you know that we as now are here With full consent within the Troyan land To be revengd for wrongs that long since were By Priam done to vs and for to stand Vnto the triall of our cause by might Wherein we know we do nought else but right And to that end we haue begun t nvade And wasted spoyld and over-run his lands Destroyd and rane his Castles strong and made Occision of his men with warlike bands And many other harmes committed haue Whereof himselfe the first occasion gaue So that if he did hate vs heretofore As by fore passed actions it appeares I dare well say he hates vs now much more And that if to revenge himselfe it were Within his power you presently should see What strange revenge by him would taken bee And yet t is sure that they full well do know And heare of our arrivall in their land Although thereof they seeme to make no show And what by vs is done they vnderstand For that as yet it 's fresh in memory So that if they were strong vs to defie They would soone march to meet vs in the field Yet certaine t is their towne is huge and great And by all men invincible is held And fild with Knights therein together met Of their allies so that ere we begin I know we shall small vantage gainst them win For he that in a quarrell iust doth stand And fighteth to defend his Countreâ— Within a towne in his owne natiue land And hath great store of faithfull friends that be To him allied more vantage hath thereby To ayd himselfe then hath his enemy For oftentimes the Raven doth withstand And fights long with the Fawlcon in his nest Before the Fawlcon gets the vpper hand And hath the meanes to flie and take her rest While that the Fawlcon doth for her attend For birds will in their nests themselues defend I speake not this and so I pray conceaue To put your valiant hearts in any doubt Or once your minds of hope for to bereaue Of bringing this our enterprise about Which is to spoile and vtterly confound The Troyans and their towne though it abound With men and meanes against vs to resist And to defend themselues for certaine time For â—re we from our enterprise desist Which now you see is meerely in the prime We make no doubt but to destroy them all And bring them to their ends what ere befall But th' only cause why I these words nowvse Is to diswade you from presumption And pride of heart least that you should abuse Yourselues herein by indiscretion And wisely in this case so well provide That reason and not will may be your guide And ere we stirre from hence such order take That we may reape great commendation And of our wars a happy end soone make For th'onor of the Grecian Nation For oft we see the want of good foresight I speciall cause to breed a man despight When as he vndertaketh any thing Without forecasting what thereof may fall And in the end doth him to ruine bring It stands vâ—then vpon in mind to call What issue may ensue of our intent Least that in fine it maketh vs repent You know how first King Priamus did send To vs to haue his sister Exion By faire meanes and to peace did seeme to bend Who yet is holden by King Tolamon And how that we with one consent
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
foes That many a 〈◊〉 thereby his life did lose Then to the field Duke Nestor proudly brought Fiue thousand valiant Knights in armor bright That furiously against the Troians fought And on the Troians side the worthy Knight King Esdras with a courage stout and bold And Philon in his stately chaire of gold With all the valiant Knights and chivalry That for to ayd King Priam thither came Out of Agresta land with Iacony The Prince and heire thereof and with the same Couragiously vpon the Grecians ran At which time many a braue and worthy man Was fiercely slaine and maim'd on euery side And from the men that on the ground lay dead And wounded sore with gashes long and wide The field all ore was died in colour red With streames of blood that men therin might wade Such slaughter at that time twixt them was made At which time Philon fought most furiously And did by valor great the Troians ayd And many a Greeke that day did cause to die But while thus fighting valiantly he staid At vnawares he was inclosed round And sodainly himselfe in danger found For that the Greekes so compast him about That he vnlikely was from them t' escape For by no meanes he could from thence get out But that in th' end they would him either take Or kill outright but that Prince Iacony Vnto King Esdras loudly gan to cry Saying my Lord by our great negligence King Philon at this time will sure be slaine For gainst so many Greeks ther 's no defence But that he must needs die or els be tane If we relieue him not if that we can And so in hast they altogether ran And in despight of all the Greeks by force They did release King Philon from their hands Who glad thereof did mount vpon his horse And road with them vnto the Troian bands That then with all their power force and might With Hector that most brave and worthy Knight Deiphobus and Pollidamas and other Couragious Troian Knights that had decreed With one consent and valiantly together The Grecians freshly to assayle with speed Of purpose if convenient meanes they found With all their puissant power t' inclose theÌ„ round That few of them should scape with life from theÌ„ce And to that end did fiercely them assaile And did compell the Greeks with small defence For that as then their courages did fayle To loose their ground and to retire with speed And finally were driuen into such need That mauger all their might they had that day Been vtterly brought to confution And forced in the end to run away If that King Menelaus and Thelamon When as they saw them faint and halfe afraid Had them not then incouraged and staid And made them once againe themselues defend Till that Aeneas and Duke Eufrenus Against the Greeks did valiantly descend With other troopes of Knights chivalrous And freshly them againe did sore oppresse And Hector also by his worthinesse Like Lyon fierce with sterne and cruell face Did put them to so great extremitie That like to sheepe that cruell woolfe doth chase They were compeld with feare from him to flie As glad his strong and trenchant blade to shun And from it for to saue their liues to run The which when valiant Aiax did espie He had in heart so much compassion To thinke vpon the great extremitie With cruell slaughter and confusion The which the Greeks as then did feele and find That when he turn'd his backe look't behind And saw so many Grecian wings that staid And were in order prest within the field Which banners large and pennons faire displaid And all that while the cruell fight beheld And saw how Hector had the Greeks in chase Yet stirred not one foot out of their place Although in them the flower of chivalry On Grecians side there was that able were The Troians to withstand and valiantly To be reveng'd on them and for to beare The furious charge of their fierce enemies In all the hast he could to them he hies And loudly vnto them for helpe did crie Whereatin hast the wearied Greeks to ayd They marched forward gainst the enemy With ensignes rich and pennons braue displaid And when they and the Troians fiercely meet The earth did shake and tremble with the feet Of horses that in furious wise did fling And gallop in the field and then did rise Anâ—â—eous noyse wherewith the ayre did ring O huge and mighty strookes and fearefull cries On either side and many a Knight was seene With deadly wounds lie gasping on the greene Then Aiox gainst Aeneas fiercely ran And he gainst him as willingly did ride For twixt them both such enmitie as than And hatred great there was on either side That nought but death their furies could asswage And did together meet in such a rage That with the blow that each the other hit Most puissantly withall their force and might Each other to the ground they brauely smit And vp againe they rose on foot to fight And there a valiant combat twixt them tride Where as they both great danger did abide Amongst the horses feet vpon the ground Till that Philocletes that brauely fought That day on Grecian side had Aiax found And him another horse to mount on brought And did assayle the Troians valiantly That other wise had had the victory Against the Greeks but that Philocletes Withall his Knights them man fully withstood And first of all as th' Author Guido saies At Hector with a speare he fiercely roade Which with the blow in many peeces brake But stird him not off from his horses backe For though he had receiu'd so great a stroke That well might haue orethrown avaliant Knight He sat as stif and sturdy as an oke And with his speare Philocletes did smite Through armor shield and body that withall Sore wounded to the grouud he made him fall That off his life his Knights were much in doubt Then to the field King Humerus and eke Ulisses came and with cen thousand stour And valiant Knights and many a worthy Greeke The Troians did assaile so furiously And with great multitudes of new supply Vpon them set that in despaire and feare And wearied with so long and cruell fight They gan for to recule and readdy were To turne away and take themselues to flight It Paris had not come with more supply To rescue them and at his entery Into the field the King of Frizia met That vnto King Ulisses was of kin And in such furious wise vpon him set That without more adoe he ran him in Through armor shield and bodie with his speare Whereat the Greeks full sore abashed were And for his death Ulisses grieved so That in a rage and with extreame despight He did a speare at Paris fiercely throw To pierce his heart but it to low did light Yet nerethelesse it went with such a force That with the strength thereof it kild his horse And he thereby fell flat vpon
should goe And comming to his father did him pray That with three thousand Knights he wold him ayd And gainst the Grecians goe without delay Who presently with all his Knights did ride Into the field and there the Greeks assaild Most valiantly and gainst them so prevaild That in short space so many of them were slaine And overthrowne by Priam furiously That at that time the field and all the plaine Were covered with dead Greeks and they did flie With speed before his face as glad to get Away from him so hot on them he set And then as Hector valiantly did ride Throughout the field the Troians to relieue And Alax likewise on the Grecian side Some ayd and succour vnto them to giue Like Lyons strong they both together met And on each other did so fiercely set That with their mighty speares and puissant force Th'incountred so magnanimiously That each the other brauely did vnhorse And gainst their willes vpon the ground did lie And at that time King Menelans did fall Vpon a worthy Troian Admirall And kild him with his sword and so began A cruell â—ight and slaughter to renew On either 〈◊〉 And Câ—lydâ—â—â—us than Infurious wise King Thoas nephew slew And Madan like a stout and valiant Knight With sword in hand so cruelly did smght A Grecian King cald Cedeus in the eies That with the blow one eye he cleane smote out And Sardellus a Troian Knight likewise As he from place to place did range about Vpon a Grecian Lord so fiercely fâ—ew Whom Guydo nameth not that he him â—lew And at that time Margariton a Knight Oâ— Troyans side with wrath and furious ire Most valiantly with Thelamon did fight And he also with him with like desire But Thelamon did smight him to the ground And gaue him with his lance a deadly wound And Phaâ—iâ—ll the worthy Troian Knight With speare in hand and fierce and furious mood King Prothenor off from his â—orse did smight And thus King Priams sonnes as then withstood The Grecians in such wise that all that day Most cruelly they did them wound and â—lay To be reueng'd on their inveterate foes And by that meanes in that most furious fight Great store of Grecian Knight is their liues did loose And then King Anglas with his speare did smight Menestes Duke of Athens on his shield But nerethelesse still on his horse he held And for because no lance as then he bare With sword in hand he did to anglas go And with it furiously his beauer â—are From off his face and with the selfe same blow He cut his nose cleane off or very neare Whereat a while he stood as in a feare To see the blood run downe his face so fast That with the same his arâ—oâ—all was died But like a stout and valiant Knight at last He spurd his horse and road somewhat aside To stench it if he might without the field But when his brother Deaâ—or it beheld And saw him by Menestes wounded so He ran at him in fierce and furious wise And hit him with his speare so great a blow That downe he fell and ere that he could rise Another of his brethren did come thither And they all three assay led him together With full intent to kill him if they might And to that end on him most furious â—â—Spandâ—â— But Menestes that was a valiant Knight So gallantly their fierce assault did boare And sought so well that wonder â—'was to see But Thoas â—h'eldest brother of the three Most busiest was from him his life to take And with most furious rage and crueltie His helmet at the last in peeces brake And brought him to so great extremitie That without doubt he surely then had died Had not King Tâ—nâ—â—an bin that him espied Who grieuing to behold him in that case Ran hastely to ayd him if he might But when he gotten had vnto the place Whereas they fought and like a valiant Knight Did brauely him relieue out of his paine And great distresse t' was labor all in vaine For Hector who as then by chance came thither And saw King Tentran fight so valiantly Assay led him and Menestes together And there had slaine them both assuredly If Aiax had not been that him espied And with a thousand Knights vnto him hied And with them all at once did him assayle To saue them from his furie if they might And Hector of his will then made to fayle But Paris like a hardy valiant Knight With the renown'd and worthy Persian King And with fiue thousad Knights that he did bring Vnto the fied perceiuing their intent To ayd his brother Hector straight did goe And being to revenge then fully bent He presently did cause a trumpet blow Whereat the valiant Knights that Hector led That day into the field well furnished Came speedily vnto him at his call Against the Greeks â—on to enforce the fight And to relieue their valiant Generall And so with extreame furie and despight Greâ—â— store of Grecian Knights that day they slew And in such sort the battaile did renew That many a Greeke in heart was grieued sore To see the losse and great destruction Vpon them made But Hector euermore Such valor show'd that he himselfe alone A thousand Grecian Knights that day did slay And made the Greeks to flie and run away Not daring to behold his furious face That wholy vnto cruelty was bent And while that he so furiously did chase His enemies not farre off from a tent It was his chance King Mereon to behold Whom when he did espie with courage bold And countenance sterne vnto him spake said Traitor thy glasse and fatall course is run Thy life must end no time shall be delaid For that before into the West the sunne Descendeth downe know that assuredly With this my sword thou shalt not faile to die Because that thou so hardy wast this day When as I thought Patroclus armes to haue To hinder and bereaue me of my prey For which thy bold attempt nought shall thee saue And therewithall downe from his horse he light And with his sword his head cleane off did smight And thought his armor likewise to haue had But while that to disarme him he began Menestes Duke of Athens that was glad To be revengd on Hector at him ran When as his backe was turn'd and suddenly At vnawares did wound him cruelly And pierst him through the armor in the side Whereat the blood in streames ran out a maine The which when Hector felt he straight did ride Out of the field and for to ease his paine He caused one to search and dresse his wound And for to stanch the bleeding fast it bound Meane time Menestes closely got away For to be freed from Hectors furious force Intending not to meet him all that day Which done againe he mounted on his horse And to the field returned with much more And greater rage then ere he had before For that his heart so furiously
head with so great force That therewith all he feld him off his horse And while they fought Hector Achilles met And him assaild so cruelly againe That with a blow that on his head he smet His helmet cleft almost in pieces twaine And had him brought to such extreamity That at that time without all remedy He would him there perforce haue prisoner â—ane I Diomede had not by chance come thither The quarrell of Achilles to sustaine And with his sword while they two fought together To Hector gaue a blow that hurt him sore But he nothing at all dismaid therefore Straight turnd his horse about to Diomede And smote him with his sword so furiously That with the blow he feld him off his steed The which assoone as Troyelus did espie Without delay off from his horse he light Vpon his feet with Diomede to fight Who then together fought so valiantly That no man that beheld them well could tell Which of them both should haue the victorie For each of them in Knighthood did excell And while they two together so did fight Hector againe vpon Achilles light And on him set with fierce and furious mood Where twixt them both a gallant fight was seene And each his foe so fiercely then with stood Aâ—â—â— two cruell Lyons they had been Meane time the Greeks with many a gallant wing Of Knights came on with Menelaus the King With great desire vpon their foes to set And next to him did march Neoptolemus Then wise Ulisses aud stout Pollimet Palamides and valiant Selemus Duke Menestes Duke Nestor and King Thoas Currinulus and then Philoctheas And lastly with the rereward followed Duke Theseus with a band of gallant men And on the Troyans side there entered All those that to the towne were come as then Against the Greekes to helpe them in their need And all the Kings by whom they then were led And none did stay behind but Hectors band Wherewith that day himselfe had issued And at that time did valiantly withstand Their Grecian foes and then much bloud was shed On either side for that most cruell fight Procur'd the death of many a valiant Knight And while the fight twixt them continued thus It was King Agamemnons chance to meet Among the prease with stout Pantisilaus And on him there in furious wise did set And he on him likewise and in their course Each strake the other down off from his horse And Menelaus againe on Paris set And each to other furiously did ride And when they both together fiercely met King Menelaus hit Paris on the side A blow which though it hurt him not at all Yet he was forst downe from his horse to fall Wherewith in heart he was exceeding wrath And at that time did seeme to blush for shame Least Helena should know 't as being loath That it against his honor name and same Should vnto her be told that by maine force King Menelaus had thrown him from his horse And then the valiant King Adrastus met Ulisses in the prease and there together A while they fought with force and courage great Without advantage one against the other But at the last Vlisses stroke a blow At him so hard that it did overthrow Him to the ground and then he tooke his horse And sent it by his Squire to his tent Then valiant King Palamides by force King Hupon did assaile and they two spent Long time in fight till with great cruelty Palamides a blow at him let flie With so great force that it did wound him sore And therewith all dead to the ground he fell Not farre from them two pikes length no more Neoptolemus who did in force excell Assailed King Archilagus whereas Betweene them both a valiant fight there was Till in the end each th' other did vnhorse Then to the field came stout Pollidamas Vpon a gallant steed of mighty force And when he did perceiue and saw whereas The valiant King Palamides did ride He set his spurs vnto his horses side And ran at him with such exceeding force That maugre all his valor and his might He gaue him such a blow that from his horse He threw him on the ground with great despight For to revenge King Hupous death whome he Had slaine before with extreame cruelty Not farre from thence King Selemus did set Vpon a King cald Carras and by force When they in furious wise together meâ— Selemus threw King Carras off his horse On th' other side King Philâ—mâ—ns assaild The worthy Duke of Athens and preuaild So much gainst him that â—â—ally by force Although he was both valiant stout strong And fought right well he tooke from him his horse And led it in his hand with him along And worthy King Philâ—ctâ—â— did fight With Râ—mus and each of them both did smight The other from his horse And Theseus As he amongst his Troyan foes did fight By chance did meet with King Coriolus A Prince of passing valor force and might Where twixt the both the fight continued long For Theseus likewise was exceeding strong Till each the other wounded sore did smight Off from his horse and rising vp againe Vpon their feet still valiantly did fight A fierce and bloudy combate to otaine The victory against his mortall foe For each of them great prowesse then did shoe And all this while the sons of Priamus Behau'd themselues so valiantly in fight And gainst the Greeks like Knights couragious Such valor shewd that by their force and might Great store of Kings Dukes Lords knights were slaine And many Greeks laid dead vpon the plaine And at that time renowmed Thelamon With speare in hand set spurs vnto his horse And furiously ran at King Sarpedon Who likewise at him ran with mighty force And each the other mortally did wound And in that sort they both fell to the ground And after they a furious fight had held And cut and mangled each the other sore WheÌ„ neither of them both their armes could weld They were constraind to breath and fight no more And mongst the horses feet in danger stood And all the ground about theÌ„ dide with blood While Thoas and Achilles that had spide Where Hector fought in midst of all his foes Vnto him in most furious wise did ride And vnawares they did him round enclose And with great spight which they vnto him bore They did assaile and set on him so sore That they did smight his helmet from his head And in the same gaue him a mighty wound But he therewith no whit astonished For in him never cowardise was found Most valiantly against them both did fight And many furious blows at them did smite So that advantage none on him they got Till Thoas did a blow at him let flie Wherewith his nose off from his face he smâ—â— The which when as his brethren did espye The Grecians they so furiously assaild And at that time so much gainst them preuaild That Thoas valiaritly
by them was tane And Thelamon assaild so cruelly That they supposing him to haue beene slaine Vpon the ground for dead did let him lye Till that his men did beare him to his tent And Thoas prisoner vnto Troy was sent Despight of all the Grecian knights that sought To giue him ayd in that extremity And Menelaus as he in field then tought And road from place to place at last did spie Where Paris did the Grecians fiercely slay For whom he had in wait laine all that day And presently his horse he spurd in hast And ran at him intending if he might Ere that he further mongst the Grecians past To kill him sodainly with great despight But his intent and purpose to prevent Paris that had his puissant bow then bent At him did let a poysoned arrow fly And gaue him therewith all a deadly wound Wherewith he was in such extremity That he fell downe halfe dead vpon the ground Which when his knights did see that then were nere Forthwith vnto his tent they did him beare Where with all speed for Surgions straight he sent Who being come in hast they searcht the wound And ere that they into it put a tent When as they had it viewd vnto the ground They first of all drew out and tooke away The arrow head that in the bottome lay And then did wipe and clense it thorowly Of all the matter and corruption That they could find therein and presently Put in a tent and bound it vp which done King Menelaus no longer would abide But furiously into the field did ride With full intent and purpose to require Himselfe although he had so great a wound On Paris that same day if that he might And never ceast vntill that he him found By fortune cleane vnarmed in the field Of sword or Launce of Target or of shield Or Bow in hand the which as I suppose He did for to refresh himselfe when as He had long fought against his Grecian foes And at that time exceeding wearie was Which Menelaus espying straight did take His Launce in hand towards him did make And without doubt at that time had him slaine Had not Aeneas been that him beheld And sodainly stept in betweene them twaine And did receaue the blow vpon his shield Else Paris had assuredly been kild At that same time disarmed in the field And presently Aeneas set a band Of valiant Knights on Paris to attend And to defend his person and withstand The furie of King Menelaus to th' end He should him not with disadvantage slay For he in wait at that time for him lay And had as then by Hector taken been If that the Greeks had not come sodainly To rescue him with multitudes of men And at that time relieu'd him speedily But Hector by his valor great might Dispersed kild and put them vnto flight So furiously that he did them constraine By force of armes vnto their tents to run And by that meanes the Troyans did obtaine The battaile gainst the Greeks th'onor wun That day and fore them brauely did pursue And beat them till the day to euening drew And Phoebus did descend into the West For he as then was ready to go downe At which time they went home to take their rest And entering againe into the towne Shut fast their gates and so that day did end And when that Phoebus light againe did send Next morning when the skie was covered With crimson coloured clouds which he then sent And ere the azure element did spread Before the Sun did rise in th'orient King Priamus intending not to goe That day into the field against his foe His Privie Counsell summond to appeare Before him that same morning speedily Whose names as I in Guido find then were Hector the flower and root of Chivalry His second brother Paris Deiphobus And lusty yong and worthy Troyelus Anthenor and his son Pollidamas Aeneas and some other Princes more And when that he with them assembled was And that they had shut fast the counsell dore Each one in order set and silence made King Priamus vnto them spake and said My Lords in whome my trust I do repose And onlie on your valors doe relie You know that mongst our sterne deadly foes King Thoas now our pris'ner specially Did alwaies vnto vs great hatred beare Although of him we never stood in feare And to his power hath sought vs to offend And now to seeke our full subversion With all the aid that he the Greeks can lend Is come with them here to besiege our towne And to procure our ruine and decay By all the meanes that possibly he may Wherefore in reason and in equity If vnto you it be acceptable And that it liketh you as it doth me I thinke it not a thing vnreasonable That sith he seeks to do vs iniurie With like for like he should required be And as our deaths he seeketh to procure So let him die for reason doth require That he the selfe same censure should endure Which he in heart to others doth desire This is my doome now let me heare I pray What euery one of you thereto will say To this Aeneas answere made and said If to your Grace it will be no offence That to the proposition you haue made I may reply with leaue and audience Of you and of your counsell learnd wise I will to you herein giue mine advise It doth behooue your Royall Maiestie In all things which your Grace in hand shall take Not to proceed therewith too hastily But ere that you begin your reckning make What may ensue thereof and looke not on The first beginning of a thing alone But as all wise men do forecast the end And then proceed that you may bring to passe With issue good the same which you pretend For that thing sure is well begun when as The end and the beginning both agree And either of them fals out happilie Least otherwise for want of good forecast You might constrained be another day Against your will t'repent your selfe at last The reason why I this to your Grace say Is that I thinke it good you should remember That Thoas who is now your prisoner Is mongst the Greeks one of the principall And greatest Lords of bloud and high degree And that if at this time it should befall He should be put to death by your decree It may be that all those that giue consent Thereto at last full sore would it repent For if by chance which no man can withstand Some of your Sons or chiefe Nobilitie Now in this towne should fall into the hand Of them and by that meanes should prisoners be Assure your selfe they 'le shew like gentlenes To them as you do him in this distresse For if King Thoas now condemn'd should be And put to death you must your reckning make The Grecians will shew vs like crueltie If any of vs they should prisoner take Yea though it
aid Achilles did withstand Who at that time in extreame danger stood And could not scape by any likelihood But either had been taken or else slaine For Hector on him set so furiously That he had not beene able to sustaine The fight gainst him and those that busilie Vpon him set till that King Thelamon Much grieu'd thereat when as he heard theron With many thousand Grecians thither road And in despight of all the Troyans force Who notwithstanding brauely him withstood Did rescue him and holpe him to his horse But not without the losse of many a knight But for because as then it drew to night They left the battaile for that time and went Out of the field the Troyans to the towne The Grecians everie one vnto his tent And for that night to rest themselues lay downe And after that as Dares Frigius saies Continually for space of thirtie daies They neuer ceased valiantly to fight And furiouslie each other to destroy On either side but yet for all their might The Grecians lost much more then they of Troy And Priam lost in those most furious fights Six Bastard sons all braue and valiant knights For whome he made much dole and heauinesse And neuer ceast to weepe and to complaine And in that time as Guido doth expresse Hector a wound got in his face againe And in that sort each t'other did procure Great losse while all those battailes did endure Till Priamus vnto the Greeks sent downe For truce for six months space if that they would Grant therevnto which King Agamemnon With all his Lords contented was to hold And so it was confirm'd on either side For so long time betwixt them to abide And while it held the worthy Champion Hector the chiefe defence of Troy did lie To heale and cure his woâ—nds in Ilion King Priams Princelie house Whereof if I Should take on me as Dares sets it downe To make to you a full description I feare I shall want learning to expresse And shew the same to you for t is too much For my bare wit to doo 't I must confesse For truth it is there nere was any such In all the world before that ere was seene For riches nor the like nere since hath beene For as he saith t' was made for great delight And stood vpoÌ„ twelue mightie stones foure square The which were all of Alablaster white The true and right proportion that it bare Was twenty paces in the latitude And iust as many in the longitude The pauement vnder foot was Christ all cleare And all the walls compos'd and made of stones The which most costly rich and sumptuous were As Rubies Saphires Agaâ—s Diamones Topas Emrands Turques Crosolites Purfier Iasper Iet and Margarites And many other kinds the which are found And with great labour sought and digged out Within the rich and fertile Indian ground And all the Countries of the world about The which did glister shine and show as bright Within that faire sumptuous house by night As when the Sun by day therein did shine And round about the hall most curiously Huge pillars therein stood exceeding fine And brauely made of pure white Ivorie Which on the tops of each of them did hold Most great and massie Images of gold Inchast with Pearls precious stones most bright So that the stately workemanship and fashion Of that most sumptuous Pallace to the sight Was likelier by estimation To be compos'd by incantation Then wrought and made by mans invention And rather seem'd a thing celestiall And framed by the heauenly Deity Then any house of Prince terrestriall But for because I never did it see I will conclude and briefly to you tell Thâ—â— iâ— all other buildings did excell And turnd againe vnto King Priamus Who while the truce aforesaid did endure Most earnest was by workemen curious To make most costly tombes for Sepulture Of his six Bastard sons aforesaid dead That in the warre their liues had finished And all this while King Diomede lay sicke And inwardly did feele great woe and smart By Cupids shaft that cruelly did pricke And sting him through the brest into the heart For loue of his faire Lady Cresida For whom he neuer ceast both night day To fret grieue with deepe sighs complaine And for that cause most wilfullie begun To leaue all food and foolishlie abstaine From earthly ioy and lookt so pale and wan That he did seeme to be a man forlorne And one that all terrestriall blisse did scorne And ever vnto her did still complaine And prayed her of loue and charitie To shew some grace to ease him of his paine And nor to put him to extreamitie Which surely was for her sweet sake to die If vnto him her loue she would denie But cunningly she held him at a bay And for to haue and keepe him in good hope She still did vse to feed him with delay Yet would not seeme to giue him too much scope But as it were twixt hope and deepe despaire Shewd vnto him a countnance glad and faire To ease him partlie of his heauinesse And then with some new tricke as in disdaine Would put him to some other new distresse And rather more then lesse encrease his paine As wylie women well can play such parts With men that pierced are with Cupids darts And make them oftentimes to giue assaies Yet wau'ringly to stand twixt hope and dread By putting them to Non-plus by delaies As Cresida dealt with King Diomede Of purpose for to set him more on fire For naturally all women doe desie When they haue made men after them to dance Twixt hope and dread both linked in a chaine Vnequally to hang them in ballance Of most vncertaine end of either twaine To make them long and many yeares to serue Nought caring whether they doliue or starue Loe here what by too fervent loue is got For she to keepe him still in seruitude Held him at such a bay that he could not Perceaue what she did meane but to conclude Left him in doubt wherein I le let him lie And vnto you will further certifie How well themselues the Troyans did defend Against the Greeks their enemies in field When as the six months truce were at an end Who after that twelue daies together held Continuall fight and never would refraine Wherin great store of valiaÌ„t knights were slaine On either side all in their owne defence Which in the field long did vnburied lie Whereof ensu'd so great a pestilence Among the Greekes by much extreamitie Of heat and by contagiousnes of aire That they therewith did fall in great despaire For day by day so many of them dyed That in short space their number did decrease Most mightily the which when they espyed And saw the plague still more more encreast Their Generall a messenger sent downe With all their whole consents vnto the towne To craue a truce if Priam would consent And yeeld thereto for thirtie dayes
t' endure Which when the Troyans heard they were content And willingly the same did them assure In hope the plague whereof they dyed so fast Would be a meanes to kill them all at last CHAP. VI. ¶ How Andromecha in a dreame was foreâ—arâ—ed of her Husband Hectors death if he the next day following entred into the field and how he refusing her counsell was the next day slaine in the battaile by Achilles WHen as the plague among the Greeks did cease And time of truce likewise was at an end The Grecians that in courage did encrease Determined and fully did intend T' assaile and set vpon the Troyan foes Betimes next day assoone as Phoebus rose But as the storie saith the night before Andromecha Prince Hectors louing wife That vnto him two Princelie children bore Whome he did loue as dearely as his life The eldest cald Laomedon the other Astionax much lesser then the other For he as then was small and very yong And onely with his mothers pap was fed And neither had the vse of foot nor tong As she lay fast a sleepe within her bed Was troubled with a sodaine vision Or as men say a revolution By dreame as hapned to King Scipio Whether it were by divine Oracle Or that the Gods did then vnto her shoe And giue her warning as a miracle Wherein she thought that one to her did say That if that Hector issued forth next day Out of the towne his Grecian foes t'assaile That he should not escape but certainlie Fell fate would then so much gainst him preuaile That she would him in trap and finally Fierce Atropos that foule and divellish fend The thrid of her deare husbands life would end Thereby to shew her cruell force and might If he that day into the field did goe Wherewith she fell into so great a fright And thought that she did feele such extreme woe That waking of a sodaine vp she start And for her dreame was grieued at the heart And lay and sighted sore and could not sleepe By reason of the extreame griefe and sorrow She had conceau'd and pittiously did weepe But specially the next ensuing morrow When she beheld the worthy famous knight Hector put on his compleat armour bright And ready was to go out of the towne To whome with flouds of teares within her eies She ran in hast and on her knees fell downe And vnto him declar'd with woefull cries The fearefull dreame she had the night before But he esteem'd it not but was therefore Offended and with indignation Affirm'd and said that folly great it were For men that are of good discretion Such peeuish fond and idle dreames to feare Or trust vnto so foolish fantasies Of visions that most commonly are lies And full of iests and false elusions Whereof the end is onely to delude Such as do trust to their conclusions Although the common people grosse and rude Are mooued with most fond affection To iudge by them in their opinion What may ensue and what they signifie Which many times falls out as they suppose But oftner times do hap cleane coâ—â—â—arie Whereat with wringing hands straight vp she â—â—se But downe againe she fell and there did lie A while as in a trance and then did crie And said alas my loue and Lord most deare Why will you not belieue nor thinke vpon Your louing wife but her refuse to heare That with good will and true affection Desires and wisheth you all good she can And vp she rose like one that 's mad and ran To Priamus and Hecuba that sat Together at that time and downe she fell Vpon her knees but long it was ere that For sobs and sigthes she could vnto them tell Her woefull case till at the last she tooke Some courage and with sad and heavie looke Vnto them shewd the fearefull dream she had The night before when as she waâ—◠〈◊〉 And to them there a full discourse then made Thereof in euery point with sighs most deepe Affirming that for certaine't would fall aur So as she said if Hector did goe out That day into the field sor't was ordaind By fortunes false and mischieuous decree And therewith in most pittious wise complaind And weeping prayd King Priam on her knee Of her and hers to haue compassion And with all speed to giue direction That Hector her deare Lord might not go out That day into the field and therewithall With weeping teares she turn'd her selfe about And in a deadly sound began to fall And with exceeding pale and woefull cheare Cry'd out said helpe help sweet mother dere And of your great benignity and grace Find meanes that my Lord Hector may not go This day into the field to fight noâ— passe Out of the gates and to perswade him so That he this day vse neither speare nor shield But vnto your desire get him to yeeld Whereto they both did willingly agree And readilie did grant to her request And to that end with speed went downe to see When all the battailes readie were and prest To issue forth where Troyelus first of all Appointed was vpon the Greeks to fall And next to him his brother Paris went And after him Aeneas forth did passe And then in order brauelie plast were sent King Sarpedon and braue Pollidamas King Erioâ—â— and King Epistrâ—phus And after them a King cald Forcius All richly arm'd in harnesse bright and cleare And last of all went out King Philomene With all the Kings Lords that then were there To aid King Priamus Who hauing seene Them all before him passe out of the towne Himselfe in person with them did go downe A little way and them in order plast Which having done he bad them forward goe And willed them couragiously to hast And set vpon the Greeks and there to shoe Their valors great gainst them with all their might That ready were and prest with them to fight And proudly stood all armed in the plaine With ensignes spred in braue and warlike shoe But Priamus with speed went backe againe And vnto Hector purposely did goe To will him not to â—â—ue forth that day Into the field but in the towne to stay For which he was sore grieued in his mind And when he saw the battailes all go forth Into the field and he was staid behind He did begin to be exceeding wroth And laid the fault thereof vpon his wife That seemd to be so tender of his life Imposing vpon her th' occasion That he vnto his great disgrace and shame Constrained was to stay within the towne But that it might not derogate his fame Nor giue men cause by false report to say That he for feare did stay within that day He did protest and with an oath it bound That happen life or death he would go out Into the field and therein would be found Yea though he were assured without doubt That he should die a thousand deaths and more So stout a heart within his brest
manner still did hold His enemies in chase and beat them downe All that day with couragious heart and bold And brought them vnto great confusion So long till that the Sun withdrew his light And euening when it waxed toward night That he returnd to Troy victoriously And seven daies ensuing without rest He did assaile the Greeks so cruelly And in such furious manner them opprest That they could not his puissant force sustaine But forced were to flie out of the plaine T' avoyd the strong and mighty blows which he Amongst them dealt for where so ere he past He put them to so great extreamitie That they shrunke backe and were in heart abasht To see the field all dy'd and coloured red With bloud of Greeks that on the plaine lay dead And were that day oppressed in such wise That next day after they did all agree Betimes assoone as ere the Sun did rise To fend a messenger to Troy to see If Priamus vnto a truce would yeeld For two months space wherwith king Priam held A counsell of his Lords to that intent And by consent of them he did agree Vnto the Greeks desire and was content That peace for two months time should holden be Which done the Greeks out of the towne straight went And comming vnto 〈◊〉 tent Declared vnto him what was decreed By Priamus concerning his desire And after that their Generall with speed Sent messengers to pray and to require Achilles who was obstinately beâ—t And resolutely held in his intent Not to relieue nor aid the Grecians In any wise what need so ere they had Against their mortall foes the Troyans According to the vow he then had made To mollifie his anger and t' agree With them t'assaile their Troyan enemie As he had done before the which to doe Ulisses Diomede and Nestor were Appointed to perswade him therevnto That they might not such losse damage beare As daily they endur'd and specially Because he did to them his aid deny And would not with them in the field appeare Whome when Achilles saw he did receaue And welcome them with ioy full heart and cheare And when they had of him desired leaue To speake their minds according to their charge Ulisses their Commission to discharge An eloquent discourse vnto him made And following his first instruction In this sort did begin him to perswade And said my Lord Achilles whose renowne Exceeding might and glory passing great For memory perpetually is set Within the Booke and register of fame And who the truth to say doth certainlie At this time well deserue to beare the name Of all that vnderneath the christ all skie Do liue and breath for knighthood to excell Be not displeas'd I pray you that I tell My mind to you nor be it none offence At all vnto your honor that I say For this is sure it is my full pretence To tell the truth as neere as ere I may As well your Lordship shall perceiue and see If you but marke what shall be said by me You know full well if you to mind will call The chiefest cause and reason why that we With all the Grecian Princes which excell For puissant strength and power that now be Assembled here whereof your selfe was one Of those that first did make the motion Was by a full consent and will t' invade Besige and to destroie the puissant towne Of Troy and when that we performed had Our wills therein to raise and cast it downe Vnto the ground to our e'relasting fame But now my Lord you varrie from the same And so denlie haue altered your mind And to that end do vtterlie denie To aid vs in our warre the which we find To be exceeding strange especiallie When you should thinke vpon the mightie wrong Done vnto vs in Greece and that not long Nor many yeares agoe by Troyans That sent a mightie force out of their towne And therewith slew and kild the Grecians And entring into Cithera beat downe Our Castles and our houses and did beare Our treasure thence and not contented were With all that spoile but to our great despight Did ravish faire Queene Helena and made Her go with them and hold her still by might And would not once confesse the wrong they had Then done and now still vnto vs procure But in the same do obstinate endure And since our being here in siege haue wrought So much and so great hurt and iniurie To vs by burning of our ships and brought So many Greeks vnto their ends that we Cannot but muse at your great carelesnes That will not now when they as we confesse By your exceeding might and valor great Are brought vnto most hard extreamitie Sâ—th you haue Hector slaine in whome they set Their speciall trust and chiefe securitie And he who onlie did their towne sustaine And sith Deiphobus likewise now is slaine And they by likelihood continuallie And day by day to fall into despaire Now fortune on them casts a lowring eie And vnto vs doth shew a countnance faire Even now I say when you are so renownd And that your praise by trump of fame doth sound Through euerie Land and Nation far neare Take time while it doth serue t' extoll your praise And by dame Fortunes aid which doth you beare So great good will to worke by all assaies To bring your long desired wish t' effect For 't were great wrong in you so to neglect Dame Fortune when to you she is so kind And obstinately to refuse her aid When you do her so friendly to you find And so extols your fame as I haue said That she puts victorie into your hand And vnexpectedly your foes withstand So that you need no helpe of her to craue Why then should you so wilfullie let fall The noble fame which at this time you haue And suffer that men should 't in question call When as it is now in the highst degree Me thinks you should much better thereto see And haue a greater care the same to keepe For euerie knight that is of valiant mind Would grieue thereat with great sighs deepe Lament to see you proue so much vnkind Vnto your selfe as to abase your state When fame doth it so highlie eleuate Wherefore we you desire heartilie To haue remorse of conscience in your mind And that you would vnto vs not denie Your aid but let vs so much favor find At your hands to helpe vs in our need T' effect the thing which we haue all decreed To bring to passe ere we leaue off the same That your renowne may still be magnified Throughout the world to your perpetuall fame And still encrease and be reedified And that the trivmph of our victorie May evermore be had in memorie And so recorded that forgetfulnesse May not your fame valor greatt deface Nor power haue by malice to suppresse The same which now doth shine in euerie place Without ecclipse as we must needs confesse Which to
may with speed vpon the same agree Where thou well arm'd in secret wise shalt stand With certaine knights and readie be at hand To kill him there while he for me doth stay Where let him of his death be surelie sped And see that by no meanes he scape away Out of thy hands vntill that he be dead Which I thee heartly pray as 't is my will Effectuall for my sake to fulfill And see thou failest not to do the same Whereto he did agree and presentlie Against Achilles to the Temple came With twentie valiant knights there secretly Did stay Meane time Queene Hecuba did send A messenger t' Achilles to that end As she with Paris had determined By whome she made him certainlie belieue That she did meane and fullie purposed Her daughter Policene to him to giue And at his comming would as she did say Agree twixt them vpon the marriage day Where to he did most willinglie consent As he that no suspition had in mind Of treason for his heart it was so bent And set on fire with loue that he was blind And could not see nor yet perceiue at all By reason and aduise what might be fall To him by going into Troy so soone At her request he had offended so By killing of her Sons as he had done But hap what would needs thither would he go As louers all are fond and despratly No perill shun although that they should die T' enioy the thing wherewith in loue they are Their maladie it is so furious Vntill they are intrapped in a snare And so Achilles and Archilogus Duke Nestors Son that bare him company Did goe to Troy and entring presently Into the Temple of Apollo went Where Paris with his Knights for him did stay In secret wise with purpose fully bent Him there as he deserued had to slay And sodainly assoone as he was in T' assaile him altogether did begin By night as some do say but when so ere The same was done when as Achilles saw Himselfe assaild abandoning all feare He did his sword out of his scabberd draw And in short space despight of all their mights In furious wise he slew seuen Troyan knights And did defend himselfe so valiantly Against them then although they were so many And with them fought with such dexterity That long it was ere vantage they bad any On him at all till Paris who as then Stood watching oportunitie and when He saw Achilles such resistance make Tooke vp a Dart and aim'd at him so well And so directly that therewith he strake Him through the heart and therewith all he fell With pale and deadly face vpon the ground And body mangled sore with many a wound And so was slaine his treason to requite As reason is that such as traitors are And while they liue in treachery delight Should at the last fall in the selfe same snare Which they for others had prepar'd And thus Achilles and with him Archilogus Were slaine by Paris in the Temple at Queene Hecubaes desire and request Who presently did giue commandment that Their bodies in the Temple should not rest And made them to be drawne out of the bounds Thereof and to be throwne vnto the hounds Loe here the iust reward of treachery And of deceit which while he liued he Delighted in and how with equitie God punisheth all such as traitors be For reason is that he that seeks t' obtaine His will by treason should likewise againe With treason be requited for his paine As false Achilles was that tooke delight In treason while he liu'd and so was staine Within Apollos Temple in the night But yet their bodie were not as t is said Although that they in th' open streets were laid That with great ioy the Troyans might them see Devour'd by hounds as by commandment Of Hecuba they were ordaind to be For Helena vnto King Priam went And on her knees of him did humbly craue Their bodies from that cruelty to saue Who willinglie did therevnto consent And caus'd them to be kept as she desir'd Till that King Agamemnon to him sent A messenger and leaue of him requir'd To fetch them and to giue them buriall The which he did for whome in generall The Grecians did such extreame sorrow make And were so much discomforted therefore That in great feare each vnto other spake And said alas now farewell euermore Our trust our hope our ioy our confidence Our welfare and our soueraigne defence Sith valorous Achilles now is dead For he in knighthood did so much excell That while he liu'd we neuer stood in dread To overcome this towne but now full well We may both feare and plainlie say that we Nere in our liues shall masters thereof be And while that they such sorrow great did make And plunged were in extreame doubts feares For their great Champion fierce Achilles sake Agamemnon two costly Sepulchers For workemanship most rare and curious Caus'd to made one for Archilogus The other for Achilles wherein they Intombed were with great solemnitie In Paynim wise and both vpon a day To shew the whole particularity And manner of their ancient buriall Were over-long to trouble you withall It shall suffice to tell that they did make Much sorrow and endur'd great heauinesse For death of them and how in mournfull blacke They brought them to their graues to expresse Their woefulnes with heauie heart and mood Some threw sweet gums some cast milk blood Into the funerall fires and how they made Playes which by them were called palestrall And wrastrings at the wakes and how they had Great store of customes ceremoniall At burials of the dead the which much more Then needfull were to tell as now therefore I le leaue herewith And vnto you declare How therevpon King Agamemnon sent For all the Grecian Princes that then were Within the hoast to come vnto his tent And when they all assembled were therein And orderly set downe he did begin To speake to them and said my Lords t is now No time to moue nor need t' encourage your Against your Troyan foes sith that you know And too well find by good experience how Vnconstant fortune hath now chang'd her face And sodenly cleane altered our case And fild your hearts with rage and iust despight To thinke vpon the murther horrible Of late done to Achilles which in sight Of God and man is foule and odible Despightfully by Hecuba the Queene For which I thinke it shortlie shall be seene If that within your valiant hearts there be Or resteth any man-hood force or wit To make a vertue of necessitie And to refraine till that occasion fit To take revenge therefore and t'recompence The iniurie despight and great offence Vnto you done and giuen thereby fall out As reason t is it should requited be For very beasts insensible no doubt Would do the same in like extremitie But yet as you are wise and prouident I would faine know your
counsell how to bring about the thing Which they among themselues had by devise Forecast for their owne good wherof th' effect Was that they wisht that he would not neglect His owne estate the towne and common-weale By obstinately standing gainst his foes But rather to aduise himselfe and deale With them about a peace and not to loose Time when it serued if they would graunt therto And that to moue them better thereunto He would be pleasd to offer to restore Queene Helena to Menalaus againe And all that he had taken from them more In Cithera and so he might obtaine That at their hands which other wise could not By force nor any other meanes be got But words and thoughts with them did not agree They had an other meaning and intent For they knew well no peace would graunted bee And that the Greeks nere would thereto consent With them of Troy whom they as then had broght Vnto that point that in a manner cought Like Birds within a cage they held them pent And therefore t w'as in vaine to thinke thereon For if the Greeks had thereto giuen consent And made peace on that condition King Priamus successors might haue raignd Till now in Troy and neuer had sustaind Such losse and extreame desolation As after on them fell But t' was too late To motion that for when Agamenon Did by aduise of all the Grecian state Send messengers to Troy from Tenadon To offer Priam peace vpon condition That he should send againe Queene Helena To Menalus and restitution make Of all the treasure which in Cithera Parit by force with her from thence did take King Priam would by no meanes hearken to 't But obstinately sayd he would not do 't So that by their owne folly and their pride For want of good foresight and prouidence Peace iustly might vnto them be deni'd For thinke you when the Greeks with such expence Of treasure losse of lims and of their Knights Endured had so many cruell fights And after many a bloody broyle orepast By them to bring that warre vnto an end They would in fine euen at the very last Oreslip so good occasion giuen to spend The time in making peace when they had brought Their foes to that which they so long had sought And without any recompence would leaue Th' advantage by them gotten and againe Returne to Greece with losse and cleane bereaue Themselues of that which they with so much paine Obtained had it were without all sence For they knew well thogh to their great expence They had brought Troy to that extremity That it could not long gainst their force endure And that in fine without all remedy They could not faile to win 't whereof being sure They made account to haue the victory Against their foes without ambiguity So that Anthenors counsell and all those That with him were of that conspiracie To Priam giuen to seeke vnto his foes To make a peace was but meere trechery As it vnto King Priam well appeard When he from thē first motion therof heard For when he with his sonne Amphimachus And many of his Lords in counsell were Anthenor and his friends mou'd Priamus To seeke for peace the which when he did heare In pollicy before he would consent Or graunt thereto he askt them what they ment To motion it and sayd before that he Did enter into parle with his foes He would with more aduise instructed be How't should be done Wherewith Anthenor rose Vp sodainly and without reuerence And countnance sterne in open audience Spake to the King and sayd if thou wilt take Our counsell at this present time and do 't Thou mayst but if that light thereof thou make Though it should turne to thy destruction yet Thou nere shalt be advised more by me But follow them that of thy counsell be To whom the King in great sobrietie Made answere and vnto him sayd againe Anthenor thou oughtst not so hastely To speake to me nor take me vp so plaine For my intent is no way able to reproue The counsell which thou giuest me in loue So it be good and for the common-weale Of all men in the towne in generall But know this for a truth and marke it well If it proue bad and cleane contrary fall And in the end be their destruction I will by no meanes tak 't nor heare thereon As reason is we should preuent the worst Whereof me thinks thou shouldst not thinke amis Nor sodainly into such choler burst For euery man as it most certaine is Should chose the best leaue the worst take The wise mans counsell and the fooles forsake And seeke a salue to cure his wound withall Wherewith Anthenor rose vpon his feet And into such a mighty rage did fall That leauing honor and obedience meet And dew vnto his Soueraigne Lord the King Said sure me thinks it is a wondrous thing How you being wise and well aduisd should bee So blinded in conceit that wilfully You either cannot or you will not see The mischiefe and the great aduersity Wherewith we are environd on each side For we cannot although we would it hide Deny in what extremitie we stand For are we not besiedged round about And fearing to fall in our enemies hand Dare not aduenture once to issue out Nor be so bold to goe forth of our gate To fight with them that vs so deadly hate Because our force is weake and theirs too strong For vs to deale withall for certainely There are yet fiftie valiant Kings among Them in their Campe who all most furiously Haue vowed and protested with great pride Euen to the last and vtmost hower t' abide And neuer to depart nor leaue this towne Till that they haue their wills on vs to shed Our blood and see our walls turne vpside downe Your most renowned Princely sons are dead And all your strong and valiant knights are slaine That wonted were to help you and maintaine Your right against your foes but now berest Of them there is no way for vs to scape Out of their hands nor comfort for vs left It is in vaine for vs to thinke to shape A remedy by force to be relieu'd Wherefore I say that ere we bereau'd Of hope and both our liues and goods do lose And see the ouerthrow of this our towne Of two extreames the least of them to choose And for a resolution to set downe That better t were for vs in time to make Peace with them and an order thereby take For our reliefe which that it may be done Let vs restore Queene Helena againe To Menalus her Lord for whom alone There hath so many worthy men been slaine And many since this bloody warre began Sith Paris now is dead that was the man Who onely hindred that while he did liue And also to make promise by a day To make them satisfaction and to giue Them all which we by force in Cithera Tooke from them which I thinke to
said that it was his intent To go vnto King Priamus to know In what sort the Indentures should be made On either side concerning peace and how Much mony should provided be and had That they were to receaue of him in hand And so said he I shall soone vnderstand His meaning which I will to you impart Wherewith Ulisses and the rest content For that time tooke their leaues and did depart Well satisfied and to their armie went To certifie vnto Agamemnon What they in Troy concerning peace had done And Anthenor vnto King Priam went And told him that the best and readiest way For him was sith the Greeks were fully bent To make a peace the next ensuing day To call his Lords and Commons all together In Ilion And when they were come thither Anthenor spake before them all and told Though falslie what the Grecians meant to do And what the summe of monie was they should Prepare for them if they would grant thereto The which was twentie thousand pound in gold And as much more in silver if they wold Haue peace according to their owne desire Which all in readie monie must be paid And further that the Grecians did require Some corne flower and meale the which he said Should be to put into their ships when they Were readie to set saile to go away To serue their turnes while they at sea should be And bad them that they should without delay Collect the silver and the gold and see That it were readie by a certaine day Whereto the King though loath to doo 't agreed For he durst not gaine say 't and so decreed That presentlie an order should be made To gather it of rich and poore for none Was spard and when Anthenor had thus laid His traiterous plot and so farre therein gone He went by night vnto the Priest to see If by perswasions he content would bee To hearken vnto him and giue consent To do that thing the which he had decreed To bring to passe and to that end he bent His wit and all the skill he had to feed Him with faire words and promises of gold That should be giuen to him in hand and told Him while he liu'd he nere should want if so He would consent to grant to his request And speaking to him said if thou wilt do The thing that I desire I here protest And vnto thee a solemne vow doe make Vpon mine honor that I le vndertake To giue thee such a summe of gold in hand That ever after thou shalt surely be The richest of thy kindred in this land The thing that I therefore require of thee Is that thou wouldst deliuer presently Palladion which thou hast in custody Into my hands and I will thee assure Therein to be so secret that no blame Shall fall to thee thereby and will secure Thee from all harmes may happen by the same So that vpon my word thou shalt not need For doing it to stand in any dread For I will so deuise how ere it goeth That thou no hurt shalt haue if that thou do This thing for I as well as thou am loath It should be knowen I gaue consent thereto Or that the least in Troy should me suspect Thereof therefore all feare and care reiect For I had rather die then 't should fall out That we should be accused for the same Which to effect I wil't so bring about That thou and I thereby will reape no shamâ—â— Nor once suspected be thereof for all The fault vpon Ulisses head shall fall And he therefore shall onely beare the blame For by my meanes it shall reported be That he was th'onlie doer of the same And that by his great craft and subtiltie He hath devis'd to steale Palladiowne And borne it secretly out of the towne Whereby he shall be blam'd and we go free Of being once accused for this deed Wherefore I say if that thou wilt agree To my request I pray thee then proceed And do it out of hand and here 's the gold That thou shalt haue as first to thee I told Which I will now deliuer into thy hand But Tonant so the Priest was cald delaid To do the same and flatly did withstand Him therein at the first and to him said That neither gold nor any other thing Nor faire nor flattering words nor menacing Should make him yeeld vnto such treacheries And though at first he straightlie said him nay And that some honest men hate villanie Yet bribes in these daies beare so great a sway That men the truth for mony will suppresse The poore for want the rich for covetousnesse And both of them for gold will falsifie Their words and be seduced to decline From truth and all the bounds of honesty For men with golden spades may dig and myne Throgh Marble stones the gold did tempt him so That letting truth and honesty cleane go He yeelded to Anthenor in that case And was content so he the gold might haue To take the jmage downe out of the place Whereas it stood within the Church and gaue It vnto him which he the selfe same night Sent secretlie with all the speed he might Vnto Ulisses by a messenger Whome he did trust and so betweene them both The Towne and all the Troyans spoiled were For traiterously without all faith and troth They gaue the same into the Grecians hand As by the sequell you shall vnderstand CHAP. VII ¶ How the Greeks made an Horse of brasse wherin they put a thousand armed Knights and vnder colour of peace brought it into Troy by the which it was vtterly destroyed for euer NOw maist thou mourne and pittifully weepe O famous towne of Troy that so art tost In waues of woe and with so re sighs and deepe Complaine that thou Palladiowne hast lost By treason of the Priest by whome't was sold Vnto thy foes for greedines of gold Why didst not thou oh mighty Ioue that art The Governor of all the world and knowst The inward thoughts and secrets of the heart Before they are conceau'd and dailie showst Thy power divine by iudgements strange rare Vpon such men as disobedient are Vnto thy will take vengance on the Priest That traiterously for greedinesse of gold At false Anthenors motion and request Mineruaes jmage to the Grecians sold And thereby was the meanes they did destroy And vtterly deface the Towne of Troy What Land or Towne is able long t' endure In any certaine state or what is he That liveth here on earth can be secure When as such men as are of that degree Will be corrupt in heart and mind and take Rewards of their conscience shipwrack make Is 't not a great and grieuons thing to see Men that should vnto vs examples giue Of holinesse and lights vnto vs bee To shew vs by good doctrine how to liue Do things which are most wicked and contrary To that they teach from their function vary For if that Priests be
â—iluar gold all their goods and then With mighty rage extreame violence They sackt spoyld without all reuerence The Temples of the Gods throughout the towne And in despight of them with courage bold Did fiercely rent and furiously pull downe Their ornaments of siluer and of gold In presence of the Gods that then were there While Priamus with sad heauy cheare Before Apollo kneeld and to him praid Devoutly to relieue him but in vaine For at that time there was no hope of aid That he by any meanes could then obtaine But onely there with patience to attend By cruell death his woefull life to end Whereof without all doubt he was most sure Ere long time past by Grecians hand to haue And Cassandra that holy creature Her selfe likewise in that distresse to saue Vnto Mineruaes Temple did repaire Accompanied with many a Lady faire And other Gentle-women of the towne Who there with sobs most bitterly did crie And made their woefull lamentation Attending euery hower when they should die Wherein I le let them with the goddesse dwell For if that I their sorrowes all should tell And show how they in euery lane and street Lay groueling on their Lords and husbands deare And suckt their wounds all their cloths did wet And staind and di'd them with the blood that there Out of their bodies ran that wofully Beheld them with a pale and deadly eye It would be ouer long for me to write And tedious likewise for you to heare But to proceed when they had all that night Nere ceast to kill and ransacke euery where The people and the towne and spard not one Next day in heaps they went to Ilion King Priamus most faire and Princely hall Wherein they found not one to make defence Against them nor to keepe the same for all The people in great feare were fled from thence To saue their liues and left it desolate Where all the gold and riches of the state Enclosed lay within the treasory The lockes whereof they brake and bare away The treasure therein found and cruelly Did fier the howse for no man durst say nay Nor let them to pursue their enterprise Then Pyrrhus in most fierce and furious wise Went to Divine Apolloes Temple where Before the Altar with great cruelty While Priamus deuoutly praied there In humble wise t' Apollo on his knee With fury great not speaking any word Into the body ran him with his sword And gaue him such a deepe and deadly wound That presently he fell vpon his face And pitifully died on the ground And with his blood defild the holy place Aeneas and Anthenor standing by As witnesses of his great cruelty Whose death when as Queene Hecuba perceiud And on the ground there lying did behold His bleeding corse she seemed cleane bereaud Of sences and in wofull wise did fold And wring her hands and pitiously did crie And in great feare out of the Church did flie With Pollicene her daughter who together Were present when King Priamus was slaine To saue their liues and yet they knew not whether To go noâ— run for no man durst maintaine Their quarrell nor no comfort then was left For them that of the same were cleane bereft For all the towne in euery place was fild With Greeks that throgh twith glistring swords did run And euery where the Troians fiercely kild That had no meanes their cruelty to shun And as she ran in that sort through the streete It was her chance Aeneas there to meet Whom when she saw her flesh began to shake And tremble with the griefe she had in mind And therewithall in fury great she spake And sayd to him oh Traitor most vnkind Oh serpent false oh Adder enuious Oh villaine vile and most malicious Thou that art causer by thy wickednes Of all our woes and through thy trechery Hast brought vs now into so great distresse That plunged in the vale of misery We run from place to place distrest in mind And can no ease at all nor comfort find How couldest thou in heart be so vnkind Vnto thy Lord and King as traiterously To stand by with a fierce and cruell mind And see him slaine by Pirrhus cruelly Within the Temple where he shead his blood Who while he liu'd was vnto thee so good And gratious Lord that neuer any man Felt more of his great liberalitie Nor was more lou'd as all men witnes can Then thou by him which thou maist not deny Who now lies dead within that holy place Thou wast not only traitor in that case But didst conspire his death for thou didst bring Fierce Pirrhus to Apolloes Temple where Thou knewest well that he should find the King Of purpose set that he might kill him there Where as thou shouldst as dutie doth thee bind Haue saud his life if thou hadst been so kind But thou not only hast that mischiefe don But didst betray this towne where thou wast bred And fostred with more reputation Then any man saue he that was the head And King thereof which now forgotten is By thee wherein though thou hast done amisse Yet if within thy stony heart there be One drop of pittie or compassion Let me request this favor now of thee That in this time of desolation Thou wilt my daughter Pollicene relieue And vnto her some ayd and succour giue If thou dost any one respect at all Of Priams race as sure thou canst not choose That she by thy protection may not fall Into the Grecians hands her life to loose That when men shall this woefull story read And find therein this fowle treacherous deed By thee so falsely done and brought to pas Against this towne it may the rigor stay Of those that will judge and condemne thee as A Traytor vile and giue them cause to say That though thou didst this great wicked thing Yet at the last thou shewdst thy selfe bening And gratious vnto Pollicene whereby Some little satisfaction thou shalt make In recompence of thy great treachery To vs and giue her cause thy part to take When men of thee to her shall justly say And call thee Traytor false another day If thou wilt now vouchsafe her life to saue But as for me do what thou wilt all 's one I neither do nor will thy fauor craue For sith my Lord King Priams dead gone I care not though that thou some Grecians bidst Do vnto me as vnto him thou didst This motion made by Hecuba the Queene Though sharp it were did moue Aeneus so That pittying faire Lady Pollicene He caused her forthwith with him to go And shut her in a chamber secretly From sight and knowledge of the enemy Least they thereby should find occasion To picke some quarrell with him for her sake And at that time likewise King Thelamon Of pity did in his protection take The wife of Hector cald Andromacha And Priams daughter Lady Cassandra And vnto them his Princely promise gaue
vowd he would him quit And to that end sent presently for all The Troyans that then in the towne were left Who willingly assembled at his call For being of their soveraigne Prince bereft They made account he onlie did remaine Aliue to be their Lord and Soveraigne To whome he spake said my friends you see How fortune at this time begins to frowne And with dissembling face to ieare at mee As she hath done at this most worthy towne Her cruelty gainst it and me to shew You know likewise that we are but a few Here resting in this ruin'd place t' abide And I perforce must leaue your company Wherefore I thinke it best that you provide Some meanes for your owne good and safety By looking out among you for a man To governe you with all the speed you can For otherwise I see not how you should Be able long this open Towne to keepe Nor yet your selues from strange invasionâ— hold That here now like vnto a flocke of sheepe Disperst without a sheepheard do remaine And no man left your quarrell to maintaine Wherefore if you my counsell now will take I thinke sithtis so dangerous a thing For you to liue without an head to make And choose some one among you for your king And he whome I thinke fittest man to raigne Ore you and be your Lord and soueraigne Is Anthenor whose knighthood and renowne Is knowne vnto you all if you consent And will agree to my opinion And to that end let one for him be sent And when that he comes here within the towne You shall set on his head a regall Crowne That he may governe you with equity And valiantly defend preserue and saue You from distresse and all extreamity And they agreed and were content to haue Him sent for presently to be their king For they not once suspected any thing Concerning that the which Aeneas ment Whose words and mind contrary were to other For it was his full purpose and intent To slay him presently when he came thither And with his friends prepared to that end All armed stood his comming to attend Who nought suspecting that which did fall out Vnarmed came into the towne where he Was presently enclosed round about By Aeneas and in danger slaine to be If that the common people had not been Who in great hast came running theÌ„ between And downe vpon their knees before him fell Desiring him to haue compassion On them and theirs whom he then knew full well Were left within a bare and naked towne Without a guide and praid him to withhold His hand and furie great from that which wold Be cause of their destruction generall And on them and their woefull case to rue To whome Aeneas said before them all Will you that I forbeare him that 's vntrue And shews himselfe so traiterously bent To you and me with false and bad intent That for it he deserued hath to die For was 't not he that specially alone Conspir'd by treason with your enemie To bring you all vnto destruction And me vnto the Greeks hath sold and bought And vndeseru'd my banishment hath wrought The which they haue decreed without repeale But ere I go from hence I le make him sure The iust reward of his deserts to feele And without all compassion to endure The paine that to a traitor doth belong That at this time hath done me so much wrong To be exild from hence where with you all I purposed to lead my life and take Such part as should vnto our shares befall But by his meanes I must the Towne forsake Which wrong I cannot brooke nor never may And therefore for the same I will him slay Besides all this he was as you haueseene The onely man that to the Grecians gaue The yong and goodly Princesse â—â—lliceâ—e Whom they did slay would you I should saue One that so traitrous is Thus much I say Whos'ever that against the â—ame saith nay Sith you intreat for him he shall go free With life but cause his treason is so great He shall out of this Towne exiled bee And therewith they a time vnto him set When he shold go from thence without all grace Or favour shewd and that he must not passe And thus as traitors both they wrought together To bring the Towne to ruine and decay So treacherously they did exile each other Out of the same and might not therein stay To lead their liues where they were borne bred In peace and rest as they determined And presently Anthenor therevpon Without delay did preparation make Of all things necessarie to be gone From thence with his friends did shipping take And saild by divers Lands and sundry Isleâ— It 's needlesse to rehearse how many miles He travel'd on the seas nor how he scapt The dangers that therein are often seen But to be briefe his course so well he shapt That at the last when he a while had been Tost too and fro with stormy wind weather He spied an Isle with his ships made thither Which Island had to name Gâ—râ—â—diay Where he no sooner foot on land did get But there vpon a â—â—â—ke without delay His men with present speed to worke he set And made a towne that was both broad long With towred wals which were exceeding strong And many plesant woods and waters sweet That on each side the same environed With all things else that for the same was meet Which Isle as then was ruld and governed By Thetides a king of worthy same Who long and many yeres had held the same In peace and never had molested been By any adverse fortune whatsoeâ—e Who vnto Lord Anthenor and his men Great courtesie did shew and by him were In friendly wise receau'd and welcomed And peaceably by him were suffered To plant themselues therein and to enioy Their towne as freely with all priviledge As they before liu'd in the towne of Troy Whose being there once knowen and published A number of the Troyan knights went thither And there encreast and multipli'd together And soone did make it rich and populous And called it the Towne of Menelau To tell you more of him were frivolous For memory of him there should be none Sith he was by his treason cause of all The miseries that did on Troy befall And therefore I will turne my stile againe To tell you what vnto the Greeks befell And how by Prophesie Cassandra plaine And truely did vnto the Grecians tell What happen to them should mong them all Declared to their puissant Generall That he within his house should murthered bee By treason that against him should be wrought And that there was no way for him to flie Nor scape the same what meanes so ere he sought And bad him haue a care of his estate For he should die by death vnfortunate The storie saith when Thelaphus was slaine As in another place I said before He had two sons that liuing did
giue them leaue to enter Though they as he suppos'd did not pretend To do him wrong thereby while they did stay Nor yet by any way or meanes t' offend His subiects but for all they tooke did pay But Thelaphus well arm'd with many a knight Went downe vnto the shore with them to fight And with exceeding furie on them set Where Assandrus so brauely did assaile His enemies that those that with him met Could not against his valor great prevaile So that by knightly force the field he wan Vpon his foes and killed many a man That him withstood which when the King espi'd And saw how he so brauely plaid his part Disdaining sore thereat to daunt his pride With all his force he stroke him with a dart So farre into the breast that he fell dead Vpon the ground the which when Diomed Perceaued to revenge him like a knight Of valor great that time such slaughter made Vpon his foes that by his puissant might He made them run out of the field as glad To saue their liues which done he gan to make Great sorrow for his loving brothers sake And studying what were best for him to do At last his corps from savage beasts to saue Before that he one foot from thence did go He put the same into a Princely graue And buried it with many weeping eyes Vpon Boctia shore in Paynim wise But Oetes to his sister wrote and said That he was slaine by craft of Diomede Who to that end in wayt for him had laid A band of men that he once being dead The kingdome wholly might without all strife Descend by right to him and to his wife And that he would possession thereof take Assoone as he againe returned home And further said that he would her forsake And that with him there did a Lady come Whome he did loue and meant to make his wife And by that meanes did set such mortall strife Betweene them as he in like sort had done Not long before and in the selfe same kind Twixt Clytemnestra and Agamemnon That he possest her sad and heauie mind With such conceit of treason that much grieu'd To heare thereof she verily belieu'd All to be true that vnto her was told So that with heart to wrath and furie bent And face that looked deadly wan and cold She did for her deare brothers death lament Whome she did with so great affection loue That from revenging him no man could moue Her heart that was as hard as any stone Vpon her husband Diomede For when The tedious weary siege of Troy was done And he returned home to her agen She did him on the shore by force withstand And beat him backe not suffring him to land But banished him presently from thence And would not once with him be reconcil'd Who seeing that he could not make defence Against her power to see himselfe exil'd So wrongfully much grieued at the heart Cleane comfortlesse he did from thence depart And went vnto Salerne land whereas A puissant King cald Tentar then did raigne That Brother vnto Thelamon Aiax was Who at the siege of Troy was falsly slaine But Diomede cleane destitute of ayd Vnhappy man not long time therein stayd For when King Tâ—â—â—â—r knew that he was there Suspecting him for death of Theâ—â—mon He did pursue him so that wheresoere He staid he saw that succor there was none For him to haue so that vpon a night In secret wise he tooke himselfe to flight And left Salerne land in hope to find More comfort and reliefe in other place To ease and to redresse his troubled mind If fortune would vouchsafe him so much grace Meane time with heauie heart thought confus'd Like one forsaken wholly and refus'd Of euery man he wandred to and fro From place to place and could no rest procure Vnto himselfe not knowing where to go And all that while great mis'rie did endure Till at the last Aeneas that still staid In Troy the scattred Troyans there to aid Which after the destruction there were left And every day and hower were in doubt To be destroyd and of their liues bereft By enemies that dwelt there round about And had no man to gouerne them nor stand In their defence or that would take in hand To be their guide against their enemies Till that Aeneas t'aid them in their need Vnto them gaue his counsell and advise To send a messenger for Diomed Of whome he did the fortune vnderstand To be expulst and banisht from his land To pray him to come vnto them with speed With all the force and power he could make To saue and to defend them in their need From those that them opprest and t' vndertake To be the guide of them that ready were To be destroyd for want of government Which Diomed did grant vnto and came In hast to Troy and thither with him brought A gallant troope of men and with the same Relieued them and brauely for them fought With whome vpon the way Aeneas met And to the towne with honor great him fet And entertaining him as his degree Requird a banquet for him did prepare Of every thing that might desired bee Where each of them to th' other did declare The miseries and troubles first and last By sea and land which they had overpast Which no man can by any meanes eschew But as dame Fortune for him hath decreed He must take that she sends him as his dew But now vnto the matter to proceed The Troyans that were almost driven out Of Troy by those that dwelt there round about That daily did invade and spoyle their land By Diomed relieued were and set At liberty againe who did withstand Their foes so puissantly that he did get The victory of them foure times at least And them so sore pursued and opprest That finally they tooke and slew them all And such as were found traitors and had done That mischiefe which vpon them then did fall Condemned were and hanged euery one Whereby no man durst do them any wrong And by that meanes king Diomed waxt strong And did in time by his protection And government which he did take in hand As being Lord and Ruler of the towne So valiantly their enemies withstand And such a sway there for a time did beare That of him all the Country stood in feare And by that meanes in fine it so fell out His fame did spread abroad both farre large And his great valor was so blowen about That it was knowne in Calidon and Arge Which when the Queene his wife did vnderstand She feard he would invade her in her land And it by force at last from her would take And to her selfe much mus'd how Diomed Such succor and such grace had found to make Himselfe so great that he so farre should spred His fame for which as politike and wise She did forecast and with her selfe devise By counsell of her Lords in generall To reconcile
liu'd and di'd a Virgin without spot And with them also ioyne Queene Hecuba Whose like for vertue while she liu'd was not In all the world and also Cassandra That did deserue great praise for stedfastnesse And Panthasilia for her gentlenesse With many more that well might be set downe And he shall find if hethe truth confesse The vertuous and such as deserue renowne The greater number be and th' other lesse Gainst whome he doth so enviously invay And all men that do favor them will say That he did erre in his opinion To tax them so without exception And while Vlisses staid with Alphenon Ere he from thence determind to he gon A messenger vnto him certified That if from home he did long time abide Without all doubt his Queene Penelope By some great Lords whose countrey bordred Next vnto his by force should rauisht be And in despight of all his men be led Out of his land full sore against her will For she to him remained constant still Yet nerethelesse they had all flatly sworne That if by force she were not rescued She should without delay away be borne And to that end with her continued And would not part from thence but with her staid Who in hir heart therefore was much dismaid But yet so wisely with them dalied That they could get no vantage at her hand But with delaies to their demands were fed Which heavy newes when he did vnderstand And knew the truth by letters which she sent To him he was in heart so fiercely bent That he would stay no longer but begon In hast from thence and then most humbly praid His sure and trusty friend King Alphenon To bring him home which he not once denaid But with him put to sea when wind was good And finding nought that them theron withstood They soone ariud within Ulisses land And in the night were secretly conuaid Vnto the place where those that did withstand And make resistance gainst his wife then stay Where sodainely before they could awake He did them vnawares surprize and take And without more delay or mercy shewen As he them found fast sleeping in their beds He causd them all in peeces to be hewen And on the castle walles did set their heads The which before the Cocke next day did crow Were seen thereon to stand vpon a row Which done that night they there continued close Till morning that the Larke with pleasant song Began to mount aloft when Phoebus rose At which time with a mighty force and strong They entred in the towne and by the Queene Were welcomed as she that â—â—â—g had beene In sorrow great and had endur'd such paine For th' absence of her Lord she lou'd so well That wonder t was she could so long maintaine Her health but if I should vnto you tell And orderly set downe the pleasures great And joy they did conceiue when as they met And what they to each other friendly said Wiâ—â—â—â—ry â—â—es and many â— sweet embrace When as they were in bed together laid And lovingly beheld each others face As also what great joy their subiects made When they beheld their soueraigne Lord that had So long been absent from them in the warre And what rich presents they to him did make To shew the loue which they vnto him bare And that he did a new alleigeance take Of them againe and how that every one Great honor shew'd vnto king Alphenone And thank't him for the succour he had lent Vnto their Lord to helpe him in his need And how ere he out of that countrey went A mariage was by those two Kings agreed Betweene the daughter of king Alphenon Cald Naufica and young Prince Thelamon Ulisses Son whereby an aliance great Betweene those Kings perpetually was made It would be overlong for me to set It downe to you and be a meanes t'orelaid My Booke with that wherein I would be briefe As Guido is who toucheth but the chiefe And speciallest matter and goeth on To shew how when that mariage was agreed And consumated twixt them Alphenon Tooke shipping and went home againe with speed Into his Land and left Ulisses still In ioy with Queene Penelope vntill That fierce and cruell Atropos did bend Herselfe against them both and did bereaue Him of his life and vnto him did send A sodaine death vntill which time I le leaue To speake of them and for a little while Change matter and to Pyrrhus turne my stile CHAP. II. ¶ Here the Author sheweth the stocke of Pyrrhus by lyneall discent and telleth how his Grand-fathers name was Peleus and his Grand-mother Thetides AS Guido doth so must I likewise tell And shew at large what of Achilles Son Young Pyrrhus did become and what befell To him when as the Troian warre was don Whose grand-fire as the story telleth vs While he did liue was cald King Peleus His grand-mother nam'd Thetides whose Son Achilles was that falsely lost his life Within the towne of Troy when he had won Great honor at that siege that tooke to wife Dardanica the faire who as I read Was daughter to a King cald Lycomead And on her his Son Pyrrhus did beget Whom some men vse to call Neptolemus Her grand-sire King Atastus was so great An enemie vnto King Peleus Achilles and to Pyrrhus with the rest Of that same stocke that he did sore detest And hate them all and furiously when as King Peleus staid in Thessaly alone And then without his Son Achilles was Who to the mighty siege of Troy was gone He entered by force into his land And finding none that could him there withstaÌ„d He tooke the same from him and made him flie Into a Caue with Thetides his wife And there he was compelled secretly To hide himselfe whereas to saue his life Long after in great misery he lay While cruell King Atastus every day Sought all the meanes he could devise or find To bring his Nephew Pyrrhus to his end And therevpon determind in his mind In secret wise his knights abroad to send To take and to intrap him on the way As he returned home and him to stay But Pyrrhus out of all the snares escapt Which he for him did lay by sea and land And at the last as Fortune for him shapt As no man can his Desteny withstand With losse of many men and treasure great Before the towne of Malasus did get Vnto the shoare where he did vnderstand Of Thetides and Peleus bannishment By violence out of their natiue land And how false King Atastus was so bent Gainst him that he each hower and minit sought His death nere would cease till he had brought The same to passe Which when as Pyrrhus knew He purposed his malice to prevent By some sinister meanes and to eschew The furie of Atastus gainst him bent Who as the story saith had two Sons more Th' one the name of Menalippus bore The other of them was Polistenes Two Knights of great
renowne and valorous And one faire daughter named Thetides While his old aged grandsire Peleus With Thetides his wife lay in a caue In great distresse their woefull liues to saue And yet cleane out of hope relieud to be Or comforted in that extremety Vnles it were by Pyrrhus meanes when he Returnd for which he praid continually And curst the time of his so long aboad Which heavy newes when Pyrrhus vnderstood At Malasus he straight to sea did hie With full intent if he did safely get Vnto his natiue land of Thessalie He would false King Atastus purpose let And be reuengd on him ere it was long For all the mischiefe cruelty and wrong That he had done vnto King Peleus But first before that to the Sea he went He cald to him two knights one Crilippus The other named Adrastus whom he sent To Thessalie to heare and vnderstand Where King Atastus kept within that land And what gainst him he did intend to do And that they might the better bring 't to pas He gaue them letters which he sent vnto One Assandrus a Lord that sometime was A counsellor vnto King Peleus And Chamberlin and when he had done thus He entred ship and would no longer tarry But through the seas did scowre and staied not Although the wind and weather were contrary And stormes arose till at the last he got To Thessalie where t' was his chance to land Hard by the place wherein the caue did stand Where Peleus and his wife themselues did hide Mong bushes briers and thornes all alone Did walke vpon the sand without a guide And when he had with heavy heart thus gone A little while King Peleus comming out His Cauâ— to take the aire was in a doubt To loose his life when as he saw a knight There all alone and sore abashed staid Till he of him had taken better sight And when he had beheld him well dismaid In mind he thought that he Achilles saw And therewithall did neerer to him draw For he so like vnto Achilles was For visage shape and personage that none Could know the one from th' other well so as King Peleus to himselfe did musethereon And straight with teares distilling downe his face He ran his nephew Pyrrhus to embrace And being somewhat better comforted With ioyfull heart though grieud to him did tell How cruelly he had been banished And forced in a caue long time to dwell In misery and woe and nothing left To succour him but all from him bereft With crowne and Kingdome by the cruelty And hatred of Atastus that had don It causeles vnto him whose tiranny For want of ayd he could by no meanes shon Which Pyrrhus hauing heard and marking well Into so great an agony then fell That he stood still and would not speake a word And therewith in his heart exceeding wroth To heare the cause so much the same abhord That speechles to his ships from thence he goeth And would not make an answere therevnto Still studying with himselfe what he should do Till he was told how that the selfe same day Atastus with his Sons was ridden out Into a wood not far of from that way To hunt for deare and that they were in doubt To be assayld by him which when he knew He stayed not but straight himselfe withdrew And putting of his clothes apparelled Himselfe like one of poore and meane degree And girding on his sword without all dread Went all alone into the wood to see What Fortune or advantage he could find Therein to ease his sad and troubled mind And as he went along from place to place Much like a man that seem'd to make great mone At last it was his chance to heare the chace And therewithall he slept aside that none Of them should see nor find him where he stood And when he had a while been in the wood It was Prince Menalippus chance to ride That way with Prince Polistines his brother Where Pyrrhus theÌ„ did stand whom wheÌ„ they spid They staid their horse and both of them together With countnaÌ„ce sterne before they theÌ„ce wold pas Went vnto him and askt him what he was And whence he came and why so poorely clad He wandred in that manner all alone Like one that neither ioy nor comfort had And he that seemd in heart to sigh and groane With heavy cheare and countenance full sad Replied to them againe and answere made That he by chance was cast vpon that shore By tempest and how all his companie Were drownd at sea and that he and no more Escapt with life but yet vnhappelie Had lost all that he had and without joy A Grecian borne that lately came from Troy There wandred solitarilie and praid Them that they would vpon him then bestow Some money and apparell for to aid Him in his need that had been brought so low Who pitying his estate did not denay To do him good but bad him there to stay That they might see what he could do whan They had said so and turn'd their heads aside Behold a mightie Hart before them ran Wherewith Prince Menalippus straight did ride In hast to follow it with spheare in hand And left his brother there who still did stand By Pyrrhus talking with him all alone And seeming to be wearie lighted there Off from his horses backe which hauing done He laid him downe to rest and giving eare Vnto the woefull moane that Pyrrhus made No feare of any hurt or treason had Where sodainely ere he perceiu'd the blow He was by Pyrrhus thrust into the hart From whence the blood in streame began to flow And there he died while Pyrrhus side-waies start And left him lying groueling on the plaine Till Menalippus came to him againe Where while with weeping eies and colour wan To looke vpon his brothers corps he stood Fierce Pyrrhus in great furie to him ran And with a mind that thursteth after blood Straight with his sword his life from him bereft And by his brother dying there him left And so they were vnfortunatelie slaiue By Pyrrhus who when he had done the same Withdrew himselfe out of that place againe And as he went he saw a Knight that came Vnto him wards of whom he did enquire His name and what the reason was that there He road alone so farre out of the way Who answered his name was Cineras Great King Atastus knight who that same day Did hunt within the wood and that he was Not far from thence whom Pyrrhus without â—â—ord Repliâ—d to him againe smot with his sword And kild him in that place and then forsooke The Forrest and directly went his way Vnto his ships with fierce and furious looke Where he put of his clothes and did array Himselfe in purple velvet like a king And to the Forrest backe againe did fling Where sodainely while he walkt too fro He met with king Atastus all alone Who wondring much to see him clothed so Askt
what he was why there making mone He wandered so solitarilie T'whom Pyrrhus answere made and for replie Said full of griefe and woe I doe confesse My selfe to be and therefore wandering Alone I go to thinke on the distresse That happened hath to Priamus the King Whose Son I was and by the fall of Troy Bereft of all my honor wealth and joy I now am made a prisoner gainst my will To Pyrrhus vnto whom I promise made To be his prisoner true and to fulfill His hest in every thing and therefore sad And heavilie I walke and so said he I haue you told how it now stands with me Which when he had so said vnto the King Atastus friendly spake to him againe And questioned with him of many a thing And mongst the rest where Pyrrhus did remaine In Thessalie and what he went about And Pyrrhus said to put you out of doubt He doth as now continue in a caue Not farre from hence and there doth closely stay In mightie feare and dread his life to saue And pointed to the caue where Peleus lay The which he did to make him looke about While he in furious wise his sword drew out Intending there Atastus to haue slaine But as he thought to giue the fatall blow Queene Thetides came running to the plaine And weeping at his feet her selfe did throw And holding fast his sword did make him stay His hand and thus vnto him she did say Let it suffice good nephew thou hast don And from so sore revenge thy selfe refraine Sith gainst things past remedy there is none Hast thou not kild said she my brethren twaine And wilt thou without mercy take away My aged fathers life I pray thee stay Thy cruell sword and now no more blood shed Remembring that the blood thou spilst is thine And pittie take vpon thy kindered From whom thou comst by right paternall linâ— For all men cruell Parasites contemne And for vnnaturall murtherers condemne The which when Pyrrhus heard like Tyger wroth He said whosoere against the same will stand Despight of him whether he be leefe or loth He shall be slaine at this time by my hand For hath he not said he by force and might Bereft my grand-sire Peleus of his right Whose Queene you are and he your Lord king Whose part you ought to take and not to stay My hand from doing of so iust a thing And therefore without faile I will him slay For nought there is that now his life shall saue Vnlesse my grand-sire Peleus doth it craue And therewith aged Peleus did begin To creepe out of the caue and when he saw What danger King Atastus then was in He praid his Nephew Pyrrhus to withdraw His hand and not to kill him in that place But rather to respect his woefull case And thinke sayd he vpon the extreame smart Of him that weeping sore with cruell paine Before thee stands with cold and dying hart To see his Sons here lie before him slaine By thee the which said he if thou be wise I pray thee at this time let it suffice And thinke thy selfe enough revengd to bee On him if thou considerest well thereon And sith he doth submit himselfe to thee I pray thee for my sake let him alone And spare his life that ready is to die For griefe which thou shalt not to me denie The which when Pyrrhus heard he did refrâ—â—nâ— From killing him as Pâ—leâ—â—s â—ade â—â—quest And when he had put vp his swâ—â—â—â—gainâ— Perceaving that he had done for the hast While these two aged kings together were He made accord betweene them both â—â— there They did agree on either side to make Division of the land of Thessalie And each of them the halse thereof to take And of the same to haue the soveraignty And never more to striue nor to contend For it againe till they their liueâ— should end And while they two and Pyrrhus there alone Within the wood did stand and no man by Atastus in this wise to speake begon And sayd my Lords I can it not deny As both of you as well as I do know That crooked age hath broght me down so low That nature in me now begins to drie And all my wits and sences so decay Whereby I feele such insufficiency Within my selfe that I must truely say That I am farre vnfit to take the paine Within the land of Thessalie to raigne For seeing that both of my sons are dead And I am left alone without an heire And haue no children living to succeed Me in my throane I wholly do despaire Of worldly ioy and all felicity For wavring fortunes mutability Hath taught me as I must of force confesse That no man doth in certaine state abide And that there is no trust nor stablenesse In worldly ioyes and thereforeile provide While time doth serue that strife there shall be none For Thassalie when I am dead and gone Forgainst the will of God I le not repine And to that end the Scepter of thiâ— land And regall throane for my part I resigne And giue into my Nephew Pyrrhus hand And with that work his faith and troth he gâ—â—e That he possession straight therof should â—â—â—â— In presence of his daughter Thetides And Pyrrhus that no other likewise ment Said sith that is doth king Atastâ—â— please Here to resigne hiâ— part I am concour To do the like affirming that long since It ever was his purpose and pretence And th' onely worldly ioy he had to leaue His Crowne vnto his Nephew whensoere Death with his dart should him of life bereaue As lawfull heire vnto the same and there In presence of Atastus and his wife To Pyrrhus said to end all warre and strife Betweene vs twaine I will likewise resigne My Scepter Sword and Crowne into thy hand As fully and as whole as ere 't was mine And makethee Lord of my part in this land Which freely vnto thee I now do giue To be thine owne as long as thou shalt liue Which having saith and this agreement made Betweene the kings as you haue vnderstood Atastus knights who in the meane time had Disperst themselues abroad within the wood Came thither and were willed by their Lord To sweare and vow to hold keepe th'accord Betweene them made whereto they gaue consent And so together in a company Each for his part well pleased and content They road vnto the towne of Thessalie Where king Atastus cald a Parliament And therein by expresse Commandement Caus'd all his subiects whatsoere they were Especially his whole Nobility In open Court to take their oaths and sweare To yeeld vnto the soveraignety Of Pyrrhus and with full and free accord T' acknowledge him to be their King Lord Of Thessalie and none but he alone At which time Pelâ—â—â— likewise did the same Which being thus on either side so done By sound of trump the Heralds did proclaime King Pyrrhus in each street of Thessalie And afterward with great