to declare Of things wherein they wish to haue â—liefe For while they liue in pure virginity And by the same are bard of liberty They keepe all close and will not seeme too bold To shew their minds although it grieue theÌ„ much Nor tell the thing which otherwise they would Although full neere vnto their hearts it tuch And so although t' were with a fained grace Medea sat with sober cheare and face And yet exprest her meaning with her eye So secretly that no man could discerne The burning fire that in her breast did lye The which because it did her much concerne She could not chuse her troubled mind t' appease But vse some words in secret which were these Would God this braue and lusty Gentleman Which showes so faire and gallant in my sight Whose comelinesse not well expresse I can Assured were to me to be my Knight That I might once embrace him in mine arme Then would I to my will his sences charme His haire that shines like to the golden wire His limbs compact and fram'd in coâ—â—ley wise His stature as proportion doth require In seemely height so well doth please mine eies That by my will it would my heart content To winne his loue if fortune would consent For that his knightly face for to behold â—s vnto me an earthly Deity Though inwardly I feele my heart full cold And yet in truth it may none other be Alas will he not pitty my estate And cause me thinke my selfe most fortunate I would he knew my true and good inâ—ent Whereof I thinke he takes but little â—eed And how my loue to him in fully bent Which inwardly doth make my heart to bleed Yet should I die I date iâ— not disclose Although for him I foâ—le a thousand 〈◊〉 But curelesse is my sorâ—â—â—â— and my paine To friend noâ— foe I dare â—â— not vnfold Nor yet in any fort thereof complaine To find redresse if any way I could And yet I would not any should 〈◊〉 But that I would procur't in honest wise As openly in time it shall be found For that in lawfull wedlocke vnto him Is my desire truely to be bound And so my meaning 's voyd of any sinne As being grounded vpon faithfulnesse Without all fraud or any doublenesse Behold how women craftily can play To wish a thing and nothing lesse 〈◊〉 And secretly that no man ought should say With face full smooth can shadow their desire And hide their lust by wile and subtilty With meere pretence and vaile of honesty And though that to be faithfull they pretend And that the depenes of their trechery They can with outward flourishes defend And all their wiles so closely couer'd lie Yet secretly deceit by them is meant With sugred words of good and true iâ—â—enâ— As if they did all honesty pretend When certainly 't is but an outward shoâ—â— As it is found and proueth in the end And many men by true experience know So well they can say one and other meane And colour blew full lightly turne to greene For vnder vaile of painted stablenesse And fained shew of honest modesty The wilie serpent cald now â—anglenesse Within their hearts full secretly doth lie For what they most desire in outward sho They will deny 't and sweare it is not so Thus Guydo seemes of women to indiâ—e Alas that he with them should make debate Or cursedly so much of them should 〈◊〉 It grieueth me in English to translate Their foule disgrace oâ—â— to iustifie For rather had I for their sakes to die And therefore I will craue their patience To beare with me because I write thus much My purpose is not for to giue offence As knowing well they are not any such They are so true and perfect in their thought That I suppose not one of them is nought And further I doe thinke there is not one But that in will and heart she will be true And keepe her selfe vnto one man alone But be it some doe choose them louers new To say the truth they are not worthy blame For oftentimes they see men do the same They must prouide for new when men refuse To loue them more seeke for other change And if I could I would them full excuse For why should men haue liberty to range And women not which cannot liue alone Store is no sore if they haue more then one Wherefore I must of them desire leaue Although I write as matter doth befall I hope it shall not giue them cause to grieue When as I follow mine originall For reason is that punishment should light On him that doth so hard'gainst women write And them so much and causlesly offend By ouermuch inuaying'gainst their kind But if I might I would it soone amend And him to judgement of the women bind That they might him vnto his pennance set For if for to repent he should forget I would dispaire of his saluation And think that he straight down to hell should go And neuer should obtaine remission Vnlesse he did some satisfaction show For all 's not true that we in bookes do find And if it were 't were hard for women kind If Guido therefore were as now aliue So bitter pennance he should furely haue If I were Priest and had him heare to shriue That till the time that he were layd in graue He should remember daily to repent And earnestly in heart his fact relent That he so spake to his confusion But let this passe and now I will proceed And meane to make no more digression To tell how faire Medea then did speed Who taking leaue did presently depart Out of the hall with sad and heauy heart And Iason when the King likewise did rise With Hercules was to his chamber brought Most richly hang'd in braue and sumptuous wise With cloth of Gold in curious manner wrought Where they did rest and take their ease a while Vpon their beds the time so to beguile Meane while as it already hath been sayd Medea was into her chamber gone Where to her selfe she thought vpon and wayd As she therein sat musing all alone How she might ease the sorrow the smart Which her so sore then pinched at the heart For loue which had her set in such a rage That easely she could it not forgo Nor find a ready meanes the same t' asswage For furious Cupid had her wounded so With his most fiery shafe within her brest That whereso e're she sat she could not rest So violent and seruent was the heat That still it did her paine and griefe encrease For in her breast there was a conflict great Twixt loue and shame which either did her presse To yeeld vnto their wills in some respect So that she could not tell which to reiect For loue a Knight of great renowne and fame Who neither feareth dagger sword nor knife Like Lyon fierce pursued still his game And hot and hasty was t'aduenture life And there withall most
proud in highest degree For Cupids chiefest officer is hee Who doth enforce both high and low of state In perills great and troublesome to enter And bringeth men by hard and cruellfate Vnto their ends and thousand dangers t'venter For loue of feare nor perill takes no heed So that in his proceedings he may speed But shame of other nature that consists Is alwaies bashfull cowardly and faint And dares not once so much as bend her fiâ—â—s Vnlesse it be through very meere constraint For cowardise doth make her hide her face For feare least she should fall into disgrace Much like a child of young and tender yeares As hauing neither courage will nor heart To giue assault she is so full of feares And yet full oft hath playd a peuish part And many louers crost when they should speed By counsell of his foster brother dread For feare and shame if they together lie Bereaue hot loue of heart and hardines And both together flatlie him denie The meanes or any power a word t' expresse Or once his mind to open and declare To ease himselfe of sorrow woe and care For when that loue doth boldlie thinke to speake And is vpon the very point t' assay And giue the venture forth his mind to breake Sharue sâ—eppeth out and vtterly saith nay And causes loue like Snaile his hornes to shrinke And bashfully with both his eies to winke And by that meanes he doth his suite impaire And thus is shame still froward and doth vary From hardie loue and puts him in despaire By helpe of feare which both do him contrary For if that shame fond loue would neuer cheake Loue often times his lawes would surely breake For as a horse that seeks to be at large In furious wise breaks bridle bit and raine And striues to free himselfe from Keepers charge Solouers true to ease themselues of paine Iâ— feare shame did not their wyls with-hold T' effect their lusts would be too hot and bold But all the while that shame is kept in mew Within the breast that no man doth it know No such effect of loue there doth ensue But still it makes an honest outward show For did not shame withstand loues lawlesse lust Loue out the hart all danger soone would thrust And were not shame the keeper and the gaile Of womens hearts as Authors plainely say It were in vaine the Castle to assaile Or any siege against the same to lay For in that case long parle shold not need For women hate delay and loue to speed But shame and feare loues combe so short had cut And humbled him so much in heart and mind That they had him cleane vnto silence put And he no meanes to ease himselfe could find And thus twixt loue and shame in great distresse Medea sat in care and pensiuenesse Which she could not by any meanes endure So hot she burnt within her tender brest For when as loue did her in part assure In fine to giue some comfort ease and rest Vnto her heart shame put her in a doubt With feare to thinke how that it would fall out And thus she stood still more and more in feare Twixt loue and shame as it were at a stand For shame was great but loue more force did beare And in the end did get the vpper hand For feare and shame she durst not once discouer The fire of loue which in her heart did houer Which easely she could not well shake off And so she sat perplex't without reliefe Till fortune full dispos'd at her to scoffe By turning of her wheele did ease her griefe But with vnhappy chance as she doth vse All those that put their trust in her t' abuse For when that men do thinke to sit at ease On top of fortunes wheele and nothing doubt That smiling Lady can them soone displease By giuing it but one small turne about And cause them fall as much as they did rise When they least of her treason do surmise For she is alwaies false and eke vnstable Prouoking men to things aboue their reach Which though that they t' attaine theÌ„ are not able With fained showes she can them finely catch And make theÌ„ break their brains both night day Bout haddy-wist when she with them doth play With her deceitfull face and flattery As she that well cap bring such fooles to bed And caus'd them to their own destruction hie And when that she to mischiefe hath them led She turnes her back with a pleasant smile Doth joy to thinke how she can men beguile And striuing thus within her selfe at last When reason could not win the field of rage And she sometime in musing had ore-past At length her inward torment to asswage She gaâ—n both pro contra to debate The matter with her selfe as still she sate And said in vaine Medea thou dost striue For sure one of the heauenly Gods it is That bends his force gainst thee Doth any liue That euer saw so strange a thing as this Is any thing like vnto burning loue Should I my Fathers hests esteeme aboue All measure hard truth 't is th' are hard and sore Why should I feare this strangers death so much Sith he 's a man I neuer saw before Why should his perill me at heart so tuch Vnhappy wench if thou couldst find some rest And coole the heat which burneth in my breast It were a good and blessed turne for thee For where as griefe now seemeth thee to kill Thou mightst thereby at heart well eased be But now a strange disease against my will Doth draw me on fond loue perswadeth me And though by Art what 's best for me I see Yet do I headlong follow that is worst Why should I thus so fondlie seeme to raue And on a stranger dote as one accurst And seeke a forraine husband so to haue When as at home to my content and mind I may a louer meet for me well find But who can tell if he shall liue or no And yet I pray long life may be his lot For without all offence I may pray so And wish him well although I loue him not For what offence hath Iason done to me Who pittieth not his youth should cruell be What is she but his valour might her moue But setting that aside who would not rage And burne at heart with hot and feruent loue With Iasons faire and goodlie personage My heart is toucht therewith assuredly And if that I prouide not remedy The burning breath of Buls will him so blast That with the fires his body sing'd shall be And of the seeds that he in ground shall cast A strange and vncoath haruest he shall see Of armed men that out the earth shall grow Against whom he had need his valour show And as a prey he shall likewise be set Against the fierce and cruell Dragon fell Which things if that I do not seeke to let Then must I trulie say and shew full well That
not greatly care Though rude I be vnto you to declare In simple tearmes such as my wit doth yeeld Which to say truth are rusticall and plaine What order Agamemnon in the field That day did take his battaile to ordaine On Grecians side as having no intent That any man should find him negligent For t' was no time as then for him to sleepe Therefore with all the speed he could devise He did prepare that day the field to keepe As he was valiant politicke and wise Against his foes twentie six battailes great Which he in ranks most orderly did set The government whereof he did commit Vnto such puissant Kings and Princes braue As he for valor thought to be most fit To take that charge the first whereof he gaue Vnto a Prince of honor great and fame Which Gâ—idâ— saith Patroclus had to name Which was compos'd of Myrmidons most strong And puissant Knights that came from Thessalie And onely to Achilles did belong And with them ioynd the same to fortifie Such Knights as he himselfe did thither bring All strongly arm'd And with this valiant wing He was the first that on the Grecians lide Began the fight against their enemie The cause why he the Myrmidons did guide Was for because Achilles then did lie Sore wounded in his tent and came not outâ— That day for that his Surgions were in doubt If he should stirre his wounds that were so sore And very greene would festar ranckle bleed And trouble and torment him more and more Which to prevent it was by them decreed To keepe his bed and for to ease his paine To lie therein till they were whole againe And so vnto Patroclus did commend His Knights because he was of royall bloud And his assured true and perfect friend Exceeding rich and much esteemd for good And great discretion wit and curtesie And one in whom he wholly did relie For twixt them both there was such entire loue Affection great and perfect amitie That nothing could out of their hearts remoue The constant and assur'd fidelity Which mutually they did t'each other beare Whereby their hearts together linked were And knit in one as they were bound together For will and wealth was one betwixt them both And what so ere the one did or the other It was confirmd on either side as loath To moue dislike or discontentment breed Twixt them that had resolu'd full decreed To liue die true friends in heart mind Which to their ends they strictly did maintaine The second ward to Menon was assignd Who in that war great honor did obtaine And to the worthy King Idumenes To whome was ioynd a Duke cal'd Menestes With full three thousand men well furnished And all th' Athenian Knights in armour bright The third by King Ascalaphus was led And Philomene his Son a worthy Knight Who both in proud and stately wise together Conducted those that froÌ„ Cuman came thither King Archelaus the fourth ward did command And with him was Securidan the stout And Prothenor who with that warlike band All three together valiantly went out Against their foes had within the same None but the Knights that from Boâ—tia came King Menelaus a worthie Prince was made Conductor of the ward next following And lift in talâ— which in it onlie had The Knights which he did thither with him bring From Sparta and the Isles about the same Who likewise as his subiects thither came And of the battaile next and sixt the King Epistrophus was chiefe Commander made And with him stout King Gelidus to bring The same into the field which in it had The Knights that came out of the famous Isle Which by the Geeekes is called Fordessle The seventh battaile next ensuing led By worthie famous Thelamon Aiax King Of Salamine was onely furnished With Knights that he vnto the siege did bring And with them were foure Earles of high degree Whose names I find the storie saith to bee Theseus the first the next was Doxeus Polixarie the third the fourth was he That all men called stout Amphimacus The eight ward Agamemnon did decree Should by the King cald Thoas forth be led With many Knights well arm'd and furnished The ninth ward Cileus Aliax did command The tenth was led by King Philoctetes Th'eleaventh the which next orderly did stand The most renowmed King Palamides King Naulus son of whome the Greeks did make So great account into his charge did take Before the twelfth Duke Nestor full of pride And melancholy humors in his mind A very stout and valiant Knight did ride The thirteenth to King Honux was assign'd That was Maâ—berethes Son by true dissent Who with it to the field most proudly went The fourteenth battaile that day for to guide The subtill King Ullsses was sent out And with the fifteenth ward to field did ride King Humelus a worthy Prince and stout The sixteenth vnto Duke Caribulus A Knight of great account and valorous Committed was to lead and in that band The Knights of King Prothesalus did go Whom Hector slew that day the Greeks did land T' incourage them to be reveng'd And to King Rodus was assignd the seventeene The eighteenth to the King of Occeâ—ene And of the nineteenth stout King Zanâ—â—ppus Of Lidia leader was The tweentith band Commanded was by King Amphimacus Philoctetes King of Lariffia Land The one and twentith band with him did lead The two and twentith by King Diomed. The three and twentieth Agamemnon gaue Vnto Aeneas King of Cyparie The leading and command thereof to haue That day against their Troyan enemie And with the foure and twentith ward did ride Prothecatus a King the same to guide King Carpenor of Carpadie was made Conductor of the fiue and twentith band A noble Prince that great experience had In warre and peace both on the sea and land And valiantly himselfe he did defend Vntill the Troyan warres were at an end The six and twentith battaile and the last That was sent out against the enemie King Agamemnon Generall of the hoast A puissant Prince of great authoritie Reserued for himselfe and in it led Great store of armed knights well furnished The battailes thus ordain'd the Greeks were led In order to the field where as they staid Each Prince and chiefe Commander at the head Of every band with ensignes rich displaid And streamers wavering in the wind that shone In braue and warlike wise against the sun At which time many a creast and helmet faire And richly gilt and graven there were seene Wherein great store of strange devises were And plumes of feathers yellow red and greene Blacke blew and white with other colors more And some that day for loue of Ladies bore Their favors on their Crests for to be seene And to encourage them that day to fight Couragiously as if that they had beene In presence and before their Ladies sight And dolefull noyse of Drums trumpets shrill Which with a fearefull sound the aire did
cruelly as I the signes can show Most furiously the same didst hac and hew Whereby mine armes that forged are of steele When thou with puissant force on theÌ„ dist smight Could neuer yet assure my corps so well But that thy trenchaÌ„t blade through theÌ„ would 〈◊〉 Into my flesh full deepely and profound As well appeares by many a mortall wound Which in the same are now both long and wide And at this time full sorely ake and smart And put me to such paine on euery side For which as now it seemeth that my heart Doth rise swell beat and pant when I thee see With great despight reuengd on thee to bee And is so full repleat with furious rage And rancor old with such extreamitie That by no meanes it never will asswage Till with my hands thy death I giue to thee But one thing doth torment me most of all Which is when I vnto remembrance call And with my selfe in mind expostulate How to content thy fierce and bloody will With trenchant blade thou diddest separate Patroclus corps in twaine and didst him kill Whom I did loue with heart and mind intire And vnto him so great good will did beare That as my selfe I must the truth confesse I loued him and such affection Vnto him had as no tongue can expresse And thou thereby didst make division Twixt him and me that liu'd and lou'd together Like brethren twaine and so had done for euer While life endur'd for that betwixt vs twaine Our faithfull hearts were knit to fast together As if they had been linked in a chaine No griefe nor no adversity could sever Our hearts and thoughts how great soere it was Till by his death thou broughtst the same to pas And by that meanes our faith full loue didst part Whose death so deepe in printed in my thought So sore doth griue and vex me at the heart That I protest it shall be dearely bought And 't may be if I reckon not amisse Before this present yeare expired is For be assurd that onely for his sake When Fortune shall afor'd the time to do 't Revenge by cruell death on thee I le take And thereof make account and looke well to 't For if I liue it shall be surely don WheÌ„ thou shalt haue no means the same to shun For right requires that sith by death thou wert The cause and meane to part two louer true Death should to thee be rendred for desert Which I my selfe will giue thee as thy due That all the world through out may thereof know And heare how that Achilles kild his foe To be revenged for Patroclus death And though that I doe hate thee for the same And will as long as I on earth doe breath Thou hast no cause nor reason me to blame For well I wot thou hast my death conspird And many a day the same in heart desird So that to end this strife I tell thee plaine Nought els but cruell death shall vâ—â—pâ—â—r bee For till thou I or both of vs be slaâ—â—â— It shall not cease The which I hope to see Ere it be long for sure it shall be dâ—â— By me or thee the which thou shalt not shun When Hector had Achilles speech well hard And giuen him leaue to tell so long a â—ale As he that for the same full little card With countenance glad and yet with anger pale He did thereto reply and answer made Vnto the same and thus to him he sayd Achilles thou no maruell oughst to haue That as thou saist I doe thy death conspire And howrely the same of fortune craue As th' onely thing which I in heart desire And that to kill thee still I he in wait Because to thee I beare so deadly hate For if in mind thou didst consider well The sentence graue which verity doth proue And vnto vs for certaine truth doth tell That neither I nor any man can loue Nor any kind of fauor show to one That dayly seeketh my confusion And me and mine to vanquish and destroy With deadly hate and great presumption Besieged hath the noble towne of Troy To bring vs wholly to destruction Not can I any cause nor reason find That in my heart I should to him be kind Nor loue nor fauor him in any thing That seekes my death For loue doth neuer breed Of bloody warre and strife nor yet doth spring From fowle and deadly hate but doth proceed And takes her first and true originall From faithfulnesse which is the principall And onely cause that makes mens hearts t' agree And neuer from true faith and loue to start But doth them still preserue in vnitie Of words and will desire mind and hart And neither life nor death can loue disseuer For faithfull loue continueth true for euer But hatred and dissention is contrary From whence proceeds and followes as we see When as mens hearts and minds dissent varry Nought els but rancor strife and enâ—â—itie Whe which once bred makes men proceed so far That at the last they fall to mortall warre The which all loue cleane vanisheth away But nerethelesse I will that thou shalt know That whatsoeuer thou to me dost say In proud and vaunting words and makest show As if that thou wouldst doe that vnto mee Which while thou liust shal neare be don by thee I care not whatsoere thou dost or sayst For without bost hereof I thee assure When as thou hast don all that ere thou â—â—yst If that this warre long twixt vs doth indure I hope if that it be my chance to liue The Grecians so to terrifie and grieue That thou and they full well shall find and feele How with my trenchant blade when we shall meet I le hac and hew their armors made of steele And beat them downe and tread them vnderfeet And thine and all their pride so much will daunt That if you stay and still these warres doe haunt I le make you all repent your comming here For this I know and well assured am That th' onely thing as plainely doth appeare For which vnto this towne you hither came Proceeds of pride and indiscretion Els would you not with such presumption A thing of such importance take in hand As is the siedge of this our towne so great Which able is your forces to withstand And you and yours from thence by force to beat For th' enterprise I tell you true and plaine Is ouer hard and heavy to sustaine And will because to make you all in fine As hauty and as stout as now you seeme To leaue your pride and lowly to decline And stoop vnto the burthen which you deeme To be but very easie small and light With your no little shame and great despight And this I say Achilles vnto thee That whensoeuer thou dost me assayle Death shall vnto thy selfe be giuen by mee Before that thou against me shalt prevaile To do the thing wgich thou so easie deem'st Though of thy selfe thou nere so
sho According to the Pagans ancient rights The funerall was there accomplished In presence of great multitudes of Knights And Lords and Ladies faire who then did shead Great store of teares with much affection And on their knees fell downe before the throne Whereas the corps of that most worthy Knight Vnburied stood vpright vpon his feet And seemd as fresh and faire vnto the sight By vertue of the precious gums most sweet And balme the which his flesh did so reuiue That he did shew as he had been aliue And at this feast and great solemnitie Queene Hecuba with Policene and other Faire Dames and Princes of great dignitie Sat weeping and in company together Apparelled in sad and mournfull blacke Such lamentation at that time did make For Hectors death as nere the like was seene And yet for all the sorrow that they made The faire and goodly Lady Pollicene No part of her great beautie changed had But still a crimson red and white most cleare Within her face and countnance did appeare For all the teares that she as then did shead Which trickled downe her cheeks like poaâ—les fine Her haire that then hung round about her head In careles wiâ—e like golden wier did shine And show'd like Phebus glistring beams most bright When he doth cast on vs his radiant light Which with her fingers small â—â—e rent and tare Whose beautie when Achilles did behold He did esteeme the same to be so rare That he did muse how God and Nature could Deuise and make so faire â—â— creature For comlines of face and feature So Angell-like she did to him appeare That he to looke on her could not indure For with her christall eies most faire and cleare She stroake him then into the heart so sure That for her loue which was his whole desire He burnt within as hot as any fire And sodainely againe with griefe he shooke Like one that is in feare yet euermore Vpon her he did cast a glancing looke For Cupids dart had pierced him so sore Into the brest and giuen him such a wound That it was likely neuer to be sound And as he durst he lookt her in the face And still approacht vnto her with his eie For whom if that in her he found no grace He made account assuredly to die For he was fallen and caught in such a snare That of his health he was in great despaire And in his heart he was perplexed so That care of all things els he did reiect For knowing not what he were best to do He did himselfe and all his state neglect To set his thought on her and in this wise He fed himselfe with sight of her faire eyes Till Phoebus with his charâ—â—â— did decline And to the Westerne coasts began to draw And on their hemisphere no more did shine When as he cast his eies about and saw Queene Hecuba with Pollicene and mo Out of the Temple to the Pallace go On whom he neuer ceast to haue a sight As she did pas along till that she went Out of the gate and he no longer might With her faire eies giue to his heart content And then no longer in the towne be staid But going to his tent himselfe he layd Vpon his bed with sad and heauy cheare Whereas he lay still thinking on his loue Whose beauty in his sight did so appeare And as he thought still more and more did moue His heart the same with great desire to craue That he no rest noâ— any ease could haue For loue of whom such burning heat he felt And extreame paine which did torment him so That with the same he thought his heart wold melt And in that sort he tumbled too and fro And like a man halfe dead and fore dismaid Vnto himselfe he spake and thus he sayd Alas quoth he that fortune so vnkind Should be to me to make me feele and know Such griefe that I no end thereof can find For that it doth my heart so ouerflow As I suppose that since the world began There nere was found a more distressed man For I that whilome was of so great might Renowned throughout the world of high and low And honoured and feared of euery wight For no man euer heard noâ— yet did know Of any Knight that was more valorous Then I nor euer more victorious For neither Hector that most valiant Knight That was my Lady Pollicenes deare brother Although he was of most exceeding might And hardy therewithall nor any other The power had when he on me did set The least aduantage vpon me to get Nor in the field my courage once could daunt Or make me yeild of fearefully to flie Whereof I may vnto my selfe now vaunt Because I am assurd iâ— is no lie Now now alas a mayd of tender age Hath suddenly set me in such a rage And with the streames of her faire Christall eies Hath pierst my woefull heart and euery vaine That I cannot by any meanes deuise How to relieue my selfe or ease my paine On whom shall I for counsell now reâ—â—e Or who can giue me any remedy To ease and cure my griefe and heauines For this is sure that hope for me ther 's none If death end not my woe and great distresse But her good will and that from me is gone For neither prayer wealth nor comlines Strength power courage nor yet Noblenes Birth honor blood nor great affinitie Can ought availe to helpe me now in need To moue her stony heart to pittie me For whom my heart with inward griefe doth bleed What fury hath possest my restles braine That it should so gainst nature me constaine And make me proue so much vnfortunate As for to seeke mine owne confusion To loue and like of her that doth me hate But truth to say when as I thinke thereon No marvell t is that she doth me despise Sith I am come to Troy in warlike wise To kill and to destroy her kindred And all her friends by fierce and cruell warre Wherein the blood I haue already shead Of Hector her deare brother who both farre And neare was known to be the valiantst knight That euer liu'd for valor and for might Alas for woe now may I quake for feare And of my life dispaire both day and night For with what face can I fore her appeare Or be so bold to come into her sight That haue offended her in such a fashion As that in truth I merit no remission Nor pardon at her hands but certainely Must yeild my selfe the sentence to abide Of cruell death to end my miserie Which doth enclose me round on euery side And so with many sobs and sighes most deepe He did begin so bitterly to weepe And made such woefull lamentation That pittie it was for any man to heare Or see the griefe and cruell passion Which he with great extremitie did beare Within his mind and outwardly exprest And so he lay and by no meanes could rest But tumbled
To tell to you when we shall meet againe So much I do my selfe vnto you bind For which I aske of you but to be kind All this and more said Iason will I do And what so euer else you shall deuise And by my faith do bind my selfe thereto So much your face and sweet intising eies And beautie rare surpassing all that liue Haue moou'd my heartall honour you to giue Your bountie in like sort doth so exceed In that such care of my estate you haue That while I liue how euer that I speed I le be your faithfull Knight else do I eraue The Gods to send iust vengeance for desert If I to you shall beare â— fained heart Conditionallie that you to me fulfill The promise which it pleaseth you to make And as you say so vse your Art and skill That in the thing which I now vndertake I may preuaile and win the victorie My name and fame t' aduance perpetuallie For truth to say your beautie is so great Surpassing all that euer I did see That well it doth deserue the supreame seat In beauties bower and highest dignitie Excelling beauties all as much and more As doth the Rose surpasse each other flore Which in the Summer mongst the leaues full green When as the spring hath forced out to flow The moisture that had long enclosed been And caus'd the soile that ' barren greene to show And trees leaus that winters blasts made bare With buds and blossomes new refreshed are And euerie garden's fild with flowers store Of sundrie kinds most pleasant to the eie And makes the buds Dame Flora to adore With ioyfull and melodious harwonie And that the heaueulie dew doth moist each place And to his sundrie colour yeeld his grace Doth shew to be the fairst of euerie one So nature hath you made with good aduise As she that should deserue the same alone Of beautie and thereof to beare the prise Aboue all earthlie and each mortall thing And of all bountie great to be the spring As you surpasse without comparison All others what so ere on earth do liue For wisedome kindnesse and discretion The praise whereof I cannot choose but giue Vnto your grace as she that vnto me So courteous and so kind I find to be For if in this extreame you had me left I were for euer vtterlie vndone And of all aid and succour cleane bereft But your exceeding bountie hath so wonne And ouercome my heart that while I liue To pleasure you my life for you I le giue Sith that to aid me now when I haue need You spare not your good will to me t' extend In liew whereof if I should shew the deed Of an vngratefull or vnthankfull friend I might of right be counted obstinate And held a foole so to with stand my faâ—e For he that in extremitie should lie And knew how to relieue or ease his want And would refuse a Ladies curtesie I thinke of wit he should be very scant And in the ship of fooles deserues to bâ—â— Preferred and extold to highest degree And therefore now I whollie do resigne Heart body life and lim into your hand And till that death shall vitall thread vnâ—â—ne I will you not in any thing withstand And hereby oath I bind my selfe to be Your faithfull friend as you haue promist me And henceforth will not faile in ought t' obay What ere shall be your pleasure and your will At any time as well by night as day Till death shall with his dart my bodie kill Let this suffice to satisfie your mind That vnto you I le neuer prooue vnkind Medea hearing him protest and sweare So earnestly to be her faithfull Knight And that to her such loue he swore to beare She was in heart surprizd with such delight That for reply ere she from thence did go The secrets of her heart she did him sho And said braue Prince then will I soone ordaine A way whereby we may together meet When we will with good leisure twixt vs twaine Take order in this case and louely greet Each other and by holy Sacrament Confirme our vowes with heart and true intent For that as now the time will not permit Nor yet affoord vs place of secresie But when night comes when euening gins to shit In secret wise I will you certifie The time when as you shall your selfe conuay And come into my chamber by some way In priuatenesse Where to our great delight We may each other louingly embrace Which shall be when as glistring Phoebus bright Doth Westward wend yeeld dark night his place With thicke and gloomie clouds to ouer-shade Our Hemisphere and cause the light to vade Which time by fauour great which fortune sends To louers arue affoords conueniency T' effect their wills and likewise to them lends Occasion how to speake in secresie Then as I say my deare and louing frend To send for you I purposely intend To come to me when as without all doubt In louing wise out minds we will vnfold And there determine how to bring about The thing whereof in part I haue you told And when we haue accomplished our will And of our pleasures had the scope and fill I will deuise how we may meet againe In secret sort when so it shall vs please Who ere saith nay and quietly obtaine Our hearts delights our comfort and our ease Which shall be when that Dame Lucine bright Doth walke abroad in darkest time of night For mighty Ioue who secrets all doth see Full well doth know my heart and my intent And how to you I will for euer be A faithfull friend so much my mind is bent To loue and honour you withall my hart If you will do the like for your owne part Wherewith Prince Iason lowlie did encline And said to her Dame set your heart at rest And be assur'd I will my selfe combine To you while life doth last For I detest To be accounted false in thought or deed Vnto your Grace how euer that I speed And though with painted words I cannot glose Nor yet with phrases fine perswade your mind I would not haue you thinke nor yet suppose In this my vow you shall me faithlesse find But while that breath doth in my corps remaine I will true loue within my heart retaine And to confirme my deed with heart and mind Lo here my hand and faith to bind the same Assuring you of certainty to find My ioue and zeale shall neuer merit blame And therewithall an end of speech to make Each for that time of th' other leaue did take Medea straight rose vp out of her place First hauing taken leaue in stately wise And with a braue and passing Princely grace With-drew her selfe as was her woonted guise Into her priuate chamber where at will She might her mind with contemplation fill Of her new loue and find meanes how to frame The thing which shee had purposed in heart Without disgrace or blot
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
ioy farewell my chiefest blisse Now strangers haue thee in possession And I the thing I loue do so much do misse And must endure 't with extreame passion Would God I knew how that they doe intreat My Helena that was to me so sweet Now thou art gone the thought of thee me slayth And I must liue in sorrow griefe and woe Expecting still my end by cruell death And therewithall he said that he would goe To Sparta therein comfortlesse alone His great grievous losse to waile and mone But Nestor would not leaue his company But went with him for consolation By all meanes seeking how to pacifie His mind and hauing great compassion On his distresse did make no longer stay But did him to his Country thence convay And being there arriu'd with woefull heart By letters sent in post to euery place He did vnto his brethren twaine impart His great mischance and sad and woefull case Desiring them to come to him with speed To aid him with their counsell in his need And first to King Agamemnon did write And to King Castor and King Pollux send Desiring them with all the speed they might In his distresse their ayd to him to lend And when they came and saw his countnance dead Like to a man with thought halfe murthered They could not chuse but for his sorrow grieue And by perswasions sought the same to ease But when they saw they could it not remoue Out of his mind nor him no whit appease King Agamemnon wisely gan to speake And in these words his mind to him did breake Brother said he what woe what heauinesse What deadly griefe doth thus torment your mind And as it seemes your sences all oppresse So furiouslie and we no case can find You should do thus but grant it to be true That cause for to be grieu'd is giuen you Yet you should be so arm'd with providence That what so ere dislike were offered you You should thereat not seeme to take offence And make as though thereof you nothing knew For that a wise man in adversitie Should ioyfull countenance shew and secretly Conceiue in mind the thing that doth him grieue And priuilie within his breast inclose His wrath and ire that none might it perceiue Nor let it once be knowen vnto his foes For t is the counsell of the provident That when mans heart with furie thinks to rent He should not seeme to be possest with ire Till that he findeth fit occasion To kindle and reviue the burning fire Of vengeance when his foe thinks not thereon For griefe shew'd outwardlie by proofe we find Two things doth breed which are of several kind First it provokes thy friend to sigh full sore For nature binds him to lament thy griefe And it doth cause thy foe reioyce the more For he is glad when thou dost want reliefe Wherefore when griefe most in thy heart doth lie Shew cheerefull face to crosse thine enemie And make as though thou dost esteeme at nought The thing which doth thee most torment and vex And evermore remaineth in thy thought Ye though it doth thee nere so much perplex And where thou hast most cause for to complaine There make best show ioyful countnance faine For into teares although thou should'st distill And never cease tormenting of thy mind Yea though thy selfe thou shouldest therewith kill Thou could'st but little ease and pleasure find For vengeance nere was tane nor honor wonne By any thing that man that way hath done For though it lasteth long it brings no gaine It 's said the man that can dissemble wrong Although it be with inward greete and paine Is subtill and of valiant heart and strong And he that can be peaceable in smart Doth well declare he hath a noble heart For he that weepes like women in their rage And thinkes by words and teares to ease his paine His sorrow and his griefe shall nere asswage And by no meanes to honor shall attaine Let 's not with words but with our weapons fight And hold our tongs manlike try our might Words are but wind and water t is we weepe And though the stormes flouds of either two Do multiply and vs in sorrow keepe They do no good but still increase our woe And to our foes when as that they do â—eâ—â—e That we doe make so sad and heauie 〈◊〉 It doth increase and multiply their ioy And giues them cause much more to laugh at vs Wherefore let not this sorrow thee annoy Which now doth seeme so to torment thee thus For it is said the courage of a Knight Is prou'd when as with mischiefe and despight He is not feard nor in adversity Doth not himselfe faint-heartedly submit To any danger what so ere it be Nor doth impaire his honor any whit Through foule despaire but hopeth alwaies well And hath a mind as firme as any steele T' effect the thing that he doth take in hand And his desire at last to satisfie For this from me I pray you vnderstand That he which in himselfe hath fantasie T' assaile his foe and venture life and lim What ere befall or happeneth vnto him And takes the chance that vnto him is cast He commonly nere failes in victorie And hauing dangers all cleane over-past In fine obtaineth praise eternally And now t is time to speake in words but few Good brother mine your valour forth to shew To cheare your heart and for to make you strong The forces of your foes for to withstand And to revenge your domages and wrong And we thereto will put our helping hand And all with one consent and force and might Assist you in your need t' obtaine your right And in despight of all that shall vs let Within the fields before the Towne of Troye Will plant our siege and there our tents vp set And ere we part will 't vtterlie destroy Albeit as now I can appoint no day Therefore let vs with all the speed we may Send messengers into the Grecian Land The Princes of the same to certifie Of these your wrongs craue their helping hand T' assist you and the same to remedie And so full well revenge your selfe you may And this is all that I to you can say King Menelaus therewith somewhat appeas'd Began more cherefull countenance to make And with his heart and mind thereby was eas'd All outward griefe did presently forsake And seeing that by care he could't not mend To all his friends throughout the land did send And first his Kinne and allies he did moue By showing them what had chanced vnto him Desiring them of courtesie and loue His case as t' were their owne for to esteeme And with their powers assistants to him be To ayd him in his great extreamitie His letters seene and read there did resort Achilles and Patroclus Princes stout Diomedes and others to his Court Who having heard what things had fallen out Did all with one consent and will agree Vpon the King
that the Percian King Came to the Greeks with many a worthy Knight And with him diuers thousands more did bring To succour them with all his power and might And that he was of body tall and long Yet very fat and therewithall most strong Red haire and beard and deepe and fiery eyes And in his face great store of warts he had His countnance sterne and often times would rise Into such rage that he did seeme halfe mad Which did in him so deepe jmpression take That therewithall his body it would shake Thus much I find that Dares doth declare Of all the Grecians shapes and personages But of the Troians he no paines doth spare In cerious wise at large them to expresse Omitting none as you may well behold The Chapter next ensuing doth vnfold CHAP. VII ¶ The description of Priam and his sonnes and daughters and of the arriuall of the Greeks at the Temple of Diana ANd first he sheweth how King Priamus Of body was both slender tall and strong Of countenance and looke right gratious Delighting much in musicke and in song And therewithall was most desirous To heare such ditties as were amorous A seemely Prince and of great hardines Cleane void of feare abhorring flattery And with low voyce his speech he did expresse Of word most true much given to equitie And never did refuse to any wight To doe him vpright justice law and right No favor nor no loue made him decline Nor leane vnto the greatest or the least His manner was full sone in morne to dine And of all Kings he was the worthiest One that esteem'd each worthy Knight and trew Or any valiant souldier that he knew On whom he did bestow great store of gold And did aduance them vnto dignitie And spared not his treasure to vnfold Mongst them to show his magnanimitie And by that meanes in such wise with them dealt That every one his bounty largely felt Of many sonnes he had the eldest was Hector the famous Prince and worthy Knight Who all the world in valor did surpasse Such was his courage hardinesse and might The very root and spring of Chivalry As ancient Histories doe certifie And therewithall so sober wise and sad Courteous demure and full of gentlenesse That in his time no Prince more honor had And truth to say he did deserue no lesse Forvertue did so much in him abound That throughout all the world he was renownd Of flesh and bones he was so well compact And rightly formed in proportion And every lim so perfect and exact That no defect has found in any one Huge made he was and of just hight length Thereto compleat and of surpassing strength Liuely well breathed and able to sustaine Against his foe a long and furious fight So that no mortall man could ere attaine Vnto the fame of that most valiant Knight For his surpassing strength and courage bold If vnto him his due ascribe I should Wherewith he was so wise and so discreet And louely though a Prince of high degree To rich and poore that met him in the street That all men prais'd his great humilitie A Prince that vs'd few words to any one And shew'd good countenance vnto every one That all men joyed when as they him beheld Vnto his Troian Subiects he was kind But when as he once entred in the field His foes did him a furious Lyon find So valiantly he could himselfe maintaine And by his might their forces all sustaine No man was euer able to endure The moile of the paine that he would take For as the story plainely doth assure And thereof doth a large relation make He neare had feare nor did in fighting faile Nor with faint heart his enemies assaile Of all the valiant Knights that ever were He was the best for vertue prowesse and might And did the prize of honor from them beare The which he might by valor claime of right For none could euer equall him therein Since that this earthly globe did first begin In whom Dame nature did so much prevaile And like a skilfull workeman fashioned His mold that not one thing did in him faile But was compleat saue that he stammered But had no other imperfection And was of sanguine pure complexion His brethren Deiphobus and Helenus In each respect and every property Were both so like vnto King Priamus That twixt them three was no diversitie Except in age he old they young and light The first he was a strong and valiant Knight And in his warres did many a valiant deed But Helenus to learning wholy bent Of feates of armes and prowesse tooke no heed But in all Arts became so excellent And had such knowledge in Astronomy That he could tell what future things should be Of Troilus to speake it is most sure There never liu'd a more couragious Knight Nor likelier in Armes for to indure As hauing therein pla'st his whole delight Of body well compact of stature tall Young lustly fresh and hardy therewithall So valiant strong and stout a Champion That equall vnto him neare any was For none with him could make comparison So much he did in worthines surpasse For which his great and most exceeding might He was a second Hector cal'd by right He did behaue himselfe so valiantly In that great warre against his enemies In loue he did perseuere constantly And was therein most secret firme and wise Of face most faire and of a pleasant cheare Wherein no alteration did appeare He was so firme and constant in his heart And therewithall so loving and so kind That nothing could disswade nor make him start From that which he had once decreed in mind So true he was in word and so vpright And to his foes he was so sterne a Knight And fierce that they could not his force withstand Vnto the Greeks it was confusion When as he held his bloody sword in hand And to the Troians their protection For that his Knight-hood was of such account That no man might in valor him surmount Thogh al the world they shold haue sought throghout What â—hall I say to make his praises last More then I haue but that amongst the rout Of Greeks and Troians all none him surpast Vnlesse it were his jnvinsible brother Hector alone and neuer any other King Priamus sonne cal'd Paris was a Knight So beautifull of flesh and blood to see That for to yeild to him his due and right I must confesse none was so faire as he Whose crisping looks that shin'd like golden wier Made all men his great beautie much admire His sole delight was shooting in a bow And hunting in the woods to chase wild deare And did therein such skill and cunning show That he all Archers past that euer were And was a Knight of great renowne and fame Whose valiant deeds did well approue the same Aeneas that King Priams daughter had Was light of lims and eyâ—d bright and cleare Well brested and of good proportion
wil sometimes say That which they will deny againe as fast And serpentlike mongst flowers fresh and gay Most commonly their poyson vse to cast With sweet and sugred word when as they mind Nought but deceit and guile for t is their kind And propertie to flatter faine and lie When in them men doe greatest trust repose For all they doe is done in pollicie For when you thinke theÌ„ friends they are your foes And hide their malice with such subtiltie That though they seeme with one disseÌ„bling eye And outward show in piteous wise to weepe They can with th' other laugh full couertly And in their hearts their double meaning keepe Their sorrowes they are outward commonly And neuer to their hearts and thoughts draw nere And all the partie coulours which they were Are mixt with change and great variety For therein doth consist their chiefest blis The' are sure and fixt in lies and flattery And double in their truest promises Make show of faith when least thereof they thinke Likeliest to loue when most from it they shrinke Most ouerthwart when as they should agree And truest seeme when truth in them is none For certaine t is that few of them there be That in their hearts contented are with one But will in show receiue and entertaine Two three or foure and in their speeches faine Aud make them all with flattering words beleeue That she doth loue and like them euery one And secretly her faith to all will giue Yet maketh them to thinke she loues but one And that shee le liue with him in weale and woe When as in very truth it is not so And by that meanes to each of them doth seeme As if she lou'd and liked him alone And makes him her for his true loue esteeme When as in truth perchance she loueth none And thus with fained hope she doth theÌ„ scoffe The tru'st to her is soon'st by her cast off He that best serues least favor shall deserue And yet she doth them all with fancie feede But promise will with none of them obserue She 'le soon'st deceaue wheÌ„ you think sur'st to speed Let no man trust therefore vnto delay But take time and aduantage when he may A man may change at pleasure all the yeare And yet thereby may get but little gaine Great folly t is to buy that thing to deare Which man cannot in his bounds retaine But flies away when most he doth it want And if such ware at any time wax scant Men may them out at windoes oft behold And find them in a chamber or a hall That with most shameles countenance and bold Will not refuse vnto a man to call And many times abroad in euery street You may them see and also with them meet At Pilgrimages and oblations At daunces â—ights and euery common play That vsed are in Citties and in townes Where they resort for pleasure night and day To see and to be seene of every man And by their wiles t'intrap them if they can For their 's no fraud nor any subtiltie Like vnto that of willy women kind Nor worse deceit nor craftier pollicie Then in their false dissembling hearts men find For he that loueth women stedfastly And thinks in them to find fidelity Shall see and proue them like vnto the moone That ready is to change For if their loue Be young and them displease they will him soone Out of the dores by head and shoulders shoue If he be old th'yle say age makes him dote And let some younger man ride in his bote My counsell therefore is vnto them both To cast them off in time and let them flie This Guido saith not I I tell you troth That hath delight to speake vnhappily Of women in most part of all his Booke As you may see if you therein will looke Whereby it seemes that he was not their friend And vnto them did beare no little spight Els would he not so much with them contend Nor in his Booke such slaunders of them wright Which inwardly did make my heart to bleede For griefe when I such things therein did read Which onely of meere malice favored And maile of purpose women to contemne Wherein I see he was too much misled For generally he doth them all condemne And for to show more indiscretion Twixt good and bad makes no exception He was too blame for one â—'accuse them all For I dare say and swere it by the rood And you shall find it to in generall That for one bad there are an hundred good And though some doe themselues vnconstant shew It hurts not them that faithfull are and crew And though by some examples he may show As likely t is for many such there are That some one boue the rest did proue a shrow Those that are meeke and gentle need not care We must not blame nor tax all women kind For some that proue vntrue For this we find That in the towne of Collen once there were Eleuen thousand Virgins pure and true Which did the name of Holy Martyrs beare And many other stories tell to you That diuers maids did Virgins long remaine And to preserue virginitie were slaine And some with flowers of true virginitie Did liue on earth in honor great and fame That died at last in perfect ehastity And sanctified in heauen for the same With God remaine in his eternall rest And mongst the Saints for euermore are blest And though some gainst bad women so much say We must not all for some few women blame Therefore let no good women be dismaid For that of men may well be sayd the same Is it a shame to him that liueth true Because an other man doth liue vntrue And for his theft is hang'd as many be No more is it to women vertuous If mongst a hundred one of them we see That is of liuing bad and vicious When for one bad a thousand we may find That vertuous are Though Guido faith by kind And nature they are false yet men should thinke They are not so and them not too much blame But rather at their frailtie seeme to winke For though ones bad they are not all the fame Nature in operatiou hath great power And who is he that liueth at this hower That can by anymeanes his course restraine For she will not be shortned of her right Nor yet be staied with bridle norwith raine And therefore man withall his power and might Should giue God thanks for them â—◠〈◊〉 not blame Poore women that by nature are the â—aâ—â—e And though so much my Author gainst them saies Where he doth write of Cresida alone And for her fault such blame on women laies My counsellis to all and euery one In reading it on her t' impose the shame And task not other women for the same Or read it not at all but rather stay Till that you come where Diomede had charge To goe to Troy to fetch faire Cresida Whereas my maâ—ster Chawâ—â—r
Must fall out in the end and cannot mis. The which his Myrmidons did take in hand And promised to do as he had sayd And so no longer time therein delaid But went into the field where Troielus With all the Troian troopes did ready stand Who valiantly with heart couragious And with his strong and trenchant blade in hand Vpon the Grecians set and of them made Such hauocke that in little time he had So many of them slaine and ouerthrowne And furiously sore wounded euery where As he amongst them road and past that none Of them durst stand against him and appeare Before his face and did so hotly chase And kill and beat them downe in euery place That they began for feare of him to flie So that despight of all the Greeks he won The field of them and with such crueltie Pursued them that ere it was full noone That day he had constraind them to retire To saue their liues and shun his furious ire Till that Achilles Myrmidons began T' inclose him round about on euery side And with most great despight vpon him ran And he to them in furious wise did ride And though alone he was amongst them all Like Lyon fierce vpon them he did fall And in such furious wise did them assayle And valiantly to kill them did not cease That in short space he did so much preuaile Gainst them that he their number did decrease For some he slew out right and some he bore Downe to the ground some he wounded sore And some he maim'd and some he cleft in twaine And hackt and hewed them most cruelly And did the fight so valiantly maintaine Against them all with such dexterity That they could not his hautie heart subdue But still he seem'd his courage to renew And them with force and valor great t'assayle And by no meanes to giue them any rest But what could all his power and strength preuaile When as he was so mightily opprest And that three thousand knights did neuer cease In furious wise vpon him still to presse And more and more on euery side him held At such a bay that cowardly in th' end They kild his horse whereby he was compeld To fight on foot and yet he did defend Himselfe so valiantly that they well felt The puissant blowes which he amongst them delt But nerethelesse he was so sore beset That all he did could him no whit prevaile By any meanes from midst of them to get For they did him so furiously assayle That mauger his most puissant force might Off from his head they did his helmet smight And hackt and heawd his armor in such wise That naked both with head and necke he stood In midst of all his furious enemies Without reliefe Yet like a Lyon wood He shewd himselfe a valiant Champion And neuer ceast to smight and beat them down And to withstand them mightily and long Disarmed as he was till in the end Achilles entring in amongst the throng Of Myrmidons where Troielus did defend Himselfe gainst them fought with courage bold Whom when he did in such a case behold Sore wearied with fighting and in need Of ayd as then with extreame cruelty Ere Troilus of him tooke any heed Behind him fiercely road and cowardly Smot off his head and not contented so Vnknightly his great crueltie to sho He causd his mangled body to be bound Vnto his horses tayle and in a rage Drewt after him along vpon the ground Throughout the field his choler to asswage And to content his fierce and cruell will Which tooke delight his enemies blood to spill By treason as too well it doth appeare By that disloyall act which he then wrought But he that such a traiterous heart doth beare All honor and renowne doth set at nought So that he may effect his cruelty And bad intent against his enemy But now I must a little change my stile And leaue the Greeks and Troians in the fight And vnto learned Homer speake a while Who as it seemes did take a great delight To praise Achilles for his chivalry And all the Greeks t' extoll and magnifie But Homer thou hadst need to blush for shame And to condemne thine owne partiality For magnifying of Achilles name That in thy booke extolst him to the skie Who while he liu'd was full of fraud and guile And neuer did deserue so loftie a stile I must confesse that with great Eloquence And Rethoricke thou hast set forth his praise And like a Poet of great excellence Dost say he was the best Knight in his daies Yet in one point thou greatly art to blame Without iust cause to magnifie his name And t'eleuate commend and glorifie Him with a title of such happines As that for euerlasting memorie Thou dost declare that through his worthines And Knight-hood he the honor did obtaine By his owne hand two Hectors to haue slaine One who in truth for Knight-hood did surpas All men that euer liu'd for such an other Was neuer found and Troielus that was A most renowned Knight his youngest brother Who likewise well deserued for his fame And valor great a second Hectors name If thou wast moued by affection And loue which thou dost seeme in heart to beare Vnto the valiant Greekish Nation To praise him thou shouldst not for loue nor feare Refuse to write the truth of euery thing And set aside all lies and flattering For when that he slew Hector in the field It was when he without all feare or care To ease himselfe a while had cast his shield Behind him at his backe and fore him bare A Kings dead corps before his sadle bow And of his comming did full little know For if he had perceiud his trechery Thou hadst not had the cause of him to boast As now thou hast for by his chiualry He would haue made Achilles to his cost To feele his puissant force and valor great And him besides his purpose would haue set And so he did to Troielus likewise Who being all alone enclosed round Amongst the Greeks his deadly enemies And fighting there on foot vpon the ground Disarmed head and necke in great distresse And redy for to faint with wearinesse He road behind him and most cowardly Smot off his head when he suspected least He would haue vsed him so traiterously Now iudge you all I pray at my request I ft were an act of any valiant Knight To kill a man sore wearied in fight Which he had held gainst thousands all that day And much of his most Princely blood had spent In midst of them as he stood at a bay Bare headed with his armor all most rent Cleane off his backe not able to sustaine Himselfe but in great danger to be slaine And in that case to come so cowardly Behind his backe and kill him vnawares To couer his devised trechery As one that of his honor had no care Praise him not therefore Homer for the same But
their faces faire With flouds of teares t' expresse their heauinesse Were vnto me a thing impossible And yet in truth it was not comparable To that which faire Queene Helena did make Who with a deadly cheare and wofull face Cast forth most dolefull cries for Paris sake And running furiouslie vnto the place Whereas his body lay fell flat thereon And though that it was cold as any stone Embrast it in her armes and wofully Lamenting on the same fell in a sound And likely was in that extreamitie To die and t' haue beene laid into the ground With him if those that were with her by force And strength had not pul'd her off froÌ„ the corse Wherewith she rent and tare her golden haire Like one that 's mad waxt so pale and wan That her most comelie face which was so faire Chang'd in such sort that it therewith began To looke and show like vnto ashes cold And with her hands which she did ring fold Together smote her white and deadly face And sounding fell againe vpon the ground And in her armes did Paris corse embrace And with her brinish teares did fill his wound And was so much perplexed in her mind That she could neither ease nor comfort find But rather seem'd to wish with great desire To die with him in whome her sole delight Was placed and in that most furious ire To end her daies with her most louing Knight And liue no more sith that she was bereft Of him and in such great discomfort left So that I may well say that neuer any Poore woman felt the like nor more distresse Although I could rehearse and tell of many That haue been plunged in great heauinesse As Cleopatre going to her graue And Thesbie that did come out of the caue And smote her selfe for griefe into the heart And Oristilla who no sooner spied Her Lord take shipping and from her depart Sore grieu'd for loue of him fell downe and died And Iulia that lou'd her Lord so well That sodenly dead on the ground she fell When she beheld his cloaths all dasht with blood And Portia that was so true a wife To Brutus that when as she vnderstood That he was slaine because she had no knife In readinesse to kill herselfe withall To show her loue into the fire did fall And burnt herselfe And that most noble Queene Cald Arthemisia who when she had found Her Knight Mausalus graue and there had seene His bones did take them vp out of the ground And with an heart repleat with griefe and care Vnto her Pallace solemnly them bare And beating them to powder every day Did drinke thereof till it was cleane consum'd Who with the rest aforesaid I must say And as in truth it is to be presum'd No doubt great griefe endur'd but not so much As faire Queene Helen did nor nothing such Who would haue kild her selfe for Paris sake Desiring to her graue with speed to go And rather of her life an end to make Then to liue after him she loued so And languishing in woe long time remaind And never could from weeping be restaind He that doth say that women cannot cry Deceaues himselfe for t is a thing most sure They can by nature doo 't and certainly Though they no griefe nor sorrow do endure Yet they can false and fained teares distraine Out of their eies without cause complaine I say not this Queene Helena t' accuse Of fained teares whose heart with woe was fild For then I should you with vntruth abuse For she for griefe her selfe would faine haue kild And yet it seemes she was not in such hast As she made shew for when the storme was past She soone forgot the great extreamitie That she was in for all things haue an end And every woe how great so ere it be Must passe away for follie't were to spend Long time in that which may be remedied For though that faire Queene Helen would haue died For Paris sake as then yet afterward She did repent for nature did her moue And told her that it was a thing too hard For her so soone to kill her selfe for loue She was a woman what would you haue more She thought it folly great to die therefore But I will speake no more hereof as now For it would be too long and teadious For me to shew and to declare to you Her grieuous woe and passions furious And all her dolefull lamentation The which would moue vnto compassion The hardest heart aliue to heare it told For Priam and Queene Hecuba likewise Such pitty had to see and to behold Her shead such flouds of teares out of her eies And in such fort to grieue and to complaine That they almost endured as much paine Within their hearts for her as she had had For Paris but there was no remedy But to conclude when they an end had made Of all their woe King Priam speedily Did cause a rich and costly sepulchre To be set vp in Iunoes Temple where Most sumptuóusly and in their Paynim wise His bodie was entomb'd but to declare The manner of the great solemnities Then vsed at their funerals which are So many and so diuers it would be Too long to be declared now by me CHAP. VI. ¶ How Panthasilia Queene of the Amazons comming to ayd the Troyans against the Grecians shâ—â— obtained great honor and was slaine by Pyrrhus the Soâ—â—e of Achilles KIng Priamus in doubt of his estate And brought into most great extreamity By fortune and his hard and cruell fate When he perceiu'd no other remedie Shut fast the gates of Troy and day and night Kept watch and ward as strongly as he might For all the Troyans generally were So much abasht and did such sorrow make For Paris death that they could not forbeare To weepe and waile and durst not vndertake Against the Greeks to fight nor issue out But kept within the towne in feare and doubt Expecting nought but finally to end Their daies in woe Which when the Greeks did see Agamemnon to Priamus did send A messenger t' intreat with him as he Before had done to issue with his might Out of the towne against the Greeks to fight But Priamus the motion did detest And flatly said it was not his intent To issue out of Troy at his request And that he was most resolutely bent Not once to set one foot out of the towne But when he list without compulsion And yet the cause why he so long time staid From issuing out against the Grecians Was for because he did expect some ayd From Panthasilia Queene of Amazons Who at that time was comming with great speed And mighty force to helpe him in his need Whose Countrie as some Authors say did stand Farre distant in the orientall part Twixt Asia and Europe In which Land None else but women-kind did dwell whose art And chiefe delight and onelie exercise Was managing of armes in warlike wise And valiantly into
Well mayst thou cruell Pirrhus rightly be Achilles son for Nature to thee gaue A gift to be as piâ—â—les as he And worse for that I neuer of him read That in his life he did so foule a deed As in such sort to kill a silly mayd But for a woman fell great paine and smart And that he felt in loue as it is sayd With Pollicene for Cupid with his dart Did wound him so by casting of his eye On her that he thought verely to die For loue of her how that t was his chance To loose his life for her whom thou didst kill With fierce and furious mood not by mischance But puposely thy pleasure to fulfill For which although thou thoghst it was no shame Assure thy selfe the trumpe of flying Fame Will through the world thy great dishonour spread For doing of an act so horrible And when that men shall chance thereof to read Thy name will vnto them be odible Whose cruell death when Hecuba the Queene That standing by when it was don had seene With extreame griefe she fell out of her wit And tare her haâ—re and furiously did set Vpon the Greeks with tooth and naile and bit And scratcht beat all those that with her met And palted them with stones till at the last The Greeks laid hold on her bound her fast And finally did take and beare her to An Island to the Troyans subiect where They stoned her to death and hauing so Bereft her life they made a sepulchre Most sumptuously compos'd of stone and brasse Wherein with great solemnity she was Entombed as belong'd to her estate Which Tombe stood there long after to be seen And called was the place vnfortunate And in this sort that great and worthy Queene Did end her daies distressed â—ore and mad When as the Greeks throgh Calchas counsell had By Pyrrhus hand her Daughter sacrifiz'd Vnto their God Apollo to appease His furious wrath who foolishly â—urmiz'd That they should never haue faire wind nor seas Vnlesse Achilles death revenged were By death of Policene for they did feare The Gods would nere be pleased nor content To let them passe to Greece till it were done But God that sitteth in the firmament And is the true and only God alone Confound such false and fained Gods and all Their jmages with those that on them call For they are nought but stocks that are without All sence wherein the diuell doth remaine And subtilly by them hath brought about His purpose man to moue whose heart is vaine To pray to them and trulie to belieue That they are Gods and can vs succour giue In our distresse and so induced hath Mankind to leaue th' eternall God of heaven To pray to stocks and stones against the faith Of Iesus Christ that hath his body given To death for him by such false illusion Hath brought him in such error and confusion As he belieueth by jdolatry And offring beasts and blood to jdols vaine That he doth serue the heavenly Maiesty Of God and shall remission free obtaine Thereby for those offences he hath done But God confound them all and every one What title name or qualitie so ere Idolaters vnto them giue Whose number So many are that name of Gods did beare That when I thinke thereon it makes me wonder The which that you as well as I may know I will their names to you in order show First Iupiter Saturne Mercurie Apollo Daphne Mars the God of warre Diana cald the Queene of Chastitie The guide of men by night Lucina faire And Iunâ— that most commonly doth dwell In waters deepe and Pluto God of hell Faire Venus Queene of lust and venery With Cupid blind her son the God of loue Minerua Goddesse of activity The God of wine cald Bacchus thâ—t doth moue Men to desire the same Dame Cithera And Plutoes louely Queene Proserpina Neptunus Flora Vulcan Eoâ—us And Bellâ—des that thirsts still doth draw Vp water in a Bucket Sisyphus Condeâ—nd to rowle a stone by fatall law And nere to cease and hungry Taâ—talus Th'jnfirnall fates and Sisters furious That â—ained are to spin the threed of life The Muses nine that sweetly sing and play Bellonâ— Queene of discord and of strife And double faced Ianus whome they say The Romanes did adore and Priapus The angry fretting Priest cald Genius That 's said to curse all those that froward be To such as friendly are to them and kind Imeneus who hath authoritie The hearts of married couples fast to bind In loue till they are mou'd to disagree By discord that twixt them sets enmitie The Fayries that are vs'd by night and day In houses and in fields to sing and dance The water Nimphs and Siluan Gods that stay In woods and groues and many times by chance Are seen of men as Satyrs Nayâ—des Bycornes Fawnes Incubs and Drâ—â—des With many more And finally to close And make the number compleat Orphâ—â—s The God of sleepe but certainly all those That to such Gods so vaine and â—rivolus Do sacrifice or on them vse to call Will sure at last into some danger fall For recompence of seruing them so well For all such false and faind Idolatrie Proceedeth from the crafty fiend of Hell Who is so full of fraud and subtilty That he deuisd those Idoll Gods to frame And purposely did creepe into the same And spake in them and answere made to those That praid to them and caused men thereby To leaue the true and liuing God to lose Eternall blis in heauen for certainely All those that on such Idolls false do call Serue Belzebub and cleane from God do fall As David in his Psalter doth declare That mong the Pagan Gods there is not one That can relieue or aid vs for they are All made and framd of siluer gold or stone Or els of Copper Brasse Tin Lead or wood And that they neither can nor do man good For eies they haue and cannot see at all And eares likewise and yet they do not heare And legs and feet and cannot stand but fall Vnlesse they leane or somewhat doth them beare And hold vpright and therefore as he saith He that in them reposeth trust or faith Or to bow downe to them which take delight Let him be well assurd that at the last They will him with such recompence requite That head-long downe to hell he shall be cast With damned soules to dwell perpetually And that is his reward when he shall die And in this life misfortune dread and feare With many troubles that on men do light As famous stately Troy doth witnesse beare Which once was of such puissant force and might That it did thinke it selfe to be secure And that it should in that state long endure And gainst her foes to haue prevailed by Apollo Pallas Iuno Uenus and Diana faire the Queene of Chastity Whome they were wont to honor in that land With sacrifice and worship great to show To them by whom