feele her rankor and disdaine Into the vale of great adversity The rich she maketh poore and then againe Of poore makes rich and as it is her kind Sets one before another casts behind Some one she maketh run another halt The third she plungeth in extreamity The fourth she doth to honor great exalt So that in her there 's no security In some mans mouth sweet Nectar she distiâ—th Anothers throat with bitter gaâ—â— she fil'th And thus this wilfull Lady as we find Within her power great store of potions hath And every one of strange and severall kind For she to some with false and fained faith Giues pleasant wine but when the sweet is past As t is her vse she giveth them a tast Of Aloes and of bitter wormewood drinke And corfiues which do fret and pierce most deepe Into mens hearts when as they little thinke That fortune them beguiles and luls a sleepe And thus if in this Queene of Variance Whose ioy doth ever end with some mischaÌ„ce Men put their trust let them besure at last Of what estate so euer that they be Shee le overthrow them with some sodaine blast And cleane bereaue of all felicitie As by example of Laomedon We may perceiue brought to confusion For little cause or truth to say for nought Wherefore let euery man by him take heed A quarrell to begin where none is sought Least that like him destruction be their meed For little fire with ashes covered When men suppose it quencht and wholly dead May chance breake out and on a sodaine burne And when as men the same do seeke to cease Full often in their faces it doth turne But he that medleth least liues most at ease Therefore let Kings and Princes every one A mirror make of King Laomedon And see they vse no kind of violence Nor suffer any one to offer wrong To strangers when they giue them none offence For though their power force be great strong Within their land when least they thinke on it As he was seru'd they may their rigor quit And yeeld the like to them in other place When as perchance vnto their overthrow They shall of them receiue but little grace Wherefore I wish when as they heare or know That strangers in their Countries are arriu'd Let them with loue and honor be receau'd And wisely thinke and hold it to be true That to a stranger courtesie to show Vnto a noble mind belongs of due For sure it is as every man doth know That nothing doth their honors more augment Then when their only care and will is bent For to relieue to cherish and to comfort With all the loue and honor that they may Such strangers as vnto their Courts resort That they of them may well report and say The contrary whereof much strife hath wrought As in this present History is taught The towne of Troy that first was built thus spoil'd The people slaine and many forst to fly The remnant with great woe and sorrow toil'd Int'exile led liue in captiuity And Exion as you haue heard me tell Went into Greece with Telamon to dwell For whom there rose such bloudy warre strife And so great vengeance tane for it in th' end On either side that thousands lost their life Which to declare I purposely intend If you vouchsafe it patiently to heare And for your good the same in mind will beare So hard and fatall is our destiny That no estate can permanently stand For every man ordained is to die And alterations chance in every Land And through the world where ever that we be We heare of nought but warre and treacherie Which serues to put vs in rememberance That many warres battailes great are fought And many woes and miseries do chance And mooued are for little cause or nought And diuers things for matters small or none At first begun breed much confusion Each one doth seeke another to destroy And bloudy minds are greatly to be fear'd Man careth not his brother to annoy And all because we take no better heed But envie raignes so much in euery age That nought but bloud death can it asswsge By it although the causes were but small If truth were knowne on th' ancient towne of Troy Both old and new such miseries did fall That at the last it did them both destroy Where during their so long bloudy strife Full many a valiant Knight did loose his life And Kings and Princes died by dint of sword Which to recount my hand doth shake for feare Least that my barren wit should not afford Fit tearmes phrases the truth for to declare Vnto my most renownd and soueraigne Liege Of all that past in that long ten yeres siege Which if that he with patience please to heare And not disdaine my rude and simple verse And in his sacred wisedome with it beare While I this wofull Historie rehearse Whereof no doubt I haue sith that of grace Sweet mercy in his heart he doth embrace And that he is a Prince of Maiestie Whose vertues are so excellent and rare That to addict his mind to pietie It is his onely study and his care With his support I will here vndertake A true discourse vnto you now to make What did befall vnto the towne of Troy That newly was erected once againe When Greeks did it the second time destroy As Guydo doth the same at large explaine And if my verse for want of skill seeme lame Let me intreat you to correct the same But blame me not sith that the fault 's not mine For as you know the English tongue is harsh And wanteth words to make vp perfect rime Where it in many places is too scarce And truth to say my wit will not aspire To follow Guydoes phrase as I desire Who in his Latine verse doth so exceed In Rethoricke that my translation Requires a farre more fine and subtill head To follow him in like construction Verbatim as a learned Gramarian Or as a skilfull Rethoritian I only take vpon me to declare The Historie according to the sence And truth thereof which is my chiefest care Least I thereby to some might breed offence And truth of verse I likewise set aside As wanting one therein to be my guide And to correct and mend them that are wrong My onely seeking is truth to declare Regarding neither verses short nor long For curiousnesse therein I doe not care Pretending not in any thing to varry Nor yet my Author Guido to contrary Nor from him disagree in truth of sence But to conclude our meanings all in one And to agree therein for Eloquence Or Rethoricke I you assure there 's none In me your heads with phrases fine to fill Nor yet haue I in painting any skill With colours fresh and gay to please the ere I nought can vse but sad and mournfull blacke And therewithall my selfe will satisfie Which in good part I you beseech to take And so in
did stand That if he should within the field be seene Against them of the towne King Priam would Thinke much thereof and Hecuba the Queene And Pollicene would him for euer hold To be disloyall and vnkind whereby He was in such twofold perplexitie That he knew not which way himselfe to wind He was so prest with feare and fantasie As louers in their braines doe often find When they for loue are sicke and like to die And thus it far'd with him for many a day In which time as the History doth say For seauen dayes ensuing one the other The Troians with the Greeks did fiercely fight And in such cruell wise then met together That it did cost the life of many a Knight On either side that pitiously were slaine And wounded sore lay dead vpon the plaine Meane time he musd vpon no other thing But to obtaine his pleasure and to win His Ladies loue and how 't to paâ—â—e to bring Nere caring what estate the Greeks were in Nor how they sped wheÌ„ gainst their foes they foght Esteeming it no parcell of his thought So much his mind on other things was set Which made him oftentimes to watch and wake And many sore and cruell sighes to fet And so great care and inward thought to take That from his heart all comfort cleane was gon Till on a day that King Agamemnon Perceiuing what destruction still was made By them of Troy vpon the Grecians sent To Priamus for two moneths truce but had No grant thereof for he would not consent To longer time then for few daies t' endure While they prouided for the sepulture Of those that on each side lay slaine and dead Within the field which they accordingly Within the daies set downe accomplished And after neuer ceast continually Each other to assayle while that they were Besiedging of the towne as you shall heare CHAP. III. ¶ How Achilles when Troylus was enclosed round about by his Myrmidons came behind him and smot off his head and after drew his body through the field at his horses tayle THe cruell and continuall slaughter made From day to day still more and more increast Th'inveterate malice that continued had Long twixt the Greeks and Troians nere ceast Nor nere was like to cease till that deaths dart Had killed many Knights on either part T' accomplish by most sterne and cruell Fate Gods stedfast and infalible decree And t' execute the great and deadly hate On either side which might not shunned be For Atropos that in deaths ship doth go For Misteris had sayd it should be so Nor neuer cease till all did go to wracke And flattering Fortune with dissembling cheare Disdainefully on Troy did turne her backe As in this Booke hereafter you shall heare For when the last day of the truce was past On either side they armd themselues in hast And in the morning early fore Sun rose Into the field they went and fiercely met Together like most sterne and deadly foes Where Paris first on Menelaus did set And they each other brauely did vnhorse For they were both of passing might and force And then Ulisses furiously did run With mighty speare against Pollidamas Where twixt them both a cruell fight begun For neither of them vnex perienst was How to defend himselfe against his foe And while they were together fighting so Not farre from them Menestes fiercely smot Anthenor with his speare so great a blow That it in peeces brake yet fayled not Him to the ground therewith to ouerthrow And Philomene a King on Troians side To valiant King Agamemnon did ride Who at the first together fiercely sought But in a little while Agamemnon Was by him into so great danger brought That he had sure been slaine if Thelamon Had not come thither t'ayd him in his need Who setting spurs vnto his gallant steed Stroke Philomene with such a mighty ferce That with the blow which was exceeding strong He smot him to the ground off from his horse And then amongst the thick est of the throng The young and valiant Knight Archilagus Ran at a Troian Knight cald Brâ—â—iâ—s King Priams Bastard son to whom he gaue So mighty and so puissanta blow That neither shield nor armor could him saue But dead vnto the ground he did him throw Whose death when as the Troians did espie They did cast forth a huge and piteous crie And grieuously complaining for the same Were sore abasht and striken in great feare But when the newes thereof to Troielus came T'reuenge his death he did protest and sweare And presently did make no more abode But to the place where he was slaine straight rode And with his sword so furiously did slay And wound the Greeks that he did make their blood Run downe in mighty streames along the way And in the plaine and all that him withstood Were fiercely by him beaten downe and kild So that the hardiest Knight then in the field Durst not abide in his most furious sight He slew and wounded them so câ—uelly And had that time sure put them all to flight But that the Myrmidons most valiantly Withstood him for a while who all that day With one consent in wait for Troielus lay For which he was in such a mighty rage That like a Knight that did in armes excell His furious wrath and anger to asswage With courage bold vpon them all he fell And did amongst the thickest of them ride Where some of them he wounded in the side Some in the brest and some he did bereaue Of heads hands legs and feet and some he smot So puissantly that he did fiercely cleaue Their bodies in two parts and spared not To hac and hew them downe so mightily That at the last they were compeld to flie Vnto their tents pusued by Troielus With many Knights till he did them oretake Wherewith most cruell heart and furious He did so great a slaughter of them make And put them to so great extremitie That they cast forth a fearefull noyse and crie And such a great and lamentable mone Was heard of them that lay vpon the ground And gasping cast out many grieuous grone That all the field and plaine therewith did sound And through the campe the tumult was so great Because their foes so fiercely on them set That at the last it came t' Achilles eare Who calling to his men demanded why The Grecians at that time were in such feare That they did make so great a noise and cry Who told him that for want of ayd as then The Troians in their tents did slay their men And put them to so great extremitie That they were forst to cry for griefe and paine Which they endured by the crueltie Of Troielus and that his men were slaine Likewise within his tent and there did lie In great distresse without all remedie And while they thus vnto Achilles spake A Grecian Knight came running from the plaine Whose heart within his brest
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
that makes me thus proceed That 's seruent loue and common courtesie Which both in one so fully are agreed To worke thy good that nought I can deny Nor yet conceale within my breast from thee As ere we part most plainly thou shalt see For first I thinke of very courtesie That vnto strangers men should take delight To shew all kind of liberalitie As being thereto bound of ancient right Both in their words and works them defend From harmes as much as power doth extend And for my part braue Iason cause I see Within thy thoughts the signes of worthines I will not faile as much as lies in mee To further thee with hearty carefulnes And with that word she fetcht a sigh full kind For him that so did sticke within her mind For thy sweet sake my heart within doth bleed Because thou seek'st without aduisednes The fleece of Gold to win and to proceed Therein of youth and wilfull hardines Which enterprise who so doth take in hand Is sure of death and can it not withstand So perillous and dreadfull is the venter That pen nor tongue can well declare the same For doubtlesse who so ere therein doth enter Finds nought but death and after to his shame Whereas he thinkes his honour to aduance Report shall blase his foule wretched chance So much the end is found to be contrary Vnto the first beginning of th'aduenter For at the last he 's certaine to miscarry Though 't first it seemes an easie thing to enter For wit of man by engin force or might Although he had experience great to fight And had his armes most strong and passing sure And knew how to defend himselfe full well And were well breathed long time to endure And nere so much in valour did excell Or what so euer weapon he could bring To strike to thrust to shoot or else to fling All were in vaine it could auaile him nought For neither force deuice nor subtilly Nor any other thing what ere he sought Could saue his life but sure he were to die For earthly meanes may him no way defend Vnlesse that I mine ayd to him should lend Wherefore of thee I haue compassion That wilfully would'st cast thy selfe away And of thy youth with pure affection I should bewaile the losse both night and day If that thou dost with folly seeke to trie This dangerous act where nought but death doth lie Thy Princely rare and noble progeny Vnworthy is t' abide so cruell end For certainly it may none other be If thou effect'st the thing thou dost pretend Vnlesse that to my counsell thou wilt list For none therein but I can thee assist Alas good Iason rest thy selfe content And let thy noble courage yeeld herein And to my counsell see thy heart be bent Which if thou wilt before thou doest begin I dare be bold to sweare thou shalt preuaile And of thy hoped victory not faile Whereby thou maist eternall praise obtaine And in fames booke of Register be plast And shalt be sure the Golden fleece to gaine Which thou to win so great desire hast In spight of Mars and all that thee withstand If that by my aduise thou take 't in hand Wherefore to me I pray thee giue consent And that full soone if thou pretend'st to speed And to my counsell see thou dost assent Which can thee helpe with all thou stand'st in need Speake valiant Knight if that thou wilt by me In this thy hard aduenture ruled be Prince Iason for reply said Lady deare I can but yeeld you thanks for your good will And when occasion serues as shall appeare I will not faile with all my power and skill Mine own hearts Queene Lady Soueraigne In full effect by action to explaine How much the loue you vnto me do show Shall bind me while that life in me doth rest To be your Knight at your command to go To ride and run and thinke my selfe most blest To be esteem'd your true and faithfull man T' obay your hest in all that ere I can With hearty zeale and true affection That thus with so great kindnes thinkes on me And of my life haue such compassion As that you seeme in heart perplex't to be For my mishap which maketh me of right To bind my selfe to be your faithfull Knight While life doth last And that more specially Because you take such care me to protect And to vouchsafe with great benignity Your counsell and your aid in each respect To him that neuer fauour did afford Vnto your Grace in action thought or word And more to bind me vnto you in heart Your words so kind so much enflame my sence That Cupid with his piercing fiery dart Hath forst me yeeld and dare not make defence Against the same least I should seeme ingrate To her that hath such care of my estate Without request or motion on my part Nor yet in any manner once deseru'd Then sith it doth proceed from out your heart To take such care that I should be preseru'd I vow to you vpon my faith most sure In seruing you as long I will endure As life doth last and nere therein shall faile Whereto I sweare and plight with all my troth That life nor death shall any way preuaile To change my heart for I would be full â—â—ath That foule vntruth should enter in my mind To do you wrong that showes your selfe so kind Few words therefore to vse I do pretend And meane my vow and promise to renew That till that Parcas doth my liues thread end I will remaine most constant vnto you Hap good or ill my resolution 's bent T' effect and do your will and your intent Well then said she let wisedome rule thy mind And so forecast with care and diligence The dangers that are insident to find If wilfully thou followest thy pretence And thinke not lightly to orepasse the same By fond conceit to win perpetuall fame For thus much I dare well affirme for true That though thou dost for honur tak 't in hand Nought but dishonour can thereof ensue Which thou by no meanes shalt nor mayst withstand For who against the powers diuiâ—e can fight Or once resist their all sufficient might And this is sure that he which doth desire The fleece to win by valour and by might Shall nere attaine to that he doth aspire But worke his owne dishonour shame and spight For though at first fortune doth seeme thy â—â—iend Be well assur'd shee 'll crosse thee in the end For who so euer seeks to take in hand This action strange can by no meanes escape The fiery flames nor yet the force withstand Of those two brasen Buls which when they gape Such furious flashes out their throats do send That folly t' were against them to contend For much more dreadfull is their dangerous fight Then lightning which down froÌ„ the skies doth fall Before the thunder-clap on earth doth light Which often battreth Castle
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
Like cristall fine did cast a radiant light And all the stones and sand that therein were Appear'd and shone like gold most pure bright Where presently with my great wearinesse A heauie sleepe did me so sore oppresse That since I first was clad with earthly mold I neuer slept so fast And sodainly As I lay still me thought I did behold God Mercurie descend downe from the skie And stood by me which put me in a feare For he as then his crooked sword did weare Giâ—t to his side and held within his hand His charming rod about the which did wind Two vgly Snakes with which his pliant wand He vs'd to worke all things vnto his mind And at his feet me thought there stood a cocke That crowed each hower as true as any clocke And in his mouth were pipes that plaid so shrill And with so sweet and pleasant harmony That both mine eares and sences they did fill With many severall kinds of melody So that I did assuredly surmise That I had beene in earthly Paradise In this strange sort appeared Mercury And much more strangethen I can well declare Like as Fulgence in his methologie Of him dâ—th write wherein he doth not spare In pleasant verse full of varietie His shape to show as you therein may see To moralise his shape you must surmise His rod so straight which neuer standeth bent Doth signifie men politicke and wise Who by their good and carefull gouernment All dangers do prevent before they fall And by that meanes preserue themselues from thrall His pipes so sweet and pleasant to the eare Significantly vnto vs do show The eloquence which dailie we doe heare And Rethoritian phrases that doe flow Out of mens mouths of great discretion Whereof that God is th' only pateron The Cocke that doth so louely chant and crow And iustly keepes each hower of the night Doth signifie and rightly to vs show The watch fulnesse and the interiour sight Of men that by their care and diligence Driue from their minds all sloth negligence His sword that crookes like to a Fawchion Which neither forged was nor made in vaine Doth serue to force such as haue straid and gone Out of the way of truth to turne againe The serpents which about his rod do wind Are like to diuers crosses which we find And daily see do lie in wait to stop The way of truth by hatred and disdaine And of the same the branches so to lop That by their will it nere should grow againe And so poore truth constrained is to flie And in a hole lie hidden secretly And with this winged God there did appeare As then to me three Goddesses most bright The which so faire and passing comely were That I in them did take no small delight To see and to behold their beauties rare The names whereof to you I will declare The first whereon my gasing eyes I cast Was Venus faire the Goddesse of delight Next vnto her Dame Iuno fore me past A Goddesse of no little power and might The third and last that showd her selfe in place The wise and valiant Goddesse Pallas was Faire Venus to procure the more delight To those that vnto her obedience shew Aboue her head had Pigeons faire and white Who flickering with their wings about her flew To shew to vs that by the same is meant That as those birds are meeke and innocent So louers that are faithfull and do meane T' obserue God Cupids lawes and truely giue To loue her due should be so pure and clane In deed and thought that while that they do liue No manner of disliking nor of blame Should be in them their credits to defame The freshnes of the Roses faire and red Which in the Summer shew most pleasantly And in the Winter are so pale and dead The thoughts of louers yong do signifie And such as in hot loue do burne like fire With fervent hope t' attaine to their desire When loue at first within their hearts beares sway Vntill the time of old vnweldy age When lust is past and seemeth to decay And doth begin no more in them to rage Through feeblenes when spring of youth is gone Which by good proofe to many men is known Venus therefore we oft distiled see To sit within a floud of water deepe To show what trouble and adversity Is found in loue and how that it doth keepe Men in despaire with fancy them to feed Till hopelesse they remaine in doubt to speed Pallas me thought in th' one hand then did beare A shield the which of mettall pure was made In th' other hand a sharpe and warlike speare And round about his head a Rainebow had Oâ— colours three red greene and perfect blew And as it seem'd to me before her grew An Oliue tree which shewd most fresh and greene And in the verdant branches thereof sat The vgliest Owle that ever eye had seene With staring eies and face most brawd and flat Whereof the morrall with the restile show As they in order stand Then must you know The â—â—â—eld which Pallas beares within her hand Dâ—th signifie the power and passing might That 〈◊〉 hath by wisedome to withstand All 〈◊〉 and manly gainst the same to fight Aâ—â— that â—er spearesâ— smoth sharply ground Was forg'd by iust reuenge for to confound And overthrow vniust and wicked men And for that mercie should with rigor goe The staâ—e thereof is shau'd and smothed cleane Least merciles right should iust rigor shoe The Oliue tree â—â—tokens signe of peace Which doth ensue wheÌ„ bloody warre doth cease The broad fac't staring eyed vgly Owle The which gainst death and bankets funerall Of custome hath by kind to sâ—ritch and howle Doth show that death is th' onely end of all The glory of the world and happie's he That dayly beareth it in memory The Rainebow where such severall colours were Of divers kinds to beautifi't withall Doth show what sundry chaunces are in warre Wherein some win some loose some fall Like constant and light wavering greene Varietie so great therein is seene Iunâ— as learn'd Fulgentius to vs tells A 〈◊〉 with barren wombe and dead And alwaâ—◠〈◊〉 in Rivers and in Wells To whom the Peacocke proud is sacared With Argus eyes imprinted in her tayle The which she spreads abroad like to a sayle The waters sayd to be in wells and flouds Doe represent the cares and troubles great That men indure to scrape and gather goods Not sparing paine nor toile the same to get But whosoere within those floods doth row Let him beware for after they doe flow By course of time as it is most true Directed by the Moone their governesse There will an ebbe with present speed ensue The feare is most when Cinthia doth increase And orderly attaine vnto the the full Least Fortune chance the feathers way to pull Of men that doe abound in riches great For she is Queene of mutabilitie And Argus eyes that in the
shewes at large First how she was to him deliuered With Thoas for Anthenor and was led By them out of the towne accompanied By Troiclus and many more that road With him and her and how King Diomed Did lead her horse and her great kindnes shewd Till that she came vnto her Fathers sent Where she did light and straight into it went And then declares how she therein did stay What speches she to him and others vsed While she with them sat talking all that day And how that soone her selfe she did abuse For Gâ—ldo saith that day before t was night She cleane forlooke her deare louing knight And gaue her heart and loue to Diomede To shew what trust there is in women kind For she of her new loue no sooner sped But Troiclus was cleane out of her mind As if she had him never knowne nor seene Wherein I cannot gesse what she did meane Vnlesse it were because she did delight In novelty as women doe by kind And nature which vnstable is and light As by experience commonly we find But now no more of loue I will declare But turne my stile againe vnto the warre CHAP. V. ¶ Of the Eâ—â—â—ailes fought betweene the Greeks and the Troians after the truce of three moneths was expired The description of the Pallace of Ilion in Troy of a great pâ—stâ—â—â—â—ce that happened in the Grecians hoast Whereby they were constrained to seeke for a truce which they obtained of the Troians for 30. daies THe three moneths truce aforesaid being don The next ensuing day when Titan had His Indian course from West to East out run And after he great sport and cheare had made In sweet and faire Auroraes company And rose from her and would no longer lie But with his Radiant beames that shone most clear When as the â—arke did sing with great delight Did on the walles and towne of Troy appeare Hector the strong and most victorious Knight His battailes in good order did ordaine And ready was to goe into the plaine To fight against the Grecian enemy The first whereof himselfe well armed led And with him had to beare him company Full fifteene thousand Knights well furnished Next vnto him braue Troielus did goe With iust ten thousand Knights in warlike shoe And after him the Percian archers went That had his brother Paris for their guide Each with his Bow in hand all ready bent And sheaâ—es of peircing arrowes by his side In number full thre thousand archers braue The leading of the fourth ward Hector gaue Vnto his brother Deiphobus that had Three thousand men well arm'd in corslets cleare And of the rest Aeneas leader made And as the story â—aith as then there were An hundred thousand valiant Knights stout By Hector to the field that day sent out And as I find by Dares Frigius And Guido too against them forth were led Seven thousand Grecian Knights by Mâ—â—â—â—â— And iust as many more by Dâ—â—â—ed And next to them Aâ—billes with his â—and Of Myrmidons in order plast did stand Then Zantipus a King of great renowne Conductor of three thousand Knights was â—â—dâ— And last of all into the field came downe The Generall of the hoast that with him had So huge a band of Grecian Knights that all The plaine with them was fild straight dâ—â—â—â—â—â— And set vpon the Troian Knights so fast That many men at that encounter died And furiously vnto the ground were cast And as by chance King Phillis Hector spied That cruelly the Greeks beat downe and chast He spurd his horse and ran at him in hast And with his launce vpon him fiercely set Which when as Hector saw he coucht his speare And him with so great sorce and fury met That he did him out of his sadle beare And gaue him such a deepe and cruell wound That he therewith fell dead vpon the ground Whose death when as the Grecians did espie With griefe for him they waxed pale and wan And many to revenge it valiantly On Hector set and first vpon him ran King Zantipus who with most great disdaine And griefe to see King Phillis there lie slaine His launce vpon him brake which to requite Hector at him most furiously did flie And with his speare so fiercely did him smite That with the blow he did most cruelly Giue him a wound so deepe into the side That he therewith fell off his horse and died For whom the Greeks complain'd and grieued sorâ— And hated Hector for his cruelty And each to other promised and swore With Troian blood his death reuendg'd should â—e And at that time did them so sore pursue That many of them in little space they slew And mongst the rest Achilles cruelly Lichaon and Euforbius both did slay Two Knights that came out of their Countrey Which distant was from Troy a mighty way To ayd and help their friend King Priamus And while the Greekes set on the Troians thus Hector by chance was wounded in the face Wherewith the blood out of his Bever ran Whome when the Troyans saw in such a case They were so much abasht that they began To flie in great hast to leaue the plaine And in the chase great store of them were slaine Before that they could get out of the preaâ—e The Grecians them so hoâ—â—â—e followed And to pursue and kill them did not cease In furious wise as they before them fled And chased them almost vnto the towne Till Hector that most worthy Champion Perceiuing them to flie so fast away Vnto them went t' encourage them againe And made them turne spight their hearts to stay And valiantlie to fight and to maintaine The battaile gainst the Grecian enemies For when as he by chance cast vp his eies Vnto the wals of Troy and did behold Queene Hecuba and Policene that stood Thereon to see the fight his heart waxt cold As being moou'd with fierce and furious mood For verie shame to see the Troyans flie And made them turne with great dexteritie And staid their â—light with them backe did ride Vnto the plaine and in his way he met A Grecian King cald Merion neere allide T' Achilles and on him most fiercelieset And with his sword gaue him so great a blow That therewithall his body claue in two Whome when Achilles found in that sort dead Much grieu'd to see 't but 't could him noght availe He tooke a speare and Hector followed With full intent t'revenge him without faile And to that end ran at him valiantly And on the shield smote him most cruelly But could not once remooue him with the stroake Nor make him in his sadle rise nor bow For he sat sure and steadfast as an Oake But mooued sore when as he felâ— the blow With sword in hand he did Achilles smite So great a stroke with all his force and might That with the same he did his helmet breake And tare his Bever off and made him reele And on his horse
fishes are And from the middle vpwards women are Whose custome is vpon the seas to â—leet And sing with such a pleasing harmonie Their sugred Syrens songs with voyces sweet That they are able with their melodie To ravish any mortall man aliue And for a time his spirits all depriue And bring him therewithall in a such a trance That for a while he thinketh vpon nought But is bereau'd of his remembrance Till vnawares he is in danger brought And with their pleasing songs cast in a sleepe Till he 's by them drawne vnderwater deepe And so both men and ships oft drowned are And by inticements of their liues bereaud If sayling by they haue of them no care But at that time they were by me deâ—eaud For both mine cares with wax fast stopped were Which made me that I cold by no means heare The sweetnes of their warbling notes whereby Mans reason blinded is and sences lost And so escaped by my policy With all my men and in the seas sore tost Did saile so long till toyld with wearinesse It was our chance t'arriue in great distresse Before Phenician haven where we cast Our Anckors out and straight on land we went But when we thought we had all danger past The people with great malice gainst vs bent In fierce and cruell wise my men assaild And in short space against them so prevaild That most of them were slaine and I beâ—â—â—t Of that small store of treasure which I had Within my ships and nought for me was left And all my men that were not slaine they made To go with them and there in prison cast I left them And thus in great care I past A world of woes as Fortune hath me led A dance with little joy and store of paine Whereby vnto my cost experienced In her vnconstant courses that are vaine I fallen am in need and poverty And having with most great extremity By sea and land through many dangers past With heart possest with sorrow woe and griefe I am vnto your presence come at last In hope to find some succour and riliefe At your hands to whom with griefe and care I am thus bold my Fortunes to declare Presuming with my selfe as you are wise That you will take my comming in good part And therefore at this time let this suffice That I haue said And so with heavy hart And woefull cheare when he had sighed sore He held his peace a while and spake no more Which long discourse Idumeus having hard Ulisses tell he did all that he might With words to comfort him and nothing spard That might in any wise breed his delight Thereby to put all griefe out of his mind And was to him so loving and so kind That willing him his heavines to leaue Assured him as long as he remaind With him in Creet he would vnto him giue Whatsoeuer he did want and entertaind Him in such wise that in short space he was Well eased of his sorrow And when as He had a while reposd himselfe and staid In Creet and that his griefes ore passed were He tooke his leaue and to Idumeus sayd He would go home which when the king did heare He gaue him clothes as his estate requird And all things els whatsoeuer he desird And needfull was to serue his turne and when He should depart and ships prepared were In readines for him he gaue him men And victualls store to serue him and to beare His charge till he got home And so he went To sea againe with speed and homeward bent His course and as he sayld along the way He ankored with his ships and went on shore To see King Alphenon whose countrey lay Not farre from his who likewise longed sore To see him and to heare his Eloquence The which in him did flowe by influence Of nature and did pleasure therein take By whom he was receau'd and welcomed Most hartily and of him then did make So much that with great honour he was led Vnto his Royall Pallace where as he T' encrease his joy heard of Penelope His true and loving wife whose constancie Was such that while she liu'd on earth the same Was much extold and shall continually Be spread throughout the world by flying Fame As she whom no temptation ere could moue In thought or deed to be vntrue in loue Vnto her Lord while he was in the warre So that through all the Grecian land she was The Myrrour and the commendation bare To be the onely woman that did pas All others for her modestie Yet she Was knowen and held most beautifull to be And therewithall of noble howse and blood And yet nere any more temptations had To try her which she constantly withstood And gainst them all so great resistance made That never any breach of loue was found In her that could to her dishonor sound For when her Lord from her was gone so farre She never left to mourne for still his sake When as she thought vpon the deadly warre Wherein he was and fearefully would shake For th' absence of her Lord both eve morrow Was vnto her continuall griefe and sorrow And ever when she heard of Hectors name She presently in floods of salt teares drownd Her comely face and cheeks and with the same Oft fainted and did fall into a swound With mighty feare which in her heart she had To thinke vpon his strong and trenchant blade Wherewith so great a slaughter he did make Among the Greeks continually in fight Least that her Lord of pride should vndertake To trie his force against that worthy knight And loose his life and many times she past The weary night with fearefull dreames that cast Her into many doubtfull thoughts and made Her loath and shun the company and sight Of other men as she that chiefely had Her sole and only comfort and delight In her deare Lord and other joy had none In all the world but onely him alone And did for him all others loue refuse And therefore he that with a peeuish mood In word or deed doth offer to abuse And speake of women otherwise than good I wish him to remember and to see The life and praise of Queene Penolope Least that for doing so he might be dam'd And therefore to thee Guido I must tell That thou within thy heart shouldst be asham'd For writing of them otherwise then well For though some women do offend and bee Vnconstant and vnfaithfull too yet shee That liueth well and doth deserue no blame Is not to be reproued for their sins And whereas Guido writeth and doth name Some that liud bad and in his Booke begins To shew th'vnconstant life of Cresida Th' adultrous mariage of Queene Helena And cruell mind of false Medea who Her children and her selfe so fiercely slew Let him not speake too partially but do As right requires and giue to them their due And tell you of Penelope the Queene That faithfull was And of faire Policene That
Towne and wall For vnto ashes men they will consume Wherefore beware and see thou not presume The Ram t'assaile least thou thy labour loose But take aduise and vse discretion To leaue the same while thou hast time to choose How to preserue thy honour and renowne And striue not to aduance thy worthinesse By follie and by too much hardinesse And cast thy selfe away where otherwise Thou maist preserue thy life from danger great If thou dost â—arken now to mine aduise Whereto I would thee willingly entreat And therfore think what answere thou wilt make Before thou dost this danger vndertake Medeas speech thus ended as you heare Iason therewith did grow impatient And said mine onely loue and Ladie deare Is this your mind your will and your intent To counsell me to leaue mine enterprise And staine my name and fame with cowardise A coward might I well be thought and deem'd That should begin a thing to vndertake And could nor durst not bring it to an end So men a common jest of me might make And giue report to my confusion That I of pride and meere presumption Had boasted I would do a thing in word Which when it came t' effect I durst noâ— venter Nay Lady deare I sweare vpon my sword I rather had in perill great to enter Of life and lim then cowardly forsake The enterprise I meane to vndertake Your counsell to this end is meerely vaine And so good Lady mine I you entreat To leaue your care herein for this is plaine What ere you say no more of me you get But that I meane my purpose to effect And feare of danger vtterly reiect For it I should through faintnes of my heart Refraine from such an enterprise begun And from your Court and pleasant jsle depart Ere for mine honour some thing I had done While life doth last reproach would me pursue And shame eternall be mine onely due For through the world report ful soone would spread That Iason did this conquest vndertake And that his heart was so possest with dread That he an end thereof durst neuer make But be assur'd it neuer shall be said That danger could yong Iason make afraid And there vpon my faith I you ensure I will performe the thing I haue begun As long as life and limbs of mine endure Although thereby no honour may be woone And that mine onelie guerdon should be death Yet had I rather yeeld my vitall breath Then be reproacht of cowardise and shame For worse report of man cannot be spread Then that he hath dishonoured his name It were much better for him to be dead For euery man should seeke and striue t' aspire To honours seat with heart and whole desire And though it were with losse of life and lim Before he would procure his owne disgrace And breed the meanes for men to laugh at him And so for shame be forst to hide his face Then be assur'd what euer I abide No danger shall me cause to start aside Then do I well perceiue your wilfull mind Said she to him and that you sooner chuse Your life to present danger now to bind And my good counsell vtterly refuse Then to your selfe you 'le reape perpetuall shame And yet it is in earnest and no game With Monsters strange vnwarilie to deale And hazard life when as your choyce is free And therefore I am mooued for your weale In heart and mind your follie great to see That leauing all aduise discretion Counsell and good deliberation You rather choose hard and cruell end And wilfullie vnto the same will goe Then yeeld vnto the counsell of your friend Which shewes that youth and courage ouerslow Within your heart keepe your mind in awe And make you thinke your lust to be a law Which in the end will breed your woe and griefe If you persist as now you do pretend For be you well assur'd there 's no reliefe From certaine death your bodie to defend For neither force nor humane wit can serue Your life in this great danger to preserue Wherefore in heart I purposelie am bent To seeke your good and find a remedie Whereby you may this perill great preuent So loath and grieu'd I am to see you die And rather then your fortune should be such I will my father whome I loue so much And all my friends for euermore displease And vtterlie abandon them each one So that I may procure your ioy and ease Which certainly by me shall soone be done For setting care of all things else aside In this your need I meane to be your guide And for your sake I will my royall seat And Princelie Pallace leaue with heart and will My honour too which I esteeme so great I le set asid your pleasure to fulfill All this and more if you to me be kind For you lie do and that you 'le bend your mind To recompence the kindnes I deserue And thinke it not a thing of small esteeme From cruell death your body to preserue Though you perhaps contrarilie may deeme But ne're the lesse I will so well ordaine By Art and skill of mine betwixt vs twaine That fore that we from others shall depart I hope all shall be well If you do rest Vpon this point that happen woe or smart To satisfie my mind you 'le do your best And there vpon my aid to you I le lend And vndertake you shall th' aduenture end Good Ladie said Prince Iason â—est content And be assur'd it is mine onelie cane To satisfie your will and whole intent And nothing to omit nor yet to spare My life nor lims all perill to endure Your pleasure and preferment to procure Then friend said she refer to me the rest But first to me by faith you shall be bound And with your heart vnfain câ—â—â—e protest That no vntruth in you there shall be found And sweare you must to take me to your wife And hold me as your owne for tearme of life This is the thing that I of you require If you will doo 't and hold your word with me Yet onething more I will of you desire That when to Greece you shall prepared be To make returne and readie to set saile To take me with you hence you will not faile And when your father dies and you succeed To raigne as King see that you not forget To shew your selfe most true in word and deed And let your heart on me be wholie set To maintaine me as my estate requires And seeke no change to please loues fond desires And while you liue haue in rememberance My courtesie to you in this your need And think with what great hap it was your chance To win my heart when none but you could speed For be assur'd no man that liues hath might Against the Buls and Dragon fierce to fight Vnlesse of me he first be taught the way And meanes whereby the conquest to obtaine The which as now my heart will not denay
vnto her name Yet would she not to any one impart The least conceit that rested in her mind Deuising how conveniently to find The meanes to send vnto her dearest louer In secret wise when night began t' appeare But loath she was her purpose to discouer Vnto her maids so much she stood in feare To be disgrac't if they should it bewray Thus as she thought she past the long some day Still musing how to bring the same about And alwaies castng in her doubtfull head What lets to stay or stop it might fall out And so with flying fansies tost and led She rested sore perplext in griefe and woe Still walking in her chamber too and fro The mid-day gone and slide away full fast And Titan hauing fully run his race From East to West the Horison had past So farre that no man could perceiue his face Nor yet behold his glistring beames so bright As being cleane descended out of sight And Hiren with her mantle all of shade At th' euening shewd her darke cloudy cheare In twy-light when the day began to vade And Hesperus with glistring streames t' appeare Amongst the twinckling starres about midnight Which to behold did breed no small delight Medea who perplexed all alone Sat counting euery hower of the night And secretly vnto her selfe did mone That she so long was absent from her Knight At last did find a meanes for to content Her troubled head And with a full intent Determined the same to bring about Although she kept it secret in her heart Which trembled like a leafe for feare doubt Till hope stept forth and as it is her part Did comfort her and make her blith glad But cherisht by feare she gan againe be sad Least her deuise which then she tooke in hand Might chance be crost she to shame be brought And thus twixt hope and feare she seem'd to stand Not knowing how t' effect the thing she sought But her affection loue and great desire Had set her heart and mind on such a fire Of lust to see and meet her louely Knight That hope did put her in some good conceit At last t' attaine her pleasure and delight But bashfulnes her mind had so beset That still she fear'd discouered to be And knew not how the same to remedy If fortune and the darksome cloudy night Had not procur'd her ease and chear'd her heart By filling it with ioy and great delight Wherewith sweet hope stept in playd a part To pricke her forth and caus'd her to deuise And calculate when that the Moone would rise And with her hornes that are of colour pale Appeare in skies at dead time of the night To shew her face vpon both hill and dale Whereof she found the course to fall out right A quarter of an hower after prime Which she perccaued well would fit the time And as she was full well beseen in Art She knew the body of the Moone to bee Deckt over with new light in one forth part And passed had by order and degree After the time of her conivnction One or two signes by Computation And so the daies full seuen of her age Which time she being pierst with Cupids dart And in her loue did burne with cruell rage She gan to prâ—e and listen in each part And to each dore and window had an eye If any one as then she could espy Within the Court that was not gone to bed Or any man to walke about the same So much her mind possessed was with dread To blemish or in ought t' impaire her fame The least and smalest stirring did procure Her panting heart a thousand woes t' endure For when she heard a whispering any where It was as ill as venome to her heart Such was her great impatience to beare The least obiect that might her purpose thwart She wished all had slept full fast in bed This wofull life the longsome night she led And yet not any one the same might know So secretly she kept it in her mind Till full midnight when Cockes began to crow Which orderly they doe obserue by kind At which time when as all was husht and still To bring to passe her purpose and her will An old decrepit woman out she sought Who in such case experience wanted none To whom in breefe she doth declare her thought And said she did depend on her alone To bring the thing she purposed about For skill age makes theÌ„ forecast each doubt Their yeares to them so much experience show And in their mind such subtilty infuse That they of loue the slights and wiles do know And counterminds against them all can vse To her Medea shewd her whole desire From point to point and doth his helpe require To take the charge on her to ease her smart Which at that time she said encreased so And to reioyce her faint and troubled heart With present speed she willed her to go To Iasons chamber where as then he lay And him to her in secret wise conuay Which she forthwith as ready to fulfill Her charge receau'd did presently effect And as it was hir Ladies hest and will No point of hir commission to neglect With soft and easie pace she went her way And brought him vnto her without delay When as the Cocke th' Astrologer of night With chearefull voice at twelue began to crow And gainst his brest his wings to beat and smite The time and season of the night to show To warâ—e those that in their beds do rest To rise betimes and too much sleepe detest Medea to attend vpon her Knight Stood ready to receiue him at the dore As shee that onely plast her hearts delight Her saint in her most secret shrine t' adore Full little lust she had as then to sleepe Her care was onely watch for him to keepe Prince Iason to her chamber being brought Not once perceiud nor seene of any wight Medea hauing got the thing she sought In heart was so possest with great delight That secretly she led him on the way Into her Closeâ— where she made him stay The woman seeing them so closely plast Of three made two as she that knew the game And out the chamber went in all the hast Well knowing that hir Lady would the same And for to gaze and stare vppon the moone Walkt in the court and left them there alone Wherewith Medea shut the chamber fast And to her Iason presently did call But as mine Author saith she first had plast Wax candles burning cleare on euery wall Which made the place as bright as if the sunne Had shon therein at twelue a clocke at noone Then to her chest she did with speed repaire Which framed was of Christall pure and cleare Out of the which she tooke an Image faire Of fine and beaten gold as did appeare Which hallowed was and consecrate withall To mighty Ioue whom they their God did call Which Image vnto Iason she did
Isle Not farre from thence whereas vpon the shore Prince Hercules attended all the while Accompanied with many Grecians more Till that he had his conquest brought to passe And when that he mongst them arived was For ioy they lept and to their Gods did call And yeilded thanks for his most happy chance That he had so preserved been from thrall And to such honor did him then advance By Knight-hood great to win the golden Ram Out of the midst of burning fier and flame And fore Apollo fully had run out And compassed the earthly globe so faire Or from the East to west had gon about For still he was perceaved in the aire Although with speed he did as then decline And on the Seas full watrishly did shine Iason withall his grecian Knights did goe Vnto the King with glad and chearefull face And vnto him the golden sleece did shoe The which to wim the Gods had gin him grace Whereat the King did seeme much to reioyce In outward show and with dissembling voyce Did welcome him vnto his Court againe Glad as he said that he so well had sped And more his outward joy therein t'explaine Into the Pallace by the hand him him led And entertained him with royall chere As if that no dislike in him there were And shewed pleasant countenance and face As hipocrites can do when as they faine And thinke on craft and rather seeke disgrace To him whom flatteringly they intertaine With outward smiling and dissembling show When inwardly they wish his overthrow So at that time King Octes entertaind Prince Iason with a friendly countenance And show of ioy that he so well had gaind The golden fleece his honor to aduance Although from heart his ioy did not proceed For inwardly with griefe it seemd to bleed That of the Ram he was dispoyled so To his great losse and whole confusion And that he must the golden fleece forgo Which in him bred a great division Twixt outward show and his interior mind As oft we see and by experience find That many men of double heart and mind And of meere malice hid in their desire With smothed face such subtill shifts can find To take and couer closely vp the fire Of envie with the ashes of deceit That no man can their wicked purpose let But well were he that could their craft espie And know their meaning false and fraudulent Wherein nought else but trecherie doth lie For to betray the simple innocent And such as by no villany are led Nor in the paths of subtilty haue tread But when a man a smiling face doth make With outward show of loue and speaketh kind They do his words and all his gestures take To be th' effects of his interior mind So Iason held himselfe full well apaid Withall the King then did to him or sayd Svpposing that no grudge to him he bare And doubtles though the King was griued sore And had his heart possest with thought and care Cause he should loose the Ram for evermore It had more folly been for him to fret When as the same by no meanes he could let And for as then he could not will nor chose Such and so great was his extremitie But that of force he must his treasure lose He made a vertue of necessitie And gainst his will his mind he wholy bent To welcome him though t' were with discontent And with all kind of common curtesie From day to day to show his gentlenesse He feasted Iason and his company And not one signe of grutging did expresse Vntill the time that he did steale away And secretly his daughter thence convay Meane while the people ran In flockes apace From all and euerie part of Colchos Isle Vpon the golden Ram to starre and gase Which some admir'd some others seme'd to smile Each one his verdit and his Iudgment gaue But to the same men no respect should haue For they are so vnconstant in their mind That with each blast they varry like a phane And as the mone according to hir kind To day th' encrease to morow they do wane So much they are of nature flexible And altogether light and variable Some did reioyce that Iason spead so well And some admir'd his great and passing might And said he did in valor much excell That gainst the Bulls and Dragon so could fight And conquering theÌ„ returnd thence safe sonnd Which to effect till then none could be found Some grieu'd thereat dislike it veâ—erly And wholy did repine that so it was Some others said t' was done by Sorcery Thus each cast forth his verdict in that case One saying this an other praring that And every one of Iason seem'd to chat At last as though she knew not of the chance Medea from her chamber did descend Glad at her heart although in countenance A sad and heavy cheare she did pretend That no man might her secret joy conceaue Nor of her mind the least pretence perceaue And by her wise and good discretion Not any one a misse of her could deeme Whereby she did avoid suspition And euery one of her did well esteeme Her port and cheare nought els did signifie But signes of griefe although full secretlie She smild to thinke how well her loue had sped Then closely vnto Iason she drew neare And that of them suspision none might breed With voice full low she whispred in his eare And willed him in any wise to see He did not faile with her at night to bee For that she sayd she would with him confer Of matters that concernd them very neere Which at that time of force she must defer To let him know till that he met her there Which he suspecting when as night came on Vnto his chamber went where all alone He found her sitting there but not asleepe But wishing with her heart as I do gesse By her straight watch which she as then did keepe With him to parle in great holinesse Of matters of deepe contemplation For she was moued with devotion To celebrate Dame Venus memory And for her sake a Requiem to say With him alone in her oratory And not as foolish hipocrits doe pray In open streets that men may them commend The time they did not passe nor vainely spend For glory of the world nor any laud Of mortall wights but closely all alone Betweene themselues not thinking any fraud And without any light of Sunne or Moone That longsome night they past and did not rest For sure they thoutht for them it was not best To thinke on sleepe â—â—ll morning was in prime And so the night together they did spend With great delight not loosing any time But in what sort I cannot comprehend Nor their religious obseruations show But leaue that vnto them that better know Suppose what t' was you get no more of me Let him that hath good skill and knowes the Art Or is acquainted with the facultie The misteries thereof to you impart And
bid me not that am a simple swaine Snch secret obseruations to explaine Or to discourse of that I do not know If that in speculation I were seene Or had by practise skill the same to show It had for me an easie matter beene But sith aboue my skill it is so farre I le leaue it vnto you And now declare How Iason and Medea did agree And how it was their purpose and pretence That she should into Greece conducted bee And in so secret wise convaied thence By him that Faher friend nor any wight Should know or once suspect her sudden flight CHAP. VII I How Iason after the conquest of the Golden-fleâ—â—â—â— taking Medea secretly with him returned againe into Thessalie WHen Iasou had his dangerous coÌ„quest woâ— And brauely feasted was like his degree With all the honor could to him be don He did deuise when oppertunitie Should serue his turne to sayle away by night And take Medea with him if he might And so when as a month had passed ore He closely caused all things t'ready make And as he fully purposed before Medea with him secrretly did take Withall the treasure that he could convay And hoysing sayles from Colchos stale away Alas Medea why wast thou in hast So perillous a iourney then to make And why wast thou so slow before to cast The dangers thou as then didst vndertake Didst thou not proue him faithlesse and vnkind For all to thee by oath thou didst him bind To show he cast thee off and cleane forsooke Constraining thee to weepe and mourne in woe And how that he another louer tooke And for his wife would thee by no meanes know And caused thee thy golden lockes to rend And wofully thy dolefull life to end It were in vaine the same now to recite Sith it is past or show what did befall To Iason in reward of his despight Who likewise fell into no little thrall And lost his life for his vnnaturalnes In bloudy warre with griefe and great distresse This shall suffice th' vnfortunate estate Of louers twaine to set before your eye And t'show they lost their liues by cruell fate Because they set their minds on vanity For of beginning that 's not vertuous The end for certaine proues but dangerous If they at first the perill had forecast And not so rashly run into the fire Of burning lust they had not at the last Reapt iust reward of their so fond desire But he that 's carelesse mischiefe to foresee Will surely fall into extreamitie For as a medcine ministred to man When that his bodie 's mortifide and dead By no meanes helpe nor ought auaile him can And as the stomacke weake or wounded head Cannot be eas'd by any potion Hearbe stone receit salue or confection That any Surgeon what so ere doth know Or learned Doctor in the world can giue When as the bodie 's laid in earth full low Or what auaileth it to striue t'relieue A beast whose carrion corps lies dead on ground And all together cold and sencles found In my conceit and simple fantasie T were vaine as dame Experience doth vs teach For nought as then can helpe or remedy Health to procure or dolour to impeach For that which im perform'd in time and date More vertue hath then that which comes to late Right so it is and sure it is no fable He that thinkes not on danger till it fall But trusteth vnto worldly hopes vnstable In stead of suger sweet tasts bitter gall Mixt with deceit and doth at last repent His carelesnes and life so negligent That he the same could not in time forecast Nor in his mind resolue it to preuent Till in the snare he 's caught and holden fast And cannot shun the perill eminent Which shows that lust not reason did obtaine The highest seat within his head so vaine As Iason and Medea well did proue But how so euer Iason sped thereby The story saith through fond and foolish loue Medea onely felt th'extreamity Of danger woe perplexity and griefe And dyed at the last without reliefe Because she did not warily forecast What might fall out ere she her iourney tooke With Iason for which cause she made such hast That Father friends and Country she forsooke But sith that it was done of wilfulnesse Without good counsell or aduisednesse Meere folly t' were her miseries to waile Or grieue at her so hard and lucklesse fate Sith that as now full little t' would availe But sure she chose an hower vnfortunate When as the Moone by constellation With some bad planet had coniunction Let it suffice that secretly alone To beare her deare friend Iason company To ship she went and th' Isle of Colchos soone She did forsake to saile to Thessalie And in the night full closely stole away With as much treasure as she could conuay And hauing wind at will with gladsome cheare They put to sea and passed many an jsle Where least the voyage tedious should appeare Vnto Medea Iason all the while With Hercules still held her company With fained show of loue and courtesie And with dissembling face seem'd for her sake Much to reioyce as louers oft can do And thereof vse an exercise to make Till that they haue their losts attain'd vnto As Iason did Medea soone deceaue And her of her virginitie bereaue Forsaking her when least â—â—e did suspect He would haue playd so treacherous a part In so vild sort and her so soone reiect With such a cruell hard and stony heart And left her in great miserie and woe But here of her I meane no more to thoe For that mine Author more to write doth spare But if at large the storie you will see Onidâ—â—s Naso plainly doth declare The miserie and great extreamitie Wherein she fell and with what great distresse She lost her life by Iasons wickednes And how that she by him two sons did beare The which she kild although gainst natures kind Because that they like to their Father were And for that Iason falsely chang'd his mind And cast his loue vpon another Dame Whome Ouid saith Cerusa had to name And cleane forsooke Medea his true wife She falling in a rage and extreame griefe In cruell in wise bereft her selfe of life And died distraught dispairing of reliefe Of this her end if more you seeke to know Read Ouid who the same at large doth show And now will I my stile directly turne To let you know what was by Iason done When he in Greece arriu'd Whose heart did burne With rage and anger gainst Laomedon Till he could find a meane how to requight The wrong receau'd from him with like despight When Iason with his traine all landed were Vpon the pleasant coast of Thessalie And that King Peleus knew his being there Accompanied with all his chiualry He went out of his Court with him to meet And did him in most friendly manner greet But yet with outward show and countenance Of fained loue as
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
on him by stealth did cast an eye Though outwardly none could her well espie For as she thought she never saw his peere Mongst all the men that on the earth did liue For comelinesse and beautie passing cleere Nor that to her contentment more did giue So that on nothing else she set her mind But how she might a fit occasion find And haue the meanes and opportunitie Conveniently with him a word to speake In other place at better libertie Which was the onely thing that she did seeke And stil her countenance chang'd For Cupids fire In both their hearts had kindled like desire And cloathed them with Venus liverie And yet no message twixt them then there went But privie lookes glauncing from the eâ—e Assured them what each to other ment And made them wish in heart that secretly An amorous combate twixt them they might try And their desires vnto each other shoe At last as Paris by degrees him gat Vp higher and vnto the place did goe Whereas the faire Queene Helena then sat In secret wise together they did speake And as they might their minds to other breake Declaring what did punish them at the heart But this was done least that it should be spied When as the presse of people did depart And such as stayd were busie occupied To stare vpon the temple and to gase About the same as people in a mase To see it so adornd in sumptuous wise And while they spake not any one might heare A word that past least that they should surmise That twixt them any bad intent there were Nor what their secret speech as then should meane At last it was agreed by the Queene And Paris with one full and free consent What time they should together meet againe And so they both out of the Temple went Though loath with hearts repleat with louers paine And that they might avoyd suspition When Paris from Queene Helena as gone With present speed vnto his ship he went Where hauing staâ—d a while without delay For all the Troyan Lords and Knights he seat To whome in pithie words he gan to say My Lords and friends in briefe to you to tell The cause vnto you all is knowne full well Wherefore to Greece my Father hath vs sent And what Commission to vs he did giue You know it was the full of his intent That we should seeke to take and to relieue My noble Aunt the Princely Exion Out of the hands of proud King Telamon The which to do I can deuise no way How it by vs should well effected be For no man can this vnto me denay That he is mighty strong in his Country And well alied with friends on everie side And hath an heart abounding with such pride That to leaue her by force he doth disdaine The best way then that I can now deuise Sith with him so to deale it is in vaine And that our power thereto doth not suffice Because we are not able to withstand His force nor with him fight within his Land Is sith that fortune hath vs hither brought And caus'd vs by adventure here to land When as God knows it was not in our thought At Venus home that not far hence doth stand And wherein at this time there is great store Of Iewels Gold and other treasures more The which the Greekes vnto it hither bring By sea and land and there both rich and poore To Uenus vse to make their offering And her therein most solemnly adore And that the faire Queene Helen now is there I thinke that it the best course for vs were To beare her hence by force and prisoner make And having put the Grecians to the foile Their gold and treasure forcibly to take And them of it and of their liues to spoile Which hauing done without all tarrying The same into our ships this night to bring Whereof we cannot faile who ere saith nay And to that end said he let 's ready make And without further respect or delay Our armours and our weapons to vs take To set on them with all our force and might Which said within their ships they staid till night Till Phebus did on earth no more appeare But was gone downe as t' was his woonted guise And glistring stars did shine most bright cleare Before the Moone that time began to rise They all went forth their ships in braue array And to the temple straight did take their way Intending not long in the same to tarry And so in hast they entred Citheron Where going straight vnto the Sanctuarie Without all manner of devotion To Venus done in her Oratorie For it was then out of their memorie To worship her they had no such intent But onely for to rob and spoile the same Whereto as then their minds were wholly bent All what so ere vnto their hands then came They tooke and bore away and nothing left Within the Church nor I sle but them bereft Of all their Iewels precious stones and gold Their reliques and their vessels sacared And every other thing what ere they could Were it prophane or were it hallowed They made it prey and in their furious mood Did kill and slay all those that them withstood And many that with gastly wounds did bleed Which they receaued had to saue their right As prisoners to their ships with them were led Not able to withstand their puissant might Which after liu'd in long captiuity With sorrow griefe and great extreamity While Paris earnestlie for Helen sought Whom when he found in courteous wise he kist And ioy fullie within his armes her caught For she seem'd not to striue nor to resist But yeelded vnto him without delay For 't had been but meere follie to say nay Her heart being woone before that he came there She could not striue for women t is not fit And for that cause to yeeld she had lesse feare And he with such good words as then were meet Did comfort her and therewith did her beare Vnto his ship and letting her stay there Well guarded by his men returnd againe To make an end of his desired pray Not far from thence within a pleasant plaine A Castle stood where many souldiers lay To keepe the same who waking gaue a shout And sodainly at once did issue out Andran in hast to rescue Citheron But ere they came the Troyans had their pray And with the same vnto their ships were gone Wherewith the Greekes did make no long delay But followed them and then began to fight On either side with all their force and might And Tygar like each other slew and kild Till many dead within the field did lie For neither vnto other then would yeeld But at the last the Greekes were forst to flye For that the Troyans doubled them in nomber With multitudes and did them fore incomber And made them run backe to the Castle gate In hope to saue themselues therein by flight But all in vaine for them for
now sith you cannot withstand Your fortune you must not your selfe dismay For that with more and greater maiestie Honor dutie wealth and dignitie You shall be serued here then there you were And cause you must your husband now forsake And gainst your will his companie forbeare For which you seeme such sorrow here to make Your care therein by me shall soone be eas'd For that if you therewith be not displeas'd In stead of him I will your husband be And loue and honour you with all my heart If you can likewise thinke so well of me And till that death by force shall make vs part I will be true both in my word and deed For in my heart I fullie haue decreed To be to you as loving and as kind As dutifull as friendlie and as true As ever you King Menelaus did find And in all things will yeeld to you your due And here my faith and troth to you I plight To last vntill that death with dart me smight And though my words do seeme but rude plaine I hope for that you will me not disgrace Nor any whit this my request disdaine Sith I descend and come of roy all race And am as noble of degree and blood As Menelaus and in each point as good And will to you more faithfull be in loue Then ere he was and never change for new For nothing shall my heart from you remoue Then sith this I protest to you is true I pray you now leaue off to waile and weepe And let some comfort in your bosome creepe For little doth availe this woe and greefe If you consider well your owne estate And thanke the Gods that send you such reliefe In your distresse and thinke y' are fortunate To hap so well and this is all I craue That loue for loue of you I now may haue Alas said she can it possible be That I which haue my friends abandoned And liue in sorrow and adversitie Should not be grieu'd and wish that I were dead I see no cause why I should cease to erie Nor yet my cheeks from brinish teares to drie It cannot be for sure it were gainst kind That my so sore and great extreamitie I should so soone abandon out of mind And that the thing which toucheth me so nie And is the onely cause of this my smart Could be so lightlie cast out of my heart And for whose sake I am as now constrain'd To sorrow for our separation But sith the Gods for me haue thus ordain'd That I should loue in this strange Nation I am content to take it patientlie And to their heasts t'obâ—y submissiuely For follie t' were to striue against their will Wherefore as now my selfe I will prouoke Although it seeme my very heart to kill For to submit my necke vnto this yoke And gainst my will of meere necessitie Obay to what so ere you 'l do with me For 't would not helpe if that I should 't refuse And thus somewhat he did her griefe appease And yet what ere she said she could not chuse But thinke thereon But what should she disease Her selfe so much sith t' is a thing most sure An heart of â—â—int could not so much endure For 't is the common vse of women-kind Till they haue wept and wailed at their will Nere to surcease nor to content their mind But when they haue of sorrow had their fill And wearied are therewith they will as fast All sorrow from their hearts as lightlie cast And soone lay hold on comfort in their griefe A man their hearts may easilie disseuer From woe to ioye from sorrow to reliefe There is no storme that can endure for euer For as the learned write things violent By natures course cannot be permanent When stormes are past the Sun much brighter is And shineth hotter after then before So by the speech and counsell of Paris Faire Helena as then did weepe no more For as the faire and pleasant morning bright By custome and by kind doth follow night Right so in time her heart began to cheare And of her teares the flouds likewise to drie And hauing cleane abandoned all feare She liu'd in Troye with Paris ioyfullie As in the Chapter following you may see Whereas at large it shall declared bee CHAP. V. ¶ How Paris was receaued into Troye at his returne out of Greece and how he was married to Queene Helena WHen Helena had left her mourning cheare And that her rosent colour shewd againe Within her face most beautifull and cleare And had forgotten all her griefe and paine Paris that was in heart so amorous In hast did send vnto King Priamus For horse and men apparell gorgeous And diuers costlie iewels of great prise That Helena might shew more glorious And enter Troye in braue and sumptuous wise And all things he desired being sent Without delay to Troye with her he went And by the way King Priamus them met Accompanied with his Nobilitie And many faire and gallant Ladies great And maidens by their birth of high degree And with theÌ„ store of knights that were most braue And Citizens which their attendance gaue To welcome Paris who as then did ride With all his prisoners two and two before And he and Deiphobus on each side Of Helena to honor her the more And after them the Lords of high degree And all the rest most orderlie to see And tweene each ranke did leaue a little space That so their traine the longer might appeare And in that sort they road an easie pace Till that by Priam they encountred were Who met them in a faire and pleasant plaine And in his hand tooke Helens horses raine And so conuaied her into the towne Where store of people flockt on every side And all the way along ran vp and downe To gase and looke vpon their new come bride The Trumpets sounding in most stately wise Which made their eccho mount vp to the skies And many another kind of Instrument In sundrie wise playd seuerall melodie Before them as into the Towne they went So that to heare the pleasant harmonie T' would make mans heart to leap mount for ioy And when they all were entred into Troye King Priam at his Pallace did alight And by the hand did take the Grecian Queene And straight with all convenient speed he might Led her into a Chamber well beseene Commanding all his Officers to see That all what ere she need prepar'd should be And calling for a cup of wine he dranke Vnto the Queene to welcome her withall Forthwith she did in humble wise him thanke And so he went againe into the Hall Till supper time and left her there to make Her ready and her ease meane while to take But of the ioy that was within the towne In every place where people sat together And in the streets of Troye walk't vp and downe And spake thereof the one vnto the other My stile is all to rude of it to
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
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
extinguish all the worthinesse Of Conquerors and such as by degree Of honor seeke to climbe to loftie fame And oftentimes cleane blemisheth the same A covetous desire of getting wealth Belongeth not vnto Nobilitie Nor riches gotten so by spoyle or stealth Pertaineth not to worthy Chivalrie For avarice and Knighthood disagree And cannot well together lincked bee For certaine t is that greedinesse of gaine Hath often beene the onely overthrow Of many famous men that haue beene slaine As Guido in this Historie doth show By worthy Hectors fall who coveting To haue the sumptuous armor of that king So greedy was thereof that when he had The body vp and on his horse it bare To haue the spoyle thereof such hast he made That he did hang his shield without all care Behind him at his backe the easier To pull the armor off at his desire And by that meanes his brest cleane open lay And nothing to defend nor saue the fame But his thin plates Wherein I needs must say He was too vnadvis'd and much to blame And 't grieues me that so braue a Champion And of all knighthood the onely pateron Should haue of his owne good so little care As not to thinke vpon his enemie That him so great and deadly hatred bare And watching time and opportunitie On him attended had all that same day To take him at advantage and then lay Close hovering not farre off from him to spie A time t' effect his purpose and desire For at that time Achilles so â—â—â—â— die With heart repleat with wrath and furious ire While Hector so the dead Kings body beare Vpon his horse tookevp a mightie speare And therewith did at Hector fiercely ride And smote him vnawares with great despight Into the heart â—hat he fell downe and dide And so that most renowned Troyan knight Was slaine by carelesse bearing of his shield Whose death when as King Odemon beheld He was so grieu'd there at that presently He road vnto Achilles and despight Of all his Myrmidons most furiously Smote him so great a blow with all his might That downe for dead he fell vpon the plaine As if at that same time he had beene slaine Wherwith his knights straight laid him on a shield And bare him faire and softlie thence away Into his tent where staying to be heald I le leaue him for a while sicke as he lay And show how when that night began t' appeare The Grecians that with fighting wearied were Vnto their tents retir'd and lest the plaine And at that time the Troyans also went With heauie hearts into the towne againe And all the way did mournefully lament For Hectors death whose body solemnly They bare with them and weeping bitterly Vnto the Temple therewith all did goe And in that sort that dolefull day did end And all the night ensuing with great woe And heavinesse did after likewise spend Wherein I will them leaâ—e and for a while To mourne for Hectors death I le turne my stile CHAP. VII ¶ The complaint of Lidgate for the death of Hector and the description of the sumptuous Toombe that King Priam made for him THe fearefull stile which I till now haue held Of dangerous cruell fierce and bloody warre So numbs my hand that I can hardly weld My pen that is so clog'd with feare and care Of valiant Hectors death the truth to write Vnlesse some one vouchsafe me helpe t' indite But vnto whome shall I crie out or call For helpe it must not be to any one Of those faire Nymphs amongst the Muses all That on Pernassus hill by Helicon So Angell-like with heavenly melodie Do sing together with such harmonie That no man can expresse nor well declare The sweet accord of their most pleasant song For they do never disagree nor iarre And haue their instruments most sweetly strong That they on them no dolefull tunes can sound Nor dittie sweet with woefull songs compound Of them therefore it boots me not to craue Their aid to helpe in this extreamitie And sure I am I shall as little haue Of Clio or of faire Caliope I therefore must make sute with woefull mone And many a grieuous sigth and gastly grone Vnto Megaera Alecto and Thesiphone That ever are in sorrow and complaine With brinish teares in bad condition For they still liue in extreame woe and paine Eternally and do in torments dwell With triple headed Cerberns in hell Whome I must pray to be to me bening In this my case which is so lamentable For to a man whome sorrow still doth sting A shew of feare is alwaies commendable And in a matter full of heauinesse A heauie looke the same doth best expresse Helpe me herein oâ— Niobe to mone And in my pen some of thy teares distill Do thou the like oh cruell Exion And Beâ—ides that doest the bucket fill Helpe with thy roling stone good Sesiphus And furtherme also poore Tantalus That hungrest still in water without rest Helpe me I pray you all my plaints to end And let me craue of you to do your best To ayd me so that I my wits may bend With phrases fit the wofull chance to tell Of him that did in worthinesse excell And while he liu'd the root of Knighthood was The onely mirror of all Chivalrie The man that did all other men surpasse For valor and for great actiuitie And th'onlie patterne of all curtesie As Guido sheweth in this Historie Why shouldst thou die oh Hector valorous What was the cause thou tookst no better heed Oh Parchas fell and too too mischievous So carelesly to twist his vitall threed And what did mooue thee Atropos thereto So hastily to cut the same in two Oh Troy alas well mayst thou mourne and cry And bitterly lament thy wofull state That art this day bereau'd so sodainly By most accursed false and wavering fate Of him that was thy speciall proppe and stay And chiefe defence and bulwarke night day And he that onely made thee fortunate Now now alas the brightnes of thy sunne Ecclipsed is and thou art desolate Of comfort and in manner cleane vndone Thy light is out and thou dost plunged lie In darknesse for this day most certainlie Is slaine the brauest and the worthiest The most renowmed and chivalorous And of all valiant knights the hardiest la battaile and the most victorious That ever was or shall be borne most sure Within the world while that it doth endure No maruell then it is thou weepst so sore For him sith he both in thy woe and weale Was thy defence and comfort euermore And he whome thou didst loue and like so well That sure thou canst not proue so much vnkind As not to thinke still of him in thy mind For as the storie maketh mention There was not any one of what degree Or state so ere he was within the towne But rather would in that extreamitie Haue lost his child to saue his life if so The Gods would haue beene pleas'd
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
on his bed till night came on Wherein as little comfort he receau'd As in the day for rest he could get none So that of all reliefe and ioy bereau'd He did continue still in griefe and sorrow Till that the starre cald Lucifer next morrow Began in th' east ere Phoebus did arise To shew itselfe and brightly to appeare When drencht in teares with wet and heauy eies For want of rest and quaking with the feare And griefe he had conceiued in his hart He held his peace and presently vp start And calling one to him he trusted well And whom he knew desird and wisht his good He did from point to point vnto him tell What he had done and how with him it stood And sent him to the towne of Troy to speake With Hecuba and vnto her to breake The matter and by his discretion To find a meanes if possible it were To giue to him some satisfaction In that which he sâ—mpatiently did beare Who presently vnto the Queene did go And handled the matter with her so And did so wisely play his part therein Before that he did vtter their pretence That he had licence graunted of the Queene To tell his mind to her without offence With promise whatsoever that it were She would vouchsafe the same of him to heare To whom he did his message so explaine That no man euer heard a better pâ—â—d For from his mouth there past no word in vaine Noâ— sentence but was spoken to some end And at the last he brought it finely out With many circumstances fetcht about And told her that the full conclusion And purpose of his message verily Was with a stedfast resolution To set a perfect peace and vnitie Betweene the Greeks and Troians that same day Whereto he sayd he knew no better way If he might be beleeu'd for both their ease And t' end the mortall strife and bitter rage Of warre and all dissention to appease Then speedily to make a marriage Betweene Achilles and faire Polixene Her daughter if that so t'wold please the Queene Whereby he sayd all enmitie would cease If she could by her good discretion Find meanes King Priams anger to appease And by her wit and mediation Get him to be well pleased and content With willing mind to giue his free consent That Polixene his daughter should be made Achilles wife vpon condition As he at first vnto her then had sayd That all the Greeks should presently be gon And leaue that bloody warre assoone as euer They two by marriage should be linckt together Whose message when the Queene did vnderstand And know th' effect of that he did require She did a while as one amazed stand And ere she answere made to his desire She sighed sore and then with heauy cheare She spake and sayd vnto the messenger My friend concerning that thou dost request I cannot of my selfe thereto consent Yet for my part I will be alwaies prest And with my heart am willing and content Thy maisters will therein to satisfie â— And so I would thou shouldst him certifie But first I must King Priams pleasure know If he will graunt to that which thou dost moue And I must likewise vnto Paris show Th' effect and meaning of thy maister loue To see if he will giue consent thereto The which as soone as ere I can I le doe Whereof I will an answere make to thee Within three daies and then I le satisfie Thy Lord if he will send againe to me Meane time thou mai'st returne with safety And satisfie thy maister in some part Of his desire to ease his troubled hart And therewithall the messenger went backe Vnto Achilles tent with countnance glad To whom he did in such wise answere make Concerning that which he declared had Vnto Queene Hecuba that he thereby Was somewhat easd and looked cheerefully In hope that by that meanes he should in th' end Attaine to that which he so much desird And so well pleas'd in mind he did attend The three daies time by Hecuba requird To answere vnto that he did propound Who presently when she King Priam found At leisure all alone to him did moue The matter touching that Achilles had Made knowne to her and that he was in loue With Pollicene and for her sake had made A profer to procure a finall peace Betweene the Greeks and Troians and to ceaâ—â— All warre and mortall strife so that he would Giue her to him The which when he perceiud He did the Queene with countnance â—ad behold And as it were a man of speech bereau'd Sat mute and woundred to himselfe wherefore Achilles should loue Pollicene so sore That he would make that offer for her sake And at the last he sigh'd and sayd alas What griefe is this that I no peace can make For can Achilles wrong so lightly pas Out of my head when as I thinke how he Slew my son Hector by his crueltie Who while he liu'd as 't cannot be deni'd Of me and mine was th' onely safety And speciall stay supporter and the guide Of all that vnder my command now be And to speake truth he was as t' were the light Of both mine eies for by his puiffant might He did protect and saue me from the rage And cruell furie of my Grecian foes And was the staffe of all my age But now alas which filles me full of woes Achilles hath him slaine which from my mind Shall neuer pas for who in heart can find To be alied vnto his mortall foe And hard it were to bend my heart to loue Him that is cause of all my griefe and woe And by that meanes the Grecians proud doth moue T' insult on me now fortune doth mâ— crosse And frownes on me and onely for the losse Of Hector my deare son that was my stay Yet gainst my heart which doth for anger riue Sith that as now there is no other way I will though loath against my nature striue For truth to say it grieueth me full sore Yet to eschew great dangers many more Which likely are to happen vnto me And to preserue my sonnes that yet do liue I am content and therevnto agree My youngest daughter Pollicene to giue Vnto Achilles on condition he Shall hold his promise he hath made to be The meanes to make a truce and finall peace Betweene the Greeks and Troians and that wee Our mortall warre from hence-forth shall surcease But least that he should meane some treacherie I will that he shall first performe the offer Which he so freely of himselfe doth proffer Without all fraud or false collusion Which Paris also did consent vnto The rather for that no exception What they with faire Queene Helena would do Was made therein whereby he did suppose That Menelans should her for euer lose And neuer haue her into Greece againe And therefore he did freely without strife Agree thereto that he might so obtaine His will to haue Queene Helen for his wife
ensignes glistring Against the Sun made such a gallant sight As they within the ayre hung wauering That to behold them t' was a great delight Who in most furious wise the Troians chast Kild wounded and did beat them downe so fast And at that time most like a valiant Knight Behau'd himselfe so brauely and so well That by his valor greaâ— and puissant might To flie from him he did them then compell But while that he in that most furious mood Amongst the thick est of the Troians road Prince Troielus ran at him with a speare And in the face of all his enemies Out of his sadle to the ground him bare Wherewith the Greeks with huge and mighty â—â—ies To see their puisant Lord and Generall In midst of them receiue so great a fall Ran to him and by maine and mighty force Relieued him and made him mount againe Despight of all the Troians on his horse At which time many a gallant Knight was slaine And furiously on either side vnhorst But yet the Grecian Knights at last were forst For all the great 〈◊〉 that they made By Troielus whose sword they durst â—or bide To leaue the plaine and bloody fight and glad To make retrait withdrew themselues aside For when as King Agamemnon perceiu'd How that his men were or there liues bereau'd So furiously that they could notwithstand The Troians blowes he did suppose it best For him to make retrait and out of hand To leaue the field and for that time to rest And to that end did giue commandement To euery man t'retire vnto hâ—â—teâ—â— And after that ere Phâ—bus did appeare Next day he sent to Priam to require A truce for six moneths space iâ— that he were Content therewith who graunted his desire Although that some therein with him did stritie And grueth therat and would not graunt to giue Such respit to the Greeks but t' was no boot For them to striue when Priamus had past His word and faith vnto the Greeks to do 't In which time while the truce twixt them did last Faire Grâ—sula loth so long time to tarry Although her Father was therein contrary From viliâ—ing her friend and t' haue a sight Of Diomede who â—aâ— receiu'd a wound Not long before that was her louing Knight Went to his tent whereas when The him found She sat downe on the bed side where he lay And while that she therein his tent did slay She did consider with her selfe and thought That t' was in vaine for her so long t' endure Without a loue and that t'availd her nought For Troielus to stay and to be sure Of store for that men say it is no sore She thought she would delay the time no more But presently with gentle heart and kind She promist loue vnto King Diomede To shew what pietie is in women kind And how that they b'extremitres are led T'expulse old loue and new to entertaine Before that men should sue to them in vaine Or suffer griefe and sorrow for their sake The exchange is not so ready in Lombard street Where Marchants do contracts and bargains make For Duckects and for Crownes when as they meet Each kind of gold and coynes to them 's all one So that it haue a face or stamp thereon Their letters of exchange paâ—se currantly And commonly are payd vpon the sight The passage boate is ready and doth lie T' attend all commers both by day and night No man's refusde that will desire grace Danger ther 's none but in dissembling face The Sea is caline and cleare from Rocks and sands T' was neuer heard that man was ere said nay That crau'd or asked mercy at their hands As you may plainely see by Cresida Who at that time gaue Diomede her hart To ease and to release him of his smart Desiring him to be of ioyfull cheare And promised t' obay him faithfully In euery thing as to her Knight most deare Before that he for loue of her should die Esteeming't better to want constantnes Then to be held and counted pittiles As women are by nature very loath T'adict their minds t reuenge or crueltie Gainst any man for breach of faith or oath But rather seeme to show humilitie And mercie vnto those that want reliefe And haue their minds possest with woe griefe Thus much for her and now I will proceed According to the Historie to show That while the two moneths truce before decreed Was holden King Agamenon did goe Vnto Achilles tent of him to craue That of the Greeks he would compassion haue And not t' endure not suffer them to die And to be slaine and maimed euery hower By them of Troy who with great crueltie Assayl'd the Greeks and by their mighty power Did put them to most great and hard distresse The which he sayd was likely to encrease Vnlesse he would vouchsafe his aid to lend With speed and it no more from them with-hold And by his mighty power and force defend Them as before he did with courage bold But t' was in vaine for whatsoere he sayd Achilles would not yeild to him to ayd Noâ— succour them but with obdurate mind Still wished them to thinke vpon a peace And with all speed some way and meanes to find That bloody and most tedious warre to cease But yet because he bare affection And much good will to King Agamemnon He would not altogether say them nay But partly to their willes did condiscend And sayd though he within his tent would stay He was content his Myrmidons to send In steed of him into the field to ayd Them gainst their foes Wherwith full wel apaid Agamemnon and Nestor tooke their leaue And left him in a malancholly mood Vpon his bed where he did sigh and grieue For Pollicene in whom then wholy stood His sole delight and comfort yet in doubt Nere to attaine to that he went about And so continued still But as he had Made promise when the truce was at an end He did appoint his Mirmidons to ayd The Greeks to fight and when he did them send Into the field he gaue a riban red To each of them to were vpon his head That they might from the rest be knowne thereby And when they tooke their leaues and did depart From him he was in great perplexitie And mightily tormented at the hart Because he sent them t'ayd the Grecians Against his will t'assayle the Troians But nerethelesse with hearts repleat with pride They went with King Agamemnon to fight Against their foes who for them did abide Vpon the plaine and when they were in sight Each side began the other to defie In warlike wise with many a shout and crie And fearefull noise of drums and trumpets braue Wherewith the Troians furiously began T' assayle the Greeks and such an onset gaue To them at that same time that many a man On Grecians side were slaine and they compeld To make retrait againe out of the field Till that the
Duke of Athens entered With mighty force the furie great to stay Of Troians and did make the Greekes that fled Aduance themselues againe but in the way Stout Troielus smot him so great a blow That from his horse he did him ouerthrow And then with fury great he entered in The thickest of the presse and beat downe all That with him met and therewith did begin So hotly on the Myrmidons to fall That many of them lost their liues and so Farre amongst the thickest of the Greeks did go That at the last he put them all to flight And by his valor great had them in chase So long till that the day was past and night Began t' appeare when as he left the place And went into the towne and there did stay And rest himselfe till that betimes next day They did begin a cruell fight againe Within the field so fiercely on each side That at that time great store of Knights were slaine And beaten downe and as they stoutly ride To trie their valors one against the other Pollidamas and Philomene together Did take King Thoas prisoner whom they ment T' haue carried vnto Troy with speed had not The Myrmidons before with him they went Out of the field from them by valor got And rescued him for they were very strong At which time Troilus road amonst the throng And thickst of them and like a valiant Knight Kâ—ld and orethrew great store of them by force So long till that by their great strength and might They did enclose him round and kild his horse And thought t' haue tane him prisoner but he foght So valiantly that they full dearely bought His horses life with many of their owne Till at the last his brother Paris spied Him fighting there on foot with them alone And with his other brethren straight did ride To rescue him and forcibly made way Through all the presse and many of theÌ„ did slay And by their valors soone recouered had A horse for him whereon he lightly sprong And then againe such hauocke of them made That though he was enclos'd among the throng He kild and beat them downe so furiously That many of them dead at his feet did lie But as most like a valiant Champion He fought in midst of them enclosed round One of his brethren cald Margariton By Myrmidons receiu'd his deadly wound Whose death set Troilus heart on such a fier With cruelty that in most furious ire He purposed to be reueng'd therefore And with his sword by force he made a way Through thickest of the presse downe he bore All that before him stood or once durst stay To make resistance or withstand him then The like did Paris with his brethren Who altogether furiously did ride Amongst Achilles Myrmidons and there Such hauocke of them made that to abide Before them they durst not but in great feare They were compeld of mere necessiry To set spurs to their horses and to flie In hast to saue their liues For Troielus Did kill and beat them downe so cruelly And was on them so fierce and furious And wounded them so sore and terribly That many of them died in the plaine And yet they did the fight long time maintaine For they were noble Knights and of great worth And knew full well how they their armes shold weild But yet they were by Troielus driuen forth With many wounds sore bleeding from the field Not able to withstand his extreame might Although they held together and did fight Most valiantly and would not separate Themselues long time asunder till at length They were by Troielus fierce and desperate So hotly chast that by maine force and strength He made them breake their rancks in despight Their hearts to flie till that with many a Knight King Menelaus and King Agamemnon Ulisses and most cruell Diomede And with them also fierce King Thelamon Came to the field and when they entered So valiantly assayld the Troians And with such multitudes of Grecians Vpon them set that at that time the fight Betwixt them did so hot and sore renew That it did cost the life of many a Knight On either side and thereof did ensue So terrible a noyse and cry throughout The field of men that maymed lay mought Not helpe themselues that all the aire did sound And ring therewith and many shields were spleet And harnes hackt and hawd all the ground Lay couered ore with hands armes heads feet Of men that cut and mangled dying lay And streames of blood ran downe along the way And in the plaine most fearfull to behold At which time they of Troy for all the might And multitudes of Greeks with courage bold Not once dismaid so valiantly did fight That many Grecian Knights by them were kild And wounded sore and where within the field The fight most strongest horst and furious Was held and where greatst troopes of Greeks withstood The Troians and assayld them Troiclus Couragiously amongst the thickest road And with his Knights such slaughter of them made That in short space he them compelled had To flie and to auoid his furious sword As th' instrument of their destruction And which as death they shuned and abhord And this continued till that Thelamon The fearefull flying of the Greeks beheld Did turne them backe made theÌ„ keepe the field And valiantly the Troian Knights assayld And then againe the fight was hot and strong And Greeks against the Troians sore prevaild But that aduantage held not very long For Troielus relieued them againe And by him then so many Greeks were slaine That he compeld them mauger all their might And great resistance which they theÌ„ did make Before his sword againe to take their flight Vnto their tents and at that time did take An hundred Percian Knights whom he did send To Troy and so that day the fight did end Which being done the Myrmidons with speed Vnto their Lord Achilles tent did go With many wounds full deepe that sore did bleed And in that sort themselues to him did show Wâ—o of their number then were lessened An hundred Knights within the field lay dead With gastly wounds slaine by the puissant might And valor great of Troielus alone Whereof when as Achilles had a sight The night ensuing he did nought but grone And sigh and grieue and was so much opprest With heauines that he could take no rest For in his mind he had a double wo First for his Knights that had been newly slaine And then for Pollicene whom he loued so For he knew well that he should nere obtaine His will of her if to reuenge his men He should once seeke the meanes therfore theÌ„ His heart burnt in his breast with double fier Of wrath and loue which pâ—t him to great paine For wrath prouoked him with great desire To be reueng'd and loue did him restraine From dooing it and got the vpper hand For he in mighty feare and doubt
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
may be â—eard And that you with reason iudge and be Vnpartiall in this case twixt him and me And first consider well and way withall That while you here so long in siedge did tarry I onely out of Messa brought you all Prouision that for you was necessary That you no want of victuals might sustaine By any meanes while you did here remaine And further as concerning feats of armes Performed in the field in Knightly wise I euer ready was at all alarmes And daylie fought against our enemies And as I am assurd full well kild more Of them then those that greater countnance bore You also know that I slew Philomen To whom King Priam sent his youngest Son To keepe with store of treasure great and when I had him slaine and all that riches won I brought it vnto you and therewith did Relieue you much and did supplie your need And sor your sakes I slew the Frizian King And store of gold and treasure from him won And all those spoiles vnto the Campe did bring You likewise further know what I haue don T' augment and to aduance your soueraignty By conquering two kingdomes valianly While you in siedge here lay and did them ad Vnto your puissant Empire and likewise The prouinces to Troy annexed made All Subiect vnto you What otherwise I with Achilles did t' increase your fame I know that you cannot forget the same And therefore needles t were for me to say Or shew you all I could produce to proue My merits more then his do euery way Deserue a greater recompence and loue Of you And therefore whatsoere he saith No right vnto Palladion he hath The iudgement in this case I do referre Vnto you all the which that you may know The better how to giue you first shall heare His qualities which I will to you show In him there is no manner worthines Knight-hood valor nor yet hardines For when time serues that he should in a need Shew forth his might he dates not enterprize That which he boasts but proues as he 's indeed A coward right as plainely with your ciâ—s You see ther 's iâ— him nought but craâ—tines Words many falsehood decâ—â—â—fulnes For he is still in heart imagining How to effect by craft and subtilty His purpose and the same to passe to bring T' intrap and to deceaue his enemy For never any thing as yet there was By him archieu'd nor fully brought to passe For which he well deserued praise or laud But it was done it's knowne vnto you all By some devise of treachery or fraud For like vnto a goodly painted wall He makes a faire and pleasing outward show But no man can his inward meaning know And by such sleights deceit and pollicy He got the Image cald Palladion And thereby to our shame and villany It may be said the conquest we haue woone Vpon the towne by treason gotten was And not by our great knighthood brought to passe The onely cause whereof as I haue said Ulisses is for he vnto our shame This stumbling blocke hath in our honor laid And thereby much ecclipsed all our fame The truth thereof sith all of you do know I le leaue for this time more of him to show And of you all my Lords together craue You iudgements which of vs deserveth best For his deserts the jmage faire to haue That for the same we may no more contest Which words thus vsed by King Thelaphus Ulisses having heard with mind suspicious And seeing how with envie great he was Incenst and mou'd gainst him with good advise He bare with him a while and let ore-passe His choller and as he was passing wise Determing no iest thereof to make To answere him on this wise to him spake And said with countance bold before his face My Lords if that I may haue leaue to speake I hope before we part out of this place And yet intend no peace thereby to breake To proue directly that with equitie The jmage onely doth belong to me Which I will keepe and hold while I do liue Despight of all that thereto dare say nay And first for proofe this instance I do giue That at the siege wherein so long we lay In double wise I did my selfe acquit As well by valor great as by my wit For by advise I was the onely man T' intrap them in a snare and for your good Devis'd the meanes and way whereby we wan The towne of Troy which otherwise had stood And flourisht to this day and truth to tell As it is not vnknowne to all full well If you will speake vprightly and with reason I dare avouch though Thelaphus saith no I was chiefe cause of their confusion How often of Embassage did I go To make the treatie with them in such wise As I for our advantage could devise And when I saw that all that we had done Was but in vaine the towne of Troy to win And that for vs advantage there was none While that the holy Image was therein By my advise so subtillie I wrought That I to you Mineruaes Image brought Which Thelaphus maliciously doth say That to your great dishonour and your shame By treacherie I brought it thence away And thereby much imblemished your fame But sith you are so wise I pray you take The quarrell now in hand and thereof make An end betweene vs twaine and so prouide That th'jmage at this time may iudged be All fauour whatsoever laid aside To him that it deserues and as for me I le stand to your award Which having said He paused and from speaking further staid Whereat with courage great King Thelaphus In heart and mind exceeding lie much mou'd Respecting no man there in furious And raging wise despightfullie reprou'd And chafed at Vlisses with disdaine And he at him replide with like againe Whereby they two great enemies became And into hard and bitter tearmes did fall And threatning each the other for the same King Thelaphus in presence of them all Said that before they two did end that strife It should vnto Vlisses cost his life By his hands if he did not well defend Himselfe Which when the Grecian Princes heard The quarrell grown between them two to end The matter was by all of them deferd And wholly put to th'arbitration Of Menalus and King Agamemnon Which afterward did breed a mortall iarre For when they two considered had thereon They iudged cause Ulisses t'whom they bare Affection great the jmage faire had woon He should possesse the same as his reward And Thelaphus from claime thereof debard The reason that made them therein preferre Ulisses and King Thelaphus to thwart Was for because they both beholding were To him for that he friendly tooke their part When as the Greeks bout Helen were at strife To haue her kild and he to saue her life Perswaded them so well that they content To let her liue to Menalus her gaue When Thelaphus with furie gainst her
solemnity They crownd him king of all that land made Such triumph at his Coronation And also such a royall banquet had That if I should thereof make mention It were too much and I must it forbeare Because mine Author writes not thereof here But briefly tels that Pyrrhus by his might Encreased much the Land of Thessalie And raign'd long there with equitie and right And no more thereof speaketh presently But vnto other matter turnes his stile And shews how king Idumeus dīd the while In Creet where he long time had raigned king And after him his sonne Prince Merryone Succeeded who vntimely death did bring Vnto his end and children hauing none His brother Prince Leorica obtaind The Crown of Creet therin long time raignd And while in Creet this change of Princes fell Atastus by consent of Pyrrhus made A rich and sumptuous tombe which did excell For workmanship wherein when as he had According to his mind full finished All that thereto belong'd he buried His sons which by king Pyrrhus had been slaine Within the wood And leaving him doth show How while that Pyrrhus prosperously did raigne In Thessalie and did in wealth oreflow He was provoked want only to lust For that which by Gods law is held vniust And fell in loue with faire Queene Hermion Horestus wife and had so great desire To her that he did wholly thinke thereon Whereby his heart was set on such a fire Of lust that he by no meanes could content His mind till he vnto Methena went And there his purpose brought so well about That watching time and oportunity When Horestus her husband was gone out He ravisht her and after secretly Tooke her away and held her as his wife And long with her liu'd an adulterous life For which Horestus hated him so sore That he sought all the meanes he could devise Or find to be reveng'd on him therefore But held his peace as being very wise And for a little while sustaind that wrong As knowing well that Pyrrhus was too strong For him to deale withall t'revenge the same At home within his land Who also made Andromecha Prince Hectors wife that came With him from Troy his Concubine and had A child by her who by his Grandsiers name Achillides was cald and with the same She nourished Prince Hectors eldest sonne Laomedon who Pyrrhus being slaine And left no child to be his heire but one A bastard borne his kingdome did obtaine By gift of yong Achillides his brother Whome Pyrrhus did beget vpon his mother Which women being both of high estate And living in great pleasure and delight Could not content themselues but so did hate Each other that Queene Hermion in despight And iealousie that Pyrrhus loved better Her Feer then he did her did send a letter To Menalus her father t'whome she wrot That notwithstanding her so great degree She well perceau'd that Pyrrhus lou'd her not But favored more Andromecha then she Desiring him with speed to come to kill Her and her sonne who granted to her will And in great hast went vnto Thessalie To be reveng'd on them that never had Offended him but yet his cruelty Could not so farre extend but he was made To leaue the same by those that did withstand Him in the towne and tooke her out his hand And did abhorre such inhumanity Especially in him that was a king Vnto a woman done which certainly In my conceit is such a hainous thing That it doth make me blush for very shame That I should be compeld to tell the same But you must vnderstand that this was done When Pyrrhus was from home gone away For he that time on pilgrimage was gone To Delos there to sacrifice and pray Devoutly for his fathers soule vnto Apollo and such other things to do As he had vowd and promist to fulfill For ioy of that revenge that had been made At Troy on those that did his father kill And for that great good fortune that they had To triumph ore his Troyan enemy Which vantage when Horestus did espy Who still laid watch for him both day night He did no time nor no occasion let But straight to Delos went with many a knight And on him there so furiously did set That Pyrrhus was not able to withstand Horestus but was slaine there by his hand And all that were with him in company And so king Pyrrhus dy'd and lost his life For iust reward of his adultery And foule abuse done to Horestus wife And let all those that vse to do the like Remember this know that God will strike Them likewise when they little thinke thereon Whose body was in Delos Temple layd Within a costly Marble tombe which done Horestus there no longer time delayd But straight when as his enemy was slaine He went and got his wife by force againe Out of the towne of Thessalie whereas He found not one that durst against him stand Such feare griefe amongst them then there was When they of Pyrrhus death did vnderstand And that to rule and governe them was none Then left but yong Achillides his sonne A child as then not fully three months old Whose yong and tender age was not to take So great a charge in hand and yet they would Not put him from 't but for his fathers sake They were content that he ore them shold raigne But when he did to lawfull yeares attaine He did resigne his crowne and all his right In Thessalie vnto Laomedon His brother by the mothers side a knight Of worthy Troyan blood Prince Hectors son Begotten on his wife Andromecha Protector while he liu'd of Phrigia And made him king Soveraigne of that land Despight of all that durst the same denie Who when he had the Crowne chiefe command Of all the puissant Realme of Thessalie He let the Troyan captiues all go free Where as they list at their owne liberty And no exception made of any one But freed them of all ransome whatsoere They were to pay and when he had so done And set all things in peace and quiet there And much encreast the bounds of Thessalie He raign'd long there in great prosperity But of the acts of king Laomedon Or of king Pyrrhus and his kindered I le cease to speake as now because thereon Mine Author writes no more that I can read Who briefly by the way somewhat doth show But to what purpose well I do not know Of Menons wife whome fierce Achilles slew Because when he Prince Troyelus had kild And at his horses taile his body drew He valiantly withstood him in the field And made him leaue his body by force Sore wounded beat him down off frō his horse Whose body was entomb'd by Priamus In Troy within a little Temple where It lay close by the Tombe of Troyelus And after did stand therein many a yeare Who saith that long time after she was dead And in her natiue
priuily like favor there to get From those they loue by glauncing of the eie And for to shew what in their hearts doth lie With touch of hand in secret mongst the prease Or pinch on arme or on the foot to tread Of those whome they do like they never cease Till of their wanton purpose they haue sped For gainst their wils there 's neither wit nor might That may prevaile for be it wrong or right They 'l haue their wils who so saith yea or nay For to withstand their lust no man hath might Thus much of them doth Guido boldly say And throughout all his Booke takes great delight Of women-kind to speake nought else but ill The which to write is sore against my will And 't grieues me that I must of force rehearse The bitter words which in his Booke are found Whereby he doth their honors so reverse For that I am to women so much bound And sith th' are all so courteous and so kind I dare notspeake of them more then I find In Guidoes Booke which when I read did make My very heart and sences all to tremble And with the feare I had my hand did shake To thinke my words with his I must resemble But to amend his fault as loath t' abide Too long in speaking ill he seemes to chide With Helena because that then she went With fained shew of great devotion Her offring vnto Venus to present When as she had another motion Within her heart the which she should haue stayd And in these words his mind he spake sayd The greatest crosse that man on earth can find And of all woes beginning and the root Is the deceit and fraud of women-kind Against the which to striue it doth not boot For when as lust doth in their hearts preuaile Some mischiefe doth ensue without all faile Which no man can by any meanes restraine Whereof let faire Queene Helen sample bee The which could not her inward lust refraine But needs would go the Troyan Knight to see Whome he had never knowne in all his life For which there did arise such mortall strife That thousands for her sake were after slaine And brought vnto their ends by cruelty But Helena in sooth now tell me plaine What vglie ghost was it that mooued thee To leaue thy louing Lord and husband so And all along on pilgrimage to goe Didst thou at home liue discontentedly That needs thou must go seeke for companie Thou rather shouldst haue staied priuatelie Within thy house and not so careleslie Haue left the same in absence of thy King But sure thou wast too wilfull in that thing And negligent to thinke what might ensue Thou oughtst t' haue kept thy self out of thy boūds And not haue tane thy flight within thy mew But thou wentst out like Hare amongst the hounds There to be caught of very wilfulnesse For true it is and so thou must confesse That thou couldst not thy wanton lust refraine And wilfullie thy fained vowe wouldst keepe But oh how many women haue been tane In such a snare when fitter t' was to sleepe Within their beds and not abroad been found Was 't ever heard that any ship was drownd Or cast on rocks and all in peeces rent Or tost in seas by weather foule and ill If that vnto the sea it neuer went But alwaies kept within the hauen still So he that no occasions will eschew Nor feare what danger after may ensue Cannot but needs must of necessity At vnawares when least he doth suspect Fall into trouble and adversity And he that is so foolish to neglect His way and of his footing hath no care Let him take heed he fals not in a snare For when as any harme is done and past It is too late thereof for to repent If Helena had in her mind forecast What after might ensue and been content To stay at home bad rumor had not run Of her throughout the world as it hath done Which her mishap men pittie may of right That she the cause was and destruction Of many a valiant braue and worthy Knight And likewise brought vnto confusion Her husband and full many thousands more That in her quarrell fought dyde therefore Thus Helen vnto Cithezon did goe In all her braue and Princely ornaments And solemnly although with fained shoe Her offring made with many rich presents Vnto the Goddesse Venus on whose name She called cry'd and prayd t' accept the same When Paris this advantage had espide With all the hast and speed that ere he might Vnto the Temple presently he hide Where he of her no sooner had a sight But he was pierced through with Cupids dart And stricken in loue euen at the very heart So much he mus'd at her great seemlinesse Her goodly face and her intising eye Her fine proportion and her comlinesse And last of all her great and rare beautie Presuming that for fame and feature Nature nere fram'd a fairer creature So Angell like to him she did appeare And therewithall she was so amiable That in his sight she seem'd as if she were A heauenly Goddesse faire and admirable For in his heart he did himselfe assure That she could be no mortall creature So faire and so celestiall she did looke In every part whereof most curiously Within his heart a perfect view he tooke And well beheld and mark't aduisedly Her golden haire like to the radiant streames Which do descend from Phebus glistring beams Her beautifull complection cleare and bright Her cherry checkes like to the Damaske Rose Mixt with the leaues of Lillies pure and white Her christ all eyes which in them did inclose A Paradise of pleasure and delight And able were with their transparant sight This amorous heart cleane through through to pierce All which with other parts in her that were If I should take vpon me to rehearse As Guido doth from head to foot declare The same at large with eloquent deuise My english tong thereto would not suffice For that our speech and Latine are vnlike I likewise want the Art of Portraiture And haue no skill in copious Rethoricke For to describe so faire a Creature And of the Muses nine I know not one Therefore I must vnto you every one Excuse my selfe though not of negligence For that no want of will there is in me But onlie for default of eloquence And vnto Guido send you there to see How orderlie he did declare the same So that to tak 't on me I were too blame But I will to the point proceed and show How Paris still his eye on her did cast And in the temple walked too and fro Till hauing well bethought himselfe at last To ease his heart enflam'd with Cupids fire He did approach vnto her somewhat nier And still full of this colour went and came So deeply was his mind with loue possest And Helena for her part did the same And priuately in heart could take no rest But still