and Steele-proofe still And though the thickenesse did appeare but small The Plates they with such strength of Mettall fill It hath the force and puissance to withstand The sharpest Speares hurl'd from the strongest hand 50 Aboue them all his shield the rest surpast Massie and onely for his Arme to weare For whom t was made vpon the same was ra'st The great world Tripartyte heauen and each Spheare Thence all the hye Circumference was pla'st Starres Moone and Sun the signes that rule the yeare The Ram the Bull and the Twin-brothers signe The Crab the Lyon and the Maid Deuine 51 The Skale the Scorpion and the Centaure fell Sterne Capricorne and he that water powers The Fishes all these were ingraued well There Phoebus stood about him dayes and howers With the foure Seasons First the Spring gan swell With sweetest Buddes Sommer that seldome lowers Stood next in ranke well clad in freshest greene Autumne next her in ragged Roabes was seene 52 There stood old Winter in hye Furs attyred On whom the flakes of Snow like Feathers hong He shyuering lookes as if he warmth desired With chattering teeth hands Palsied quaking tong Below the Earth with Dales and Hils admired Fields full of Grayne Meads with Grasse new sprong Here Citties rarely built there Hamlets stand Here fallow-fields besides them New-tild Land 53 Betweene the middle Earth Seas ebbe and flow Whose Billowes in their caruing seeme to moue Here the Leuiathan huge waues doth throw From out his Nostrils to the skyes aboue The Dolphins of a thousand coullours show Here Whales their heads aboue the waters proue And sayling ships contriu'd by cunning rare On which strange Fish with wonder seeme to stare 54 A thousand sundry Obiects made by Art This huge Orbicular Shield in compasse holds What Heauen or Earth or Seas to vs Impart His Globe-like compasse to the eye vnfolds When Vulcan taking the fayre Queene apart who with much wonder his strange worke beholds Presents it her made perfect for her Son In whose rich armes Troy seemes already won 55 At Vulcans Caue she yoakes her Chariot-steeds which o're the Oceans rugged backe make way And as she freely on the Seas proceeds About her Coach the Quicke-ear'd Dolphins play At her Sonnes Tent fam'd for his warlike deeds She lights and to the Couch on which he lay Tost those rich armes which when Achilles view'd The halfe-dead spirit within his breast renew'd 56 He leaps from of his Pallet to imbrace The beautious Queene and soone intreats her ayde To arme his shoulders and his head to grace With that inchaced Helme God Vulcan made Who now compleatly furnisht longs for place Where thus be-seene he Hector may inuade He cannot sleepe for gazing on his Shield In hope t' aduance it in the Morrowes field 57 Thetis departs when th' early Cocke gaue signe With his lowd notes Aurora to dispose Who leaues the Bed-rid Tython sunke in Wine From whom the Gold hair'd Goddesse blushing rose To harnesse Phoebus Coach-steeds who in fine About his face his Beames bright ghstring throwes To dry the Mornings teares who weepeth still To see th' vnkind Sunne climb th'Easterne hill 58 He had not left the forelorne Goddesse long But from Olimpus top he may espy Plaine-Crested Hector his arm'd Troopes among Chearing them vp the proud Greekes to defy Next him marcht Noble Troylus Memnon strong Antenor and Aeneas mounted hye Young Deiphebus and Polydamas Paris whose ayme in Arch'ry doth surpasse 59 Sarpedon King Epistropus beside Many more Kings that sundry battailes led Against these soone the Curld Inuaders ride The grim Atrides first aduan'st his hed Achilles next past with vaine-glorious pride For his rich armour Nestor next him sped Menon whose armes were set with many a stone And he that Hector stood bold Telamon 60 The Ithacan with Lacedemons King The widdowed Spartan ground of all this broyle These to the fielde their seuerall battailes bring With thousand followers bent on death and spoyle Their barbed Steeds the earth behind them fling Harnesse and quartered limbes blocke the smooth soyle Amongst the rest Achilles loftiest stood and his new armour double-Guilds in blood 61 With Memnon â—…onne to Tython and the Morne Who came from Egipt in King Priams aide Aeacides encounters change of scorne Betweene them past bold Memnon nought dismaide With that strong hand that had the Scepter borne Of Persiaes kingdome and did once inuade Susa as farre as where Choaspes flowes Vpon his Helme thunders two persant blowes 62 They stound him in his saddle make him kisse His Steeds curl'd Crest ere he can Mount his head Achilles who esteemes no other blisse But to behold his foes before him spread Wak't from his sudden trance espyes by this A Graecian Squadron bout King Memnon dead And his bright sword still to wring ore his Crest Threatning in his third fall Eternall rest 63 The proud Greeke sends a blush out of his face as red as that in which his proofe was lau'de he now records his strength his god-like race and his rich armour with such artingrau'de He knowes it ill becomes his Name or Place By any Mortall puissance to be brau'de He doubles strength on strength and stroak on stroak Euen till he mists himselfe in his owne smoake 64 Auroraes Darling prooues to weake a Foe For him on whose tough Shield no Steele can bite His conquer'd Sword and Armes the field must strow Achilles is too strong an opposite His Red-cheek't Mother ouercharg'd with woe Laments her Son vntimely slaine in fight In griefe of whom a Dusky Roabe she weares And fils the whole world with her dew-drop teares 65 The death of Memnon euen to Hector flyes That Tragicke newes cost many a Princes life Incenst he seemes all safety to dispise And where he spurs he makes red slaughter rife For euery drop of bloud a bold Greeke dies Him Troylus seconds in his purpled strife And if as for a wager they contend Whose Sword most pale Soules can to Orcus send 66 They breake a Ring of Harnesse making way Into the Battayles Center where they see a Noble Knight maintaine a gallant fray Gainst many Troian Knights in valor free Yet of them all this Champion gets the day The strongest cannot make him cringe his knee Polydamus against him brauely sped Yet still his gaz'd at Shield safeguards his hed 67 Against which Paris many arrowes spends But all in vaine they shiuer gainst his Targe and whom he best can reach his force extends as far as life the prisoned Soule t' enlarge Young Deiphebus to that place descends and with his Speate in reast doth gainst him charge But the Dardanian fayles in his intent And from the Noble Knight is bleeding sent 68 Victorious Hector at such deeds amaz'd But more at the rich Armor that he ware Mannadge and shape in heart he highly praysd and in his honors longes to haue a share Hupon Larissaes King that long had
of Histaspes called in the Scripture Ashuerosh Husband to Hester called by 〈◊〉 Aristona as the Name of Vasts was Atossa Some refer the History of Iudith to these times Fourth Xerxes raigned 20. He 〈◊〉 Greece with an Armye of 10000000. Souldiers his cheese Captaine was Mardonius his chiefe Counseller Artabanus He was first repulsed by Pausanias of Sparta after expeld Greece by 〈◊〉 In these warres were famous Artstides and Cimon 4. Artaxerxus with the long hand ruld 40. He was thought to bee the Son to Darius and Hester In his time liued Esdras Haggeus Zachartus and Nehemiah About the time of the Pelloponesian Warre And now was Rome gouerned by the 〈◊〉 forme of gouernment infamous in the lust of 〈◊〉 to the chast Roman Lady Virginia Darius Nothus raigned 19 In his time hued famous Alcibiades and Sophocles Euripides two famous Tragedians Artaxerxes Memnon 40. he loued the famous Lady Aspatia the Noblest Greekes in his daies were Clearchus Anaxilaus Lisander who conquered Athens after gouerned by 30. Tyrants who were supprest by the 〈◊〉 of Thrasibulus Now happened the Wars betweene the Phocenses and the Locri with 〈◊〉 Leuctricum And now 〈◊〉 Conon and 〈◊〉 EpamaminoÌ„das in Greece about the 〈◊〉 that English Brennus sackt Rome Artaxerxes Ochus next Memnon raigned 26. In his time happened the Warre which was called Bellum sacrum 〈◊〉 raigned foure yeares he was slaine by Bagoas Him Darius succeeded in the sixt yeare of his raigne was slaine by Alexander the Great in whom began the third Monarchy translated to the Gracians Alexander by his Father Phillip deriueth his byrth from Hercules by his Mother Olimpius from Aeacus He conquered the World raigned as Emperor 12. years In the 32. of his age He dead the Monarchy was dâ—…ded into four parts Aegipt Syria Asia Mynor and Macedon The Kinges of Egypt after Alexander were these Ptolomeus the Sonne of Lagus Ptolomeus Philodelphus Alexander Philopater Epiphanes Philometer Euergetes Phiscon Alexander Lathurus Auletes Father to Câ—…patra Dionisius her Brother in whom ended the race of the Ptolomees and now Egypt came vnder the Iâ—…risdiction of the Romans The Kings of Macedon were Perdicas Craterus Antipater Cassander Antigonus 1. Antigonus 2. Demetrius Philippus and Perseus who was surprised by the Romans The Kings of Syria who after the death of Alexander possest Babylon Syria and Asia Minor were Antiochus Soter Antiochus Theos Antiochus Magnus who had these three Sons Seleucus Philopater Antiochus Epiphanes and Demetrius Demetrius after his Brothers decease had two Sonnes Demetrius Nicanor and Antiochus Sedetes The Son of Nicanor was Antiochus Griphus The Son of Sedetes was Antiochus Cyzenius These hauing slaine each other from theyr Issue Tygranes King of Armenia reâ—…t the Kingdome of Syria which first Lucullus and after Pompeius Magnus annext to the Roman Empyre These in the time of the third Monarchy were Captaines and Gouernors among the Iewes Nehemiah Ioconias Selathiel Zorobabel Resa Mesollam â—…ohanna Ben Resa Iudas Hircanus primus in his Dukedome Alexander flew Darius Iosephus primus Abner Semei Eli matathai Asa mahat Nagid Artaxad Haggai Eli Maslot Nahum Amos Sirach Matathia Siloah Iosephus Iunâ—…r Ianua secunâ—…s Hircanus And then began the race of the Machabees in Matathias whose Sons succeeded him Iudas Ionathas Simon Iohannes Hercanus The Kinges of that line were Aristobulus son to Hercanus Alexander Iâ—…neus Queen Alixandra his Wife otherwise cald Salome The Sonnes of Alexander were Hircanus and Aristobulus in theyr death ended the line of the Machabees Succeeding these in the 30. yeare of the raigne of Herod Tetrache was borne the Sauiour of the World vnto which we haue studyed to reduce the best knowne Nations of the Earth leauing the 4. Monarchy among the Romans who by this time awed the Earth whose warres and Fortunes being so commonly from many worthy Writers translated into our moderne tongue We here omâ—… letting this short Epitome onley serue in the Front of our Booke to instruct your memories and guide your thoughts through those vnknown Deserts in which without this direction many Readers may loose themselues bee this therefore their Pylot to direct them to the harbour of these latter Ages more familiarly knowne Argumentum TYTAN and Saturne differ their great strife Is by their carefull mother VESTA ended Saturane his Sister Sybill takes to wife And the heyre-males that are from theÌ„ descended He doomes to death faire Sybil saues the life Of Iupiter grim Saturne is offended And to the Oracle at Delphos hyes Whiles Titan thrugh the earth his fortune tries ARG. 2. The Worlds Creation gold from the earths veines Neptune and Plutoes birth ALPHA conteines CANTO 1. THis VNIVERSH with all therein conteined Was not at first of Water fashioned Nor of the Fire as others oft haue fcyned Nor of the Ayre as some haue vainly spred Nor the foure Elements in order trained Nor of Vacuitie and Atom's bred Nor hath it beene Eternall as is thought By naturall men that haue no further sought 2 Neither hath man in perpetuity bin And shall on earth eternally perseuer By endlesse Generation running in One circuit In corruption lasting euer Nor did that Nation first on earth begin Vnder the mid Equator some indeuour So to perswade that man was first begunne In the place next to the life-giuing Sunne 3 Neither was he of Earth and water framed Tempered with liuely heat as others write Nor were we in a former world first named As in their curious Problems some recite Others more ripe in Iudgement haue proclaimed Man fram'd of clay in fashion exquisite In whom were breath'd sparkes of Celestiall fire Whence he still keepes his Nature to aspire 4 But this most glorious Vniuerse was made Of nothing by the great Creators will The Ocean bounded in not to inuade Or swallow vp the Land so resteth still The azure Firmament to ouer-shade Both Continent and Waters which fulfil The Makers word one God doth sole extend Without beginning and shall see no end 5 That powerfull Trinity created man Adam of Earth in the faire field Damaske And of his rib he Euah formed than Supplying them with all things they can aske In these first two Humanity began In whom confinde IHBHOVAHS fix-daâ—…es taske From Adam then and Euahs first Creation It followes we deriue our Brittish Nation 6 Inspire me in this taske Ihoues seede I pray With Hippocrenes drops besprinke my head To comfort me vpon this tedious way And quicken my cold braine nigh dull and dead Direct my wandring spirits when they stray Least forren and forbidden paths they tread My iourney 's tedious blame not then my feares My voyage aymes at many thousand yeares 7 Oh giue me leaue from the Worlds first Creation The ancient names of Britons to deriue From Adam to the Worlds first Invndation And so from Noah to vs that yet suruâ—…e And hauing of Troyes
whom they offer solemne Funerall deeds The Children fetch their Sires and Fathers some Their slaughtred sons which generall mourning breeds The Greekes likewise their fellow-mates desire And yeild their bodies to the hallowed fire 103 But whilst these odoriferous piles they reare And sacrifiz'd their friends in holy flames And in perfumed Boxes prized deare Coffin their precious ashes least their names Should die in Lethe Nouell broyles appeare And Ate through the Campe discord proclames But now to truce our spirits we haue intention Before twixt them we moue a new dissention TO omit all our English worthies whose names wee haue only memoriz'd not hauing roome to insert their deeds in so little a compasse as we haue prescrib'd to our History we rather couet to touch matter more forraigne and lesse familiar to some with whome our Booke must necessarily Traficke In the description of Fame we haue rather imitated Ouid then Virgill his Fama malum quo non c. In the description of King Priams state we must needes imagine it great where so many forraigne Kings assembled in his ayde in whose names we haue confer'd Dares the Troian Dictes the Greeke Homer Virgill and others who though in some particuler thinges not momentarily they differ yet they generally concurre in this that such Princes with such populous and almost inuincible assistance succored Troy Telephus ioynd in commission with Achilles to saile to the land of Messe was sonne to Hercules whom Theutam hauing before in the battayle receiued his deaths wound voluntarily adopted his successour for the great loue that he for many benefits formerly receiued had borne to his father Hercules The passages of Loue betwixt Troylus and Cressida the reuerent Poet Chaucer hath sufficiently discourst to whom I wholy refer you hauing past it ouer with little circumstance The description of the first battailes seruice disordred and confused we must excuse with this necessity that beeing to remember so many and to imploy them all we could not do it with a directer method then to set downe things done without order disorderly and actions hapning by accident accidentally and confused things confusedly King Prothesilaus was the first King that perisht before Troy for though it were foretold by Oracle that he that first set foot a shore should perish by the sword of Hector yet hee fearelesse of death first landed and in his too much valor made the fayre Laodomeia a desolate widdow Ate Goddesse of reuenge or strife she is cald by Homer one of Ihoues daughters Lesio Homerus Iliad 7. Presba dios thugater ate H pantas a-atai Ate prisca Iouis proles quae leserit omnes Mortales The Tale of Cephalus and Procris because I haue omitted in my former Cantons especially in that which seemes to inueigh against Iealousie I thinke not altogither vnnecessary to insert in this Skolia knowing that which was ill forgot cannot be amisse remembred at any seasonable opportunity Here therefore though out of his ranke I intend to admit him BEneath Hymettus hill well cloath'd with flowers A holy Well her soft springs gently powers Where stands a Cops in which the Wood-Nymphs shroue No wood It rather seemes a slender Groue The humble shrubs and bushes hide the grasse Heere Lawrell Rosemary heare Myrtle was Heere grew thicke Box and Tam'rix that excels And made a meere confusion of sweet smels The Triffoly the Pine and on this Heath Stands many a plant that feeles coole Zephirs breath Heere the young Cephalus tyr'd in the chace Vsd his repose and rest alone t' embrace And where he sat these words he would repeate Come Ayre sweet Ayre come coole my heatâ—… Come gentle Ayre I neuer will for sake thee I le hug thee thus and in my bosome take thee Some double dutious Tel-tale hapt to heare this And to his Iealous wife doth straight-way beare this Which Proctis hearing and with all the Name Of Ayre sweete Ayre which he did oft proclaime She stands confounded and amazd with griefe By giuing this fond tale too sound beleefe And lookes as doe the Trees by winter nipt Whom Frost and cold of fruit and leaues hath stript She bends like Corueile when too ranke it growes Or when the ripe fruits clog the Quinch-tree bowes But when she comes to her selfe she teares Her Garments and her eyes her cheekes and heares And then she starts and to her feet applies her Then to the Woods storke Wood in rage she hies her Approaching somewhat neare her seruants they By her appointment in a Vally stay Whilst she alone with creeping paces steales To take the Strumpet whom her Lord conceales What mean'st thou Procris in these Groues to hide thee What rage of loue doth to this madnesse guide thee Thou hopst the Arye he cals in all her brauery Will straight approach and thou shalt see their knauery and now againe it Irkes her to be there For such a killing sight her heart will teare No truce can with her troubled thoughts dispence She would not now he there nor yet be thence Behold the place her iealous mind fortels Here doe they vse to meet and no where els The Grasse is layd and see their true impression Euen heere they lay I heere was their transgression A bodies print she saw it was his seat Which makes her faint hart gainst her ribs to beat Phoebus the lofty Easterne Hill had scald And all moist vapours from the earth exhald Now in his noone-tide point he shineth bright It was the middle houre twixt noone and night Behold young Cephalus drawes to the place And with the Fountaine water sprinkes his face Procris is hid vpon the grasse he lyes And come sweet Zephir Come sweet Ayre he cryes She sees her error now from where he stood Her mind returnes to her and her fresh blood Among the Shrubs and Briars she moues and rustles And the iniurious boughes away she â—…stles Intending as he lay there to repose him Nimbly to run and in her armes inclose him He quickly casts his eye vpon the bush Thinking therein some sauage Beast did rush His bow he bends and a keene shaft he drawes Vnhappy man what doost thou Stay and pause It is no bruite beast thou wouldst reaue of life Oh man vnhappy thou hast slaine thy wife Oh Heauen she cries Oh helpe me I am slaine Stil doth thy Arrow in my wound remaine Yet though by timelesse Fate my bones heere lye It glads me most that I no Cuck-queane dye Her breath thus in the Armes she most affected She breaths into the Ayre before suspected The whilst he lifts her body from the ground And with his teares doth wash her bâ—…eeding wound The end of the eleuenth CANTO Argumentum A Chilles transformation Palimed Accusd of Treason and condemnd to die After long battaile honor Hector led The boldest Argiue Champion to defie The Graecians storme to be so chalenged Hector and Aiax the fierce Combat try A Truce a Banquet at this pompous feast
shafts of Spaine Headed with death were shot them backe againe 7 It shewed as if two Townes on th' Ocean built Had been at once by Th'eauens lightning fired The shining waters with the bright flames guilt Breathd Clouds of smoke which to the spheres aspired The bloud of Spanish Souldiers that day spilt Which through the Port-holes ran Neptune admired And tooke it for the Red-sea whilst the thunder Of English shot proclaymde the Sea-gods wonder 8 But least this Ordinance should wake from sleepe Our auncient enmity now buried quite The graue of all theyr shame shall be the deepe In which these peopled Sea-townes first did fight Yet that I may a kinde of method keepe And some deseruing Captaines to recite Liue famous Hawkins Frobisher and Drake Whose very name made Spaines Armadoes quake 9 Now to returne vnto Pelagia backe Which Ihoue hath made to him and to his seed Then takes his leaue the people loath to lacke The Prince that from a Tyrant hath them freed Who of their liues and Honors sought the wracke would change his purpose but he hath decreed Pelagia to forsake and I must leaue him To Epires King who gladly will receiue him 10 And to the Forrest to Calisto turne Whose sorrow with her swelling belly growes Alasse how can the Lady chuse but mourne To see hir selfe so necre her painfull throwes T is August now the scortching Dog-starres burne Therefore the Forrest-Queene a set day chose For all her traine to bath them in the floud Calisto mongst them by the riuer stood 11 The Queene with iealous eyes surueies the place Least men or Satyres should be ambusht by them The naked Ladies in the floud to face Or in their cloth-lesse beauty to espie them Now all at once they gin themselues t'vnlace Oh rauishing Harmony had I bin by them I should haue thought so many silken strings Tutcht by such white hands musicke fit for kings 12 They doffe their vpper garments each begins Vnto her Milke-white Linnen sinocke to bare her Small difference twixt their white smocks and their skins And hard it were to censure which were fairer Some plunge into the Riuer past their chins Some feare to venture whilst the others dare her And with her tender foot the riuer feeles Making the waters margent rinsh her heeles 13 Some stand vp to the Ankles some the knees Some to the Brest some diue aboue the Crowne Of this her naked fellow nothing sees Sauing the troubled waues where she slid downe Another sinkes her body by degrees And first her foot and then her legge doth drowne Some their faint fellowes to the deepe are crauing Some sit vpon the banke their white legs lauing 14 One onely discontented shrinks aside Her saint vnbracing idely the doth linger Full faine the Lasle her swelling brest would hide She pins and vnpins with her thumbe and finger Twice Phabe sâ—…nds and musing she denide To bath her she commands the rest to bring her Who betwixt mirth and earnest force and play All but her Cobweb shaddow snatcht away 15 Dian at first perceiues her brests to swell And whispers to Atlanta what she found Who straight perceiu'd Calisto was not well They iudg'd she had her Virgins belt vnbound But when her vaile beneath her nauell fell And that her belly shew'd so plumpe and round They little need to aske if she transgrest Calistoes guilty blush the act confest 26 Therefore she banisht her nor sutes nor teares Can with the Queene of Damsels ought preuaile Who when by strict inquiry made she heares ` Of Iupiter and his deceitfull stale Who seem'd so like a Virgin Phebe sweares Because her iudgement thenceforth shall not faile And to avoide occasion of like venter To search all such as to her traine shall enter 17 Thus is Lycâ—…ns daughter banisht now The Citty by her late assum'd profession Banisht the Cloyster by her breach of vow For by no praiers teares or intercession Diana her reentrance will allow After exilement for her late transgression Therefore asham'd thrugh darke shades she doth run Till time expires and she brings forth a sonne 18 So did our Cynthia Chastity preferre The most admired Queeâ—…ne that euer rained If any of her Virgin traine did erre Or with the like offence their honors stained From her Imperiall Court she banisht her And a perpetuall exile she remained Oh bright Elisa though thy dated daies Confine there is no limit to thy praise 19 Calistos sonne immagine seuen years old Brought vp mongst Lyons Tygers Wolues Beares The sauage impe growes day by day more bold And halfe a bruit no beast at all he feares He brookes both Summers heat and Winters cold And from the Woolfe his pray by force he teares Vpon a time his mother crost his will Whom he inrag'd pursude and saught to kill 20 She flies he followes her with furious rage Till she is forest the Forrest to forsake And seeing no meanes can his spleene asswage She doth the way vnto the citty take The neighbour Citty which is cal'd Pelage Where Iupiter by chance did merry-make Whose hap it was then crossing through the street The mother and th' inraged sonne to meete 21 Calisto spies Ioue and for helpe she cries And at his Royall feet she humbly throwes her He stops the sauage and with heedfull eyes Viewing Calisto well at length he knowes her Though clad in barke and leaues a strange disguise For a kings daughter and a Realms disposer Helpe Ioue quoth she and my pursuer stay Archas thy sonne his mother seekes to slay 22 Ioue gladly doth acknowledge the bold Lad To be his son for all the guifts of nature Pattern'd and shap't by Iupiter he had And of him nothing wants but age and stature He caus'd him in rich garments to be clad And then he seem'd to al a goodly creature For being attir'd in cloath of Gold and Tissew He may be easily knowne to be Ioues Issue 23 The strife betwixt the mother and the childe Is by the father and the husband ended Calisto hath againe her selfe exil'd Scorning the grace that Ioue to her extended She hies her to the groues and forrests wilde With generall mankind for Ioues sake offended But in her flight as through the fields she ranged She feeles her figure and proportion changed 24 Her vpright body now gan forward bend And on the earth she doth directly stare And as her hands she would to heauen extend She sees her fingers clawes o're-growne with haire And those same lips Ioue did of late commend To be for colour peâ—…relesse kissing rare Are rough and stretcht in length hir head down hangs Her skins a rough hide and her teeth be fangs 25 And when she would her strange estate bewaile And speake to heauen the sorrowes of her hart Instead of words she finds her Organs faile And grunts out a harsh sound that makes her starr She feares her shape and ouer hill and dale Runs from her selfe yet
And when he borrowes mony nere will pay One of th'elect must common with another And when the poore his charity intreat You labour not and therefore must not eate 52 He will not Preach but Lector nor in white Because the Elders of the Cburch commaund it He will no crosse in Baptisme none shall fight Vnder that Banner if he may withstand it Nor out of antient Fathers Latine cite The cause may be he doth not vnderstand it His followers preach all faith and by their workes You would not Iudge them Catholickes but Turkes 53 He can endure no Organs but is vext To heare the Quirristers shrill Antheames sing He blames degrees in th' Accademy next And gainst the liberall Arts can Scripture bring And when his tongue hath runne beside the text You may perceiue him his loud clamors ring Gainst honest pastimes and with pittious phrase Raile against Hunting Hawking Cockes and plaies 54 With these the Brownists in some points cohere That likewise hold the marriage ring prophane Commanded prayers they 'l not indure to heare and to subseribe to Cannons they disdaine They hold more sinne a corner'd cap to weare Then cut a purse leaue these as vilde and vaine By thee Opinion Realmes haue bin confounded What darst not thou where thou art firmly grounded 55 To the first world now let my muse retire And see how strong thou wast Opinion then To create dieties I must aspire And giue eternity with my fraile pen Such as the world did in those daies admire It deified and so made Gods of men The Cretan Iupiter to heauen translated And Saturne sire of all the Gods instated 56 Made Iuno Queene of heauen Venus of pleasure Ceres of Corne and Bacchus God of wine Cupid of Loue Mars Warre and Mammon treasure Pallas of wisedome and of speech deuine God Mercury men did their God-hoods measure By their owne thoughts and vnto such resigne Their speciall honours in whose harts they guest Most power in that which they on earth profest 57 This made the Heathen kings by Ioue to sweare Their Queenes at Iunoes sacred Altar kneele Child-bearing women chast Lucian feare Souldiers at Mars his shrine to hang their steele The Swaines to honor Ceres by whose cheare Their graine decaide or prosper'd this made kneele Drunkards to Bacchus Orpheus strung his Lyre To Phaebus God of Musicke and of Fire 58 To Esculapius the Physitians prai'd Shepheards to Pan and Poets to the Muses A God of Neptune Nauigators made And he that gardens loues Pomona chuses Chast Virgins still implore Dianaes aide And who that loues God Cupids name refuses Vulcan commandeth Smiths Flora Flowers Aeolus winds and Pluto infernall powers 59 The Poets write three brothers lots did cast For th' Vnâ—…uersall Empire To Ioue fell Th' Olimpicke heauens which all the rest surpast Great Neptune with his three fork't Mace must dwell Within the bosome of the Ocean vast And guide the Seas blacke Pluto gouernes hell Opinion whence these Gods build all their glory Must be the Base to our succeeding story 60 Whilst thus Egiptian Belus was instated The reuerend Moyses in Mount Nebo died And Captaine Iossua second Iudge created The Thractan Boreas from his Mothers side Stole faire Orithia hauing long awaited To make the beautious Virgin his sweet Bride From whose rude armes she neuer could be freed But leauing these of Belus we proceed 61 The blustring winds before they had a king To locke them fast within his brazen Caues Great deuestations ore the earth did bring Tossing blacke tempests on the curled waues T is said rough Boreas shak't his flaggy wing Gainst his three brothers with opposed braues Who with such mortall hate at variance fell They made heauen shake earth reele the Ocean swâ—…l 62 No Mediterren Sea before this brall Was knowne in the earths armes to be inclos'd The Seas tost by the winds brake downe the wall Which for his bounds the fates had interpos'd At such dissention the foure Brothers fall Hauing the raines of all their gusts vnlos'd They cleft the Earth the Ocean full of pride Thrusts in and two maine Lands shoulders aside 63 His traine of waues by Calpes he brought in And through his deepe Abismes leads them to warre He people euery place where he hath bin With his broad waters who are still at iarre With the torne earth more roomth and space to win For his vnbounded limits stretch't so farre That they haue pâ—…rst the aged Tellus hart And from Europa Affrica still part 64 So was Italia and Sicilia one Till the rough gusts the Ocean did inuade Who forcst a channell where before was none And twixt these kingdomes large irrnpâ—…ion made Therefore the Gods th'vnbrideled winds t' attone That their commaundlesse furies might be staid Surprisd them and to Aelous bound in chaines Gaue them and he their roughnes still restraines 65 With Ioues lasciuious pastimes I proceede As cheefely to the fall of Troy allide Oh you Ioues daughters borne of heauenly seed My braine and pen by inspiration guide That what the fates haue against Troy decreed Of Priams glory and Achilles pride Of Hectors valor and bright Hellens fate With all your aydes I may at large delate 66 Not how on Semele Ioue Bacchus got Nor in the shape of Bull Europa stale Of Swan-transformed Loeda speake I not Nor of Mnemosine frame I my tale Nor how Esopis did her honour blot Nor Astery by Ioue turnd to a Quaile Nor how for Nicteis he himselfe transformed Nor Ioes rape at which Queene Iuno stormed 67 But how he rauisht Danae that bright Lasse By many suters but in vaine assailed How she was closed in a Tower of Brasse Which with a golden Ladder the prince skaled What cannot gold whose brightnesse doth surpasse How oft hath Gold boue womens strength preualed Laps that haue had gainst all temptations power Haue spred themselues wide to a golden shower 68 From Iupiter of Archad and a dame Cal'd Isis did one Epaphus proceed To him was borne a sonne of ancient fame Hight Belus who great part of Egipt freed From tirrany and after swaide the same He had a Sister too who soone decreed Archad to change for Affricke and her name Lybia from whom the grim Busyris came 69 Belus two children had so the fame runnes Danaus and Egiptus Danaus he Had fifty girles Egyptus fifty sonnes Twixt whom these Brothers a full match decree All parts are pleas'd not one the marriage shunnes False Danaus with his daughters doth agree As with their Bridegroomes in their beds they lay The fifty husbands in one night to slay 70 Saue young Ypermenestra not a maid But in her husbands bosome sheath'd her knife And she alone the bloudy plot bewraid And to her Linceus prou'd a loyall wife Of all Egistus sonnes he by her aide Alone did from the murther scape with life Of whom as they in nuptiall loue remained He Abas got Abas in Arges raigned 71 Abas Acrisius
was the first that strung the Lute 4 Nables and Regals holy Dauid found Dirceus an Athenian Clarious shrill And these the Lacedemons did first sound When the Messenians they in armes did kill Vnto the Dulcimer first danced round The Troglodites after the Rebeck still Th' Archadians fought Pises Tyrhenus was The first that fashiond Trumpets made of Brasse 5 Which some to Myses attribute and say The Haebrewes with a Siluer Trumpet led Marcht and retyrd were taught to keepe array When to fall off when on fly or make head Dromslades the Romans taught the Cretans they After the Lute their hostile paces tread Great Haliattes with his sword and shield Marcht not without lowd pipers in the field 6 This as it hath the power in dreadfull Warres Mongst soft effeminate breasts to kindle rage and to relenting grace all entrance barres So hath it power the rudest thoughts t`asswage To musicke moue the Plannets dance the stars It tempers fury makes the wilde man sage In this consent of stringes he that can well May with harmonious Orpheus enter hell 7 We left Queene Ceres in her Daughters Quest Measuring the earth from one side to another Yet can she find no end to her vnrest Her Daughter lost shee is no more a Mother The earth once cherisht she doth now detest Gainst which her spleene she can no longer smother She cals it barbarous vnthankefull base And no more worthy of her Souerâ—…gne grace 8 And much against her ancient pleasure speakes For what she fauour'd earst she now dislikes In euery place she comes the Ploughes she breakes The laborous Oxen she with Murraine strikes Vpon the toyling Swaines her spleene she wreakes Cattell and Men choake vp their new-plasht Dykes The barraine fieldes deceiue the Plow-mans trust The vsuring seede is molded vnto dust 9 Which rather in the parched furrow dries Layd open vnto euery rigorous blast Else to the theeuish Byrds a prey it lies Or if it hap to gather root at last Cockle and Tares euen with the Corn-eares rise Else by the choaking Cooch-grasse it is past Thus through her griefe the earth is barraine made The hoped haruest perisht in the blade 10 Meane time Euridice the new made Bride Of Orpheus with a princely traine consorted As in a Meddow by a Riuers side Vnto her Husbands Harpe one day she sported And by his tune her measured paces guide In a swift Hadegay as some reported She shricking starts for whilst her Husband singes Vnto his Harpe a Snake her Ankle stings 11 In Orpheus armes she dyes her soule discends Ferryed by Charon o're the Stigian Lake The woefull Bridegroome leaues his house and friendes Vowing with her the loath'd world to forsake To the Tenarian part his course he bends And by the way no cheerefull word he spake But by ten thousand pathes turning doth crosse Through Tartary and through the blacke Molosse 12 There is a steepe decliuy way lookes downe Which to th' Infernall Kingdome Orpheus guides Whose loouer vapors breathes he sits not downe But enters the darke Cauerne with large strides With thousand shadowes he is compast round Yet still the suffocating Mists diuides Millions of Ghosts vnbodied bout him play Yet fearelesse Orpheus still keepes no his way 13 Hels restlesse Ferriman with Musicke payd Is pleas'd to giue him waftage too and fro The triple Hell-hound that his entrance stayd Charmed with Musicke likewise lets him go So through the ayry throng he passage made Th' immortall people that remaine below And tuning by the way his siluer stringes To the three fatall Sisters Thus he singes 14 You powers Infernall full of awfull dread Whose dietyes no eye terrestriall sees I know all Creatures that are mortall bred At first or last must stand to your decrees I come not as a spy among the dead To blab your doomes or rob you of your fees I onely pierce these vaults voyd of all crime To seeke my Bride that perisht fore her time 15 By loue whose high commaund was neuer bounded In Earth or Heauen but hath some power belovv By your blacke Ministers by Orcus rounded With Styx whose pitchy Waters ebbe and flow By those three Kings by whom all doomes are sounded The Elisian pleasures and the Lake of Woe By all the dreadfull secrâ—…ts of the dead Fayre Parcae knit againe her vitall thread 16 I seeke not to exempt her from your doome This is our generall home heare we must stay Though now releast as all things hither come So must she too and heare abide for aye Graunt that she now may but bespeake her roome And to her death allot a longer day Or if th'immoued Fates this will not doe Before my time with her detaine me to 17 This with such moouing accents Orpheus sung That Chin-deepe Tantalus forgot to bow Vnto the shrinking Waue Ixion hung Vntost vpon the Wheele and Sisiphe now Rests him vpon his stone His Harpe was strung With such rare art the Danaes knew not how To vse their empty tubbes Stix breath'd not fire Nor can the vulture on Prometheus tyre 18 The Sisters weepe Hels Iudges appeare mild And euery tortur'd Ghost forgets his paine Proserpine laught and the drad Pluto smild To see her chang'd of cheere no soulâ—…s complaine Hels Senate to his grace is reconcild And all agree she shall suruiue againe Through million-Ghosts his Bride is sought found And brought to him still haulting on her wound 19 He takes her with this charge at Plutoes hand Not to looke backe till he Auernus past And the large limits of the Stygian Strand Through darke and obscure wayes through deserts vast Steepe hils and smoaky Caues his Wife he man'd Vntill he came where a thin plancke was pla'st O're a deepe raging Torrent where dismayd Orpheus lookes backe her trembling arme t' haue staid 20 Which the three-throated Cerberus espying Snatches her vp and beares her backe to hell In vaine are all his sighes his teares his crying Lowder then he can play the Dog can yell He blames his too much loue and almost dying Is ready with his Bride mongst shades to dwell So long vpon the barren plaines he trifled Till with hels vapors he was almost stifled 21 At length the Rhodopeian Orpheus turnes His feeble paces to the vpper earth Which now with discontented Ceres mournes The rape of Proserpine still plagu'd with Dearth Either the Sun the gleby Champion burnes Else too much raine doth force abortiue birth To the ranke Corne the world forcst to complaine With widdowed Orpheus and the Queene of Graine 22 Who hauing searcht Earth of her child to know She finds her no where on the earth abiding And skaling heauen Heauen can no daughter showe Therefore both heauen and earth the Queene is chiding Onely she left vnsought the vaults below But heares how Orpheus hath by Musickes guiding Past through Auernus and the Stygian fires Therefore of him she for her childe inquires
Mother She Lychus Wise yet rauisht with the sight Of Iupiter her loue she could not smother These her fayre sonnes built Thebes with large extent Two yeares before they on this voyage went 43 With all the Graecian chiualry attended They disimbogue the gentle B llowes smile Th' Aegean Seas they passe but late defended By the Grand Thiefe that gaue those Seas their stile No wind or waue their well-tig'd ship offended But the calme looking Thetis harbors guile Her fawning front she wrinkles with a frowne Aâ—…d thinkes th' ambitious Argonants to drowne 44 At the blacke Euening close the Sea lookt white The storme-presaging Waue begins to swell And blustring Eurus rising now at night With his flag Winges vpon the waters fell The Mayster bids slacke sayle but gainst the might Of his commaunded Mates the winds rebell The Boat-Swayne brals the Marriners are chid For what they would the stubborne gusts forbid 45 All fall to labour one man helps to steere Others to slacken the big bellied Sayle Some to the Cap-string call some pray some sweare Some let the Tackles slip whilst others hale Some cling vnto the maine-Mast and cleaue there Some chafe with anger some with feare looke pale Some ply the Pompe and that which would deuour Their ship in time Sea into Sea repoure 46 Sharpe-bâ—…ting winter growes and on each side The foure seditâ—…ous Brothers threaten war and tosse the Billowes who in scornefull pride Spit foaming Brine the winds with waters iarre The breaking seas whose entrance were denyde Beaâ—…e gainst each Pitchy-rib and calked sparre and by their Oaken strength denyde Intention Fall where they were begot to meere confusion 47 Now as the shriking Billowes are diuided Low Vallyes tweene two mighty Mountaines fall From whose steepe breasts the shaken vessaile slyded Burying in Sea Sayles Tackles Masts and all But â—…here remaynes not long the Barke well guided Climbes vp those clyffes a dreadfull watty wall That to themselues amazd with feare they show Like men in th' ayre surueighing hell below 48 It seem'd as if the Heauens and Seas had Wars And that the one the other did defy Twixt whom the mutinous winds make greater Iars Th' ambitious Billowes seeme to threat the sky And fling their brine-waues in the face of Stars Who therewith mooud melt all the Clouds on hye And such tempestuous shewers of raine thaw downe As if their drops meant the vast Seas to drowne 49 The waters both of Heaueu and Earth are mixt Flagging their sayles to make them brooke no blast No Lampe of heauen appeares wandring or fixt Darkenesse hath o're the face of both heauens past And left his vgly blindnesse them betwixt Whose horride presence makes the Greekes agast The Heauens bright fire the troubled Water braues sindging with lightninges force the Gulfy waues 50 Vnto these Argonants I may compare Our Island-voyages alike distrest With whelming seas thicke Mists and troubled ayre Loud claps of Thunder Lightning from the West so dreadfull that their Pilots loose their care Through feare forgetting what should stead them best The sea to quench Heauens glorious Lamps aspyres Heauen burns the Ocean with her lightning fires 51 As braue a Generall Martiald our great Fleete as that bold Greeke that sought the fleece of Gold hoping by sea an enemy to meete Fiercer then Iasons and more warlike bold Renowned Essex at whose warlike feete Spaines countlesse spoyles and Trophyes haue been told Who from Hesperia brought to Englands Greece More Gold then would haue weigh'd downe Iasons fleece 52 Grim Terror with the Greekes a ship-board lyes All night some weepe some rage the boldest feare Soliciting the Gods with Prayers and cryes Seeing their Fates and hopelesse ruins neere They thinke on Fathers Children Wiues Allyes But whom they faine would see they wish not there Grim terror in the Morning forward sped The Sunne begins to wake the tempest fled 53 Who as from forth the Spanish Seas he raisde His burnisht lockes and bout his shoulders shooke them and as his custome is about him gazd To view fayre Thetis bounds and ouer-looke them He spyes th'Imbarqued Greekes with feare amazd So sore the rough tumultuous Sea had tooke them He sees their Pendants torne their Sheetes all rent Their Hatches broken and theyr mayne-mast spent 54 Therefore he angry Neptune doth intreat as he would haue him guild his siluer streames Or thaw his frozen Waters with his heate Or cheare his coole Waues with his gorgeous beames Th'aduentrous Greekes his charge not to defeat But they may safe re-view their Natiue Realmes Neptune is pleas'd his Trident calmes the Seas And grants them waftage to what coast they please 55 Who entring th' Hellespont acquire some shore VVhere they may land their Fortunes to repaire at Tenedos they tutch knowne long before By great Alcides since he battayld there Where great Laomedon the Scepter bore and to preuent like dangers threatning care Re-builds his battred holds and with supplyes Mans euery Sea-skout that adiacent lyes 56 These Garrisons the Graecian Peeres deny Reliefe or Anchorage till the Kings mind Be fully knowne Who heares his foes so nye That had so late his forces ouerthrowne Therefore inraged he sends them to defie And from his Coasts to get them quickely gone Or mongst them all hee 'l leaue no liuing Greeke For golden Pillage on the seas to seeke 57 Vndanted Hercules at this offended Sweares by his Father Ihoue Troyes second wracke And with his Argonants had then discended Mauger the King but Iason kept him backe Who being chiefe Commander hath intended A golden coarse the ColchoÌ„s first must sacke Therefore though much against Alcides will Put from that shore the Conqueror threatens still 58 Vowing if Fate affoord him safe returne In whose aduenture al the Peeres vnite Troyes wals to batter and their Citty burne And be the Kings eternall opposite To whose disgrace Troy shall in ashes mourne Th' vngratefull King be forc'st to death or flight And all these lofty Towers at his next Landing Not haue one stone vpon another standing 59 Resolued thus they make to hoyse vp saile Weigh Anchor and their tackles hale and pull Their lofty spleenes gainst Troy they now auaile And onely ayme at the Phrixean wooll The God of winds affoords them a calme gale Making their waue-washt sheetes shew swelling full Whose gentle Gusts the Graecian Heroës bring To Colchos welcom'd by the Phasian King 60 At whose arriue Medea Iason viewing Oh heauen quoth she what passion 's this I feele Shall yon faire Graecian youth his fame pursuing Die by inchanted fire or tempered steele Oh saue thy fame by this attempt eschevving Thy arme vvants povver to make the Dragon reele Thy amorous hand alasse too soft and white with Brasse-hoou'd Buls that breath out fire to fight 61 More fitter t' were a Lady to embrace T' imprison beauty in a cristall fold Oh why should one that hath so sweet a face Made to be lou'd and loue seeke acts so
is figured in his face And in his lookes the eye of Gorgons burnes The Greekes blunt sword can scarce his Helmet race So weake a foe inflamed Hector scornes Vpon his Crest his Faulchion he lets fall And cleaues the Greeke helme body armes and all 59 The emulous son of Thetis crost by chance The blacke goar'd field and came to view this blow And mad in mind against him charg'd his Lance In hope the towring Prince to ouerthrow Him Thoas seconds and doth proudly'aduance His reeking sword late crimson'd in the foe Both with remorflesse blowes the Prince offend And his bruisd Shield about his arme they bend 60 Had not his helmet beene of mettall pure With Axes they had hewed it from his head But he that made it was an Arts-man sure Else had his braines bin on his harnesse spread Nor had he long bin able to indure Such tedious battry had not Fortune led Paris Aeneas Troylus and the rest To rescue valiant Hector thus opprest 61 At their approch the Achive bands retire Whom to their Pallisadoes they pursue By this in heauen ten thousand Lampes of fire Shine through the ayre and now both Hoasts withdrew The re-assembled Greekes Hector admire And mongst themselues into sad counsell grew Since not by force of Armes by what sly traine The neuer-daunted Worthy may be slaine 62 More honoured Hector in his royall braine Reuolues on milder thoughts how bloud to saue It pitties him to see so many slaine And come to such a generall timelesse graue Then that no more red bloud may Symois staine And change the coulour of her siluer waue He by a generall challenge will deuise For thousands safeties one to Sacrifice 63 Against all Greece hee 'l flyng his hostile gage And to a single Fight their Princes dare That two bolde Champions may the combat wage And in their mutuall Fury thousands spare Meane time blacke night from th' vniuersall Stage Of Earth is cha'st and driuen Now all prepare For th' early Field and with Apollo rise To shine in Armour by his rhadiant eies 64 The Princes to the place where Hector lay Throng in theyr Armes and his command attend After they had tooke and giuen the time of day with him they to the aged King descend Before whom Hector briefly doth display his purpost challenge which they all commend For well his Father and his Brothers know Hector hath power t' incounter any foe 65 The Sunne vp the steepe Easterne hils clymes fast Th'embattaild Greekes vpon the plaines appeare To them the faire-rankt Troians march in hast Within the reach of Hectors armed speare Both Hoasts attend the charge when vnagast The Prince first wafts that all the Campemay may heare Then leaning on his Iauelin makes this boast Euen in the face of their assembled hoast 66 You curled Greekes that haue vnpeopled quite Threescore vast Kingdomes of theyr ablest men To throng our fieldes with numbers infinite All hopelesse of theyr safe returne agen Among these sixty Kings that shine so bright In burnisht Steele vpon this sanguine Fen Can you select one boulder then the rest T' encounter armed Hector Creast to Creast 67 Or if your Princes be too weake a number Can all those threescore Climats yeild one hand Amidst this world that coms our Realme to cumber That dares betweene these hoasts gainst Hector stand Or doe you all feare deaths eternall slumber As well your Kinges as those of common band That with a braue breath'd in so many eares No soule more valiant then the rest appeares 68 If any of these Princes proue so free His prodigall life against ours to ingage Know by exposing his whole thousands be Sau'd from the spoyle of warres infernall rage Oh let me then that thrifty Champion see That will spare Graecian blood with him â—…wage wage Equall contention with my liues expence I will maintaine the Troians eminence 69 A Prince shall meet that Prince as neere allide To thundering Ihoue as he that 's best degreed If in his warlike Chariot he will ride I in my Chariot will conâ—…tont his speed March me these foure white Coursers Greece hath tride These faire Andromache doth mornely feed With her white hand with bread of purest wheat And waters them with Wine still when they eat 70 Xanthus Podargus Lampus Aethon deare To Hector you my armed Coach shall draw And in this fierce exposure shall appeare Before the best Steeds that the Sun ere saw But all Greece cannot match your swift Carrere Not Diomedes Steeds that fed on râ—…w And mangled limbes that in their Mangers bleed Can equall you in courage or in speed 71 Therefore I le cease that oddes and once againe Leauing the Kings to common men I turne Among such clusters growing on this plaine In no warme brest doth so much valor burne But shall so many shewers of blood still raine On Symois banke so many widdowes mourne For their slaine Lords so many Children cry For their poore Fathers that heere slaughtred die 72 If not for Loue of honour in despaire Methinkes some one our puissance should accost For noâ—… two soules that heere assembled are Shall scape the â—…y of our Troian hoast Death and deuouring ruin shall not spare One of your infinites you are ingrost All on destructions File then let some Greeke Despairing life a death with honor seeke 73 Yeilds our besieged Towne a Nobler spirit Then sixty assembled Kingdomes can produce That none dares enterpose his hostile merit But all put off this combat with excuse Among such infinites will none inherit A name with vs Feares Greece our hand shall sluce Their Vniuersall blood That feare can slaue So many Legions with one Hectors braue 74 I beg it of you Greekes let some forth stand To try what puissancelyes in Hectors sword If I be foyl'd by his all-daring hand The Spartan Hellen shall be soone restord And all the spoyles brought from the fertile Land Of Cythara made good and he ador'd With these ennobled armes the sword and crest Of Hector Honors more then all the rest 75 If I subdue your Champion Greece in peace Shall ease our burden'd earth of this huge weight Hostility betweene our hoasts shall cease You with your men and armes your ships shall freight And from our bloud-stain'd soyle free this large prease So shall illustrate Hector reach his height When th' Vniuersall world hath vnderstood Hector gag'd his to saue his Citties blood 76 Oh let it not in after times be saide Twice thirty kingdomes could not one man finde Prince Knight or Swaine durst equally inuade A Troian Prince in Armes and height of mind Nor let succeeding time the Greekes vpbraide To heare such lofty spirits so soone declinde Behold heere stand I to abide the rage Of his arm'd hand that dares but touch our gage 77 These words thus breath'd a generall showt is giuen Through al the Trâ—…n army which aspires And strikes against the Marble floores of heauen Where fixed are
whose skill Ouid remembers By art of Sayle and Oare Seas are diuided By art the Chariot runs by art Loue 's guided By art are Bridles rain'd in or let slip Typhis by art did steare th' Hemonian ship And Tymes succeeding shall call me alon Loues expert Typhis and Antomedon The reason why Achilles kept his Tent and was not in the field when Hector breathed his chalenge is not fully resolued some thinke he was discontent about a difference betwixt the Generall Agamemnon and him who kept away perforce Briseis a beauteous Lady claimed by Achilles as his Prise which wee rather follow in our History then to lay his absence on his Loue to Polixena whom hee had not yet seene and the promise which for her sake he made to Hecuba to keepe himselfe and his Mâ—…midons from the battaile Achelous was sonne to Oceanus and Tellus viz the sea and the Earth whence all Riuers are deriued who beeing vanquisht by Hercules hid himselfe in the Riuer called of himselfe Achelous a famous stoud in Greece diuiding Aetolia from Acatnauia This Achelous was before called Thoas and riseth from the Mount Pindus but Plutarch calleth it Thestius of Thestius the son of Mars and Pisidices who had three daughters Calirhoe Castalia and Dirce of whom the famous Greeke Poet Akeloou thugater diska c. Oh Acheloi filia venerande Virgo dierce The Flouds of Achelous were so famous that all the waters vsed in the deuine sacrifices were by the Oracle cald Aquae Acheloae The Poets faine him to transhape himselfe in a Bul because Riuersplow the earth as Oxen make Furrowes or because Buls draw neere to the brinkes of riuers when they bellow for fresh pasture else because waters breaking violently through any fall make a confused noise like the roarings of many Buls together He was â—…ald a Dragon by his many indented windings and turnings Hercules being leagued with King Oeneus vndertooke to suppresse this raging riuer whose many inundations had much damag'd his Kiingdome who extenuating his maine streame by inforcing it into many riualets by that meanes made the country more fertil therefore it was moraliz'd that Hercules breaking off his horn receiu'd in the same all fruits of plenty To this Cornucopia or horne of abundance Iupiter gaue this property that whosoeuer held it and wisht should receiue according to their desire The rarieties of the most choise fruits and wines of all kinds how delicious soeuer to tast the Pallat. This vertue was first prou'd by Amatthea daughter to Hemonius King of Aetolia though some take Amatthea to be the Goat that nurst Iupiter with her milke when Rhea had giuen him to be brought vp to Adrastea and Isde. The end of the twelfth CANTO Argumentum A Chilles dotes on beauteous Polixaine And at her faire request refraines the fielde The Truce expierd both Hoasts prepare againe For battaile with proud harts in valour steel'd The Greekes are beate backe many kild and taine Patroclus don's Achilles Armes and shield Him Hector for Achilles tooke and slew Whose Armor gone his Mother seeks him new ARG. 2. TRuce after Combat Hecuba is wonne By Paris meanes to league with Thetis sonne CANTO 13. 1 AWake soft Muse from sleepe and after rest Shew thy selfe quicke and actiue in thy way Thy labouring flight and trauell long opprest Is comforted no longer then delay But with thy swiftest winges fly in the Quest Of thy prefyxed goale The happy day In which this Kingdome did her wide armes spread To imbrace king Iames our Soueraigne Lord head 2 And you great Lord to whom I Dedicate A second worke the yssue of my braine Accept this Twin to that you saw of late Sib to the first and of the selfe-same straine That onely craue the shelters of your state To keepe it from all stormes of Haâ—…le and Raine Who neither dread the rage of winds or Thunder whilst your faire roofe they may be shadowed vndâ—…r 3 Your fauour and protection deckes my phrase and is to me like Ariadnes clew To guide me through the Laborinthean Maze 〈◊〉 which my brain 's intangled T is by you That euery vulger eye hath leaue to gaze and on this Proâ—…ct takes free enter view Which but t' expresse a due debt yet vnpaid Had still remain'd vnperfect and vnmade 4 Proceed we then and where we left repaire About his head the Tree rough Aiax flings Like to a threatning Meteor in the aire Which where it lights exitiall ruin brings Such seemes th'vngrounded Oake leauelesse and bare Who shakes ore Hectors Crest her rooted strings And with such rude impetuous fury fell T' haue dingd him through the Center downe to hel 5 But Hector with his broad shield waits the fall Which shiuers all the plates of his strong Targe The Graectans too much fury strikes withall The plant from his owne hands in his rough charge Vnarm'd once more they grapple to make thrall Each others strength their armes sinnowy and large About their sides with mutuall strength they cling and wrastling striue which can each other fling 6 When loe the Kings on bothsides much admiting Their neuer equald valour loth to lose Such Champions in whose charging or retyring Their spring of victory declines or Flowes Their Conquests droop towards earth or rise aspiring The generall of each hoast his Warder throwes Betweene the Combattants who still contend By slight of strength to giue the difference end 7 Two Guards from either Army step betweene Their heated furies till their blood retyr'd For with fresh breath they both abate their spleene And cease that Combate thousands late admyr'd Instead of blowes their friendly Armes are seene T'infold each other with new loues inspyr'd Aiax his Belt pluckes from athwart his brest And giues to Hector of all Knights the best 8 Who takes a good sword flesht on many a foe And enter-chang'd with Aiax but oh Fate Two ominous Tokens these good Knights bestow Which to themselues prou'd most vnfortunate To Hectors heeles must Aiax Baldricke grow And three times drag him by each Troian gate Whose sight whole Troy with clamorous shricks shal fill With Hectors sword Aiax must Aiax kil 9 These passages of friendship giuen and tooke Behold a Herald from the Towne appeares Who greets the proud Greekes with a friendly looke From Priam reuerent both in state and yeares Them whom but late the Troians could not brooke Troy now inuites and for a space forbeares All hostile hate betweene both hoasts proclaiming A day of Iubile for feast and gaming 10 The Faith of Hector as best hostage giuen Th'inuasiue Kings in peace the Citty enter Whom Priam feasts with all that vnder heauen Can be found rare or bred aboue the Center The Dames and Damsels all pale feare bereauen Amongst the dreadfull Greekes dare freely venter And they that late did fright them aboue measure Haue liberty to sport and Court their pleasure 11 Vnpeered Hector