The first booke of the famous historye of Penardo and Laissa other ways callid the warres, of love and ambitione. Wherein is described Penardo his most admirable deeds of arms, his ambition of glore his contempt of loue, with loves mightie assalts & ammorus temptations: Laissas feareful inchantment hir releif hir trauells and lastly loves admirabel force, in hir releiving Penardo from ye fire, doone in heroik verse, by Patrik Gordon.

The first booke of the famous historye of Penardo and Laissa other ways callid the warres, of love and ambitione. Wherein is described Penardo his most admirable deeds of arms, his ambition of glore his contempt of loue, with loves mightie assalts & ammorus temptations: Laissas feareful inchantment hir releif hir trauells and lastly loves admirabel force, in hir releiving Penardo from ye fire, doone in heroik verse, by Patrik Gordon.

Table of contents

Title page

To the most Honorable, and most Accomoplisht Earle GEORGE Earle of ENYIE lorde Gordon, and Badyenoth &c. sone & heire apparent to the most Illustrius Lorde George Marquies of Huntlie.

To euerye freendly and Courteous Reader.

THE AVTHOR to his Patrone.

To the Right noble Lady Ladye Margret Countes of Marsheale.

To the richt Noble Lady, and full of all verteus Ladye ANNE Countesse of Enyie.

To the ryght worthe and verteous Lady DAME GRISEEL STVARTE Lady Meldrum.

To the Author. Sonnet.

To the Authour.

To the Authour.

To the Authour.

To the Authour.

Caput. 1.

Caput. II.

Caput. III.

Caput. IIII.

Caput. V.

Caput. VI.

Caput. VII.

Caput. VIII.

Caput. IX.

Caput. X.

Caput. XI.

Caput. XII.

Caput. XIII.

Caput. XIIII.

Caput. XV.

Caput. XVI.

Caput. XVII.

To the Authour.

[Page]THE FIRST BOOKE, OF the Famous Historie, of PENARDO and LAISSA.

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THE First booke of the famous Historye of PENARDO and LAISSA other ways callid the watres, of LOVE and AMBITIONE. WHerein is described Penardo his most admirable deeds of arms, his ambition of glore his contempt of loue, with loves mighte assalts & ammorus temptations: Laissas feareful inchantment hir releif hir trauells and lastly loves admirabel force, In hir releiving Penardo from ye fire, Doone in Heroik verse, by Patrik Gordon.

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Printed at Dort By George Waters. 1615.

To the most Honorable, and most Accomoplisht Earle GEORGE Earle of ENYIE lorde Gordon, and Badyenoth &c. sone & heire apparent to the most Illustrius Lorde George Marquies of Huntlie.

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RIght Honorable, finding my selfe inclosed in the labourinth of your al-conquering merits, and dispairing of al reliefe, necessitie encuraged me to goe forward, till the infinite riches of your worth should choak the pouerty of my neere famisht Wit with abondance, while thus I thirsted for a fatall period to my longing desires, I found your Lo. incomparable virtues, so seated on the throne of al perfectiō, as your insatiable auarice was onely on the Heauen-infused gifts of the minde. Wheirof since I could produce nothing for the release of my boundage but this barren Inuention, soe many be the rare & excellent Wits which exceed in that kinde, as though I was assured that your wonted courtesie wold pardon my rudenes, and accept of my pouerty: Yet wold not theis onely [Page] deime it too meane a present, for soe worthie a personage: But also such multitudes of men seiming Babouns swarmeth euerye wheire now a daies being ignorant of any thing, and yet will needes be Wittie in jesting at eurie mans actions, so that the vprote of my confused thoughts cold not be appeased, but either by obtianing aide of the first or silence, of the last, and as the silence is impossible, soe is the aide dishonorable; Wherfore I resolued, being imboldened by affection to offere this small streame of my Witt, to the boundlesse Ocean of your virtues, vnder the shield of whose most honorable patronage, this my firste borne shall aduenture to the view of the worlde armed with silence against the sensors of the Wise, and with patience againste all the carpinge malice or skoffing jests that theis Appish Monkies can vent from their too curious inuectiue and belabored brains. And because that all my endeuours are tied alreadye with the two-fould chaine of your L. Princely virtues and more then deserued courtesies, to which the extension of my natural duty cannot adde anie suffitient tribut for the interest which your Lo. hath in me: therefore being still in my former d [...]spaire I am forc'd (in such a worlde of bands) for euer to rest.

Your L. vn-redeemable seruant Patrik Gordon.

To euerye freendly and Courteous Reader.

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GENTLE, and courteous Reader, I doubt not but some their are, that wil not gentlye, but rashlie censure those my labours, Nether am I ignorant, how hard a thing it is to please euery one, Some their be that are courious, whom as i [...] is impossible to pleas, so haue I geuē ouer impessibilites, as one, whoes judgement could neuer reatch to the meanest of possible things: Some their be that are invyous, & those as I care lytle for their feid, so hunt I not muche for their fauor: Some also wil be rashe, in geueing their judgement before they haue duely considdered, to whoes temerarious, opinione, as I geue lytle heed, so will I suffer them, to be whipt withe their owne folyes: But you that ar judicieus disereit, & courteous, eune you it is, whom I wold please▪ I confes I writ not of profound, and deip maters, fitting your judgements, bot according to the shallownes of my braine, as their is not much good to be reapt, so shall you not find much evill: Wheirfore, my willingnes I hope, will satisfie a great parte of your contents, & supplie my defects. Looking alwayes (that altho I can not in the greatest measure satisfie your ex [...]ectation) yit ye wil accept freindlie, of my goodwil; In respect, that vnto your charitable hands only, I cousmit the censure of these my paepers, as the vndoubted touche stone, wheron my trauels must be tryed: And how many so euer my e [...]rors be, which I doubt not, but the thrie afore named wil mak to many, yit to you I hope it shall suffice that I acknowledge my owne weaknes. But fearing to deceaue my self, with too muche presuming on your courtesye, I haue left of in the [Page] mids of my labours, for that I was loath to paine my self with to muche trauell, till I wer better certefied, of your fauourable acceptance, (which while I heir of, I haue thought goode to stand at a point, and breath a whyle) as the only rewaird, I craue for al my trauells yit my counsel is, before yow geue judgement, that ze enter, and walk throw all my fielde, look on euery shade, searche throw euery corner, wheir amongst the pople, and tair, yow may find some pure grane, And amongst the thornes and breirs, some roses, that may perhaps haue a pleasant smell: Vpon al aduentures, hoping that suche will be your censur, as my meaning is towards yow, I bid yow fairwel

Yours, as you merit. P. G.

THE AVTHOR to his Patrone.

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YOur Lordshipe when I call to mynd,

And your great fauors, whiche I fynd,

I plaine, I sighe, my tears doun fall:

For this my strenth, my witt, my skill.

Not equaleizing my good will,

No not my lyfe, my self my all.

My self, my seruice, both is due,

Both bonde by duety, vnto yow,

My wealthe to meane, for to present yow

A present then, I shame to mak it,

Not with your honor stands, to tak it,

Thus nought is myne, that could conten [...] yow.

Oft thus I pause, I think, I muse,

And tho us and vther things I chuse,

Wheirof their's no thing myne to geue,

Then geue I ouer my vane contentione,

And s [...]yues in nought, but apprehensione,

So rests your dettore while I leiue.

Zit to mak knowne that if I could

Faine would I do al that I should,

And oft alone on this I mus' de:

At last presents unto my vew,

This Knight, beit, cold and pale of hew,

That seem'd no danger hade refus'de.

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His armour rousted, rent, and torne

Clift was his sheeld, his sword was worne,

A stranger in this countrey strainge

Nor aduentures might heir be found,

The warr-lyk Knights heir, till the ground,

And rights their wrong, with lawes reuenge.

Altho this Knight was borne a Prince

Zit none wold do him reuerence,

Whiche I lamented muche, bevaild▪

And of his sorowes took a pairt,

But lo his proud ambitious hairt,

Calami [...]ye hade nere assaild.

This muche, his giddy braine furth bred

If he with armour once wer cled,

To searche aduenturs, hunt for fame:

Zit wovld he [...]a [...]y heir a whyle,

And pouse his fortune, throw this yle,

Perhaps to win a famous name.

I pitied much his poore estate,

His mightie mynd I could not hate,

No armour, no equippage fyne,

Hade I befaitting such a Knight,

Zit to my power, strenth, and might

I vsde my moyane, my in gyne.

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When he was featted to my strength,

On Some he would depend at length,

Then come your honour to my mynd

Whoes many fauors, I haid founde,

Me Nature, lyfe, and duetie bounde,

My thankfulnes some way to find.

Him then to you I first present,

To serue, to please and to content

Beneth your wings let him be seine:

If he be not so rigged furthe

As apperteineth to his worthe,

Myne is the fault, whoes wealth was meine,

His name Penardo he me told,

A youth ambitious, hardy, bold,

His trauell, lyfe and deads hes beine▪

A warre, betuixt ambitione strong.

And craftie loue, that lested long,

Which be the sequel shal be seine.

P. G.

To the Right noble Lady Ladye Margret Countes of Marsheale.

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LOng haue I wishid my Muse, to sound thy prayse

The worthe, the fame, the due, to the belonge,

But she onlernd vn fit, for such a phrayse,

Denyit to doe, say, think, so heighe a songe:

Since on thy worthe, both heaune, and earthe still gaize

She should but shame her self, and do the wronge

Better quod she be sobre silent, still,

And spair to speek, then speek, and speek but ill.

O but quod I, to speek her praise, her worthe,

Out of my faith, my trueth, my zeall my loue,

Faith, trueth, lone, zeall, and duetie, breaths it furthe

As shal my pure, eleir, simple meining proue:

Her nature myld, heighe place, and royall birthe,

Her witt, her worthe, her vertue, from aboue.

Has croun'd with garlants, of immortall glorye,

Then none ean writt amisse, that writts her storye

Whill thus my barrene Muse, and I contend

Thy worth, wit, vertue, and thy geighe desairt,

Commands me write, and speek, and praise furthsen [...]

To eurye countrey, province, place, and pairt,

But comeing to (what should I say) in end.

O then I stand, I pause, I think, in hairt

Words does my witt, wit does my words eonfuse

Nou this, now that, a thousand things I chuse,

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So infinite, thy endles graces be

That what I [...]ould, I would, Zit can not doe

Witt moketh witt, arte skorneth arte, in me

And wealth, deludeth wealth I know not how

When I should end, I but begine to sie,

A world of worlds rair worthines, in yow,

Then this I say, nor will I write no more,

None is, shall be, nor was lyk the before

To the richt Noble Lady, and full of all verteus Ladye ANNE Countesse of Enyie.

FE [...]r Madame, grac'd from hyest heau'ns aboue,

With wealth of Fortune, Nature, beautye Loue,

Lend not to frowning looks, thy gratious eye,

For this bold pryde, and arrogance in me,

That darr's breath furthe, or preis to pen thy praise

Earths ornament, heaun's obiect, beauties gaize.

Nor Maro great, nor Naso sweit, am I,

Nor haue I Homers mightie style, wheirby

I might to efter aiges e're reveiue,

Thy fame; thy worthe, and mak thy glory leiue,

Zit wer it but t'awake the braver witts,

Whoes loftie quill's thy sweitter praises fitt's,

This much I say, nor vanely vaunt I nather,

Thy wit, thy beautye, and thy vertue rather

[Page]Celestiall is, rair, excellent, devyne,

(In whom all woo [...]the, all grace, al goodnes shyne)

Then humane, so heaun's croun's, adorn's thy bloode

With Naturs wealthe, grace ful, & fortuns goode

Then lett the Poëts on their Muses call,

To fil their brains, their pen's, their papers all

With ornament of methode, witt, and sense,

That flowes from thy rair worth, rair excellence.

In goldin showrs, whiche fame on her faire winges,

To eurye natione, countrey, kingdome bringes,

And strowes it heir, and their, in eurye pairt,

To beautifye speeche, eloquence, and arte,

If on poore me, some, drop's she would doune poure,

I'le spend my pains, my witts, soules wasting power

To pen thy praise, and thy braue Mates, whoes worthe

Thow stryues to mach, as thow hes match'd his birth

O wonderous stryfe, blis'd, happie, perfect, pure,

Long may that warre myld, pleasant, sweet, indure

P.G.

To the ryght worthe and verteous Lady DAME GRISEEL STVARTE Lady Meldrum.

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MAdame, if I should smouther vp thy praise

For most ingrate, thow iustlye might me blame

All eyes should sie, all tongues to heau'ne should raise

My staine, my blote, my neuer deing shame

In me, poore me, if ony vertue growes

In the it leius, frome the it springs, it flowes.

For lo thyne was the seid, thyne was the tree,

Goode reasone wer't that thine should be the gaine,

[...]hin the [...]ncrease, the haru'st, the fruct must bee,

Zit reapts thoow to to lytle for thy paine

But much it is, in such a barten soyle

If thow receaue the seid, for al thy toyle.

And thought vnhappie I, could nothing kno,

Noir pairt of thy great graces could haue gain'd

Me by thy sweit example did thow sho,

Of thy thryce happie lyfe, pure, cleir vnstam'd

My ill my owne, if goode I have in stoir

Thyne be the thanks, thyne be the prais, the gloir.

Eu'ne as the Eggle learn's her burds tho flie

First low, then mean than, heigher still to ryi [...]

Till far aboue al vther foulls they be

With loftie soaring wings in asure skyis,

On Phoebus than, their eyes she maks yame set,

Nor his bright birning beam's yair sight mey let.

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So Eggle lyk thow taught me as thy chyld

To mount to vertue, wisdome, grace deuyne

But I thy precept's wyse, sweit, easie, myld

Could not conceaue, so grosse was my ingyne

Whill Phoebus lyke, vpone my face thow stream' [...]

Thy vertues rayes, & wisdomes goldin beam's.

And thus thow proues my loftie Eggle fair,

But I, poore I, I hade no wings to flie,

My Phoebus als thow shynes with vertues rair,

Zit Eggle lyke, I daris not looke on the,

Then Quene of fowles, & light of sterr's aboue

My Eggle, and my Phoebus bothe still proue.

And what I haue, eu'ne yat should thow receaue,

As propre thyne, and only due to the,

Myne be the fault, the wrong, the ill I haue

Thyne be the goode, if onie good their be

If none, as muche me fears, their's none but ill

Zit for thy pain's, i'le praise, the, serue ye, still.

P.G.

To the Author.
Sonnet.

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COme forth Laissa spred thy lo [...]kes of Gold,

Show thy cheekes roses in their virgine Prime

And though no gēmes the decke which Indies hold,

Yeild not vnto the fairest of thy tyme

No ceruse brought farre, farre beyond the seas

Noe poisone lyke Cinabre Paints thy face

Let them hawe that whose natiue hues displeas

Thow graceth nakednesse it doth the grace

Thy Syre no pyick purse is of others witt

Thoise Iewellis be his oune which the adorne

And though thow after greaiter ones be borne

Thow mayst be bold eu'en midst the first to sitt

For whilst fair Iuliett or the farie quene

Doe liue with theirs thy beautie shall be seene,

M. William Drommond.

To the Authour.

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ALtho my shallowe witt sound's nott thy deep,

And weakling ey's followes not thy flight:

Tho wher thow run's, I can not thether creep,

Nor chyldishe weaknes imitat thy might

Since in this sacred trade I made a pause.

By inter mitting of my Clio's lawes.

Yit since I haue most wonderouslie detected

A swane whoes Syren-musique me enchant's

Yit since I find eune wheir I least suspected

A lurking poët in our home-bred haunt's

O when I sie him, when I sueetlie hear him.

I can not but commend him and admeir him.

Thy years (dear frend) ar young, thy wit is old,

Thy youth er chyld tyme come is brought a bed,

Thy mine in liew of ore, yeilds purest gold

Thy basest rob's with crimsone ouerclade

How glade am I thoes mythologique flowrs

Argue the reconnings of thine Idle hours.

Mr. Robert Gordone.

To the Authour.

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LAissa's bathing in the sacred well

With charming beutie wounds the chastest hair [...].

Penardos valour into Plutos cell

To basest mynd's dois honour's woorth impairt

And moues the Coward to desire the fight:

And chastest recluse search for beuteis sight.

The fei full ourthrow of thy Sigismund

For Vsurpat [...]oune: pryd, and priuatt gaine

Show's how the lord the lof [...]ie will confound,

And in extream's the humb'led soule sustaine

For tyrann's proud, loe heir a curbbing bitt [...]

For humb'led misers, heir-s a confort fitt.

Those sacred lights proceiding foorth frome the

In Natours sueetnes staning straned air [...]

Maks vs the treasure of thy mynd to sie

The ritches rair wheir with thowe furnish'd art:

For beu [...]ie, Valour, right and hellishe vronge▪

Ar prais'd reprou'd▪ and painted in thy songe.

Dear freind with loue whill I admeir thy lyn's

Thy braue inuentioune clam's a fresh respect:

Thy gracefull method in them both so shyn's

That I am doubtfull whither to direct

My freindlie ey's, or well affected hart.

To playe the lizards, or the pensiue part.

Ihone. Wrrey.

To the Authour.

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TH' Ent [...]usiasme, or furie of thy spreit,

A grace both great, & dignlie deim'd divyne▪

So fluentlie, into thy front does fleit,

Whill all the world admeirs both the and thyne

Each word has weght, and full of lyfe [...]ch [...]

Quick thy conceapt Emphaticall thy phraise,

Thy number's iust▪ judicious thy ingyne,

O thow the new adorner of our dayes.

Whoes pen or pinsell shall depaint thy praise

Since Mare nought, nor the Meonian muse

Be with their learned nor their liuery [...]yes

Into this wondrous worthie work to vse.

Then tak this task, & tune thy trump vnto it:

For onlie thow art destinatt to doe it.

Mr. Allexander Gardyne.

To the Authour.

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DEmereits Maro from proud Mars his throne

A freindlie look, or yit a thankfull sho?

Deserueth Naso from young Venus sone

A cheirfull smyll? (if they can haue no mo)

Yes faith: I pray then what should be thy hyre?

Who maks all men thir monarch gods admyre.

Has not thy Pen proclaim'd att lairge to all,

Sterne Mars his soldier great Penardo strong?

Has not thy layes learn'd how Laissa's thrall

To craftie loues allurments too too long?

Then both the warreou [...]s, & the wanton's theam [...]

Should spare no pains, to aeterneize thy name,

William. Tod.

Caput. 1.

Argument.

A Visione moues Achaias King,

His daughter to haue slaine,

The Muses find her, and preserue

Her lyfe with care, and paine,

In whom such woundrous vertue grew,

Such beautie bright, and fair,

That those whoe sau'd her lyfe, now soght

Her woe, her wrack, her care.

1.

IN glorius Greece there lies a firtile land,

Of antient time Achaia cald by name

Within whose blessed borders brauelie stan▪

Parnassus mont, so much renound of fame.

Where Aganippes siluer streames doe spring

About the which Ioues brain-bred daughters sing.

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2.

Sending from thence that which in flamm's the brain

Of brauest Spreitts, and beautifies the mynd

With end les rare inventions, which obtain

The name of wondre, to the humane kynd

Who in theire works of learned witt's divyne

Make Learnings light, in blakest darknes shyne.

3.

Eune heir, and in this natione most renoun'd,

The famous Phedro sumtyme rul'd, as King,

By iust discent, and regall title croun'd

And first in peace enioyd a happie regne,

At last hi [...] starrs which bad coniunctions borrow

Did turne his sweets in sowrs, his mirth in sorrow.

4.

For when the winds in hollow caves containd,

Leaue off their sharpest cold, and bitter blast,

To slay the tender herbs, when they refraind

The talest Cedars torment then was past

Then was it not, as when they raige at will

Vnder the horns of the lasciuious bull.

5.

Eune when the Farthe spreds furth her mantle grein,

On which the wanton Flora spreds her treasure,

While tyme that wai [...]t's one Phoebus goldin eyne

Giues lyuelye colours, for the Goddesse pleasure,

The hills, the daills, the plain's, ar passing fair

Through heat, through moyst, though sueitnes of the Aer.

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6.

The tries bud furthe before their fructe the flourish

The herbs before their seid, the blossom'd floure

The corn's, and grane, their, leauie stalks do nourishe

The winding vynes their pregnant graips yet sour

When as the goldin chariot of the Sune

Twixt day, and night, an equall couse doeth rune.

7.

Wherfore eache creture bles'd with equall light.

Sal [...]ts the princelye spring with pleasant noys

The restles roling heaun, with shyning bright

Smyls on the earthe (his loue who does reioys

Of such a Mate; and with her mantle grein

Was de [...]k't, wheir riche embrodries might be sein.

8.

In this delicious pleasant tyme of yeir

Which bringes to farmers hope of greatineres

When Phoebus gan doun in the west appeir

In Thetis lap to coole his fyrie face,

And shadowes dark of glomie night opprest

All creatur's, with silence, sleip, and rest.

9.

King Phedro wrapt in heauie sleip, did ly

Free from all trauell, care, all paine, and toyle,

Yet so opp [...]esst in his fantassy

That rest from rest, and ease from ease, did spoyle

His spreitt's, his senses, faculties, and sent

A visione that his braine did muche torment.

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10.

And thus it was, he thought him self did stand

On Helicon and vewd a fearfull fire

That brightlie burnt ore all Achaia land

Which did vndoe burne: waest his whole empyre

And their withall it seemd a voyce did say.

This night has brought thy kingdome her decay.

11.

This fyre he thought did from him self proceid,

And to him self againe it did returne

The diadem from of his princelie head

This fearfulll flamme in melting d [...]ops did burne.

And when brunt, spent, consumed it had bein

No mark no nor no flame was to be sein.

12.

E [...]ne as a clothe in aquauitae dyd

Or in sum strong and mightie burning oyle

If kendled by sum fyre it is espyd

To fl [...]mme, to shyne to blase, to burne, to boyle,

[...]he liquor spent, the cloth retein [...] no staine,

Nor [...]pot, nor blot, nor burning does remaine.

13.

When as the King awakes frome drousie sleip

This woundrous visione did torment his mynd

And all his senses from there fauctio [...]s keip.

His thoughts in vprore now no rest do fynd

But when he rangd them hade a thousand wayes,

One path he finds in which them all he stayes.

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14.

For loe eu'ne then his Queene wes brought to bed

Of a fair daughter lyke the morning st [...]rr.

Nor Phoebus li [...]ht in glomie darknes spred

Might matche with her, she staind that beautie farr.

But tho shew is most admirable fair,

Her lyfe as strange was as her beautie ra [...]e.

15.

For finding by his curious searching out

Evne at he [...] birth this visione to enswe

H [...] thought she wes the flamme (if not put out)

That should his croune and kingdome thus subdue

Vheirfore resolud for to preuent mischeif

Her death must be the way to his releif.

16.

The dolfull message of this wofull charge

He to a Groome whom he most trusted gau [...]

A [...]outh whoes faith he oft had tryd at large

Him he commands the infant to reseaue

An [...] to t [...]ansport her to a woode or montaine

And droune her in sum river, Spring, or fontaine.

17.

O crewell sentence barbarous decrie!

O ha [...]pie chyld! but oh vnhappie Father!

That for a dreame, a tove, a fantasie

A vaine Chime [...]a or hell [...] vision rather

Wold spoyle so sweet a creature of breath

And kill thy self to saue th [...] [...]elf from death.

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18.

In Acheron blak Night her selfe did wrapp

And heaud her head, aboue the Easterne streame

But Titan dyud in Thetis watrie lapp

While yow might see him blushing reid for shame.

Thence to be chass'd with his fearce foe vnkynd

That braith'd furth darknes to the farthest Ind.

19.

In darkest shaddowes of the glomie night

This Messinger furthe throw the desert goes

The harmeles Infante harmefull death to dight

That her poore lyfe now got, she now might lose,

So suckling lambs by rauening wolfs ar torne

And doues by Eggles to their deaths furth borne.

20.

This Messinger Kalander heght to name

Whoes Syre the greattest Prince be [...]eth the croune

Boor rewell o'ur Sparta land of antient fame

His witt and valour wan him mu [...]h renoune

Whoes Sone of these tuo ve [...]tewes wanted nether

But shewd him self the Sone, of such a Father

21.

Who going straight vnto this crewell act

And moud with pitie of the infant [...] age

Whoes you [...]h to young, for dea [...]he [...] procuring fact

And Innocent of Fa [...]her [...] wrathfull rage,

Yet fearing if he does prolong her breath

He should p [...]ocure him self a shamefull d [...]a [...]h

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22.

To Helicons fair mont he taks his flight

Praying the bloude of this poore Innocent

Vpone the Fathers head might alwa [...]es light

That in disgrace and sh [...]me he might rep [...]nt

For doating dreams if this poo [...]e Infant die

His be the fault, the losse, the infamie.

23.

Thus praying he approch'd vnto the place

Hypocrene downe wheir the Muses sport

Vewing the beautie of this Angels face

Againe it moud his pitie in such sort

He nought regairds the King, nor lyfe, not all,

But saves the babe frome ruine, death, and fall.

24.

Leauing her saiflie by the fontane syde

Vnder the vmbrage of a loftie Pyne

Wishing her frowning Fates for to prouyde

Her beautie once into the world might shyne

Thus he returns, and thus the King beguyld▪

And craftily, with suggred words him sild.

25.

When golden-haitd Apollo furth did glance,

His amber loks furth throwes irradi [...]nt beams

And one the esterne waues begins to daunce

To murm'ring musick of the roaring streams

The Muses for to welcome home their Syre

From coutche and secreit Cell did furth retayre

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26.

Their daylie morning progres is to vew

The sacred streams of Aganippe well

whoe [...] murmur like sweet lullabies furthdrew

Old Morpheus from out his quiet cell

Vho had the babe with slumbring sleip bereft

whom young Kalander at the fontane left.

27.

These sacred Virgins when they did espye

The babe; sad fear made all their beautie fade

Fearing discouerie by sum wantone eye

But vewing well the beautie of the Mayde

They vewd admiring, an [...] admi [...]d the sight

Their sight bred wounder, wounder b [...]ed delight

28.

Such beautie rare till then they nere had sein

But feard it was sum stolne virgini [...]ie

Wheir With theme selfs so spotles pure and clein

They wold not thus defyle in infamie

But instruments the Fates did them ordaine

Of pleasure, lyfe perplexi [...]ie, and paine.

29.

For pitie them forbad of creueltie

Vnto this harmeles helple [...] innocent

Wherefor with graue aduise and modestie

The Muses all in vniforme consent

Brings vp the babe, with care full obseruation

In vertue, grace, and heaunly meditatione.

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30.

The sacred Muses that in vertue shone.

As if they well had knowne the Fates decreit

Vnto the infant wold a name impone

A name conforme, and to her meritts meit

So that a correspondence might be knowne

Betuixt her name, and her hid Fate vnshowne.

31.

And dyueing then wit [...] drops divyne her heid

Fair Lissa or Laissa thay her cald

A proppre name for her mishaps indeid

Who subiect was to daungers manyfold

For Lissa is asmuche to say as rage

Vheirin no force her furie could asswage.

32.

When with the Musses she remaind weell neir

wh [...]le she did rune of fyifteine yeares the race

Eune [...]or the loue which they to her did beir

Eache one of them indued her with a grace

But lo these gifts made her enuyd of al [...]

Thus loue b [...]ought gifts, gifts hate, and hate her fall,

33.

Yea to the fair Laissa in her birth

The heauns wer all affect'd so feruentlye

Looking with myld a [...]pect vpon the earth

In th [...] horoscope of her natiuitye

That all the gift of grace, and goode perfection

They pourd on her most beautifull complection.

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34.

Her face was lyke the sky bothe cleire and fair

Her cheeks as whyt with vermeil red did show

Lyke roses in a bed of lillies rare

Whill they ambrosiall odours from them throw

Feiding the gaizers sense with double pleasure

Such force his beauties all-celestiall treasure.

35.

In whoes bright eyes tuo lyuelie lamps did flame

That dairted beam's lyik lightning blasts of thunder

Cupid tho blind still ayming at the same

Thousands of shafts he sende but with great wounder

She breks his wantone dairts with awfull yre

And with dreid maiestie she quensh'd has fyre

36.

The Graces one her ey-lid's seem'd to sitt

Vnder the shadow of her bending browes

Her goldin treases couriouslye was knitt

With Pelicans of pearle, and siluer doues

These hair lyke goldin weir one eurye pairt,

Se [...]ud as a nett for the beholders hart.

37.

Her yuorie fo [...]head was a table fair

Wheir Loues triumphs we [...]e cunninglie ingrapht

All goodnes, honor, dignitie was their

In vertues treasure litle hade she left.

Sh [...] was the mirrour of cèlestiall grace

That can not be outrune with tym [...] swift pace.

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38.

And yow might sie that alwa [...]es when sho spak

Sweit words l [...]ik dropping hony she wold shed

Tuo rainge of pearle with rubies tuo wold brak

The words betuix them softlye whill they fled

Which made sweit siluer sound's whoes noy [...]ent furth

Wold deadlie sadnes moue to amarous mirth.

39.

And yet her humble and submissiue mind

Was neuer moud with hellishe pryde to rise

But why should I, poore I, descrybe her kind

Which to expres no mortall can deuise

Nor can I preis to paint furthe such a feature

Least skilles I should wrong so fair a creture.

40.

Fair Imps of beautie whoes bright shining eyes

Adorn the solid Earth with heaunlie light

Ou'r your great conquest do not tyraneize

Though yow subdue all by your seemlie sight

But with Laissaes meiknes be content

And grace your beautie with that or [...]ament.

41.

To your fair selfs her fairnes first apply

Her courtesie her meik and humble mi [...]

Tempred with grace and goodly modest [...]

It seemd those [...]ertues tuo did striue to find

The high est place and stryueig but for dewtie

Eache uthe [...] helps and but augments her bewtie.

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42.

While as the Muses see her vertues rare

Her beautie wisdome modestie and all

Surmo [...]nting them so farr that euriwhere

They feard her fame should once procure, their fall

Wheirfore the [...] seike with w [...]t, eraft, slight & wrath,

Her infamie, her woe, her wrak, her death.

43.

And waiting still occasione when they may

Find out a fault vnto her faultles mynd

That with the sharpest sentence of decay

Sum punishment they fithe might outfynd

Thus they decreid her death, conspyrd her fall

Fauord by, tyme, fate, fortune heau'ns, and all.

44.

It chanc'd the Muses once vpone a day

Were in an abor neir vnto the fontane

While as Laissa at her sport and play

Was gone a hunting through the rockie montane

For Phoebe-lyke it did delight her mynd

To chase, to kill, to wound, the hart, the hynd

45.

Alone now comming wearie frome the chace

And traueling in heat of all the day

H [...]d sought to bath her in that pleasant place

And with enamourd streams a while to play

While as the Muses wait, they lye, they lurk

Their wrath, their will, their vengeance for to woork.

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46.

The streams not deip, nor shallow which did glyd

With prettie whispring noyes so calme and cleir

Therof the moueing skai [...] she could be spyd

And yit a heaunly murmur you might hea [...]e

The Pebles seimd to leap, to swimme, to daunce,

While as the streams did tremble, moue, and glance.

47.

The Pyns, and Poplars bowed theme selfs from hie

From heat and cold that shaddowed all the streame

She dip'd her daintie legs vp to the knie

That lyke two snow-white marble Pillers se [...]me

So polishd Porphyre deckd with purest gold

Doth temples tombes and trophees faire vphold.

48.

And being now entysed by the cold

She taks her bow and quever f [...]ome her syds

Hung in a lace of purple silk and gold

That ouerthuart her snow whit breist diuyds

Tuo azur streams of Nectar-feiding fontanas.

Springing to tops of Alabastre montanas.

49.

And haueing hung her garments on a Pyne

O who had sein so fair a silkin skine!

So daintie well proportion'd, pure, and fyne,

So beautifull, so Quaint, so cleir, so thine

The thrife thrie Nymphs whome w [...]ath haid now de [...]ys'd.

To wo [...]k her wrak could skarslie be entys'd.

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50.

Now beauties shopp, vne los'd begins to be

And showes her store of treasure to the sight

Their all the pleasurs that do pleas the eye

And all was their that doeth the tut [...]h delight

The Graces had their clothes about her drawen

To keip the mayd vnfelt, vnsein, vnknowen.

51.

Their thoughts contentment, their was harts delight

Their bankets for vnsatiat appetite

Their wisdome Conquerour whoes only sight

The Tygers tams and Lyons fearce does smit

The key of all thir weal [...]h keip't Chastitie

Whoes ornament was shamefast modestie.

51.

While this fair Iemme vpone the water lyes

With cooling streams sh [...] maks a dalleying sport

With leges and armes a thousand tricks she tryes

Toying with swimming in a seemlie sort

As Dolphins do vpone a sunnye day

On Thetis glistring back whi [...]l they wold play.

53.

The Muses that no longer could abyde

Out f [...]om their priuie a [...]boir ishew'd all

How soone this Paragon has them espyde

She smills and sporting thus to thame does call

Yow Thesphiane dams go seik some other streame

And come not neir this sacred fount for shame.

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54.

But thay (whill rage within thair brests did suall

Not virgine-lyke but bearing Tygers harts

Menassing her aloud they gan to call

We sie thow thinks to much of thy desarts

Foull Fondling does thow think thy beautie such

That thou deserus our sacred streams to touch.

55.

No, no, these Streams ar only due for vs

The dreided Imps of proud Apollos light

For since the foote of fleing Pegasus

Medusaees birth begot by Neptuns might

Let soule the rains of this sole sacred fontane

None els but we presum'd to reache this montane.

56.

Of fauors we haue showen thee great and many

And brought thee vp with cairfull paine and charge

Our presens not till now was granted any

And we indewd thee with our graces large

We that before wer sacred Muses nyne

Made thee a tenth though mortall not devyne

57.

And then they fled, this Lady for her cryme

Whom they so dasht that she as half amas'd

Sitts by the fontaine naiked all the tyme

When loe her thoughts a rose vermiliane rais'd▪

Now red now pale, her colour changed oft

She sigh'd, she grond, she qua'ik'd, & sta [...]d [...]loft.

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58.

While as the syluer stream that softly slyds

With silent noyes and sweitest murmur sounds

Such heau'nly musick throw the medowes glyds,

While rocks with rare [...]eports there noyes rebounds

That with ther Diapason so bereft her

All naked and a sleip they still had left her.

59.

Then Morpheus spred furth his sable wings

The virgine fair infolding in his armes

Rest, quyet, ease, and sweet repose he brings

Dischairging care; gre [...]f, sorow, woes, and harmes

Yet through soft sobs, deip sighs, sore grones, salt tears,

Woe, anger, care, greif, sorow, paine, appears.

60.

While as the Nymphs with angre, wrath and yre

Her name her fame, her glorie ouer waylling

Did sink her shipe (to honor that aspyre)

In seas of sweittest vi [...]gine pleasurs sayling

Extending all their malice craft, and slight,

To wrape her Sune in clouds of darkest night,

Caput. II.

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Argument.

THe Muses send Melpomine

Doune to the lowest Hell's

She meits with Night and askes the wa [...]

Which she vnto her tells

To Plutoes kingdome when she cam

She past by all the pains

At last out of her dreidfull De [...]

Alecto she constrains

1.

THer is nothing beneth the sky insearte

More moues my mynd to pitie & compassion

Then for to sie a true and vpright hearte

Wheir faith & trueth has bult hir only stati [...]

By Fortuns snar's and Enuyes craftie baits

Dispys'd, disdain'd disgrac'd with falce deceats.

2.

And whither it be kyndest pitie loe

Or duetie (which I ow all woman kynd)

[...] know not, but my hart doeth burst for woe

When harme vnto ther harmeles sexe I find

And my poore eyes Whil as I writting lay

With tears did seeme to washe the lyn's away.

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3.

Fa'r wemen should be lou'd and not envy'd

Whoes substance is so daintie pure and fyne

In Naturs triple fo [...]nace being try'd

Till all the drosse be thence remoud, and syne

That Essence pure most Angel-lyk retains

No staine, nor blot, but alwayes cleir remains.

4.

But this poore Lissa beautifull and fair

(Which beautie God did geue her as a g [...]ace)

Was by decea [...] th [...]owne doune in endles care

By Envi Slaine that monstre merciles

And suir I think whome God has g [...]ac'd with beawtie

For them he cars, to them we ought a dewtie

5.

For when he made this great and woundrous frame

Of Chaos masse that shaples lay confus'd

He tooke the purest substance of the same

And that which was most beautifull he chus'd

And theirof did he make the Angelis bright

To glorifie his name, and show his might.

6.

He made the purest substance which remaine

Vnto his blissed self a Mansione rair

Syne thrice thee Orbs, whairof the eight containd

Bright shyning starr's, and seu'n the Planets fair

Nixt placd the Fyre because n beautie next,

Syne Aer, then Water, last the Earthe he fix [...],

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7.

Earthe then we sie the d [...]osse of all things yit

Which this great Architector singling furth

By his g [...]eat migt and all for seing witt

Is lowest plac'd according to her worth

But that which was most beautifull and pure

Eune next vnto him self he placed sure.

8.

And then that Alcreator did ordaine

Eache thing according to their substance pure

To bring furthe fruit this all to intertane

Which by his powre he caused to indure

Nor tyme, nor age, nor restles moueing, may

Destroy confound, or weir, or make decay.

9.

First then the Heav'ns (as haueing most of bewtie

Brought furthe the starr's, the Moone, the Suns great light

And aer (conmmanded next to do his dewetie)

Brought furthe all sorts of fouls with fe [...]h [...]ed flight

Water brought furth all sort of fishe anone

The Earthe brought furthe all beasts that leiue theiron [...]

10.

As heauns are of the fynest substance lo

So are the starr's most beautifull most cleir

But cheiflye Planets seuin theirin doeth show

Gods powr'full migh [...] (werin doeth well appeir)

He geus them rewll, might, ve [...]tue, pow're & strength

Our fouls, fishe, beasts, tries, herbs, & men at length.

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11.

And thus we sie eache creatuere furthe doth bring

(According to its essence) ill or g'oode

The aer breids foules, in water fishes springe,

Herbs tries▪ and li [...]ing beasts ar Ear [...]hs grosse broode

Yea eur [...]e thing ( [...]c [...]o [...]ding to h [...]s kynd)

Ill fauor'd foule, fair, shynninge, clear, we fynd

12.

Altho it pleas'd heigh Ioue from heaune discend

Fraill man [...]o make of ea [...]th of d [...]osse, of clay,

Most fair of all ou'rall to haue command

For him, all made to h [...]m, all s [...]o [...]ld ob [...]y

Then man should tha [...]k him prase him, pray him still

To love, to blesse, and to fo [...]sie his ill.

13.

Yea lyke to his owne Image man he maks

In which he shews his loue and eak his might

But these to whom most beautie he betaks

These maks he lykest to his Image bright

Wherefore to [...]hese we owe g [...]eat loue, & dewt [...]

Remembring God the fontane of all bewtie

14.

For why when this great God made all things first

To beute did he giue the heighest place

Becaus it was the substance worthiest

Of the aspect of his most glorious, face

Then whoso eu'with beautie is indewd

Them shuold we loue, as through Gods loue renued.

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15

And if so be in Chaos mas confus'd

Sum say their was no l [...]ght nor beautie fair

But God th [...] fontane of all light) infus'd

Such be [...]eo [...]s light in all his creturs rare

Then vnto whom he beautie geues, to those

His grace, hi [...] goodnes, and his loue he shoes

16.

Yea in my simple iudgement this I th [...]nk

Ou'r beautie God has [...]y a speciall caire

So that with Lucifer they do not shrink

Away frome grace and th [...]nk them selfs too fair

But with meik my [...]ds vpon his holy mo [...]tane

Giue God the praue whos of all beautie fontane

17.

But o my Muse too heighe thow seem;'s to flie

Thy wings ar lag'd with vapos dull and g [...]osse

That which thou sing's is too too heigh for thee

More meit fo [...] pregnant witt's and learnings force

Turne back, least thou repent thy self, advyse,

Wade not too deep in Gods heigh miste [...]yes

18.

Turne to thy sacred sisters with thy quill

Fo [...] to ad [...]y [...]e with them what must be doone

W [...]h Lissa fair, whoes beautie works her ill

For lo Melpomene they do inioyne

To bring Alecto frome her dreidfull den

Who blood, and warre, and mu [...]her maks on men.

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19.

Melpomene made way throw empty aer

And through the wattrie empyrs wyde and deip

Through darkest hollow caues she did repair

And trough he bowell▪ of the Earth did [...]reip▪

And low where light of day did neue [...] shyne

Nor Phoebus show his euerlasting shryne,

20.

Wheir Cynthia does steip in siluer dew

Her neue [...] cheirfull, euer d [...]ouping light

In Thetis watrie bed whoes a zur hew

Her lustre showes in blak ete [...]nall [...]ight

Through fearfull, soath fume, foull, & filthie fenns,

Throgh foggie smook, throgh dark, & dreadfull dens,

21.

She haueing past frome Phoebus cheirfull light

Came to a R [...]gione of eternall darknes

The habitation of the dun kishe Night

It wes indeid, so fearfull was the ma [...]knes

She meitts that greislye Hagge with visage sadd

Who was into a cole blak mantle cladd.

22.

And sat into a chariot pitchie blak

Four ieatblack steids that braith'd dark clouds of smook

W [...]th ramping noyes made all their harnei [...] crak

With braying all the solid earth the, shooke

This vnaquainted brightnes when they saw

Their Mistres doune to hell they seem'd to draw.

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23.

At [...]a [...]t the Muse so oft aloud did call

That vglie Night out of ther chariott looks

She sayes most dreidfull Dame so feard of all

Melpomene that tragi [...]k sadnes brooks

Wold know thy w [...]yes, da [...]k paths, & fearfull get [...]

That doune to Plutoes loathsum kingdome lets.

24.

The aged Hagg, with furious rage thus spake

With gostly sp [...]eche and dreidfull countenance

Thow Imp of my old foe who seiks my wrack,

Why trubles thow my Regions with thy glance

Lo wheir fyre smook and sulphur doe aryse

In younder denne of thow dar enterpryse.

25.

The greisly gulf of deip Auernus holle

Aboue the which my mantle black is spred

About the which a fearfull laick doth rolle

Doune throw that flamming gulf thow must be led

Wheir neuer yit did enter any wight

But feirce Aneas and Sibilla bright.

26.

Eune that same way the sacred Muse is gone

The smook and sulphur ceast their restles flame

And doune to Plutoes court she goes anone

The brasin getts burst oppen when she came

At ther bright looks and at her beautie [...] g [...]nee

Feinds spirits and Ghosts fell in a hellische traunce.

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27.

Ou'r Acheron she past the bitter waues

(Wheir damned souls with sh [...]iling skre [...]ks lament)

To Flegithone with fy [...]e floods that shewes

The tort [...]ng torment of that element

Wheir Sinners nought but desperatione gains

And thou sand thou sands of eternall pains

28.

At Plutos gate was dreidfull Cerberus

With thrie wyid oppin hollow throats deuoring

And curled hair of sna [...]ks, most venemous

Gnawing blood, fleshe, and bones with fearfull roring

But her deuyne, and Sune-shyne beauties such

Hells porter dar's not once her vesture tutch.

29.

Straight to the house of endles paine she goes

Inuiround with that fyrie flamminge floode

Th [...]t Phlegithone whoes fearfull laick furth throes

A filthie smook out belshing labberd blood

Tisiphone the keipar heght to name

Mother of murther, Sinn deceat, and shame

30.

Ther did the rout of loathsum Harpyis roar

Th [...]r Sillaes sound, their seuine moth't Hydras houling,

Their Serpents hisse their greisly Gorgons hoar

Their Centaur's, Sphinges, fearefull Chymers rouling,

All those and many thousand Monsters more

Wher set one burning thrones their Prince before

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31.

Their wofull wailing wretches to [...]'d with pains

With ghostlie grones with ouglie yeling sounds

With har [...]k and jangling noyes of irone chains

Whoes clamors, cryes, and shouts throu hell redounds

Those monstres trampling were in da [...]ksum shed

That horror, dred, fear, death, & terrour bred

32.

Their Sulmon crauling was in endles paine

For counterfitting thundreflaught & fyre

Their Titius (darling of the earth) was flaine

A Vulter feidding one his filthie lyre

Their was the wheill Ixion turning still

For daring tempt heaun's Queine to lechrous ill.

33.

Their Tisiphus disioynted one a rack

Their Theseus to endles slouth condem'd

Their fyf [...]ie Sisters drawing water wrack

And yet their vessels emp [...]ie [...]till vnstem'd

Thair Tantalus with thrist, and hunger slaine

Sees meat and drinck yet nether could he gaine

34.

At last a foull and filthie sink she sees

Wheir fyre and brimstone pitche and tar were smooking

Whoes deipnes dyu'd as far beneth the seas

As it was vp to heaune from thence in looking

Aboue this sink a dragone still repears

Whoes monstrous bodie feftie h [...]ids vprairs.

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35.

Doune in this fearfull smook and filthie hole

Wer Titans broode and Earths fearce childring thrust

That in their bloodie raige did restles roll

In their owne blood whill sulphur smook them burst

Tiphon and all the Gyants warr's that maid

Against the Gods were their by lightning led.

36.

While in this hollow pitt they do remaine

They thunder furthe [...]uch fearfull roaring erye

Confu [...]dly iarring in their endles paine

Their bodies hudge in flamms still [...]osting lye

Which send a stinking smook furth with the cry

That much amazd the Muse in passing by.

37.

At last she came vnto a dreidfull caue

Wher Furies furthe send many fearfull eryes

Their Pryd attended on by wraith as Slaue

Their Madnes that on wraith had fixd her eyes

Their Envy fals one, Vertue still was railling

And their Dispair her owne hairt furth was trailling

38.

Their Rage did rune her heid against the wall

And their despight satt gnawing of her fingers

Their was the thrie commanders of them all

Wofull because the Earth from miseheif lingers

Alecto, Tisiphon, Megera their

Who work mischeif, plague, famin, bloode, & weir.

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39.

The Muse Alecto furth she calls in ha'st

And said I pray the pas vnto Achay

Wheir is the Virgine fair Laissa plac'd

And work her wrak her ruine her decay

She's daugh [...]er too the great Achaian King

And has defyld our fair caballean spring.

40.

This When the Muse hade said she did returne

Th [...]o [...]w sh [...]dow [...] dimme of dark and glomie night

Vp to her Sisters who wi [...]h anger burne

Till wrought was all their veangeance their despigh [...]

On Lissa fair whom beautie hade in keiping

Who all this whyle lay by the fontane sleiping

Caput. III.

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A [...]gument.

Alecto moues Achaias Prince

Fair Helicon to vew

Butt Man say of the flamming rock

Forbids his iornay new

When vnto Helicon he cam

Laissa he espyes

Whom he for Sister does not know

And wold with loue surpryse.

1.

MElpomene now gone, the furie streight

Directs her course vp to the [...]igh [...] of d [...]y

Deuysing what way best to f [...]ame this slight

And so be [...]hinks her on a strainge essay

A sl [...]ght, a fal [...]d and a curs'd [...]euenge

A creweltie, a pl [...]gue, that seemeth strainge

2.

And thus it was the for said Phedro had

A lau full Sone Phelarnon cald by name

Whos prais and mere [...]ts was so lairg [...]y spred

His father ioyid of such a Galants fame

Alecto him from rests hey tour broght doune

To search for honour and to find renoune.

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3.

When lazie night with sable wings ou'r-spread

The cristall sphers, and dim'd th [...] azure Light

Sleip b [...]ried men in rest from labo [...] fred

In Sleip Phelarnon sies ane Angell bright

To him appei [...] and hi [...] waik [...]i [...]e torm [...]nted

With vision strange at last those words presented

4.

Fair Prince as Nature has ordaind the strong

Of goode proportioune with a verteous mynd

Yea of thy Martiall self must be the song

Of after liuing Poëts as we fynd

Nature in the those gifts has no wayes shown [...]

To burie them vnto the world vnknowne

5.

Who so wold win renoune he thus proeeids

Vp to the throne or Theatre of glorie

The first rewarde of heigh and noble deids

Must be to act the deid (Whos endles storie)

shall be reueiu'd with neuer dyng Fame

In Tyms steill books to etermize thy nam [...]

6.

Yea verteous woorth but glorie can not be

Glorie on Vertue waits wheir ere she goes

(Evne as thy shaddw followes still on thee)

And all Her deids to endles Fame she showes

Thus his desyre, his mynd▪ his will, and all

She fram'd to worke his wrak, his death his fall

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7.

Lastlie with flattrie thus the feind essayes

Braue Youth begot of royall race and bi [...]th

How spends thou so into obscure thy dayes;

This stains thy valour and thy woundrous woorth

Go then to Parnass ment extoll thy name

With vertue, wounder, vadour, glorie fame

8.

For know Par [...]assus mightie mont retains

That which should raise thy glorie to the skyes

So fates decreis and so the Heauens ordains

Heighe [...]oue the wills from sluggish rest to ryes

This said to shaples aershe takes her flight

But left his hart impoyson'd with her slight

9.

For whill she spak his spreit she did in spyre

With hote desyre of hono [...] glorie fame

He wa'k't, he Blush't, h [...]s eyes did flamm with fyre

Whill strengthe & cour [...]ge stroaue with slouth & shame

Her stronge and venom'd word's suche vertue had

They Hope, desyre, strength, courage, valour bred.

10.

And by this tyme fair Phoebus ishewing out

Did beautifie with brightnes of his beams

Fair Leucotheas forehe [...]d round about

Rysing aboue the wauie Oceane stream's

Athon, and Phlegon trampling clouds that powrs

Melted by fyre b [...]eath in siluer showr's.

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11.

Getting a tincture to the Spiders wheb's

Waueing aboue dame Floras fragrant poses

Vpon sweit smel [...]ing birkes and tender sh [...]ob's

Greine lea [...]es and prickies of vermiliane [...]oses

Whill Aeoll breath [...], their prettie tops dec [...]yning

They daunce, they glance, they smyl on Phoebus shyning

12.

Not only heir alone fair Phoebus shaw's

One Neptuns glassie glist [...]ing back he playe [...]

Vpon whoes restles neuer ceassing waues

He combs his crispe irradiant heir whoes rayes

Wold seeme to set the hiest h [...]avns on fyre

Whill in our Hemispere is his empyte.

13

But suddenlie to darknes turn'd the day

From skye [...] heaune th [...]eatned earthe with roaring thunder

That man and beast and feinds in hell affray

Heauens fyre did seeme to tear the earthe a sunder

Which of this Monarches fall did warning make

Of death, of bloode, of ruine, and of wrake

14.

Ah flattrie wyld and most pernicious

The mask of malice mouer of mi [...]cheif

The Father old of lies most vitious

The Nurse of falshood, and the ground of greif

The fall of kingdomes, Princes▪ and e [...]tates

The cause of murther, sinck, of all deceat's

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15.

The map or purtrat of Hypocresie

Vsurping once the office of a f [...]eind

Thou beirs the name a [...]d voyce so cunninglie

As if the knott of freindship wer combin'd

In the, (while lyik a Slaue thouw serues the will)

Yet fram's desyre to the desing's of ill.

16.

Thus vnto man a Slaue thou seem's to be

And yet thou still obtains [...]he masters hyre

Tho art Conquerour of womens chastitie

And ou'r their Sex thow beirs a proud empyre

The sharpe rebuk's of freinds ar better far

Nor suggred words of anie flatterer

17.

As cunning Foullers drawes (with craftie [...]light)

The fouls into the traine for theme deuysd

Or fishe [...]s that allures the fishe by sight

Of bai [...] which pray has them to death entys'd

So flat [...]ie leids a man to his owne fall

His shame, his wrack, his death disgrace, and all

18.

As Syrens doe (with sweetest sounding songs)

Enchau [...]t the Sea-mans hart his ears, his eis.

That them to heare ay more & more he longs

Thi [...]her di [...]ect'd his winged vessel flies.

T [...]ll shee is clift vpon [...]he craggie shore

And then the monstre does the man deuoure.

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19.

So Sycophants allures thy mynd and thence

In flamm's desyre when from their lip's does flow

Stream's riuers floods nay sea's of eloquenee.

That drouns the Senses with a pleasant show

Of all delight yet proues deceat and pain

Which heir is shown'e by falce Alectos train:

20.

Whoes fyre in flam'd the braue Phelarnon's mynd

That [...]phero [...]e to vew Parnaessus montane

And from his fathers court (insecreir kynd)

He stole vnsein to sie the sacred fontane

While by the way his hope, his hairt, his thought

For praise, woorth, valour, and renoune, they sought

21.

While he drew neir the mount he stoode to wonder

The earthe begone to tremble quack and rapp

As if it would haue rent and brust a sunder

With trembling noyes lyik to a thunder clapp

At last he on a fearfull flamme did look

Cum frome a caue enrold in clouds of smook.

22.

He (whoes vndanted spright nought could effray)

To know this strange aduenture wold draw neir

Frome out the flamme he hard a voyce to say

Ah wofull Prince Phelarnon back reteir

Death the abyds vpone, Parnassus montane

If thow approache too neir the sacred fontane

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23.

He stoode as one amaz'd to heir his name

So cald vpon, by Whome he could not know [...]

At last as one awakned frome a dreame

He sayd what ghost so er'e thou be but show

Thy name, & why thou threattins me with death

Their of no sign's appeir, I liue I breath.

24.

The voice agane made answer to the Prince

My name is Mansay of the flamming rock

That in the bowel's of the earth far hence

(By magick spell▪) foresaw thy fatall chok

For this heaune threatning mont whoes streams falls doun

Conteins thy wrack and ruine of thy croune.

25.

Wheir fore flie back and leaue thy fond conceat

Mar not thy mynd with suche a frantick storie

Lea [...]ne for to eternize thy endles deate

In anti [...]que roll's of fame with Ma [...]tiall glorie

Leaue to the Muses their diuorc'd empyre

Be not ou'r cum with loues alluring fyre

26.

And thus fairweel new visions calls me henee

At those his words the Prince amazed stands

He neids wold now returne but no d [...]fence

Was left Alectos flattrie him commands

To go and sett all dastard fear a pai [...]t

It is not words but deids that kills the hairt

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27.

This was Laissas brother certanlie

Achaias king of children hade no more

For all men deem'd Laissa for to be

Dround by Kalander as ye harde before

Alecto (that foull feind the Prince,) has led

Of Lissa fair to be enamoured.

28.

And so resolud he mounted vp so hye

That by this t [...]me the chariot of the Sune

Had neir hand reacht the top of all the skye

From whoes reflex all creaturs doeth shune

Them selfs; and so he sies a groue of tries

Whoes loftie tops did seeme to threat the skies.

29.

Wheirto Phelarnon hastelie did goe

They promeist aide the heat for to with stand

Wheir Sommers blossomes made a seemlie show

So thick that heat nor cold no [...]ntraunce fand

Whose smell a swit ambrosiall odour throues

Furth throuw the plains the medowes & the groue [...].

30.

He much admeird those tries so straight & fyne

The Cedar Elme, and Oak, the Ciprus fair

The Esp, the Esh, the Popler, and the Pyne

The Lourell, Ew, the Raintrie, Willow rair

The Birk, the, Olyue, Sallow, and the Mirrhe

The Mazer, Beitche, the Birsell, and the Firre.

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31.

There was he led throuw Naturs woundrous store

Whill chi [...]ming birds did toune their chanting lay's

Vnto a syluer brook that sweetlie rore

Whoes murmur on the trembling Pebles play's

Their roaring musick Echo ba [...]k [...]e [...]ou [...]ds

From hollow caues, heigh rock's, & whisling wind [...]

32.

And whil he trauel'd throuw these path's vnknown [...]

He suddanlie was [...]avish'd with delight

Of ane fai [...] L [...]die who to him wa [...] showne

All naked [...]aife her smo [...]k, and sleipping streght

Beautie wold neids triumphe & loue should wond [...]

Loue bred delight, and courious sight bred wondes

33.

Her armes owt' croce her comely brest that hing [...]

As if th [...]y wold defend i [...] frome [...]ssault

Of frantick Loue who wi [...]h displayed wings

A bo [...]e her in the are was finding falt

That Ioue sutch sacred treasur would pas by

Whome Iuno skarce could keip aboue the sky.

34.

Her long small hands as lillis whitte did seem [...]

To ioy for being amorous eache of other

Their soft embracements sweit they did esteem [...]

Whill as their fingers link't in pair's together

Her yourie monts (to whose aspyring top's

Blew asure conducts drew sweit Nectar drop's)

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35.

Humbled them self vnto her corall lipps

Who in their pretious purple painting dye

Tuo rainge of orie [...]tiall pe [...]le eclipse

From wounding sight of peirsing mortall eye

Wh [...]t carles sleip neglect's by cur [...]o [...]s chance

In ordour lye her beautie to aduance.

36.

Her muskie b [...]ea [...]h still mounting in the skie

Whose smook ly [...]k [...]weit perfume infects the air

Her deip [...]nd hollow throat continually

Se [...]d [...] furth a dulce and dolful [...] sound of care

Wheir w [...]th [...]um skalding sighes wer interlynd▪

Whoes munti [...]g shew the so [...]ow of her mynd.

37.

Her daintie limbs wer shed with flourie knop's

Who loath to part f [...]om [...]ueh a galant pr [...]y

Made leauie mant [...]es of their lof [...]ie top's

To hyde her daintie skine f [...]om heat of day

A [...]d flo [...]sht fairer then they did before

Prouyding crouns and garlands for her glore.

38.

Evn'e as the Lyzard through the flourie grase

Beholds a mans fair [...]isage w [...]ill he sleip

Thither in h [...]ist sh [...] craull's with speedie pase

And of her b [...]ood her kendlinges, taks no keip.

Sh [...] lyes she [...]ooks, she loues, and taks delight

To sie his face, and surfeit one the sight

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39.

So whill the Prince beheld the sleiping Mayde

The beautie of her louely countenance

Delight, loue, wounder, and amazement bred

He stoode he stear'd he gaiz'd at eury glance

He blush'd; to looke wheir touche (no looks) haue part

Yet lookd, till looks in lust, hade droun'd his hart

40.

Whill carles sleip thus naked had her left

Left was the Prince in wounder, loue, delight.

Delight his hart out throuw his eyes had reft

Reft wi [...]h each looke each thought each glāce each sight

Sight wounder, loue delight, amaizment breidinge

Hope, passione, heat, desyre one lust still feiding.

41.

At last resolulid with silent noyes drew neir

To act this furious wofull tragedie

[...]ot knowing tha [...] it was his Sister deir

Whom he wold now bereaue of chastitie

But o he feird that heauen's reuenging flame

Wold plague him if he wrong'd that Virgine Dame.

42.

And now he back reteirs with silent pace

And shrouds him in a shaddow groue frome sight

Wheir he might still behold her loulie face

Whill she awaking frome a trubled spright

With sobs, with sighes, with grones, with tears she sayes

[...]h hauen's too long your justest vengeance stayes.

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43.

But shameing' thus to sie her self so bare

She drawes her to her gramends neir hand bye

And being cled she seemed thryce so fair

That dimd the sight of any mortall eye

None might abyd her blazing starr's bright glance

Which back reuerberats their radiance,

44.

Not muche vnlyk Apollos goldin light

You first his drousie eyes may weel espy

When he from wattie Thetis taks his flight

And first begins to mount the azure sky

But whane on tope of hiest heauen's he stands

No ey his ey, no looke his looke, with stands,

45.

Eu'ne so whill she did sleip he might descry

The louelines and lustre of her face

But being wakned now her cheirfull ey

Furth throwes his spangling reyes in euery place

Whose peircing glance with flamming hote desyre

Threw lightnings furth, and set the skyes on fyre

46.

The Prince Phelarnon byds no longer sight

But goes vnto the fontane by and by

She that had neuer seine ane armed Knight

(Before that tyme) geue out a fearfull cry

And fled he praes'd with flattring praise to p [...]oue her

She knew no loue, no flattrie then could moue her.

Caput. IIII.

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Argument.

Feirce Tropalance of Datia

And Prince Phelarnon feght

Laissa and they beth enchanted

Ar by Mansay's might

Great Sigismund ane armie brings

Achaias to invade

He vanquisht them and causd them seik

To Thessaly for ayde

1.

THat griesly chyld of darknes and of Hell

Who had so well accomplisht her desyre

Her poyson [...]n Phelarnons breist did swell

And q [...]yt for to cōsume him with that fyre

An othe Prince at thi [...] sam ime she b [...]o [...]ght

Who for the [...]yke desy [...]e of glory sought.

2.

This other Prince whome she had brought apace

Wa [...] w [...]lking throuw th [...]se groues and did espy

Laissa who manteind her fearfull chace

While as h [...] thought her beautie dim'd the [...]ky

This Knight was Sone vnto the Datian Prince

And heght to name the mightie Tropol [...]nce

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3.

Who come [...]he fontane Helicon to vew

Wh [...]e n [...]me so much throghout the world was known

B [...]t seing th [...]s fair Lady to eschew

A Knight that to him now his eyes had shown

Or him to m [...]k a conq [...]e [...]t then with speid

He breath'd furth war [...] with terrour & with dreid▪

4.

The Prince was loath to pairt from such a pray

And preast to shun [...] this Knight but all in vaine

He lighted doune and stoutlye bad him stay

Fur [...]h drawes the blad, had many thousand slaine

Wheirwi [...]h lyke lightning dints, and blasts of [...]hunder.

His stroaks bred paine, paine raige, and raige b [...]ed wonder.

5.

For lo his arme this brand hade raizd on hie

And gaue the Prince vpone [...]he armed creist

So hudge and heauie blowes that now weel nie

He maid his b [...]ai [...]h forsake his panting breist

The Prince almost now braith [...]es fearclie c [...]yits

Fals miscreant thow deirlie shall abyitt.

6.

And [...]hen his murdring blade did fearcely draw

Ad ga [...]n [...] the Paganes b [...]eist a thrust he sent

Wh [...]ch made him reill [...]hat it appeird (in shew)

Hi [...] cursed lyfe out of her lodge was rent

His shoulder blade receau'd so deip a wound

He gro [...]eling fell with bloodie goir to ground.

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7.

The Prince past by and followed one his loue

His loue, his Sister, and his vnknowne freind

The Pagaine cursed all the Gods aboue

And sweir he was sum feirce infernall feind

And yit in this his raige he followed fast

Till of the Prince he got a sight at last.

8.

Who now hade gote Laissa in his armes

And with myld words hade pacified her fear

The which to Tropolance bred greatter harmes

Then when he did his fleshe and armour tear

Her looks he thinks vnto his loue consents

Wheirby his courage tuentie fold augments.

9.

Now wraith in him began to raige and swell

And thus [...]e said fy turne thy feble face

Leaue that fair Lady and defend thy self

Lo dreidfull death abyds the to emb [...]ace

Wheirwith he strak and peared the Princes syd

With strength, the blaid for bloode maid antres wyd.

10.

Then from Phelarnon stream'd a luk-warme flood

With purple goir that dyed the grassie ground

Whill as the Pagane spy'd the streaming blood

The victorie he thought he surelie found

But as a Lyone moud to raige and wraith.

That teirs his prey with bloodie pawes to deith.

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11.

So now the Prince delt deildlie dints and blowes

That nether armes nor sheild might them withhold

Like haill and thundre thousand stroakes he throwes

At last a stroak he gaue with courage bold

This Pagaines breist with this his mightie hand

Gaue way vnto the lyff reuenging brand

12.

Eune as a mightie Cedar (cutt be-low

By sharpned aix (falls trembling to the ground

So fell the mightie Tropolance althow

Reuenge, raige, furie, stroue with fats last wound

And as dry woode when fy [...]e has spent the same

At his last death sends furth the brightest flame.

13.

So he (thogh dead in strength) with angrie pryd

And curs'd reuenge renew'd his deing force

The courteus P [...]ince Phelarnon step'd a syd

No hurt he profer'd but with myld remorce

Requird him yeild, who in his dying smart

Sheathed his poinyeard in the Prince his hairt.

14

This was the sorow of Achaians all

This was the wrak and ruine of their croune

This was the ground and causer of their fall

This was the deith that dang their Phedro doune

This brought great Sigismund from out his soyle

With many thousand Datians to their spoyle.

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15.

But lo the graue magiciane Mansay knew

The fatall end of those tuo princelie Kn [...]gh [...]s

Thus in a da [...]k blak cloud of fearfull h [...]w

He brought them to his caue with hel [...]she [...]prights

Wheir yeat as then they gaspe their lattest breath

And dies in paine yet leiues in endles death.

16.

[...]he fair Laissa he has th [...]ir also

En [...]han [...]ed still in her amaized moode

B [...]cau [...] she was [...]he ground of all thi [...] woe

Whylls b [...]nt [...]n flam [...]'s & whyls shes d [...]ound in bloode

That Hell it self no greatter burthene beirs

Paine, raige, and greif, h [...]r hai [...]t in peices teirs

17.

Now Fame began her fether footed race

By manie lands and seas she tooke he [...] flight

At last (to rest her swift and speedie pac [...])

In Datia land at cour [...] she doune did light

And in the ears of mightie Sigismound

Those wo full newes she wofullie did sound.

18.

How that his deirest Sone dier Tropolance

Achaians Prince hade now beref [...] [...]fly [...]e

And [...]hat into a Ladyes fa [...] defence

He b [...]au [...]li [...] died in tha [...] co [...]ragious stryfe

Then plag [...]e on p [...]ague the Tyran [...] ear's confoundit

P [...]yd, angre, [...]aige, reueng, blood, mu [...]ther, so [...]n [...]i [...].

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19.

Reuenge proceids of iniurie by right

A Passione th [...]t fraile man tormenteth much

It gnawe [...] the hart with torment [...] of despight

By day and e [...]ke by night molesting such

As ar [...] offendit thus iniust it proues.

For the offendar nought at all it moues.

20.

Sum in reuenge does alwayes use to kill

But that is crewell rage and meir despight

For he [...]hat would reuenge must haue the skill

To haue a kynd of pleasur and delyht

That the re [...]eng'd may feill with sh [...]me and pain [...]

The weyght of the Reuengers w [...]ath and gaine.

21.

But Sigismund (of whom we now shall treat)

Vs'd only crewell rage and not reuenge

Most vitious and detestable deceat

Most filthie barbarous and yet more strange

A fear, a beastlines, a brut [...]she passione,

An euill of euills, past all imaginatione.

22.

A passione which with wemen doeth endur [...]

And oftentym's has by that Sex bene vs'd

And also by the Vulgare being sure

Of stronger backs, o [...] cowards that has chus'd

The weaker contrare partie for their fo

And therupon theire courage most they show.

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23.

But lo the braue and mightie mynds (we sie)

(Wheir valour dueells) their strength does exerceize

Against the strong resisting enemie

And those whose deids their fame does eterneize

Whome they no soonner to their mercie gett

But pitie does their crueltie abett.

24.

Such pitie us'd not Sigismund who sweir

To mak the Earth with Graecians blood so drunck

That all the world yea heaune it self should heir

The iust reuenge of his deir Sunnes deid trunck

Thus soone he rais'd ane armie void of fear

Whoes stomacks stout breath'd furth reuenge & wea [...]

25▪

This Sigismund a mightie Pagane strong

The scepter held of many mightie land

Which he by right of warre or rather wrong

Most Tyranelyk did keip into his hand

Who with this armie great to Greece did goe

And tour's, and strengths, and touns, did ouerthroe.

26.

And comeing to Achaia at the last

King Phedro old his furie to with stand

An armie did conuein whei [...] whi [...]h he past

And mett him on the bordours of the land

But this proud Pagan (with his multitude)

Gott victorie with too much Christiane blood.

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27.

Twyce efter this the Paganes furious wrath

Reuengd too well his ding sones deir blood

Whole feftie thousand he did bring to death

With fyftiene Princes of the royall brood

Their King at last him self in Thebs inclos'd

When Princes, lords, and commons all wer los'd.

28.

Whom Sigismund incompast round about

With wrath, with pryd, with iniurie and wrong

He swoor that citie sould not hold him out

Tho't wer as Troy as great a fair as strong

But he wold mack irt equall with the plaine

And theirof should no memorie remaine.

29.

But Phedro old his threatninges to preuent

(Fearing his wra [...]k his ruine and his fall)

Andromadan Embassadour he sent

In Thessalie, releif help, ayde, to call

Andromodan a great Achaian lord

Whome valour, woorthe, & vertue much decoird,

Caput. V.

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Arg [...]ment.

PEenardo Prince of Thessalye

Is heir vnto yow showne

Whoes buried deids so long in graue

Shall to the world be knowne

Achaias great Embassadour

Requyrs Thessalia [...]e ayde

The wich is granted and anone

For warre prouisione made.

1.

INto the mightie land of Thessalye

Their regn'd a King that Grodane heght to name

By mightie force he conquerd Arabie

Throw Greciane land so famous grew his fame

Earthes terrour, Europs tour, and Africks woe

Bulwark of freends, and buriell of his foe.

2.

This Grodane had to wyfe a noble Dame

That Sister wes vnto the Spanishe King

Whoes lyfe gouernd with [...]uch a spotles name

O [...]d f [...]me throw emptie ae [...] this song did sing

Th [...]y [...] happie Prince of Iasons lyne that regn's

And to the world an other Iason breng's.

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3.

Those tuo wer lou'd with such a lust regarid

She lou'd, he feird, she praisd, and he renound

The famous citie Eregon he reird

And built the princelie Palace Pitemuond

And their hi's royall court he intertain'd,

Million's of knights and Ladyes their remaind.

4.

He had no children but a Sone alone

Whoes beautie and proportione of his face

Bewrayd his royall Progenie anone

His persone Princelye and his comelie grace

Most rair, most wyse, most valorous, most fair

Most lou'd, most loath'd, still croc'd, with Fortuns sna [...].

5.

Penardo cald the obiect of disdain

The skorne of loue, the monument of lothe

The mirrour of mischeif, the map of paine,

The marck of daunger, and the mold of wrath

The Seat of sorrow, and the tombe of care

The winges of wrack, the Burtio of dispair.

6.

Yet was he well traind vp in feart's of armes

Tilt's, turnayes, and all war-lyk exercise

Whoes braue vndanted Spright espyes no harmes

Whoes mightie force his fame doeth eternize

So lou'd of all, and yet that all so feird him

That Heaune, and Earth, & Hell, to much admird him.

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7.

And had his grand-Syre (Iason valorous)

Bein now alyue he hade not cron'd the Maine

For that his dangling tresses pretious

Surmunts the goldin fleece whiche he did gaine

His looks, his gesture, and his countenance

Would chaistest Phoebe moue to dalliance

8.

Dame Nature followed him with sad laments

Compleining of her treasurs emptie coffers

Proportioune beautie vertues excrements

Was left to her and cheirfullie she offers

To quyt all those if he would proue so kynd

To runder back perfections of they mynd

9.

And yet sumtyme she (stairing' in his face)

Wold seeme to loue him wowing him with swyll' [...]

And proud of this her handie work whoes grace

She swoir the glorye of the gods beguyl's

And other whills complaining in a rage

She lak'd materiall's for ensueing age.

10.

Which true did proue for Nature was vndone

The earth was lost, and mankynd was forlorne

Th'ensewing ages monster's prou'd too soone

Some reasone wants some but proportione borne

Some dum, some deaf, some blind, some leam'd ar seene

Some sensles, witles, strenghtles, hartles bein.

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11.

Now whill the Earthe was rap't with admiratione

Of this fair youthe so muche admeir'd of all

(One contrarie remou'd) the confirmatione

He seem'd to haue of all that grace men call

He that in loues despight him self had showen

Yet lou'd at last and loath'd was ouerthrowen,

12.

For who can shunn his fortune or his fate

All to loues liue tho' lyfe wer but a night

Cear, traueel woe, with pleasure does debait

Greif sorow, paine, with pastyme, ioy, delight.

The truest happimes one earthe remaine

Wheir croce is mixt with confort, ioy with paine

13.

But Whil fair fame (this royall court to show

Throuw spatious Earthe and oceane took her flight

Aduentrous Knight's hade (many year's ag'oe)

Sleep't in dark silence of eternall night

Desyre of honor (to the worlds vew)

Calls furthe one Youth, deip Danger to persue,

14.

Penardo as ane Gallant would obey

Whoes braue heroick spright surpast so farre

All youths of Greece that he would oft essay

The most and best approued Knight's of warre

When tuo at once he caus'd for to effront him

They could not find the meins for to dismont him

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15.

Yet whill he sleip't at home in silent pace

Th' Embassadours come to the court in haist

Frome out Achaia whom it pleasd his grace

To entertaine with many royall feast

Who muche admeird the great magnifience

Of his fair court and of his excellence

16.

Thrie dayes wer spent in feasting or repast

When [...]hey desyr'd for to be hard of all

The King and counsell being set at last

They wer convay'd vnto a princelie hall

Yea to vnfold that costlie court so fyne

Should pas the might of such a Muse as myn [...] ▪

17.

The pillers wer of purest yuorie fram'd

With pearle and pretious stone in gold embost

Whoes glistring beam's continuall light inflamd

That sable Night her entrance their had lost

The stones to wall's their glances consecrat's

Which ritchest mantles still reuerberat's

18.

Whoes maiest [...] was staitlie to behold

For round about the walls the tapestrie

Was goodlie arace wrought with Indiane gold

With purple silk and syluer gloriouslie

So viuelie wrought vnto the humane eye

Maiestick purtreats lyuelie seemd to be▪

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19.

Their Cupid painted in his glistring pryd

His eyes wer shut, yet in his crewell fist

An goldin bow and arrowes did abyd

Wheir with he shot at randone when he list

He bends, he draw's, he shoots no shaft in vaine

He hitt's the Hart, & yet no marks remaine.

20.

Ther Ioue and their the Thebane Semale

Their jealous Iuno lyke her Nurse appeirs

And caus'd her seik that Ioue in majestie

Wold come with thundring darts & lightning fyr's

Their might you sie when he performd ye same

Her birne in heauenlie fyre & schoarcking flamme

21.

Their Leucothea. their was Phoebus bright

In sheape of old Eurimine her mother

Their Orchamus her father tacks her streght,

And eard's her quick (til Phoebus coming hither)

Vnto a lamp a starre a flamming light

He chang'd her for to chace from thence ye night

22.

Ther Mars and Venus at ther dallying sports

Their Vulcans artificiall yrone nett

Wherin he wrapt these louers, their resorts

Feir Danaes Sone whome Ioue did erst beget

Who cutts Medusa's heid and their the fontane

Wheir he had chang'd King Athlas in a montan.

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23.

Their also feghts he with the monster wyld

That persecutes the fair Andronad euer

Their Cephey and Cassiope bewayld

Their daughters hap, & yet could help her neuer

Whom thundring Ioue iniustlie their detaind

She weip't, she murnt, she sigh't, she pray'd, she plā'd

24.

All these vow might haue sein so perfectlie

That nothing els but vitall breath they wanted

Whil as they seem'd to lurk so priuely

Sum heir sum their in pairs together hanted

They seemd to blushe when curious eyes did sie them

And shrow'd their yuorie limms in fowlds to flie them

25.

So Cynthia does shrood her self frome sight

Of wearie Trauelers that wandring strayes

W [...]apt vp in darkest cloud's of silent night

Yet through thin clouds oft fhoots out syluer rayes

So seem'd they in those fowlds, to creip vn knowne

Yet shew them self vnwilling to be showen.

26.

Or as the stream's of crooked wynding brooks

Now heighe then low, now ryse, then falls againe

In darkest corners holes and priuie crooks

Will steall vnseene Yet can not skaip the maine

Each [...]umbling in hudge heap's their homage does

Compleaning on the Earths vnkynd refuse

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27.

Eune so those mantles glorious riche and rair

If strurd will alter chainge and turne in vaine

Trembling and wafting mou'd whith shaples aer

Heir low their heighe their low heir hyeghe again

Whiche maks sum portrats show & sum reteir

Sum heighe sum low and sum vnwar's appeir

28.

Those strangers stoode amazed at that sight

The King to brek their silence low did moue him

Vpon a bench of gold that graue great light

A Pale lyk heauens-starrd'd can oby aboue him

The cheifest bow'd to ground and then began

To show the King (who heght Andromadan.)

29.

O thouw most mightie Prince of Iasons race

Thou skourge of Paganes and of Persians pryd

O thow who did by mightie strength deface

Arabia foelix and the spoyls deuyd

Amongst the Souldours with a princelie mynd

Thy seruants come from far, thy help to fynd

30.

Know that we ar Archaian's mightie Prince

Of antient Greciane bloode we ar discendit

Against the Paganes we haue made defence

Our realme lost our royall blood is endit

Our King our countray kingdome croun [...] & all

Arrest and forc'd before our Foes to fall

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31,

By Sigismund great King of Datia

Of Transyluania and Moldauia Prince

Of Seruia and of Valachia

He holds the septure and the gouernance

With armies great to mak his valour knowne

Our contrey, tours, and tounes has ouerthrowne

32.

This was the caus, Ill hap our Prince let out

One day the mont Parnassus for to vew

Well arm'd he was both loftie strong and stout

Well fauord fair and of a heauenly hew

Our King Of Children had no more at all

Ther was he lost, and their our strength did fall

33.

For their he chanc'd to vew a sacred Muse

Enamourd thus he fondlie fell in loue

Pre sing her deuyne deitie to abus

Whose mynd from chaist desyrs he could not moue

By chance a Kinght arryu'd & sought withall

His paine, his greif, his lose, his death, his fall

34.

And thus they both in combat fought a space

Vntill ther fa [...] all howre approched neir

And then they both wer slaine into that place

Evne then began our woe, our wrack our care

This Kinght was Prince of Datia & was Sone

To Sigismund for him this warre begane,

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35.

When he had done in silence still he stoode

Abyding answer f [...]om the King who sayde

(In greattest ire) he wold reuenge their bloode

And willinglie wold lend his freind [...]ie ayde

Liue happic Prince (sayd thay) in whoes sweitt eyes

Wrath, terrour, dreid, reuenge, and glorie lyes.

Caput. VI.

Argument.

THe armie marches to Achai,

Encamps on Phocis plaine

Grodane seeks peace at Sigismund

Who anfwers with disdame

Boeotia stayes their garisone

For Grodans help they sue

Penardo goes to their releef

With all the Aenean crew.

1.

O Amitie the worlds onlie lyfe

Without the which this great & woundrous fram [...]

Of heaun & earth should so be wrapt in stryfe

That contrare motion's wold cōfund the same

It seem's frome mightie Ioue thow art descended

He send the doun when this great work was ended.

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2.

Of man thow art the staff and only guyde

Without the, man should walk in darkest nigh [...]

Thow art the stay, and ioy of his abyde

The worlds lamp her lanterne and her light

Of Gods elect the sacred flamme alone

Kindled in heaune before his mercies thron [...].

3.

The Nurse of true societie humane

Piller of staitts and policies for aw

Nor any els saue Tyrans the disdane

For wheir thow art their is no neid of law:

Law is a second mein deuyed to be

And serus for nought but their wheirs want of the.

4.

Trew freind ship reulls desyre and the affects

The hert, the toung, the mynd, the will, and all

But lay the yock of justice on their necks

For aw of punishment, and fear of thrall

They ar constraind their duetie for to doo

Which freind ship wold most willinglie go too.

5.

Thus Amitie the sacred flamme has beine

That fosters truethe, to duetie geuing lyfe

Whi [...]h in this following historie is s [...]ine

By Grodane who had wrapt him self in stryfe

In him true Amitie hade sole dominione

Which gaue no place to wordlie base opinione.

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6.

For lo his counsell wold this way proceid

They could not thus procur so great a foe

Except the King Heyre to Achai succeed

Great fools ar they that threatning dangers knoe

And rune but hope but help aduyse, delay

Headlongs to wrack, to ruine, to decay.

7.

This seem'd to grie with reasone but the King

Who feard not, caird not, sought not, gaine to craue

True vertue, glorye, amitie did rigne

In him who could not, should not, wold not leaue

His freinds in strait, in danger, in distress

His ayde, they sought and they should find no less.

8.

Wheirat the legatts (falling one their face)

Did weep for verie ioy before them all

And reuerentlie againe they thank his grace

And Thessaly for armes began to call

The Kings will, pleasure, and command declar'd

Bands, legions, troups, & squadrons wer prepar'd,

9.

Thus throgh the mightie land of Thessalye

Theirs nothing hard but murther, bloode, and wear

Such tumolts did aryss that presentlye [...]

All nighbour nationes gann his force to fear

Fame fil their ears eune babling fame too nimble

All feard his name, and fearing all did tremble.

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10.

So feard is Nilus proud and mightie raige

That fertill Aegipts land does ouerfloe

When by the hatcheing Crocadills presage

They know how farr the Princelie stream will goe

When ower his bancks he spreds his azure wings

All faints, all fears, all flies the force he brings.

11.

Then while the floure of Thessally repaird

Before Eregon on a pleasant plaine

Whoes panting hearts appeald their pow're prepaird

To gield their glistring armes with glorious gaine

To wrath they yeild, wrath, them to warre commands.

Wrath arm'd their heart's, their harts has arm'd their hands.

12.

This great and mightie armie was as much

One horse and foote as feftie thousand strong

Wheirof wer threttie thousand footemen such

As any was all Christiandome among

The horsemen all wer Princes, Lords, and Knights

Great wonders wrought their valours, strētghs & migh [...]

13.

In Thessaly and Aeneans did dwell

Of all the Greicks those were the most renound

In martiall featts of armes they did exeell

Their pedegre from braue Achilles found

Of those ten thousand to this warre was sent

Most braue, most stronge, most fearce, most valient,

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14.

Those guardes the persone of this mightie King

And called his Caualarie alwheir

Thus well prouyded all of euerie thing

This armie martch'd in goodlie ordour their

And being come vnto the frontiers end

Grodane his legat to the Datian send.

15.

Requiring him from such attemps to cease

And let the Graecians brook their natiue soyle

Restoiring back their cities and with peace

Depart but trouble, pillage, pray, or spoyle

And be not proud of Fortuns plesant howres

Whoes smyls ar mixt with frouns whoes sweitts with sorwes

16.

Altho his Sone Prince Tropolance was slaine

Him self too weell reueng'd his death before

For he the Prince Phelarnon kild againe

The law of armes prouyds reuenge no more

Then should he not triumphe and tyrannize

Thus in their fall, their wrack, their miseries.

17.

Eune as a staitlie ship (her foes to urge)

Furth slyds vpon the restles, rolling waw

Imperiouslye she cutts the azure surge

One Thetis back she ryds with galant shaw

But when the angrie Seas begins to roare

Waues beats her doune, that beat the waues before,

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18.

So hie vpone the tope of Fortuns wheell

Must neids be throwne doune heidlongs at a bloe

In pryd he said he wold make Grodane feell

The force of datian arms before he goe

Altho his Sone had els reuengd his death

That kingdome skair slie could suffeice his wrath.

19.

And sure (quod he) if I had knowne the platt

That Grodane made this warre to take in hand

I wold haue keipt his glorie in fo [...] that

Yea and perhaps his furie still with stand

For eune before the wall [...] of Eregone

My armie ther in armour should haue shoone.

20.

Soone after those disdain full speeches past

The armie martch'd sum tuentie leggs that so

Th [...]y being neir to Phocis at the last

Grodane direct'd ane herauld for to show

(By sound of t [...]umpet) that he wild them yeild

But they refuis'd, wheirfore he man'd the feild.

21.

When he haid laid his seige vnto the citie

His Skoutts brought in a Messinger in hast

Who prayd his Maiestie to tak some pitie

Vpon Bieotia that was lost almaist

Tuo dayes ago they slew their garysone

And maid reuolt frome wicked Sigismune.

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22.

And lo of Transyluania the Prince

(Cald strong Phelaston) comes to raze their w [...]ll

And kill them selfs, their, Enfants but defence

Leaueing no memorie of them at all,

This Prince indeid of all the Pagane camps

Was most renound and feard for braue attemp [...] ▪

23.

Of manly courage stout of body strong

Bold was his hart and valorous his hand

Crewell his mind enuyous full of wrong

Disdaine, pryde, raige, yea furie in him fand

A duelling sitt (and last to show him right)

Feareles of God, cairles of hells despight.

24.

Wheirfore Penardo neids wold show him sel [...]

And falling one his kneis before his Syre

Desyr'd that he might haue the chairge to quell

The furie of that princelie Paganes ire

His trembling voice, pale face, and fyrie breath

Showes his true valour and his furious wrath

25.

So does a gentle Lyon meik and myld

(For Princes pleasour team'd with teacher true)

If mou'd to raige and wrath he growes so wyld

His wonted courage in his breist renew

His taill he lifts a loft and [...]uffs his heir.

Shoots surth his flamming toung, & pawes to teare.

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26.

Loath was his father he should vndergoe

So greatt a charge in these his tender yeirs

Yet knowing courage did his breist ore floe

In him strength, might, and valour weell appeirs

Whoes sune of glorie can no cloud ow'r vaill

Whoes day no night, nor darknes, may assayle.

27

To him he gaue this great and mightie charge

And with him sent three Princes stout and bold

Whoes name fame, praise, worth, valor shall at large

Be showen aboue the notherne starr' enrold

And with him went those warrelyk Aenean bands

Terror of earth, and strength and Graeciane lands.

Caput. VII.

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Argument.

PEnardo's ayde is cum to lat

The toun is set on fyre

He followes on the Enemie

Revenge is his desyre

A visione in his sleip appeirs

The whiche he does declear

Beneth Apollo's altar, He

Hes found an armour fair

1.

AMbitioune is a passioune woundrous strong

Of noble courage and of mightie force

Whiche captive leads all g [...]alant spreits along

And euen the strongest passions does enfor [...]e

Yea loue it self whiche seemeth to contend

Yet oft ambitione victor proues in end.

2.

Ambitione is an flamme that burns the mynd

With endles drouth still thristing efter glorye

A blind excessiue gredine [...] (of kynd)

To be imbost in tym's eternall storie

Still hunting after greatnes that we sie

Ambitione neuer satisfied to be.

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3.

Ambition heigh is no [...] a Passione feat

For baseborne brain's, or wordlie small attemp's

Renoune and glorie stoups not to such bait

Those ar not capable but ar contemp's

For proud ambi [...]oune beats & casts them doune

Whill as they se [...]k praise, glory, and renoune.

4.

Ambitione after gaine does not persue

Nor actions reapping profeit does it cair

But ay wheir dreidfull danger does ensu

Difficult strainge vnusuall and rare

Eu'ne there, ambitione hunts for glorie eue [...]

For base and wordlie gaine it caireth neuer.

5.

This passione Prince Penardo did bereaue

Of whom we write this following historie

Who thirsting after honor seem'd to leaue

A famous name in Glorious memorie

In him ambitione, crewell warre susteind

Gainst loue, and famous victorie obtaind

6.

Who as we said rece [...]'d that armie small

Wheir with he should releiue Beotias neid

But Sigismundi (the citie for to thra [...])

Haid send the Transiluaniane Prince with speid

Whoes valarous renoune to heaune did munt

Wheir for Penardo with ambitione brunt,

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7.

He freat's) he froun's, he longs to reaue the croune

Of fame and glory from Phelastons head

And set it on his owne, whi [...]h great renoune

To beir it th [...]ough the world vnconque [...]ed

More greif he fynds when one goes him before

Then ioy in conquing of a thous and skore.

8.

Now he right glade in gaining of this chairge

Tuo dayes led furth his army one the w [...]y

At last drew neir and on a plaine right large

Wold neids refresh his wear [...]e men a day

And then he sends, to learne, to vew to kno

Th' estate, the place, the number of his foe.

9.

When Phebus drinsh't his sylver shyning hair

In Thetis lape they saw a cloud aspyre

Whoes smook send suddane darknes throw the ac [...]

Wherin appeird reid flashing flamm's of fyre

As if the earthe out of her bowells wyde

Had send to choak the loftie heauens for pryde.

10.

While as the armie vewing stoode amaiz'd

Whoes hautie hearts no fear could harbor in

Yeit vew's with fear and fearing still they gaz'd

Their quyet murmur made a fea [...]full dine

At last the skoutts returning told ye treuth

Which mou'd them all to, woe, to care, to reuth.

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11.

Know mightie Prince your enemies ar gone

Becaus th [...]y haue fulfild their fearce desyre

For they haue raysd the walls of yonder toun

And set it all w [...]th skoarching flamm's a fyre

Touns tours and walls in c [...]well fyre doth burne

Men, women, babs, by bloodie swords ar torne.

12.

This was the caus of their destructione loe

They feard the Prince his ayde should come too lait

And la [...]king souldiours on their wall's to show

For their defence agains th [...]ir crewell fate

Within a forrest full of lack's and fenn's

Thre hundreth robe [...]s lay in caues and denns.

13.

The cheif of these was once a citizene

Who playing bancker out, his goods bade lost

Whairfo [...]e he hyed him to the Robers dene

Who chus'd him chif [...]ane of their theeuishe host

Him hyr'd they straight with soum's of Indiane gold

To guarde their walls and to defend their Hold

14.

But he who had no pitie nor regaird

Vnto their lywes but only to their gold

Agreid by p [...]iuie letter's for reward

And to Phelaston has the citie sold

Ah haples wretch that caust dest [...]oy and kill

Men at thy mercie, thy command, and will.

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15.

Eune as the mightie marlion mounts the sky

And soares one loftie wing's with g [...]aizing eyes

At last the chirming larke she does espy

Cheif chante [...] in the queir of all that flies

Whose hollow throat, sends furth a thous and sounds

To pearce the azure vaults that back redounds,

16.

Her shrill sweit notts, with silent blowing breath

Now seing her fearce enemie aspyre

Pearcing the emptie aer to flie from death

Whil to prolong she mounteth, still the hyer

Bot with sad looks, whill thus she bids adue

Their she a wearie traueler does vew.

17.

Whoes hart she oft had cheird with chirming cleir

Awaking him frome drousie sleip to ryse

And warnd him that Apollos light drew neir

And in his long'sum iorney did deuyse

New not's wheiron she curious descant founds

Filling his ears with diapason sounds

18.

And thinking now that he wold thankfull be

She hyes fast doune and seiks his ayde to beild her

With feirfull shreiks does in his besome flie

Glad that she song to him who now does sheild her

But he whoes hairt no pitie harbours loe

Deliuers her vnto her mortall foe.

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19.

So did this fructe of ill this wel [...]h of woe

This curse of hauene in Whoe vnn [...]tutall hart

No p [...]tie could haue plac [...] but to her foe

The citie yelds (for this her good desert)

That oft had song sweit not's of educatione

To draw him from his haples constellatione

20.

Eu'ne so the rauening wolfe by simple goat

B [...]oght vp, with loue, with trauell, care, and, paine

And feid vpon her teat (such is her loat)

Till strength and force and vigour he retaine

Then he whome she brought vp so cairfullie

Her deith, het graue, her sepulchre must be

21.

The Prinee that pitied suche a sore mischance

Admiring much this monstrous crueltie

Swoor in a rage his armie to aduance

Till he reueng'd Boeotias miserie

Which did inrol his praise aboue the skyes

His fame, woo [...]th, valour, woundrous victories.

22.

When Phebus harbinger in crimsone cled

Chaic'd donne to Hell nights hated hew abhorde

The flower that murn's for Phebus absence spred

Her beautie fur [...]he and smyl's vpone her Lord

Whoes birning beams and lyfe infusing rayes

Confo [...]ts the Earth and beautifieis ye skyes

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23.

Then through the campe a murmur gane to ryse

All cryes for armes the trumpets sounds aloud

Ther sturdie coursars courage loudly brayes

And seemd to cry for loft [...]e [...]ydars proud

They forward march't whith ioy & great delight

Their willing mynds made heauie armour light

24.

And martching thus with suche a restles pace

Thre dayes [...]he [...]e nights, a [...] last they com in sight

Of thei [...] proud foe [...] who heiring of their chaice

Had lyk desyre lyik will to proue their might

Shouts, clamours, cryes, on eurye syd descry

Their will, desyre, and hope of victory.

25.

And yit Phelaston lyk ane champioune wyse

Forecasting perrells in his throught alone

Feard that Penardo's hardie enter pryse

Was but a craftie traine to draw him on

And that the armie in some corner lay

His campe vpone a suddane to betreay

26.

Yet being of a mightie galant mynd

He sham'd to flie at his imaginatione

Wheir fore in hast to Athens did he send

Wheir Brando lay at seige to show the fashione

Brando the reull ou'r Seruia did hold

Stout, hardy, wight aduentorous and bold

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27.

Which when he hard his seige he rais'd in hast

And to the Prince Phelaston martch'd along

Now know that in his camp thei [...] was at least

One horse and fute sum tuentie thousand strong

To Sigismund those newes he shortlie sends

Who rais'd his seige frome Thebs and thither wends.

28.

Now Primum mobile hade drawen the light

with his sw [...]ft course out of ou [...] Hemispere

And [...]pred the [...]eatblack mantle of the night

That summonds all the creatures with fear

Vnto their rest then for to be thair sheild

They built a canues citie on the feild

29.

Whil thus he had incamped in their sight

Set furth his watch his campe intrinshit strong

This Campioune caus'd disarme them all that night

For their refreshment afte [...] iorney long

After repast the Prince to sleip is gone

And in his sleip appeird this visione.

30.

A virgine Nymphe (whoes beautie dimd the sky)

Wi [...]h saddest looks with sobs with sighs with tears

So sorowfull she seem'd with weipping ey

Led by tuo feinds of Pluto's griesly fears

Her body seem'd all dyed in crimsone blood

Her garment skoarch'd in flamm's of hellish brood.

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31.

Thus leading her hard by him (as he thought)

She cryd o sweitt Penardo lend thy ayde

Whoes only strength the fates decree has wrought

To end the ceasles torments of a Mayde

Wheirat him thought he start with suddane fear

Drawing his brand those hellishe feinds to tear.

32.

But then with myldest speeche she sayd no more

Thy willingnes suffeizeth at this tyme

A g [...]eater danger thow must pas before

Thy happie ayde geue end vnto my cryme

But mightie Ioue in danger, warre, and st [...]yfe

Preserue thy fame, thy honor, and thy lyfe.

33.

Not farr their stands within a pleasant vaill

Ane altar built at Agamemnons cost

In honor of fair Pallas sacred Cell

When he was captain of the Graetiane host

Their, lyes a sword, a sheild, ane armour fair

Of woorth, of wounder, and of vertue rare.

34.

Feight not before yow haue this armour on

Whose woorth shall much aduance thy wondrous fam [...]

For know this much before tuo dayes by gone

That Pluto has conspyrt to spoyle thy name.

For he has send the Feinds in legions foorth

To seik to shame, to wrack, to staine, thy woorth.

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35.

And thus she vanisht quyt out of his sight

He wakeing one a suddane from his sleip

[...]hought this to be a fantasie too light

That from his humor'd braine did fondlie creip

Yet warlie did his thoughts one witt attend

Weying if good or ill theron depend.

36.

Aurora in her purple robe arose

Warning p [...]oud Titan for to light the d [...]y

And drew the courtens that did h [...]m disclose

In Thetis louelie armes that dalleing lay

Who stole away and in the gloomie East

Reard vp aboue the Earth his flamming crest.

37.

How soone the Prince espyit his goldine light

He cald for Mandadorus Prince of Mesone

This Mandadorus was of greattest might

Of all his subiects saue the Duik of Thesone

To him he told his dreame who said your grace

May try't and trying lett the trueth haue place.

38.

Wheirfore he send and from his antient roume

Causd raise the altar wheir they fand a stone

Of Alabastre builded lyk a Toumbe

In greik sum letters wer ingraft theron

Those we ethe words (ingraph't in gold so fyne

That now as first their lustre seem'd to shyne.

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39.

This pretious stone ane armour does retain

Whose woundrous woorth as yit shal no man know

Vntill the Spreit of them that liues in pain

Eune to a mightie stranger shaell them show

Who with the same recalls relents, releifs,

Thrie Souls from paine, from death, frō Hells mischeifs

40.

Hid was the meaning darck the sentence seemd

Of all the trueth they could not rype the ground

But this fair costlie armour as they deemd

Had at the famous wars of Troy beine found

Which graue and wyse Cassandra had inuented

For Paris, Troys feirce fall to haue preuented.

41.

Lo thus it was she knowing by her art

The ruine of heaun threatning Troy drew neir

And that proud Paris his vniust de [...]ert

Should be the caus of such an endles weir

To him by art she had this armour wrought

That all the Gods decree might turne to nought,

42.

Fo [...] she discending to the lowest Hells

Her mightie powre in magick force she shew

The greislie Ghosts stood trembling whill she tells

Her will in frameing of this armour new

Loath to prouyd remorce, remeid, releif

Who ioy'd in blood, warre, murther, and mischeif.

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43.

Yitt fear them forc't they durst not disobey

Her mightie art and all commanding will

For she with strainge characters could a lay

The pains of Hell from punishment of ill

Yea she the Suns diurnall course culd stay

And turne to da [...]kest night the brightest day.

44.

And whill these feinds this armour fyne did make

They forgd the metall first in Aetnas flame

And temperd it into the Stygiane lake

With herbs of woundrous force amongs't the same

That mightie st [...]ong inchantments can with stand

Yea sword, and fyre, and water, can command.

45.

Ioues douchter brought king Agamemnon furth

When she with them returning was to Troy

Who seing them of such a woundrous woorth

Bereft the graue Cassandra of her ioy

Who had with herbs and flams of Flegitone

Composd a strange and admirable stone.

46.

Which secreitlie she in this armour sett

Whose vertue was his owner for to stay

From loue, and amorous desyr's to lett

Arming the hart gainst all venereall play

For princelie Paris she deuys'd this traine

That he might render Helene back againe.

Caput. VIII.

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Argument.

AChaians fall fair Pallas doeth

Forsie long tyme before

And that Penardo should them raise

Vnto their former gloir

The Aene [...]ns tuo batales win [...]

And by the Prince alaine

The Transyluanian and the Seruian

Disput; both ar slaine.

1.

WHen as the Greciane gote this armour lo

Ioues brain borne girl did gif him this command

That of this thing no creatur should know

Till he returnd vnto his natiue land

Wheir to her name he should ane Altar rear

And secreitlie inclose this armour rheir.

2.

The which he did with duetifull regaird

According to heighe pallas her command

For loe th [...]t sacred altar vp he raird

Their vnder layd the armour which they fand

Wheir it had lyine so many hundreyht yeirs

Vn-found vnmark'd vnknowne as it appeirs.

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3.

Sum sayes that b [...]ight warlyk pallas did forsie

Eune then, the ruine of Achaias croune

And that fair Lissa cause theirof should be

Trogh hir great bewtie of so hye renoune

Thus she prouyds, forseis, preuents their fall

By means vn sought, or unrequeird at all.

4.

This brought Penardo out of Thessaly

F [...]om torment this fair virgine to releass

So faites ordaind such was his desteny

So heauns decreed her torment thus should ceass

O mightie Ioue blesd be thy sacred name

That so preuents, sorseis, temeids, our shame.

5.

When they had brought this armour to the Prence

They fitted him so weell on euerie pa [...]t

A [...] if they had bene made for that pretence

Who thus acouter'd with a loftie harte

Ly [...]k Mars him self his countenance he ba [...]

That thundred furth blood, victorie, and war.

6.

This armour was with red vermilione rosd

And spangled thick with starrs of Indian gold

Whose cornert point [...] with diamonds imbosd

And syluer branches that the starrs vphold

He goes they glance they shyne while as he sturd

Of all hes praisd, regaird [...]t, loud, admyrd.

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7.

His hautie helmet guildet all with gold

Whoes shynning brigh [...]nes trembling terror bred

Ow'r all his creist an Eggle did vnfold

His goldim winges which proudlie ouerspred

The shynning helme and w [...]th his tall ones wyde

He seemd to tear the metall in his pryde.

8.

Vpone his downie cronne their stoode vpright

A bunsh of plumes discolored diuerslie

Spangled with spangs of gold and pearle whoes light

Daizled the sight of the beholders eye

Their shaddowes in the Eggls eyes did glance

That seemd right glad of this their dalliance.

9.

So does a tall and loftie Cedar show

That growes on top of mightie Parnass montane

The myldest blast that Zephyrus can blow

Maks all his leaues to tremble on the fontane

Or Cynthia lyk in silent night that shawes

Her beam's to daunce and glance one Thetis wawes:

10.

Of burnisht steill his glanceing sheild It shone

The true presage of his ensewing dayes

Wheir sat a lady on a crimsone throne

A knight lay prostrat at her feitt who sayes

Ah Fates your fearce Decree I surelie proue

That keeps her hart from all the darts of loue.

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11.

His mortall blad did semlie hing with hold

Within a syluer sheath wrought curiouslie

The hiltes wer of the fynnest burnisht gold

Which pearle and saphyre stones did beautefie

No metall nor enchantment could resist

This murthring blade when euer his owner list.

12.

And armed thus he red vpon a steid

Whoes pryd with pransing beatts the groneing ground

And champing on his foamme bitt with dreid

Wold seim with trampling noye the aer to wound.

By loftie volts and rauets showing still

How glade he was t'obey his masters will,

13.

Who manag'd him so weell at wisht contents

Wi [...]h turns and curbits heir and their remoues

And when he slakt the rayns his loftie sprents

Wold [...]kai [...]slie tipp the trembling earth with houes

And glad of such a Maister matchles rare

With swift impetuos speid wold peirce the aer.

14.

Off was his helme, his amorous face and eyes

Lyke Hesper shynd amongst the lesser lights

His countenance still p [...]omest victories

Fair smyling, sweitt, and pleasant in their sights

A light but fyre a ha [...]t but fear or dreid

A lamp vnqueinshd a mynd vnconquered

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15.

Then loue him self more sweit his countenance

Wheir grace [...]ay hid in glanceing beauties lap

Still sending with each smyle, each look, each glance

A thousand amours that the senses rap

With all delight at last he breathed forthe

True valour vertue wonder glorie wo [...]the.

16.

Braue Bretherine and Campanions all in wear

Remember your Forefathers loftie feat's

Our sweit Thessalian soyle did only bear

Those mightie mynds that all the earth abaits

Our natione with our Iason left their soyle

To gaine the glorie of the goolden spoyle.

17.

What brauer spreits in Greece then hath be in ours

What greatter glorie then our countrey wan?

What manlie mynds and mightie Conquerour's

But we may claime ay since the world began

Yea if we look our lyns discents and bloods

Wei'll shame to flie from worlds of multituds.

18.

[...] leaue we honor, fame discent, and blood,

Remember onlie whom with all we deall

With Pag'anes, spoylars of the christian Good

The antient foes of Greece we must assayle

Nay foes I shame to call them not but Theues

On robrie theft, spoyle, prey, & pillage leeues.

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19.

Their Captane strong Phelaston strong I know

Tho cald so stout so strong so fearce in fight

Tho Persians, Syrans, and Arabiams too

He foyls yet hes not feltt the G [...]aecian might

Those naked, bare, vnarmmed, fear maks fall

Bot hautie Greeks surpas them, him, & all

20.

Great victorie hy this braue feght shall come

The daunger nothing and the labour small

Some fearfull strengthles, hairtles, mightles, some

Before our face they fear, they flie, they fall

What neid we mor bat kill tak, stay, and chace

Enuy, stryf, discord, throw them flies a pace.

21.

Whereat the armie gaue a ioyfull cry

And willinglie they rank them selfs the whyle

Their Captanes and commanders ioyfullie

Did cheere them vp with the reward of spoyle

Ther breists ar sweld with conquest courage wrath

The roaring trumpet's sounds blood, warr, & death.

22.

The Prince his battells ordored in this sort

By Mandadorus was rhe vnegaird led

To whom tuo thousand fotemen did rosurt

Of Aneans a thousand horse he had

Who looks lyk hungrie Lyons whill they go

That wrath warre blood & veangeāce doeth foreshow

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23.

Phenabon prince of Thays the reirward had

Equall in nombre wepins arm's devyce

Belmondo duike of Toropeia led

The batall great that was as mony twyce

All those for warre wer borne in warre they floorisht

In trauells great, great paine great danger nurisht

24.

The Ptince him self wold not in batteil stand

But with tuo thousand mightie men of armes

Would geue supplie wheir any want he fand

And with fresh ayde would still reuenge their harmes

Whille as he said Braue Brotherin let me sie.

That if they fle thei'r slaine, if feght they die.

25.

Now by this tyme the Prince Phelaston had

Hrs armie weel in battel ranck arayed

And with new hope their fanting harts he fed

That nothing now but eourage in them stay it

His venegaird was fyue thousand at the least

Led by a migtie Pagane Alphorest.

26.

Lagone the reirwaird led a Pagane good

Wheir was fyue thousand bold strong hardy stout

And with him self the greattest battel stood

Ten thousand strong but fear but care but doubt

Thus martching both they joune the trumpetts sounds

At whoes hudge noyes both heauen'e & ea [...]th redoūds

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27.

Lyke to the blasts of boystrous Boreas

Th [...]t hurl's w [...]th haistie wings from hiest heau'ne

With thundring royes and threatning glorious

To sh [...]k the Earths fundatione fondlye dreven

Blasting the heauens' that back redounds his blowe [...]

Beatting' the earth and billowing Seas that showe [...].

28.

With swelling waues to soare in loftie skye [...]

Disdaining the gouernement he keip's

Thath causeth all their w [...]trie empyr's ryes

From silent moueing in the lowest deip's

Raising hudge mont's one. Neptun's azure plaine

In foamie drops he throuws them doune againe.

29.

And vp agane through aerie waults from sea's

His bloustring blast [...] from North to South he sends

Crushing the clouds that fast before him flies

Togither dash't their broken ranks discends

In tearie drops as if they seem'd to weip

That he so great gouernament should keip.

30.

Eune so these mightie men of armes did crushe

With furious strenght their weapones each on other

Hudge drops of bloode in stream's did alwayes gush

The streams in floods the fluds brought Seas togethe [...]

That drops, and strem's & floods, & seas took pair [...]

To drinshe, to dashe, to droune, the Martial hart.

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31.

The rank's that stiflie stands agenst ther foes

Fall's doune in slap's waltring in bloodie stryn'ds

Wheron freshe ranks (still marching brauely goes

Out ou'r the be [...]lies of their deing freinds

Not yelding to their foes till ether syde

Does sacrafice their soulls to swelling pryde.

32.

Now whilst on eurie syd they fearslie sight

The wantguards met with mightie strength and bos [...]

Wheir Alphorest the Pagane shew his might

Before his feit lay manie deing ghoste

Till Mandadorus saw such hauok their

Wheir Alphorest did feght he did repair.

33

And Alphorest (that lyk a Lyoune bears

Him self) espyd the Prince of Meson by

To red him self of commone souldeours feirs

His bloes seem'd lightning thundert throw the sky.

And then he lent the Prince a mightie bloe

That almost from his horse he forcd him goe

34.

But he acquyts him lighting on his hand

That hand and sword, and all, fell to the ground

And wheir his visar louse he lykewayes fand

He made him, their receaue his fatall wound

The Pagans now began to fear and fant

When as their mightie leadder thus they want.

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35.

And by this tyme the greattest battel flies

Eune their wheir as the Transysuanian stoode

For that Penardo with his freshe supplies

Had brok in throw their ranck [...] embrew'd whith blood

So that in generall all began to flie

Except Phelaston their would brauelie die

36.

And sure that day his admirable might

If I sould pas vntold I wer to blame

For that him self alone in single fight

Had slaine thrie knights of great and famous name

Lighosthon, Guelpho, Meldabreid, at lenth

By cruell death had felt his mighte strength

37.

Nor those alone by his accursed hand

Dep [...]yu'd of lyfe of soule of breath did lye

But Oerard, Ormond, Groian, by his brand

Were slane all Knights of noble progenie

With many mo he in that fatall stryfe

Hurt, feld, or bruis'd, or then bereft of lyfe.

38.

Penardo still that followed on the chaise

Belmondo and Phenabon he espy'd

Both by one Knight wer put to great distres

Ther armour all with crimsone blood was dy'd

In greattest hast if he had not come to theme

That Knight alone was lyke for to vndo theme.

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39.

Yet woundring that such woundrous force could be

In one to foyle such fomous Knights as they

And piteing that other syde should die

He trusts him self betuein and bids them stay

And to Phelaston sayes heir ar no foes

Bot from his brand he answerd him whith bloes.

40.

Then he commands those tuo to stande asyde

The furious Pagane feiresie he assaild

His thristie blade oft in his bloode he dyed

At euerie stroak his armour he dismaild

With equall strengthe the Pagane countervaild him

Showing his woundrous valour no thing faild him.

41.

The Pagane raisd his sanguin sword in hie

Discharging blowes vpone his helmet strong

Whill fyrie starr's out of his eyes did flie

His mou [...]h furth-casting streams of bloode along

Wheirfore he now whith wrath shame raige & woundre

Send bloes lyik lightning tempest, storme, & thunder.

42.

Theirwith redoubled was the Pagans ire

Who said shall one poore knight my strenth recall

And so agane the Prince receaud his hyre

That tuyce he reild and reddie tuyce to fall

At last he blush't for shame, & shook for wrath

Requyting shame whith foyle, disgrace with death.

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43.

This was the Transyluaenian fearce and strong

Whom he had slaine, and fo [...]ward then he past

And put him self among's the Pag'anes throng

Which scattred chac'd, & slaine to ground he cast

As sand before the northerne blast fu [...]th fleis

So fled those troup's, & fleing fall's, and deis,

44.

Werie [...] with killing then they sound retrai [...]

From sending Pagans soul's to Plutos ports

Wheir of a now I cease for to repait

Whill as to them more danger still resorts

For loe a g [...]eatter host they might descry

With standarts wafting in the aerie sky.

45.

Amaz'd they stoode and knew not what it mein'd

At last the Prince vndanted courage shew

By trumpets sound he causd them be conueind

And thus said he itt is not tyme to rew

Keip what your valour courage might & strenth

Has brauelie wone, and win you shall at lenthe.

46.

[...]nck then your self's while Courage you releeue

Let fear flie hence to mynds effeminat

These mynds to martiall glory doos atchyue

Whoes lyfes to hasards bold ar consecrat

Doe from your hands, your swords your harts, your eie [...]

Strenth, valour, conquest [...]ictorie furth flies.

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47.

Then willinglie they call for battell new

Still thirsting after glorie to aspyre

Their bloodles face and trembling voices shew

That wrath within their breist had kendled fyre

The warre-lyk noyes of trumpets roaring breath

Steird horse to courage and the men to wrath.

48.

And now began the feght more sharpe, and thin

Now their encounters crewell hand to hand

The Datians feghts to keip what they had win

The Grecians to releue their natiue land

Their v [...]ctorie and courage mand the feild

Their come reuenge to force those tuo to yeild,

49.

Yet wer the Datians stout in daungers strong

Their bodies freshe not woundit bruisd nor bleeding

Their first assault was fearce and lasted long

Them selfs within the Gretians ground intruding

But Prince Penardo blamd their fainting harts

Whose braue example promeisd he [...]ghe deserts.

50.

And formast then he led them throw their foes

With deip impressiones in theis Squadrons great

His sword so broad a way had made for thoes

That followed him with hope, strength, raige, despy.

While now the Datians seemd to rander back

Their new reft ground a reall mends to mack▪

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51.

But not content with this him self he thrust

With his braue guarde of Princes lords and Knights

Gainst the great bodie of [...]he battell first

The which he shu [...]k and br [...]ck with stragling flights

Transported so with courage might and strengthe

Furth throw his foes he leaues his guarde at lengthe.

52.

Wheir he his ouerflowing valour showes

His sword that seemd his danger for to know

Such hauock made among his fainting foes

That he was strong [...]ie now intrinsht and foe

Deid corps wer forts whoes bloodie ditches shoes

Feir, terrour, dreid, and death to all his foes.

58.

Braue Brando than the Seruiane drawing neir

The great Commander of these mightie maits

Began his woundrous valour to admeir

He loud his deids though their effects he haits

This was the Seruiance Disput whom before

Phelaston send his ayde for to implore.

54.

Penardo slew and hurt and chac'd his foes

None leu'd but these who fled his angrie wrath

He lyke a wyld and hungrie Lyone goes

From place to place and with him dreidfull death

But seing then no foe gainstands his rage

He stayes and staying does his wrath asswage.

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55.

As winds gainstand by woods hills tours or walls

The buildings shaks and tries by roots uptears

Whil ouer the oppin plains he myldlie swalls

Eune so Penardos wrath he calmely beirs

When none his strength his will his raige assayld.

But Brando him at length to feght appeald.

56.

And whill their eyes did draw them both in sigh [...]

Their mynds consents to combat not agr [...]ing

Wheirwith they now begine a famous fight

Whoes brauery was beheld with thousands deinge

Who raird their heids a loft their lyfe [...] [...]enew

In deaths despight that combat for to vew.

57.

Their no [...]es how much in feriour to the rest

So much superiour they in skilfull fight

Their courage was by skill gouerned best

Their skill secundit by their strength and might

Their terrour pleasur showes, vnto the eye

Wheir strength with skill & witt with wrath agrie.

58.

Both valiant and both despysing death

Both confident not vs'd to be ow'r come

Yet doubtfull bothe bothe forcd to draw their brait [...]

Vniting all their strength they chang'd their roume

With leaps' and turn's, their hands wer agill parts

Watchfull their eyes and resolute their Harts.

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59

Eache stryueing still as Conquerour to be

Their bloes lyk thunder lights on eury syde

Brando (that nere before such force did sie)

Thus to be matcht for rage and swelling pryde

He thinks of this their fight to mak ane end

With all his force a furious bloe he send▪

60.

Which lighted on Penardos head so sore

That his remembrance left her batterd ludge

At which aduantage he redoubling more

H [...]d se [...]s [...]es leyd him with his bloes so hudge

The Prince with shame & paine enduring longe

His bloes so heauie great, sore fearce, and strong.

61.

But then o then who would haue sein his face

Shame in his che [...]ks reuenge into his eyes

And now to win his honor lost apace

He waits till fitt aduantage he espyes

Vniting raige, and [...]kill, & strength in one

He lights vpon his helmet which anone.

62.

He claue; the murdring blade that doune warde forc' [...]

Maks passage for his soule whom he commands

To ouerrune Phelastons wearye Ghoste

And first to gett a kisse of Plutos hands

And tell him from Penardo that he will

With Paganes soules his darkest regions fill,

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63.

The Datians that saw [...]heir Campione fall

Began to mak their feit [...] their best defence

Penardo and his chosen traine with all

So stuft the chace that in their fleing hence

Tuelue thousand skars assuadged their furious hair

While sable darknes made them sound retrait.

64.

This was beginning of Penardos praise

This tyme, his fame through all the earthe proceids

This day, his tropheis to the heauns did raise

This was the birth day of his valorous deids

That hard it was to iudge in generall

Whither he was most loud, or feird of all.

65.

But Night that for her nevoyes did lament

In sable black attyre bevayl'd their woe

Hanging her head sad, louring, dis content

That day their shame vnto the world should show

To keip vnknowne their fault, their flight, their fei [...].

She darknes breath'd throw heaune throw earth throw ae [...]

66.

And by this tyme the skoutts and watch was set

The Captanes brings their lord into his tent

Then eury man vnto his rest was let

That ef [...]er paine sum pleasur might be lent

Thus being cairles of their farther stryfe.

This first night was the last night of their lyfe.

Caput. IX.

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Argument.

THe Aeneans full of fortitude

With valourous d [...]spyt

Encounters mightie Sigismund

And all his armie gryt

But they ar slaine, Penardos deids

Wins glorie and renoune

Old Grodan comes to his releif

And vanquishd Sigismund.

1.

WHen of bright heaune the orientall gate

L [...]k glistring gold wyde oppin did appeir

Wheir Phoebus in his glorious coathe was sett

F [...]om wear [...]e night both heaune and earth to cleir

His goldin loks about his shoulders lyes

That throwes their glistring beams throw gloomie skyes

2.

And daunceing now one trembling Thetis bak

Penardos skoutts they doe returne on hast

And shew the Prince that they had sein the tract

Of more then fourscoir thousands at the least

With goldin arm's and syluer shynning sheilds

That martch'd within a league out ow'r the feilds,

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3,

This was great Sigismund ye hard of yore

Whom Brando did aduerteis long ago

Who hard of these that fled the day before

Of all that past into the batrells tuo

And ha [...]ing to reuenge his subiects lost

Was come so near with this his mighti [...] host.

4.

Great is that woundrous vertue can resist

And boldlie feght gainst all extremitie

That for no fear of danger will desist

From honors deids, disdaining miserie

Nor for no foree can euer' be forcd to zeild

Bott gainst all daunger proues a mightie sheild.

5.

(This vertue rare) feare fortitude does claime

As due to her, that for no greif can groane

Her works ar constant and she feirs no shame

For reassone [...]euls her stayd opinione

She works by courage and true valour gyds he [...]

She feirs no foe, nor from no hazard hyds her.

6.

If fortitude haue in our mynds no place

Nor rewil as souering Quene ore all the rest

Owr work [...] owr deides our actiones has no grace

Sh [...] wyshe ponders both [...]he warst and best

To lyfe she geues a lustr [...] tadiant

[...]nd croun's our deids with honors ornament.

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7.

For lo indeid the braue Thessalians

Wer cround with all the fructs of Fortitude

First in their mynds was great magnificence

Attemping things heighe excellent and good [...]

Nixt confidence in their most valiant hairts

Bred hope of goode euent for their deserts.

8.

And thridlie patience was their mightie guyde

In suffring for their, countrey and their fame

And lastlie with perseueranc'e did abyde

In their opinione fermelie fearing shame

Yea eu [...]ie one with o [...]her seemd to stryve

Who best should use these vertues four alyve.

9.

Which pitie drawes from roode Barbarian haires

The feircest Tyrants crewell mynd doeth wound

To sie them (whoes vnmatchable deserts

Deseruis with endles glory to by cround)

Feght in their owne defence half dround in blood

Not slaine but smotherd with hiuge multitude.

10.

Their matcheles mightie Gen'rall was not last

That braue Penardo whom the world admeirs

Whom death nor danger could not make agast

In him true valorous Fortitude appeirs

Who Angel-lyk in voyce, in face, in speiche

Thus sweitlie, meiklie, homely did beseiche.

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11.

My Frends (quod He) of you I made a chose

Not for your valours proof so much of fame

Bot eu'n becaus I knew you to be those

That more aceount did mak of honors Name

Nor goods nor riches, wordly welth, nor gaine

Nor lyf, nor death, nor pleasure, nor of paine.

12.

This Honor now which you so long haue sought

Wheirof so cairfully yow mak aceount

So well, yow haue atchyu'd tho deirlie bought

That to hir throne this last day yow did moun [...]

Lo now this day she offers for to croune yow

And mak the world yea heav'ne it self renoun yow.

13.

For Honors croune so precious is, that nought

Within the ten fold orbs of heau'ne, remains

Compaird to it, the, whiche has ay bein sought

And for it all the world has tane suche pains

From age to age from tyme to tyme we sie

All sues for Honour glorie dignitie.

14.

For eu'ne the basest sort will not refuse

Paine trauell danger yea nor death at length

For it; whill as the brauer mynds do chuse

With hazards great to win that glorious strength

So did the Macedonian bold and stout

That victor went the solid glob throughout

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15.

Still carles he, still fearles did he venter

Perswadit still to win and neuer to lose

No thought of lose into his mynd could enter

Such was his courage gainst his fainting foes

By hazards, Fo [...]tun thus hir walth dispons

For hope bred Hap, and Honor both at' ons,

16.

Who gainst great Darius Monarch of the east

Twyce fought and yet not thryce our number past

Four hundreth thousand Perscans at the last

Encounterd him yet wan he first and last

But you may say they wer the Greeks that wan

Ar we not Greeks as well as they wer than.

17.

Yes we'ar Greeks Honor for ws preserus

The croune he took such trauell to obtaine

Tuyce was he proued wheir to his courage sern [...]

Vs also twyce, the thrid d [...]es yit remains

The which she keips that we may win the croune,

With al his fame, his glorie, his renoune.

18.

Then deirest freinds considder what we do

And who we ar, of whom we ar discendit,

To win the croune we ventred haue to far

If lyf in death, honor in shame be endit

This jemme, this croun, this garland yow should haue

Shall those weak, feble, faint, from yow bereaue.

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19.

No no but let vs ayme at Honor euer

Base fear dar not assayle a mightie mynd

Let honest shame ws guide and let vs neuer

Care for this lyfe once we must die by kynd

A noble hart has only to his lot

To fear for nothing bot dishonors blot

20.

The happiest Prince that ou'r a Natione regn [...]

Is he whoes people standeth more in aw

Of filthie shame or of dishonors stings

Then of the streittest or seuerest law

Then let me haue that happie Prince his statio [...]

And let you be that euer happie Natione.

21.

Nether deir Bretherien do as I haue sayde

Bot also as my deids shall after show

Before your eyes instructioune haue I layde

And next myne owne example shall ye know

As He who by your valours must obtain

The greattest glorie that on erth remain.

22.

Then galents show your selfs true Greeks in wea [...]

And onlie ask wheir is your Enemis

True Greecians disd a [...] [...]e for to inqueir

What numbre or what multitude they be

For in their multitude their Hope remains

Bot truest valour victorie obtains.

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23.

With those his words his face did shyne so cleir

That conquest flow'd in streams from his fair eyes

And on his louely forheid did appeit

Grace, valours, woorth, triumphant victorie

Yea from his look [...] (as from a Dyamont stone)

Come victorie that sparkled ganc't & shone.

24.

And then this litle handfull did beginne.

Whith cheirfull shouts for batel new to call

So willing wer they honor for to win

That eu'ne the lam'd and deidly woundit all

From camp from tent from trinshes came to proue

If sicht of deidle wounds reweinge could muoe

25.

And such as might for battel did prepair,

Others that wanted legges and armes did crye

Reuenge our blood whill as their wounds they tear

That their hote blood the armie might espy

Whoes harts whith angrie wo began to swell

All swearing to reuenge or die withall

26.

The gallant Prince Penardo did reiois

To sie their willing minds And thus he sayde

(Eune with a chei [...]full and couragious voice)

Greeks ar not borne (quod he) to be affrayde

Thessalians can feir nothing at all

While thei'r on earth except the Heaun's doun fall.

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27.

Eu'ne as the Lyone when he seis his foe

Dath raise his taill and beat him self so sore

Till kendling wruth his breist does ouer floe

And then his couragie hot begins to rore

At whoes dreid noyes all beasts with trembling fears

His pray with pawes he crushes rents and tears.

28.

Eu'ne so Penardo in his princelie mynd

Wold neids accuse him self of dastard fear

Which so inflam'd his courage stout by kynd

The Lyons braue example he wold bear

He feghts, he stricks, he turns to eu'ry hand

He wounds, he kills who ewet did him whth stand.

29.

And thus his back his glistring armour fair

He showes his souldiours & his foes his face.

Which was the harangue he could best prepair

Wheir by he sharps their courage whith sueh grace

That roaring trumpet's sounds whith dreidfull fea [...]

And thunders furth death murther blood & wear▪

30.

Their mettings terrible on both the sydes

Their salutatione was a warre-lyk noyes

Of snow whyt lances whill their mightie guyds

Hade dy't their why [...] in blood lyk crimsone rose

Others in flinders flie to tear the skyes

Becaus on earth they mist their enterpryse.

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31.

Their nothing hard but clashing armour still

Crushing of staues and justling bodies loe

That sharpest swords resounding bloes did kill

Whose harsh and iarring musick mad a show

As beautified with greislines of wound's

With shours, with cryes, with grones, with ghostlie sounds.

32

Their horses died be [...]eth their Maisters d [...]ing

And some that in their lyfe their Maisters buir

In death wer borne by them their others flying

To se [...]k some ryders that wold sit more su [...]e

Their some with ago [...]eising death that st [...]yue

Tears vp the ea [...]th entoumbs them selfs alyue

33.

And yet no sword did pay to Plutos croune

Of Paganes soull's so large a tribut still

As did Penardos brand, who sending doune

L [...]gions that emptie kingdome [...]or to fill

His wrath his raige his anger cost theme deir

Death on his sword most vglie did appeir.

34.

Those warlyk Aeneans of Thessaly

Wold mer [...]hants p [...]oue to sell their lyues and all

Yea sure t [...]e Paganes thought their merchandrie

So deir a [...] all their vantage was bot small

For fyue to one th [...]y pay whill as they sie

A Squadron fresh appeir into their eye.

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35.

They seemd aboue fyue thousand to appeir

That all Achaians wer of cour [...]ge braw

Who of the former victorie did heir

For which to rend [...]r [...]hank them selfs they shaw

Andromodane le [...] fu [...]the those troups so long

Stout hardy bold aduenterous and strong.

36.

The Aeneans their rancks wer now bot thinne

Till this new force their courage did renew

And as they wer but new for to beginne

A freshe assault they gaue wherein they shew

Tha [...] they from braue Achilles wer discendit

Who was so much throughout the world commendit.

37.

The Datians their ground begane to lose.

Whil Sigismund preuenting when he saw

Sent Din [...]mon that brother germane was

Vnto that vmqhile Prince Phelaston braw

And with him sent bands, legiones, squadrones stou [...]

Encompassing syde, wing, flanck, front about

38.

Now was their last destructioune drawing neere

Now their incompast in one euery syde

Though terrour shew her self at first t'appei [...]

Deckd with the gold of shynning armours pryd

Yet now for bloode wrath yre & raige she shook

Dreidfull her face, and terrible her looke.

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39.

With earthe with dust with blood wer all imbrev

Ther brokin armour and their mangled fleshe

Which seemt a burthene to their soul's that rewit

Their pu [...]est Essence was defyld no less

Sum vpwart mountes reuenge in heau'ne to call

And others draw'ne by Pluto's guarde to Hell.

40.

But neither could those daungers dreidfull be

Nor could they seeme as daungers to the mynd

Of braue Penardo whoes all conquering eye

Shew how his hart to furie was inclynd

They fall, they feir, they flie, wheir er'e he fought

Death on his sword, reuenge into his thought

41.

As thunders beats whith lightning from the sky

Heighe tours tall Cedars mightie Roks to ground

As fearce tempestuous wind with angrie swey

The rypned corne & graine to earth has bound

So wheir he goes to earth they tumbel all

Sum hurt, sum slaine, & sum for fear does fall

42.

When Dinamon his ualour did espy

Who knew that by his sword his brother dyi [...]

He sought him through the battell couriouslie

Whoes deids might easily mak him espyit

That whith his sword had made so spatious roum

As he had knowne the combat was to cum

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43.

And thus they both approatching each to other

Hate in them both had steird desyre of tryall

They thus begane a combat both together

Wheir courage, witt, nor strength mak no denyall

With rage and furie eache one ather throwes

Yet by their witt and skill they deall their bloes.

44.

And still the more they feght they more desyre

The more they smart the les they feill their paine

And quicklie now to know the victors hyre

They neids wold try their valour once againe

They stryue by might by skill by strength & proues

Wheir valour most abyds whom Fortune loues.

45.

Penardo lookt about and did espy

About thrie hundred of his deirest Mates

Whoes mangled fleshe with purple painting dy

Had mask'd them vp with horrors dreidfull feates

And that no more of all his syd wer left

The rest of lyfe (thogh not of honor) reft.

46.

Eune now and not till now began his hart

To swell with sorow greif and kyndest loue

Ah who wold now haue sein his face conuert

His eyes that wount with furious flamms to moue

His browes wheir anger satt in maiestie

His countenance wheir courage wont to lye.

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47.

All these wer banisht quytt▪ his cheirfull ey

Was d [...]ound with tears the flamms wer quyt put out

His countenance was sorowfull to sic

His browes had s [...]dnes louring round a bout

His hart the sea [...]t of his all conquering mynd

To sighes to greiffes to sorowes was inclynd.

48.

But Dinamon that saw him so amaiz'd

Sayd knight my sword shall chainge the yet moir strainge

Wheir would thow flie thow hes but fondlie gaiz'd

My Brothers Ghost too long abyds reuenge

Wheir fore he reuneitts his force againe

And said proud Knight yle make the proue with paine.

49.

I send thy brother to the Stygiane laick

But to prepair the passage for thy ghoste

Thow stayes too long [...]eceaue this for his sake

And with the worde the bloes redoubled most

That eurie bloe stroaue to be formest still

To mak the Paganes soule run post to Hell.

50.

Att last one bloe he gaue whoes force was such

As re [...]t not lyfe but sensles has him made

And as a lyone that d [...]sdains to tuitch

A man but weapins at his mercie layde

So scornes the Knight to spend his force in vain [...]

One foes that flies, or feirs, or faints for paine.

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51.

With wrath and hote desyre for to reuenge

He thrusts him self in throw the ranck's and made

A longe broad way, one euerie syde a rainge

Lyke to a wall of Paganes corps was layde

Such wounders their he wrought that one might say

He was the Paganes sepulchre that day,

52.

Still preasing forwart at the last he saw

Ten Pagane Knights incompast round assayes

To ki [...]l tuo galan [...] Knights whom he did know

Belmundo and Phenabon prince of Thais

Who stoode so stronglie to their owne defence

That other ten they had dispatched thence.

53.

But then he sies Belmundo fall to ground

The Prince of Thayis so wearie was withall

That he drew neir vnto his fatall wound

One him the bloes lyke lightning doune did fall

Their Vrson was and Vrsides his Sone

That o [...]re Moldauia regn's and beirs the croune.

54.

These tuo did Prince Phenabon greattest harme

Whose loftie courage still disdaind to yeild

Till breathles he, and strengthles was his arme

[...]oodles him self but bloodie was the feild

Yet feghting stil he still doth scorne to flie

Not they but death obtaind the victorie.

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55

Their Captains hart with pitie ouersett

In him greif sorow rage and furie stay

With his fyne sword he maid a spatious gett

All these wer kild that did impashe his way

At last he came wheir Vrson did most harme

Who felt the weyght of his all-conquering arme.

56.

One blow did part his body from his heid

The which his Sone young Vrsides espyd

With furious bloes he one Penardo layde

Railling and cursing all his Gods he cryd

Ah Vrsone Vrsone deir and with the word

In his hart bloode Penardo drinsht his sword.

57.

The rest that saw the Prince was so offendit

Took them to flight and left him all alone

They thought it was sum God that had discendit

To punishe them for their presumptione

Such woundrous deids as this one Knight had wrough [...]

Belong'd to none but to a God they thought.

58.

To Sigismound they brought thir newes in hast

That Vrsides and Vrson both wer slaine

Eune by a God or els sum feind at least

For no such strength in mortalls could remaine

Euphrastes heiring of this valour strainge

Desyre did burne his breist with hote reuenge.

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59.

Euphrastes was a mightie Pagane strong

He had Vrsides sister to his wyfe

Who efter wrought Penardo mekle wrong

And wrapt him in mischeif and endles stryfe

But lett ws show Euphrastes his pretence

That called was of Transyluania Prence.

60.

Who throw the battell has Penardo sought

Till in the bodie of the battell grytt

He saw them running heir and their he thought

Their ranckes wer brokin & disordred quyt

At last he saw and seing did admeir

One Knight that wounders wrought as did appeir.

61.

[...]une as a wolf amid the fleecie hearde

Some chace sum slay some tear crush ryue and tack

Or lyk a boare whoes face the ratches feard

(Finding the stolne aduantage of his back)

Will preas to wound, yet does but moue to wrath

Who in his furie crusheth them to death.

62.

[...]une so this Knight with furious rage does tear

All whom he fand his noble brand dispatcht

Such heaps wer slaine that all the rest did fear

And now th'aduantage of his back they watcht

He stricks he wards he taks he turn's he payes

Behind, before, and round about him layes.

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63.

Euphrastes much admeird his val'rours deids

And knew him for Vrsides c [...]use of deathe

Wheirfore he fo [...]ward vnto him proceids

And said le [...]ue of Si [...] Knight and turne thy wrath

Gainst him who better can abyde thy st [...]ength

And for thy deids shall chasties thee at length.

64.

Indeid Euphrastes was a gallant Knight

Who nere before encountred wi [...]h a foe

But [...]hese whom still he vanques [...] in [...]he fight

With foyle, s [...]ame, death, and euerlesting woe

Now breathd he wra [...]h warre, vengeance, furth lyke smook

But braue Penardo f [...]om a Pagane took

65.

A stronge and mightie launce, into his hand

Wheir with so searce enconter did he mak

That ne [...]he [...] sheild nor armour could with stand

Till the steill head appeird behind his bak

Now fell he to the ground alreddie ded

Whoes name to all the east great terrour bred.

66.

The Paganes feir'd and woundred much to sie

That Prince in whom their greattest hope did ly

By this one Knight so ouerthrowne to be

Wheirfore in great dispai [...]e and rage they cry

Ah Gods iniust how long will yow delay

With lightning from the heaun's this Knight to slay.

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67.

Thus running on him mad with furie, beats

In euery part and thought with bloes to end him

B [...]t he who litle feard of all [...]heir th [...]eats

With such a woundrous valour did defend him

That they assaill in vaine and mak a choise

In seiking of his lyfe their owne to lose.

68.

The tribute of his wrath them deirlie cost

For all the ground their bodies deid did fill

So that it seemd in all this mightie host

Their wer not men anew for him to kill

At last he came wheir Sigismund abad

Wheir threttie thowsand Knights on horsebak rad▪

69.

And their one blow he did not spend in vaine

At euerie stroak he send a soule to Hell

And still their places being sild againe

He serud them all alyk with deing baill

When as by Sigismund he was espyde

Who send a Squadrone fresh to quell his pryde.

70.

And th [...] with long sharpe launces all these bands

Bore him and horse and all vnto the ground

Yea surelie he had ou'r-schapd their hands

But that this purest remainder him found

Tho hurt and d [...]i [...]lie wounded still they feght

Led by that Prince that Mandadorus heght.

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71.

Whoes woundrous feits I did too long forget

Four valiant Pagans slew he hand to hand

At last with Sigismund him self he mett

Who of his mightie prowes suirlie fand

He bett him to the ground with might & maine

With strength woorth valour victorie disdaine.

72

But when he seis the Prince he neids wold act

The laistest pairt of this sad tragoedie

His mangled band still following on his tract

Wheir as the Prince defends him valiantlie

Oft bet to ground yet still in feght proceids

Strange was his valour, wonderfull his deids.

73.

Thus while he fought expecting nocht but death

This band wold die and by their death releiuie him

Showing such valour in their deing wrath

They flie they fall they die that first drew neir him

And Mandador from his owne horse did light

Horsing the Prince with valour strength and might.

74.

While this small handfull held them altogethe [...]

They red vnto them selfs a spations roume

But still fresh bands of men resorting thither

Left them their armour for their brauest toumbe

Yet fame their Trophees eterneiz'd with ioye

Which tyme nor death nor hell could not destroy.

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75.

But Mandodorus that one foote did rest

Who to his Prinee had lent his horse before

Whas with the multitude so sore opprest

That he to deathe his tribut does restor

Thryce happie he who bought whith deaths expe [...]

From death his Lord his leadder and his Prince.

76.

By this a mightie armie drawing neir

Their speedie pace presaigd a sharpe reuenge

Whille as the Datians harts begane to feir

Els wearied with their battell past so strange

Recuilling back with feir fall flight and death

But they persue with rage blood murther wrath.

77.

This was king Grodane and his mightie host

Who raizing, Phocis walls was come to ayde

His sone but scing all his armie lost

Amaiz'd he gaiz'd astonisht wheir he red

The act incredible the murther strainge

Wheir valour stroaue with Fortun chance & chaing [...].

78.

Then brunt with greif wo, sorow, wraith & ire

Reueinge from wo and pitie did redoune

Swelling aboue the bancks of his desy [...]e

And send vp floods of tears his eyes to droune

So brooks ore flowes their banks with late falne raine

The brook a riuer, riuer growes a maine

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79.

Reuenge reuenge, ah deir reuenge ah care

Care stopt his breath with greif rage anger wo [...]

This h [...]rang so did sharp their mynd's to wear

All cryd reuenge reuenge the trumpets blow

The [...]r foes that flies they kill, chace, slay not tak

Till night her friends wrapt in her mantle black.

80.

Yet still reuenge and kill the armie calls

Blood blood kill kill [...]eue [...]ge reuenge we most

Whill tuentie thousand dead bofore them falls

The king that feird his only Sone was lost

Caus'd sound [...]etreat & sadlie now he murns

When lo Penardo f [...]ome the chace return [...].

81.

And falling one his kneis before his Syre

He craues him pardone for this g [...]eat mischeif

His willingne [...] for honor to aspyre

Had bene the eaus of all their greattest greif▪

Of fourtein thousand which he bro [...]ght away

Their was not tuentie left alyue that day.

82.

Wheirof the King was wofull when he hard

But glaid his onlie Sone deid liue and lo

His ioyfulnes his sorow quyt debard

He was desyrous all the trouth to know

Which when he heirs of all [...]hat do [...]s p [...]oceid

He thinkst a bloodie victorie indeid

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83.

He causd to searche the feild wheir as he found

Andromodane and Mandador the fair

Belmundo and Phenabon whom entoumbd

He causd to be in glo [...]ious sepulchair

Those lyns insert their fame to testifie

To aige to tyme to endles memo [...]ie.

The Epitaphe of Mandadorus.

HEir Mandadorus lyes

Of Meson vnqhill Prince

That left his natiue soyle to feght

In Greciance defence

Of braue Achilies stok

He haid his Pedegrie

The cheifest of the Aeneans

That duelt in Thessaly

Of suche a mightie mynd

And suche a trustie faeith

That willinglie he pay'd the ran

Soune of his Princes death.

The Epitaphe of Andromadan.

Heir lyes Andromadane

The braue Aehaian loe

That payd his lyif for tribut of

His countrey to his foe

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The Epitaphe of Belmundo

HEir lyes Belmundo fair

Whoes honorable Name

Is left in cronicles of Tyme

To eternize his Fame

A Greciane, true he w [...]s

And died in Greece defence

Of Th [...]ssaly ane Aneane

Of Toropeya Prince

So famous for his woorth

And woorthie for his works

That Tyme and fame in memorie

And glorie him inbarks.

The Epitaphe of Phenabon.

HEir does Phenabon ly

That th [...]yce renouned Lord

Of Thay's that Paganes mighteli [...]

Disdain't defy't abhorde

Who diet in the defence

Of Grece his natiue land

O happie He who deing did

His countreyes fall with stand

Then who soeu'r beholds

Those Tumbs in passing by

Learne to defend they Countreys weell

Or in defence to dy

[Page]Wheirby thow shalft attaine

To glorie and renoune

To honor fame and digniti [...]

To an celestiall croune.

84.

This haueing done with cost and large expence

The King entoumb'd the Pagane Princes loe

The Seruain and the Transiluanian Prince

Euphrates Vrson Vrsides also

And causd insert their praises due their one

Which tyme has rold in blak obluione

45.

But we'll returne to Sigismund agane

And of his new discomfeit armie shoe

Wheir surelye of ane hundreth thousand men

Wer skairslie fourtie thousand left and loe

These weried hurt, fled, feird, with Feght so strang [...]

Had left no hand, sword, hairt, for to reuenge.

46.

Wheir fore he hyes him home in greattest hast

Whill losse and shame was all the wealth he gain'd

Penardo now in sorow sadlie plac'd

Eu'ne for his freinds stil murning had remain'd

At last he stealls troughout the camp alone

In desert wyld for to bewaill and mone.

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87.

Now am I forc'd to leaue the gratulatione

Wheir with the Achaians did commend the King

To show Penardo's haples constellatione

His angrie Starr's so mightelie did regne

But loe his mother died with in short space

Whiche made his father home returne his pace

88.

Penardo goes throw manie diuerse wayes

Till bright Apollo drensht his goldin hayre

In westerne st [...]eam's then doun him self he lay's

His wearie horse to pastur did repair

When to our hemisphere the sable night

From Erebus blak house hade tane her flight.

Caput. X.

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Argument.

PEnardo by a visione warn'd

Does pas trough Pluto's Por [...]

He kild a Gyant, when to him

A Virgine does resort

Who leids him throw a dreidfull cau [...].

Wheir fearfull ghosts abyde

He finds a deing Knight that shous

What thair should him betyde.

1.

THe mightie mynd that harbours hautie deid's

And is conceau'd with, child of glorious gaine

Can rest no wheir but to the birth proceids

Of glorious act's brought fu [...]th with endles paine

Such restles th [...]ought's Penardo did torment

Still longing whil the night were over spent.

2.

At last Aurora shews wheir she was layd

In aiged Tithons arm's and vp did spring

Blushing for shame that she so long had stayde

Her goldin loks for haist did lously hing

Her crimsone chariot made mo longer stay

From criestal heaun's to chace dark night away.

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3.

As Pilot one the seas has stay'd his sight

Vpone the fixed Pole his course to guyde

Whill foggie smook and tempests cloudie n [...]ght

The burnisht light of that bright lamp doe [...]h hyde

Then to his compas has recourse, wheirby

He guyds his hollow veshell stedfastly.

4.

Eu'ne so Penardo that was all alone

Who hade no seruand nor no trustie guyde

One hope he setts his stayd opinione

And with that compas constant does abyde

And furthe vpone his waye he still proceids

Fed with desyre of heighe & glorious deids.

5.

Three dayes he traueld finding nought, at last

With wearie bones he layde him doune to sleip

Whill as with sudden fear he was agast

A visione in his restles braine did creip

The Lady whiche he saw before tormented

Was with those pains agane opprest, presented.

6.

This was the ghost of the enchaunted fair

Laissa whom Penardo must releeue

E [...]ne that fair Mayde who to him did repair

Before the battells; to preuent mischeive

So much her wrong and her desyre so iust

That pitie bad him ayde, & ayde he must

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7.

And now for to performe his promeis past

She comes agane for to emploir his ayde

Requesting him that he wold come at last

To end the ceasles torments of a Mayde

Whom he within the burning caue shall fynd

Eune at the foote of proud Parnassus pynd.

8.

The Prince awaking from his sleip arose

From of the grasse wheiron he softly lay

And wheir his horse was feidding their he goes

While as Aurora gane, to light the day

He trauel'd still till that the Caue he seis

Led with reuenge, hope, valour, victories.

9.

Whose sulphur flams would fearfull hairts haue stayd

The mounting smook such trembling terrour shows

But he who was not bo [...]ne to be eff [...]ayde

Still in the greattest dangers did reioyse

And since he saw no entrie but by fyre

Valour bred hope, and courage bred desyre.

10.

Resolving thus his murdring blade he drawes

And thrusts him self withe furie throgh ye same

His swords sharpe point directing fordwart shawes

His braue assault against the sulphur flamme

Which geueing place diuyds it selfe in tuo

As if it feird his ualour for to know.

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11

Now on he goes till he has past the light

Throgh caues wheir glomie darknes still abyds

Which seem'd the pallace of eternall Night

Wheir she her store of [...]able treasure hyds

And eeke from whence her mantles black she brings

Whoes dreidfull terrour tams all leiuing things.

12.

Yet this our Prince Penardo nothing letts

But on he goes, at last he heirs a noyis

Lyik to the opning vp of brasin gatts

Wheirfro their came this dreidfull sounding voyce

Who past throgh Plotos, port without paynes.

His due in fyrie Phlegiton remains,

13.

Then ishew'd from a deip and hollow Caue

Tuo Dwarfs that held in eurie hand a torche

By whoes great light the Prince might weel perceaue

A monstrous Gyant mounting from a porche

Great lyk a tour that braithd furthe smooke and ire

His eyes no eyes but tuo great flamm's of fyre.

14.

The Prince was not amaized at the sight

But rather was desyrous of renoune

With sword and sheild him self he brauelie dight

With courage braue to him descending doune

whose mass, lyke to ane irone Bolt on hight

He rair'd, with wraith, powre, furie, strength & might.

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15.

And beatts with force the Prince his sheild a back.

Vpone his face till with that mightie bloe

He forcd him tumbling doune the steps, to mack

Homage vpone his face vnto his foe

Then with ane other bloe vpon his creist

He made his lyuevish breath forsaik his breist.

16.

Thus being sensles layd vpon the ground

His mightie hand his murdring blade forsook

The Gyant (that pe [...]ceaud him in that stound)

Vp under h [...]s left arme him lightlie took,

So gosha [...]ks doe who ceasing on their pray

Mounts in the aer and lightlie flies away.

17.

He caries him throw many fearfull wayes

Till he ar [...]yu'd vnto a pleasant plaine

Wheir stoode a pallace poynting at the skyes

Whoes loftie turretts seem'd for to disdaine

The basest earthe and beautifie'd the aer.

With brightest Alabastre tours so fair.

18.

Then drawing neir vnto the castell gett

The Gyant wearie of this burthen strong

Threw him to ground and doun him self he sett

To breathe a whyle who had not rested long

When by the fall the Prince agane reueiu'd

Aer brought him breath, breath lyfe from death releu'd

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19.

And being weel awaked frome his dreame

He wounde [...]th at these wounderfull euents

When memorie returnd he blusht for shame

All his confufed thoughts bred discontents

And when he soght vp from the ground to cleir him

The gyant with his masse agane drew neir him.

20.

Which lighted one his shoulder with such force

That one his hands agane he stoupt to ground

Who by this rude intreatment raiging worse

Raige b [...]ought him strength and strength his courage found

His armed fist aloft he stronglie rears

And beats the Gyants brains about his ears.

21.

The gyant fell with such a fearfull noyes

As when a thunderbolt from heaune does fall

Whoes lightning seems to rent the azure skyes

And shaks the powr's of heaune and earth withall

Or lyk a wind whoes furious devastatione

Doune throw the aer does shak the earth fundatione.

21.

Eune with such noyes the Gyant fell to ground

While presentlie the earth did him deuour

Receaueing him within her hollow wound

Then clos'd agane lyke as she was before

Wheir at great Iasons Neuoy was amazd

And deim'd he was sum feind by magick rais'd.

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23.

While he in this amazed moode did stand

Ha [...]d at his feitt his sworde he did espy

The which how sone he gotte into his hand

He marrched fo [...]wart most couragiouslye

But neirer to the pallace when he came

He thought him ay the farther from the same.

24.

So thinks the courious man that wold attaine

By trauell to heaune threatning Atlas tope

Mounting as far as first his eyes hade sein

It seems ane other Atlas ryseth upe

Whoes tope did aeirs thrid regione proudlie threat

Compast with clouds & skoartch'd with Phoebus heat [...]

25.

Then is his hope accompanied with doubt

Such hope such doubt dwelt in Penardos thought

He staid him self and looking round about

His gaizing eyes vnto his vew sune brought

A Mayd who towards him directs her pase

And first saluts him with a modest grace.

26.

Then ax'd him whither he was mynd'tt to goe

He sayd that galant fo [...]tres for to sie

Quod she thow finds no entres their but loo

If thow would enter thow must goe with me

Content was he to goe, to know, to proue,

To end the pains of death of lyfe, of loue.

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38.

At last she came vnto a vault or groat

Whoes g [...]e [...]slienes was fearfull to behold

But he who onlie had vnto his lott

A b [...]aue vndanted Sprei [...] with courage bold

Straight followed he [...] from light of day to darknes

And lost her in that vnaquanted marknes.

28.

Where he does heir a dreidfull sounding voyce

Lyik to the skritching of the nights blak Houle

Hisling of se [...]pents, and the gre [...]slie noyes

Of ghostly spreits in Plutoes court so foule

Who if his armours vertue had not saift him

Of lyfe, of fame, of glorie, wold had reft him.

29.

Whom they begin to buffet heir and their

Him beat thay oft vnto the ground agane

Ye [...] could he nothing find but filthie aer

Whoes smook might weell consume a world of men

Such filthie smook it was such vglie blasts

As Aetna from his dreidfull mouth forth casts.

30

He drawes his sword and forward still he goe [...]

Vowing to sie the end of these euents

The fu [...]her in, the thicker grow the bloes

At last a fearfull noyes to him presents

A thundring sound a fearfull trembling shak

Whoes dreidfull voice made all the earth to quak.

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31.

Yet he procids and thinks them all but toyes

And stumbling doune at last to ground he fell

While as he hard a pi [...]eous groneing voice

Lyk to the sore tormented soulls in hell

That in this greislie caue, this darksum shade

A houling and a yowling sound still made.

32.

The deing grones of sum tormented wight

He seemd to heir amongs these fearfull sounds

Their So [...]ow dwelt, and their eternall Night

Of euerlasting horror still resounds

But he no tenour fear's nor daunger dreids

But forward goes and throw the dark proceids.

33.

As does the blind in desert fo [...]rests wyde

Ow'r hazards roks caues, craiges & montanes wander

While fear of death has chast his faithfull guyde

Eune feir of tempests lightning sto [...]me and thunder

When as he heirs a noyes, a sound a c [...]y

Hope th [...]ow the danger guyds him hastilye.

34.

So wanders he stout hardy fearles bold

Att last vpone a deing Knight he fell

Skarce could he speik bott zett this much he told

Ah tho thou seiks for death Dispair and Hell

Heir duells sad death plagues, torments, heir remains

Hell brings from this her euerlasting Pains.

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35.

Ah crewell death, ah blak dispair alace

Wo wo and with the word wo chokd his breath

The Prince that pitied such a wofull cace

Heau'd vp his heid and said relent from Death

Perhaps some hope sum hap, sum help remain

He answerd, (nocht but this one word) In vane.

36.

Why (quod the Prence) is thy releife in vaine

If God so pleas his grace and mercie lend

But to this house and to this hell of paine

How cams't thow in, or wast thow heir in send

Faine would I know wheir with the deing Knight

Breathd furth these words thoght weakly as he might.

37.

Within this caue their is a virgin Mayde

Loue dairteth lightning from her glorious eyes

Her beautie bright does all their hairts invade

(With death, loue, furie, passione) that her seis

Muche is the force, the strength, the vigour much

Who seis her, deis for loue, th' enchantments such,

38.

Many attempt's this aduenture to end

But still they end them selfs and it remains

Which I poore I has too too suirlie kend▪

And now must pay my lyf for these my pains

My bosume keips her beauties burning fyre

That tears my hairt in peeces with desyre.

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39.

Ah pitie (said the Prence) is their remeid

To saue thy lyfe and quensh youths loueing flamme

No no (sayd he) theirs naine till I be deid

Heir many mo lies buried for the same

Wheirfore go back, leaue of, returne againe

Heir is no heyre bot death for all thy paine

40

Then said the Prince I surelie wer to blame

Not seing danger, for to leaue it soe

Quod he then since thow cairs so muche for shame

I pray the tak my counsall or thow goe

Aboue this dreidfull Caue their stands a laik

Whoes restles waues this thundring noyes does mak.

41.

The Mayde is on ane altar sacrafeizd

With sulpher flamms of fyre to Pluto's Deitie

Tuelf hours within that fyre sho's, martyrizd

And tuelf houres dround in blood with out all pitie

Before her burnes a Taper will not slaik

Bot in the water of that thundring laik.

42.

This Taper yow must win with mightie force

Syne drinsh it in the forsaid laik & lo

Her flamm's ar quenshed then with great remorce

But how to quenshe the blood yow their shall kno

Yet if yow be intangled by her beautie

Thy hairt thy eyes thy hands shall leaue their duetie.

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43.

Now if the burning Tapre thou obtein

To get it back shall many wayes be sought

As soone as it thou wants by any mein

As soone shall she from lyf to death be brought

Bot if thow be intangled with her loue

The Tapre frome his place thow can not moue.

44.

Thus fair you weell ▪ and with the word the Knigh [...]

Sunck doune with sl [...]ip of leaddin death opp [...]est

Greif woe, and pitie, did [...]he Prince affright

His valour, courage, hope, they muche distrest

He goes but co [...]fort, whill his guyde was cair

His manlie hairt assayld with cold dispair

45.

Though he was still [...]urmoyld with cair and g [...]if

Though daunger still forbids his i [...]te p [...]yse

Tough sad dispair th [...]eat's de [...]h without releif

And [...]hough Dreid, fame and conquest bo [...]h denyes

Yet fordward still he go [...]s but cair o [...] paine

And hops ane happie succes for to gaine,

Caput. XI.

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Argument.

THe birning Alters Keeper, of

His lyfe Penardo spoyls

He seis the daylie funerall

In blood the Virgine boyll [...]

He that by loue could not be win

The Tapre does obtaine

About the Quene of loue he seis

All thois yat Loue had slaine.

1.

O Now yow Muses matchles and devyne

Help by your sacred skill my gros defects

Mak sharpe my wit and pregnant my ingyn [...]

That by your freindly ayde in all respects

My pen suplied may boldly breath his name

Inrold aboue the star's by endles fame.

2,

Whoes mynd the feat of royall vertues birth

And who all goodnes knew, but knew no ill

Admeird of all the world for his rare woorth

Which causd Envy for raige her self to kill

Eune he vwithout all fear or cair did enter

And throw this cave lyk greisslie hell did venter.

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3.

At last a thirling light he did espy

Which from a dure did glanceing furth appeit

Wheirto when as the galant Prince drew nye

He saw a flamme most pure most bright most clei [...]

Vpon ane alter burne and in the same

Brint, skoarch'd, tormented, lay a virgine Dame.

4.

Whill on this piteous spectacle he gaiz'd

From out a corner dark he might perceaue

A monstre hudge that maid him much amaiz'd

Whoes greatnes seem'd to fill that emptie caue

He b [...]eathd furthe clouds of smook which dim'd the flamme

And darkned all the place about the same

5.

So thundring tempests dims the goidin Sunne

And darkins all the cristall heauns so hy

The reiking clouds lyik smook doun moltin runne

By force of fyre that thonderis throw the sky

At last such roars he thunders in his ear

It seemd the caue, shook, trembled, quaik'd for fear.

6.

This monstre fearslie did assaill the Prince

Who nimble, quick, sharp, readie, light, auoyding

His mightie bloes, so braue was his defence

Oft him he harm'd, him self vnharm'd abyding

So that the monstre [...]oird for greif and paine

Furth casting Floods, of poysond goi [...] a maine.

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7.

Thus eache perseuing other to the death

W [...]th strength with [...]aige with furie hait & ire

That neither geue the other leaue to breath

The monstre still threw furth bright flamms of fyre

Who's skaills bore furth the Prince his furious dint

Lyk tempred Steill, hard diamond, or flint,

8.

Wheir for a strang [...]r kynd of feght he chuses

Quyting his [...]word he draw's a dagger fyne

His skill his sl [...]ght his might, and strength he uses

To ridd this deulishe monstre out of pyne

Who lifting vp his armed creist with ire

Smook frome his mouth his eyes furth sparkling fyre.

9.

Did fearcelie forewart to the Prince furth pace

Infolds inrolls in lincks with gaipping iawes

But he with foresight, waying, well the case

His skaillie gorge in his stronge arme he thrawes

And through his burninge ey with fatall knyfe

Brought furthe his brains & with his brains his lyfe.

10.

Glade was he to be ridd of such a foe

Yet pitie, cair and sorow, chac'd delight

To sie so fair a Mayde tormented so

His eyes with chyld of tears his hairt stil sigh't

Taeirs from his eys spring's riuers floods furth sen [...]

Sighes from his hairt lyk blustring winds vpwent.

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11.

When neirer to the alter he was come,

Of so [...]ow he might he [...] the saddest sound,

There greuous g [...]one [...] we [...] inter mix'd with some

We [...]k breathing words, that did sad death resound

The words wer sweet and pitiefull to heir

The accent soft the voce was sharpe and cleir

12.

Those wer the wofull words he pitied most

Ah Pl [...]o Pluto end this sacrifice

Hell Hell douore my souls tormented ghost

Ah crewell Heau'ns that gloir's to tyraneize

Ah paine paine paine let endles paine remoue

Curs death, curs hel, curs earth, curs heaeuns aboue.

13.

Whill thus she spak Penardo hard a noyes,

And suddenlie appeir'd a greatter light,

A hundreth torches borne by litle boyes

All cla [...] in murning w [...]id a wofu [...]l sight.

Softlie the prince [...]o vayes him self a syde

To sie of these euents what wold betyde

14.

After these torches wer tuo horses led

Whose T [...]apers wer of purple si [...]k & gold

Such curious work so rich imbrodered

W [...]s admirable [...]air for to behold

For greffon lyk thay p [...]ce [...]ng seem'd to flie

With goldin plumed wings right curiously.

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15.

These horse wer keept by lackaves tuo who had

Two sheilds which seem'd of sundrie Knights to hold,

And after them tuo Paiges richlie cled

Two mightie lances bore with heads of gold

Nixt a [...]ter them four galant coursers d [...]ew

A crimsone cotche that seemd of bloodie hew.

16.

within this cotche tuo Kinghts wer sadlie plac'd

In glist [...]ing armoor that was fynelie fram'd

The a [...]mours shyning lustre was defac'd

Wi [...]h purple blude th [...]t from their bodies straimde

Sad w [...]s their mynds wheir sorow did remaine

Great wer their wounds but greatter far their paine.

17.

The one still sigh'd and g [...]oin'de but spak no word

For in hi [...] brei [...]t a b [...]oodlie dagger stoode

The other throughe his bodi [...] had a sword

From whoes steill poynt ranne streams of crimson blood

Death ou'r them both long since hade spred her wing [...]

Yet lyfe by airt, paine, greif and sorow brings.

18.

Behind the alter stoode a brasen portch

Which opp [...]nd wyde for to receaue this traine

Where enters all the boyes with eue [...]ye tortch

The hors, and all the rest that did remayne,

But whill the cotche neir to the alter drew

The wofull dame her sorows did renew.

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19.

Ah Heaun's alace come come I glaidly goe

Let deith geue end to Hells tormenting flamme

Blood blood glut vp both soule and body lo

Stop now my braith and suffocat the same

Let these tuo leiue & then impose on me

Ten thousand deaths so I may once but die.

20.

No sonner did she end her plaints when as

Tuo old and aiged Haggs come in then sights

Who bore ane huge g [...]eat veshell made of bras

That keipt the blood of those tormented Knights

Long gaizd the Prince on thir hid misteries

Whill paine, on paine, & greif on greif he sies.

21.

The virgine from the fyre began to moue her

The veshell neir, she throw her in the same

While as the blood begane to boyle aboue her

And vtherwhyls aboue the bloode she come

So bubling streams of brooks from hye that fall

Raise vp the Pebls pure whyt cleir and small

22.

They gone the Prince did with him self deuyce

To spill the blood bot now he heirs a sound

It seem'd a heighe and bloistring wind did ryse

And looking wheir the veshell to haue found

He saw a piller rai [...]ed vp whoes end

Reatch'd frome the ground almost vnto the pend.

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23.

Then did he heare a murmur and a noyes

A duilfull murning and a wofull sound

So from a hollow pitt resounds a voyce

Of one that lyes tormented vnder ground

Or lyk the ghostlie and the dreidfull dine

That roaring bulls mak hollow Caues within.

24.

The piller seem'd to be of marble stone

In forme of ane Pyrameid as it stood

W [...]thin the which the virgine was alone

Tormented still within the boyling blood

Penardo knew but help of humane hand

That it was fraimd his furie to with stand.

35.

But neirer to the piller when he drew

Sum goldin letterd lyns he might espy

Whoes meining was as efter doeth ensue

Be not so bold this aduenture to try

Least Faits who made the most admeird of all

Should mak the most in famous for thy fall

36.

But cairles who had thus menac'd him so

Which serud but to affray a fanting hairt

Now round about the piller does he go

While as he finds sum other lyns insert

Wheirby he knew the former faing'd deny all

Was but to stay him from a farther tryall.

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27

WHat ere thow be that proues to end the pains

Of this tormented Mayde that heir remains

And wold vndoe the great and woundrous frame

Which Mansays arte has build it for the same

The tapre from the birning Altar take

And drinsh it in the fearfull thundring lake

But first from birning lust search some releiff

For These tuo Princes wrapt in all mischeiff,

28.

Not half so fast the Tyger swift furth goes

Th [...]ogh desert wayes for to redeeme h [...]r brood

As does the P [...]en [...]e when these glad n [...]wes he knoes

Vnto the alta [...] wheir the tapre stoode

He hopes yet doubt-sum ill might him be fall

To marr his hope, hap, will desyre, and all.

29.

Cassandras armour was not now for noght

Els of that dame in [...]mour'd hade he beine

For the eff [...]ct of this enchantment wrought

On eurie one before that had her seine

And being once entangled by her loue

Te tortche they could not steir, nor toutch, nor moue

30.

Yea surelie if his armours vertue strong

Had not resisted the enchantments force

Within the caue he should haue stayd so long

While he had diet for loue without remorce

Her beautie was of force, strength, pow're, to moue

Yea massacre a world of Hairts with loue.

[Page]

31.

But he who in his armour does retaine

The rare and precious stone of chastitie

(Whoes vertue is the owner to restraine

F [...]om lo [...]e, or lust, or Venus fantasie)

Could not be mou'd, to love, so none but he

Could end the fair Laissas miserie.

32.

And entring now within the brazen portch

The which he thinks to be the only way

E [...]ne w [...]th the light of this his lytle tortch

He saw some lynes ing [...]aph'd (which made him stay)

Vpon the brasen gate he did behold

Inde [...]ted all with courious warks of gold.

If ought thow lose that thow has brauelye win

Thow deir [...]e sh [...]ll repent thy comeing in.

33.

Now he began to gaize vpon the ground

And calling presentlie vnto his mynd

The deing Knight whom he before had found

Within the Caue and of his counsall kynd

He knew it was the taper to defend

Or els her sorow should with death haue end,

34.

And by this tyme within a goodlie Hall

He entred was when vewing weel this sight,

The rare proportion was maiesticall.

To eurie airt their was a galant light,

And glaid their of ioy cheirt his countenance

So Phoebus flour spred's when her lord does glance.

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35.

Long stayd he nought when looking heir and their

One his left hand a doore he might espy

Within the which he saw a gall'ry fair

Wheir pleasur did invite a gaizing ey

While throgh this pleasant gall'ry he was walking

He thought he hard sum people softlie talking.

36.

Whoes murmuring sound hade drawne him now in sight

Of a fa [...] chamber that was richelie hung

Wheir sporting at their dalleing delight

Wer Knights and Ladyes lying all along

Vpon [...]he pa [...]ement wrought of cristall rock

Whose glances bright the Prince his sight did chock.

37.

But his delight did him thair after lied

Vnto ane other chamber much more fair

For their the cristall pauement all was spred

With crimsone veluet costlie, ritche, and rair,

And in the mids a piller stoode vpright

Of gold that shynd, flam'd, glāc'd, with sparkling light

38.

Adioynd vnto the piller rose a throne

Of beattin gold whoes lustre cleir vnstaind

The beautifullest Queene did sit theirone

That cristall heaune or solid earthe containd

And round about her stoode a comlie traine

Of kings, queins, lords, knights, dames that loue had slaine.

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39

Their was the Queene of Carthage, Dido fair

Who for Aeneas loue hade lost her breath,

And for Antonius loue with Vipers their

Sad Cleopatra Sting'd her self [...]o deathe,

Their Ariadne that her self hade slaine

For proud vnthankfull Theseus disdaine.

40.

Whoes lyfe decre'd to Minotaurus raige

She fred and from the Labyrinthe h [...]m gaind

Their was Media by whoes counsaill saige

Iason the goldin glorious fleice obtaind

Their Phillis who did many passiones proue

Chuseing sad death for sweet Demophoons loue.

41.

Their Iulia the wyfe of great Pompey

Who died becaus she feird her husbands death

Their Porsia for Brutus loue did stay,

Who with hote birning coalls hade choakd her braith

Their Pisca with her louer loud to be

Who threw them selfs both heidlongs in the Sea.

42.

Their might Pandorus loueing dame be seine

That chus'd for to be buried quick in graue

Rather then be the Persean monarchs Queene

Becaus he did her louers lyfe bereaue

The Greciane dame fair Camma their did moue

Who slew her self and him that flew her loue.

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43.

These weme [...] with their louers did inioy

A pleasant lyfe about this princelie Queene

And men that did for loue them selfs distroy

Menon that hang'd him self might their by sein

For to the proud Assyriane King alone

His best beloud Semiramis head gone

44.

And their Tiberius Gracchus did remaine

That fund tuo Serpents in his chamber floore

And knowing if the [...]emell first wer slaine

His lyfe should longer not his wyfes indure

The Male he slew so w [...]ell he [...]oude his wyfe

And m [...]de his deathe the ransone of her lyfe

45.

And Marcus Lepidus did their abyde

That slew him self eune for his loues disdaine

And Platius Numidius by his syde

That for his deir loues death him self hade slaine

Their old Syluanus that him self hade hangd

Becaus proud Nero wold his loue haue wrang'd.

46.

Their Pollio graue and sad, a Germane borne

A famous Knight though Fortune wrought his fall

This was the Knight that in the Caue beforne

Had told the Prince what th [...]i [...] should him befall

There many more that died without remorce

For Lissaes loue by the enchauntments force,

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47.

All these and many thousand their remaines

Who to that co [...]r [...] doe [...] momen [...]ly r [...]so [...]t

The winge [...] boy delights in all thei [...] pains

And of their g [...]eat [...]est g [...]eif he maks a sport

But lo that glorious Q [...]eene b [...]ed [...]ll their ioyes

Their loue their fansie and their amorous toyes.

48.

For to inthrall the hart that Queene weell knew

The soueraigne Maistres of that art she was

Her wantoune shyning looks and heaunelie hew

W [...]th sweitt allu [...]ements secreitlie wold pas

For still the glanceing of her wantone ey

Wold mak her trayne, sad, ioyfull, liue, or dy.

49.

Her wantoune eyes bew [...]ayd her inward mynd

Her countenance de [...]laird her harts desy [...]e

To burning lust she seem'd to be inclynde

Consumeing still with neuer quenshing fyre

Dissembling all wi [...]h such a craf [...]ie mynd

That anie sa [...]e Adonus wold by kynd.

50.

Her modest blush wold diuers tyms bewray

That which (it seem'd) she sham'd fo [...] to vnfold

With amou [...]s q [...]eint her wanton eye wold play

And from her hairt in sport their message told

Her low [...]ing look [...] or chei [...]full smyls doth moue

To laugh to weep, to smyll, to sighe furth loue.

[Page]

51.

Amongs the rest Penardo might espy

Phelarnon braue and Tropolance the bold

Whom by their wofull look [...] he did discry

To be eune far agains their will with hold

Phelarnons breist bewray it his ceasles pain

Wheirin a bloodie dagger did remain.

52.

And Tropolance his wofull hart was rent

With bloodie sword, tormented still he goes

Yea these tuo princes onlie did lament

While as the rest did seeme for to reioes

But now sad shaddowes of the dankish night

Begane to dryue away the cheir full light.

Caput. XII.

[Page]

Argument.

PEnardo's tempted oft and yit

The tapre he obtains

He chaiseth burning lust to hell

And ends the Princes pains

He quensheth in the fearfull Lake

The Tapers light anone

He finds sum tombs and sies sum lyn' [...]

Which wer ingraph'd theirone.

1.

WHen hells great Grandame ganher self to ryse

For anger breathing furth dark clouds of smoo [...]

And chaist heaun's cheirfull lamp doun through the skyes

Then of his wyde [...]mpyre possessione took

Penardo [...] thundring sound

Lyk Neptune raiging gainst a stormie wind.

2.

And lo a fearfull [...]ind did now aryse

With dreidfull thunder, lightning flamms of fyre,

Ane earth-quak and a tr [...]mbling in the skyes

That seem'd to sh [...]k the world's sure fixt empyre

From of his ce [...]tre & his stedfast statioune

And with proud raige to raise his sure fundatione.

[Page]

3.

Wheir with of all this [...]ryne incontinent

He, s [...]is not one in twinkling of ane ey

But of their feet he might decerne the, pren [...]

In the [...]iche cloth that on the g [...]ound did ly

Whei [...]at Penardo much a mazed stoode

But nothting danted was his courage good [...]

4.

And looking round about whill thus he stard

Ane other dure he saw whei [...]on he red

Tak what thow finds within for the prepairde

Thus in the b [...]aue Thessaliane was led

By courage and a fearce vndanted mynd

Not feiring hell it self thairin to fynd.

5.

The royaltie of this fair roune was [...]uche

As seem'd the lyik on earth could not be found

The value of the h [...]ng [...]ngs was so much

That from the syling to the paued ground

Did reache all [...]ichlie wrought with pearle & gold

Which Hercules great battels did vnfold,

6.

Ther hade he slaine the Gyaunt all alone

Who sumtyme rewl't fair Europs fairest yle,

Of whom it got the name of Albeon

And their was seu [...]ne mouth'd Hydrae feirce e're whyle

Whom he by his al-conquering force had slaine

His shafts there, in the monstre did remaine.

[Page]

7.

Their in the Naemeane forrest he hade slaine

The Lyones fearce' the monstre of the Sea

He slew' and fair Exione did obtaine

There the Thessalian Centaurs vanqueist he

Thei [...]e Cerberus he bond and Captiue l [...]d

And Pr [...]serpine frome Pluto's thraldome fred.

8.

Theire did he kill Anhteon feirce and bold

And Nessus there, and Gereon proud of Spaine

And frome Hesperides renoun'd of old

Wheer did the goldin f [...]eiced floks remaine

He theme Frome Atlas daughters did disseue [...]

And bonde Philotes as a slaue for euer.

9.

Theer his zuelf works bred terrour to the eye

And trembling fear vnto the boldest hairt

There hade he thrown'e him headlong in the Sea

Who brought to him the strainge Emppyson'd shirt

There he in paine raige sorow, did lament

Tearing the venome that this flesh did rent.

10.

And in the mids a piller stoode vpright

Wheiron a rich and glorious armour lay

Their hung a sheild ingrapht whoes glancing light

The armes of Thessaly did furth display

A boue the which a candle-stick of gold

Did hing which seem'd but one small lamp to hold.

[Page]

11.

In this fair chamber stoode a glorious bed

Of beattin gold Whoes fyrie sparkling flies

Frome pretious stones & diamond [...] which spred

Thei [...] pearsing beam is that dim'd the Prince his eies

The tapers light that in his hand he bure

Gaue place to this more shyning cleir & pure.

12.

Four mabre pillers did a table bear

Of yellow glanceing Topas fynlie drest

And of t [...]ansparant cristall stoode a chear

As if it wold inveit [...]he Prince to rest

Who wearied with his toylsum trauell past

This profer'd rest accepted at the last.

13.

And gaizing still vpone this glorious wark

The table suddenlie wes ouer spred

By whome he knew not bo [...] he might remark

With fructefull Ceres danteis it wes clade

Their Bacchus plen [...]ie flowe'd till yis braue Prince

Was weill suffeiz'd then all remoued thence.

1.

And all this tyme the taper did abyde

Into his hand wherone he does deuyse

How he might sauelie lay the same asyde

And rest In the fair bed till Tytan ryse

When presentlie did in the table stand

Ane candle-stick presented to his hand

[Page]

15.

Which as ze hard did our the a [...]mour hing

Wheirof when he the w [...]km [...]nship espy'd

He did perceaue ingrauen [...]bout the ring

Sum lyn's in azure blew thame selfs bewray'd

Whiche if obeyit it ends the ceasles stryfe

Of Lissa's paine and with her paine her lyfe.

16.

Of me thow only mak a chois

Tell thow with sleip thy self repose

I am devysd thy light to hold

Then but suspitione be thow bold.

17.

This youth had goth no sleip tuo dayes ago

Wheir for to rest a great desyre he fand

Bot woundred who so weel his mynd did kno

Assaying if his light theirin wold stand

A suddane fear assaild his hawtie hairt

He trembled, and he quack'd in euerye pairt.

18.

And, as a merchant in a darksum night

Does trauell in a forrest all alone

Wheir he before has sein a fearfull sight

Of robbing Theeues and murtherers, anone

Does feare and faint, and tremble yea and quak's

So he In eury ioynt, and sineu shak's.

[Page]

19.

And wondred what this accident sould mein

When presentlie their come vnto his thought

The deing Knight he in the caue had sein

Who told him all his trauell was for nought

If once the tortche wer tint or gone; or lost

Lost wer her lyfe, lost all his paine and cost·

20.

Then Night begane to hyde her loathed heid

Rendring her place unto her fo so fair

Whose messinger was cled in crimsone reid

Hurling his fyrie beam's throw glomie aer

Melting the clouds in liquid drops that fall

Moystninge the thristie pearched earth with all,

21.

The royall Knight right ioyfull of the day

That he might bring to end his tedious task

When to the pill [...]r whair the armour lay

Whene Titan did his shyning face vnmask

He saw a goldin image which did hold

A table of black Iasp al wreit in gold.

22.

And towards him the table poynting was

The which How soone his arme did rais aloft

The image le [...]'t it with his hand furth pas

Vewing the courious workmanship so oft

The lyn's he red which shaddowith all deceat

Mischeif, dath, discord, furie, wraith, debait.

[Page]

ƲOlcane this fair and goodly armour wrought

Whiche Venus to her Sone Aneas brought

Whoes vertue frome all tempting tounge defends

And Hope and courage to she hairt it sends

With vigoraus strenth it does the bodie seid

And vanquisheth the Enemie with dreid

Who wears the same shall victor still remaine

And still his hairts desyre he shall obtaine

Inchantment strong or ony secreit traine

Of subtile Foes shall alwayes proue in vaine

No humane strenthe can this enchantment end

Except the Trojanes armour him defend.

23.

Sure quod the Prince this is a rair devyce

That no deceat nor dainger can assaill

True valour sould be compted bot a vyce

If this wer true the coward should prevaill

Then falset crueltie and all deceat

Should trueth, woorth, valour, vertue, all abait

24.

Falset should banishe purest trueth to hell

And wicked wrong all right should ouerthraw

Folie should wisdome leid as slaue to Sell

And manly mynds of fazards stand in aw

Of humane kynd then to preuent the fall

This euill of euills I'le cut in peices smal.

[Page]

25.

He cutt's the armour which als soft as brasse

He finds and knew it was bot to ent [...]ape

Him in a snair (bot Fates ordaind his glasse

To [...]ne his how [...]es of lyfe in Fortuns lape)

For lo suche deu'lish stren [...]h the armes retaind

As in the shirt of Hercules remaind.

26.

And sure too great mischeif should haue betyde

If one him self this armour he receau'd

For first the tap [...]e he must lay a syde

Wheir with Laissa's lyfe hade bene bereau'd

And also him with furie, raige, and wraith

Paine, so [...]ow, cair, and greif had brought to death.

27.

But Fortune smyld her looks wer gratious

And suffred not frost, storme, haill, cold or raine

A flour so young, so fair, so pratious

With death, decay, or dolour, [...]oo be slaine

But ridd of this he searching fand a none

Ane [...]rone doore with this inscriptione.

That dreidfull Dragone heir within does ly

That fosters still the fyre of Lechery

Wherin tuo Princes ar tormented still

And can not be remou'd frome thence, vntill

A Knight shall come whoes chastetie is suche

And whoes good Fortune fauours him so muche.

[Page]

AS can not be by aine meins entys'd

To fall into the snairs for him deuys'd

He first must lay his sword & sheilld a syd

Then vnto him the doore shall oppin wyd

Syne proue by strength the weapens for to win

That does the Princes wounds remane within

Wheirwith he must ow'r cum the dragon fearce

Then shall the torments of the Princes cease.

28.

This deuelish dragone was ane feind of Hell

Bred first in floods of fy [...]ie Phlegitone

In whom the fyre of birning lust did dwell

Which sho broght furth from darkest Acheron [...]

And being bred of such infernall broode

She leui'd on fyre, in darknes was her foode,

29.

This lustfull fyre throgh all the world she send

Wheirwith she hade inf [...]ct the greattest pairt

Who lyk vnto their mother does intend

In darknes for to quensh their burning smairt

There, help they find, but no releif at all

Till for their mother they haue searchd' in hell.

30.

Whom Mansay by his airt had brought from thence

Vnto this place these Princes to torment

Whose lustfull fyre had bred their owne offence

And first vnto their ruine gaue consent

But loath he was hes sword to lay a pairt

Which brought his foes to woe, to death, and smairt▪

[Page]

31.

[...]it seing no releefe he layes a syde

His sword and sheild and fearles fordwart goes

When presentlie th [...] doore brust oppine wyde

And their (a fearfull sigh [...]) vnto him shoes

A burning caue that th [...]ows owt flamms of fyre

Which from a dragones mouth did still retyre

32.

Eune as the d [...]eidfull Salamander liues

Amid the fyre while one the fy [...]e she feids

The fyre her brai [...]h her lyfe her essence geues

But fy [...]e she dies in fy [...]e she leues and breids

Eune so this feind in smook and flamms so bright

Did burn and shyn and glance, and sparkle light.

33.

In throgh these flamm's he saw these Princes lay'd

On burning beds of steill lyk furies fel

Wheir hell thay curst and heaune they did obbraid

With many fearfull cry and wofull yell

To sie such galant Princes so tormented

With tears into his eyes he thus lamented,

34.

Ah harmeles Soull [...] so pynd curs'd be the tyme

That Mansayes crewell arte deuysd such pains

His punishment is more then is your cryme

Ah how iniustlie heir he yow detains

Your harme done to your self your cryme your owne

To him no spight nor malice had yow showne.

[Page]

35.

Ah cursed by that Zoroastes old

That first devysd deip incantatioune

Of magick arte, whose spells oft being told

Brings vp that foule infernall natione

The man whoes witt does search furth such ane euill

Is foe to man and freind vnto ye Deuill.

36.

Ah mightie Ioue that does permit such wrongs

And does behold thy creaturs thus pynd

Revenge vnto thy glorious self belongs

Mercie thow grantes to a repenting mynd

Ah for thy glories saik in mercie grant

Thow by my hand this feind infernall dant,

37.

Nether could fear of terrour yeilding fyre

Nor world deuoiring monstre him effray

Nor daunt his dauntles hairt that does aspyre

Throw daunger for to gaine great glories pray

This sayd, he fwiftly to the monstre hyed

Feir terrour dreid and daunger he defyed.

38.

The monstre now with flamming tounge drew neir

With deathe, or lustfull heat him to inflamme

But these her flamms did not on him appeir

Nor could he be molested be the same

She seith that her hoate consumeing fyre

Could not inflamme his spotles chaist desyre.

[Page]

39.

Straight did caste furth a dark black foggie smook

Which with the flamme made this a secound hell

Fixt on the Prince her burning eyes did look

Cl [...]pping her yrone wings and dreidfull taill

In fixed in this taill wer stings anew

The Prince the Knight the Champione to persue.

40.

These stings if thay be fix'd the fleshe within

Does it infect with filthie lustfull fyre

Of venamous and poysonable sine

And appetites inquenshable desyre

Wo [...]king throw all the vains, till boyling heat

Makes them the heaune yea God him self forgett.

41.

Into her tounge ar also stings infixt

Whoe poysone breideth sensuall delight

Which with a gluttonus desyre is mixt

Wallowing in pleasure, plungd in eternall night

Of all fo [...]getfullnes and idle slouth

And sklaueth man to pleas his daintie mouth.

42.

For drounkinnes and gluttonnie alone

Drawes ef [...]e [...] them a thousand filthie sines

Greif▪ anger, loue, extremitie, anone

And birning lust th [...]oughe all the bodie rins

That memorie, and vnderstanding quyt

Extinguisht ar with lecheryes delyt.

[Page]

43.

It maks a dulnes ow'r the mynd to creip

A monst [...]e maks the bodie fatt with rest

And reassone thus it lu [...]leth sound a sleep

Thus man does differ nothing from a beast

These bates in the begining sweitlie moue

But in the end a Cocatrice thay proue.

44.

This monstre these her stinges infecting heat

In mortall mynds, infixeth but releif

And howked once allurde with poyson'd baitt

She drawes them heidlong vnto all mischeif

At last to deathe and hells eternall paine

From which all hope of blis'd releiffs in vane.

45.

None of these stings could in the Prince haue place

With them she him [...]ssayls but all in vane

Wheirfore she fearcelie fordwart flies a pace

Ayming with tearing pawes him to haue slaine

And being now heigh rais'd aboue the ground

She beats him with her mightie force a sound.

46.

And ayming for to crush him vnto death

In her sharpe pawes she taks him gredilie

But he (who wa [...] not whol [...]e void of breath)

Her by the go [...]ge [...] gripeth speedilie

And had th'enchanted tapre beine a syde

She new'r had gone from thence in hell t'abyde.

[Page]

47.

But yet altho he had no hand but one

Her greislie gorge so stronglie did he grip

That she was forc'd to ryis and with a grone

Her hold about his bodie to let slip

She roar'd she yeld she brayt she billow't lowd

So does the lyons, bulls, boars, coursers prowd.

48.

This monsters mouthe lyk to a golfe appeirs

And their she thinks him quick for to entomb

A filthie smook she throwes befo [...]e his eyes

Which forc'd him breathles for to leaue that roume

And farther throw the flamms to seek for breath

She roaring still, still gaip'd still threatned death.

49.

So Neptune in a raiging storme doeth rore

When Aeolus his bloystring face ou'r blowes

His rolling billowes fearclie beatts the shore

Gaipping his hollow greedie gulfs he showes

Wher in threts to swallow or to wrak

The Plowars of his yrie awfull back.

50.

Before she could Penardo ouer reatche

He came vnto the steillie burning bed

And from Phelarnons breist wheir was the breatche

The daggere pull's when with a weappine cled

The monstre seem'd more heauie sadd and low

Her force, moir feble, wearie, fante, and slow.

[Page]

51.

Thus thinks he of this feght to mak ane end

And with the dagger to bereaue her lyfe

Who with her oppine jawes does her defend

And theirin cacht the dagger which with stryfe

From him sho ref [...] and brak in peeces small

And thus to him no weappine left at all.

52.

Betwixt him and the sword her self she sett

Which Tropolance his bloodie breist containd

While as such fyre and sulphu [...] [...] she let

That all the hous into a fyre remaind

So she a birning Salamander seem'd

But nothing of hir fyre the Prince esteem'd.

53.

And yet this kynd of f [...]ght was verie strange

That Hercules the lyk did neuer vew

When a [...] the Gyant Cacus (in reuenge

Of Italies enormities) he slew

Nor when the Minyan force before him falls

Raising their mightie seige from Theban walls.

54

Nor when he slew the dragone fearce in fight

Yea none of his tuell labours might be match

To this for that he vsd his strength and might

And with his weapeins did aduantage watch

Tuo hands he ha [...]d, Penardo had but one

He weapins als our Champione had none.

[Page]

55.

But now the braue Thessaliane nought amaizd

Maks him as he the drago [...]e wold assaill

Who with her winges aboue the ground was rais'd

And to the fegh [...] him fearslie did [...]ppaill

With opned mouth she [...]reasd on him to flye

Who lightlie leaps a syde and letts her bye.

56.

Then pulls he out the bloodie weapine streght

From out the deidlie wound and their withall

Him self addresseth brauelie for the feght

Bott loe he sies the dreidfull dragone fall,

With roaring low'd the earth she rudelie tear

Doune tumbling into hell with greislie fear.

57.

A mightie wind made this fair building quai [...]

So that the greatter pairt theirof doun fell

The ear [...]he began to ryve and with a shak [...]

The ed [...]feice sank dounwards vnto hell.

When lo he was vpon a pleasant plaine

Wheir, of that building did no marck remaine.

58

At last he spyes a fearfull laik in sight

Whi [...]h restles rowlleth lyk a [...]aiging Sea

Whoes billowes baits their bounding banks with might

That crubs them from destroying libertie

And whoes huge waues with restles noyes did swel

Though Aeolus nere breath'd theiron at all.

[Page]

59.

Wherby he knew it was the verie same

Wheir he to qvenshe the tapre should returne

Which being done the strong enchanted flamme

Made all the laik with fear and dreid to burne

At last it raise and lyke a thunder-bolt

With fearfull noyes it pearc'd the azure volt.

60.

When as lyk christal all the streame grew cleir

The which before a pitche colour hyd's

No waue no surge no billow did appei [...]

Bot softlie on the goldin channell slyds

The syluer streame with sweittest murnming sound's

Which wind's, rocks, caues, woods, montanes back redound [...] ▪

61.

He wounder't much at all these strainge euents

Amaiz'd he stoode and gaiz'd vpon the grounde

When as thrie plesant toumb's to him present's

Them self's, wherin he looks what might be fou [...]d [...]

The toumbs of mabre richelye wrought with gold

Wher on these lynes ingraph'd he did behold.

J Laughfull loued and yet

Vnlanghfall was my loue

I'm punisht justlie for my fault

And yet I faultles proue

I die becaus my cryme

Deserueth well to die.

[Page]And yit no act nor cryme at all

Committed was by me

First did I slay my foe

And then my foe flew me

And deid, my Syre I brought to wrack.

Such was my destanie

The Palace wheir I dwelt

Was fairest of remoune

By feftie thousand pillers borne

All which my de [...]th threw doune

But none can change decrie

Of Fates nor NON RAP HEL

If anie for my name enquire

The former lyne doeth tell.

62.

This matchles Champioune was the rat amaiz'd

The meining dark he skairslie could desc [...]ye

But that he knew this trophee now was rais'd

And that Phelarnon their intoumbd did lye

For NON RAP HEL he knew his name to be

And on the secound toumbe these ly'ns did sie.

Me to my crewell death

Ambitione surth did call

In my reuenge my natioune wrought

A stranger natiouns fall

And with their fall th [...]ir owne

Perpetuall infamie

[Page]Thus am I ground of all mischief

Ordaind by destanie

Ah curs'd vnhappie loue

Loue was the caus of all

In spoyling of my Riualls lyfe

I spoyld myne owne and all

Then who so ere shall lock

On Tropolance his name

Remember loue to be the cause

Of ruine, death, and, shame.

63.

Penardo was right sorowfull to sie

Such galant Princes so bereft of lyfe

For that be thought that he had made them fri [...]

But at what tyme he took the fatall knyfe

From each of them out of his bloodie breist

Then death from the enchantment them relest

64.

Yet more desyre hade he the third to sie

Ane trembling feir through all his bodie goes

For that he feird Laissa dead to be

And then his longsum trauell should be lose

But now in Thetis azure palace fair

With her to dally Phebus does repair.

[Page]

65.

Then lowring sad cum f [...]rthe the cheirles night

Ouer earth to spred her sable canoby

Whill as the staitlie bir [...]ing lamps wer light

Shyn [...]ing in Ioues he [...]ghe palace p [...]esentlie

Twixt fear and hope dou [...]e [...]y the Prince vnsein

Vpoune the gr [...]ss [...], soft, fresh, we [...]t, easie, grein.

Caput. XIII.

Argument.

ƲPoune the sleiping Toumbe the Prin [...]

His trauells seit ingrapht

He seis Laiss [...] their ye sword

He from the rock out rest

A spreit or feind of Hell he meitts

Vpoune Danubius fair

That in the shap of Mayd him leids

To paine, wol greif, and cair.

1.

NO sonner goldin Phebus guilds the skyes

And shoots furth fyrie beam's throw emptie a [...]

Wheas the Prince vp f [...]ō the grasse doe [...] ryse

And in his hairt a thou [...]and thoughts repair

His courage fled he doubts, he fant's, he

Floods from his eyes send stream's of sylver tears, fears,

[Page]

2.

K [...]nd was his hairt tho not resolu'd to loue

Cairfull h [...]s mynd her [...]yfe for [...]o prese [...]ue

Constant [...] kyndnes did he alw [...]yes proue

Courtes a [...]d cai [...]full Ladie [...] fan to serue

His hai [...]t a th [...]one fo [...] beauties excellence

If a [...] witheld not Natures influence.

3.

At last to the desyred toumbe he came

Which [...]eem'd not to be wrought with humane hands

So riche [...]o r [...]ir so wounderfull the same

Wh [...]h on fou [...] sylue [...] sh [...]nning Pille [...]s stands

Of beattin gold [...]o pu [...]e fair, cleir, and bright

Whoe [...] shynning seem'd to skorne fair Phebus light.

4.

And round about him self [...]e might behold

His traeull's throw the birning caue, it shew

No painting colours beautified the gold

Bot Emiralds, Pearls, Rubies, Saphirs blew

Which lyue [...]e shoes e [...]ch pu [...]trat & eache pairt

So comelie nature helped courious airte.

5.

Their was the purtrat of the Sulphure flamme

In birning Charbunkles and manye a ostone

Whoes glanceing light agains the Sune furthe cam

Lyk sparklying fyre that flam'd that br [...]n [...] that shone

[...]her whe [...]e the Gy [...]n [...] feld him to the ground

And caried him through all the cau [...] a sound.

[Page]

6.

A crimsone blush a pourple dy our spred

His louely face and made him hing his eyes

Shame, raige, reuenge, wraith, furie, anger bred

He loths him self he freats he froun's, he fry's

He thinks these purtrats in despight wer shorne

To show him self vnto him self in skorne.

7.

But looking farther of he did espy

There wheir The Gyaunt threwe him to the ground

And how he rose agane with maiestie

Giuing at once his foe his fatall wound.

Eache purtrat their to pleas his eye contends

And seem'd for former faults to mak amends

8.

There all the rest of this his longsum wark

Wer fynly graph'd in pretious stones and gold

The which frome point to point he did remark

And their his woundrous valour might behold

Bot lynes effrayed his hairt, his eyes, his ears

He feirs to reid yet reids and reids with tear's.

All is in vaine all labour is for nought

Frome Mansayes charmeing spells can non defend

In vaine her lyfe in vaine releif thou sought

In ending of her pain her lyfe did end

Thow casd her pain and crewell death did send

This is the fruct of all thy trauels past

Thow wrought her death her death to the shall send·

[Page]Greif, sorow, cair wo [...]shame, disgrace at last

[...]et is thy Sune with clouds of shame or'e cast

Spent is thy lamp of glorie praise & fame

Thy honor fades dishonor buddeth fast

And blossoms beirs of wo, disgrace, and shame

Thy glories doone praise dead & fame outworne

Go then of heaune, of earth, of hell, the skorne

9.

Eune as when fearfull dreams in slumbring sleip

Wold mack a man to shout, to cal, to cry

Whi [...] fear and horrour ou'r his senses creip

Yet speitchles, sightles, mightles does he ly

So now it seem'd the Prince was in a traunce

And greatlie troubled in his countenance.

10.

Thus drunk with sadnes and deuoyde of ioy

Amaizd he stoode bereft of speich and sence

Dounwarde he casts his looks with sad anoy

Greif sorow cair wold lyfe haue chaiced thence

Oft did he wishe the solid earthe to ryue

And hyd his shame, by swallowing him alyue.

11.

But waiking from this dreaming sleip at last

His loftie witts agane together flies

When as his roaling eyes by chaunce he cast

Aboue the toumbe the which he oppin seis

As Seaman in a raiging storme of wind

A [...] glaid the land and wished sho [...]e to find.

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12.

So glaid he was hoping to find releefe

That sorow's past might haue a happie end

Wheirfore to eas his cair, his paine, his greif,

A loft vnto the toumb his looks he send

Wheir hope with dreid, & dreid with hope made weir

He feird in ioy, & ioyde in mids of feir

13.

For their Laissa fair he might behold

Nay not Laissa bot Penardo rather

For eu'ne the sharpest eye could not vnfold

The meinest ma [...]k of difference tuixt ether

And thus not glade whill her he oftin sight' [...]

But eu'ne him self to sie him self delight's

14.

As that fond boy that gaizd into the wel

Wheirin he sies the shaddow of his face

And being deip inamoured of him sell

Oft looks and oft the image wold embrace

So in her face as in a glas or well

He lou'd the only image of him sell

15.

She sat vpone a bensh of glanceing g'old

And lein'd her louelie face vpon her hand

Bright look'd her eyes wheir loue & fancie rold

But lo no spunk of aer nor breath he fand

Yet was her colour lyuelie fair and cleir

A sylver tinctour in her cheeks appeir.

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16.

He cald her oft and nam'd herby her name

First soft, then lowd, then whispred in her eare

But yet no show of heiring made the Dame

Nor anie signe of lyfe could once appeer

Wheirfore sad sorow sheltred all his ioy

And horried paine his pleasour did distroy.

17.

And ean this be (quod he) and art thow dead [...]

And has the worlde her cheifest glorie lost

Could not my pains thy dearest lyfe remead

Oh no, no pains, of noght but shame I bost

O shame, O fame, shame brings eternall foyle

Shame shall my fame disgrace, my glorie spoyle.

18.

Oh could my lyfe thy lyfe (deir lyfe) redeeme

Soone should it by discharged from this breist

Or wold the heauns so much my soule esteeme

That heir it might dislodge and their might rest

Or that but sinne my luck les lyfe might smairt

I to thy ghost wold sacrafeize my hairt.

19.

Oh but the faits denyes I sould haue pairt

Of thy sweit ioyes, and heauns denyes my bliss

That their fearce wraith may mak me more to smairt

For this my fault, my iniurie, my mis

Curs'd by the sp [...]eitt that me deceaued twyce

With visions dreams, temptatioune, fantasyes.

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20.

Curs'd be the tyme I put this armour on

Curs'd be the toung that me their to intys'd

Curs'd be the hands that fram'd the same alone

Curs'd be the witt that armour first deuys'd

Curs'd be the spreitts the feinds the furies fell

That built this house of shame, of death, of hell.

21.

And with the word his birning eyes did roll

And shoot furth fearfull flamms & sparkling fyre

Dispight raige furie madnes did controle

Witt, reasone, shamefast modesties desyre

Wyldlie he lookd, he staird he gaizd about

Raige hade his witt, and reason quyt put out.

22.

Then of his helme and armour did he teir

Which in his furious raige he threw away

Quod he I am not woorthie airm's to beir

If this be all my conquest all my prey

Of simple mayds the blameles lyfe to tack

Heaune, earth yea hell it self, abhors the fact.

23

Let brightest heaunes a sable hew vnfold

Let grasse and hearbes be withert wheir I goe

Let Sunne and Moone in duskie clouds be rold

Loathing to shyne shameing my faults to shoe

Which sould be wrapt in black eternall night

In hell in paine in horrour and despight.

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24.

Thus from the toumb he goes fu [...]th throw the plaine

And wanders far and wounders at him sell

He seiks the flamming rok but all in vaine

That led him first vnto that feild of hell

Their to gett out but none saue Mansay knew

That fearfull caue, and his infernall crew.

25.

This valley's walld about by Natures airt

With mightie craiges, steip rocks, and montanes hi [...]

Except the caue their is no entring pairt

Which by that flamming fyre defendit bee

Their set by Mansayes art but now the Prence

The craigs, rocks, montans, climbs, & flieth thence.

26.

While this braue youth torments his mightie mynd

With wo, di [...]pair, cair, sorow, greif, and paine

A marble rock his roling eyes out fynd

Wheir in he sies a glaunceing sword remaine

The sword half in the rock, a sheild besyd [...]

And vnderneth sum verses he espyid.

27.

But in his furie he disdaind to reid

Which efter was the caus of all his greif

For from these verses did his health proceid

His hope, his hape, his ioy, and his releif

Yet from the rock the sword & sheild he taks

The which, he cutts, he beats, he bowes, he breaks.

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28.

This was his sword and sheild which he did leaue

Behind when Lechers birning fo [...]te he wane

No weapins now he cairs, nor none did craue

He goe [...] he knowes not why, nor wheir, nor when

Nor stands, nor sits, nor re [...]ts in any place

Till Phoebus tuyce had sunck, tuyce showne his face.

29.

At last he comes vnto th [...]t roll [...]ng floode

Heght Danubie whoes tumbling billowes roir

His murmring streams in heaps [...]yik montanes shood

To shoulder from his place [...]he craggie shoir

Discharging Surges throw the clifted rocks

With thundring noyes the fearfull crage he Shok [...].

30.

Eune as that mightie yrone ingyne strong

His bellie being fild with [...]ulphu [...]e broune

Casts furth a flamming smookie cloud along

With fyrie balls that touns and tow [...]'s th [...]ow doune

And fills the aer with noyes of roaring thunder

The heauns with lightning & the earth with woundes

31.

Eune so this mightie flood with hiddeous swye

Of surges g [...]eat beats doune his broki [...] shoirs

And ow' [...] the fertill land doe [...] swiftlie flie

His sounding streams throw humid aer that roirs

Heir stayd the Prince and heir hei [...] forc'd to stand

Till he espyes vpon the syluer strand.

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32.

A litle bairge that fleitted nigh the place

The which a Damosell a lone did g [...]yde

Bright wa [...] he [...] colour loue [...]ie was he face

But sorowfull her cou [...]ten [...]nce he spyde

Leauing her barck she quik [...]y to him drew

And sighing sayd those [...]ynes wh [...]h [...]oeth Insew.

33.

Ah vofull miser wretched cre'ture I

Wo, Paine, and death, greif, sorow, caír, I find

Long haue I gone long sought sum Knight to try

Yet nere the neirer to my iourneyes end

Ah my poore Lady dies for paine & greif

Ow'r cum but caus and vanquisht but releif.

34.

Altho the Prence was full of woe and cair

Yet for to heir of L [...]dies one throw

Did his old paine the sorow he gott air

Reneue augment Ince [...]ss, and caus ouerflow

So doe grein wounds their b [...]eidding stensht & gone

The mynd once vexd, againe they ryue anone.

35.

And thus he said fair Lady if you please

The caus of this yo [...]r greif [...] pray you show

To gre [...]f (in t [...]ubled mynds) it i [...] ane ease

The same t'vnfo [...]d or pairtners fo [...] to know

Wro [...]gs blaizd abroade will seeldom [...]kaipe reproofe

On gaind sum hope sum confort sum releif.

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36.

Fair sir (quod she) my wrong, my hope, is done

Wrong past releif and hope is turnd dispair

And thogh of ayde my comfort al is gone

Yet ile vnfold a verie world of cair

Tears stop'd her braith, such cunning could she fram [...]

Now reid, now pale, her colo [...]e, went, and came.

37.

Thus silent did the Lady stay a whyle

And sigh'd and grond at last from craftie mynd

She breath'd a souggred lye a craftie guyle

A fals deceat sprung of malicious kynd

Yet could she weell dissemble her fayned feirs

With bashfull blushe, with grones, with sighes, & tear [...]

38.

And thus begane, In Transalpina fair

Their regn'd a Prince that bold Euphrastes heght

Who went with Datians to that luckles warre

Of Greece their slaine by proud Thessaliane might

He left no Heyre his sceptour for to hald

But his fair wyfe the fair Philena cald

39.

So young, so wyse, so verteous, and so fair

All Regiouns fi [...]d wer with her glorious fame

So excellent in all perfectiones rair

That Monarches, Kings and Prences, swed the dame

And wow'd, her, sought her, loud her, yet still fynd

That none could proue or moue, or match her mynd.

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40.

At last fame singes her beautie sounds her worthe

In th' ears of Antiochs braue Prince anone

The round, the sad and solide globe sought furthe

Apollo shynd not on a brauer one

His might, his strength, his woorth, his val'rous deid [...]

Al [...]menas fearce vnconquered Sone exceids.

41.

Fame kendled so this Prince with hote desyre

Which to Philaenas loue did him prouock

That nather could he eeas, nor quenshe the fyre

Which death ordaind both loue and lyfe to choc [...]

But to our court he come ane errant Knight

And saw her fair, and feing loud the fight.

42.

He serud her long and by his valour wrought

Deids of great wounder, woorthe eternall fame

And for his due rewaird of her he sought

Her loue, her fauour, maryage was his ayme

She no les brunt with loues consumeing fyre

Yeilds to his sute consents to his desyre.

43.

At last that day, cursd day wnhappie yeir

When loues vnsein delight and beauties treasure

The fortres which all wemen holds most deir

She should haue randred he receaud with pleasure

Eune that same day with strēgth, with might, & stryfe

She is carred thence and he bereft of lyfe.

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44

By tuo strong gyants mightie fearce and bold

Which Maro fearce and Bramarano heght

That does ow'r Creitt their crewell scepter hold

Which they haue won by murther, bloode, and feght

Her beautie fame vnto their ears hade soundit

Wheir by proud Bramaranos hart was woundit.

45.

This Bramarano sone to Maro is

Who hearing of Philenas wedding day

Come with his Syre and feftie Knight of his

While she (poore soule) was but ane easie prey

For all the court in pompe in ioy in stait

Had nether sword shield armis not feard deceat.

46.

Thrie scoir and more into this wofull broyle

Wer slaine and their the Prince of Antioch fell

Whoes onlie valour long with stude this spoyle

Seune airmed Knights he slew vnarm'd him sell

On Bramaranos sword at last he smairted

O crewell death, o Tyrant crewell hairted.

47.

This woefull murther wrought, they thence remoue

Philaena fair, with trauell paine and toyle

Nor could her car, her greif, her sorow, moue

Their harts to pitie, nor their hands from spoyle

But Bramarano would haue rapt the prey

Which eye should not behold, nor tongue bewray.

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48.

And yet withe tear's with murninge, and complaint

His hairt by Nature furious, fearce, and cr [...]well

She mou'd on this conditione to relent

Tho loue still brunt, and lust still fond the fewell

Where noght but beautie breideth loues desyre

Lust feids the flamme, and booldith stil the fyre.

49.

He was content if in tuo months she could

Find out a knight to vanquish him in fight

Vnto her formar libertie she should

Be set and he should quyt discharge his right

Prouyding if no Knight with stoode his stryfe

She should remaine his Concubine or wyfe

50.

And now tuo tym [...] has swartishe Cynthia shynd

Tuyce showin her spherick face with borrowed light

And tuyce agane to horned shape declynd

Since I frome fair Philenae took my flight

To find sum Knight, sum Champione, or sum Lord

That wold to hir his happie ayde afford.

51.

Yet haue I fund not one that hade regaird

To honor glorie fame or dignitie

Altho she geues her self for their rewaird

Who conquere shall so fearce ane Enemie

And now no more but full tuo weiks remains

Of the appointed tyme which he ordains.

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52.

Thus haue yow hard the somme and heill [...]ffect

Of all my toyle, my trauell, and my paine

Sure then quod he it seem's that yow neglect

To find a Knight or els no Knights remaine

Bot if the heau'ns so pleas or it be long

I shall abaitt his pryde, reuenge her wrong.

53.

Thanks sir quod sho, your great good will I sie

But lo yow lai [...]k both a [...]mour sword and sheild

I was but knight [...]d now of lait quod he

And swoor to wear none till I wan't in feild

Why then quod she if our reuenge ensue

The heaun's has sm [...]ld and I haue done my due.

54.

The Prince and she both enters in the bairge

But heaun's preserue him f [...]om that deeulishe traine

Which falslie is deuys'd fo [...] him at lairge

To worke his shame, his fall, his death, his paine

Who ou'r that great Danubius is gone

A companeid with fals deceat alone.

Caput. XIIII.

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Argument.

THe Prince is by this feind furthled

Vnto Philaena's bour

He slayes the Gyant seine by fair

Philena from her tour

Her raige to loue does turne but lou [...]

Disdaint turns meir despight

She seiks his death he's by an

Angell warnd & flies by night.

1.

HAppie ar they that can eschew deceat

Whoes baits ar beautie glorie flattri [...] gain [...]

That vertue pulls frome honors hie estait

Alluring them by what they wold obtaine

Thus hope of vertue glorie praise & fame

Leads them to death destructione foyle & shame.

2.

So does the craftie Crocadeill entyse

(Beneth the fertile banks of flowing Nile)

[...]he trauellers with murnefull platns and cryes

[...]s if it wer sum wofull wight that feill

The pains of death but when they come to sie

With terrour feir and death to [...]mented be.

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3.

Suche kynd compassione with Penardo wrought

He goes bot knowes not to his death deuys'd

So was decreid and so Philena sought

So with this false deceat she him entys'd

For tatling Fame had [...]id it knowne to all

That Prince Euphrasies did before him fall.

4.

Whai [...]fo [...]e long tyme she murn'd she sigh't she plaind

At last she send (when for reuenge she cryes)

For Arebo a visarde (who sustain'd

And brought her vp in youthe) with him t'aduyse

Whoes ai [...]t his wit his will to ill entysde

Ay ill he wrought ill vsde and ill devysde.

5.

He told her that the Prince Penardo was

So braue a knight whom heaune so muche did fauour

All slights all straits all daunger could he pas

Except he chanc'd but sword o [...] armis to wauer

In chantment strong his vertue still commands

If mou'd to wraith whole armeis he with stands.

6.

Whoes might be then had brought to end (he said)

The fairest rarest wounderfullest warke

That ere be force of magick airt was maid

Yet he the wished end shall not remark

For that shall be vnsein vnfun'd vnknown [...]

Till tyme place fates and fortune leaue to frowne.

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7.

Wheir for now fits the seasone for reuenge

Now fits the tyme to croune thy iust desyre

Now trauells he throw desert montanes strainge

From whence my arte shall mak him heir reteir

For Bramaeran [...] [...]end whoes strenth all knowes

To the that Gyaunt great affectione showes.

8.

Feid him with showes and shaddowes of delight

Whoes valo [...]r stre [...]th and might so weell is knowen

If not by him not by the world [...]hat Knight

M [...]y be orecu [...] or vanquish [...] or or'e throwen

Yea if he h [...]d [...] his armour sword or sheild

He nor all Europe could not win the feild.

9.

Thus did the wiked wisard her entyse

To act thi [...] fals deceat and crewell slight

Which was perform'd eune as he did denyse

And Bramarano brought was to the fight

Whoes furie strength and might so knowne by fame

That all those kingdomes trembled at his name.

10.

Thus Arebo ane wicked feind hade sent

(In shape of Mayde) with whom o're that fair stream [...]

Of Danubie, the Prince Penardo went

Not doubting ill deceat disg'race nor shame

But in her louelie looks deceat did loure

So Serpents lurck amidst the fairest floure.

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11.

When ouer Danubius the Prince was gone

With this foule feind this ladie and this guyde

Such will hast, zeal, and such desyre alone

He had that fast he on his iourney hy'd

Ah happie Prince hade it bene know'ne to the.

Who train'd the, brought the bure the compaine.

12.

In fals report no credit nor no hope

Thow wold hau [...] had nor haue beleeud deceat

But mightie Ioue who gaue thy rains the sko [...]pe

His Angell send for to preserue thy staitt

Els furies feinds ghostes Spreitts & fairies all

Had brought shame death & euerlasting fall.

13.

Guydit by hell altho preserud by heaun'e

At last Philenas palace he [...]spyde

Vpoun a rock heighe built wer castells seau [...]e

Below a murmuring riuer softlie glyd

Ore whiche the rock with rugged airms furth lay

Threatning his fall her speedie course to slay.

14.

Thrie quarters of this rock the riuer folds

And in her asure armes it rude [...]ye taks

A [...]ou [...]ie plaine thrusts in betuine which holds

The streame vnmet whoes roaring billowes braks

With surges great vpone the sandie shoare

Yet to the rock the plaine a passage boire.

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15.

The rugged craiges and clifts that seem'd thus brok

Was cled with tries with hearb's with flours witgrasse

Which garland-wayes bedect'd the mightie rok

Pyns Cedars Oaks Palms Eshes Firs Embrase

The streame below wheire, Caues, walks groaues, and sheds

Erects to Venus chambers galries beds.

16.

The Prince with great delight walkd throw the same

At [...]ast his ey sight lady sayes Sir Knight

On top of yonder rok abyds my dame

From whence you must releas her by youre might

The gyant by the way will you assail

No longer must I stay for fear farweall.

17.

And with the word she glyd's throw shaiples aer

He gaz'd about to sie wh [...]ir she was gone

But nought he seis yet nothing could he fear

But fo [...]ward still he goes and goes alone

By Arebo at last the Prince was knowen

And to Philena from heighe turrets showne.

18.

Then from hersprings of tears bright flames furth shyn [...]d

Wher raige reuenge mischeif wraith anger bud

With sorow care, woe, greif, and saidnes pyn'd

Wyldlie she gaiz'd with rolling eyes as wode

Now Bramaran with tears and grones she mou'd

She sigh'd she murn'd she plain'd she pray'd she prou'd

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19.

She mou'd him prou'd him wisht him tak reuenge

Of that fearee crewel proud disdainfull Knight

Which if he did she promeist to exchainge

Her self for guerdone of his strenth & might

Her croune her wealth her kingdome al efford

All should be his & he should be her Lord.

20.

As he who gaizeth one the Sune is seine

To haue a weake a dimm and daizled sight

So blindit was the gyants hungrie eyne

Who all this tyme fed on her beaurie bright

Feir not Madame (quod he) be heaune I sweir

His bodie frome his cursed head to tear.

21.

His looks from loue now chang'd to wraith & ire

Soone was he arm'd and soone to battel dight

Doune from the rok he goes with great desyre

To feght to vanquish and to slay the Knight

So does a falcone soaring in the skye

Haist doune when as his prey he does espy.

22.

By this the Prince was come the rock hard by

Winds birds and streams thrie pairts sang in his eare

When he that mightie g'yant did espy

Lyk Typhon that appeald the gods to weare

Nor had the Prince swo [...]d sheild nor armour strong

But choos'd a club the sturdie Oaks among.

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23.

Wheirwith he martch'd against his mightie foe

Whoes throat send furth a hoarse confused sound

So buls and lyons roir to feght that goe

Ah God quod he this simple man confound

Who naiked bear but armour sword or sheild

Dars feght or look or meit me in the feild.

24.

Ceas quod the Prince thy threats and babling toung

Vse now thy sword thy hand thy strength thy might

So pleas the heauns ile mak the know er long

T'abaitt thy pryde God has ordain'd a Knight

Then do thy worst or best or what thow may

Heauns be my hope my strength & thy decay.

25.

No longer could feirce Bramarano stay

Foame from his mouth fyre sparkled from his eyes

Thy spytfull cursed head (quod he) ile lay

In fair Philenas lape for thy defyes

This sayd together flew the champions bold

Their battell strainge rare woundrous to behold.

26.

Penardo was of bodie great and strong

Quick nimble actiue reddie sharpe and light

The gyant lyk a tour as great as long

It seem'd if he but fell vpon the Knight

That he wold crush his bones to peeces small

So Serpents feght with Elephants more tal.

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27

Penardo eye his hand his fute goes right

He nimble shuns the gyants mightie bloes

The Gyants spends his force in vaine, so light

And reddie was the Prince who alwayes goes

Trauersing heir and their and oft at neid

Stricks wards reteirs turns And assails with speid

28.

Thus long in equall ballance stoode the feild

But farr vnequall in their armes they fall

The Gyant arm'd with mass arm's sword and sheild

Penardo hade no armes sword sheild at all

While thus they stryue to win stout hardy bold

Philena from her tour did them behold,

29.

Long gaizd she thus and long she lookt thairone

At last she said vnto the wisard old

Sure wer thy words and sure yone Knight alone

If arm'd gainst mightie armeis might be bold

It fears me now and sure I dreid his strengthe

Shall vnreueng'd my vengeance work at leng [...]he.

30.

This sayde the dame for that she felt her hair [...]

From raige reuenge and vengeance to Relen [...]

Raige myld became and vengeance did conuert

To pitie, then did crueltie repent

Of ill the sourse dryd vp the spring did cease

What discord ist that loue can not apaise.

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31.

But Arebo (who had her words mistane)

Sayd [...]loe Madame I fear our hope shall chaing [...]

If he yone weapine from the Gyant gaine

In vaine our toyle in vaine our wish'd reuenge

Wheirfore me thinks it best thus to preuent

Thy Gyaunts death his lyfe your discontent.

32.

In matcheles Macedone their regnes a Queene

To Geraldinus sole and onlye Heyre

At whoes sad birthe the Destanies wer seine

T'ordaine her fate strange wounderfull and rair

Clotho o [...]daind of all the earth alone

She should be fair and equall vnto none,

33.

Nixt Lachesis ordaind and did protest

She should be loud of all that vew'd her face

And Atrope made her spotles pure and chast

Tho loud of all she nere should loue embrace

O beautie rair O chastitie, O loue

O woundre vertues thrie, thrie vyces proue.

34.

For still her beautie praise augments her pryde

The loue of all her heighe disdaine still f [...]ids

Pryd and disdaine the ornaments does hyde

That from her spotles chastitie proceids

Nor meik nor myld nor humble is her mynde

Non she regairds non canc her fauour fynde.

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35.

Thus manie thousands loues and dies for loue

And thousands loues and liues a deing lyfe

And thousands mo (that dar not fortune proue)

Sum kills them self sum kild by Riualls stryfe

Loue breids confusioune warre blood discord death

Al loues few liues and none withstands her wraith.

36.

She conquers all and yet her gaine is losse

When she has vanquisht all she wins but shame

The [...]e she ore cum's these breids her greattest croce

This crewell Queene Olindo heght to name

Wh [...]m by my arte ile mak this Knight to sie▪

Her shall he loue and lou [...]ing her shall die.

37.

But fair Philenas ferce reuenge or now

Was ouercome with pitie myldnes loue

Sighes grones and tears wer all that she could dow

True signes wheirby we true repentance proue

At last she sayd shall he depairt ah no

Ile haue his cursed hairt before he goe.

38.

For if stout Bramaran he chance to kill

Eune heir will I inveit him for to rest

Then fitts the tyme then must I work my will

Then to my wishe shall my reuenge be best

Loath wold I be that any should bereaue

The lyfe I should I wold and I must haue,

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39.

This spak the Dame all that her heirs still weining

That she decreit by death to work his smairt

But subtile wemens words hes double meining

Each blow that he receaues lights on her hair [...]

Oft lookd she doune oft victorie she prayd him

And with her looks her hairt flies furthe to ayd him.

40.

And all this tyme still equall stoode the fight

The gyants bloes could neuer do him harme

He was so agill nimble quick and light

At last he lighted on the Gyants airme

Wher his left shoulder band it to his back

Which with his club lyke Hercules he brack,

41.

Wheirat proud Bramarano raiging more

Cursd all the Gods and cursd heighe he auns aboue

In vaine his blowes in vaine his masse he boir

In vaine his force his strength his might to proue

Wheirfore in raige his masse away he flong

And drawes a curtlax keine sharpe heauie long.

42.

Wheirwith he fearslie did assayle the Prence

Vniting force strength furie raige and wraith

Now gainst his thundring blowes was no defence

He geues not Prince Pe [...]ardo leaue to braith

For now his club was no defence at al

The Gyant cuts the same in peices smal

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43.

Nere was the Prince in daunger vntill now

Now lytle could his lightnes him defend

He geues him wound on wound and blow on blow

Wheirfrom the blood in purple streams discend

So does a fontane made with arte and cunning

His streams in sundre oppin pairts furth running

44.

Greats shouts and clamours from the castell came

Wheirwith that wicked crew expresse their ioye

But cheiflie Arebo who sayde Madame

Our skill our wit our flight no more employ

Ours is the day the feght the victorie

His be the fall the wrak the in famie.

45.

Ah quod the Queene it much torments my mynd

That Bramarano liues if he should die

My loue my self my mariage I assyng'd

To him and deathe (ye know) it wer to me

Him for to wed which he wil haue perforce

Ah deir reuenge ah lait too lait remorce.

46.

Ah heauns I wishe yone crewel Knight alyue

Till my reuenge my self should vndertake

If he the Gyaunt of his lyfe depryue

Eune him my thrall and bund slaue wold I mak

No more for greif and sorow could she say

Her tears her sighes her grones the rest bewray.

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47.

But she disguysd her loue with showes of hate

Altho for loue she tr [...]mble pant and quaikt

These words againe did to her self repeat

Eune him my thrall and bond slaue wold I mak [...]

But o sweit loue should be his prisone good

My airms should be his bands my lips his foode.

48.

And thus did she this doubt sume feght attend

With torment fear care sorow greif and paine

For eurie drop of blood the Prince did spend [...]

Her hairt a sighe her eyes a teare furth straine

Still when the Gyan [...] stricks she starts she crye [...]

The wounds impressione in her bosome lyes.

49.

Amaizement greif and sorow mixt with dout

Her change of hewes her thoughts confusioune showes

Cold was her blood within but hote without

Trew witnes that her hairt her torment knowes

Now reid now paile now pale now reid agane

Her loue bred fear fear greif & greif bred paine.

50.

Hard was the stait wheirin Penardo stood

His club now gone long deip and wyde each wound

From whenc flou'd riuers of his purple blood

Which dyed in sanguein all the flourie ground

With weknes now he wearies and he faint [...]

His agill leaps and nimble quicknes wants.

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51.

Oft sought he with the gyant for to close

A [...] tho his wounds his strength & lyfe did waist

But all in vaine his trauell did he loose

Such was the gyants wraith h [...]s raige his haist

That him now heir now their now out now in

He fo [...]cd about the field for to rine.

52.

At last he stumbled on the yrone masse

Wheirof as then great neid great help he fand

That he it got the Prince right ioyfull was

Now strength reneu'd into hi [...] strengthles hand

Reuenge bred ire wraith furie raige and might

Wheirwith againe he did renew the fight.

53.

Feirslie he faught but feble was his strengthe

His might his sl [...]ght his cunninge all was gone

And onlie wratth manteind the feght at lengthe

The gyaunt breathles brusd with blowes alone

At last eache one so neir to vther drew

That breist to breist and airme to airme they threw.

54.

Blood moud the Prence a dreid reuenge to tak

Shame moud the werie Gyaunt vnto wraith

Shame gainst reuenge reuenge gainst shame does wrake

Their ire their will their veangeaunce vnto deathe

Thryce stroaue the gyaunt in his armes to fold

The Prince, but his left airme refusd his hold.

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55.

Which great eduantage did the Prince espy

And in his armes the gyant stronglie greips

Whill both their feble forces thus they try

Sad night with sable wings their deids eclip's

Whill as her daughter darknes their resorts

To guyde the gyaunts soule to Plutos port's.

56.

Thryce gir't the Prince the Gyant in his armes

And thryce againe he's forc'd to let him go

With deip and deidlie wounds the gyant harm's

The back the leggs the theighs of his strong foe

By on vnarm'd so ouercum to be

He loath'd he scorn'd and he disdain'd to die

57.

Thus strugling long at last to ground they pa [...]

Of fallis the Gyants helme the Prince up flies

And quicklie with that mightie irone masse

Beats furth his brains & with his brains his eyes

Thus bold disdainfull fearce prow'd full of wraith

He yeelds his soule to hell his lyfe to death.

58.

The Prince gaue Ioue his prase his thanks his right

But yet this bluddie conquest hade so mu [...]he

Febled his strenght his ualour & his might

Tyrd wer his trembling legges his waiknes suche

He falls at last no differ could ye kno

Betuixt the victor and his vanqueist foe.

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59.

The Queene Philena fair (who all this whyle

Hade weel remark'd the valour of the Prince)

Cheird vp her wofull looks and with a smyle

She haisted doune to bring Penardo thence

Whom when she sawly pale cold bloodles dead

She grou'nd she sigh'd she sank doune at his head.

60.

This sight amaz'd her seruants much but more

It troubled Arebo the trueth to fynde

At last his science airte and magik loir

Reueild to him the secreit of her mynd

Wheirfore with cair greif sorow wo & wounde▪

He fear's least deathe pairt lyfe & loue assunder.

61.

Altho eun'e to the deathe he haits the Prince,

Yet for Philenas cause for him did cair

And softlie caus'd them bothe be ca [...]ied thence

Vp to the rock and lay'd in chambers fair

Wheir soone he b [...]ought by skill arte craftingyne

His lyfe his senses and releif from pyne.

62.

When lyfe o're death hade got the uictorie

And feir Philena hade reuiud againe

Loue stroa [...]e with shame and shame with in famie

And in famie reuiu'd what loue had slaine

But shame reuenge hait in famie and all

At last by lou [...] was foght foyld bund in thral.

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63,

Wherfore these words she sadlie did rehears

O lawles Loue imperious proud and crewell

Vniust vnteamd vnconquerd strong & fearce

O thow of goode and bad effects the fewall

Thow moues mischeif shame dath warr woe despight

And freindsship true true ioy & true delight.

64.

And thus thow ar [...] More wold ye dame haue sayde

But Arebo she seis who did remoue

The Ladies all when she on bed was layde

His cure his spells and mightie charm [...]e to proue

She that her self bewray'd might now behold

Discoured al, reueild all al she told.

65.

So does a craiftie Traitour to a King

Who with his fellowes has conspyrd his death

But fearing once discouerie of the thing

Repentance faynes in looks in words in breath

Discouering all their curs'd, malicious treasone

And still him self condemn's him self with reasone.

66.

When Arebo had [...] harde the taill she told

Still interrup't with grones with sighes with tear's

His hairt inclynd to crueltie he wold

And could haue bene content to stope his eares

But that the loue he bore vnto the Dame

Stop'd vp his wraith and quensh'd his furies flamme.

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67.

Wheirfor this much he promeist her at lenthe

That he so weell his phislik wold apply

Hi [...] healthe his vigour beautie blood & strenth

Should to his senewes vain & arteirs Hie

Which in few dayes he hade performed so

The Prince began to ryse to walk to goe.

68.

Whom to Philena eue [...]ie day repairs

Her cheifest pleasure was, to dres eache wound

Her snow whyte hand she daintelie prepairs

To dight to dry to dres to rype the ground

Loue smyld to sie his nou [...]sh thus allurde

O happie man so drest so heald so cuerde

69.

And whill she tuich'd his soft & snow white skin

Which heir and their was staind with purple blood

Tears frome her eyes lyk liquid pearle do [...]n rinne

And on his skin oft trembled [...]old & stood

To plead for t [...]eir fair da [...]me & seem'd to moue

His hairt to yeeld to pitie or to loue.

70.

Some tyme she ey'd his fair and louelye face

His goldin locks his quick sweet smyling eye [...]

His weell proportion'd limms & eurye place

She still remarks still feids on what she seis

She looks she vewes admir's & still she gaizerb

And frome each pai [...]t a wound her loue increse [...]

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71.

Weell might the Prince behold her passiones strong

Yet seemd he nought to know or not allow

Least by deny all he should do her wrong

Whoes martiall mynd to loue could neuer bow

Yet courteslie her p [...]ofer'd pains with stands

Which for vnkyndnes she taks at his hand's

72.

Oft by her looks yet would she mak him know

The passioune that torments her inwart mynd

Oft hy her p [...]ettie speeches would she show

She caird not muche altho he wold be kynd

And often be simlituds would proue

How farr her Sex exceedeth his in loue.

73.

But nether speeche similituds nor looks

Could mak him quick or capable at all

He could not sie those baits, allurements hook' a

Or seing would not sie nor heir their call

Stil Mars his Sogeour he him self had sworne

For Cupid he was nather bred not borne.

74.

Yet fair Philena could not leaue to loue

With new conceats new toyes & questions new

Which in ane vthers persone she wold proue

By parables his sansie to subdue

But seing nother this nor that could moue him

With sighes and tear's she told him she did loue him.

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75.

Wheirat he stood long silent and amaizd

At last resolud to tak it but in skorne

He sayd Madame i'mt glade yow so ar pleasd

To t [...]k your pastyme of a wretche for lorne

Whoe [...] birth whoes merit and whoes poore estate

Your basest hand mayde wold not chuse for mate.

76.

By this his simple answere weel she knew

He knew her loue her passione and her mynde

Wheirat she sham'd & chang'd to vermeil hew

Sham brought in wraith, wraith sweir he was vnkynd

Wraith brings in haitt in hait away she flong

And whill she flies disdain chac'd loue along.

77.

Penardo left in chamber now alone

Repents him of his answer rashlie sayde

Ah now Philena had yow knowne his mone

And sein the grones, the sighes, ye [...]ears he shade

Once more thy cruell mynd hade now re [...]ented

And thy mischeif new bred hade new repented·

78.

But heaun's deny'd his pace and her content

So prone and bent her mynd was to mischeefe

Who now with Arebo has geuen consent

To end his dayes and with his dayes her greefe

In throw a priuie posterne they should creep

And in his bed should murder him a sleep.

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79.

When bright Apollo sank doun vnder ground

And Night look'd vp with manie thousand eyes

Penardo in his bed was sleeping sound

Ane Angell bright discend from heaune he sies

Who sayd vp vp heighe Ioue commands ye flie

Flie then in haist for if yow stay thowle die.

80.

Then he awaks and leaps vnto the flure

His birning eyes [...]old staird & gaizd about

At first he could not think him self secure

To go from thence or stay such was his dout

Not that he feard whole armies their to fynd

But cald Philenas restles sutte to mynd

81.

Whill dimme weak hale and feble Cynthia shyne

Her borrowed light she lends to arme ye Prince

With armour bright riche costlie rair and fyne

And with a sword & sheild for his defence

Which fair Philena gaue him long ago

And with them would haue geu'ne her self also.

82.

Be chance thén to ye dure he did repair

Which to receaue the murtherers oppin stoode

And doune a black deip dark and hollow stair

Which seem'd to lead to hell and Lethes floode

At last benethe the rock wheir waters glyde

Furthe their he come doune be the Riuers syde.

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83.

And thus along the riuer syde he goes

Throw rocks craigs tries woods groues and paths vnknowne

In silence of the night whill Cyn [...]hia shoes

Her pale weak pure cleir syluer Beam's furth throwne

Throw glomie aer tuixt clouds youth Zephyre brings

Vpone his soaring swift & loftie wings.

Caput. XV.

Argument.

THe Murderers mis their fals intent

Alone Penardo flies

He on the banks of Theissa fair

The Heyre of Hung'ry seis

By Argalantes reft away

He kills him brings her thence

He foyls Lord Doreo in her sight

Shes's amrous of the Prince.

1.

GReat harme ensue by ouer great desyre

O vaine desyre rediculous and ill

That birnes the mynd & setts tbe hairt on fyre

From the proceids wode furious fraintik uil

A g [...]oundles deip of ill if ill abusde

Diuerse inconstant infinit confusde

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2.

Vnnaturall desyres heighe heauens offend

And appetits immoderat and vaine

As birning lust but limits bounde or end

A sink of sin a gulfe a sea a maine

Which drawes the soule from heaunlie contemplatione

And beastlie bruttshe maks her operatione.

3.

Yea who soere or what soere they be

Suff [...]ing them selfs with lust for to be led

They ar no more them selfs, no more ar frie

Nor from no trauell paine and labor fred,

For their desyre a thousand wayes they vse

Nor for it thousand torments will refuse.

4.

Their bodie not refusing thousand pains

So they obtain their pleasure their desyre

Into their mynd a thousand he [...]ls remains

In quenshing (thought vnquenshable) their fyre

And their desyre their fyre incressing still

Turns furie seiks for death if want of will.

5.

Suche furie in Philena fals abyds

Who birnes in fyre of sensuall delight

Wanting her will and her desyre prouyds

In furie for to murder this her Knight

Not loue of him but lust in her remaind

And therfore crewell death becaus restraind.

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6.

For presentlie no sooner was he gone

When sextein Knights arryu'd in armour cled

And throw that sec [...]eit passage goes anone

With cleir sharpe swords about the Prince his bed

The which if mightie Ioue had not forsein

Their had he died their had he murdre'd beine.

7.

But he whom heaun's preserud for better hape

Did restles on his longsum iourney wend

Till Tytan thryce in Thetis watrie lap

Had dyu'd and thryce his spherick course did end

When he vpone the banks of Teissa fair

Lay doune and ends his wearie iorney their.

8.

This Teissa is a fair and pleasant floode

Which Hungaries east bordour rins a longe

Neir to that montanes seuine heighe hoarie rude

Which Transyluania fortefie right strong

Heir rests the Prince all night & feids his mynd

Wi [...]h conquest praise and glorie brought from Ind [...].

9.

And wheir he lay the riuer from a rock

Pour'd doune his pure cleir syluer streams in stoir

Which on the peble channell softlie brok

Throw hollow concaues of the crooked shoir

Whoes ghostlie roars maks all the craigs to ring

Whill tries birds winds with sweit reports does sing.

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10.

Whoes confort rare of musick sweit and fyne

Soung him a sleip till bright Aurora ryse

Whoes mantle br [...]ght reid whyt & cleir did shyne

And alter turne and change in azure skyes

A suddan sound (into his ears that rings

A waks the Prince with shouts and murmerings.

11.

He starts a loft and looking round about

He sies ten Kn [...]ghts come f [...]o a forrest wyde

Who Cap [...]iue led seaune Ladyes in a rout

Whom with away in greattest hast thay ryde

He draw [...]s his sword and with his sheild he goes

To wine that prey be valour death and bloes.

12.

One of the ten their passage to mak frie

Cums farr before and caught his mightie launce

The which he shuns with hand with fute with eye

And quicklie did his murdring blade aduance

Whi [...]h in the Knights hairt bloode he sheathd perforce

Then took his launce and quicklie man'd his horse.

13.

By this the Ladies and the Knights drew neir

And swor their fellow should not die for nough [...]

One moir they send the passage for to cleir

Who se king for reuenge a vengeance bought

The Prince eune with his fellowes lance a pairt

Pearst throw his breist his bodie and his hairt,

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14.

The rest with raige with furie and despight

The Ladeis daintie hands and feitt hade bund

And taine them fro their horse for feir of flight

And left them sadlie weeping on the ground

And in their furie mad for their reuenge

All with the Prence began a battell st [...]ainge.

15.

The Prence who saw the ladyes weep and murne

His ire and wraith was chang'd to pitie myld

But pitie vnreuengd to raige did turne

Thus l [...]ke a lyone angrie fearce and wyld

His flamming sword he tos'd till they all shoke

Yet fanting striks and tremble whil they stroke.

16.

The Prince rush throw them with his brand heigh born [...]

Death by his syde at each bloe one to catche

As sythe cutts doune the graine the grasse the corne

So cut befoi [...] him fall they eurye wratche

Eache bloe a wound eatch wound brought death with paine

Him self vntiutch'd vnharm'd vnhurt remaine.

17.

Eune as a montane craige or mightie rock

Whom raiging seas or blustring winds assayle

Gainst seas winds stormes & lightning thunder broke

Still vnremou'd abyds and neuer faill

So sted fastlye the Prince with stoode their strengthe

And hurt feld slew or chac'd them all at lengthe.

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18.

Not one now left his furie to withstand

His bloodie brand he dights and sheaths it then

The ladyes he would louse bound fute and hand

Tormented sore with sorow greif and payne

And she that Mistres seemd of al to be

Her lows'd the Prence from bands & set her frie.

19.

Mistres she was indeid of all the rest

For comelines for beautie and for grace

For verteous mynd vnstaind pure cleine and chaist

Meik modest myld and sprung of princelie race

The feild of loue did modest vertue plow

And rypt the fructe vnpuld as yet that grow.

20.

Her modest blushe her S [...]ne shyne beauties ray

Her fyrie sparkling light cleir bright and shynning

Their goldin beams sp [...]ings furt [...] in wantone playe

Streams on the Prence his face whoes eyes refynning

Hade recolle'ct' her spredding beams in one

And throwes them back and burns her hairt anone

21.

So bright Apollo spreds his beam's o're al

And sweitlie wa [...]ms and conforts eurye floure

[...]ut in a litle birning glas recal

His rayes he shows his might his strength his powre

For that to which before he comfort brought

He birnes he skortches and consumes to nought.

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22.

The Prince admeird the beautie of her face

She stoode she staird she wounde [...]t & she gaiz'd

Still from his eyes come lightninge furthe a pace

Which brint her hairt d [...]smayd and much amaiz'd

For loue of eurye glance and eurye looke

N [...]w weapins forg'd whei [...]with her hairt he strooke.

23.

Thus stoode the dame now pale now reid now wane

Which weell bewrayde the passiones of he [...] hairt

Till floods of tears from her fa [...]r eyes doune ranne

Sighes from her swelling breist vnsolds her smairt

Then loue for mend's did change to cristall ball's

The syluer globs which f [...]om her eyes doun [...] fall's.

24.

And them he throwes at Prince Penardos eyes

Theirwith to hit to wound, or worke his smairt

But all to weak his chyldishe airme he seis

To harme the man that hade a Mars his hairt

Wheirsore he sweir in furie raige and ire

To fet eyes hairt and all into a fy [...]e.

25.

Ane arrow f [...]om his quauer furth he drew

The which by chance did bear a leaddin head

Whei [...]of he nothing in his furie knew

Till in the P [...]inces hairt he fixt the lead

Then Cupid blusht & sighdt and grond full sore

Who neuer knew that he was blind before.

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26,

Ane vther shaft with goldin head he taks

Wheirwith he wold vndo his wo [...]k ere long

But all in vaine his trauell now he maks

For that the vthers poysione was too strong

Yet mollefied the force and did him moue

To pitie her becaus he could not loue▪

27

Then weiping throw the aer young Cupid flies

To show vnto his mother his mischance

The dame who now hade cleird h [...]r wattrieeyes

With modest blushe and smyling countenance

Gaue th [...]nks vnto the Prence for hi [...] releefe

When lo appei [...]d more harme & more mischeefe.

28.

For that a mightie Gyant they espyde

Come from the woode vpone a Cameall strong

At whoes hudge fearfull sight the ladyes cry'd

O now begins our hell our death ow'r wrong

But she that was vnbound with smyling cheir

Sayde thus vnto them all, leaue of your fear.

29.

In this most braue and gallant Knight remains

Our hope, our confort, our releefe, our strengthe

Such vertue grace and valour he retains

That he must be ou [...] tour and sheild at lengthe

Loue bred her courage that the taill hade tolde

What one so fear'd but loue can mak them bolde.

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30.

Such was her loue altho her loue was new

Then leaue her secound self she rather die

The Prince that saw the Gyant ne [...]er drew

Sayd thus to her fair lady now I sie

I may not stay the rest for to vnbind

Whei [...]fo [...]e that wa [...]k to yow must be assingde.

31.

Go then quod she heauns the preserue from ill

So small a wo [...]k as this may I performe

He hors'd and took a mightie launce him till

Then reddie he abyds the furious sto [...]me

The Gyant neir now dead seis eurye Knight

And cryd ah Gods do I behold this sight,

32.

Trembling with wraith with anger raige and yre

He gnash'd his teith and shook his head a round

Out from his eyes flew flamms of sparkling fyr [...]

And from his throat a hoarce confused sound

His brai [...]h within his throat his speeches toi [...]

So bulls and lyones billow feght and roir.

33.

Thus in his madnes furie wraith and haist

He coutcht his mast-lyke launce & furth did runne

The Prince that hade before his launce in raist

Ly [...]k haist lyk wil hade lyk desyre to win

And thus lyke Pegasus grosse earth they spair

And flies lyke thunderbolts throw boxin aer,

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34.

The Gyaunt brak his launce first on the prince

Him self not steirt nor hurt nor mou'd at all

But gainst the Prince his armes wer no defence

Split was his hairt he doune to ground did fall

With such a noyes & such a thundring sound

As maks a mightie tour that falls to ground.

35.

Be this the Ladyes of their bonds weref [...]d

And saw this bloodie monsters fatall end

Terrour of him and horror of the dead

Made them to shrink and fearfull looks futth send

They stood amaizd dismay'd affraid they fanted

Their timorous hairts in their weak bosums panted.

36.

When to the Dam's the Prince reteired back

Those Ladyes all fall's doune vpone their kneis

First Ioue then him they thank for this kynd act

With tears lyke pearle that streams from their fair eye [...]

They myldlie him be seeche request and pray

Of pitie mercie grace that he wold stay.

37.

As he hade freed them from that Tyrann strong

To be their gairde their gyde & their defence

Against al hazard death mischefe and wrong

Till they wer saif at home & far from thence

He lighted doune nor stray'd till they had doone

But sweitlie meeklie myldlie answer'd soone.

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38.

First by the hand he raisd them from the ground

And then he sayde fair Ladyes leaue to mourne

A gyde a guairde a seruant haue ye found

Till yow vnto your homes may saif returne

They thank him praise him ioyes in suche a guyde

Then tak their horse furthe on their way they ryde

39.

And whill they traueld throw the forrest wyld

The Prince inquir'd how this mischance befell

When one of them bothe courtes graue & myld

With smyl [...]ing countenance began to tell

Fair fire (quod she) first kno then what we be

Whom your great might & valour has made frie.

40.

This Lady pointing to the Dame whom he

First lowsd from bands (but ty'd in bands of loue)

V [...]dina heght sole Heyre of hungarie

H [...]r Parents ioy delight and pleasure proue

And thus [...]our force th' Vngarian hope defend

On her we wait we serue and we attend.

41.

Into this wood oft tym's she muche delights

To chace the loftie harte and simple hynde

On her awaits Lords Princes Erl's and Knights

That loud her prais'd her serud her to her mynd

Amongst the rest that with the Princes came

Prince Dorio was a Prince of noble fame.

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42.

Betuixt tuo famous floods he holds the lands

Dravus the one Savas the uther heght

And Belgrad that on fair Danubius stand's

That mightie toune belongs to him of right

This galant Prince should wed Vodina fair

And regne with her as sole & only heyre.

43.

This mightie Gyant whom yow haplie slew

The mightie Argolantes heght to name

Ore Misia he regn'd which they may rew

He when he hard of fair Vodinas fame

Send to the King & proudlie him command's

To geue his only daughter in his hands.

44.

Whom after he had seene perhaps he wold

In mariage tak to be his laughfull wyfe

The King disdaind his pryde & sute so bold.

And him refus'd the which began this stryfe

The Gyant swor in pryd disdaine & skorne

Her wold he haue altho the King had sworn [...].

45.

Thus with ten Knights he in this kingdome came

And skornd with mo this kingdome to subdue

Who thought him self sufficient for the same

Such was his hope his pryde his valour trew

And knowing by his spyalls eury day

Of this our pastyme hunting sport and play.

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46.

On vs he come before we was awar

When heat within our tents made vs reteir

Our Knights still wandred throw the forrest farr

Sum heir sum their to bring vs in the Deir

Except sum on the Princes that attend's

Whom in short space he brought vnto their ends,

47.

Then vs poo [...]e soules he took vnto his pray

We that could mak no more defence but murn'd

Vs with his Knights before he send away

Whil with our Knights he faught that hade return'd

But much it feirs me al our Knights ar slaine

Heaun's grant that sweit Prince Dorio yet remaine.

48.

And this is al fair Syre that I can shoe

Which but your ayde hade beene more tragicall

And if so pleas yow would the Princes kno

To whome her thanks should randred be for all

Since to your aid your valour strength and might

Our lyfes our selfs and al belongs of right.

49.

Long mus'd the Prince and answer long delay'de

For [...]oath he was his name should their be known' [...]

At last their Princes fair Vodina say'de

Whom al this tyme sadd silence hade or'e blowne

On her new loue her fansies new she fed

New thoughts new toyes deuyses new that bred,

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50.

If I presume or should this muche be hold

With Maydens modestie for to dispence

Eu'ne to your courtasie of whome I hold

My lyfe I wil bequeath my roode offence

Whoes woundrous woorth stil Midas lyk is such

Pure gold to mak of drosse if yow bot toutch.

51.

Then this my fault this boldnes then forbeir

Tho for not els yet since I am a Mayde

For thy blis'd name blisd natione to enquire

And that thryce happie soyle wheir yow west bred

Resolue me this which to thy woorth adds more

More to my bands more to thy fame thy gloire.

52.

Not so Madame quod he theirs not in me

That merits from your lips to haue a sound

Much les a praise yet if their onie be

Yow ar the sourse the roote the spring the ground

From whence that vertue spring bud bear or grow

Such force haue words if from your lips they flow,

52,

As for my name my natione soyle or bloode

In Thessalye neir Tempe's flowing fontanes

Vpone the banks of fair Peneas floode

Their was I borne betuixt to famous montanes

That Ossa and Olympus heght and so

From then Pelympus I, no more, I kno

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63.

Thus whill be spak attentiue was the Mayde

To his sweit braith and his sweet voices sound

That peirsd her breast her hai [...]t and all affray'de

Eache word a dairt eache dairt a crewell wound

Eache wound by force a deidlie poysione framme

A seiknes a diseas a quen'shles flamme.

55.

And whill she thu [...] to him heir speak delights

Amid the bushes thick they heir a noyce

Of horses trampling and of armed Knights

Whi [...]l trembling fear bereft the Ladyes ioyes

But lo the Prince his sword and sheild prouyds

And suddanelie wheir was, the sound he ryds'.

56.

Wheir as he seis thrie Knights in armour bright

And in his wraith inquyres what they wold haue

From the those ladyes sayd the formest knight

First sayd the Prince you their goodwill must craue

Yes Yes sayd he but for thy fault thy wrong,

Death thou deserues death you shall haue or long.

57.

Who death so frilie geues & no thing wins

Pe [...]haps mey serue him self before another

For charite ay at it self begins

This said the Prence no answer made the other

But eache began to thunder on the bloes

Valour alyk lyk strength lyk courage shoes.

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58.

Yet that which harm'd the Prince Pinardo mos [...]

The vther tuo did also him assaill

But he whoes neuer-deing valour lost

No tyme, his deidlie blowes began to daill

Do [...]ne to the breist the one he cleift in tuo

And heidles left the vther at a bloe,

59.

His first Apailler feirslie forward ryde

Tuo mightie bloes he gaue him for his due

One cleift his sheild the vther pears'd his syde

And at the thrid his sword in pecees flew

Whome at on bloe the Prince hade brought to death

But saw him with out a sword and calm'd his wraith.

60.

But hee that wants a sword did nimblie prease

To greip the Prince and bring him from his horse

Which he refuses not bot with a treace

H [...]m in his mightie armes he strains by force

He beirs him to Vodina him presented

Who all this tyme the battel soir lamented.

61.

Yet knew she not those other Knights at all

Loue hade her eyes so fix't vpone the Prince

The other Dams fled fear'd & fanting fall

But loue stout hardy bold was her defence

And when the Prince presents to her the Knight

Ah stay quod she thy hand wraith ire and might.

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62.

He is my freind and come to find me out

And to releeue me from the Gyants thrall

Prince Doreo he heght strong hardie stout

Then my offence my wronge my fault & all

Quod he deserueth death ah haist I blame

Haist cause of murning death repentance shame.

63.

Prince Doreo stil amaizd dum sensles stoode

Loue and regaird stroaue with disgrace wraith shame

Wraith bad reuenge reuenge the others bloode

Shame bad reuenge disgrace, loue sayd the same

Dismay'd, amaiz'd, he staird & gaiz'd about

At last Vodina thus recald him out.

64.

Amaizment Dorio leaue and leaue to dreame

Thank now this Knight whoes valour courage strenthe

Preseru'd my lyfe my honor and my fame

The Gyaunt and his knights chastiz'd at length

Whome to disgrace to death to shame he send

Thus he began what non but he could end.

65.

Loue jealousie disdain hade kendled fyre

Of wraith to heir his Mistres praise his foe

Yet cunninglie he smudden in his ire

Till tyme place fate and fortune fauor sho

Then quicklie turning to the victor Knight

Thus sayde he syre I shame not by thy might.

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66.

To beore cum, since fates hes the ordaind

Most happie and most fortunat of all

Nather do I accout my valour staind

Since Fortune the her Champione does call

Thryce happie thow and famous thryce for why

Thow art Vodinas freend hir Seruand I.

67.

Be these his laittest words the Prince weell knew

Loue was the only passione of his mynd

Wheirat within him self he smyld yit shew

Great coutesie for these his prayses kynd

Nor did he loue nor feard he Riualls spoyle

Such proud ambitione in his breist did boyle.

68.

Then fordward on their way they still proceed

Till they oretack the Ladyes that wer fled

Whom heir and their in bushes hid for dreid

They find half dead with fear and terror led

Yet all with fair Vodina ford wart pas

To Buda wheir the King her father was,

69.

At last Apollo in the west discendit

And chang'd heauns goldin smyls to azure hew

When as their iorney with his course was endit

Budas heighe tours they look they sie they vew

Whoes gliftring splendor fyrie lightnings throwes

Throughe glomie heauns so shynning Cynthía sho [...].

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70.

Thus neir to fair Danubius they drew

Meane while swift fame hade tydinges borne of all

How that strainge Knight fearce Argalantes slew

And sau'd Vodinus shame disgrace and fall

Then from his kinglie throne her father raise

And come to geue him honor thanks and praise.

71.

They past that famous flood whoes syluer streame

Disioyns tuo cities staitlie riche and fair

Buda the one Pesth is the others name

That on his banks heaune-threatning tops vprair

Lift vp from earth as if in skyes they stoode

To vew their glanceing beauties in the floode.

72.

Arryu'd wheir as the King did them abyde

Vodina kneild before her royall Syre

And told him that braue Knight kneild by her syde

That sau'd her lyif his honour croune empyre

Them lifted vp betuixt his armes the Roy

Both them he kist and both embracd for ioy.

73.

H'is led betuixt Vodina and the King

Vnto their court proud staitlie riche and fair

Still praises new, new thanks new honors bring

Due for his woorthe and happie fortuns rair

And eurye day wer new triumphs deuysd

That him to pleasur ioy delight entysd.

Caput. XVI.

[Page]

Argument.

VOdina shoes her loue but He

Fayning base birth refusde

She kills her self and Doria him

As Murderer accusde

From prisone long hes brought at last

To burne, But heauns Reuenger

A stranger fends that him redeems

And he Redeems the Straunger.

1.

WHill Prince Penardo heir vnknowne abyds

Vnder the title of Pelympus still

Inconstant fortune all her fauor hyds

And turns her smylls to frouns her good to ill

O wordlie pomp: O glorie vane: O fame

A waisting lampe A shaddow and A dreame.

2.

Long stayt he heir lou'd praist admeird of all

Of Dorio disdaind invy'd and feard

But poore Vodinas feidle was made thrall

By Ty [...]ane loue▪ loue sow'd loue reapt loue ear'd

All place to her was loathsum day and night

Except the braue Lolympus wer in sight▪

[Page]

3.

And whil she wakes his sight her loue augment [...]

But oft in sleip sad visiones frights her mynd

In sleep he sad and frowning him presents

Vnthankfull coy disdainfull prowd vnkynd

And death in thousand formes he showes in hate

The presage true of her ensueing fate.

4.

When she awaks she calls him too vnkynd

Tears droune her eyes, and sighes o'reflowe her hair [...]

Yet oft she wisht that he hade knowne her mynd,

Loue bids her use some meins loue to impairt:

But shame forbids her modesty to pas

Tuix Loue and shame a crewell warre their was.

5.

Shame sayes a simple Virgine and a Mayde

Should chastlie loue and modestlye desyre

And of audatious words should be afrayde

From loue propon'd should shune & thence retyre

For Mayds that heir & forts that parly lowd

Mak both the louer & the foe grow prow'd.

6.

Much more if thow propone will he disdaine

Thy want on formes and thy immodest loue

The glorious name of Virgins shall thow stain

And Maydin hoode a heauie load shall proue

Loue by refus all liues but profert dyes

A woman conqueres loue when loue she flyes

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7.

But Loue beguyl'd bothe Modestie and shame

And thus he sayd, A woman thow must be

O si [...]s thow not what stains a womans Name

No thing so mu [...]h as Haite and Cruelty

Nature hath framd a womans hairt to yeeld

And Courtesie and loue to win the feeld,

8.

Sure he wold speek if he wer once assurde

Of such a Princes fauor as thine owne

His birthe too base thy matche to haue procurde

Or els long since his fansie hade yow knowne

Tho base of birthe he beirs a Monarchs mynd

Then do but spe [...]k or look and He'll be kynd.

9.

What if some new occasione call him hence?

Then shall some other Princes win his hairt

May thow not once with modestie dispence

Befor thy loue and lyfe be death should smairt

If health loue ease & pleasur stayeth still

Vpone a word theyr'r fools that wants their will.

10.

What also if thy father the constraine

Prince Doreo to wed against thy will

For with a nother doth thy Hairt remane

Altho before thou gaue consent their till

Pelympus o Pelympus onlie He

The sight of Doreo wer but death to ye,

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11.

Haist then to tell Pelympus that thow loues

Els he goes hence and Doreo shall the wed

But o what if the Knight disdainfull proues

O he wil not disdaine a Princes bed

Altho thy beautie could not moue his mynd

Yet will the croune of Hungare mak him kynd.

12.

Thus on new Hope begyld with loue she fed

Resolueing once for to vnfold her mynd

Thus argued she thus thought she in her bed

Whill Cynthia pale wan and dimlie shynd

At last heauns gett aboue the easterne streams

Oppins and day shoots furth his syluer beams.

13.

With heauns bright syluer hew the Dame op rose

When Phoebus beams did guild heaune earth and sea

She in a gardine did her self repose

Alone saue loue that boire her companie

She thence her dames and Ladies all hade sent

Till on loues altar she pour'd furth her plaint.

14.

Then to ane quyet arbor she reteird

Wheir long she murn'd she sighd she plain'd she prayde

She honord loue, loue prais'd and loue admeird,

For wheir abyds true luoe but in a mayde:

Of [...] she complaind that loue hade done her wrong

At last she took her Lute and thus she song.

[Page]

15.

The sensles snaik benouwd with Winters cold

With storme with frost with haill with snow with raine

If her for pitie one inbreist should hold

Till cherisht lyfe with heat returne againe

Then strength and lyfe and Nature maks her bold

To reaue the lyfe that did her lyfe obtaine

Of loue this is the true similitude

O loue the purtrat of ingratitude.

16.

When thow was dead in winters of disdaine

And perisht quyt in dark obliuions flood

I cherist the with trauell cair and paine

And thy sad death my fyrie smylls with stoode

But when my breist by heat did lyfe obtaine

Thow stingd my hairt and made my bosome bleid

Ah loue how can a simple mayde offend

That this her loue should bring her lyfe to end.

17.

Loue brings dispair dispair brings death & hell

Some say that musick oft proud loue withstoode

But o how can thy hairt in pleasure seall

When as thy verie soule is dround in blood

Yet pray perhaps thy pray'r mey loue compell

But medit at tone is of pray're the foode

And crewell loue by meditation liues

Then eury thing Pelympus deir reviues

18.

Thus whill she playes thus will she sweitly sings

Throw emptie aer the Queir of burds doune flye

And spred a round their soft and daintye wings

To shrow'd her whill she strains her nots on hye

And when they heir her voyce her sound her noyes

Lyik hands they clap their wings; in signe of ioyes.

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19

When she hade doone about her heir and their

Some saye her song and strain her tender throts

Some laurell leaus and myrtles sweit prepair

In their sharpe beiks and then with merrie nots

Vpon her head they lett the leaus doun fall

And seem to croun the Virgine their with all.

20.

Others wold sitt and from their throats forth send

A wofull sund that seemd to moue the skyes

To pitie her sad death and wofull end

Whil as the birds would straine such doolfull cryes

As who would say ah loue ah beautie murne

For her whoes death your day to night does turne.

21.

But all this tyme she mus'd vpone her loue

Her loue her ioy her pleasure her delight

Pelympus braue whoes deids did matchles proue

Non liue'd lyke him in valour strength and might

Who walkt abroade that day to tak the air

Whill fate heaune chāce & fortune brought him thai [...]

22.

She seis him come throw bushes leaues and wands

Then lyk a mabre image vp she stoode

The Lute falls doune betuixt her snow white hands

And her fair eyes pow'r furth a syluer floode

Lyk deaw on roses whyt and reid that falls

Or syluer globs or pearle or cristall balls.

[Page]

23.

To wake her frome this dumpe he taks her hand

And whill he toutch'd she trembled quakd & shook

Now reid for shame then pale for fear she fand

How her fant hart his wounted roume forsooke

And vpwart fled frome paine wo greif despight

True signes of suddane loue or sad afright.

24.

At last the Prince her silence thus remoues

Some saye that musick does the mynd delight

But lo Madame in yow the contrare proues

Quod she in hell death horrour and despight

Who liues melodious sounds at harmefull still

And still augments but ne're remeids their il.

25.

To the perhaps my words may seame vn faitt

For basheful Mayd's or simple Virgins pure

And not agreing with my heighe estait

To sue for grace whene I should leiue secure

But o quod she if I indecent proue

Not I but shameles tyraneizing loue.

26.

The ravening wolf, the simple lamb did catche,

Whom on he thought to fill, to feid, to prey,

When lo the princelie lyone did him watche.

First him he slew, then brought the lamb away,

Tho once from death he did the lamb releefe,

Afarr more crewel death he did it geue,

[Page]

27.

This wolf was Argalantes, I the lambe,

And thow the princilie lyone made me fre

When lo thyne eyes more crewell bands' did framme

And band and chain'd and link't my hairt to the,

Ah deir Pelympus, deir, too deir, it feares me,

Loue shame, fear, hait, in thousand peicees tears me,

28.

Thow stole my hairt out throw my besome poure,

But, o, sweit stelth, sw [...]it theef, I pardone the,

Myne eyes thow too [...] and did their ayde procure

And thus I help't to steill my self to the

Deip sob [...], and tears, heir stayd hir wofull speche

And with dumbe signes his pitie did beseeche,

29.

But all this tyme the Prince look't doune to ground

Rueth, reas [...]one, pitie, wo, amaizement bred

Yet in his besome loue no place hade founde

But myldest pitie hade so far him led,

That hardlie he from yeilding was refraind

Yet thus he answers, and from loue restraind,

30.

Madame (quod he) your luckles loue I rew

And would it mend if with my life it stood

Too base my birthe fair Princes is for yow

My woorth too small to equaleize your blood

I will not hait and yet I most not loue

Mars doth my hert from Cupid far remoue.

[Page]

31.

Then dryue those fonde affections frome your mynd

Let your wyse hairt calme loue & leue secure

Loue is, a, monster, furius▪ fer [...] and blynd

And I'm an errant Knight base woorthles poor [...]

I'le serue yow still if yow but loue for beir

In ioy in greif in confort hope in feir.

3 [...]

Forbeir quod she and must I then forbeir?

O? mad misluck O? loue O? chaunce O Fate!

O, loue, O, torment great? O, greif? o fear!

O? plague of plagues! O, desperat deceat!

O sting, O deadlie Poysione of the hairt

O hell of mightie mynds o death O smairt?

33.

Forbeir to loue O, word of sad disgrace

The task begune by loue must loue not end?

Natur had fram'd the fair and sweet alace

But the a crewell Tygers mynd did send

O crewell nature man▪ O man to crewell

To foule a blot to staine so fair a Iewell.

34.

And loue forbeir alace that word forbeir

O sad decrie O sentence of my death

O torment of my soule, from verteus spheir

Could suche disdane and loath sum hait tak breth

Thou loues to liue in scorn of loue and me

I liue to loue, and looth'd, for loue must die.

[Page]

35.

And now alace the houre approched nye

When her sweet lyfe that sweet hold must leaue

She drawes a knyfe which hange low be her thie

And tuix her breist's a flood-gat vp she reaue

Wheir pitie loue and beautie long with stoode

The fatall knyfe the lyfe the vitall bloode.

36.

From him she turn'd her face & did this fact

Then turns and say's without, a shrink or paine

Receaue this solemne sacrafeize I mak

Vpone the altare of thy heighe disdaine

Deir sweet receaue my hairt my lyfe my loue

My Virgine soule, Fairweell I must remoue.

37.

And now the starre light of her eyes grew dimme

Her fair sweet face vpone her shoulder fell

In her paill looks sad pitie lookt on him

Her trembling kneis grew weak & doun she fell

Lyik ane fair floure pure beautifull and young

By frost new slaine youth had but newly sprung

38.

[...]une as discoloured opell's change and turne

The whyte now wan now pale heir reid their blew

Her louelye whyte grew pale and seem'd to murne

The reid in spot's did change to azure hew

The Sune grew dimme and smylling heau'ns did lou [...]

The cloud's did murne & floods of tears doun powre.

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39.

The Prince that saw both lyfe and soule was gone

His mightie mynd began for to relent

His syght his speeche his sense him left a none

Woe sorow cair greif sadnes discontent

His lyfe and breath clos'd in his hairt withall

Pale cold and dead he on her breist did fall.

40.

Thow lyes Penardo dead vpoune the ground

Whom myghtie armies could not ouerthrow

Nor losse of blood nor many greuous wound

Could mak the shrink or flie or yeeld or bow

Altho she dyed for loue and for thy hait

Yet should thow not be blam'd bot crewell fate.

41.

But Fortune wold extinguish & put out

His shynning lampe of conquest prais and fame

For Doreo that long hade sought them out

With iclousie and loue despight and shame

Was thither led whene he this sight did vew

Bothe ioy and greif dispair and hait ensue.

42.

Ioyfull he was to sie Pelympus dead

But deadlie wofull for his mistres deir

Tuix contrar passiones finds he no remead

At last reuenge on his dead corpes he sweir

That wheir before he was renound & praisde

His infamie to heaune should now be rais'd.

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43.

The fatall knyfe which in her brest he spyed

He pulls away and putt's into the place

The Princes dagger, then alowd he eryede

Ah treassone tresson ah wo wo alace

Whoes d [...]eidfull noyes th [...]ow all the palace ring's

And thither Lords Knights Erles & Barones brings.

44.

When they had hard & sein this wofull sight

Their come the King the Quene the Ladyes all

Great was their cair their angwish their despight

They weep they murne they sigh they cry they cal

That roks wodes montanes sound furth sad dispair

Whoes Echos fill the earthe and emptie aer.

45.

Yet some more ware and wyse perseauit the Prince

No [...] dead but falne a soune the whiche thy tell

In chains in cord's in gyues they brought him thence

Vnto a dungeone deep and dark lyk Hell

When he reveiu'd and fand him self in chains

He woundred muche at last he thus complains.

Penardo his complaint.

WHat? do I liue quod He

And speek and sie & breath▪

Whoes damned soule the heaun's abhors

And [...]kornes to geue me death

And of that guer done due

For sin [...] they me depryue

[Page]Till I should daylie leiue and die

Ten thousand deaths a lyue

Come death teir furth my hairt

My too too crewell hairt

That of my loue more then deseru'd

Did skorne she should haue paire

But death sence thow art vsde

Poore virgins lyfes to tak

Thow pities so to ease my paine

Since hell abhors my fact

Yow fearfull monstres all

Yow feends yow furies felt

Yow Centaurs Harpy's Hydra's foull

Yow Gorgons grim of Hell

Come Plutos damned Ghosts

Come all since death delayes

With legiouns of your greislie troups

I'le feght and end my dayes

But o yow fear to veiu

worse then your selfs can be

Mo torments in my soule abyds

Then yow in Hell can see

Fa'ine would I flie my self

Becaus my self I fear

For still my self within my self

A thousand Hell [...] doth beir

But wheir o wheir is she

Wheir is that Angell fair

With whom abod al grace al good

Al loue al beauty rair

Ah thryce vnhappie Me

Ah my disdane had pow're

To reaue the Heaun's thair Darling deir

[Page]And earthe her fairest flour

My haples slouth before

Bereft a Virgi [...] breath

And now disdane my mad disdane

Ane other brought to death

Why stay't I not alace

With fair Philena still

She would haue geuen me due rewarde

And hade preueind this ill

O fantasyes! O dreams!

O foolish visiones! O

Why gaue I credit vnto yow

That twyce hes wroght my woe?

But wofull monstre I

Of luckles loue alace

That still must leiue in endles paine

Least death my sorowes chace.

46.

Thus in this agoneizing greif he lay

Long in this doungeone filthie deep and dark

Fast bound in chains nor saw he sight of day

And still bewaild his lyfe his chance his wrak

And this his murning wo greif sorow care

Turn'd vnto madnes oft and oft dispair.

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47.

But all this tyme great wo great paine great greife

Prince Doreo took for his deir Ladies death

And still his mynd was bent on heighe mischeefe

He sought reuenge with furie raige and wraith

For in his craft his malice his despight

This vitious wrong he wrought that valiant Knight.

48.

Whill to this gardyne I did walk (he sayd)

I harde a sound a voyce a call a cry

Ah Heauns preserue me let me die a Mayde

Thither I ranne but when I come hard by

The Murderer me saw and faind he fainted

And fell as lyfe breath sense and soule he wanted,

49.

I litle caird his feir his fate his fall

But to the Ladie rann whom soone I knew

I cryd and in my wofull airmes withall

I took her vp but gone was her fair hew

I cald her once onee lookt she in my face

Once spak this word ah wofull word ALACE.

50.

Into her fair and yuorie breist abaid

The instrument of that fearce tyranes wraith

I puld it furthe and their with all she said

Thow come to lait for to preuent my death

Her hand I gote fairweell she wold haue sayde

Wheirof but (fair) her laister breath furth-layde,

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51.

These speeches spak Prince Doreo and with all

So wo begone and sorowfull he sem'd

Oft stopd by sighes and oft would tears doun fall

That eury one him prais'd and much esteem'd

And then the King in wraith reuenge and ire

Commands Pelympus should be brint in fy [...]e.

52.

The night before this wofull Prince should dye

For her he murnes on her he calls he cryes

So does the lap-wing when some Sheiphird by

Her brood bereaues all day all night she flies

And weips and calls Yet sleips or night be past

So weeps the P [...]ince and so he sl [...]eps at last.

53.

And in his sleep the Angell did appeir

That wairn'd him from Philena for to flie

And lookt on him with fearce and angrie cheir

Saying Penardo O Penardo sie

Ioues wraith prononced if thow not soone repent

Thy wicked thoughts thy words and thy complain [...].

54.

Thow doest refuse his help his grace his ayde

Thow still rebells gainst mightie Ioues decree

Thy greif at Hells wyde mouth thy Soule has layde

O wrarche O man from sinne refraine or die

O sie behold thy plaints and Ioues heighe wraith

Leids the to paine to hell to endles death.

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55.

Thy visiones come from heauns and not from hell

Why temps thow then heighe heaune with plaints and tears

He hes decreit what e're to the befell

Do then what he ordains leaue greifs and fears

Eune of thy good he maks thy self the meins

But thow his goodnes grace & loue preueins.

56.

Vodinas blood on her owne head shall fall

A iust rewaird for her vniust desyre

For her owne sinne and her fore fathers all

That race in her must end their prowd empyre

Nor in thy loue no intrest hade ye Dame

Ane other of more woorth shall win the same

57.

Who shall preserue thy lyfe ere it belong

Flie not heauns ioy heauns peace but heaune obey

This sayd his face lyk lightning beam's ou [...] flong

That fild the house with glorius glistring ray

Which doone the Angell thence him self convoye [...]

And left him fild with conforts hops and ioyes.

58

Then ioyfull he awaks and watis the houre

Of lyfe or death as mightie Ioue thought meit

No plaints but prayers did the Prince furthe powre

Vpone the altar of repentance sweitt

And still he sighd he murn'd he plaind he prayde

To God for grace for help releefe and ayd [...].

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59

Now come the tyme wheirin this crewell King

Would execute his vengeance on the Knight

Furth to be brint with fyre they did him bring

When lo a wearyour bold approcht their sight

In airmour cled it seem'd dreid warre he brought

He finds the King whom throw the thronge he sough [...]

60.

And sayde Sir King perhaps my comeing may

Dismay yow much yet i'le the trueth vnfold

And what my giltie conscience bids me say

That none yow wrong as now it seems yow wold

I beir the hand that wrought your Daughters fate

Yone Knight to saue her came, but came too laitt.

61.

Fearce Argalantes was my vncle deir

Whoes blood for to reuenge, I thither ca [...]

Long waited I into this forrest neir

That yoynes vnto your Park your Gardines fram [...]

And disper at my wisht reuenge to work

At last into thai gardine did I lurk.

62.

When bright Apollo gilted had the sky

Vodina by misfortune come within

The arbor wheir I secreitlie did ly

And would haue fled agane but could not win

I took her wold haue forcd her gainst her will

But she dny't whom I in raige did kill.

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63.

Her laittest grones yone Knight whom kill yow wold

Hade harde and come to sie I fled be twein

The Parks and Gardenes to the forrest old

The way I come vnhard vnmarkd vnseene

Euer since within the forrest did I stray

Nor out from thence could euer find the waye.

64.

And still her gost vnto me does repair

And still presents Hells torments to my mynd

And still the greislie feinds throw trubled aer

Sounds furthe the pains my wofull soule should fynd

In thousand formes her murdred ghoste before me

Appeirs; & hell still gaipes for to deuore Me.

65.

This day agane she did her self present

Commanding me to the the trueth to sho

Ane other giltles lyfe for to prevent

Els I tormented should in endles woe

This is the caus that I my death desyir

Then set him frie & leid me to the fyre.

66.

All that this warryour hard wer much amaizd

And look't and mus'de & gaizd and silent stoode

Thought pitie in the King was neuer rais'd

Yet sham'd he was to wrongd a Knight so goode

And causd to lowse vnbind and set him frie

And armour horse and all restoird to be.

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67.

How soone his horse and armour he receaud

They charg'd him to depairt the court and flie

But nobly for to dye was all he crau'd

For to reuenge his wrong his infamie

Yet knew not who with death his lyfe wold by

But also sweir him to releeue or dy,

68.

Whom they had tyed with cords & with a chaine

Had bound him to a staik his armour on

So he de [...]yrt and so he did obtaine

In armour thus to burne and burne a lone

O kyndnes true that feare of death remoue

O praise O vertue great o wondrous loue.

69.

To sie that sight amaizd Penardo stoode

His breist begane to swell with raige w [...]aith ire

Pitie drew from his eyes of tears a floode

Wraith pitie helpt, pitie blew angers fyre

And thus his wraith his pitie ire and wo

Brought Suddane warre and suddane conquest lo,

70.

Heir loue heir proud ambitioune man'd the feild

And still contend's who most gouerns the mynde

Loue caus'd the stranger to the fyre to yeeld

Eune loue of Prince Penardo most vnkynd

Who rewld by proud ambitione skornd to be

Ore matchd in ought and cheiflie courtesye.

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71,

He feghts alone amongst a thousand foes

And all of them defyes and ouerthrew

All whom he fand; to ground with mightie bloes

And still his wraith still his reuenge renew

Nor gaue them leaue to pray to plaine to call

Suche haist he made to kill to murder all.

72,

Some at his dreidfull angrie look aff [...]ay'd

Fled heir and their and some in heaps doune fell

Those that withstoode slaine on the earth wer layde

And those who leauing could not him repell

With their dead bodies rais'd a wall a none

And thus gainstoode when other means wer gone.

73.

But he but ledder skalled or engyne

Martchd proudlie o're tho [...]e walls and fortres strong

And wold display his sheild for ansigne fyne

And tosse his flamming sword his foes among

Till he vnto that dreedfull fyre was come

Some fear'd some fell all fled to giue him roume.

74.

That amorous Knight that to the staik was tyed

B [...]holding his strainge deads and wonders strainge

Brek all his bands and through the fyre he hyed

Whoes threatning sword did thrist for dreid reuenge

Not that he cair'd his lyfe or feard ye fyre

But for to ayde or d [...]e was his desyre.

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75.

Be this the King Prince Doreo hade sent

With him his guarde for to chasteize their pryde

Him self reteir'd that mischeef to preuent

He feard some secreitt treasone their t'abyde

This armed band and Doreo now assaild

These warryours stout but nothing yet preuaild.

76.

More deadlie then more crewell grew the fray

The Prince and his Companione bak to bak

Such valoure shew such wounders wrought that day

And with such courage did such hauok mak

As Eggles Haulks or rauening Wolfs that rear

The simple sheep or sillie fowles that fear.

77.

Those warryours tuo stout hardy fearce and bold

Wold thus asswage their hunger quensh their thrist

With bodies dead in gorie blood inrold

Great was the valour of the stranger first

That sharpe reuenge and vengeance sharp ordaine

Ilk blow a wound eatch wound death vo and paine.

78.

Those Champions disseuered wer againe

Eache one with warrelyk troups besett a round

And stroue to tak them both but all in vaine

They beat them back and kill & fell to ground

Whose a [...]me straitcht furthe to tak them first wold enter

He seis cutt of & darrs no further venter.

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81.

Penardo still those forces new assaild

Whom he with strenth and might still overthrew

And lykwayes still the stranger Knight preuaild

But Doreo the Prince hi [...] strenth weel knew

And theirfore to the stranger Knight he haisted

On him both ire and honor to haue faisted.

82.

That galant stranger matchles for his woorthe

Met him amid the reid blood flowing plaine

And raige bloode warre & murther b [...]eathed furthe

Eatche other stronglie hits & hitts agane

At last the stranger's airme alost he bore

And Doreo's heid he brak he clift he tore.

83.

Dreid horrour fear and terrour of the sight

Made all to feir to tremble & to quak

Conquest once smeld by that braue stranger Knigh [...]

The Squadrones ranks & bands he roodly brak

Wholl trops to earth he brings he beats he beirs

So winds brinks doune the corne & rypned eer's.

84.

As chyldren mak in pastym sport and play

Ane spaill to waft to role to tosse to flie

About their heid quick speedie nimble lay

That of one thundring spaile it seemeth thrie

So seemd the straungers sword whoes deids thy thought

Strainge wonderfull incredible wer wrought

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85.

Thi [...] ramping lyoune sought Penardo out

And fand him in the mids of all his foes

Whom strong & valiant hardie bold & stout

The heaps of murdred bodies did inclose

So irk't he was and wearie their with all

Tho still he faught yet reddie stil to fal,

86.

Their Deaths sad court deaths palace their abode

Their tropheis wer erect'd vnto his name

Their lukwa [...]me blood did smook and flow abroade

The stranger stood amaizd to sie the same

And softlie sayd O valours onlie stoir

Whence comes his wealth of conquest fame & gloir.

87.

Now Phoebus from his glorious carre doune lyes

In Neptuns azure palace whill sad nyght

A rose maskd vp and cled in dreidfull gyis

With fearfull shad's of darknes and affright

The worthie stranger to Penardo haisted

And delt so many deaths till Death was waisted.

88.

But lo the tumulte munting in the are

wold pers, ye clouds with plents and vofull sounds

Men wemen bairnes with furie raige dispair

Reuenge and vengeans call's till heaune resounds

Now wes their daunger greatter then before

Thou [...]ands by heaps almost to earth them bore.

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89.

Yet heaun's decried their savetie thus inteir

Bl [...]k night o're all the earthe spred furth her vai [...]

And suche a fearfull darknes did appeir

It seem'd their was no darknes left in hell

With hands they grap't they wander & they stray

So does the blind alone that los't the way,

90.

And thus confus'd now heir now their they rine

Penardos freind thus to him said but dreid

Sheath now thy sword leaue heir thy sheild & win

Out throw this lawles multitude with speid

I'le gvde the to the forrest heir but stay

Why then I go quod he show yow the way

91.

Thus throw the throng vnseene vnmark't vnknowne

They marche alone but feir but cair but dreid

Nor was their feirles flight to anie showen

But saiflie to the forrest come with speid

Wheir in a groue hard by a fontane syde

They rest whill light for saifer flight p [...]ouyde.

Caput. XVII.

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Arg [...]ment.

THe stranger Prince Penardo knoes

Of whom he does reioy's

Who tellis him many woundrous thing's

At last they heir a noyes

The Queene of Macedon they sie

Led by them as they thought

Fals Ar [...]bo beguyls the Prince

Whome long the stranger sought.

1.

WHen Budans could not thus attaine reuenge

Of that disgrace & shame was to them wrought

With noyes confus'd sad shout's and murmur strainge

The slaine & murdred bodies home they brought

And to this day Penardo's thought so wyld

That with yat name they still yair weeping chyld,

[...].

Whill they in wofull murning pas the night

Penardo in the forrest did remaine

With his true freind his vnaquainted Knight

That for him tooke more th [...]n a freindlie paine

No wounds they hade but wearyed whill they la [...]

Hard b [...] the sounding streame & longd for day,

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3.

The Prince sayd thus synce heaun's ar pleasd with thise

That I must liue who lookt for nought but death

Most woorthie Knight think not I doe amise

To kno of whoes braue mynd I hold my breath

And vnto whome my indeuores and al

My lyfe my thought my se [...]uice should be thrall.

4.

Or if the heaun's hath sent yow to my aide

Since none but heauns my innocence heth known [...]

Vodinas death was falslie on me layde

Which Ioue this day has of his mercie showne

Nor my request becaus too lait yow shune it

Long since if tyme hade seru'd wold I haue doone i [...].

5.

Then quod the other, Prince Penardo kno

I am that mayde whome thow redeem'd from death

From paine from hell from everlasting wo

From Mansays mightie charms his craft his wraith

Eu'ne I that same Laissa whome throw fred

First from the flamme last from the sleipping bed.

6.

Her words at once bred wounder and delight

Yet in his hairt ther could no credit fynde

Till of she tooke her eask of sylver whyte

Then bleiz'st her eyes her, looks lyik lightning shyn'd

Her shining haire about her face doune flies

Through which bright vale lyke starres appeare her eies,

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7.

As when the Sun [...] throw yealow glase doeth shyne

On alabastre toumbs pure cleir and whyt

With small and prettie goldin streams deuyne

Seem's trembling on the stone to tak delyte

Of that whyt obiect deckt with cristall rocks

On [...]er fair face so shynd her goldin lock's.

8.

Altho the nyght was dark he might behold

Her eyes lyk glanceing comets blaizing farre

Or dyamonts in whyt enameld gold

Penardo thow whoes hairt from dreidfull warre

Could not be thrald to womanizing loue

How thanks thow now this passion for to p [...]oue

9.

Wheiron now thinks thow wheiron does thow gaize

The same is she whoes louelie self thow saw

Within the sleipping toumbe and could not raise

Nor from enchaunted sleep her senses draw

Whoes bright Idea wanders throw thy mynd

Yet can no resting place for loue out fynd.

10.

When thoughts assurde him she the same must be

O [...]t tymes he thanks the heaun's for her [...]eleef

Has heaun'e fate fo [...]tune smyld agane quod he

And ar thow now suffe [...]s'd with my mischeefe

Heighe Ioue his sacred helpe & aide vp steirs

When d [...]unger most most harme most wrack appeirs.

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11.

And fair Madame quod he yours is my name

My lyfe m [...] seruice and my all is your's

You [...]'s be the praise the honor glorie fame

Yours be my deads my acts my happie hour' [...]

Yours is my lyife by right me shall yow haue

To be your knight your seruant and your slaue.

12.

The varient stuf that alter change and turne

Wrought of discoloured silk soft subtile cleir

Heir l [...]lie whyte their crimsone reid doeth burne

Now mingle bo [...]h and now doth red appeir

So she that heirs him turn's and changes so

Heir reid their whyt & then all reid doeth sho.

13.

Sweit wer the sounds that from his lips proceid

Which pearst her tender breist & gentle hairt

Wheiron her old-bred loue & fansie feid

Renewes the flamme first in her mynd insert

For first she fell in loue with him when as

Enchanted sitting in the toumbe she was.

14.

And euer since in loue hade she remaind

Far hade she gone far sought to find him out

Till prouidence of hyer pow'rs ordaind

She should of his sad death remoue the doubt

For Cupid of his deads a chaine did f [...]amme

That captiue led this fair & amorous damme

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15.

Thus whill she gaisd long on his countenance

A modest smyle for answer he receau'd

Oft wold her eyes steil furth a secreit glance

If not for shame a kisse she would haue crau'd

Eache pairt she vew'd she loud she prais'd with smylling

Suche craft can louers vse them selfs beguylling.

16.

From secreit pleasurs and from hid delight

From gaizing thus at lengthe the Prince awaks her

To pas away the long and wearie night

With courtes speiche and prayers fair he maks her

To tell her lyfe her inuirye her wrong

Her fore past labours and her trauells long.

17.

First then she rais'd her myld and modest eyes

And cleir'd her countenance with heaunely grace

A fyrie smyle sweit plesant glade furthe flies

That chac'd the clouds of cai [...] and greifs apace

While beautie of her foreheid made a throne

And sat their to be gaiz'd and woundred on.

18.

My Lord quoth she to show my wofull lyfe

Would tedious proue and neuer haue ane end

For heauens and fortune seime to be at strife

Which should against mee most theire forces bend

Yet shaell yow kno the Muses crewell hairted

And what befell to me since yow departed.

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19.

My Parents freinds nor blood I do not kno

Nor of what house or lyne I am discendit

Nor of my wofull birth I can not sho

But skairslie well thrie lusters yit ar endit

Since swadled by the Heliconian fontane

The Muses fand me on that pleasant montane.

20.

They brought me vp within that holy mont

Taught me their holye reitts and sacred art

One day (a wofull day) as I was wount

When I hade chac'd the Stage ye Hynd ye Harte

In ther swit spring to bath I took delight

Which was my ground of wo greif cair despight.

21.

The Muses for that caus I do not kno

But that was all the fault they did pretend

Left me bereft me and decreid my wo

And by their Pow're deuyne did thither send

Two Knights my loue to win to sue to pray

And Riualls both each one did other stay.

22.

Then Mansay did his charmes and spirits send

Enchaunting them and me as yow haue seene

Which by your might and valour brought to end

And yow to lett when as he saw no meine

Me in the sleipping toumbe he did enchaunt

That saw yow knew yow tho my speech did want.

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23

When from the rook yow took the sword and shield

Then from my paine and prisone you redem'd me

I cry'd I cald I sought you throu the field

But Mansay that some better then esteem'd me

Appeird to me and told me you ver gone

Which made me weet my cheekes and sigh and mone.

24.

The Wizard then from murning me refrainde

And told me you should saif returne againe

For you paine cair and sorow was ordaind

Whair throw you must to glorie great attaine

So heau'ns decreit and so you must obay

Thus sayd throw shaiples aer he went away.

25

His words renewd but somwhat easd my greif

Still on I went ouer craigs & montanes hoar

But hope but hap but help or but releif

The wraith of heaune, ne're satisfiet the more

And to augment my cair my wo my stryfe

I liued this base this poore this serueill lyfe

26.

It was my chaunce when I had traueld long

In forrests wyde some sheipherds for to find

Whoes lyfe content secure from fortuns wrong

Would fite my cursd and haitfull dayes to end

Wheir long I serued in poore and mein degrie

Refusde no paine whill paine refusde not me

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27.

But Fortun still invying my estait

And skorning this my blist tho poore content

Disdaning so I should eskape her hait

Not suffring death my shame wo greif preuent

Nor pitted she my wo my cair my greif

But pitied I should thus eshew mischeif.

28.

One day as I my shaggie flock furth dreane

From fold to groue to medewe and to plain

Evandone Prince of Ephyre did persaue

Within whoes land thoes shipherds all remain

By chaunce from sporthe com and me esteem'd.

More beautifull then in effect I seem'd.

29.

And thither oft in tyms he did resort

To thrall me chaste desire vnto his will

But I still cloyde with cairs and vod of sport

Denyit his sute and preisd to shune his ill

But all in vaine my trauell was for nought

Me gainst my will vnto his court he brought.

30

Ane youth he was vnmaried I confes

And on my head wold set his diadem

But I whoes hairt ane other did posses

This spak the dame vnwarrs and bushd for shame

And thus she turnd her speeche, from whom all loue

My cair my greif my sorrow did remoue.

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31.

When he perceaud my resolutione strong

Vn moud nor vowes, nor prayers could preuaill

He neids would haue by force dispight & wrong

What he could not obtain by louet' assaill

And long he mew'd me vp frome dayes sweet lyght

In prisone dark in voes eternall night.

32.

Nor could these wrongs his crueltie suffeize

Nor could he pitie puire vnhappie me

But in the sight of all the Peoples eyes

He would bereaue my spotles chastitie

Nor could words prayers sighs or tears him moue

To leaue so foull so vyld so filthie loue.

33.

His vitious mynd so odious had him made

That all his Lords and people him detested

Then would he haue me bound vpone a bed

When on my kneis this one thing I requested

He would not suffer Rascalls bind or bow me

But his owne hands yat honor wold allow me.

34.

Wheirto he yeelds and I resolue to die

Then cald I thryce on sweit Penardos Name

Thus twyce vnwarrs her passion furth did flie

Twyce she her loue bewrayd & tuyce thought shame

O loue true loue for speeks she or be mute

Her blushe looks smyls or word bewrayt her sute.

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35.

Yet loue to hyde that had so oft burst out

Her eyes tuixt wraith and shame [...]old brint and shynd

At last this she excuse she casts about

Quod she Thyne ayde would their haue pleasd my mynd

I wish'd the when the Tyrane did aspyre

To act his filthie foull and vyle desyre.

36.

His dagger then I quicklie puld a paire

And ere he could him self of me releef

I stobd his loue but with his loue his hart

Wheir with the people cry'd O sad mischeef

Some in a raige me fouriouslie assayld

But with the greatter pairt my pairt preuaild.

37.

And thus begane a fearce & crewell feght

On at her syde wer kild hurt brusd or slaine

I pitied for my caus my deid my right

They murdred thus should masacred remane

Wheirfor with gentle speeche & pleasant words

I both appeas'd their wraith & sheathd their swords.

38

When they be thought them on the Tyrans deids

His murders great when they to mynd did call

They prais'd heighe Ioue from whom ther help proceid [...]

To me they gaue yair kingdome croun and all

Which long for to enioy I could not stay

Whom angrie fates and fortune cald away.

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39.

I vowd yat' rest my bodie should not find

Till I my countrey freinds & parents kn [...]

A gouernour their left I me behind

Then forward on my iourney did I go

Long traueld I and mony dangers past

Till in this forest I arryud at last.

40.

Wheir whill I lay my weary lims to rest

Beneth the vmbrege of a spredding B [...]eche

A virgine Nymphish lyk attyrt and drest

Presents to me this armour with this speeche

Aryse Laissa now the tyme drawes neir

Wherein thou must a knight no mayde appeir.

41.

Mansay the send this armour sword and shield

And thair with bids the go to Buda straight

Wheirby thy Fortune Heauns shall to ye yeeld

By cunning slight by force and dreidfull feght

Thou must that Knight from fire from death detaine

That the releeud from fyre from bloode from paine.

42.

As for thy Parents this he letts ye kno

Thou art sole Heyre vnto a mightie King

Which tym and fate, and fortun shall ye sho

And end to all thy greif cair sorow bring

But kno thy hart's delight and greattest ioy

Shall be the greattest caus of thy annoy.

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43.

This sayd the Nymphe throughe shaples aer does glyd

I fond my self well arm'd on euery pairt

And forduart fast my spedie steps I hy'd

Me thought some fear assailt my pancing hairt

Some fear of fortune ill mishap mischeef

Wheirat I tremblit shouk & quakt for greif.

44.

Whill thus I go tuix dreid wo hope and fear

I met By happie chance a Palmer old

Who did the mater all to me dcelair

And how yow slew stout A [...]galantes bold

And tho your name was chang'd yet weell I knew

Your deads your valour shew me it was yow

45.

Then Argalantes Nephoy fain'd I me

To mak you frie non other mein I saw

And to reuell to yow for yow I die

Then knew I weell yow all the treuth wold shaw

So should yow die I leiue for to be sory

That Earths obiect was saift & lost her glory.

46.

By this heaun's light Earths confort Darknesse foe

From our horisone Night did wairn to pas

And lyke transparent cristall gaue to sho

The hemisphere or lyk bright azure glas

Or lyk a demi-syluer-globe it lyes

Vpone the earthe earthe seem's to beir the skye [...]

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47.

No sooner days faire coach man did appeir

When as their talk was interrupt and stayit

A noyes of horse and chariots they did heir

And suddanly they roise as half affrayit

Whill as the sound drew neir they did espy

Some threttie Knights that gallopt softlie by,

48.

And round about a coatche they seemd to ryde

That four whyt fair and galant coursers drew

In which a lady sat who [...]s beauties pryd

Seemd to contend with bright Apollos hew

Yet throw her beautie lookt furthe proud disdaine

That shew her mynd displeasure did containe.

49.

Her crimsone cheek leandon her snow whyte hand

Her eyes Loues fyrie Comets seem'd With chyld

With tears which woe and anger did command.

And raind downe Tempest from her face so myld

On her fair breist lyk diamants whoes rainge

Fyr't by hir eyis in thousand colours cheange.

50.

Or lyke the rory deaw in May that lyes

One snow white lilies and on purple roses

So stands the Nectar drops stild from her eyes

Vpone her rosie cheeks sweit beauties poses

She breath'd sweit balme whoes odore phisick proue

To purge grosse sense & sharpe dull witts for loue.

[Page]

51.

And war [...]one Cupid dalieed in her lap

Snatching the cristall balls still as they fall

And at Penardo throwes, him to intrap

Too weell that craftie Cupid knew with all

How to reuenge Penardos former wrong

Whiche wofully he acted now ere long.

52.

O thow Penardo braue Penardo thow

What doest thow think or whei [...] on dost you gaize

Heth loue o're cum the, has one made the bow

Whoes hand o're airmyes gote the conquiring prais [...]

But O what hairt so hard or strong to keepe

But yeeld's to loue when beautie list to weepe.

53.

And whill he stoode in this amaize he seis

A simple Groome vpone a galant-horse

Who cryes and sighes and weeps with watrie eyes

And followes still the [...]raine with great remorce

At him he wold enquire and run's a paee

Who in few words thus answred him Alace.

54.

Sire Knight if ere true pitie pears'd your hair [...]

Or if the vow of knight hoode you obey

Releeue my Dame and ease her wofull smair [...]

By cruell tyranes reft and brought away

Tak this my horse and stay my Ladyes flight

Thryce happie I if this succeid a right

[Page]

55.

The haples Prince no questione more wold craue

But taks the horse and after them he ryd's

The wicked Groome that did him so deceaue

Was not a Groome but in that shape abyds

Fals Arebo so full of all disceat

That sought his deathe & fall of his estate

56.

For when the Prince eskeap't Philenas traine

Wairn'd be the Angell when he fled by nigh [...]

She wold haue murdred him for his disdaine

But finding he hade sau'd him self by flight

With Arebo consults for her reuenge

Who hade deuys'd this traine fearce crewell strange.

67.

This galant Lady whom the Prince had sein

Was faire Olinda whom the fares ordaind

Faire crewell chaste & of all hearts the Queene

Loue bow'd to her but she all loue disdaind

Ore Macedon she regn'd whoes shaip by airt

The wisard fraim'd to worke Penardos smairt.

58.

Laissa oft requirde the Prince to stay

Ti [...]l she with him the quarrel hade embrac'd,

But he impatient of all delay

Told herd he would returne agane in haist

Yi [...] loue made her vnfit to follow fast

Till wandring farre she lost the way at last.

[Page]

59.

And wearied with her heauye armours weyght

Dround in displeasure sorowes greifs and harmes

She traueld till the dark and dreid full nyght

In folds the worlde within her lazie airmes

Then rest's she by a fonte▪ bevaills her state

Her luck, her chance, her fortune, and her fate.

FINIS.

Heir ends the first book of the famous History of PENARDO and LAISSA.

To the Authour.

[Page]

NAture and arte contending which should proue

Most fauourd of the muses did ordaine

Old Orphaeus their Iudge who broght his loue

From Plutoes kingdome and from hellish payne

But he excus'd him self his workes wer torne

And with, tymes rusly Canker cleane outuorne.

Yet Sayd that he would wish them to ane vther

Whoes lynes could weall decyd their wrangling stryff

And soe thy braue Penardo did discover

Wheirby aste seem'd to be bereaft of lyff

Whilst thou hir conqur'our to thy greater grace

Makst arte to nature euin in arte giue place.

Then since thu'rt arts Controler, natures Chyld,

Stird vp by vertue to encreass thy fame

Leaue not Layssa thus from loue exyld

For saue thy self non dare attempt the same

And as thou dost in vs sweet thoghts Inspyre

Soe goe thou one and we shall still admyte.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

The first booke of the famous historye of Penardo and Laissa other ways callid the warres, of love and ambitione. Wherein is described Penardo his most admirable deeds of arms, his ambition of glore his contempt of loue, with loves mightie assalts & ammorus temptations: Laissas feareful inchantment hir releif hir trauells and lastly loves admirabel force, in hir releiving Penardo from ye fire, doone in heroik verse, by Patrik Gordon.

Gordon, Patrick, fl. 1615-1650.

Edition statement

1615

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2006-02 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A01930

ID [STC]

STC 12067

ID [STC]

ESTC S103342

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99839099

ID [PROQUEST]

99839099

ID [VID]

3495

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A01930)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 3495)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 959:01)

Source

— The first booke of the famous historye of Penardo and Laissa other ways callid the warres, of love and ambitione. Wherein is described Penardo his most admirable deeds of arms, his ambition of glore his contempt of loue, with loves mightie assalts & ammorus temptations: Laissas feareful inchantment hir releif hir trauells and lastly loves admirabel force, in hir releiving Penardo from ye fire, doone in heroik verse, by Patrik Gordon., Gordon, Patrick, fl. 1615-1650..

Extent

[280] p.

By George waters,. Printed at Dort :: 1615.. (In verse.) (No more published.) (Signatures: * ² *² A-Q R² .) (Running title reads: The historie of Penardo and Laissa.) (Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.)

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