The iron age contayning the rape of Hellen: the siege of Troy: the combate between Hector and Aiax: Hector and Troilus slayne by Achilles: Achilles slaine by Paris: Aiax and Vlisses contend for the armour of Achilles: the death of Aiax, &c. Written by Thomas Heyvvood.

The iron age contayning the rape of Hellen: the siege of Troy: the combate between Hector and Aiax: Hector and Troilus slayne by Achilles: Achilles slaine by Paris: Aiax and Vlisses contend for the armour of Achilles: the death of Aiax, &c. Written by Thomas Heyvvood.

Table of contents

[1]

Title page

Drammatis Personae.

Title page

Drammatis Personae.

To my VVorthy and much Respected Friend, Mr. Thomas Hammon, of Grayes Inne Esquire.

To the Reader.

Actus primus, Scoena prima.

Actus secundus Scoena prima.

Actus Tertius Scoena prima.

Actus Quartus Scoena prima.

Actus Quintus Scoena prima.

The Epilogue.

§

[2]

Title page

Drammatis personae.

To the Reader.

Tomy VVorthy and much Respected Friend, Mr. Thomas Mannering Esquire.

1

Actus Secundus: Scoena prima.

Acius Secundus: Scoena prima.

Actus Quartus: Scoena prima.

Actus Quintus: Scoena prima.

FINIS.

The Iron Age.

The Iron Age.

§

[Page]

The Iron Age: Contayning the Rape of Hellen: The siege of Troy: The Combate betwixt Hector and Aiax: Hector and Troilus slayne by Achilles: Achilles slaine by Paris: Aiax and Vlisses contend for the Armour of Achilles: The Death of Aiax, &c. Written by THOMAS HEYVVOOD.

Aut prodesse solent audi Delectare.

HECTOR. AIAX.

Printed at London by Nicholas Okes. 1632.

[Page]

Drammatis Personae.

Of the party of the Troians.

King Priam.

Hector.

Paris.

Troilus.

Aeneas.

Anthenor.

Deiphobus.

Margareton.

Astianax, Hectors sonne.

Queene Hecuba.

Cassandra a Prophetesse.

Cressida, Calchas his daughter.

Folixina daughter to Priam.

Oenon, Paris his first loue.

Andromache, Hectors wife.

Hectors Armour-bearer.

Troian souldiers.

Of the party of the Grecians.

King Agamemnon Generall.

King Menelaus.

King Diomed.

Vlysses, King of Ithacus.

Achilles.

A Spartan Lord.

An Embassador of Creete.

Castor and Pollux, the two brothers of Hellena.

Aiax Duke of Salamine.

Thersites a raylor.

Queene Hellena.

Calchas, A polles Priest.

Patroclus, Achilles his friend.

Achilles his Mermidons.

Grecian souldiers.

Attendants.

§

[Page]

The Iron Age: Contayning the Rape of Hellen: The siege of Troy: The Combate betwixt Hector and Aiax: Hector and Troilus slayne by Achilles: Achilles slaine by Paris: Aiax and Vlisses contend for the Armour of Achilles: The Death of Aiax, &c. Written by THOMAS HEYVVOOD.

Aut prodesse solent audi Delectare.

TAM ROBVR · TAM ROBOR. NI-COLIS ARBOR IOVIS. 1610.

Printed at London by Nicholas Okes. 1632.

[Page]

Drammatis Personae.

Of the party of the Troians.

King Priam.

Hector.

Paris.

Troilus.

Aeneas.

Anthenor.

Deiphobus.

Margareton.

Astianax, Hectors sonne.

Queene Hecuba.

Cassandra a Prophetesse.

Cressida, Calchas his daughter.

Folixina daughter to Priam.

Oenon, Paris his first loue.

Andromache, Hectors wife.

Hectors Armour-bearer.

Troian souldiers.

Of the party of the Grecians.

King Agamemnon Generall.

King Menelaus.

King Diomed.

Vlysses, King of Ithacus.

Achilles.

A Spartan Lord.

An Embassador of Creete.

Castor and Pollux, the two brothers of Hellena.

Aiax Duke of Salamine.

Thersites a raylor.

Queene Hellena.

Calchas, A polles Priest.

Patroclus, Achilles his friend.

Achilles his Mermidons.

Grecian souldiers.

Attendants.

[Page]

To my VVorthy and much Respected Friend, Mr. Thomas Hammon, of Grayes Inne Esquire.

SIR,

IF the noble Scholler Nichod. Friseelimus, thought that his labour in Transferring six of Aristophanes his Comedies, out of the Originall Greeke into the Roman tongue, was worthy to be dedicated to six seueral, the most eminent Princes of his time, for Learning and Iudgement: Thinke it then no disparagment to you, to vndertake as well the Patronage, perusall of this Poem: Which as it exceedes the strict limits of the ancient Comedy (then in vse) informe, so it transcends them many degrees; both in the fulnesse of the Sceane, and grauity of the Subiect.

The History whereon it is grounded, hauing beene the selected Argument of many exquisite Poets▪ For what Pen of note, in one page or other [Page] hath not remembred Troy, and bewayl'd the sa [...]ke, and subuersion of so illustrious a Citty▪ Which, although it were scituate in Asia, yet out of her ashes hath risen, two the rarest Phoenixes in Europe, namely London and Rom [...] ▪ [...]ir my acquaintance with your worth, and kn [...]dge of your iudgement, were the chiefe m [...]tiues, inducing me to select you before many others: accept it, I intreate you, as fauourably as hee exposeth it willingly, who as he hath antecedently long, so futurely euer,

Shall remayne yours: Thomas Heywood.

[Page]

To the Reader.

COurteous Reader: The Gold, Siluer, and Brasse Ages hauing beene many yeares [...]ince in the Presse, continuing the History from Iupiters Birth (the sonne of Saturne) to the Death of Hercules. This Iron Age (neuer till now Published,) beginneth where the other left, holding on, a plaine and direct course, from the second Rape of Hellen: (For she was in her minority rauished by Theseus the Friend of Hercules) not onely to the vtter ruine, and deuastation of Tro [...]; but it, with the second Part, stretcheth to the Deathes of Hellen, and all those Kings of Greece, who were the vndertakers of that Ten yeares Bloody and fatall Seige. I presume the reading there of shall not pr [...]ue distastfull vnto any▪ First inregar [...] of the Antiquity and Noblenesse of the History: Next because it includeth the most things of especiall remarke, which haue beene ingeniously Commented, and labouriously Recorded, by the Muses Darlings, the Po [...]ts: And Times learned Remembraneers; the Histriographers▪

[Page] Lastly, I desire thee to take notice, that these were the Playes often (and not with the least applause,) Publickely Acted by two Companies, vppon one Stage at once, and haue at sundry times thronged three se [...]erall Theaters, with numerous and mighty Auditories, if the grace they had then in the Actings, take not away the expected luster, hoped for in the Reading, I shall then hold thee well pleased, and therein, my selfe fully satisfied; Euer remaining thine as studious▪

Prodesse vt Delectare:

Thomas Heywood.

[Page]The Iron Age.

Actus primus, Scoena prima.

Enter King Priamus, Queene Hecuba, Hector, Troilus, Aeneas, Deiphobus, &c.

Priamus.

PRinces and Sonnes of Priam, to this end

We [...] cal'd you to this solemne Parleance▪

There's a deuining spirit prompts mee still▪

That if we new begin Hostility,

The Grecians may be forc't to make repayre

Of our twice r [...]in'd walls, and of the rape

Done to our sister faire Hesio [...]e.

Aeneas. I am my princely Soueraigne of your minde,

And can by grounded arguments approoue

Your power and potency: what they twice demolish' [...],

Is [...]ow with strength and beauty rear'd againe.

Your Kingdome growne more populous and rich▪

The youth of Troy irregular and vntam'd,

Couetous of warre and martiall exercise.

From you and siluer tressed Hecuba

Fifty faire sonnes are lineally deriu'd,

All Asiaes Kings are in your lou [...] and league▪

Their royalties as of your Empire held▪

[Page] Hector and Hectors brothers are of power

To fetch your sister from the heart of Greece,

Where she remaines imbrac't by Telamon.

Pria.

Aeneas, your aduise assents with vs.

How stand our sonnes vnto these wars inclin'd?

Hect.

In mine opinion we haue no iust cause

To rayse new tumults, that may liue in peace:

Warre is a fury quickly coniured vp,

But not so soone appeased▪

Par.

What iuster cause▪

When the whole world takes note to our disgrace,

Of this our Troy, twice rac't by Hercules.

Troy.

And faire Hesione rapt hence to Greece,

Where she still liues coopt vp in Salamine.

Hect.

Troy, was twice rac't, and Troy deseru'd that wracke,

The valiant (halfe Diuine bred) Hercules,

Redeem'd this Towne from blacke mortality,

And my bright Aunt from death, when he surcharg'd

The vi [...]gin fedde, Sea-monster with his club.

For my owne Grand-fire great La [...]medon,

Denied the Heroe, both the meede propos'd,

And most (ingratefull) shut him from the Gates:

Troy therefore drew iust ruine on it selfe:

Tis true, our Aunt was borne away to Greece,

Who with more iustice might transport her hence,

Then he whose prise she was? bold Telamon

For ventring first vpon the wals of Troy,

Alcides gaue her to the Salmine Duke.

Detayning her? whom keepes he but his owne?

Were she my prisoner I should do the like.

By Ioue she's worth the keeping.

Par.

Then of force,

Shee must be worth the fetching.

Hect.

Fe [...]ch her that list: my reuerent King and father▪

If you pursue this expedition,

By the vntaunted honor of these armes

[...]hat li [...]e imblazon'd on my burni [...]h't shield▪

[Page] It is without good cause, and I deuine

Of all your flourishing line, by which the Gods

haue rectified your fame aboue all Kings,

Not one shal liue to meate your Sepulchre,

Or trace your funerall Heralds to the Tombes

Of your great Aucestours: oh for your honour

Take not vp vniust Armes.

Aene.

Prince Hectors words

Will draw on him the imputation

Of feare and cowardesie.

▪Troi.

Fie brother Hector,

If our Aunts rape, and Troyes destruction̄

Bee not reueng'd, their seuerall blemishes

The aged hand of Time can neuer wipe

From our succession.

'Twill be registred

That all King Priams sonnes saue one were willing

And forward to reuengs them on the Greekes,

Onely that Hector durst not.

Hect.

Ha, durst not didst thou say? effeminate boy▪

Go get you to your Sheepe-hooke and your Scrip,

Thou look'st not like a Souldier, there's no fire

Within thine eyes, nor quills vpon thy chinne,

Tell me I dare not? go, rise, get you gone:

Th'art fitter for young Oenons company

Then for a bench of souldiers: here comes one,

Antenor is returned.

Enter Antenor.

Pri.

Welcome Antenor, what's the newes from Greece?

Ante.

Newes of dishonour to the name of Priam,

Your Hignesse Sister faire Hesiones

Esteem'd there as a st [...]umpet, and no Queene;

(After complaint) when I propos'd your Maiesty

would fetch her thence perforce, had you but seen [...]

With what disdainefull pride, and bitter taunts

They tost my threats: 'twould haue inflam'd your splee [...]

With more then common rage, neuer was Princesse

[Page] So basely vs'd: neuer Embassadour

With such dishonour sent f om Princes Court,

As was thenfrom that of Telamons,

Of Agamemnons and the Spartan Kings.

Priam.

I shall not dye in peace, if these disgraces

Li [...]c v [...]reueng'd.

Hect.

By Ioue wee'le fetch her thence,

Or make all populous Greece a Wildernesse,

Paris a hand, wee are friends, now Greece shall finde

And thou shalt know what mighty Hector dares.

When all th'vnited Kings in Armes shall rue

This base dishonour done to Priams blood.

Par.

Heare Gracious sir, my dreame in Ida Mount,

Beneath the shadow of a Cedar sleeping.

Celestiall Iuno, Ve [...]us, and the Goddesse

Borne from the braine of mighty Iupiter.

These three present me with a golden Ball,

On which was writ, Detur pulcherrimae,

Giue't to the fairest: Iuno proffers wealth,

Scepters and Crownes: saith, she will make me rich▪

Next steps forth Pallas with a golden Booke,

Saith, reach it me, I'le teach the Litterature,

Knowledge and Arts, make thee of all most wise.

Next smiling Venus c [...]me, with such a looke

Able to rai [...]sh mankinde: thus bespake mee,

Make that Ball mine? the fairest Queene that breathes,

I'le i [...] requitall, cast into thine armes.

How can I stand ag [...]i [...]st her golden smiles,

When beautie promist beauty? shee preuayl'd:

To her I gaue the prise, with which shee mounted

Like to a Starre from earth shott vp to Heauen.

Now if in Greece (as some report) be Ladies

Peerelesse for beauty, wherefore might not Paris

By Venus ayde sayle [...]ence to Grecia,

And quit the rape of faire Hesion [...],

By stealing thence the Queene most beautifull▪

That feedes vpon the honey of that ay [...]?

[Page]Pri.

That amorous Goddesse borne vpon the waue [...]

Assist thee in thy voyage, we will rigge

A royall flee [...]e to wa [...]t thee into Greece.

Aeneas with our sonne Deiphobus,

And other Lords shall beare thee company.

What thinke our sonnes Hector and Troylus

Of Paris expedition?

Hect.

As an attempt the Heauens haue cause to prosper.

Go brother Paris, if thou bring'st a Queene,

Hector will be her Champion; then let's see

What Greeke dare fetch her hence.

Pri.

Sraight giue order

To haue his Fleet made ready.

Enter Cassandra with her haire about her eares.

Cassan.

Stay Priam, Paris cease, stay Troian Peeres

To p [...]ot you [...] vniu [...]rsall [...]uert [...]row.

What hath poore Troy dese [...]u'd, that you should kindle

[...]lames to destroy it?

Pa.

What intends Cassandra▪

Cass.

To quench bright burning Troy, to se [...]u [...]e thee,

To saue old Priam and his fifty sonnes.

(The royal'st issue, that e're King I enioy'de)

To keepe the [...]euerent haires of Hecuba,

From being torne off by her owne sad hands▪

Pri.

Cassandra's madde.

Cass.

You are mad, all Troy is mad [...].

And railes before it's ruine.

Hect.

What would my sister?

Cass.

Stay this bold youth my brother, who by water

Would sayle to b [...]ing fire which [...]all bu [...]ne all T [...]oy.

Stay him, oh stay him▪ ere the [...] golden roo [...]es

Melt o're our heads before these g [...]orious Turret [...]

Bee burnt to ashe [...]. Ere cle [...]r [...] Simois [...]treames

Ru [...]e with b [...]oud royall, and Scamander Plain [...],

In which Troy [...]ancis bee ma [...]e a Sepu [...]chre

To bury Troy, and Troians.

[Page]Pri.

Away with her, some false deuining spirit

Enuying the honour we shall gaine from Greece,

Would trouble our designements.

Hect.

Royall sir,

Cassandra is a Vestall Prophetesse,

And consecrate to Pallas; oft inspir'd,

Then lend her gracious audience.

Troil.

So let our Aunt

Bee still a slaue in Greece, and wee your son [...]

Bee held as cowards.

Aene.

Let Antenors wrongs

Bee basely swallowed, and the name of Troy

Be held a word of scorne.

Cass.

Then let Troy burne,

Let the Greekes clap their hands, and warme themselues

At this bright Bone-fire: dream'd not Hecuba

The night before this fatall Youth was borne,

That shee brought forth a fire-brand?

Hecu.

'Tis most true.

Cass.

And when King Priam to the Preist reueal'd

This ominous dreame, hee with the Gods consulted,

And from the Oracle did this returne,

That the Chi [...]de borne should stately Islion burne.

[...]r.

And well the Prophet guest, for my desire

To visi [...] Greece, burnes with a quenchlesse fire:

Not from this flaming brand shall I be free,

Till I haue left rich Troy, and Sparta see.

Cass.

Yet Hecuba, ere thou thy Priam loose,

And Priam ere thou loose thy Hecuba,

Pri.

Away with her.

Cass.

Why speakes not in this case Andromache?

Thou shalt loose a Hector, who's yet thine.

Why good Aeneas dost thou speech forbeare?

Thou hop'st in time another Troy to reare,

When this is sackt, and therefore thou standst mute,

All strooke with silence; none assist my suite.

Pri.

Force her away and lay her fast in hold.

[Page]Cass.

Then Troy, no Troy, but ashes; and a place

Where once a Citty stood: poore Priam, thou

That shalt leaue fatherlesse fifty faire sonnes,

And this thy fruitfull Queene, a desolate widdow▪

And Ilium now no Pallace for a King,

But a confused heape of twice burnt bricke.

They that thy beauty wondred, shall admire

To see thy Towers de [...]ac'd with Greekish fire.

[Exit.

Pri.

Thou art no Sibill, but from fury speak'st,

Not inspiration we regua [...]d thee not.

Come valiant sonnes, wee'le [...]rst prepare our ships,

And with a royall Fleete well rigg'd to sea

Seeke iu [...]t reuenge for faire Hestone.

Exeunt omnes, manet Paris, to him Oenon who in his g [...] ign out p [...]ucks her backe.

Oen.

Know you not mee?

Par.

Who art thou?

Oen.

View mee well.

And what I am, my lookes and teares will teach thee▪

Par.

Oenon? what brought thee hither?

Oen.

To see Ida bare

Of her [...]all Cedars, to see shipwrights square

The trunks of new feld Pines: Asking the cause,

So many Hatchets, Hammers, Plowes and Sawes

Were thither brought: They gan mee thus to greete▪

With these tall Cedars we must build a fleete

For Paris; who in that must sayle to Greece,

To fetch a new wife thence.

Par.

And my faire Oenon,

Know that they told truth, for 'tis decreed

Euen by the Gods behest, that I should speed

Vpon this new aduenture: The Gods all,

That made mee iudge to giue the golden Ball.

Ha [...]ke, harke, the Saylers cry aboard, aboard;

The Winde blowes faire, fare-well.

[Page]Oenon.

Heare me one word.

By our first loue, by all our amorous kisses▪

Courtings, imbraces, and ten thousand blesses

I coniure thee, that thou in Troy may'st stay.

Par.

They cry aboard, and Paris must away.

Oen.

What need'st thou plowe the seas to seeke a wife▪

Hauing one here, to hazard thy sweete life,

Seeking a Strumpet through warres fiele [...] alarmes,

And haue so kind a wife lodg'd in thine armes.

Par.

Sweete Oenon, stay me not, vnclaspe thine hold.

Oen.

Not for Troyes crowne or all the Sun-gods Gold▪

Canst thou? oh ca [...]st thou thy sweete life indanger,

And leaue tnine owne wife to s [...]eke out a stranger?

Pa.

I can▪ farewell.

Oen.

Oh yet a little stay.

Pa.

Let go thine hold, or I shall force my way▪

Oen.

Oh do but looke on me, yet once againe.

Though now a Prince, thou wast an humble swaine,

And then I was thine Oenon. (Oh sad fate)

I craue thy loue, I couet not thy state;

Still [...] am Oenon: still thou Paris ar [...]

The selfe-same man, but not the selfe-same heart▪

Par.

V [...]tie, or I shall breake thy charming band,

N [...]ptune assist my course: thou Ioue my hand.

Exit.

Oen.

Most cruell, most vnkind, hadst thou thus said

The night before thou hadst my Maiden-head▪

I had beene free to chuse, and thou to wiue;

Not widdowed now, my husband still aliue.

Enter King Menelaus, King Diomed, Thersites, a Lord Embassadour with Attendants.

Mene.

King Diomed, Sparta is proud to see you,

Your comming at this time's more seasonable,

In that wee haue imployment for your wisedome

And royall valour.

Diom.

The Chritian Scepter now in contr [...]uersi [...]

[Page] (As this Embassadour hath late inform'd)

Despising that vsurping hand, which long

Hath against Law and Iustice swayd and borne it▪

Offers it selfe to your protection.

Is it not so my Lord?

Embassa.

You truely vnderstand our Embasie.

Ther.

Menelaus!

Mene.

What saith Thersites?

Ther.

That Heauen hath many Starres in't, but no eyes▪

And cannot see desert. The Goddesse Fortune

Is head-winkt, why else should she proffer thee

Another Crowne that hath one: (Grand Sir Ioue)

What a huge heape of businesse shalt thou haue,

Hauing another Kingdome? being in Creete,

Sparta will go to wracke, being in Sparta,

Creete will to ruine: To haue more then these

Such a bright Lasse as Hellen: Hellen? oh!

'Must haue an eye to her too, fie, fie, fie,

Poore man how thou'lt bee pusl'd!

Mene.

Why thinkes Thersites my bright Hellens beauty

Is not with her faire vertues equaliz'd?

Ther.

Yes, I thinke so, and Hellen is a [...] asse,

But thou beleeu'st so too.

Diom.

Thersites is a rayler.

Ther.

No, I disclaim't, I am a Counsellor▪

I haue knowne a fellow matcht to a faire wife,

That hath had ne're a Kingdome: thou hast two

To looke to, (scarce a house) thou many Pallaces,

Hee scarce a Page, and thou a thousand seruants:

Yet hee hauing no more, yet had too much

To looke to one faire wife.

Diom.

Were not the King

Well grounded in the vertues of his Queene,

Thy words Thersites might set odds betwixt them.

Mene.

My Hellen? therein am I happiest.

Know Diomed, her beauty I preferre

Before the Crownes of Sparta, and of Creete.

[Page] Musicke! I know my Lady then is comming▪

Musicke within.

To gi [...]e kind welcome to King Diomed,

Strowe in her way sweete powders, burne Perfume,

And where my Hellen treads no feete presume.

Ther.

'Twere better strowe horne-shauings.

Enter Hellen with waiting Gentlewomen and Seruants.

Hel.

'Tis told ys this Embassadour doth stay

To take my husband, my deare Lord away.

Men.

True Hellen, 'tis a Kingdome calls me hence.

Hel.

A Kingdome! hath your Hellen such small grace,

That you preferre a Kingdome 'fore her face?

You value me too cheape, and doe not know▪

The worth and value of the face you owe.

Ther.

I had rather haue a good Calues face.

Hes [...].

Theseus, that in my non-age did assaile mee,

And being too young for pastime, thence did haile me:

Hee, to haue had the least part of your blisse

Oft proffered mee a Kingdome for a kisse.

You surfeit in your pleasures, swimme in sport,

But sir, from henoeforth I shall keep [...] you short.

Dio.

Faire Queene, 'tis honour calls him hence away,

Hel.

What's that to Hellen, if shee'le haue him stay▪

Say I should weepe at parting, (which I feare)

Some for ten Kingdomes would not haue a teare

Fall from his Hellens eye, but hee's vnkind,

And cares not though I weepe my bright eyes blind.

Enter a Spartan Lord.

Sp. L.

Great King, we haue discouer'd from the shoare

A gallant Fleete of ships, that with full sayle

Make towards the Port.

Mene.

What number?

Sp. L.

Some two and twenty Sayle.

Men.

Discouer them more amply, and make good the Ha [...]en against them, till we know th'intent of their arriue.

Sp. L.

My Royall Lord I shall.

[Page]Men.

Embassadour this busines once blowne o're,

You shall receiue your answer instantly.

Hel.

You shall not goe and leaue your Hellen here,

Can I a Kingdome gouerne in your absence,

And guide so rude a people as yours is?

How shall I doe my Lord, when you are gone,

So many bleake cold nights to lye alone?

Y'haue vs'd mee so to fellowship in bed,

That should I leaue it, I should soone be dead:

Troth I shall neuer indure it.

Men.

My sweete Hellen,

Was neuer King blest with so chaste a wife.

Enter the Spartan Lord.

Men.

The newes? whence is their Fleete?

Sp. L.

From Troy.

Men.

The Generall?

Sp. L.

Priams sonne.

Men.

Their expedition?

Sp. L.

To seeke aduentures and strange Lands abroad▪

And though now weather-beat, yet brauer men,

More rich in Iewells, costlier araide,

Or better featur'd ne're eye beheld,

Especially the Prince their Generall,

Paris of Troy one of King Priams sonnes.

Hel.

Brauer then these our Lacedemons are▪

Sp. L.

Madam, by much.

Hel.

How is the Prince of Troy

To Menelaus mighty Spartans King?

Sp. L.

Prince Menelaus is my Soueraigne Madam,

But might I freely speake without offence,

(Excepting Menelaus) neuer breath'd

A brauer Gallant then the Troian Prince.

Men.

What Intertainment shall wee giue these strangers?

Hel.

What? but the choyce that Lacedemon yeelds,

If they come braue, our brauery let vs show,

That what our Sparta yeelds, their Troy may know:

Let them not say they found vs poore and bare.

[Page] Or that our Grecian Ladies are lesse faire

Then theirs: giue them occasion to relate

At their returne, how wee exceede their stare.

Mene.

Hellen hath well aduis'd, and for the best

Her counsell with our honour doth agree,

All Spartaes pompe is for the Troians free.

Hell.

Oh had I known their Landing one day sooner,

That Hellen might haue trim'd vp her attire

Against this meeting▪ then my radiant beauty

I doubt not, might in Troy be tearm'd as faire,

As through all Greece I am reputed rare.

A flourish. Enter Paris, Aeneas, Deiphobus, Antenor, Menelaus and Diomed embrace Paris and the rest: Paris turnes from them and kisseth Hellen, all way shee with her hand puts him backe.

Hell.

'Tis not the Spartan fashion thus to greet

Vpon the lips, when royall strangers meet [...].

I know not what your Asian Court-ship is.

Oh Ioue, how sweetely doth this Troian kisse?

Par.

Beare with a stranger Lady▪ though vnknowne;

That's practis'd in no fashion saue his owne.

Hee that his fault confesseth ne're offends▪

Nor can hee iniure, that no wrong intends,

Hell.

To kisse mee! why before so many eyes

The King could do no more: would fortune bring

This stranger there where I haue met the King▪

Mene.

Patience, sweet Hellen, Troians welcome all,

You shall receiue the princeliest entertaine

Sparta can yeeld you, but some late affaires

About the Cretan seepter calls vs hence,

That businesse once determin'd wee are yours,

In the meane time faire Hellen bee't your charge

To make their welcome in my absence large.

They all go [...] off with a flourish, onely Paris and Hellen keepe the Stage.

[Page]Par.

Oh Ioue my dreame! sweete Venus ayde my prayer▪

And keepe thy word: behold a face more faire

Then thou thy selfe canst shewe, this is the same

Thou promist me in Ida, this I claime.

Giue me this face faire Ʋenus, and that's all

I'le aske in guerdon of the golden Ball.

Hel.

Of what rare mettall is this Troian made?

That one poore kisse hath power so to perswade,

Here at my lips the sweetnesse did beginne,

And since hath past through all my powers within:

Oh kisse mee if thou lou'st me once againe,

I feele the first kisse thrill through euery veine.

Par.

Queene I must speake with you,

Hell.

Must?

Par.

Hellen, I,

I haue but two wayes to take, to speake, or dye:

Grant my tongue pardon then, or turne your head

And say you will not, and so strike me dead.

Hel.

Liue and say on, but if your words offend,

If my tongue can destroy, you're neare your end.

Par.

Oh Ioue, that I had now an Angels voyce

As you an Angels shape haue, that my words

Might sound as spheare-like musicke in your eare.

That Ioue himselfe whom I must call to witnesse,

Would now stand forth in person to approoue

What I now speake, Hellen, Hellen I loue.

Chide mee, I care not; tell▪ your husband, doe,

Fearelesse of death, behold, I boldly woe▪

For let mee liue, bright Hellen to inioy,

Or let mee neuer backe resayle to Troy:

For you I came, your fame hath hither driuen mee,

Whom golden Venus hath by promise giuen mee.

I lou'd you ere I saw you by your fame,

Report of your ra [...]e beauty to Troy came▪

But more then bruite can tell, or fame emblazon

Are these diuine perfections that I gaze on.

Hel.

Insolent stranger, is my Name so light

[Page] Abroad in Troy, that thou at thefirst sight

Shouldst hope to strum pet vs? thinks Priams sonne,

The Spartan Queene can be so easily wonne?

Because once Theseus rauisht vs from hence,

And did to vs a kind of violence:

Followes it therefore wee are of such price,

That stolne hence once, we should be rauish't twice?

Par.

That Theseus stole you hence (by Heauen) I praise him,

And for that act I to the skies will raise him.

That hee return'd you backe by Ioue I wonder,

Had I bee [...]e Theseus, hee that should asunder

Haue parted vs, and snatcht you from my bed:

First from my should shoulders haue tane this head.

Oh that you were the prize of some great strife,

And hee that winnes might claime you as his wife,

Your selfe should finde, and all the world should see

Hellen, a prise alone ordain'd for mee.

Hel.

I am not angry; who can angry be

With him that loues her? they that Paris see,

And heares the wonders and rare deedes you boast,

And warlike spoyles in which you glory most:

By which you haue attaind 'mongst souldiers grace,

None can beleeue you that beholds your face.

They that this louely Troian see, will say;

Hee was not made for warre, but amorous plays

Pa.

Loue amorous Paris then.

Hel.

My fame to endanger?

Par.

I can be secret Lady.

Hel.

And a stranger?

Say I should grant thee loue, as thou shouldst clime

My long wisht bed; if at th'appointed time

The Winde should alter, and blow faire for Troy,

Thou must hreake off in midd'st of all thy Ioy.

Par.

Not for great Spartaes Crowne, or Asiaes Treasure,

(That exceedes Spartaes) would I loose such pleasure.

Hel.

would it were come to that.

Par.

Your Husband Menelaus hither bring,

[Page] Compare our shapes, our youth and euery thing,

I make you Iudgesse, wrong me if you can:

You needes must say I am the properer man.

Hel.

I must confesse that too.

Par.

Then loue mee Lady.

Hel.

Had you then sett sayle,

When my virginity, and bed to enioy

A thousand gallant princely Suiters came?

Had I beheld thee first, I here proclaime,

Your feature should haue borne mee from the rest.

You come too late, and couet goods possest.

Par.

I came from Hellen, Hellens loue I craue,

Hellen I loue, and Hellen I must haue:

Or in this Prouince where I vent my mones,

I'le begge a Tombe for my exiled bones.

A flourish. Enter. Menelaus, Diomed, Thersites with Sparta [...] Lords: Aeneas, Deiphobus, Antenor, &c.

A banquet is brought in.

Men.

Now Prince of Troy, our businesse being o're

This day in Lacedemon, you shall feast

Paris, wee are proud of such a Princely guest.

Ther.

Thus euery man is borne to his owne Fate.

Now it raines Hornes, let each man shield his Pate.

Hel.

This royalty extended to the welcome

Of Priams sonne, is more then Asiaes King

Would yeeld vnto the grearest Prince of Greece.

What is this Paris whom you honour so?

Men.

Why askes my Queene?

Hel.

May not this proud▪ this beauty vanting Troian,

In a smooth browe hide blacke and rugged Treason?

Men.

Hee such an one? rather a giddy braine▪

A formall traueller. King Di [...]med

Your censure of this Troian?

Diom.

A Capring, Carpet Knight, a Cushion Lord,

One that hath stald his Courtly trickes at home,

And now got lea [...]e to publish them abroad

[Page] Did to a stranger Prince, it could not though

Lea [...]en my zeale o you: speake the fayrest Queene

That euer spake, this night shall we agree

To con ecrate to pleasure and delights:

Your husband left me charge I should inioy

All that the Court can yeeld: if all? then you

I would not for the world, but you should doe

All that the King your Lord commands you too:

Your King and husband, you sinne doubly still

VVhen you assent not to obay his will:

Speake beauteous Q [...]eene. No? then it may be

Shee meanes by silence to accord with me:

I' [...]e trye that presently, lend me your hand

Tis this I want, and by the Kings command

You are to let me haue it: more then this,

Kisseth▪ her.

I want your lips to helpe me make a kisse.

Hel.

Oh Heauen!

Par.

Oh loue, a ioy aboue all measure,

To touch these lips is more then heauenly pleasure.

Hel.

Beshrew your amorous rhetorick that did proue▪

My husbands will commanded me to loue,

For but for that iniun [...]tion, Paris know

I would not yeeld such fauours to bestow

On any stranger, but since he commands,

You may take more then eyther lips or hands.

Do I not blush sweete stranger? if I breake

The Lawes of modest [...], thinke that I speake,

But with my husbands tongue, for I [...]ay still

I would not yeeld, but to obey his will.

Par.

This night then without all suspition,

The ranishing pleasures of your royall bed

You may a [...]oord to Paris: bitter Thersites,

King Diomed, and your seruants may suppose

By my late counterfeite distemperature

I ayme at no such happinesse, alas

I am a puny Courtier, a weake braine,

[...] braine-sicke young man; but Deuinest Hellen,

[Page] VVhen we get safe to Troy.

Hel.

To Troy?

Par.

Yes Queene, by all the gods it is decr [...]ed,

That I should beare you thither; Priam knowes it,

And therefore purposely did rigge this Fleete,

To waft me hether; He and Hecuba,

My nine and forty brothers, Princes all

Of Ladies and bright Virgins infinite,

Will meete vs in the roade of Tenedos▪

Then be r [...]solu'd for I will cast a plot

To beare you safe from hence!

Hel.

This Troyan Prince

Will's more then any Prince of Greece dares pleade,

And yet I haue no power to say him nay:

VVell Paris I beshrew you with my heart,

That euer you came to Sparta (by my ioy

Queene Hellen lyes, and longs to be at Troy:)

Yet vse me as you please, you know you haue

My dearest loue, and therefore cannot craue

VVhat Ile deny; but if reproach and shame

Pursue vs, on you Paris light the blame:

Ile wash my hands of all, nor will I yeeld

But by compulsion to your least demaund:

Yet if in lieu of my Kings intertaine,

You bid me to a feast aboord your ship,

And when you haue me there, vnknowne to me

Hoyse sayle, weigh Anchor, and beare out to Sea▪

I cannot helpe it, tis not in my power

To let fal sayles, or striue with stretching oares

To row me backe againe: this you may do,

But sooth friend Paris He not yeeld thereto.

Par.

You shalbe then compell'd, o [...] me let all

The danger waiting on this practise fall.

Enter a partan Lord.

Sp. L.

Castor and [...]oll [...]x your two princely brothers

Are newly Landed, and to morrow next

Purpose for Lacedemon▪

[Page] [...][Page] [...][Page]Hel.

On their approach

He lay my plot to escape away with Paris.

I haue it: you sir for some speciall reason

There comming keepe conceal'd, but when to morrow

You shal perceiue me neere the water port,

Euen when thou seest me ready to take Barge.

You apprehend me.

Sp. L.

Gracious Queene I do.

Hel.

Take that farwel: now my fayre princely guest

All that belongs to you's to inuite Queene Hellen

Aboord your ship to morrow.

Par.

Spartaes mirrour,

Will you vouchsafe to a poore wandring Prince

So much of grace, will your high maiesty

Daigne the acceptance of an homely banquet

Aboord his weather beaten Barke?

Hel.

No Friend,

The King my husband is from Sparta gone,

And I, til his returne, must needes keepe home:

Vrge me not I intreate, it is in vaine

Get me aboord, Ile nere turne backe againe.

Par.

Nor shall you Lady, Sparta nor all Greece

Shal fetch you thence, but Troy shal stand as high

On tearmes with Greece, as Greece hath stood with Troy.

Exeunt

Enter the Spartan Lord.

Spa. L.

This is the VVater-port, the Queenes royal guest, hath bound me to attendance, till the Prince and shee bee ready to take VVater: Methinkes in this there should bee some tricke or other, she was once stolne away by Theseus, and this a gallant smooth fac'd Prince. The Kings from home, the Queenes but a VVoman, the Troi [...]ns ships new trim'd, the wind stands fayre, and the Saylors all ready abo [...]rd, sweetemeates and wine, good words and opportunity, and indeede not what? If both parties bee pleasde, but pleasde or not the musicke giues warning, are they not now vpon their entrance.

[Page] Enter in state Paris, Hellen, Diomed, Th [...]r [...]i [...]es, Aeneas, Antenor, Deiphebus, &c. with Attendants.

Sp. L.

Health to your M [...]iesties, your Princely brothers

Castor and Pollux, being within two Leagues

Of this great Citty, come to visite you.

Hel.

My brothers stolne vpon vs vnawares.

Let me intreat [...] thee royall Di [...]med,

And you Thersites, d [...] me so much grace,

As giue them friendly meeting.

Diom.

Queene we shall.

Exeunt.

Hel.

Our intertainment shall be giu [...]n aboord,

VVhere I presume, they shall be welcome guests

To princely Paris.

Pa.

As to your selfe, faire Queene,

Hel.

Set forwards then.

Pa.

We'le hoyse vp sayle, neere to [...]eturne againe.

Exeunt the Troians with a great shout.

Enter Castor, Pollux, Diomed, Thersites▪

Cast.

Our brother Menelaus gone for Creete?

Pol.

Our loue to see him, makes vs loose much time▪

Yet all our labour is not vainly spent,

Since we shall see our sister.

Enter the Spartan Lord in hast.

Sp. L.

Princes, the Kings betray'd, all Greece dishonoured, the Queene borne hence, the Troians haue weigh'd anchor, and with a prosperous gale they beare from hence:

Shouting and hurling vp their caps for ioy,

They [...]rye farwel to Greece, amayne for Troy.

Ther.

Ha, ha, ha.

Dio.

The Queene borne hence, with that smooth traytor Paris.

See princes with what pride they haue aduanc'd

The Armes of Tray vpon their wa [...]ing pendants.

Cast.

Rage not, but lets resolue what's to be done.

Dio.

Let some ride post to Creete for menelaus.

[Page]Sp. L.

That be my charge.

Dio.

VVho'le after him to Sea?

Pol.

That wil my brother Castor and my selfe,

And perish there, or bring my sister backe.

Dio.

Princes be't so, and fairely may you speed:

Whilst I to Agamemnon, great Achilles,

Vlysses, Nestor, Aiax, Idomean,

And all the Kings and Dukes of populous Greece,

Relate the wrongs done by this Rauisher.

Part, and be expeditious▪

Exe [...]nt seueral wayes

Ther.

Ha, ha, ha,

I smelt this Sea-rat ere he came a shoare, by this hee's grawing

Menelaus Cheese, and made a huge hole in't▪ Ship-dyet plea▪

seth 'boue all his Pallace banquets, much good doo't them:

They are at it without grace by this both bare:

Cuckold? no subiect with that name bee sorry,

Since Soueraignes may be such in all their glory.

Explicet Actus primus.

Actus secundus Scoena prima.

Enter Troilus and Cresida.

Troi.

Faire Cresida, by the honour of [...]y birth,

As I am Hectors brother, Priams sonne,

And Troilus best belou'd of Hecuba,

As I loue Armes and souldiers, I protest,

Thy beauty liues inshrin'd heere in my brest.

Cre.

As I am Calchas daughter, Cresida,

High Priest to Pallas, shee that patrons Troy:

Now sent vnto the Delphian Oracle,

To know what shal betide Prince Paris voyage.

I hold the loue of Troilus dearer farre.

Then to be Queene of Asia.

[Page]Troi.

Daughter to Calchas and the pride of Troy,

Plight me your hand and heart.

Cre.

Faire Heauen I doe.

Will Troilus in exchange grant me his too?

Troi.

Yes, and fast seal'd, you gods, your anger wreak

On him or her, that first this vnion breake.

Cre.

So protests Cresida, wretched may they dye,

That'twixt our soules these holy bands vntye.

Enter Margaretan one of Priams youngest sonnes.

Marg.

My brother Troilus, we haue newes from Greece,

Prince Paris is return'd.

Troi.

And with a prise?

Marg.

Asia affoords none such.

Troi.

What is shee worth our Aunt Hesione?

Cre.

Or what might be her name?

Marg.

Hellen of Sparta.

Troi.

Hellens name

Hath scarce been heard in Troy.

Marg.

But now her fame

Will bee eterniz'd, for a face more faire

Sunne neuer shone on, nor the earth e re bare.

Why stay you here? by this Faris and shee

Are landed in the [...]ort of Tenedos,

There Priam, Hecuba, Hector, all Troy

Meets the mid-way to attend the Spartan Queene.

Troi.

In that faire Traine, my Cresid shal be seene

Of rarer beauty then the Spartan Queene.

A flourish. Enter at one doore, Priam, Hecuba, Hector, Troilus, &c. At the other Paris, Hellen, Aeneas, Antenor, &c.

Pri.

What Earth, what all mortality

Can in the height of our inuentions finde

To adde to Hellens welcome, Troy shall yeeld her.

Should Pallas, Patronesse of Troy descend,

Priam and Priams wife, and Priams sonne [...]

[Page] Could not afford Her god-head more applause,

Then amply wee bestow on Helena?

Hecu.

We count you in the number of our daughters,

Nor can wee doe Queene Hellen greater honour.

Hect.

I was not forward to hane Paris sent,

But being return'd th'art welcome: I desired not

To haue bright Hellen brought, but being landed,

Hector proclaimes himselfe her Champion

'Gainst all the world, and he shall guard thee safe

Despight all opposition.

Par.

Hectors word

As Oracle, hee'le seale it with his sword.

Par.

And now my turne eomes to bid Hellen welcome.

You are no stranger here, this is your Troy,

Priam your father, and this Queene your mother:

These be your valiant brothers, all your friends.

Why should a teare fall from these heauenly eyes

Being thus round ingirt with your allyes.

Hel.

I am I know not where, nor amongst whom,

I know no creature that I see saue yon:

I haue left my King, my brothers, subiects, friends

For strangers, who should they forsake me now,

I haue no husband, father, brother neare:

Par.

Hane you not all these, is not Paris heere?

Harke how the people hauing Hellen s [...]ene

Appland th'arri [...]all of the Spartan Queene:

And millions that your comming haue attended,

Amazed sweare some Goddesse is descended.

Troi.

No way you can your eyes or body turne,

But where you walke the Priests shall Incense burne.

Aene.

The sacrificed beasts the ground shall beate,

And bright religious fire the Altars heate.

Hect.

Nor feare the bruite of warre or threatning steel [...],

Vnited Greece wee value not.

Troi.

Alone, by Hector is this Towne well man'd,

[...]ee like an Army against Greece shall stand.

Par.

And who would feare for such a royall wife

[Page] To set the vniuersall World at strife:

Bright Hellens name shall liue, and nere haue end,

When all the world about you shall contend.

Hel.

Be as be may, since we are gone thus farre,

Proceede we will in spight of threatned warre,

Hazard, and dread? both these we nothing hold,

So long as Paris we may thus infold.

Par.

My father, mother, brothers, sisters all,

Isli [...]m and Troy in pompe maiesticall,

Shall solemnize our nuptials. Let that day

In which we espouse the beauteous Hellena,

Be held a holy-day, a day of ioy

For euer, in the Kalenders of Troy.

Pri.

It shall be so, we haue already sent

Our high priest Calchas to the Oracle

At Delphos to returne vs the successe,

And a true notice of our future warres,

Whilst we expect his comming, be't our care,

The Spartans second nuptials to prepare.

Exit▪

Enter after an alarum, King Agamemnon, Menelaus Achilles, A [...]ax, Patroclus, Thersites, Calchas, &c.

Aga.

Thou glory of the Greekes, the great commander

Of the stout Mirmedons: welcome from Delphos,

What speakes the Oracle? the sacke of Troy?

Or the Greekes ruine? say shal wee be victors,

Or Priam tryumph in our ouerthrow.

Achi.

The god of Delphos sends you ioyful newes,

Troy shal be sackt, and we be Conquerors:

Vpon your helmes weare triple spa [...]gled plumes:

Let all the lowdest instruments of warre,

With sterne alarums rowse the monster death,

And march we boldly to the wals of Troy,

Troy shall be sackt and we be conquerors.

Aiax.

Thanks for thy newes Achilles, by that honor

My father wonne vpon the wals of Troy.

[Page] My warlike father Aiax Telam [...]n;

I would not for the world, Priam should send

Incestious Hellen backe on tearmes of peace.

May smooth Vlisses and bold Diomed▪

Whom you haue sent on your late Embassie,

Be welcom'd as Antenor was to Greece,

Scorn'd and reuil'd, since th' Oracle hath sayd,

Troy shal be sackt, and we be Conquerors.

Achi.

King Agamemnon heere's a Troian priest

Was sent by Priam to the Oracle:

The reuerent man I welcome, and intreate

The General with these Princes, do the like.

Agam.

Welcome to Agamemnon reuerent Calchas.

Men.

To Menelaus welcome.

Aiax.

To Aiax welcome: father canst thou fight

As wel as pray, if we should want for men?

Cal.

By prayers I vse to fight, and by my counsel

Giue ayde to Armes.

Aiax.

Such as are past armes, father Calchas still,

Say counsels good, but giue me strength at will,

When you with all your Counsel, in the field

Meete Hector with his strength, tel me who'le yeeld?

Aga,

The strong built walls of stately Tenedos

We haue leuel'd with the earth. It now remaines

We march along vnto the wals of Troy,

And thunder vengeance in King Priams eares,

Had we once answere of our Embassie.

Aiax.

I euer held such Embassies as base,

The restitution of our rauisht Queene

On termes of parley bars our sterne reuenge,

And ends our VVar ere fully it beginne.

King Agamemnon no, Aiax sayth no,

VVhose sword as thirsty as the parched earth,

Shal neuer ride in peace vpon his thigh,

Whilst in the towne of Troy there breathes a soule

That gaue consent vnto the Spartans rape:

March, march, and let the thunder of our drummes

[Page] Strike terrour to the Citty Pergamus.

Achil.

The sonne of Telamon speakes honourably,

Wee haue brought a thousand ship [...] to Tenedos,

And euery ship full fraught with men at Armes:

And all these armed men with fiery spirits

Sworne to reuenge King Menelaus wrongs,

And burne sk [...] ▪kissing Isl [...]m to the ground.

Therefore strike vp warres Instruments on hye,

And march vnto the Towne couragiously.

In their march they are met by Vlysses and King Diomed, at which they make a stand.

Aga.

Princes, what answere touching Hellena?

Di [...].

What answere but d shonourable tearme?

Contempt and scorne pearcht on their leaders browes,

By Ioue I thought they would haue slaine vs both.

If euer Hellen bee redeem d from thence

But by the sacke of Troy, say Diomed

Is no true souldier.

Vlyss.

Euen in the King

There did appeare such high maiesticke scorne

Of threatned ruine, that I thinke himselfe

Will put on Armes and meete vs in the field:

Wee linger time great Agamemnon, march,

That we may buckle with the pride of Troy.

Aga.

Priam so inso [...]ent, his sonnes so braue

To intertaine so great Embassadou [...]s

With such vngentle vsage.

Achil.

They haue a Knight cal'd Hector, on whose valour

They build their proud defiance, if I meete him,

Now by the azurd Armes of that bright goddesse

From whom I am descended, with my sword

I'le loppe that limbe off, and inforce their pride

Fall at Achilles feete, Hector and I

Must nor both shine at once in warres bright Skie.

[...]iax

When they both meete, the greater dimme the lesse,

Great Generall, march, Aiax indures not words

[Page] So well as blowes, in a field glazd with swords.

Enter to them in Armes, Priam, Hector, Troilus, Paris, A [...]neas, Antenor, Deiphobus, &c.

Pri.

Calchas a Traitour?

Par.

And amongst the Greekes?

Hect.

Base runagate wretch, when we their Tents surprise,

As Hector liues the traiterous Prophet dies.

Aene.

Let not remembrance of so base a wretch

Make vs forget our safety, th' Argiue Kings▪

Are landed, and this day rac't Tenedos:

And bid vs battaile on Scamander Plaines.

Tro.

Whom we will giue a braue and proud affront;

Shall we not brother Hector?

Hect.

Troilus yes,

And beate a fire out of their Burgonets

Shall like an earthy Commet blaze towards Heauen

There grow a fixt starre in the Firmament

To emblaze our lasting glory: Harke their Drums,

Let our Drummes giue them parleance.

A parlie. Both Armies haue an enter-view.

Aga.

Is there amongst your troopes a fellon Prince

Cal'd by the name of Paris?

Par.

Is there amongst your troopes a Knight so bold

Dares meete that Paris single in the field,

And call him fellon?

Hect.

Or insulting Greeke,

Is there one Telamon, dares set his foote

To Paris (here hee stands) and hand to hand

Maintaine the wrongs done to Hesione,

As Paris shall the rape of Helena.

Aiax.

Know here is one cal'd Aiax Telamon,

Behold him well, sonne to that Telamon:

Thou faine would'st see, and hee dares set his foot

To Paris or thy selfe.

Hect.

Thou durst not.

[Page]Aiax.

Dare not?

Hect.

Or if thou durst, by this my warlike hand

I'le make thine head fall where thy foot should stand:

And yet I loue thee cuze, know thou hast parlie'd

With Troian Hector.

Aiax.

Were't thou ten Hectors, yet withall thy might

Thou canst not make my head fa [...]l to my feete,

By Ioue thou canst not cuze.

Achil.

I much haue heard

Of such a Knight cal'd by the name of Hector,

If thou bee'st hee whose sword hath conquerd Kingdomes,

Pannonia, ll [...]yria, and Samothrace,

And to thy fathers Empire added them:

Achilles as a friend wils thee to sheath

Thy war [...]ike sword, retire from Troyes defenc [...]

And spare thy precious life, I would not haue

A Knight so fam'd meete an vntimely graue.

Hect.

I meet thee in that honourable loue,

And for thine owne sake wish thee safe aboord.

For if thou stayest thou sonne of Peleus,

I'd haue thee know thy fame is not thine owne,

But all ingrost for mee; not all thy guard

Of warlike Mirmidons can wall i [...]a [...]e

From mighty Hector.

Di [...].

Shame you not great Lords

To talke so long ouer your menacing swords?

All Greeks.

Alarme then for Gree [...]e and Helena.

All Troians.

As much for vs, for Troy and Hecuba.

A great alarme and excursions, after which, enter Hector and Paris.

Hect.

Oh brother Paris, thou hast this day lodg'd

Thy loue in Hectors soule, it did me good

To see two Greekssh Knights fall in their blood

Vnder thy manly arme

[Page]Par.

My blowes weretouches

Vnto these ponderous stroakes great Hector gaue.

Oh that this generall quarrell might be ended

In equall opposition, you and I

Against the two most valiant.

Hect.

I will try

The vertue of a challenge, in the face

Of all the Greekes I will oppose my selfe

To single combate, hee that takes my gage

Shall feele the force of mighty Hectors rage.

A turne. Both the Armies make ready to ioyne battaile, but Hector steps betwixt them holding vp his Lance.

Hect.

Heare mee you warlike Greekes, you see these fields

Are all dyde purple with the reeking gore

Of men on both sides slaine, you see my sword

Glaz'd in the sanguine moysture of your friends.

I call the sonne of Saturne for a witnesse

To Hectors words I haue not met one Grecian

Was able to withstand mee, my strong spirit

Would faine be equal'd: Is there in your Troupes

A Knight, whose brest includes so much of valour

To meete with Hector in a single warre?

By Ioue I thinke there is not: If there be?

To Him I make this proffer; if the gods

Shall grant to him the honour of the day,

And I be slaine; his bee mine honoured Ar mes,

To hang for an eternall Monument

Of his great valour, but my mangled body

Send backe to Troy, to a red funerall pile.

But if hee fall? the armour which hee weares

I'le lodge as Trophies on Apolloes shrine,

And yeeld his body to haue funerall rights.

And a faire Monument so nee [...]e the S [...]a,

That Merchants flying in their sayle-wing'd ships

Neere to the shoare in after times may say▪

[Page] There lies the man Hector of Troy did slay,

And there's my Gantler to make good my challenge.

Men.

Will none take vp his gage? shall this proud challenge

Bee Intertain'd by none? I know you all

Shame to deny, yet feare to vndertake it:

The cause is mine, and mine shall be the honour

To combat Hector.

Aga.

Menelaus pawse,

Is not Achilles here, sterne Aiax here,

And Kingly Diomed▪ how will they scorne,

That stand vpon the honour of their strength,

should you preuent them of this glorious combat.

Par.

By Ioue I thinke they dare as well take vp

A poysonous Serpent as great Hectors gage.

Aga.

Yes Troian, see'st thou not Aeacides

Dart emmulous lookes on Kingly Diomed,

Least hee should stoope to take his Gantlet vp.

And see how Diomed eyes warlike Aiax,

Aiax, Vlysses: euery one inflam'd

To answere Hector.

Achil.

Is there any here

Dares stoope whilst great Achilles is in place?

Aiax.

I dare.

Dio.

And so dare I.

Achil.

You are all too weake

To incounter with the mighty Hectors arme,

This combat soly doth belong to mee.

Aiax

Then wherefore do'st not thou take vp the Gantlet?

Achil.

To see if thou or any bolder Greeke

Dare be so insolent to touch the same,

And barre me of the honour of the combat.

Aiax.

By all the gods I dare.

Achil.

And all the diuells

I'le loppe his hands off that dares touch the gage.

Ʋlyss.

Pray leaue this emulous fury: Agamemnon,

To end this difference, and prouide a Champion

To answers Hectors honourable challenge

[Page] Of nine the most reputed valiant:

Let seuerall Lots be cast into an Helme,

Amongst them all one prise, he to whom Fortune

Shall giue the honour: let him straight be arm'd

To incounter migdty Hector on this plaine.

Aga.

It shal be so you valiant sonnes of Priam:

Conduct your warlike Champion to his Tent,

To breath a while, and put his armour on:

No sooner shal the prise be drawne by any,

And our bold Champion arm'd, but a braue Herald

Shall giue you warning by the trumpets sound,

Till when we will retire vnto our Tents.

As you vnto the Towne.

Par.

Faint hearted Greekes,

Draw lots to answere such a noble challenge,

Had great Achilles cast his Gauntlet downe

Amongst King Priams sonnes, the weakest of fifty

Would in the heate of flames, or mouth of Hel,

Answere the challenge of so braue a King.

Hect.

Greekes to your Tents, to put armour on;

Make hast, [...] long to know my Champion.

Exeunt all

Flourish. Enter aboue vpon the wals, Priam, Heeuba, Hellena, Polixena, Aftianax, Margareton. with attendants.

Pri.

Here from the wals of Troy, my reuerent Queene,

And beautious Hellen, we will stay to see

The warlicke combate 'twixt our valiant sonne,

And the Greekes champion. Young Astianax,

Pray that thy father may haue Victory.

Asti.

Why should you doubt his fortune? whose strong arme

Vnhorst a thousand Knights all in one day;

And thinke you any one amongst the Greekes

Is able to incounter with his strength?

Pri.

But howsoeuer child, vnto the pleasure▪

Of the high gods, we must referre the combate.

Enter Paris below.

[Page]Par.

My royall father, Hector in his armes

Sends for your blessing, with the Queene my mother,

And craues your prayers to the all powerful gods,

To grant him victory.

Pri.

Blest may he be with honor, all my orisons

Shall inuocate the gods for his successe.

Par.

I almost had forgot faire Hellena;

Dart me one kisse from these high battlements

To cheere him with: thanks queen these lips are charms

Which who so fights for, is secure from harmes.

Heralds on both sides▪ the two Champions Hector and Aiax appeare betwixt the two Armies.

Agam.

None pre [...]e too neere the Champions.

Troi.

Heralds on both sides, keep the souldiers back.

Hect.

Now Greekes let me behold my Champion.

Aiax.

Tis I, thy cousen Aiax Telamon.

Hec.

And Cuz, by Ioue thou hast a braue aspect,

It cheeres my blood to looke on such a foe:

I would there ran none of our Troian blood

Inall thy veines, or that it were diuided

From that which thou receiuest from Telamon:

Were I assured our blood possest one side,

And that the other; by Olimpicke Ioue,

I'd thrill my Iauelin at the Gresian moysture,

And spare the Troian blood: Aiax I loue it

Too deare to shed it, I could rather wish

Achilles the halfe god of your huge army,

Had beene my opposite.

Aia.

Hee keepes his Tent

In mournful passion that he mist the combate:

But Hector, I shal giue thee cause to say,

There's in the Greekish hoast a Knight a Prince,

As Lyon hearted, and as Gyant strong

As Thetis sonne: behold my warlicke Target

Of pondrous brasse, quilted with seauen Oxe hides,

Impenetrable, and so ful of weight,

[Page] That scarse a Grecian (sane my selfe) can lift it:

Yet can I vse it like a Summers fan,

Made of the stately traine of Iuno's bird:

My sword will bite the hardest Adamant.

I'le with my Iauelin cleaue a rocke of Marble:

Therefore though great Achilles be not here,

Thinke not braue cousen Hector but to finde,

Achilles equal both in strength and minde.

Alarum, in this combate both hauing lost their swords and Shields. Hector takes vp a great peece of a Rocke, and casts at Aiax; who teares a young Tree vp by the rootes, and assailes Hector, at which they are parted by both armes.

Aga.

Hold, you haue both shed blood too deare to loose,

In single opposition.

Par.

Is your Champion,

My cousen Aiax willing to leaue combate;

Will hee first giue the word.

Aia.

Sir Paris no,

'Twas Hector challenge, and 'tis Hectors office,

If we surcease on equal termes of valour,

To giue the word.

Hec.

Then here's thy cousins hand,

By Ioue thou hast a lusty pondrous arme:

Thus till we meete againe, lets part both friends;

For proofe whereof Aiax we'le interchange

Somewhat betwixt vs, for alliance sake:

Here take this sword and target, trust the blad,

It neuer deceiu'd his maister.

Aia.

Take of me

This purple studded belt, I won it cousen

From the most valiant prince of Samothrace:

And weare it for my sake.

Enter an Herald.

He.

Priam vnto the Greekish General

This profer makes. Because these blood-stayn'd fields

[Page] Are ouer-spread with slaughter, to take truce

Till all the dead on both sides be interr'd:

Which if you grant, he here inuites the Generall,

His nephew Aiax, and the great Achilles,

With twenty of your chiefe selected Princes,

To banquet with him in his royal Pallace:

Those reuels ended, then to armes againe.

Aga.

A truce for burying of the slaughtred bodies

We yeeld vnto: but for our safe returne

From Troy and you, what pledges haue you found?

Hec.

You shal not need more then the faith of Hector

For Priams pledge, King Agamemnon take

My faith and honour, which if Priam breake,

Ile breake the heart of Troy.

Aga.

We'le take your honor'd word, this night we'le part,

To morrow morning when sit hower shal call,

We'le meete King Priam [...]eere his Citties wall.

Exeunt.

Explicit Actus secundus.

Actus Tertius Scoena prima.

Enter Thersites.

Ther.

Braue time, rare change, from fighting now to feasting:

So many heauy blades to flye in peeces

For such a peece of light flesh? what's the reason?

A Lasse of my complexion, and this feature

Might haue bin rapt, and stolne agayne by Paris,

And none of all this stirre for't: but I perceiue

Now all the World's turn'd wenchers, and in time

All wenches will turne witches: but these Trumpets

Proclaime their enter-view.

[Page] A flourish. Enter all the Greekes on one side, all the Troians on the other: Euery Troian Prince intertaines a Greeke, and so march two and two, discoursing, as being condu [...]ted by them into the Citty.

Ther.

See here's the picture of a polliticke state,

They all imbrace and hugge, yet deadly hate:

They say their are braue Lasses in this Troy.

What if Thersites sprucely smug'd himselfe,

And striu'd to hide his hutch-backe: No not I.

Tis held a rule, whom Nature markes in show

And most deformes, they are best arm'd below.

I'le not conceale my vertues: yet should I venter

To damme my selfe for painting, fanne my face

With a dyde Ostritch plume, paster my wrinkles

With some old Ladies Trowell, I might passe

Perhaps for some maide-marrian: and some wench

Wanting good eye-sight, might perhaps mistake me

For a spruce Courtier: Courtier? tush, I from

My first discretion haue abhor'd that name,

Still suiting my conditions with my shape,

And doe, and will, and can, when all else [...]ayle:

Though neither sooth nor speak wel: brauely rayle,

And that's Thersites humour.

Lowd Musi [...]ke. A long table, and abanquet in state, they are seated, a Troian and Greeke, Hecuba, Polixena, Cresida, and other Ladies wa [...]te, Calchas is present whispering with his Daughter Cresida.

Pria.

After so much hostility in steele,

All welcome to this peacefull intertaine.

Aga.

Priam wee know thee to be honourable,

Although ou [...] foe Treason is to be fear'd

In Pesants not in Princes.

They sit.

Hec.

Ey so, now [...]it a Troian and a Greeke.

Cousin Ai [...]x neere mee, you are next in bloud,

And neere mee you shall sit: the strayne of honour

That makes you so renown'd, sprong from He [...]i [...]n [...].

[Page] Tis part of Hectors bloud, your grosser spirits

Lesse noble are your father Telamons.

Welcome to Troy, and Hector, welcome all:

Aiax.

In Troy thy kinsman, but in field thy foe:

Thy welcome Cousin here I pay with thanks,

The truice expir'd, with buffets blowes and knocks.

Hect.

For that wee loue the Cuze.

Achil.

Me thinks this Troian Hector

Out shines Achilles and his polisht honours

Ecclipseth our bright glory, till he [...] set

W ee cannot rise.

Par.

King Menelaus, we were once your guest,

You now are ours, as welcome vnto Troy,

As we to Sparta.

Men.

But that these our tongues

Should be as well truce bound as our sharpe weapons,

We could be bitter Paris: but haue done.

Vlyss.

Menelaus is discreet, such haynous wrongs

Should be discours'd by Armes and not by tongues.

Dio.

Why doth Achilles eye wander that way?

Achil.

Is that a Troian Lady?

Troi.

Shee is.

Achil.

From whence?

Pri.

Of vs.

Achil.

Her name?

Pri.

Polyxena.

Achil.

Polixena? she hath m [...]lted vs within,

And hath dissolu'd a spirit of Adamant.

Shee hath done more then Hector and all Troy,

Shee hath subdu'de Achilles.

Cal.

In one word this Troy shall be sackt and spo [...]'d,

For so the gods haue told mee, Greece shall conquer,

And they be ruin'd, leaue then imminent perill,

And flye to safety.

Cres.

From Troilus?

Cal.

From destruction, take Diomed and liue,

Or Troilus and thy death.

[Page]Cres.

Then Troilus and my ruine.

Cal.

Is Cresid mad?

Wilt thou forsake thy father, who for thee and for thy safety hath forsooke his Countrey?

Cres.

Must then this Citty perish?

Cal.

Troy must fall.

Cres.

Alas for Troy and Troilus.

Cal.

Loue King Diomed

A Prince and valiant, which made Empha [...]s

To his Imperiall stile, line Diomeds Queene,

Be briefe, say quickly wilt thou? is it done?

Cres.

Diomed and you i'le follow, Troilus shun.

Troi.

Bee't Aiax, or Achilles, that Greeke ly [...]s

Who speakes it, i'le maintaine it on his person.

Aiax.

Ha Aiax!

Achil.

Achilles!

Dio.

We speake it, and dares Troilus fay we lie?

Troi.

And weare it Diomed.

Dio.

Dar'ft thou make't good?

Troi.

On Diomed, or the boldest Greeke

That euer manac'd Troy excepting none.

All Greeks.

None?

All Troians.

None.

Hec.

Excepting none.

Aga.

Kings of Greece.

Pri.

Princes of Troy.

Achil.

Achilles bafled?

Aiax.

And great Aiax bran'd?

Hect.

If great Achilles, Aiax, or the Diuel braue Troilus, hee shall braue and buffer thee.

P [...]i.

Sonn [...].

Aga.

Fellow Kings.

Pri.

As wee are Priam and your father.

Aga.

As wee are Agamemnon Generall

Turne not this banquet to a Centaus feast,

If their be strife debate it in faire termes,

[Page] Show your selnes gouern'd Princes.

Achil.

Wee are appeas▪d.

Aiax.

Wee satisfied, if Hector be so.

Aga.

How grew this strife?

Hect

I know not, onely this I know.

Troilus will maintaine nothing against his honour,

And so farre, be it through the heart of Greece,

Hector will backe him.

Par.

So will Paris too.

Pri.

Mildly discourse your wrongs, faire Princes do [...].

Troi.

King Diomed maintaines his valour thus,

He saith it was his Launce dismounted Troilus,

And not the stumbling on the breathlesse course

Of one new slaine that feld mee.

Par.

'Tis false.

Men.

'Tis true.

[...]ar.

It was my fortune to make good that field,

And hee fell iust before mee, Diomed then

Was not within sixe speares length of the place.

Men.

How Troian rauisher?

Par.

Call mee not Cuckold maker,

They all ris [...] ▪

I care not what you terme me.

Men.

I cannot brooke this wrong.

Par.

Say'st thou mee so madde Greeke?

Pri.

Paris.

Aga.

Gouerne you Kingdomes Lords, and cannot sway

Your owne affection?

Pri.

Paris, forbeate.

Mildly discourse, and gently wee shall heare.

Par.

I say King Diomed vnhorst not Troilus.

Dio.

How came I by his horse then?

Par.

As the vnbackt courser hauing lost his rider,

Gallopt about the field you met with him,

And catch'd him by the raine.

Troi.

Here was a goodly act

To boast on, and send word to Cresida.

Dio.

Was no Prince neare when I encountred Troilus?

[Page]Men.

I was, and saw the speare of Diomed

Tumble downe Troylus but peruse his armour▪

The dint's still in the vainbrace.

Aga.

Bee't so or not so, at this time forbeare

To vrge extreames. Kings let this health go round,

Pledge me King Priam in a cupful crown'd.

Hec.

Now after banquet, [...] Musicke strike

A pirhicke straine, we are not all for warre,

Souldiers their stormy spirits can appease,

And sometimes play the Courtiers when they please.

A lofty dance of sixteene Princes, halfe Troians halfe Grecians.

Pri.

I haue obserued Achilles, and his eye

Dwels on the face of faire Polixena.

Aia.

Why is not Hellen here at this high feast?

I haue sweat many a drop of blood for her,

Ye [...] neuer saw her face.

Achi

I could loue Hector, what's our cause of quarrel?

For Hellens rape? that rape hath cost already

Thousands of soules, why might not this contention

'Twixt Paris and the Spartan King be ended,

And we leaue Troy with honour.

Aia.

Achilles how?

Achi.

Fetch Hellen hether, set her in the midst

Of this braue ring of Princes, Paris here,

And Menelaus heere: she betwixt both:

They court her ore againe, whom she elects

Before these Kings, let him inioy her still,

For who would keepe a woman gainst her wil?

Men.

The names of wife and husband, th'interchange

Of our two bloods in young Hermione,

To whom we are ioynt parents, Hellens honor

All pleade on my part, I am pleasde to stand

To great Achilles motion.

Par.

So are we.

All that I haue for comfort is but this,

[Page] That in the day I show the properer man,

Ith'night I please her better then hee can.

Hec.

Are all the Greecian Kings agreed to this?

All.

We are, we are.

Hec.

Place the two riuals then, each bide his fate▪

And vsher in bright Hellen in all state.

The Kings promiscuously take their places, Paris and Menelaus are seated opposite, Hellen is brought in betwixt them by Hecuba and the Ladies.

Hel.

Oh that I were (but Hellen) any thing▪

Or might haue any obiect in my eye

Saue Menelaus: when on him I gaze,

My errour chides mee, I my shame emblaze.

Mene.

Oh Hellen, in thy cheeke thy guilt appeares,

More I would speake, but words are drown'd in teares,

Aia.

A gallant Queene, for such a royall friend

What mortall man would not with Ioue contend?

Mene.

Hellen the time was I might call thee wife,

But that stile's changed; I▪ thou thy selfe art chang'd

From what thou wast: and (most inconstant Dame)

Hast nothing left thee, sa [...]e thy face and name.

Pa.

And I both these haue: hast thou not confest

Faire Hellen, thy exchange was for the best.

Mene.

What can our Sparta value?

Pa.

Troy.

Mene.

You erre.

Pa.

who breathes that Sparta would 'fore Troy prefer.

Mene.

Thou hast left thy father Tendarus.

Pa.

To gayne

King Priam, Lord of all this princely trayne.

Mene.

Thy mother Lada thou hast left who mournes▪

And with her piteous teares laments thy losse:

Cannot this mooue thee?

Hel.

Oh I haue left my mother.

Pa.

No Hellen, but exchang'd her for another:

Poore L [...]da, for rich He [...]uba, a [...]are Queene

[Page] For the great Asian Empresse.

Men.

From Castor and from Poll [...]x thou hast rang'd

Thy naturall brothers.

Hel.

True, true.

Par.

No, but chang'd,

For Hector, Troilus, and the royall store

Of eight and forty valiant brothers more.

Men.

If nothing else can moue thee Helena,

Thinke of our daughter young Hermione.

Hel.

My deare Hermione.

Men.

Canst thou call her deare▪

And leaue that issue which thy wombe did beare?

Shee's ours betwixt vs, ca [...]st thou?

Par.

Can shee? knowing,

A sweeter babe within her sweete wombe growing

Begot last night by Paris.

Men.

Looke this way Hellen, see my armes spread wide,

I am thine husband, thou my Spartan bride.

Hel.

That way?

Par.

My Hellen, this way turne thy sight,

These are the armes in which thou layest last night.

Hel.

Oh how this Troian tempts mee!

Men.

This way wife,

Thou shalt saue many a Greeks and Troians life▪

Hel.

'Tis true, I know it.

Par.

This way turne thine head,

This is the path that leades vnto our bed.

Hel.

And 'tis a sweete smooth path.

Men.

Heere.

Par.

Heere.

Men.

Take this way Hellen, this is plaine & eue [...].

Par.

That is the way to hell, but this to Heauen:

Bright Comet s [...]ine this way.

Men.

Cleare starre shoot this▪

Here honour dwels.

Par.

Here many a thousand kisse.

Hel.

That way I should, because I know 'tis [...]

[Page]Men.

Welcome.

Hel.

But I'le this way for Paris kisses sweeter.

Par.

And may I dye an Eunuch if ere morne

I quit thee not.

Men.

I cannot brooke this scorne,

Grecians to Armes.

Hect.

Then Greece from Troy deuide,

This difference armes, not language most decide.

All Greekes.

Come to our Tents.

All Troians.

And wee to man the towne.

Hect.

These Tents shall swimme in bloud.

Greekes.

Blood Troy shall drowne.

Exeunt diuers wayes.

Achil.

Yet shall no stroke fall from Achilles arme,

Faire Polixena, so powerfull is thy charme.

Alarme. Enter Troilus and Diomed.

Troi.

King Diomed!

Dio.

My riuall in the loue of Cresida.

Troi.

False Cresida, iniurious Diomed.

Now shall I prooue in hostile enter-change

Of warlike blowes that thou art all vnworthy

The loue of Cresid.

Dio.

Why cam'st thou not on Horse-backe▪

That Diomed once againe dismounting thee

Might greete his Lady with another course

Wonne from the hand of Troilus.

Troi.

Diomed,

By the true loue I beare that trothlesse Dame

I'le winne thee, and send thy Horse and Armour

Vnto the Tent of Cresid guard thy head,

This day by mee thou shalt be captiue led.

Alarme. They fight and are parted by the army▪ Diomed looseth his Helmet.

Troi

Another Horse for Diomed to flye,

Hee had neuer greater neede then now to runne.

Though hee be fled yet Troilus this is thine.

My Steed hee got by sleight, I this by force.

[Page] I'le send her this to whom hee sent my horse.

Enter Aeneas and Achilles reading a Letter.

Achil.

Is this the answere of the note I sent

To royall Priam and Queene Hecuba,

Touching their daughter bright Polixena?

Aene.

Behold Queene Hecubaes hand, King Priams seale,

With the consent of faire Polixena,

Condition'd thus, Achilles shall forbeare

To dammage Troy.

Achi.

Returne this answer backe,

Tell Priam that Achilles Arme's benumb'd,

And cannot lift a weapon against Troy.

Say to Queene Hecuba wee are her sonne,

And not Achilles, nor one Mirmidon

Shall giue her least affront, as for the Lady

Bid her presume, we henceforth are her Knight,

And but for her, Achilles scornes to fight.

Aene.

Then thus saith Priam, but restraine thy powers,

And as hee is a King, his daughter's yours.

Achi.

Farewell.

Exit.

Alarme. Enter Aiax.

Aiax.

Achilles, where's Achilles, what vnarm'd,

when all the Champaigne where our battailes ioyns,

[...]s made a standing poole of Greekish blood▪

Where horses plung d vp to the saddle skirts▪

And men aboue the waste wade for their lines,

And canst thou keepe thy Tent?

Achi.

My Lute Patroclus.

A great Alarme. Ente [...] Aga [...]lemnon.

Aga.

Let Greekes, kill Greekes, let's bend vnnaturall armes

Against our owne brests, ere the conquering Troians

Haue all the honour of this glorious day.

Can our great Champion touch a womanish Lute,

Aud heare the grones of twenty thousand soules

Gasping their last breath?

Achi.

I can.

[Page] Alarume. Enter Me [...]elaus▪

Rescue, some rescue, the red field is strowd

With Hectors honours and young Troilus spoyles.

Achi.

Yet all this moues not me.

Alatum. Enter Vlysses.

Ʋlyss.

How long hath great Achilles bin surnam'd Coward in Troy, that Hector, Troilus, Paris, haue all that name so currant in the [...]r mouthes?

I euer held him valiant, yet will Achilles fight?

Achi.

Vlysses, no,

Beneath this globe Achilles hath [...]o foe.

Vlyss.

Then here vnarm'd be slaine, think'st thou they'l spare

Thee more then vs?

Aiax.

Or if thou wilt not arme thee,

Let thy Patroclus lead thy Mirmidons,

And weare thy Armour.

Vlyss.

Thy Armour is sufficient▪

Without thy presence being fear'd in Troy.

Achi.

To saue our oath and keepe our Tents from sacke,

Patroclus don our Armes, lead forth our guard,

And wearing them by no Prince be out-dar'd.

Patro.

Achilles honours me, what heart can feare,

And great Achilles sword proofe Armour weare?

Exeunt all the Princes, enter Thersites.

Ther.

Where's this great sword and buckler man of Greece?

Wee shall haue him one of sneakes noise,

And come peaking into the Tents of the Greeks,

With will you haue any musicke Gentlemen.

Achi.

Base groome, I'l teare thy flesh like falling Snow▪

Ther.

If I had Hectors face thou durst not doo't.

Achi.

Durst not?

Ther.

Durst not, hee's in the field, thou in thy Tent,

Hector playing vpon the Greekish burgonets,

Achilles fingring his effeminate Lute.

And now because thou durst not meete him in the field, thou hast counterfeited an humour of loue. Achilles?

[Page] Thou the Champion of Greece, a meere bug-beare▪ a scar-crow, a Hobby-horse.

Achi.

Vlisses taught thee this, deformed slaue.

Ther.

Coward thou durst not do this to Hector.

Achi.

On thee Ile practise, til I meete with him.

The.

Aiax is valiant, and in the throng of the Troians,

Achilles is turn'd Fidler in the Tents of

The Grecians.

Alarum. Enter Diomed wounded, bringing in Patroclus dying.

Dio.

Looke here Achilles.

Achi.

Patroclus?

Pat.

This wound great Hector gaue:

Reuenge my death, before I meets my graue.

Enter Vlisses and Aiax wounded.

Vlis.

Yet will Achilles fight? see Aiax wounded,

Two hundred of thy warlike Mirmedons

Thou hast lost this day.

Aia.

Let's beate him to the field.

Achi.

Ha?

Aia.

Had I lost a Patroclus, a deere friend

As thou hast doue, I would haue doud these armes

In which he dyed, sprung through the Troian hoast,

And ma [...]ger opposition, let the blow

Or by the same hand dy'd: come ioyne with me,

And we without this picture, statue of Greece,

This shaddow of Achilles, will once more

Inuade the Troian hoast.

Achi.

Aiax?

Aia.

Achilles?

Achi.

Wee owe thee for this scorne.

Aia.

I scorne that debt:

Thou hast not fought with Hector.

Achi.

My honor and my oath both combate in mee:

But lone swayes most.

Alarum. Enter Menelaus and Agamemnon.

[Page]Men.

Our ships are fir'd, fiue hundred gallant vessels▪

Burnt in the Sea, halfe of our Fleete destroy'd,

Without some present rescue.

Achi.

Ha, ha, ha.

Aga.

Doth no man aske where is this double fire,

That two wayes flyes towards heauen?

Vpon the right our royall Nauy burnes,

Vpon the left, Achilles Tents on fire.

Achi.

Our Tent?

Aga.

By Ioue thy Tent, and all thy Mirmedons,

Haue not the power to quench it: yet great Hector

Hath shed more blood this day, then would haue seru'd

To quench, both Fleete and Tent.

Achi.

My sword and armour:

Polixena, thy loue we will lay by,

Till by this hand, that Troian Hector dye.

Aia.

I knew he must be fired out.

Exit.

Alarum. Enter Hector, Paris, Troilus, Aeneas, with burning staues and fire-bals.

Al the Troians.

Strike, stab, wound, kill, tosse firebrands, and make way.

Hector of Troy, and a victorious day.

Hec.

Well fought braue brothers.

Enter Aiax.

[...]a.

What's hee?

Troi.

Tis Aiax, downe with him.

Hec.

No man presume to dart a feather at him

Whilst we haue odds: cousen if thou seekest combate?

S [...]e we stand single, not one Troian here,

Shall lay a violent hand vpon thy life,

Saue wee our selfe.

Aia.

Cousen th'art honorable,

I now must both intreate and coniure thee▪

For my old Vncle Priams sake, his sister

Hesione my mother, and thine Aunt:

This day leaue thine aduantage, spare our Fleete,

And let vs quench our Tents, onely this day

[Page] Stay thy Victorious hand, tis Aiax pleades▪

Who but of Ioue hath neuer begg'd before,

And saue of Ioue, will not intreate againe▪

Al Troians.

Burne, still more fire.

Hect.

Ple quench it with his blood

That addes one sparke vnto this kindled flame▪

My cousin shall not for Hesiones sake

Be ought denide of Hector, she's our Aunt:

Thou, then this day hast sau'd the Grecian Fleete:

Let's sound retreat, whose charge made al Greece quak,

We spare whole thousands for one Aiax sake.

A Retreate sounded.

Exeunt the Troians.

Aia.

Worthiest a liue thou hast, Greece was this day

At her last cast, had they pursude aduantage:

But I deuine, hereafter from this hower,

We neuer more shal shrinke beneath their power.

Exit.

Explicit Actus tertius.

Actus Quartus Scoena prima.

Enter Hector, Troilus, Paris, Aen [...]as, Hectors armour bearer, with others.

Hec.

My armour, and my trusty Galatee,

The proudest steed that euer rider backt,

Or with his hoofes beate thunder from the earth,

The Sunne begins to mount the Easterne hill,

And wee not yet in field: Lords yesterday

Wee slipt a braue aduantage, else these ships

That floate now in the Samothracian road,

And with their wauing pendants menace Troy,

Had with their flames reflecting from the Sea,

Gilt those high towers, which now they proudly braue.

Troi.

On then; Achilles is vnconquered yet,

[Page] Great Agamemnon and the Spartan King,

Aiax the bigge-bond Duke of Salamine,

With him that with his Lance made Kenus bleed,

The bold, (but euer rash) King Diome [...].

To lead these captiu [...] through Scamander Plaines▪

That were a taske worth Hector.

Par:

Why not vs?

Yet most becomming him, come then Aeneas,

Let each Picke one of these braue Champions out

And single him a captiue.

Aene.

'Twer [...] an enterprise

That would deserue a lasting Chronicle:

Lead on renowned Hector.

Hect.

Vnnimble slaue,

Dispatch, make haft, I would be first in field,

And now I mustbe cal'd on.

Enter Andromache and young Astianax.

Andro.

Oh stay deare Lord, my royall husband stay▪

Cast by thy shield, fellow vncase his armes,

Knock off the riuets, lay that baldricke by,

But this one day rest with Andromachs.

Hec.

What meanest thou woman?

Andro.

To saue my hououred Lord

From a sad fate, for if this ominous day,

This day disastrous, thou appear'st in field

I neuer more shall see thee.

Hec.

Fond Andromache.

Giue me some reason for't.

Andro.

A fearefull dreame,

This night me thought I saw thee 'mongst the Greekes

Round girt with squadrons of thine enemies▪

All which their Iaueli [...]s thrild against thy brest,

And stucke them in thy bosome.

Hec.

So many Squadrons,

And all their darts quiuerd in Hectors brest,

Some gla [...]c' [...] vpon mine armour, did they not?

[Page]Par.

Did none of all these darts rebound from Hector

And hit thee sister, for (my Lasse) I know,

Thou haft been oft hit by thiine Hector so.

Andro.

Oh doe not iest my husband to his death▪

I wak't and slept, and slept and wak't againe:

But both my slumbers and my sounde sleepes

Met in this one maine truth, if thou this day

Affront their Army or oppose their fleete,

After this day we ne're more shall meete.

Hect.

Trust not deceptious visions, dreame, are fables,

Adulterate Sceanes of Anticke forgeries

Playd vpon idle braines, come Lords to horse▪

To keepe me from the field, dreames haue no force.

Andro.

Troilus, Aeneas, Paris, young Astia [...]ax,

Hang on thy fathers armour, stay his speed.

Asti.

Father, sweete father do not fight to day.

Hect.

Helpe to take off these burrs, they trouble mee.

Andro.

Hold, hold thy father, if thou canst not kneele,

Yet with thy teares intreate him stay at home.

Asti.

I'l hang vpon you, you shall beate me father

Before I let you goe.

Hect.

How boy? I'le whippe you if you stirre a foot,

Go get you to your mother.

Pa.

Come to horse.

Enter Priam, Hecuba, Hellen, &c.

Pri.

Hector, I charge thee by thi [...]e honour stay,

Go not this day to battaile.

Hect.

By all the gods

Andromache, thou dost abate my Ipue

To winne mee from my glory.

Hec.

From thy death.

Troilus, perswade thy brother, daughter Hellen▪

Speake to thy Paris▪ to intreate him too.

Hel.

Paris sweete husband.

Pa.

Leaue your cunning Hellen.

My brother shall to the field.

[Page]Hel.

But by this kisse thou shalt [...]ot.

Pa.

Now haue not I the heart to say her nay:

This kisse hath ouercome mee.

Andro.

My dearest loue,

Pitty your wife, your sonne, your father, all

These liue beneath the safeguard of that arme▪

Pitty in vs whole Troy all ready doom'd

To sinke beneath your ruine▪

Pri.

If thou fall,

Who then shall stand? Troy shall consume with fire

(That yet remaines in thee) wee perish all,

Or which is worse, led captine into Greece:

Therefore deare Hector, cast thy armour off.

Andro.

Husband.

Hecu.

Sonne.

Hel.

Brother.

Hect [...]

By Ioue I am resolu'd.

Andro.

Oh all yee gods!

Hect.

Not all the diuell [...]

Could halfe torment me like these women tongues!

Pa.

At my entreaty, and for Hellens loue,

Leaue vs to beare the fortunes of this day,

Heres Troilus and my selfe will make them sweare▪

Ere the fight end there are two Hectors here.

Aene.

Besides Aene [...]s, and Deiphebus

Young Margareton, and a thousand more

Sworne to set fire on all their Tents this day,

Then Hector for this once resolue to stay.

Hect.

To horse then Paris, do not linger time;

Pa.

To horse, come brother Troilus.

Hect▪

Watch Margareton, if the youthfull Prince

Venter beyond his strength, let him haue rescue.

Troi.

Hee shall be all our charge.

Pri▪

Hector let's mount vpon the walls of Troy,

And thence surueigh the battaile.

Hect.

Well bee't so.

But if one Troian shall for succour cry▪

[Page] I'le leaue the walls and to his rescue flye▪

Exit.

Enter Troilus and Diomed after an alarum.

Troi.

King Diomed.

Dio.

Cresids first [...]oue▪

Troi.

Yes Diomed and her last,

I▪le liue to loue her when thy life is past.

Enter Menelaus both vpon Troilus.

Men.

Hold Troian, for no Greeke must be disarm'd:

Enter Paris.

Pa.

Vnmanly odds, King Menelaus turne

Thy face this way, 'tis Troian Paris calls▪

Men.

Of all that breath, I loue that Paris tongue

When it shall call to Armes: Now one shal downe.

Alarum. Menelaus falls.

Par.

Thou keep'st thy word, for thou art downe indeed.

Yet by the sword of Paris shalt not dye.

I slew thy fame when I first stole thy Queene,

And therefore Spartan will now spare thy life:

Achilles, Diomed, Aiax, one of three

Were noble prise, thou art no spoyle for mee.

Alarum. Enter aboue Priam, Hector, A [...]tianax, Hecuba, Hellen, &c. Below Achilles and Margareton.

Achil.

If thou bee'st noble by thy blood and valour,

Tell mee if Hector bee in field this day.

Marg.

Thy coniuration hath a double spell,

Hector is not in field, but here I stand

Thy warlike opposite.

Achi▪

Thou art young and weake, retire and spare thy life.

Mar.

I'm Hectors brother, none of Hectors blood

Did euer yet retreite.

Achi.

If Hectors friend,

Here must thy life and glory both haue end.

Achilles kils him.

Hec.

Oh father, see where Margareton Iyes,

Your sonne, my brother by Achilles slaine.

[Page]Pri.

Thy brother Troylus will reuenge his death:

But Hector shall not mooue.

Hec.

Troylus nor all the Troians in the field

Can make their swords bite on Achilles shield:

'Tis none but Hector must reuenge his death.

Pri.

But not this day.

Hect.

Before the Sunne decline,

That terrour of the earth I'le make deuine.

Exit from the wals.

Alarum▪ Enter Hector beating before him Achilles Mermidons.

Hect.

Thus flyes the dust before the Northern winds,

And turnes to Attoms dancing in the ayre,

So from the force of our victorious arme,

Flye armed squadrons of the boldest Greekes,

And mated at the terrour of our name,

So cleare the field before me, no mans fauour'd:

The blood of three braue Princes in my rage,

I haue sacrific'd to Margaritons soule.

Aiax Oilaeus, Aiax Telamon,

Merionus, Menelaus, Idomea,

Arch-dukes and Kings haue shrunke beneath this arme,

Besides a thousand Knights haue falne this day

Beneath the fury of my pondrous blowes:

And not the least of my victorious spoyles,

Quiuer'd my Iauelin through the brawny thigh

Of strong Achilles, and I seeke him still,

Once more to tug with him: my sword and breath

Assist me still, till one drop downe indeath.

Enter Achilles with his guard of Mermidons.

Achi.

Come cast your selues into a ring of terrour,

About this warlike Prince, by whom I bleede.

Hec.

What meanes the glory of the Grecian hoast,

Thus to besiege me with his Mermidons?

And keepe aloofe himselfe.

[Page]Achil.

That shall my Launce

In bloody letters text vpon thy breast,

For young Patrocsus death, for my dishonours,

For thousand spoyles, and for that infinite wracke

Our Army hath indur'd onely by thee▪

Thy life must yeeld me satisfaction.

Hec.

My life? and welcome, by Apolloes fire▪

I neuer ventred blood with more content,

Thenagainst thee Achilles, come prepare.

Achil.

For eminent death, you of my warlike guard▪

My Mermidons, for slaughters most renown'd,

Now sworne to my designements, your s [...]eele polaxes,

Fixe all at once, and girt him round with wounds.

Hec.

Dishonourable Greeke, Hecter nere deale

On base aduantage, or euer life his sword

Oner a quaking foe, but as a spoyle

Vnworthy vs, still left him to his feare▪

No [...] on the man, whom singly I struke downe,

Haue I redoubled blowes, my valour still

Oppo [...]de against a standing enemy.

T [...] haue I twice vnhorst, and when I might

Haue sla [...]ne thee groueling, left thee to the field,

Thine armour and thy shield impenetrable,

Wrought by the god of Lemnos in his forge

By ar [...]e di [...]ine, with the whole world ingrauen,

I haue through piere't, and still it weares my skarres:

Forget not how last day, euen in thy tent

I fea [...]ted my good sword, and might haue flung

My bals of wild-fire round about your Fleete,

To haue sent vp your Greekish pride in flames,

Which would haue fixt a starre in that high Orbe,

To memorize to all succeeding times

Our glories and your shames, yet this I spar'd,

And shall I now be slayne by treachery?

Achi

Tell him your answer on your weapons points,

Vpon him my braue souldiers.

Hec.

Come you [...]aues,

[Page] Before I fall, Ile make some food forgiaues,

That gape to swallow cowards▪ ceaze you dogges▪

Vpon a Lyon with your armed phangs▪

And bare me brauely, where I touch I kill,

And where I fasten reare body from soule,

And soule from hope of rest: all Greece shall know,

Blood must run wast in Hectors ouerthrow.

Alarum. Hector fals slayne by the Mermidons, then Achilles wounds him with his Launce.

Achi.

Farwell the nob'est spirit that ere breath'd

In any terrene mansion: Take vp his body

And beare it to my Tent▪ Ile straight to horse,

And at his fetlockes to my greater glory,

Ile dragge his mangled trunke that Grecians all,

May deafe the world with shouts, at Hectors fall.

Enter Priam, Aeneas, Troilus, Paris.

Pri.

Blacke fate, blacke day, be neuer Kallendred

Hereafter in the number of the yeare,

The Planets cease to worke, the Spheares to mooue,

The Sunne in his meridian course to shine,

Perpetuall darknesse ouerwhelme the day,

In which is falne the pride of Asia.

Troi.

Rot may that hand.

And euery ioynt drop peece-meale from his arme,

That tooke such base [...]duantage on a worthy,

Who all aduantage scorn'd.

Pa.

Yet though his life they haue basely tane away,

His body we haue rescued mauger Greece.

And Paris, I the meanest of Priams sonnes,

Haue made as many Mermidons weepe blood,

As had least finger in the VVorthies fall.

Pri.

VVhat but his death could thus haue arm'd [...]y ha [...]d,

Or drowne decreeped Priam to the field:

That starre is shot, his luster quite ecclips'd:

And shall we now, surrender Hellena?

Pa▪

Not till Achilles lye as dead as Hector▪

And Aiax by Achilles, no [...] whilst I [...]li [...]

[Page] Hath one stone rear'd vpon anothers backe

To ouer-looke these wals, or these high wal [...]

To ouer-peere the plaine.

Troi.

Contrary Elements,

The warring meteors▪ Hell and Eliziu [...]

Are not so much oppos'd, as Troy and Greece,

For Hector, Hectors death.

Par.

A most sad Funerall

Will his in Troy be, where shall scarse an eye

Of twice two hundred thousand be found drye:

These obets once past o're, which we desire,

Those eyes that now shed water, shall speake fire.

Aene.

Now found retreate.

Pri.

Wee backe to Troy returne,

Where euery soule in funeral black shall mourne.

Exit.

Par.

Hector is dead, and yet my brother Troilus

A second terrour to the Greekes still liues.

In him there's hope since all his Mermidons

Hauing felt his fury, flye euen at his name.

But must the proud Achilles still insult

And tryumph in the glory of base deedes?

No, Hector hee destroy'd by treachery,

And hee must dye by craft. But Priams temper

Will nere bee brought to any base reuenge:

A woman is most subiect vnto spleene,

And I will vse the braine of Hecuba:

This bloody so [...]ne of Thetis doth still doate

Vpon the beauty of Polexina;

And that's the base we now must build vpon.

My mother hath by secret letters wrought him

Once more to abandon both the field and armes:

The plot is cast, which if it well succeed [...],

He that's of blood insatiate, must nextbleed.

Exit

Achilles discouered in his Tent, about him his [...]leeding Mermidons, himselfe wounded, and with him Vilisses.

[Page]Vlis.

Why will not great Achilles don his Armes,

And rowse his bleeding Mirmidons? shall Troilus

March backe to Troy with armour, sword, and lance,

All dyde in Grecian blood? shall aged [...]riam

Boast in faire Islium that the sonne of Thetis,

Whose warlike speare pierc't mighty Hectors bre [...],

Lies like a coward slumbring in his Tent,

Because hee feares young Troilus.

Achi.

Pardon mee,

Vlisses, here's a Brief [...] from Hecuba,

Wherein shee vowes, if I but kill one Troian,

I neuer shall inioy Polixena.

Ʋlis.

But thinks Achilles, if the Greekes be slaine,

And forc't perforce to march away from Troy,

That hee shall then inioy Polixena?

No, 'tis King Priams subtilty, whilst thou

Sleep'st in thy Tent, Troilus through all our Troups

Makes Lanes of slaughtered bodies, and will tosse

His Balls of wild-fire as great Hect [...]r did

O're all our nauall forces: But did this Prince

Lye breathlesse bleeding at Achilles feet,

Dispairing Priam would to make his peace

Make humbly tender of P [...]lixena,

And be much proud to call Achilles so [...]ne?

Achi.

Were Troilus slaine?

Vlis.

Who else deales wounds so thicke and fast as hee,

They call him Hectors ghost, he glides so quicke

Through our Battalions: If hee beate vs hence,

And wee bee then compel'd to su [...] to them?

It will be answer'd, that great Hectors deaths-man

Shall neuer wedd his sister: Hectors sonne

Will neuer kneele to him, by whose strong hand

His father fell; but were young Troilus slaine,

And Priams sonnes sent wounded from the field,

Troy then would stoope, and send Polixena

Euen to Achilles Tent.

Achi.

My sword and armour▪

[Page] Arise my bleeding ministers of death,

I'le feast you with an Ocean of blood-royall [...] ▪

Vlysses, ere this Sunne fall from the skies,

By this right hand the warlike Troilus dyes.

Alarum. Enter Troilus and [...]hersites.

Ther.

Hold if thou bee'st a man.

Troi.

Stand if thou bee'st a souldier, do not [...]rinke.

Ther.

Art not thou Troilus, yong and lusty Troilus.

Troi.

I am, what then?

Ther.

And I Thersites, lame and impotent,

What honour canst thou get by killing mee?

I cannot fight.

Troi.

What mak'st thou in the field then?

Ther.

I came to laugh at mad-men, thou art one▪

The Troians are all mad, so are the Greeks

To kill so many thousands for one drabbe,

For Hellen: a light thing, doe thou turne wise

And kill no more; I since these warres began

Shed not one drop of blood.

Troi.

But proud Achilles

Slew my bold brother, and you Grecians all

Shall perish for the noble Hectors fall.

Ther.

Hold, the Pox take thee hold, whilst I haue breath,

I am bound to curse thy fingers.

Enter Achilles with his Mirmidons, after Troilus hath beaten Thersites.

▪Achil.

I might haue slaine young Troilus when his sword

Late sparkled fire out of the Spartans helme,

But that had [...]tild my fame, but I will trace him

Through the whole Army, when I meete the Troian

Breathlesse and faint: I▪le thunder on his crest

Some valour, but aduantage likes mee best.

Enter Troilus.

Tr [...].

Let Cowards fight with Cowards, and both feare▪

The base Thersites is no match for mee,

Oppose me [...] to the proudest hee in field,

[Page] Most eminent i [...] Armes and best approu'd▪

To make the thirsty after blood to bleed.

And that's the proud Achilles.

Achi.

Who names vs?

Troi.

Fa [...]e, thou hast now before me set the man

Whom I most sought, to thee whom I will offe [...]

To appease Hectors ghost a sacrifice.

You widdowed Matrons who now mourne in teares,

And all you watry eyes surcease to weepe.

Fathers that in this warre haue lost your sonnes,

And sonnes your fathers, by Achilles hand;

No more lament vpon their funerall Armes,

But from this day reioyce: posterity

From age to age this to succession tell,

Hee falls by Troilus, by whom Hector f [...]ll.

Achi.

Hectors sad fate betyde him, souldiers on▪

Both brothers shew like mercy, thy vaine sound

That boasted lyes now leuel'd with the ground.

Troilus is slaine by him and the Mirmidons. Enter Thersites.

Ther.

Achilles!

Achi.

What's hee? Thersites▪

Ther.

Thou art a coward.

Achi.

Haue I not sau'd thy life, and slaine proud Troilus

By whom the Greekes lye pilde in breathlesse heapes?

Ther.

Yes when he was out of breath so thou slewest He [...]to [...]

Girt with thy Mirmidons.

Achi.

Dogged Thersites,

I'le cleaue thee to thy Nauell if thou op'st

Thy venemous Iawe [...].

Ther.

Doe, doe, good Dog-killer.

Achi.

You slaue.

Ther.

I am out of breath now too, else bug-bate Greeke

Thou durst not to haue touch't mee.

Achilles beates him off, retreate sounded. Enter Agamem [...]on▪ Aiax, Vlysses, &c. all the other but Paris.

[Page]Agam▪

To whom dost thou addresse thine Embasie?

Par.

To Achilles.

Aga.

And not the Generall? It concernes our place

To heare King Priams embasie.

Pa.

Let mee haue passage to Achilles Tent,

There Agamemnon (if you please) may heare

What Priam sends to your great Champion.

Aga.

Let it bee so,

Aiax.

The Generall wrongs that honour

Wee Princes in our loue conferre on him.

Had I th'imperiall mandat in my mouth,

I would not loose one jot of my command

For all the proud Achilles's on earth,

Take him at best hee's but a fellow peere,

And should lift his head aboue the Clouds

I hold my selfe his equall.

Enter Achilles from his Tent.

Achi.

Vntuterd Aiax.

Aia.

Who spake that word?

Achi.

'Twas I Achilles, let the sonne of Priam

Bee priuat with vs.

Aga.

It belongs to vs

To bee partakers of his Embasie.

Achi.

Dismisse then our Inferiours, you Ʋlisses

Are welcome, Menelaus, Diomed.

Let Aiax stay without, and know his duty.

Exit.

Aiax.

Duty? Oh you gods!

Ha? in what Dialect spake hee that language

Which Greece yet neuer knew, wee owe to him?

I'le after him and dragge him from his Tent,

And teach the insolent, manners: Giue mee way.

Ʋlisses, thou and all the world shal know,

That saue the obedience that I owe the gods,

And duty to my father Telamon,

Aiax knowes none, no not to Agamemnon:

For what hee hath of mee's my courtesie,

What hee claimes else, or the proud'st Greeke that breaths,

[Page] I'le pay him in the poor'st and basest scorne

Contempt was ere exprest in.

Vlis.

Aiax you are too bold with great Achilles,

You beare your selfe more equall then you ought,

With one so trophy'd.

Aia.

Bold? oh my merits,

Are you so soone forgot? why King of Ithaca,

What hath this Toy (aboue so talkt of) done,

Sauing slaine Hector, which at best receiu'd

Was but scarse fairely, which the common tongues,

Voyces, with base aduantage.

Vlis.

Yes, Prince Troilus

Surnam'd the second Hector, lyeth imbak'd

In his cold blood, slayne by Achilles hand:

The streame of glory now runnes all towards him:

Achilles lookes for't Aiax.

Aia.

But when Achilles slumbred in his Tent,

Or waking with his Lute courted the ayre;

Then Aiax did not beare himselfe too bold

With this great Champion: when I sau'd our Fleete

From Hectors wild-fire, I deseru'd some prayse,

But then your tongues were mute.

Vlis.

You in these times

Did not affect ostent, but still went on:

But Thetis sonne lookes for a world of sound▪

To spread his attributes.

Aia.

The proud Achilles

Shall no [...] out-shine me long, in the next battaile,

If to kill Troians bee to dim his prayse,

I'le quench his luster by my bloody rayes.

Enter Agamemnon, Achilles, Diomed, Menelaus and Paris, &c.

Pa.

Shall I returne that answere to King Priam?

Achi.

Say in the morning we will visite him:

So beare our kind regreetes to Hec [...]ba.

Aia.

But will Achilles trust himselfe with Priam,

Whose warlike sonnes were by his valour slaine?

[Page]Achi.

Priam is honourable, see here's his hand,

His Q [...]eene religious▪ and behold her name:

P [...]lixena deuine, reade here, her vowes▪

Honor, religions, and diuinity,

All ioyntly promising Achilles safety:

Paris, you heare our answere, so returne it.

Pa.

We shal receiue Achilles with al honor.

Ex [...]t.

Mene.

Were I Achilles and had slaine great Hector▪

With valiant Troilus, Priams best lou'd sonnes,

I for the brightest Lady in all Asia,

Would not so trust my person with the father.

Achi.

I am resolu'd, Vlysses you once told mee

Priam would sleepe if Troilus once were slayne▪

Ʋlyss.

And I dare gage my life, the reuerent King

Intends no treason to Achilles person,

But meerely by this honourable League,

To draw our warlike Champion from the field.

Achi.

But we'le deceiue his hopes: f [...]are not great Kings,

When [...]o my Tent I bring Polixena:

The sooner Troy lyes leuell with the ground.

You vnderstand me Lords; shall I intreate you

Associate me vnto the sacred Temple

Of Di [...]ine Phaebus?

Aga.

In me these Kings shall answere, wee in peace

Will bring Achilles to A [...]olloes shrine,

Prouided, Priam [...]re we enter Troy,

Will giue vs hostage for our safe returne.

Achi.

My honour'd hand with his.

Exe [...]nt.

Enter Paris and Hecuba.

Hecu.

Oh Paris, till Achilles lye as dead,

As did thy brother Hector at his feete,

His body hackt with as many wounds,

As was thy brother Troilus when he fell.

I neu [...]r, neu [...]r shall haue peace with Heauen,

Or take thee for their brother, or my sonne.

Par.

Mother I hate Achilles more then you;

[Page] But I haue heard hee is invulnerable:

His mother Thetis from the Oracle

Receiuing answere, hee should dye at Troy▪

(Being yet a childe,) and to preuent that fate,

She dipt him in the Sea, all saue the heele:

These parts she drencht, remayne impen [...]trable;

But what her dainty hand (forbore to drowne)

As loath to feele the coldnesse of the waue,

That, and that onely may bee pierc'd with steele.

Now since I know his fellow Kings intend,

To be his guard to Islium: what's my rage?

Or this my weapon to destroy a Prince,

Whose fle [...]h no sword can bite off.

Hecu.

Haue I not heard thee Paris, praise thy self [...]

For skill in Archery? haue I not seene

A shaft sent leuell from thy constant hand,

Command the marke at pleasure? maist not thou

With such an arrow, and the selfe-same bow,

Wound proud Achilles in that vndrencht part,

And by his heele draw lines blood from his heart?

Par.

Well thought on, the rare cunning of this ha [...]d▪

None saue the powers immortall can with stand:

When in the Temple hee shall thinke to imbrace

My sister Polixena. Ile strike him there.

The Greekes are entred Troy. Let's fill the trayne

To auoyde suspect, and now my shaft and bow,

Greece from my hand, rec [...]iue thine ouerthrow▪

Enter at one doore Priam, Hecuba, Paris, Aeneas, Antenor, Deiphobus, Hellena, and Polixena. At the other, Agamemnon, Achilles, Menela [...]s, Vlisses, Diomed, Thersites, and Aiax. They interchange imbraces, Polixena is giuen to Achilles, &c.

Pri.

Though the dammage you haue done to Troy,

Might cease our armes, and arme our browes with wrat [...],

Yet with a smooth front, and heart vnseigned,

Now bid Achilles welcome; welcome all

[Page] Before these Kings, and in the sight of Hellen,

The dearest of my daughters Polixen

I tender thee: on to Apolloes shrine,

The flamin stayes: these nuptiall rights once past,

You of our best varieties shall taste.

Exeunt▪

Paris fetcheth his Bow and arrowes.

Par.

My bow! now thou great god of Archery,

The Patron of our action and our vowes,

Direct my shaft to wound bright Thetis sonne,

And let it not offend thy deity,

That in thy Temple I exhaust his blood,

Without respect of place, reuenge seemes good.

Exit.

A great crye within. Enter Paris:

Par.

Tis done, Achilles bleedes, immortal powers

Clap hands, and smile to see the Greeke fall dead,

By whom the valiant Hectors blood was shed.

Enter all the Troians, and the Greekes bringing in Achilles with an arrow through his h [...]ele.

Aga.

Priam, thou hast dishonourably broake

The Lawes of Armes.

Pri.

By all the gods I vowe,

I was a stranger to this horrid act:

It neuer came from Priam.

Vlyss.

Call for your Surgeon then to stop his wound.

Mene.

For if hee dye, it will be registred

For euer to thy shame.

Pri.

A Surgeon there.

Achi.

It is in vaine for liue, that god of Physic [...]e

We Grecians honor in a Serpents shape;

He could not stanch my blood: know fellow Kings

My mother Thetis by whose heauenly wisdome,

My other parts were made invulnerable.

[Page] Could not of all the gods obtayne that grace,

But that my blood, vented as now it is,

The wound should be incureable: what Coward

That durst not looke Achiles in the face,

Hath found my liues blood in this speeding place?

Par.

'Twas I, 'twas Paris.

Aiax.

'Twas a milke-sop then.

Diom.

A Traytor to all Valour.

Par.

Did not this bleeding Greeke kil valiaht Hector▪

Incompast with his Guard of Mermidons?

Pri.

Degenerate Paris, not old Priams sonne,

Thou neuer took'st thy treacherous blood from me▪

Aia.

How cheeres Achiles, though thy too much pride

Which held the heart of Aiax from thy loue,

He'le be the formost to reuenge thy death.

Achil.

Gramercy noble Aiax, Agame [...]non,

Ʋlisses, Diomed, I feele my [...]rength

Begins to fayle, let me haue buriall,

And then to Armes, reuenge Achilles death:

Or if proud Troy remayne i [...]uincible,

To Lycomedes send to youthfull Pirhus,

My sonne begot on bright Dedamia;

And let him force his vengeance through the hearts

Of these, by whom his father was betray'd.

I faint, may euery droppe of blood I shed,

Exhald by Phaebus, pu [...]rifie the ayre,

That euery soule in Asia that drawes breath,

May poysoned dye for great Achilles death.

Aga.

He's dead, the pride of all our Grecian army▪

Vlyss.

Will Priam let vs beare his body hence?

Par.

Yes, and not drag it 'bout the wals of Troy.

As hee did Hectors basely.

Pri.

Take it, withall truce, time to bury it.

Aga.

Come Princes, on your shoulders beare him then,

Brauest of souldiers, and the best of men.

They beare him off. And to Priam enter Aeneas.

[Page]Aene.

Where's mighty Priam?

Pri.

What's the newes Aeneas?

Aene.

Such as will make your highnes doff your age

And be as youthfull spirited as the Spring:

Penthisilea Queene of Amazons,

With mighty troopes of Virgin warriers,

Gallant Veragoes, for the loue of Hector,

And to reuenge his death, are entred Troy.

May it please you, to receiue the Scitbean Queene.

Pri.

What Troy can yeeld, or Priam can expresse,

The Amazonian Princesse shall pertake:

Come Hecuba, and Ladies, let's prepare,

To bid her friendly welcome to this warre.

Explicit Actus quartus.

Actus Quintus Scoena prima.

Enter Thersites with Souldiers, bringing in a table, with chayres and stooles plac'd about it.

Ther.

Come, come, spread, spread, vp with the pulpets straight,

Seates for the Iudges, all the Kings of Greece.

Why when you lazy drudges? Is this place

For a whole Iury royall? where's the Armour,

The prize for which the crafty Fex Vlisses,

And mad Bull Aiax, must this day contend?

What, is all ready? rare world▪ when insteade

Of smooth tong'd Lawyers, Souldiers now must pleade.

Loud Musicke. Enter all the Kings of Greece, the Armour of Achilles, borne betwixt Vlysses and Aiax, and plac'd vpon the table, the Princes seate themselues, a chayre is plac'd as eyther end of the Stage, the one for Aiax, the other for▪ [...]lysses▪

[Page]Aga.

This Sessions valiant Duke of S [...]lamine,

And King of Ithaca was cald for you:

Since great Achilles armour is the prise,

Due to the worthier, heere before these Kings,

And in the face of all the multitude,

You are appoynted for your seuerall pleaes,

That prince who to these armes can prooue most right,

Shall weare his purchase in the armies sight.

Aia.

If to the worthiest they belong to mee:

Could you select 'mongst all this throng of Princes,

None worthier then Vlisses, to contend

VVith Aiax? and in viewe of all our Nauy,

Of all these tall ships, gilt with Hectors flames▪

VVhich when Vlisses fled into his tent,

I, I exti [...]guisht, these twelue hundred ships

I sau'd at once, deseru'd Achilles armes,

Laertes sonne may thinke it grace enough,

That though hee misse his ayme, hee may be sayd

To haue stroue with Aiax: Aiax who excels

As much in armes, as hee in eloquence.

My hands performe more then his tong can speake,

Act more then hee can talke: were I lesse valiant,

And had but halfe my vigour (like him) weake,

My royall birth would for this armour speake.

Duke Telamon, that in the Argoe sayl'd

To Calchos: and in Isliums second sacke,

First rear'd Alcides colours on the VVals

My father was: His father Eacus,

On of the three that iudge infernall soules;

And Eacus was sonne to Iupiter.

Thus am I third from Ioue; besides Achilles

By marriage was my brother, and I craue,

Since hee is dead my brothers armes to haue.

VVhat hath Vlisses with our Kin to doe?

Beeing a stranger, not of Peleus blood:

Graue Heroes, if not honour, prize my merit,

I pleade both worth and blood, these armes to inherit.

[Page]Mene.

Bele [...]ue me, two sound pleas on Aiax part,

I feare the prize will bee conferr'd on him.

Dio.

His arguments are maximes, and sound proofes

To winne him way, into the souldiers hearts.

Agam.

Let him proceede.

Aia

Because I hasted to the siege of Troy,

When hee feign'd madnes, must hee weare these armes?

When in the Phalanx, with old Nestor charging,

Thou at the name of Hector fledst the fielde,

And left the good old man incompast round,

Calling aloud Vlisses, Vlisses [...]tay,

The more hee cry'd the more thou mad'st thy way▪

Prince Diomed you saw it, and vpbrayded

This Ithacans base flight, but see Heauens Iustice.

Old Nestor scapt, great Hector was not there;

But meetes Vlisses, as hee fled from Hector,

Hee that but late denide helpe, now wants helpe,

For at the sight of Hector downe he fals,

And cryes aloud for ayde, I came, and saw thee

Quaking with terrour vnder Hectors arme,

The pondrous blow I tooke vpon my Targe,

And as the least of all my noble deedes,

Sau'd these faint limbes from slaughter, which now sue,

To don these glorious armes, nor doe I blame thee

Forfearing Hector: what is hee of Greece

That sauing Aiax, quakt not at his name?

Yet did I meete that Hector guil'd in blood

Of Grecian Princes, fought with him so long,

Till all the hoast deaft with our horrid stroakes,

Begirt vs with amazement: wilt thou know

My honour in this combate? it was this,

I was not conquered: if thou still contendest?

Imagine but that field, the Time, the foes,

Hector aliue, thee quaking at his feete,

And Aiax interposing his broad shield

'Twixt death and thee, and thou the armes must yeeld.

Diom.

What can the wise Vlisses, say to this?

[Page] Aiax preuailes much with the multitude,

The generall murmur doth accord with him.

Men.

I euer thought the sonne of Telamon

Did better merit th' Achillean Armes

Then the Dulichian King.

Agam.

Forbeare to censure.

Till both be fully heard.

Aiax.

Me thinkes graue Heroes, you should seeke an Aiax

To weare these Armes, not let these Armes be sought

By Aiax: what hath slye Vlisses done

To counteruaile my acts? kild vnarm'd Rhesus,

And set on sleepie Dolon in the night,

Stolne the Palladium from the Troian Fane.

Oh braue exploits; nor hast thou these perform'd

Without the helpe of warlike Diomed:

So you betwixt you should deuide these spoyles.

Alas thou knowst not what thou seekst, fond man,

Thou that fightst all by craft and in the night

The radiant splendor of this burnisht Helme

Shining in darknesse, as the Sun by day,

Thy theeuish spoyles and ambush would betray.

Thy politicke head's too weake to beare this caske,

This massie Helme; thou canst not mount his Speare,

His warlike shield that beares the world ingrauen

Will tire thine arme, foole thou dost aske a Speare,

A shield a caske, thou haft not strength to weare.

Now if these Kings, or the vaine peoples errour

So farre should erre from truth to giue them thee,

Twould be a mea nes to make thee sooner dye:

The weight would lagge thee that art wont to flye:

Thou haft a shield vnscar'd, my seuen-fold Targe

With thousand gashes peece-meald from mine arme,

And none but that would fit mee: To conclude,

Go beare these Armes for which we two contend

Into the mid-ranks of our enemies,

And bidde vs fetch them thence, and he to weare them

By whom this royall Armour can be wonne,

[Page] I had rather fight then talke, so I haue done.

A loud shout within crying Aiax, Aiax:

Ʋlis.

If with your prayers oh Grecian Kings, my vowes

Might haue preuail'd with Heauen, there had bin then

No such contention, thou hadst kept thine Armes,

And wee Achilies thee: But since the Fates

Haue tane him from vs, who hath now more right

To claime these Armes he dead, then hee that gaue them

Vnto Achilles liuing? nor great Princes,

Let that smooth eloquence, yon fellow scornes,

(If it bee any) b [...]e reiected now,

And hurt his maister, which so many times

Hath profited whole Greece, if we plead blood

Which is not ours, but all our Ancestours.

Laertes was my father, his Arcesius,

His Ioue, from whom I am third: beside I claime

A second god-head by my mothers name.

What doe wee talke of birth? If birth should beare them,

His father being nearer Ioue then hee

Should weare this honour, or if next of blood,

A [...]hilles father Peleus should inioy them,

Or his sonne Pirhus; but wee plead not kinred,

Or neare propinquity: let▪ alliance rest,

His bee the Armour that deserues it best.

Achilles mother Thetis being foretold

Her sonne should die at Troy, conceal'd him from vs

In habite of a Lady, to this siege

I brought him, therefore challenge all his deeds

As by Vlisses done: 'Twas I sack't Thebes,

Chris [...]s, and Scylla, with Lernessus walls,

I Troilus and renowned Hector slew:

First with this Helmet I adorn'd his head,

Hee gaue it liuing, who demands it dead?

Dio.

'Tis true, for like a Pedler being disguis'd,

And comming where Achilles spent his youth

In womanish habite, the young Ladyes they

[Page] Looke on his Glasses, Iewells and fine toyes:

Hee had a Bow too much Achilles drew,

So by his strength the Ithacan him knew.

Had Aiax gone, Achilles then had stay▪

Hector still liu'd, our ransack't Tents to inuade:

What canst thou doe but barely fight? no more;

I can both fight and counsell, I direct

The manner of our battailes, and propose

For victuall and munition, to supply

The vniuersall hoast, cheere vp the souldiers

To indure a tedious siege, when all the Army

Cry'd let's away for Greece, and rais'd their Tents.

Aiax amongst the formost had trust vp

His bagge and baggage: when I rated him,

And them, and all, and by my Oratory

Perswaded their retreat: What Greece hath wonne

From Troy since then, is by Vlisses done.

Behold my wounds oh Grecians, and iudge you

If they be cowards marks th'are in my brest:

Let boasting Aiax shew such noble skarres.

These Grecian Heroes tooke I in your warres.

I grant hee fought with Hector, 'twas well done,

Where thou deseru'st well I will giue thee due,

But what was the successe of that great day?

Hector of Troy vnwounded went away.

Men.

Now sure the prise will to Vlisses fall,

The murmuring souldiers mutter his deserts,

Preferring him fore Aiax: heare the rest.

Vlis.

But oh Achilles, when I view these Armes,

I cannot but lament thine obsequies:

Thou wall of Greece, when thou wast basely slaine

I tooke thee on my souldiers, and from Troy

Bore thee then a [...]m'd in the abillements

I once more seeke to beare, behold that shield▪

Tis a description Cosmograph [...]call

Ofall the Earth, the Ayre, the Sea and Heauen▪

What are the Hyades? or grim Orion;

[Page] Hee p [...]eads, or what's Arcton? thy rude hand

Would lift a shield, thou canst not vnder stand:

To omit my deeds of Armes, which all these know

Better then I can speake. When in the night

I venter'd through Troyes gates, and from the Temple

Rap't the Palladium, then I conquerd Troy,

Troy whilst that stood could neuer be subdu'd,

In that I brought away their gods, their honours,

Troyes ruine and the triumphs of whole Greece.

What hath blunt Aiax done to conteruaile

This one of mine? Hee did with Hector fight,

I tenne yeeres warre haue ended in one night.

What Aiax did was but by my direction,

My counsell fought in him, and all his honours

(If they be any,) hee may thanke mee for

What hee hath done, was since his flight I stayd,

I therefore claime these Armes: so I haue sayd.

A shout within Vlisses, Vlisses. The Princes rise.

Agam.

Such is the clamour of the multitude,

A [...]d such Ʋlisses are your great deserts,

That those rich Armes are thine, the prize inioy

Vl [...]s.

To the defence of Greece and sack of Troy.

Dio.

Come Princes, now this striffe is well determin'd.

Men.

To see how eloqu [...]nce the people charmes,

Ʋlisses by his tongue hath gain'd these Armes.

Agam.

Counsell preuailes 'boue strength, Heralds proclaime

Through the whole Campe Vlisses glorious name.

Exeunt. The Armes borne in triumph before Vlisses▪

Aiax.

What dream'st thou Aiax?

Or is this obiect reall that I see,

Which topsiturnes my braine, base Ithaca

To sway desert thus: Oh that such rich Troophies

Should cloath a cowards backe, nor is it strange;

I'le goe turne coward too, and henceforth plot,

Turne politicians all, all politicians.

A rush for valour, valour? this is the difference

[Page] ▪Twixt the bold warrier, and the cunning states▪man,

The first seekes honour, and the last his health:

The valiant hoord the knocks, the wise the wealth.

It was a gallant Armour, Aiax limbs

Would haue become it brauely; the disgrace

Of loosing such an Armour by contention,

Will liue to all posterity, and the shame

In Stigian Lethe drowne great Aiax name.

Oh that I had heere my base opposite,

In th' Achi [...]lean Armour briskly clad,

Vulcan that wrought it out of gadds of Steele

With his Ciclopian hammers, neuer made

Such noise vpon his Anvile forging it,

Then these my arm'd fists in Vlisses wracke,

To mould it new vpon the cowards backe.

Enter Thersites.

Ther.

Why how now mad Greeke?

Aia.

And art thou come Ʋlisses? thus, and thus

I'le hammer on thy proofe steel'd Burganet.

Aia.

Hold Aiax, hold, the diuell take thee, hold;

I am Thersites, hell rot thy fingers off.

Aia.

But art not thou Ʋlisses?

Ther:

No I tell thee.

Aia.

And is not thine head arm'd?

Ther.

Hells plagues confound thee, no; thou think'st thou

Hast Menelaus head in hand, I am Thersites.

Aia.

Thersites? Canst thou rayle?

Ther.

Oh yes, yes; better then fight.

Aia.

And curse?

Ther.

Better then either: [...]arely.

Aia.

And spit thy venome in the face of Greece?

Ther.

Admirably.

Aia.

Doe, doe, let's heare, [...]prothee for heauens sake doe▪

Ther.

With whom shall I begin?

Aia.

Beginne with the head.

Ther.

Then haue at thee Menelaus, thou art a king and a—

No more, bu [...] if on any, rayle on mee.

[Page] Desert should still be snarl'd at, vice p [...]sse free.

Ther.

Who thou the son of Telamon, thou art a foole,

An Asse, a very blocke. What makest thou here at

Troy to ayde a Cuckold, beeing a Bachelour?

Paris hath stolne no wife of thine: if Aiax

Had beene ought but the worst of these, he might

Haue kept his Country, solac'd his father, and

Comforted his mother: what thankes hast thou

For spending thy meanes, hazarding thy souldiers?

Wasting thy youth, loosing thy blood,

Indangering thy life? and all for a—

Aiax.

Peace.

Ther.

Yes peace for shame,

But what thankes hast thou for all thy trauaile?

Vlisses hath the armour, and what art thou now

Reckoned? a good moyle, a horse that knowes

Not his owne strength, an Asse fit for seruice,

And good for burthens, to carry gold, and to

Feede on thistles: farwell Coxe-combe. I shall be

Held to bee a Cocke of the same dunghill,

For bearing thee company so long,

Ile to Vlisses.

Aia.

Base slaue, thou art for Cowards, not for men

Ile stown'd thee if thou com'st not backe againe:

This vantage haue the valiant of the base,

Death, which they coldly feare, we boldly imbrace.

Helpe me to rayle on them too, or thou dyest.

Ther.

Do't then, whilst tis hot.

Aia.

What's Agamemnon our great Generall?

Ther.

A blind Iustice, and I would he had kist

Fortunes blind cheekes, when hee could not see

To doe thee Iustice.

Aia.

Well, and what's Menelaus?

Ther.

A King and a Cuckold, and a horne▪plague

Consume him.

Aia.

Amen. What's Diomed? he sat on the bench too.

Ther.

A very bench-whistler▪ and loues Cresida.

[Page] Hell and confusion swallow him.

Aia.

Amen. Amongst these what's Th [...]sites?

Ther.

A Rogue, a rayling Rogue, a Cu [...]r, a barking

Dog, the Pox take mee else.

Aia.

Amen. But what's Vlisses my base aduersary?

Ther.

A dam'd pollitician, Scilla and Charibdis swallow him▪

Aia.

And greedily deuoure him.

Ther.

And vtterly consume him▪

Aia.

And eate vp his posterity.

Ther.

And rot out his memory:

Aia.

In endlesse infamy.

Ther.

And euerlasting obliquie.

Both.

Amen.

Aia.

Inough, no more: shall he the Armes ini [...].

And wee the shame? away Thersites, flye,

Our prayers now sayd, we must prepare to dye.

Ther.

Dye, and with them be dam'd.

Exit.

Enter ouer the Stage all the Grecian Princes, courting and applauding Vlisses, not minding Aiax.

Aia.

Not looke on Aiax? Aiax Telamon,

Hee that at once sau'd all your ships from fire,

Not looke on me? ha? are these hands? this sword?

Which made the fame of Troy great Hector shrinke

Below the ruines of an abiect scorne?

Sleighted? so sleighted? what base thing am I,

To c [...]eepe [...]o so dull Greeke, whom fame or blood

Hath rair'd one step aboue? Ioue, see this;

And laugh old Grand-sir: Ha, ha, ha, by hell

I'le shake thy Kingdome for't: not looke on Aiax?

The triple headed-dog, the whippes of Steele,

The rauenous Vulture, and the restlesse stone

Are all meere fables; heer's a trusty sword,

'Tis mine, mine owne, who claimes this from me? ha?

Cowards and shallow witted fooles haue slept

Amidst an armed troupe safe and secure

Vnder this guard: nay Agamemnon too.

[Page] But see, see from yon Sea, a shoale of sands

Come rowling on, trick't vp in brisled finnes

Of Porposses and Dog-fish ho my sword,

I will incounter them, they come from Greece,

And bring a poysonous breath from Ithaca

Temper'd with false Vlisses gall, [...]oh, [...]oh;

It stinks of's wifes chast vrinall, looke, looke

By yonder wood, how s [...]iely in the skirts

March policy and the diuell, on, I feare you not:

Dare you not yet? not one to fight with mee:

Who then? what's hee must cope with Aiax?

Echo. Aiax?

Aia.

Well sayd old boy, wa'st Nestor my braue Lad?

I'le doot, I'le doot, come my fine cutting blade,

Make mee immortall: liuely fountaine sprout,

Sprout out, yet with more life, braue glorious streame

Growe to a Tyde, and sinke the Grecian fleete

In seas of Aiax blood: so ho, so ho.

Lure backe my soule againe, which in amaze

Gropes for a perch to rest on: Heart, great heart

Swell bigger yet and spl [...]t, know gods, know men,

Furies, inraged Spirits, Tortures all,

Aiax by none could but by Aiax fall.

He kills himselfe.

Enter on the one part Agamemnon, Vlisses, Menelaus, Diomed, with the body of Hector borne by Grecian souldiers: On the other part, Priam, Paris, Deiphebus, Aeneas, Anthenor, with the body of Achilles borne by Troian souldiers, they interchange them, and so with traling the Colours on both sides depart▪ Thersites onely stayes behinde and concludes.

The Epilogue.

Ther.

A sweete exchange of Treasure, term't I may▪

Euen earth for ashes, and meere dust for clay:

Let Aiax kill himselfe, and say 'twas braue

Hector, a worthy Call, yet could not saue

[Page] Poore foole his Coxcombe: Achilles beare him hye,

And Troilus boldly, all these braue ones dye.

Ha, ha, iudge you; Is it not better farre

To keepe our selues in breath, and linger warre:

Had all these fought as I'ue done, such my care

Hath beene on both sides, that presume I dare,

These had with thousands more suruiu'd: Iudge th'hoast,

I shed no blood, no blood at all haue lost:

They shall not see young Pirhus, nor the Queene

Penthiselea, which had they but beene

As wise as I, they might: nor Sinon, hee

Famous of all men, to be most like mee.

Nor after these, Orestes, and his mother

Pillades Egistus with a many other

Our second part doth promise: These if I fayle,

As I on them; you on Thersites rayle.

Explicit Actus Quintus.

FJNJS.

§

[Page]

TAM ROBVR · TAM ROBOR. NI-COLIS ARBOR IOVIS. 1610.

LONDON. Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1632.

The second Part of the IRON AGE: VVith the Destruction of TROY.

The second Part of the IRON AGE: VVith the Destruction of TROY.

§

[Page]

THE Second Part of the Iron Age VVhich contayneth the death of Penthesilea, Paris Priam, and Hecuba: The burning of Troy: The deaths of Agamemnon, Menelaus, Clitemnestra, Hellena, Orestes, Egistus, Pillades, King Diomed, Pyrhus, Cethus, Synon, Thersites, &c. Written by THOMAS HEYVVOOD.

Aut prodesse solent aut Delectare.

[figure]

Printed at London by Nicholas Okes. 1632.

[Page]

Drammatis personae.

New persons not presented in the former part of this History.

Pyrhus the sonne of Achilles,

surnamed Neoptolemus.

Synon a perin [...]ed Greeke, by whose teares Troy was set on fire.

Chorebus a Prince, who came to the warres for the loue of Cassandra.

Laocoon, a priest of Apollo.

Polites, a young sonne of King

Priam, and Queene Hecuba.

A Troian Citizen. & his wife.

A second Troian.

Souldiers of Greece.

Souldiers of Troy.

The Ghost of Hector.

A Lord of Mycena.

A Guard.

Penthesilea Queene of the Amazons, with her trayne of Ʋiragoes.

Cethus sonne to King Naulus, and brother of Palamides.

Pillades the friend of Orestes.

Orestes sonne to King Agamemnon, and his Queene Clitemnestra.

Electra, sister to Orestes.

Hermione daughter to King

Menelaus and Q. Hellen.

Clitemnestra wife and Queene to Agamemnon.

Eg [...]stus a fauorite to Queene Clitemnestra.

The Priest of Apollo▪ Attendants.

[Page]

To the Reader.

COurteous Reader: I commend vnto thee an intire History, from Iupiter and Saturne, to the v [...]ter subuersion of Troy▪ with a faithfull account of the Deathes of all these Princes of Greece, who had hand in the Fate thereof, (Vlisses only excepted, to whom belongeth a further History.) Reade freely, and censure fauourably. These Ages haue beene long since Writ, and suited with the Time then: I know not how they may beereceiued in this Age, where nothing but Satirica Dictaeria, and Comica Scommata are now inrequest: For mine owne part, I neuer affected either▪ when they stretched to the abuse of any person publicke, or priuate. If the three former Ages (now out of Print,) bee added to these (as I am promised) to make vp an handsome Volumne; I purpose (Deo Assistente,) to illustrate [Page] the whole Worke, with an Explanation of all he difficulties, and an Historicall Comment of euery hard name, which may appeare obscure or intricate to such as are not frequent in Poetry: Which (as the rest) I shall freely deuote to thy fauorable perusall, in this as all the rest industrious to thy pleasure and profit:

Thomas Heywood

[Page]

Tomy VVorthy and much Respected Friend, Mr. Thomas Mannering Esquire.

Worthy Sir,

ANd my much respected Friend: The Impression of your Loue, after so many yeares acknowledgment, inforceth me that I cannot chuse, but in my best recollection, to number you in the File and List of my best and cho ycest Wellwishers. True it is, that my vnable merit hath euer come much short of your ample acknowledgement: Howsoe [...]er, though you bee now absent in the Countrey, vppon a necessary retyrement; yet let this witnesse in my behalfe, that you are not altogether vnremembred in the Citty: Nor take it vnkindly at my hands that I hauereserued your name to the Catastrophe and conclusion of this Worke: Since being Scoena nouissima, [Page] It must be consequently the fresher in memory; as you haue had euer a charitable and indulgent censure of such poore peeces of mine, as haue come accedentally vnto your view. So I intreate you now, (as one better able to iudge, then I to determine) to receiue into your fauourable patronage, this second part of the Iron Age. I much deceiue my selfe, if J heard you not once commend it, when you saw it Acted; if you persist in the same opinion, when you shall spare some sorted houres to heare it read, in your paynes, I shal hold my selfe much pleased: ouer remaining

Yours, not to be chang'd: Thomas Heywood.

[Page]The second Part of the IRON AGE: VVith the Destruction of TROY.

1

Enter Agamemnon, Menelaus, Vlisses, Diomed, Thersites. Drum, Colours, Souldiers, &c.

Agamemnon.

YOu Terrors of the Asian Monarchy,

And Europes glory: Warlike Lords of Greece:

Although the great Prince of the Mirmidons,

And arme-strong Aiax, our best Champions,

Be by the gods bereft vs: yet now comes

A Phoenix out of their cold ashes rising:

Pyrhus, sirnamed Neoptolemus:

On whom for his deceased fathers sake,

Wee must bestow some honours. Menelaus,

Vlisses, Diomed, giue the Prince meeting,

And be his conduct to the Generall.

A flourish. Enter the Kings before named, bringing in Pyrhus, Synon, with attendants.

Aga.

Pyrhus kneele downe, we girt thee with this sword,

[Page] It was thy fathers. In his warlike hand

It hath cleft Troians to the nauell downe,

Par'd heads off faster then the haruest Sithe

Doth the thin stalkes, or bending eares of graine:

Weare it, and draw it to reuenge his death.

Princes, performe your seuerall ceremonies.

Di [...].

These golden spurs I fasten to thine heeles,

The same thy warlike father wonne in field,

When Hector tide with thonges to his steeds fet-locks,

Was drag d about the high built wals of Troy.

Ʋlis.

This Armour, and this plumed Burgonet,

In which thy father, like a rampier'd wall,

Opposde the fury of his enemies,

(By generall consent of all these Princes

Attributed to me) loe I surrender

To youthful Neoptolemus, weare it Prince,

Not all the world yeeldes a more strong defence.

Mene.

Achilles Tent, his Treasure, and his iewels,

We haue reseru'd, inioy them noble Pyrhus;

And lastly his strong guard of Mirmidons,

And with the honour hee with these haue wonne,

His Sword, Spurs, Armour, Guard, Pauileon,

Be by his valiant sonne much dignified.

Pyr.

Before I touch the handle of his sword,

Or to my Knightly spurres direct my eyes,

Lace this rich Armour to my youthfull sides,

Or roofe mine head within this warlike Tent,

Make proofe of this his plumed Burgonet,

Or take on me the leading of his Guard:

Witnesse you Grecian Princes, what I vow:

By Saturnes sonne, the sire of Aeacus,

Begot on faire Europa; by their issue,

The second Iudge, plac'd on the infernall bench

I will discend to Peleus, and from him,

Euen to my naturall father, with whose honours

I ioyne my mother Deidamiaes

And in my venge [...]ull oath include them all,

[Page] Till Priam be compel'd to shut his Gates

For want of men: [...]le be as merci [...]esse

As vntam'd Lyons, and the flesh-fed Beares,

Blood shall looke brighter in young Pyrhus eyes

Then disso [...]u [...]d Christall, till o [...]d Priams haires

Be dy'de in goare: till Hecub's [...]euerent lockes

Be gu [...]'d in slaughter; all their son [...]es and daughters,

Subiects, and Citty quite confus'd in ruine,

Bow to our merciles [...]e fury: Ile not leaue

This blacke and fatall siege; and this I [...]weare

As I am Prince, and great Achille [...] heire.

Aga.

Euen in thy lookes I read the sack of Troy,

And [...]riams Tragedy: welcome sweete Pyrhus,

And welcome you his warlike followers.

Syn.

where be these Troians? I would faine behold

Their wing'd battalions grapple? I would see

The batter'd center fiye about their eares

In cloudes of dust: I would haue horses hoofes

Beate thunder out of earth: the chariot Trees

I would see drown'd in blood, Scamander plaines

Ore-spread with intrailes bak'd in blood and dust:

With terrour I would haue this day as blacke,

As when Hyperion leaping from his Spheare,

Cast vgly darknesse from his Chariot wheeles,

And in this vail'd confusion the faint Troians

Beate backe into the Yowne: I'de see their Gates

Entred, and fire by their high Battlements

Climing toward heauen: the pauement of th'streets

I'de see pau'd ore with faces: infants tost

On Lances poynts: big-bellied Ladies flung

From out their casements: I'd haue all their soules

Set vpon wings, and Troy, no Troy, but fire,

As if ten thousand Comets ioyn'd in one,

To close the world in red confusion.

Py.

Wel spake bold Synon; and my Lords of Greece,

This fellow boasts no more then with his sword,

Hee will aduenture for, and should that [...]ayle,

[Page] He'le set his braine to worke. I tell you Princes,

My Grandsire Lycomedes hath made proofe

Of Synons pollicies, state-quaking proiects

Are hand-maides to his braine; and he hath spirit

To driue his plots euen to the doore of Death,

With rare effects, and then not all the world

Affoords a villaine more incomparable,

Then Synon my attendant. Warlike Princes,

I speake this to his prayse: and I professe

My selfe as sterne, bloody, and mercilesse.

Ther.

I haue not heard a brauer Character

Giuen to a Greeke: and had hee but my rayling▪

He were a man compleate.

Syn.

Sure there is something

Aboue a common man in yon same fellow,

Whom nature hath so markt, and were his mind

As crooked as his body, hee were one

I could bee much in loue with.

Ther.

Hee hath a feature

That I could court, nay will: I would not loose

His friendship and acquaintance for the world.

Mee thinkes you are a comely Gentleman.

Syn.

I euer held my selfe so: and mine eye

Giues you no lesse: of all the Grecians here

Thou haft a face like mine, that feares no weather▪

A shape that warre it selfe cannot deforme:

I best loue such complexions.

Ther.

By the gods

Wee haue two meeting soules: be my sweete Vrchin▪

Syn.

I will,

An thou shalt bee mine vgly Toade.

Ther.

A match: be wee hence forth brothers and friends.

Syn.

Imbrace then friend and brother: my deare Toade▪

Ther.

My amiable Vrchin.

Pyr.

I long for worke, will not these Troians come,

To welcome Pyrhus, great Achilles sonne?

Vlyss.

Their drummes proclayme them ready for the field.

[Page] Enter Priam, Paris, Penthesilea, and her traine o [...] Viragoes, Aeneas, Chorebus, Laocoon, Anthenor, &c.

Aga.

Perhaps King Priam hath not yet related

The newes of Neoptolemus arriue,

That hee presumes thus, weakned as he is,

To ope his Gates, and meete vs in the field.

Pyr.

Tis like hee hath, because for want of men

Hee brings a troope of Women to the field:

Most sure hee thinkes, wee (like our warlike father)

Will be insnar'd with beauty: Priam no,

We for his death, are sworne vaine beauties foe.

Penth.

Artthou Achilles sonne, beneath whose hand

Assisted by his bloody Mirmidons,

The valiant Hector fell?

Pyr.

Woman I am.

Penth.

Thou shouldst be then a Coward.

Pyr.

How?

Penth.

Euen so:

Thy father was a foe dishonourable▪

And so the world reputes him.

Pyr.

By all the gods—

Pent.

Sweare not, for ere the closure of the battaile,

If both the Generals please, with my good sword,

In single combate Ile make good my word.

Pyr.

O that thou wert a man! but womens tongues

Are priuiledg'd: come Priam, all his sonnes,

The whole remayne of fifty, Ile make good

My fathers honour gainst sufficient oddes.

But for these scoulds, we leaue them to their sexe▪

What make they amongst [...]ouldiers.

Penth.

Scorne not prou [...] Pyrhus

Our presence in the field; I tell thee Prince,

I am a Queene, the Queene of Amazons,

A warlike Nation disciplin'd in Armes.

Pyr.

Are you those Harlots famous through the wo [...]ld,

[Page] That haue vsurpt a Kingdome to your selaes,

And pent your sweete hearts in a barren isle,

Where your adulterate sportes are exercis'd.

Pent.

Curbe thy irregular tong: we are those women

That practise armes, by which we purchase fame.

All the yeare long, onely three monethes excepted,

Those wherein Phoebus driues his Chariot,

In height of splendor through the burning Cancer,

The fiery Lyon, and the Virgins signe:

Then we forsake our Sun-burnt Continent,

And in a cooler clime, sport with our men,

And then returne▪ if we haue issue male,

Wee nurse them vp, then send them to their Fathers.

If females, we then keepe them, and with irons

Their right paps we seare off, with better ease

To couch their speares, and practise feates of armes.

We are those women, who expel'd our Land

By Aegypts Tyrant: Conquered Asia,

Aegypt and Cappadocia: these two Ladies

Discend from Men [...]lippe and Hyppolita,

Who in Antiopes raigne▪ fou [...]ht hand to hand

With Hercules and Theseus; we are those

That came for loue of hector to the field,

And (being murdred) to reuenge his death.

Py.

Then welcome Amazonians, as I liue

I loue you though I hate you: but beware,

Hate will out-way my loue, and ile not spare

Your [...]usl ind squadrons: for my fathers fall,

Troians, and Amazonians perish all.

Ex [...]unt.

Alarum. Enter Pyrhus and Penthesilea.

Py.

Now Queene of Amazons, by the strong spirit

Achilles left his sonne, I let thee know

My father was an honourable Foe.

Pent.

Defiance Pyrhus, ile to death proclaime,

Hector was by Achilles basely slayne:

And on his sonnes head, with my keene edg'd sword,

And th [...]dring stroaks, I wll make good my word.

[Page] Alarum. They are both wounded, and diuided by the two armies, who confusedly come betwixt them: to Pyrhus enter Agamemnon, Vlisses, and Menelaus.

Vlis.

What? wounded noble Pirhus?

Pyr.

Wounded? no,

I haue not met one that can raze the skinne

Of great Achilles sonne.

Aga.

Yet blood drops from your arme.

Pyr.

Not possible!

Tis sure the blood of some slayne enemy.

Come lets vs breake into the battailes center,

And too't pel mel.

Mene.

But Neoptolemus,

Wee prise thy safety more then all aduantage:

Retire thy sel [...]e to haue thy wounds bound vp,

Pyr.

Cowards feare death,

Ile venge my blood, though with the losse of breath.

Alarum. Enter Paris.

Art thou a mad-man fellow, that aduenturest

So neere the blood of Neoptolemus,

Whose smallest drop must cost a Troians life.

Par.

Art thou the bleeding [...]s [...]ue of that Greeke?

I, in reuenge of noble Hectors death,

Slew in Apolloes Temple.

Pyr.

Art thou then

That coward and effeminate Troian boy.

Pa.

Arme wounded Greek, I slew the false Achilles,

An act which I am proud of.

Aga.

Fall on the murderer,

And flake him smaller then the Lybean sand.

Pyr.

If any but my selfe offer one blow,

Ile on the Troians party oppose him.

Come Paris, though against the oddes of breath,

Achilles wounded sonne, will venge his death.

Paris is slayne by Pyrhus. A retreate sounded.

[Page] Enter then King Diomed, and Synon.

Dio.

Why sound the Troians this retreate?

Syn

Paris is [...]ayne, and Penthisilea

Wounded by Pyrhus.

Dio.

Come then Synon

Goe with me to my Tent, this night we'le reuell

With beauteous Cressida.

Syn.

Not I, I hate all women, painted beauty

And I am opposites: I loue thee lesse

Because thou doat'st on Troian Cressida.

Dio.

She's worthy of our loue: I tell thee Synon,

Shee is both constant, wise, and beautifull.

Syn.

She's neither constant, wise, nor beautifull,

Ile prooue it Diomed: foure Elements

Meete in the structure of that Cressida,

Of which there's not one pure: she's compact

Meerely of blood, of bones and rotten flesh,

Which makes her Leaprous, where the Sun exhales

The moyst complexion, it doth putrifie

The region of th'ayre: there's then another,

Sometimes the Sunne sits muffled in his Caue,

Whilst from the Clouds flye hideous showers of raine,

Which sweepes the earths corruption into Brookes,

Brookes into riuers, Riuers send their tribute,

As they receiue it to their Soueraigne

The seething Ocean: Thus Earth, Ayre, and Water,

Are all infected, she then fram'd of these,

Can she be beautefull? No Diomed,

If they seeme faire, they haue the helpe of Arte,

By nature they are vgly.

Dio.

Leaue this detraction.

Syn.

Now for this Cressids wisedome, is she wise,

Who would forsake her birth-right, her b [...]aue friend,

The constant Troylus, for King Diomed;

To trust the faith of Greekes, and to loue thee

That art to Troy a profest enemy?

Dio.

Ca [...]t thou disproue her constancy?

[Page]Syn.

I can.

Neuer was woman constant to one man:

For proofe, doe thou but put into one scale

A feather, in the other Cressids truth,

The feather shall downe weigh it: Diomed

Wilt thou beleeue me, if I win not Cressid

To be my sweete heart: yet haue no such face,

No such proportion, to bewitch a Lady▪

I neuer practis'd court-ship, but am blunt;

Nor can I file my tongue: yet if I winne not

The most chast woman, I will cut it out.

Shall I make proofe with her?

Enter Cressida.

Dio.

There shee comes,

Affront her Synon, Ile with-draw vnseene▪

Syn.

A gallant Lady, who but such a villaine▪

As Synon would betray her: but my vowe

Is past, for she's a Troian. Cressida,

You are well incountred: whether away sweet Lady?

Cres.

To meete with Kingly Diomed, and with kisses

Conduct him to his Tent.

Syn.

Tis kindly done:

You loue King Diomed then?

Cres.

As mine owne life.

Syn.

What seest thou in him that is worth thy loue▪

Cres.

He's of a faire and comely personage.

Syn.

Personage? ha, ha.

I prithee looke on me▪ and view me well,

And thou wilt find some difference.

Cres.

True, more oddes

Twixt him and thee, then betwixt Mercury

And limping V [...]can.

Syn.

Yetas fayre a blowse

As you, sweete Lady, wedded with that Smith▪

And bedded too, a blacke complexion

Is alwayes precious in a womans eye:

Leaue Diomed, and loue me Cressida.

[Page]Cres.

Thee.

Syn.

Mee.

Cres.

Deformity forbeare, I will to Diomed

Make knowne thine insolence.

Syn.

I care not, for I, not desire to liue,

If not belou'd of Cressid: tell the King

If hee stood by, I would not spare a word.

For thine owne part, rare goddesse, I adore thee,

And owe thee diuine reuerence: Diomed

Indeed's Aetolians King, and hath a Queene.

Cres.

A Queene?

Syn.

A Queene, that shal hereafter question thee:

Or canst thou thinke hee loues thee really

Beeing a Troian, but for present vse:

Can Greekes loue Troians, are they not all sworne

To do them outrage?

Cres.

How canst thou then loue me?

Syn.

I am a pollitician, oathes with me

Are but the tooles I worke with, I may breake

An oath by my profession. Heare me further,

Think'st thou King Diomed, forgets thy breach

Of loue with Troylus? Ey or that he hopes

Thou canst be constant to a second friend,

That wast so false vnto thy first belou'd.

Cres.

Syn [...]n thou art deceiu'd `thou knowst I neuer

Had left Prince Troylus, but by the command

Of my old father Calchas.

Syn.

Then loue Diomed;

Yes, do so still, but Cressid marke the end▪

If euer hee transport thee to Ae [...]olia,

His Queene wil bid thee welcome with a vengance:

Hast thou more eyes then these? she'le fal to work▪

For such an other Vixen thou nere knewest▪

Come Cressida bee wise.

Cres.

What shall I doe?

Syn.

Loue me, loue Synon.

Cres.

Synon loues not mee▪

[Page]Syn.

Ile sweare I do.

Cres.

I heard thee say, that thou wouldst breake thine oath▪

Syn.

Then Ile not sweare, because I will not breake it:

But yet I loue thee Cressida, loue mee,

Ile leaue the warres vnfinisht, Troy vnsackt;

And to my natiue Country beare thee hence:

Nay wench Ile do't; come kisse me Cressida.

Cres.

Well, you may vse your pleasure;

But good Synon keep this from Diomed.

Enter King Diomed.

Dio.

Oh periured strumpet,

Is this thy faith? now Synon Ile beleeue

There is no truth in women.

Cres.

Am [...] betrayed? oh thou base vgly villaine,

Ile pull thine eyes out.

Syn.

Ha, ha, King Diomed,

Did I not tell thee what thy sweet heart was.

Cres.

Thou art a Traytor to all woman kinde.

Syn.

I am, and nought more grieues me then to

Thinke, a woman was my mother.

Cres.

A villaine.

Syn.

Right.

Cres.

A Diuell.

Syn.

Little better.

Dio.

Go get you backe to Troy, away, begon,

You shall no more be my Companion.

Syn.

And now faire [...]roian Weather-hen adew▪

And when thou next louest, thinke to be more true▪

Exit.

Cres.

Oh all you powers, aboue looke downe and see▪

How I am punisht for my periury.

Alarum. Enter Penthesilea with her Amazonians.

Penth.

Stay, what sad Lady's this? whence are you woman?

Of Troy or Greece?

Cres.

I was of Troy till lone drew me from thence,

But since haue soiourn'd in the Tents of Greece,

[Page] With Diomed King of Etolin:

Oh had I neuer knowne him.

Pent.

Would you trust

You honour amongst strangers? but sweete Lady

Discourse your wrongs.

Cres.

I was betray'd:

It shames mee to relate the circumstance,

By a false Greeke, one that doth hate our sexe,

One Synon, if you meete him in the battaile,

I with my teares intreate you be reueng'd.

Pent.

How might wee know him?

Cres.

His visage swart, and earthy ore his shoulder

Hangs lockes of hayre, blacke as the Rauens phunes:

His eyes downe looking, you shall hardly see

One in whose shape appeares more treachery.

Pent.

We loose much time: Lady haft you to Troy,

And if we meete a fellow in the battaile

Of your description, by our honor'd names,

We'le haue his blood to recompence our shames.

Alarum. Enter Thersites.

Amaz.

By her description this should be the man

Ther.

Compast with smockes and long coates:

Now you whoores.

Pent.

Is thy name Synon?

Ther.

No, but I know Synon.

Hee is my friend and brother.

Ama.

For Synons sake, prepare thy selfe for [...]aughter▪

Enter Synon.

Syn.

He▪ who names Synon?

Ther.

Brother thou nere couldst come in better time:

See, see, how I am rounded.

Pent.

Were euer such a payre of Diuels feene?

They are so like, they needes must bee allied.

Syn.

What can their Dammes say to vs?

Pent.

You betray Ladies, enuy all our sexe,

And that you now shall pay for girt him round.

Syn.

I recan [...] nothing, [...] me sweete fac'd brother:

[Page] And now you witches▪ [...]arlets, drabes, and queanes,

We'le cut you all to fragments.

Alarum. Synon and hersites beaten off by the Amazons. Pyrhus enters, fights with Penthesilea, after this a retreate sounded, then enters Menelaus, Aganieninon, Vlisses, Diomed.

Aga.

The Troians sound retreate.

Vliss.

Who saw young Pyrhus?

Mene.

I feare his too much rage hath spur'd him on

Too farre amongst the Amazonian troopes.

Enter Synon and Ther [...]ites.

Syn.

Why stand you idle here, and let the Troians

Lead warlike Pyrhus prisoner to the Towne.

Agam.

How Pyrhus prisoner?

Ther.

Wee saw him compast by the Amazous:

Penthesil [...] with her bustain troopes.

Layd load vpon his Helme.

Ʋliss.

Then this retreate

Vpon the suddaine argues that they lead him

Captiue to Troy.

Enter Pyrhus.

Pyr.

Courage braue Princes, I haue got a prise

Worthy the purchase, on my Launces poynt

Sits pearcht the Amazonians lopt off head,

Vpon my warlike sword her bleeding arme,

At sight of which the Troians sound retreate:

The honour of this day belongs to vs.

Omnes.

To none but Neoptolemus.

Pyr.

Synon you play'd the coward: so Thersites.

Ther.

If not so.

I had not liu'd to see Troyes ouerthrow

Syn.

When didst thou euer see a villaine valiant?

What's past remember not, but what's to come:

Priam hath shut his Gates, and will no more

Meete him in armes: can you with all your valour

Glide through the wals, if not what are you neerer

For all your Ten yeares siege?

[Page]Pyr.

Tis true, some stratagem to enter Troy

Were admirable: for Princes till I see

The Temple burne wherein my father dyde,

And Troy no Troy but ashes; my reuenge

Will haue no sterne aspect, till I behold

Troyes ground-sils swim in pooles of crimson goare

Ramnusia's Alter fild with flowing helmes

Of blood and braines: Priam and Hecuba

Drag'd by this hand to death, and this my sword

Ra [...]ish the brest of faire Polixena,

I shall not thinke my fathers death reueng'd.

Aga.

To him that can contriue

A stratagem by which to enter Troy,

Ile giue the whole spoile of Apolloes Temple.

Mene.

I my rich Tent.

Ʋlis.

I the Palladium that I brought from Troy.

Dio.

I all my birth-right in Aetoli [...].

Syn.

Peace, tis here: I ha't.

Pyr.

Ile hugge thee Synon.

Syn.

Touch me not, away:

There're more hammers beating in my braine

Then euer toucht Vulcans Anuile, more Ideaes

Then Attomes, Embrions innumerable▪

Growing to perfect shape; and now 'tis good.

Call for Endimions bastard, where's Epeus?

Ile set him straight a worke.

Pyr.

Vpon some Engine Synon.

Syn.

A horse, a horse.

Pyr.

Ten Kingdomes for a horse to enter Troy.

Syn.

Stay, let me see:

Vlisses you haue the Palladium.

Vlis.

I haue so.

Syn.

Call for Epeus then, the Generall

Hath no command in him.

Agam.

Lets know the proiect.

Syn.

And that Palladium stood in Pall [...] Temple,

And Consecrate to her.

[Page]Vlis.

It did so.

Syn.

Call for Epeus then.

Pyr.

Lets heare what thou intendest.

Syn.

Ile haue an Horse built with so huge a bulke,

As shall contayne a thousand men in Armes.

Pyr.

And enter Troy with that?

Syn.

Doo't you, you trouble mine inuention,

I am growne muddy with your interruption:

Good young man lend more patience, heare me out:

This Engine fram'd, and stuft with armed Gre [...]kes.

(Will you take downe your Tents, march backe to Tenedos?)

Pyr.

What shall the Horse doe then?

Syn.

Not gallop as your tongue doth: good Vlisses

Lend me your apprehension; when the Troians

Finde you are gone aboord, theyle straight suppose

You'l not weigh Anchor: till the gods informe you

Of your successe at Sea: if then a villaine

Can driue into their eares, the goddesse Pallas

Offended for her stolne Palladium:

(Will you erect this Machine to her honour?)

Withall that were it brought into her Temple,

It would retayne the gilt Palladiums vertue.

Might not the forged tale mooue aged Priam,

To hale this Engine presently to Troy,

Pull downe his wals for entrance, leaue a breach

Where in the dead of night, all your whole Army

May enter, take them sleeping in their beds,

And put them all to sword.

Agam.

Tis rare!

Pyr.

Tis admirable, I will aduenture

My person in the Horse.

Syn.

Do so, and get a thousand spirits more.

King Agamemnon, if you like the proiect,

Downe with your Tent.

Agam.

Synon, wee will,

Syn.

Ile set a lightvpon the wals of Troy

Shall giue the summous when you shall returne▪

[Page] About it Princes: Pyrhus get you men

In readinesse, I will expose my selfe

To bewitch Priam with a weeping tale,

I cannot to the life describe in words,

What Ile expresse in action.

Agam.

Downe with our Tents.

Pyr.

Ile to picke out bold Greeks to fil the horse:

Shine bright you lampes of Heaueu, for ere't be long

We'le dim your radiant beames with flaming lights

And bloody meteors, from Troyes burning streetes.

Syn.

Such sights are glorious sparks in Synons eies,

Who longs to feast the Diuell with Tragedies.

Explicit Actus primus.

Actus Secundus: Scoena prima.

Enter Aeneas, and Chorebus.

Aenea [...]

The Grecians gone?

Cho.

All their tents rais'd, their ten yeares siege remoon'd▪

Now Troy may rest securely.

Aene.

They may report at their returne to Greece

The welcome they haue had: what haue they wonne?

But wounds, Times losse, shame, and confussion.

Enter K. Priam, Anthenor, young Polytes, Polixena, Hecuba, and Hellen, with attendance.

Pri.

We now are Lord of our owne Territories,

Ten yeares kept from vs by th'inuading Greekes▪

Now wee may freely take a full suruey

Of all Scamander plaine, drunke with the mixture

Of th'opposite bloods of Troians and of Greekes.

Hecu.

And royall Husband we haue cause to ioy,

That after so long siege the Greekes are f [...]ed,

And you in peace may rest your aged head.

[Page]Aene.

Vpon this East-side stood Vlisses Tent,

The polliticke Greeke.

Cho.

There was old Nestors quarter,

And Agamemnons that; the Generall.

Pria.

Vpon the north-side of the field, Achilles

That bloody Greeke pitcht, and vpon this plaine,

I well remember, was my Hector slayne.

Hel.

This empty place being South from all the rest,

The valiant Diomed hath oft made good,

And here, euen here, his rich Pauillion stood.

Hecu.

But here, euen here, neere to Duke Aiax tent,

Round girt with Mirmidons, my Troilus fell.

Cho.

Then was this place a standing Lake of blood,

Part of which moysture the bright Sunne exhald;

And part the thirsty earth hath quaft to Mars:

But now the swords on eyther part are sheath'd,

And after ten yeares tumults warres surcease,

They layding their ships home with shamefull peace.

Pria.

For which we'le prayse the gods, banquet and feast,

Since by their flight, our glorious fame's increast.

The Horse is discouered.

Aene.

Soft, what huge Engine's that left on the strond,

That beares the shape and figure of an Horse.

Cho.

What, shal we hew it peace-meale with our swords?

Pria.

Oh be not rash, sure tis some mistery

That this great Architecture doth include.

Cho.

But mine opinion is, this Steedes huge bulke

Is stuft with Greekish guile.

Aene.

I rather thinke

It is some monumentall Edifice

Vnto the goddesse Pallas consecrate:

Then spare your fury.

Enter Laocoon with a Iauelin.

La [...].

Why stand you gazing at this horrid craft,

Forg'd by the flye Vlisses, is his braine

[Page] Vnknowne in Troy? or can you looke for safety

From those who ten yeares haue besieg'd your wals?

Either this huge swolne bulke is big with souldiers,

Longing to be deliuer'd of arm'd Greekes,

Whose monstrous fatall and abhorred birth,

Will be Troyes ruine: else this hill of timber

This horse-like structure stabled vp in Troy,

Wil spurne down these our wals, our towers demolish,

Which it shall neuer: come you Troian youth

That loue the publicke safety, no proud Greeke

Vpon this Steedes backe, o're 'Troyes wall shall ride.

First with this Iauelin Ile transpearce his side.

Pria.

What meanes Laoooon?

Aene.

Princes stay his fury.

Lao.

Harke Troians, if a iarring noyse of Armes,

Sighed not throw these deep Cauernes, I devine

This gluttenous wombe hath swallowed a whole band

Of men in steele, then with your swords and glaues

Rip vp his tough sides, and imbowell him,

That we may prooue how they haue lin'd his intrailes.

Enter two souldiers bringing in Synon bound.

Soul.

Stay, and proceed, no further in your rage,

Till we haue learnt some nouell from this Greeke,

Whom in a ditch we found fast giu'd and bound.

Pria.

Laocoon cease thy violence till we know

From that poore Grecian, what that Machine meanes.

Syn.

Oh me, (of all on earth most miserable,)

Whom neither Heauens will succour, earth preserue,

Nor seas keepe safe, I, whom the Heauens dispise,

The Earth abandnos, and the Seas disdaine:

Where shal I shroud me? whom, but now the Greekes

Threatned with vengeance; and escap'd from them,

Falne now into the hands of Troians, menacing death:

The world affoords no place, to wretched Synon,

Of comfort, for where ere I fixe my foote,

[Page] I tread vpon my graue: the foure vast corners

Of this large Vniuerse, in all their roomes

And spacious emptinesse, will not affoord me

My bodies length of rest: where ere I flye,

Or stay, or turne, Death's th'obiect of mine eye!

Pria.

What art thou? or whence com'st thou? briefly speake?

Thou wretched man, thou moou'st vs with thy teares:

Vnbind him souldiers.

Syn.

Shall I deny my selfe to be of Greece?

Because I am brought Captiue into Troy?

No Synon cannot lye: Heauen, Earth, and Sea,

From all which I am out-cast, witnesse with me

That Synon cannot lye: thrice damn'd Vlisses,

The black-hair'd Pyrhus, and horned Menelaus

Grook-back'd Thersites, luxurious Di [...]med,

And all the rable of detested Greekes,

I call to witnesse, Synon cannot lye.

Could I haue oyl'd my tongue, and cring'd my ham,

Suppled mine humble knee to croutch and bend,

Heau'd at my bonnet, shrugg'd my shoulders thus,

Grin'd in their faces, Synon then had stood,

Whom now this houre must stue in his own blood.

Aene.

The perfect image of a wretched creature,

His speeches begge remorse.

Pria.

Alas good man,

Shake off the timerous feare of seruile death,

Though 'mongst vs Troians, and thy selfe a Greeke,

Thou art not now amongst thine enemies,

Thy life Ile warrant, onely let vs know

What this Horse meanes.

Syn.

Greece I renounce thee, thou hast throwne me off,

Faire Troy [...] am thy creature. Now Ile vnrip

Vlisses craft, my fatall enemy.

Who sold to death the Duke Palamides,

My Kinsman Troians (though in garments torne)

Synon stands here, yet is he nobly borne:

For that knowne murder did I haint his Tent

[Page] With rayling menaces, horrible exclaimes,

Many a blacke-saint, of wishes, oathes, and curses

Haue I sung at his window, then demaunding

Iustice of Agamemnon, Diomed,

Duke Nestor with the other Lords of Greece,

For murder of the Prince Palamides,

And being denide it in my most vexation,

My bitter tongue spar'd not to barke at them:

For this I was obseru'd, lookt through and through

Ʋlisses braine had markt me, for my tongue

And fatted me for death by Calchas meanes,

He wrought so farre that I should haue bin offred

Vnto the gods for sacrifice, the Priest

Lifting his hand aloft to strike me dead,

I lept downe from the Altar, and so fled,

Pursuite and search was made, but I lay safe

In a thicke tuft of sedge, till I was found

By these your souldiers, who thus brought me bound.

Pria.

Thou now art free secur'd from all their tyrannys

Now tell vs what's the meaning of this Horse?

Why haue they left him here, themselues being gon?

Syn.

My new releas'd hands, thus I heaue on hye,

Witnesse you gods, that Synon cannot lye,

But as a new adopted Troian now

By Priams grace; I here protest by Ioue,

By these eternall fires that spangle Heauen,

The Alter, and that sacrificing sword,

Beneath whose stroake I lay, since my base Country

Casts me away to death, I am now borne

A sonne of Troy: not Hector whilst he liu'd

More dammag'd Greece by his all wounding arme,

Then I by my discouery: Well, you know

How the Greekes honour Pallas, who inceast

Because Vl [...]sses the Palladium stole

Out of her Temple, and her Warders slew,

In rage she threatned ruine to all Greece:

Therefore to her hath Calchas built this Horse.

[Page] (Greece pardon me, and all my Countrey gods

Be deafe to Synons tale, and let it bee

Henceforth forgot that I was borne in Greece,

Least times to come record what I reueale,

The blacke confusion of my Natiue weale.

Priam.

And what's that Synon?

Syn.

Where left I? at the Horse, built of that size,

Lēast you should giue it entrance at your Gates:

For know should your [...]ude hands da [...]e to prophan

This gift sacred to Pallas; Rots and diseases,

Pests and infections shall depopulate you,

And in a small short season, they returning,

Shal see thy subiects slain, faire Troy bright burning.

I'm euen with thee Vlisses, and my breath

Strikes all Greece home for my intended death.

Pria.

Thankes Synon, we shall bounteously reward thee,

Aene.

And see my Leige, to make good his report,

Laocoon, he that with his Iauelin pierst

This gift of Pallas, round embrac'd with Snakes,

That winde their traines about his wounded wast,

And for his late presumption sting him dead.

Pria.

We haue not seene so strange a prodigy,

Laocoon hath offended all the gods,

In his prophane attempt.

Syn.

Then lend your helping hands,

To lift vp that Pallad an monument

Into Troyes Citty: Leauers, Cables, Cords.

Cho.

It cannot enter through the Citty Gates.

Syn.

Downe with the wals then.

Cho.

These wals that ten yeares haue defended Troy,

For all their seruice shall wee ruine them.

Syn.

But this shall not defend you for ten yeares,

But make your Towne impregnable for euer.

Pria.

Downe with the wals then, each man lend a hand.

Cho.

I heare a noyse of Armour.

Aene.

Ha, what's that?

Cho.

I feare some treason in that Horse inclosed:

[Page] Nor will I lend an hand to hale him in.

Omnes.

Downe with the Wals.

Aene.

And Troians now after your ten years toile,

Dayes battailes, the fields trouble, and nights watch,

This is the first of all your rest, feast, banquet, ioy and play,

Pallas is ours, the Greekes say [...]'d hence away.

Pria.

Here we release all Centries and commit

Our broken wals to her Celestiall guard:

We will rew [...]d thee Synon, the Greekes gone,

Prian. may [...] est his age, in his soft throne.

Exe.

Syn.

S [...], so, so,

S [...]non I hope shall warme his hands annon,

A [...] a bright goodly bone-fire: Here's the Key

Vnto this Macnine by Ep [...]us built,

Which hath already with his brazen brest,

Tilt ed Tro [...]es wall downe, and annon being drunke

With the best blood of Greece, in dead of night

Hauing surcharg'd his stomacke, will spew out

A thousand men in Armes: sweet mid-night come,

I long to maske me in thy sable Wings,

That I may do some mischiefe and blacke deedes:

We shall haue rare sport, admirable spoyle,

Cutting of throats, with stabbing, wounding, killing

Some dead a sleep, and some halfe sleep, halfe wakes

Some dancing Antickes in their bloody shirts,

To which their wiues cries, & their infants shreeks,

Play musicke, braue mirth, pleasing harmony:

Then hauing spitt young children on our speares,

We'le rost them at the scorching flames of Troy:

Flye swift you winged minutes till you catch

That long-wisht houre of stilnes: in which Troy

Sleeps her last sleep, made drunk with wine and ioy.

In the receiuing of this fatall Steede,

Sicke Troy this day hath swallowed such a pill,

Shall search her intrayles, and her [...]iues blood spill.

Exit.

Enter Agamemnon, Menelaus, Vlisses, with souldiers in a soft march, without noise.

[Page]Aga.

Soft, soft, and let your stilnesse suite with night,

Faire Phebe keepe thy siluer splendor in,

And be not seene to night.

Mene.

Were Phebe in my case,

She soone would blush to show her horned face.

Vliss.

We would not haue a starre cast it's cleare eye

On our darke enterprise: too fast: so, still.

Here Ambush, till you see the flaming Torch,

Synon this night vpon the wals of Troy,

Will tosse about his eares, as a true signall,

The great Epean structure is receiu'd,

And we may find safe entrance by the breach.

Aga.

A stand, the word through all the Regiment,

Mene.

A stand.

Enter Synon with a torch aboue.

Syn.

Thy euerlasting sleepe sleepe carelesse Troy,

This horrid night buried in Wine and mirth,

This fatall Horse spur'd by the braine of Synon,

Hath lept ore Troys high bulwarks great with Greeks,

Foure times in raysing vp the monument,

A shaking sound of Armour harshly iar'd

In all the Princes eares, and had they not

Beene drunk in Synons teares, they'd found our guile.

It is now mid-night. The blacke darknesse falne,

And rould o're all the world, as well the Poles,

As the great Ocean, and the earth: now's the time

For tragicke slaughter, clad in gules and sables,

To spring out of Hels iawes, and play strang reakes

In sleepy Troy, this bright and flaming brand

Which I so often gire about mine eares,

Is signall for the Armies quicke returne,

And make proud Islium like my bright torch burne,

Winke all you eyes of Heauen, or you shall be

Blood-shot to view Troyes dismall Tragedy.

Exit.

Aga.

The signals on the wa [...]: forward braue souldiers,

The Horse is entred, Synons Tale beleeu'd.

[Page] And wee this night shall see the sacke of Troy.

Men.

March on then, the black darknes couers vs,

And we without suspition easily may

Disperse our selues about these high built wals:

Vlis.

Now with a soft march enter at this breach

But giue no token of a loud Alarme,

Till we haue met with Pyrhus and the rest,

Whom the Steedes bulke includes.

They march softly in at one doore, and present [...] in at another. Enter Synon with a stealing pa [...]e, holding the key in his hand.

Syn.

Soft, soft, ey so, hereafter Ages tell,

How Synons key vnlockt the gates of Hell.

Pyrhus, Diomed, and the rest, leape from out the Horse. And as if groping in the darke, meete with Agamemnon and the rest: who after knowledge imbrace.

Pyrhus.

The Generall?

Agam.

Pyrhus?

Dio.

Menelaus?

Mene.

Diomed?

Ther.

My Vrchin?

Syn.

What my Toade?

Pyr.

Well met in Troy great Lords.

Vlis.

Where are wee now?

Sy.

In the high street, nere to the Church of Pallas,

And this you past, the gate cal'd Dardanus.

Pyr.

Then here begins Troyes fatall tragedy:

Princes of Greece, at once vnsheath your swords,

And heare protest with Neoptolemus,

By our fore-father Peleus, grandam Thet [...]s,

The Emperious goddesse of the Sea, that made

Achilles, saue in th'heele, invulnerable,

And by my father great Aeacides,

His glorious name, his Armour which I weare,

[Page] His bloody wounds, and his blacke sepulchre;

I here abiure all respite, mercy, sleepe,

Vntill this Citty be a place confus'd:

This murall girdle that begirts it round

A Cawsey for the Greekes to trample on,

The place a stone-heape swimming in an Ocean

Of Troian blood, which shall from farre appeare

Like an high Rocke in the red Sea.

Syn.

A braue show,

To see full Boates in blood of Troians rowe,

And the poore labouring Snakes with armes spread swimms

In luke-warme blood of their allyes and kin.

Men.

Whence must this Ocean flowe?

From thousand Springs

Of gentle and ignoble, base and Kings.

Pyr.

Set on then, none retire;

Waue in the one hand steele, in the other fire.

Loude Drummes and Trumpets ring Troyes fatall peale,

That now lyes drawing on, the word be vengeance,

Alarum, at that watch-word fire, and kill,

And wide-mouth'd Orchus with whole legions fill▪

Aloude Alarum. Enter a Troian in his nightgowne all unready.

Tro.

T'was an alarum sure that frighted mee

In my dead sleepe, 'twas neare the Dardan port:

Ioue grant that all be well.

Enter his wife as from bed.

Wife.

Oh Heauen! what tumult's this

That hurryes through the fatall streetes of Troy▪

I feare some treason.

Tro.

Stay Wife, lay thine eare

Vnto the ground and list, if we can gather

Of what condition this strange vproare is

That riots at this late vnseasoned houre?

Sure 'tis the noise of war, whence should it grow?

The Greekes are sayl'd hence, Troy needes feare no foe.

[Page]Wife.

The horrid stirre comes on this way towards vs.

Troi.

Oh whither shall we turne?

A great cry within. Alarum, Enter Pyrhus with the rest their weapons draw and torches.

Wife.

Oh saue mee husband.

Troi.

Succour me deere wife.

Omnes.

Vengeance for Greece and Neoptolemus.

Pyr.

So flye the word along, dye old and young,

Mourne Troy in ashes for Achilles losse,

Steele in one hand, in th'other fire-brands tosse.

Exeunt:

Enter Chorebus at one doore, at another Aeneas with their weapons drawne.

Cho.

This horrid clamour that hath cal'd mee vp

From my deepe rest, much, much amazeth mee;

Tis on the right hand, now vpon the left,

It goes before me and it followes mee:

Oh Ioue expound the meaning of this horrour

Which the darke mid-night makes more terrible.

Aene.

this streete is cleare, but now I climb'd a Turret,

And I might well difcernel alfe Troy in fire,

And by the flame the burnis [...]t Helmets glister

Of men in Armes, whence Ioue Olympicke knowes.

Enter a second Troian.

2. Tro.

Where shall I hide me? Treason, Troyes betray'd;

The fatall horse was full of armed Greekes.

Chore.

Of Greekes? damn'd Synon.

2. Tro.

Prince Chorebus fly,

Fly great Aeneas.

Cho.

Which way? where? or how?

Are we not rounded with a quick-set hedge

Of pointed steele? are not the gates possest

And strongly man'd with Greekes? death euery where,

Then whither should we flye?

Aene.

Into the throng.

Where blowes are dealt, where our inflamed Turrets

[Page] Burne with most fury.

Cho.

Nobly speakes Aeneas.

Aene.

Then whither flames, and furies, shreiks and clamors,

Death, danger, and the deuils hurry vs,

Thither will we: follow where I shall lead,

Thousands shall fall by vs ere we be dead.

Enter Thersites with other Greekes.

Ther.

Charge on these naked Troians, and cry thus,

Vengeance for Greece and Neoptolemus.

Cho.

Charge on these armed Grecians, and thus cry,

We may yet liue to see ten thousand dye.

They charge the Greekes and kill them, Thersites runs away.

Cho.

Well fought braue spirits in our vtter ruine,

We are Conquerours yet: let's don these Greekish habits,

And mixe our selues amongst their Armed ranks;

So vnexpected murder all we meete:

The darkenesse will assist our enterprise.

These Greekish Armes this night by Troians Worne

Shall to the fall of many Grecians turne.

Enter all the Greekes.

Omnes.

Burne fire, and kill, as you wound cry thus,

Vengeance for Greece and Neoptolemus.

Exeunt.

Enter Aeneas followed by Hectors ghost

Aene.

What art thou that with such a grim aspect,

In this black night so darke and turbulent,

Haunts me in euery corner of my house

Which yet burnes o're mine eares?

Hect.

Doest thou not know me?

Or can Aeneas so forget his friend?

This face did fright Achilles in the field,

And when I shooke these lockes, now knotted all,

As bak't in blood; all Greece hath quak't and trembled.

Looke on mine Heeles, and thou maist see those thongs

By which so often I was dragg'd 'bout Troy,

My body made an vniuersall Wound

[Page] By the vnnumbred hands of Mirmidons,

This th'hand that tost so many wild-fire balls

Into the Arg [...]ue fleete, and this the body

That deck't in Aiax and Ac illes spoyles

Ridde from the fields triumphant thorow Troy.

Aene.

Prince Hector?

Hect.

Hence Aeneas post from Troy,

Reare that abroad the gods at home destroy.

The Citty burnes, Priam and Priams glory

Is all expir'd, and tumbled headlong downe:

Cassandraes long neglected prophesies

This night fulfils. If either strength or might

Could haue protected Troy, this hand, this arms

That sau'd it oft, had kept it still from harme.

But Troy is doom'd, here gins the fatall Story

Of her sad sacke and fall of all her glory.

Away, and beare thy Country gods along,

Thousands shall issue from thy sacred seede,

Citties more rich then this the Grecian spoyle,

In after times shall thy successors build,

Where Hectors name shall liue eternally.

One Romulus, another Bruite shall reare,

These shall nor Honours, nor iust Rectors want,

Lumbardies roome, great Britaines Troy-nouant.

Heu fuge nate Dea, te (que) his pater eripe flammis;

Hostis habet muros, ruit alto a culmine Troia

Sacra, suos (que) tibi commendat Troia penates

Hos cape fatorum comites, his moenia quaere

Magna: pererrato statues quae denique pont [...].

Exit.

Aene.

Soft lie thy bones and sweetly may they rest

Thou wonder of all worthyes, but Troy burnes:

Thousands of Troian Corses blocke the streetes,

Some flying fall, and some their killers kill:

Where shall I meete thee death? before I flye,

Some Conquerours yet, shall brauely conquered die.

Exit.

Explicit Actus secundus.

[Page]

Acius Secundus: Scoena prima.

Enter Priam in his night-gowne and slippers, after him Hecuba, Hellena, Andromache, Hellena, Cassandra, Polyxena, Polites, Astianax. An Alarum.

All La.

Oh helpe vs father Priam, Oh the Greeks.

Fri.

I haue done more then age would suffer me

They haue tilted masts against my Pallace gates,

And burst them open.

All La.

Oh father Priam, whether shall we flye?

Pri.

We are incompast round with sword & fire,

'Las Daughters, 'las my young Astianax.

All La.

Oh heauen, they come, where may we hide vs safe?

Pri.

Safety and helpe are both fled out of Troy,

And left behind nothing but massacre:

My Pallace is surpris'd my guard all slaine,

My selfe am wounded, but more with your shreeks,

Then by the swords of Grecians: come let's flie.

Vnto the sacred Altar of the gods.

All La.

May we be safe there father?

Pri.

Safe? Oh no;

Safety is fled. Death hath our liues in chase,

And since we needes must dye, let's chuse this place.

Exeunt

Alarum. Enter at the one doore Hellen, at the other Cresida.

Cres.

Whither runnes Hellen?

Hel.

Whither should I fly?

Cres.

See, Troy is not it selfe, oh wretched Hellen!

To shunne the Greekes to run into the fire,

Or flying fire, perish by Greekish steele:

Which hadst thou rather chuse?

Hel.

Death, in what shape soeuer hee appeares

To me is welcome, I'le no longer shun him;

[Page] But here with Cresida abide him: here,

Oh, why was Hellen at the first so faire,

To be come subiect to so foule an end?

Or how hath Cresids beauty sinn'd 'gainst Heauen,

That it is branded thus with leprosie?

Cres.

I in conceit thought that I might contend

Against Heauens splendor, I did once suppose,

There was no beauty but in Cresids lookes,

But in her eyes no pure diuinity:

But now behold mee Hellen.

Hel.

In her I see

All beauties frailty, and this obiect makes

All fairenesse to show vgly in it selfe:

But to see breathlesse Virgins pil'd on heape,

What lesse can Hellen doe then curse these Starres

That shin'd so bright at her natiuity,

And with her nayles teare out these shining balls

That haue set Troy on fire?

Enter Pyrhus, Agamemnon, Menelaus, &c.

Pyr.

Pierce all the Troian Ladies with your swords,

Least 'mongst them you might spare Polixena.

Agam.

Stay, I should know that face, tis Helena?

Mene.

My Queene?

Hel.

I am not Hellen, but Polixena:

Therefore reuengfull Neoptolemus

Doe Justice on me for thy fathers death.

Pyr.

Polixena? by all Achilles honours

Ile part thee limbe from limbe.

Cres.

Pyrhus forbeare,

It's the Spartan Queene.

Men.

If Hellen, the adultorous strumpet dyes,

Ile be her deaths-man.

Hel.

Strike home Menelaus,

Death from thy hand is welcome.

Aga.

Hold I say,

Shee's Clitemnestras sister, for her sake

[Page] Hellen shall liue, and Kingly Menelaus

Receiue her into fauour.

Pyr.

Agamemnon

Is too remisse, I haue sworne all blood to spill

I meet with, and this one will Pyrhus kill.

Men.

And I this other.

Aga.

For our sake Menelaus let her liue.

Was not our sister borne against her will

From Sparta? for that wrong done by the Troians

Doth not Troy burne? and are not all our swords

Stain'd in the blood of Paris slaughtered friends?

You shall be reconcil'd to Helend,

And beare her backe to Greece.

Enter Thersites.

Ther.

Hellen at shrift▪ alas poore penitent Queane,

Dost heare me Menelaus? pardon her,

Take her againe to Sparta, thou'lt else want

So kind a bed-fellow.

Men.

Take backe my shame?

Ther.

Yes for thy pleasure.

There's in the world as rich and honourable

As thou, who lend the pleasures of their bed

To others, and then take them backe agayne

As they can get them.

Men,

My brow shall neuer beare

Such Characters of shame.

Ther,

Thy browes beares hornes already, but who sees them?

When thou return'st to Sparta, some will thinke

Thou art a Cuckold, but who is't dare say so?

Thou art a King, thy sinnes are clouded o're,

Where poore mens faults by tongues are made much more.

Of all men liuing, Kings are last shall heare

Of their dishonours.

[...]ga.

What inferiour Beast

Dares tell the Lyon of his Tyranny,

Who is not torne asunder with his pawes?

The King of Sparta therefore needs not feare

[Page] The tongues of subiects bid our sister rise

To safety in thine armes.

Ther.

Doe Menelaus.

Mene.

But will my Hellen then by future vertue

Redeeme her long lost honour?

Hel.

If with teares

The Heauens may be appeas'd for Hellens sinnes,

They shall haue penitent showers: If Menclans

May with the spirit of loue be satisfied,

He ten times rectifie my forfet honour

Before I tonch his bed.

Men.

Arise then Hellen, Menclans armes

Thus welcome thee to safety.

Ther.

Ha, ha, ha,

Why this is well, for he that's borne to dye

A branded Cuckhold, huggs his destiny:

Goe, get you after Pyrhus to the slaughter,

Ile looke to Hellen.

Aga.

Conueigh her to our guard.

Exit.

Ther.

Hellen, hereafter see thou proou'st more wise,

If not more honest, yet be more precise,

Exit.

Enter Prince Chorebus with other Troians in Greekish habits.

Cho.

These shapes thriue well, we haue guilt our Greeki [...] arm [...]

With blood of their owne nation▪ some we haue sent

To euerlasting darknesse, some repulst

Backe to their ships: some we haue made to flye

Into their horses bulke, whence Pyrhus first

Lept downe vpon his speare.

Enter Synon, Thersites, and the Greekes dragging in Cassandra.

Syn,

Come souldiers, this is stately tragicall,

The Greekes wade vp euen to the brawny thighes

In luke-warme blood of our despoyled foes.

[Page] Aboue Melpomene's huge buskind top

We plunge at euery stepp, and brauely fought

By Troyes bright burning flame: that's now our light.

Ther.

More of our valiant mates, let's ioyne with them,

This streete yet's vnassaulted and vnfir'd:

Some balls of wild-fire streight, and hurle this Lady

Into the fury of the burning flame.

Cho.

My wife Cassandra?

Syn.

Courage, let none scape

Fire, vengeance, blood, death, murder, spoyle and rape.

Cho.

All these on Greece and twenty thousand more,

Till they like Troy be drown'd in teares and goare.

Chorebus and therest beate off the Greekes, and rescue Cassandra.

Cass.

From Greekes to Greeks, from fire kept for the sword, From one death to another.

Cho.

Cassandra no.

Cass.

My Lord the Prince Chorebus?

Cho.

Yes the same,

Who hath preseru'd thee both from sword and flame.

Enter Aeneas with his father, who taking Chorebus for a Grecian by reason of his habite, fights with him and kils him.

Aene.

More Greekes and see Cassandra captiue made,

Assault them Troiaus, rescue the faire Princesse;

This way deare father mount my backe againe.

Cass.

Oh false Aeneas, thou hast slaine thy friend:

Many a Greeke (thus shapt) he sent to hell,

And being a Troian by a Troian fell.

Aene.

He dy'd not by my hand, but his owne fate.

Cass.

And I forgiue thee good Aeneas, flie,

Thou shalt suruiue, but Troy and wee must fall:

The hope of all our future memories

Are stor'd in thee, take vp thy sacred load

[Page] Reuerent Anchises bed-rid through his age,

We are all doom'd, faire Troy must perish here,

But thou art borne a greater Troy to reare.

Aene.

The Heauens haue hand in all things, to their pleasure

Wee must subscribe: Creusa, where's my wife?

In loosing her I saue but halfe my life.

Come reuerent father, on my shoulders mount,

Though thousand dangers dogge vs at the heeles,

Yet will wee force our passage.

Exeunt.

King Priam discouered kneeling at the Altar, with him Hecuba, Polixena, Andromache, Aftianax: to them enter Pyrhus, and all the Greekes, Pyrhus killing Polytes Priams sonne before the Altar.

Pyr.

Still let your voyces to hye Heauen aspire

For Pyrhus vengeance, murdring steele and fire.

All the Ladies.

Oh, oh.

Pri.

My sonne Polytes? oh thou more hard hearted

Then fatall Pyrhus or his fathers guard,

That in the shadow of this sacred place

Durst sprinke the childs blood in the fathers face.

Pyr.

Priam? thanks sweet reuenge, through swords & armour,

Through mures, and Counter-mures of men and steele;

Through many a corner, and blind entries mouth

I haue followed this thy bleeding sonne to death,

Whose swift persuite hath traind me to this Altar

To be reueng'd on thee for the sad fate

Of great Achilles.

Pri.

Thou art Pyrhus then?

Pyr.

My acts shall speake my name,

I am that Pyrhus who did mount you Horse

Hyding mine armour in his deepe vast bulke,

The first that lept out of his spacious side,

And tost consuming fire in euery street,

Which climb'd, as if it meant to meete the stars,

I am that Pyrhus before whom Troy falls:

[Page] Before whom all the Vanes and Pinacles

Bend their high tops, and from the battlements

On which they stand, breake their aspiring necks.

The proudest roofe and most imperious spyre

Hath vaild to vs and our all wasting fire.

Pri.

Pyrhus, I know thee for my destin'd plague,

I know the gods haue left vs to our weaknesse,

I see our glories ended and extinct,

And I stand ready to abide their doome;

Onely for pitty and for pieties sake

Be gracious to these Ladies.

Syn.

Pyrhus no,

Such grace as they did to Achilles shew,

Let them all tast; let grace be farre exil'd,

Kill from the elder to the sucking child.

Pri.

Hee's prone enough to mischiefe of himselfe,

Spurre not that fury on which [...]unnes too fast,

Nor adde thou to old Priams misery

Which scarce can be augmented tis so great.

Pyr.

Dye in thy tortures then.

Hecu.

Oh spare his life.

[...]sti.

Good man kill not my Grandsire.

Pri.

Good man doe.

Hecu.

Kill mee for him.

Asti.

No, shee's my Grandam too,

Indeed shee's a good woman, chuse some other

If you must needes kill.

Pyr.

This then.

Asti.

Shee's my Mother, you shall not hurt her.

Pri.

This boy had a father,

Hector his name, who had hee liu'd to see

A sword bent 'gainst his wife, this Queene, or me,

He would haue made all Greece as hot to hold him

As burning Troy is now to shelter vs.

Asti.

Good Grandsire weepe not, Grandam, Mother, Aunt

Alas, what meane you? If you be good men

Put vp your swords and helpe to quench these flames,

[Page] Or if in killing you such pleasure haue,

Practise on him, kill that ill fauoured knaue.

Syn.

Mee bratt?

Pyr.

Ʋlysses, Agancemnon. Menelaus,

Synon, Thersites, and you valiant Greekes;

Behold the vengeance wrathfull Pyrhus takes

On Priams body for Achilles death:

Synon, take thou that Syren Polixene,

And hew her peece-meale on my fathers Tombe.

Thersites, make the wombe of fifty Princes

A royall sheath for thy victorious blade:

Diomed, let Cassandra dye by thee,

And Agamemnon kill Andromache:

And as my sword through Priams bulke shall flie,

Let them in death consort him, and so dye.

Ther.

When, when, for Ioues sake when?

Syn.

Some expeditious fate this motion further,

Me thinks tis long since that I did a murder.

Pri.

Oh Heauen, oh Ioue, Stars, Planets, fortune, fate,

To thinke what I haue beene, and what am now;

Father of fifty braue Heroick sonnes,

But now no Father, for they all are slaine.

Queene Hecuba the Mother of so many,

But now no Mother: for her barren wombe

Hath not one child to shew, these fatall warres

Haue eate vp all our issue.

Asti.

My deare Father,

And all my pri [...]cely Vnkles.

Andr.

My deare Husband,

And all my royall brothers.

Hecu.

Worthy Hector,

And all my valiant sonnes.

Pri.

And now that Priam that commanded Asia,

And sate inthron'd aboue the Kings of Gre [...]ce,

Whose dreaded Nany scowerd the Hellespont,

Sees the rich towers hee built now burnt to ashes:

The stately walls he reard, leuel'd and euen'd;

[Page] His Treasures rifled and his people spoyl'd:

All that he hath on earth beneath the Sunne

Bereft him, sauing his owne life and these,

And my poore life with these, are (as you see)

Worse then the rest: they dead, we dying bee.

Strike my sterne foe, and proue in this my friend,

One blow my vniuersall cares shall end.

Pyr.

And that blow Pirhus strikes, at once strike all.

Syn.

Why so, so, this was stately tragicall.

They are all fl [...]ine at once.

Asti.

Where shall I hide me?

Pyr.

So nimble Hectors bastard?

My father slew thy father, I the sonne:

Thus will I tosse thy carkas vp on hie,

The brat aboue his fathers fame shall flie.

He tosseth him about his head and kills him.

Syn.

No, somewhat doth remayne,

Alarum still, the peoples not all slaine,

Let not one soule suruiue.

Pyr.

Then Trumpets sound

Till burning Troy in Troian blood be drown'd.

Exeunt

The Alarum continued, shreiks and clamours are heard within. Enter with Drumme, Colours, and Souldiers Agamemnon, Pyrhus, Vlysses, Diomed, Menelaus, Hellen, Thersites, Synon, &c.

Pyr.

What more remaines t'accomplish our reuenge?

The proudest Nation that great Asia nurst

Is now extinct in Lethe.

Mene.

All by Hellen,

Oh had that tempting beauty ne're beene borne,

By whom so many worthies now lie dead.

Syn.

A hot Pest take the strumpet.

Ther.

And a mischiefe.

Syn.

Twas this hot whore that set all Troy a fire.

Hel.

Forgiue me Pyrhus for thy fathers death,

[Page] Troy for thy sack, King Priam for thy sonnes,

Greece for an infinite slaughter, and you Husband or all your nuptiall wrongs, King Menelaus,

[...]inust confesse, my inconsiderate deed

Haue made a world of valiant hearts to bleed.

Dio.

What, note is that which Pyrhus eye dwels on?

Pyr.

The perfect number

Of Greekes and Troians slayne on either part.

The siege ten yeares, ten moneths, ten dayes indur'd,

In which there perish't of the Greekes 'fore Troy

Eight hundred thousand & sixe thousand fighting men:

Of Troians fell sixe hundred sixe and fifty thousand,

All souldiers; besides women, children, babes,

Whom this night massacred.

Hel.

All these I slew.

Syn.

Nay, some this hand sent packing, that's not true.

Vlys.

Aeneas, with twenty two ships well furnish't,

(The selfe same ships in which young Paris sayl'd

When hee from Sparta stole faire Helena,)

Is fled to Sea.

Dio.

Anthen [...]r with fiue hundred Troians more Scap't through the gate cal'd Dardan.

Pyr.

Let them goe,

That of Troyes sack the world by them may know,

Where aboue thirty braue Heroick Kings

Haue breath'd their last: befides inferior Princes,

Barons and Knights, eighteene imperiall Monarches

With his owne hands renowned Hector slew:

My father besides Troilus and that Hector,

Eight famous Kings that came in ayd of Troy.

Three Troian Paris with his Arrowes slew,

Of which one was my father: Diomed

Foure Monarches with his bright sword sent to death.

Our selfe the warlike Queene of Aemazons,

And aged Priam.

Ther.

Brauely boast he can,

A wretched woman and a weake old man.

[Page]Pyr.

And now Troyes warres sre ended, we in peace

With glorious conquest to sayle backe to Greece.

Their Nation's vanish'd like their Citties smoake,

Our enemies are all ashes: worlds to come

Shall Cronicle our pittilesse reuenge

In Bookes of Brasse and leaues of Adamant.

Towards Greece victorious Leaders, our toyle's past;

Troy and Troyes people we haue burn't in flames,

And of them both left nothing but their names.

Exeunt▪

Explicit Actus tertius.

Actus Quartus: Scoena prima.

Enter Prince Cethus the sonne of King Naulus, and brother to Palamides.

Ceth.

With wondrous ioy they say, the Greekes returne

With Triumphes and ouations piercing Heauen,

Where e're they set but foot loude Paeans sung,

And Oades to spheare-like Notes tun'd in their prayse:

Whil'st Cethus like a forlorne shadowe walkes

Dispis'd, disgrac't, neglected and debosht;

Playing his melancholly, cares and sorrowes

On his discordant Hart-strings. Oh my fate!

Shall I, that haue this body aud this braine,

A royalty stampt on mee in my birth:

Whose wrongs haue beene of marke through all the World

Troubling each eare, and being disputable

By euery tongue that hath beene taught to speake,

Euen in the mouthes of Babes, all rating mee

Of cowardesie and sloth: sleepe, an occasion

Being fairely offered? No, awake reuenge,

Ile bring the now to action.

Enter Pilades.

Pil.

Heare you the newes

[Page]Ceth.

Orestes friend, the noble Filades?

Instruct mine ignorance, I know of none.

Pil.

This day the Prince, great Agamem [...]nons heir [...]

Orestes whom you truely call your friend,

Betroths the young and faire Hermione

Daugh [...]er to beauteous Hellen.

Ceth

Hymens ioyes.

Crowne them with all true pleasure.

Pil.

Shall we haue your presence at the Contract?

Ceth.

Who's within?

Pil.

On [...]ly Egistus, Clitemnestras friend,

The Q [...]eene and faire Electra.

Ceth.

Witnesse enough,

Then spare me for this time good Pilades,

We [...]'le owe them greater seruice.

Pyl.

But t [...]s a duty that I owe my friend,

My absence would distast him.

Exit.

Ceth.

Fare you well.

Doe, doe, contract and marry, ayme at Heauen,

But Hell is that they plunge in: Oh Palamedes

My basely betray'd brother, sold at Troy

As we would cheapen Horses, yet a Prince:

A Prince? nay Generall of the Greekish host.

Emperour and Keyser, chose to that command

By a full [...]Iury of Kings, and by them rated

The prime & worthiest: who being far from equal

Could find in whole Greece no competitor.

Yet this peculiar man, this God of men,

By false Vlysses and Atreus sonnes

Agamemnon and Menelaus, basely supplanted;

Who, for they would conferre amongst themselnes

The soueraignty forg'd letters sent from Troy,

And coine withall mark't with King Priams stamp,

As if this father of his fame and Nation

Whose onely ends were aymd to honour Greece

Would haue betrayde his people: this suggested,

My brother was arraign'd, conuist, condemn▪d;

[Page] For which I haue vow'd the vniuersall ruine

Of all the Kings of that corrupted bench.

Palamides thy blood in Asia shed

Shall make all Europe mourne since thou art dead.

Enter Egistus, Clitemnestra, Orestes, Pilades, Hermione, and Electra.

Cli.

Meeenaes King and Sparta's would be proud

To see this happy and blest vnion made

Betweene their royall Familyes.

Orest.

This faire Virgine,

Second from Laeda to whom Ioue vouchsa [...]'t

The strict Imbrace of his immortall arme,

Vnspotted with her mothers prostitution,

Wee'le thus receiue.

Hermi.

May my chast innocence

Breake through the Cloud which hath ecclips'd her fame▪

Whose luster may out-shine my mothers fraileties,

And they through m [...] may bee forgot in Greece.

Egi.

Hermione, your words tast of your breeding

Vnder this Queene your faire and Princely Aunt,

were young Electra but so well bestowed,

Great A gamemnon in so braue a match

Would thinke himselfe more grac'd, then in fruition

Of all the forraigne Trophies.

Ceth.

May shee prooue?

A whore like to her Mother: Prince Orestes,

And you bright Lady Spartans second light,

May all the vertues of this potent Queene

Take life in you, to prooue hereditary

That the great Arch-duke crown'd with fame and honour.

In his returne may adde a surplusadge

To his already surfet: find his bed

By this adultresse basely strumpetted,

And make the Downe they lye on quaffe their blood.

Orest.

How doe you faire Electra in your iudgement

Applaude your brothers choyce?

[Page]Elect.

As of a contract.

Made by the gods aboue, and now by Princes

Here ratified on earth.

Orest.

I would my friend

Were to you sister, but as fast betroth'd

As I to Hellens daughter: But deare Pilades,

Tis Time must perfect all things.

Pil.

Madam you heare▪

This motion from your brother.

Elect.

And I craue

Time to consider on't.

Orest.

Tis on foote,

Pursue it then with all aduantages,

Command my free assistance to beginne▪

Had you Electra friend, as I Hermione;

We were at first as forraigne as you two,

And euery way as strange, but opportunity

That hath vnited vs, may make you one.

After some amorous parliance, let vs now

Vnto the Temple and there sacrifice

Vnto the gods, that Greece▪ no more may mourn [...]

But glory iu our fathers safe returne▪

Egist,

His safety is our danger▪ for know Madam▪

Our loue hath bin too publick.

Ceth.

That's the ground

On which to build my proiect.

Cli.

Grant it hath.

Cannot a more then nine yeares widdow-head

Excuse mee being a woman? thinks the King

Wee can forget that lesson in our age,

Which was by him first taught vs in our youth?

Or was't his ayme to shew vs choyce delights,

Then barre vs their fruition? First to tast

Our pallat, next to make vs appetite;

And when our stomacks are prepar'd and sharpen'd

For Costly vionds plac't before our eyes,

Then to remooue the table? hee's vnkind;

[Page] And as hee hath dealt with vs, so must find.

Enter Synon.

Syn.

The Queene? to her my speed is.

Cli.

Speake on souldier.

Syn.

I am the herald of most happy newes,

Troy with the earth is leueld, sackt, and burnt;

Priam with all his memory extinct,

Queene, daughters, sonnes, and subiects ruin'd all.

Now like the vapour of their Citties smoake,

And of them no more found: And Madam now

The King your Lord, the Elder of the Atryd's,

Duke of the puissant and all conquering Host,

His temples archt in a victorious orbe,

And wreth'd in all the glories earth can yeeld

Is landed in Mycene a Conquer our.

Ceth.

How could they scape those fierce fires Naulus made

In vengeance of his sonne Palamides

To split their cursed Fleete vpon the rocks.

Cli.

Make repetition of their ioyes againe,

Beeing things that I cannot [...]eare too oft▪

And adde to them: Is Menelaus safe

My husbands brother? Hellen how fares shee?

Or is shee thence repurchast? fill mine eares

With such sweete Tones, 'tis all I can desire.

Syn.

Take your full longing then, for though the Seas

With tempests, stormes, rocks, shipwracks, shelues and sands

More dammag'd them then all the Troian siege.

Although the Beacons fir'd to draw their Fleete

Distressed and disperst vpon the rocks

Sunke many a goodly bottome: Yet the Generall

Scap't by the hand of Ioue, with him King Diomed,

Vlysses, and great Neoptolimus,

With Spartan Menelaus late attend

With beauteous Hellen cause of all these broyles:

All these attend vpon the Generall

To bring him home victorious, and this night

Will lodge in the Kings Pallace,

[Page]Cli.

Souldier thanks,

These twice fiue yeares I haue a widdow beene,

Thy newes haue now new married mee: giue order

For the Kings intertainment, all the state

Mycene can yeeld shall freely be expos'd

In honour of these Princes: your great hast

Doth aske some rest, therefore repose your selfe,

And for your fortunate newes expect reward.

Syn.

The Queene is royall.

Ceth.

And now to that diuell

Which I must coniure vp: Is the Queene mad?

Or thou Egistus sottish? see you not

The stake and scaffold, nay the Hang-man too;

And will you blind-fold run vpon your deaths

When there is way to'scape them?

Egist.

What horrid fright

Is this propos'd by Cethus?

Ceth.

The King's return'd,

And doth not your veines gush out of your temples

In sanguine blushes? are not your adulteries

Famous as Hellens? nay, more infamous,

There was a rape to countenance what shee did,

You nought saue corrupt lust and idlenesse:

Tis blab'd in the Citty, talk't on in the Court,

All tongues surcharg'd, all eyes are fix't on you,

To see what fearefull vengeance he will take

For that your prostitution.

Cli.

Hee's a King.

Ceth.

True Clitemnestra, so he went from hence,

But is return'd a Tyrant flesht in blood:

Think'st thou that he who queld his foes abroad,

Will spare at home domestick enemies?

That was so prone to punish others wrongs,

And can forget his owne?

Cli,

If Menelaus

Haue pardon'd Hellen, may not he his brother

Make Spartaes King his noble president,

[Page] To doe the like to me?

Ceth.

Tush shallow Queene,

How you mistake; see imminent fate affront you,

And will not shun it comming? If his brother

Be branded as a scandall to the world,

What consequence is it that he will grone

Vnder the selfe same burden? rather thinke

He hath propos'd a vengeance dire and horrid

To terrif [...]e, not countenance such misdeeds:

And this must fall on you, lest time to come

Should Chronicle his family for a broode

Of Cuckolds and of Strumpets:

Egist.

This thy language

Strikes me with horrour.

Cli.

And affrights mee too.

Ceth.

Is hee not King? hath he not Linxes eyes,

And Gyants armes, the first to see farre off,

The last as farre to punish? was hee so poore

In friends at home, to lea [...]e no Argus here

To keepe his eyes still waking? thinke it not

But that he knew the treason of his bed,

Hee had not faire Briscis snatcht perforce

From th'armes of great Achilles.

Cli.

That I heard.

Ceth.

Why hath he a new mistresse brought from Troy,

But to state her in Clitemnestraes stead,

And make her Micenes Qucene whilst you poore wretches

Like malefactors suffer, mark't for the Stag

And most ridiculous spectacles.

Cli.

You shew the danger,

But teach vs no preuention▪

Egist.

See before vs

The obiects of our feares and difficulties,

But not the way to auoyde them.

Ceth.

Heare me then,

Preuent your death's by his.

Cli.

How? kill the King?

[Page] So we heape sinne on sinne and basely adde

Vnto adultery murder.

Ceth.

Per scelus semper tutum sceleribus it er.

Boldly you haue begun, and being once in,

Blood will cure lust, and mischiefe phisieke sinne.

Cli.

Perhaps our guilt lies hid.

Ceth.

In a Kings Pallace

Can lust in such great persons be conceald?

Cli.

The first offence repents mee, and to that

I should but adde a greater.

Ceth.

Perish, doe.

Or what concernes this mee? I shall be safe,

I haue strumpetted no Agamemnons Queene,

Nor bastarded the issue of the Atrides:

Or why should I thus labour their securities

Who study not their owne?

Egist.

Resolue then Queene,

The Kings austeere, and will extend his Iustice

Vnto some sad example.

Cli.

Oh but my husband.

Ceth.

After ten yeares widdow-hood

Can Clitemnestra thinke of such a name?

Cli.

You haue halfe wone me, when shall this be done?

Ceth.

When but this night? delayes are ominous:

Ere he haue time to thinke vpon his wrongs,

Or finde a tongue to whisper, ere suspicion

Can further be instructed or least censure,

To call his wrongs in question: instantly,

Euen in his height of ioy, fulnesse of complement

With th' Argiue Kings: whilst cups are brim'd with healths,

Whilst iealousies are drown'd in Bacchus boles.

This night before he sleepe, or that his pillowe

Can giue him the least counsell, ere he can spare

A minute for the smallest intelligence,

Or moment to consider: I haue done

If you haue either grace in apprehension

Or spirit in performance.

[Page]Egist.

I haue both,

What answers Clitemnestra?

Cli.

I am swayd,

And though I know there's difference of Justice

In Princes sitting on the skarlethench,

And husbands dallying in the priuate bed:

I'le hold him as one sits vpon my life,

Not one that lies inclos'd within mine armes;

Hee's now my Iudge, not Husband, here I vow

Assistance in his death.

Ceth.

And so suruiue

Secure and fortunate.

Egist.

This night?

Cli.

Tis done.

Ceth.

The proiect I haue cast with all security.

And safety for your person: smooth your browes,

And let there shine a welcome in your lookes

At the Kings intertainment: nay begone,

By this time you are expected; what remaines

Is mine in forme, but yours in action.

Exeunt.

Now father stile me a most worthy sonne

Palamides, a brother, what neither fires,

Nor rocks could doe, what neither Neptunes rage,

Nor Mars his fury, what the turbulent Seas,

Nor the combustious Land▪ that Cethus can:

Hee that succeedes my brother in his rule,

Shall first succeede in death: none that had hand

Or voyce in his subuersion that shall stand.

Exit:

Enter Thersites and Synon.

Ther.

Well met on Land kind brother, wee are now

Victorious: let's be proud on't.

Syn.

Thou say'st true,

Wee are Conquerours in our basest cowardise,

Wee had not beene here else.

Ther.

Valiant Hector,

Achilles, Troilus, Paris, Aiax too.

They are all falne, we stand.

[Page]Syn.

Yes, and will stiffe

When all the Grecian Princes that suruiue

Are crampt and ham-string'd.

Ther.

Wast thou not sea-sicke brother?

Syn.

Horribly, and fear'd

In the rough seas to haue disgorg'd my heart,

And there to haue fed Haddocks.

Ther.

Troians were fellowes

In all their fury to be parlied with:

But with the tempests, gusts, and Furicanes,

The warring windes, the billowes, rocks and fires

There was no talking: these few times we pray'd,

The gods would heare no reason.

Syn.

Twas because

The billowes with their roaring, and the winds

Did with their. whistling keepe them from their eares:

But now all's husht, could wee finde time to pray,

They might find time to heare vs.

Ther.

Shall wee be

Spectators of the royall inter-view

Betwixt the King and Queene?

Syn.

Ten yeares diuorst

Should challenge a kind meeting, let's obserue

The forme and state of this Court-complement,

(things I did neuer trade with:) Harke loud musicke

Giues warning of their comming.

Loud musicke. Enter at one doore Agamemnon, Vlysses, Diomed, Pyrhus, Menelaus: Synon and Thersites falling into their trayne. At the other Egistus, Clitemnestra, Cethus, Orestes, Pylades, Hermione, Electra, &c.

Aga.

Vnto our Country and our Houshold-gods

Wee are at length return'd, trophied with honours,

With Troyes subuersion and rich Asiaes spoyles,

This is a sacred day.

Egist.

Such Troy had once.

[Page]Aga.

Vnto the gods wel'e sacrifice.

Ceth.

So Priam fell

Before the holy Altar.

Aga.

This Citty is not Troy.

Ceth.

Where Hellen treades,

I hold the place no better.

Aga.

See our Queene,

Orestes and Electra, for our sake.

Princes of Greece daigne them your best salutes▪

Deare Clitemnestra.

Clit.

Royall King and Husband.

After their salute. All the rest complement as strangers, but especially Pyrhus and Orestes▪

Aga.

What's he that kneeles so close vnto our Queen [...]

Clit.

Egistus and your seruant.

Aga.

Hee was young

When we at first set sayle from Aulis Gulfe,

Now growne from my remembrance: we shall [...]ude

Fit time to search him further,

Ceth.

Marke you that.

Egist.

Yes, and it toucht me deepely.

Mene.

Our sister, and this young Hermione,

Daughter to vs aud Hellen.

Ther.

Prity puppy.

Ofsuch a common brach.

Men.

Young Neoptolem [...]s,

This is the Lady promist you at Troy,

For your great seruice done there: she's your owne,

Freely imbrace her then.

Syn.

I see we are like

To haue a iolly kindred.

Orest.

Pyrhus, inioy

Her whom I haue in contract?

Pyr.

Beauteous Lady,

The great'st ambition Pyrhus aymes at now,

Is how to know you farther.

[Page] Hath beene so mighty to reuenge the wrongs

Of my faire mother, can from Hermione

Challenge no lesse then welcome.

Orest.

Oh you gods,

Pyrhus, thou wert more safe inburning Troy

With horrour, fury blood, fires, foes about the [...].

Then in my fathers court.

Ceth.

Another Collumne

On which to build my slaughters. Patience Prince,

This is no time for braues and Menaces,

I further shall instruct you.

Orest.

I haue done.

Ther.

See now the two Queenes meete, & smack in publick,

That oft haue ki [...] in corners▪

Syn.

Ther [...]tes?

Thou art growne a monster, a strange thing searse knowns

'Mongst souldiers, wiues and daughters.

Ther.

They are two sisters.

Syn.

Yes, and the two King-brothers royally

Betweene them two cornuted▪

Ther.

We are to loud.

Dio.

Princes of Greece, fi [...]ce we ha [...]e done a duty

To see our Generall mid▪st his people safe,

And after many dreadfull warres abroad

In peace at home. 'Tis fit we should disperse

Vnto our seuerall Countries instantly,

I purpose for Aetolia, where my Queene

With longing waites my comming.

Aga.

Not King Di [...]med,

Till you haue seene Me [...]ana's pompe and stat [...]

In ampliest royalty exprest at full,

Both tasted of our feasts and Princely gifts.

The faire Aegiale, who hath so long

[...]orborne your presence, will not I presume

Deny to spare you to vs some few dayes,

To adde to the yeares number, though not as Generall

Yet will I lay on you a friends command▪

[Page] Which must not be deny'de.

Dio.

Great Agamemnon

With mee was euer powerfull, I am his.

Cli.

And now faire sister welcome back from Troy,

Be euer henceforth Spartaes.

Hei.

Your great care

In my enforced absence (gracious Queene)

Exprest vnto my deare Hermione,

Hath much obliged me to you. Oh my fate,

How swift time runnes: Orestes growne a man,

Whom I left in the Cradle ! Young Electra

Then (as I tak't) scarce borne, and now growne ripe,

Euen ready for an husband!

Syn.

In whose absence

If but one handsome sweete-heart come in place,

Shee'l not turne tayle for't, if shee do [...] but take

After mine old Naunt Hellen.

Enter a Lord.

Lord.

The great and solemne preparation

Of the Court, state and glory mighty Princes,

Attend for you within.

Aga.

All are consecrated

Vnto your royall welcomes, enter then,

Wee'l feast like earthy gods, or god-like men▪

Lo [...]d musick. They possesse the Stage in all state, [...]thus stayeth behind.

Ceth.

My brayne about againe, for thou hast found

New proiect now to worke on, and 'tis here,

Orestes hath receiu'd Hermione

From Clitemnestra's hand, her sonle is his▪

And hee her Genius, two combind in one:

Yet shee is by the fathers Oath conferd

On Pyrhus, which shallbreede a stormy flawe

Ne're to be peec't againe, but by the deaths

Of the two hopefull youths: perhaps the hazard

Of all these Kings if my reuenge strike home.

[Page] (Of that at leasure) but the bloody stage

On which to act, Generall this night is thine,

Thou lyest downe mortall, who must rise diuine.

Enter Orestes to Cethus. Musicke and healthing within.

Orest.

Oh Cethus what's this musicke vnto me,

That are compos'd of discords? what are healths

To him that is strucke heart-sicke? all those ioyes

Whose leaders seeme to pierce against the roofes

Of these high structures, to him that is struct downe

Halfe way below the Center?

Ceth.

Were you lower,

Yet here's a hand can rayse you, deeper cast

Then to the lowest Abisme: It lyes in me

To aduance you to the height of happinesse,

Where you shall liue eternil'd from the reach

Of any humane malice.

Orest.

Hadst thou seene

Her, in whose breast my heart was paradis'd,

Kist, courted, and imbrac'd.

Ceth.

By Pyrhus.

Orest▪

Him:

What passionate and in [...]idiating lookes

Hee cast on her, as if in scorne of me:

Shall hee inioy my birth-right, or inheri [...]e

Where I am heire apparant? shall he vsurpe▪

Or pleade my interest, where I am possest?

Rule where I raigne? where I am stated, sit?

Braue me in my peculiar Soueraignty?

Ceth.

Hee must not, shall not.

Orest.

Show mee to depose.

The proud Vsurper then.

Ceth.

Prince, make't my charge.

In the meane time, from your distracted from

Exile all discontent, let not least ra [...]e

Raigne in your eye, or harshne [...]e in your tongue,

Smooth waters are still deep'st▪ wa [...]te on the King,

[Page] And be no stranger to your mothers eye,

Or forraigne to your Kindred: the feast spent,

And night with it: the morrow shall beget

Proiect of more import (scarse thought on now.)

Orest.

I build vpon thy Counsell.

Exit Orestes.

Ceth.

Which hath proou'd,

Fixt as a rocke, still constant, and vnmoou'd.

Enter Egistus.

Egist.

What [...]ethus here? why no such matter now

No cause of feare, or least suspicion.

Ceth.

Your reason?

Egist.

Tush, presume it, we are safe.

Ceth.

Obserue it, they are still securest, whom

The Diuell driues to ruine.

Egist.

Harke, their healths

Carrowsing to the Generals Victories,

In all thy heate of ioy, and fire of wine,

No sparke of iealously, all th' Argument

Of their discourse, what they haue done at Troy.

Still health on health, and the great Generall

So farre from seeming to haue least distaste,

That in all affable tearmes hee courts his Queene,

Nay more, cuts off all banquet Ceremonies,

To hasten his bed-pleasures, as if times distance

Betwixt his boord and pallade, seemed more tedious

Then all his Ten yeares siege.

Ceth.

Goe, lost man,

Sinke on firme ground, be shipwrackt in a Calme.

These healthes are to your ruines, his reuenge:

Hath not Egistus read of a disease

Where men dye laughing: others that haue drunke

Poyson in steed of Cordials, perish so?

To dye tis nothing, since tis all men due:

But wretchedly to suffer, fall vnpittied,

Vnpittied? nay derided, moekt, and curst:

To dye as a base Traytor, and a Thiefe,

The adulterator of his Soueraignes bed,

[Page] The poyson of the Atred [...] family,

And scandall of his issue, so to dye?

Egi.

Egistus will preuent, he by this hand

Must fal, 'fore whom all Asia could not stand.

Ceth.

The banquet is broke vp, sleep cals to rest,

And mid-nights houre for murther, still showes best▪

Exit.

Loud musicke. Enter Egistus with his sword drawne, hideth himselfe in the chamber behind the Bed-curtaines: all the Kings come next in, conducting the Generall and his Queene to their Lodging, and after some complement leaue them, enery one with torches vshered to their seuerall chambers, &c.

Aga.

Methinkes this night, we Clitemnestra meete,

At a new bridall; all Attendants leaue vs,

Wee now are onely for bed-priuacies.

Cli.

Great sir, I that so long haue bin your widdow,

Will be this night your hand-mayde.

Aga.

You told me, Queene,

Orestes was a cunning horse-man growne:

It pleasde me much to heare it.

Cli.

Greece reports

No Centare can ride better▪

Aga.

And young Electra,

In all th' indowments that may best become

A Princesse of her breeding, most compleate.

Cli.

It was in your long absence, all my care,

(Being my charge) that you at your returne

Might finde them to your wishes,

Aga.

Thankes for that.

Cli.

How cunningly he seemes to carry it▪

But we must finde preuention.

Aga.

Who's without there?

Cli.

Why started you?

Aga.

Not all the Asian Legions, no not Hector

Arm'd with his bals of wild-fire, had the power

To shake me like this tremor: Is our Pallace

[Page] Lesse safe in Greece, amidst our subiects here,

Then were our Tents in Asia?

Cli.

Where, if not here in Clitemnestraes armes,

Can safety dwell?

Aga.

And faire Queene, it should bee so.

Cli.

But why sir cast you such suspicious eyes

About your Chamber? are wee not alone?

Or will you to the priuate sweetes of night,

Call tell tale witnesse?

Aga.

Now tis gone agayne. Shall we to rest?

Cli.

So please you royall Sir.

Aga.

How hard this Doune feeles, like a monument

Cut out of marble. Beds resemble Graues,

And these me-thinkes appeare like winding sheets,

Prepar'd for corses.

Cli.

Oh how ominously

Doe you presage: you much affright me sir

In this our long-wisht meeting.

Aga.

All's shooke off.

I now am arm'd for pleasure: you commended

Late one Egistus to me, prithee Queene

Of what condition is he?

They both wound him, at which there is a greate thunder crack.

Egist.

Tyrant this.

Cli.

And I am thus his second.

Aga.

Treason, murder, Treason:

This showes, we Princes are no more then men.

Thankes Iou [...] tis fit when Monarches fall by Treason,

Thunder to al [...] the world, would show some reason.

he dies.

Egi.

The deede is done, lets flye to some strong Cittadell,

For our more safety.

Cli.

Hee thus made diuine:

Now my Egistus, I am soly thine.

Exeunt.

Anoyse of vproare within. Enter all the Kings with other Seruants halfe vnready, as newly started from their Beds. Orestes, Hermione, Pillades, Electra, &c.

Mene.

What strange tumultuous noyse is this so late▪

To rouse vs from our beds?

[Page]Pyr.

Prodigious sure,

Sin [...] 'tis confirm'd by Thunder.

Orest.

In mine eares

Did neuer sound seeme halfe to terrible.

Hel.

Nor to your eyes, as this sad obiect is,

See great Atrides groueling.

Ceth.

What damn'd Villaine

Was auther of this proiect?

Omnes.

Horrid sight.

Ore.

Rest you amazed all, as thunder struke,

And without sence or motion Apoplext,

And onely heare me speake: Orestes, he

Who as if marbled by Medusaes head,

Hath not one teare to fall, or sigh to spend,

Till I finde out the murderer, and on him

Inflict remarkable vengance: for I vowe

Were it my father, brother, or his Queene,

Hadst thou my weeping sister hand in it.

If hee? whom equall, (if not rankt aboue)

I euer did, and shall loue Pylades?

Wert she whose wombe did beare me, where I l [...]y

Full nine moneths bedded ere I saw the Sunne,

Or the most abiect Traytor vnder Heauen,

Their doomes were all alike, and this I vowe.

Now you whom this silent and speechlesse King

Hath oft commanded, this now sencelesse braine

As oft directed, this now strengthlesse hand

More oft protected in a warre, that shall

Be to all times example: Lend your shoulders

To beare him, who hath kept you all in life,

This is a blacke and mourning funerall right,

Deedes of this nature must be throughly searcht,

Nay be reueng'd: the gods haue sayd tis good,

The morning Sunne shall rise and bl [...]sh in blood.

They beare him off with a sad and funerall march, &c.

Explicit Actus quartus.

[Page]

Actus Quintus: Scoena prima.

Enter Pyrhus, Hermione, Thersites, and Synon.

Pyr.

Sweete Lady, can you loue:

Her.

Forbeare my Lord,

Can such a thing as loue be once nam'd here,

Where euery Marble that supports this roofe,

In emulation doth vye teares with vs?

Nay where the wounds of such a mighty King

Haue yet scarse bled their last.

Pyr.

Tush faire Hermione,

These sights that seeme to Iadies terrible,

Are common to vs souldiers; when from field returning

All smear'd in blood, where Dukes and Kings li [...] slaine,

Yet in our Tents at mid-night it frights not vs

From courting a sweete Mistresse.

Syn.

Hee sayth right,

And note of this how I can poetise:

This his great father of his Loue desir'd.

When from the slaughter of his foes retyr'd

Hee doft his Cushes and vnarm'd his head,

To tumble with her on a soft day bed:

It did reioyce Brisoi [...] to imbrace

His bruised armes, and kisse his blood-stain'd face.

These hands which he so often did imbrew

In blood of warlike Troians whom hee slew,

Were then imploy'd to tickle, touch and feele,

And shake a Lance that had no print of steele.

Ther.

Continue in that ve [...]e, I'le feed thy Muse

With Crafi [...]h, Praunes and Lobsters.

Her.

You brought these of purpose to abuse m [...]e.

Pyr.

Peace Thersites,

And Synon you no more.

[Page]Syn.

Wee see by Agamemnon all are mortall,

And I but shew his neece Hermione

The way of all flesh.

Ther.

Tis an easie path,

(The Mother and the Aunt haue troad it both)

If shee haue wit to follow.

Enter Vlysses, Menelaus, Diomed with others.

Mene.

If it beso, Egistus is a traytor,

And shee no more our sister.

Vlys.

Tis not possible

A Queene of her high birth and parentage

Should haue such base hand in her husbands death,

Her husband and her soueraigne.

Dio.

Double treason,

Could it be proou'd against her.

Men.

It appeares

So farre against humanity and nature

We dare not once suspect it, but till proofe

Explaine it further, hold it in suspence.

Vlys.

Oh but their suddaine flight and fortifying.

Mene.

These are indeed presumptions, but leaue that

To a most strict inquiry euen for reuerence

Of Maiesty and Honour to all Queenes,

For loue of vs because shee was our sister,

Both for Orestes and Electra's sake

Whose births are branded in so foule a deede

Till wee examine further circumstances

Spare your seuerer censures.

Vlis.

Tis a businesse

That least concernes vs, but for Honours sake

And that hee was our Generall.

Mene.

What, prince ly Pyrhus courting our faire daughter?

Her.

Yes sir, but in a time vnseasonable

Euen as the suite it selfe is.

Mene.

All delayes

Shall be cut off and she be swayd by vs.

[Page] These Royall Princes ere they leaue Mycone,

Shall see these [...]uptiall rights solemnized,

Weele keepe our faith with Pyrhus.

Pyr.

Wee our vowes

As constant to the bright Hermione.

First see the royall Generall here interr'd

And buried like a souldier, 'tis his due:

To question of his death concernes not vs,

Wee leaue it to Heauens iustice and reuenge.

The rights perform'd with faire Hermione,

Then to our seuerall Countries each man post,

Captaines disperse still when the General's lost.

Enter Cethus, Orestes, and Pylades. disguis'd.

Exeunt

Ore.

Egistus? and our Mother?

Ceth.

Am I Cethus,

Are you Orestes, and this Pyllades,

So sure they were his murderers: this disguise

Will suite an act of death, full to the life

Hee stands vpon a strict and secure guard,

I haue plotted your admittance, it will take

Doubt not, it cannot fayle, I haue cast it so.

Ore.

As sent from Menelaus?

Ceth.

Whose name else

Can breake through such strong guards, where feare and guilt

Keepe hourely watch?

Ore.

It is enough, I haue't,

And thou the faithful'st of all friends deare Pillades,

Doe but assist mee in my vowed reuenge

And inioy faire Electra.

Pyl.

Next your friendship

It is the prise [...]ayme at, I am yours.

Ceth.

What slip you time and opportunity,

Or looke you after dreames?

Ore.

I am a wake.

And to send them to their eternall sleepe.

In expedition there is still successe,

[Page] In all delayes defect: the traytor dyes

Were hee in league with all the destinies.

Exe. Pilad. Orest.

And tis a fruitfull yeare for villany,

And I a thrining Farmer. In this interim

I haue more plots on foote: King Menelaus:

I haue incenc'd against proud Diom [...]d▪

Fyrhus against Orestes, hee 'gainst him,

Ʋlysses without parralell for wit

Against them all: so that the first combustion

Shall burne them vp to ashes. Oh Palamides,

So deare was both thy loue and memory,

Not Hellen by her whoredome caus'd more blood

Streaming from Princes brests, then Cethus shall

(Brother) for thine vntimely funerall.

Exit.

Enter Egistus, Clitemnestra with a strong guard.

Egist.

Let none presume to dare into our presence

Or passe our guard, but such well knowne to vs and to our Queene.

Guard.

The charge hath past vs round▪

Egist.

When sinnes of such hye nature 'gainst vs rise,

Tis fit wee should be kept with heedfull eyes.

Cli.

Presume it my Egistus, we are safe,

The Fort wherein we liue impregnable:

Or say we were surpris'd by stratagem,

Or should expose our liues vnto the censure

Of Law and Iustice, euen in these extreames

There were not the least feare of difficulty.

Egist.

Your reason Madam.

Cli.

Whom doth this concerne

But our owne blood? should Pyrhus grow inrag'd▪

I haue at hand my neece Hermione

To calme his fury: what doth this belong to

Vlysses, or Aetolian Diomed?

Are they not strangers? If it come in question

By Menelaus, is hee not our brother▪

[Page] Our sister Hellen in his bosome sleepes,

And can with him doe all things, feare not then,

Wee are euery way secure.

Egist.

Oh but Orestes

His ey's to mee like lightning, and his arme

Vp heau'd thus, shewes like Iones thunder-bolt

Aym'd against lust and murder.

Cli.

Hee's our sonne,

The filiall duty that's hereditary

Vnto a mothers name preuents these feares:

Electra's young, and childish Pilades

Swai'd by his friend: It rests, could we but worke

Hellen and Menelaus to our faction,

Egistus should be stated in Mycene,

Wee liue his Queene and bride.

Egist.

Feare's still suspicious.

Enter one of the guard.

Guard.

A Letter sir.

Egi.

From whence?

Guard.

Tis superscrib'd from the great Spartae's King,

And the Queene Hellen.

Egi.

Who the messenger?

Guard.

Two Gentlemen who much importune you

For speedy answer.

Egi.

Bidde them waite without,

Now fates proue but propitious, then my kingdome

I shall presume establish't.

Cli.

There's no feare,

Orestes once remoou'd, and that's my charge

Either by sword or poyson.

Egi.

See faire Queene,

Reade what your brother writes, by this we are

Eternis'd in our happinesse, and our liues

Rooted in sweete security.

The Queene reades.

Cli.

Wee not suspect you in our brothers death,

A deede too base for any Noble brest.

[Page] Therefore in this necessity of state,

And knowing in this forced vacancy

So great a kingdome cannot want a guide:

The soueraignty we thought good to conferre

On Clitemnestra, or whatsubstiture

Shee in her best discretion shall thinke fit,

The vnited Kings of Greece [...]aue thus decre [...]d.

Your brother Menelaus.

Egist.

We are happied euer.

Cli.

A ioy ratified▪

And subiect to no change.

Egist.

Call in the messengers,

Orestes and Electra once remoon'd,

Wee haue no riuall, no competitor,

Therefore no iealousie at all.

Cli.

None, none.

The gods haue with these Kings of Greece agreed

In his supplanting and instating thee,

Thee my most deare Egistus.

Orestes and Pyllades disguised are conducted in.

Egist.

You the men?

Ore.

Those, whom the Spartan King made speciall choice of

To trust this great affaire with.

Egist.

And y'are welcome,

But are you men of action: such I meane,

As haue beene Souldiers bred, whose eyes inur'd

To slaughter and combustions: at the like

Would not change face, or tremble?

Pil.

They that to see

Legges, armes, and heads strowed on Scamander Plaine,

Kings by the common souldiers stew'd in goare,

And three parts hid with their imboweld Steedes,

Shadowing their mangled bodies from the Sunne,

[Page] As if aboue the earth to bury them:

They that to see an Asian Potentate

Kil'd at the holy Altar, his owne blood

Mixt with his sonnes and daughters, Towers demolisht

Crushing whole thousands, of each sexe and age

Beneath their ruines: and these horrid sights

Lighted by scathe- fires, they that haue beheld

These and more dreadfull obiects; can their eyes

Moue at a private slaughter?

Cli.

Y'are for vs,

Will you for hire, for fauour, or aduancement,

(Now warres are done) to be made great in Court,

And vndertake that one man easily spar'd

Amongst so many millions (now suruiuing)

That such a creature, no way necessary

But a meere burden to the world wee liue in,

Hee might no longer liue?

Ore.

But name the man,

And as I loue Egistus, honour you

And al that glory in such noble deeds.

Be what hee will; hee's lost.

Egist.

Orestes, then?

Ore.

Is there none then the world so well may spare

As young Orestes? Hee to doe't?

Hee kils Egistus, first discouering himselfe.

Egist.

Vaine world farewell,

My hopes withall, no building long hath stood

Whose sleight foundation hath bin layd in blood.

Cli.

I'le dye vpon his bosome.

Ore.

Secure the Fort my deare friend Pillades,

And to your vtmost pacifie the guard:

Tell them we are Orestes and their Prince,

And what wee did was to reuenge the death

Of their dead Lord and Soueraig [...]e▪

Pil.

Sir i'le doe't.

Exit.

Cli.

Oh mee, that thinking to haue catcht at Heauen,

Am plung'd into an hell of misery.

Egistus dead? what comfort can I haue,

[Page] One foote Inthron'd, the tother in the graue.

Ore.

Can you finde teares for such an abiect Groome,

That had not for an husband one to shed?

Oh monstrous, monstrous woman [...] is this carrion,

Is this dead Dog, (Dog said I?) nay what's worse,

Worthy the sigh or mourning of a Queene,

When a King lies vnpittied?

Cli.

Thou a sonne?

Ore.

The name I am asham'd of: oh Agamemnon,

How sacred is thy name and memory!

Whose acts shall fill all forraigne Chronicles

With admiration, and most happy hee

That can with greatest Art but booke thy deeds:

Yet whilst this rottennesse, this gangreen'd flesh

Whose carkas is as odious as his name

Shall stinking lie, able to breede a Pest,

Hee with a Princesse teares to be imbalm'd,

And a King lie neglected?

Cli.

Bastard.

Ore.

If I be,

Damn'd be the whore my Mother, I, I am sure

Nor my dead father had no hand in i [...].

Cli.

Oh that I could but lengthen out my yeares

Onely to spend in [...]urses.

Ore.

Vpon whom?

Cli.

On whom but thee for my Egistus death?

Ore.

And I could wish my selfe a Nestur [...] age

To curse both him and thee for my dead father.

Cli.

Doest thou accuse mee for thy fathers death?

Ore.

Indeede 'twould ill become me being a sonne,

But were I sure it were so, then I durst;

Nay, more then that, reuenge it.

Cli.

Vpon mee?

Ore.

Were all the mothers of the earth in one,

All Empresses and Queenes cast in one mould,

And I vnto that one a onely sonne,

My sword should rauish that incestuous breast

[Page] Of nature, and of state▪

Cli.

I am as innocent of that blacke deede,

As was this guiltlesse Gentleman here dead.

Orest.

Oh all you powers of Heauen I inuocate,

And if you will not heare me, let Hell do't:

Giue me some sig [...]e from eyther feinds or angell,

I call you both as te [...]tates.

Enter the Ghost of Agamemnon, poynting vnto his wounds: and then to Egistus and the Queene, who were his murderers, which done, hee vanisheth.

Godlike shape,

Haue you (my father) left the Elizium fieldes,

Where all the ancient Heroes line in blisse,

To bring your selfe that sacred testimony,

To crowne my approbation: Lady see.

Cli.

See what? thy former murder makes thee mad,

Orest.

Rest Ghost in peace, I now am satisfied,

And neede no further witnesse: saw you nothing?

Cli.

What should I see saue this sad spectacle,

Which blood-shootes both mine eyes.

Orest.

And nothing else?

Cli.

Nothing.

Orest.

Mine eyes are clearer sighted then, and see

Into thy bosome. Murdresse.

Cli.

How?

Orest.

Incestuous strumpet, whose adulteries,

When Treason could not hide, thou thoughts to couer,

With most inhumane murder.

Cli.

Meaning vs?

Orest.

Then, monster, thou didst first instruct mine hand,

How to write blood, when being a Wife and Queene,

Thou kildst a King and husband, and hast taught

Mee being a sonne, how to destroy a mother.

He wounds her.

Cli.

Oh most vnnaturall.

Orest.

That I learnt of thee.

Cli.

Vnheard of cruelty, but heauens are [...]ust.

[Page] And all remarkeable sinnes punish with marke,

One mischiefe still another doth beger,

Adultery murder: I am lost, vndone.

Shee dyes.

Orest.

Being no wife, Orestes is no sonne.

Enter Cethus and Pillades with the guard.

Pil.

The guard all stand for you, acknowledging

Orestes Prince and King.

Orest.

I now am neither.

Ceth.

What obiect's this? Queene Clitemnestra s [...]aine?

Pil.

I hope no sonnes hand in't

Orest.

Orestes did it,

The other title's lost.

Ceth.

All my plots take

Seyond my apprehe [...]sion.

Pil.

This is an age

Of nothing but portents and prodigies.

Orest.

The fathers hand as deepe was in her death

As was the sonnes, hee pointed, and I strooke:

Was hee not then as vnkind to a Wife,

As I was to a Mother?

Pil.

Oh my friend,

What haue you done?

Orest.

There is a Plasma, or deepe pit

Iust in the Center fixt for Parricides,

I'l keepe my Court there, and Erinnis, shee

In stead of Hebe, shall attend my Cup,

Charon the Ferri-man of Hell shall bee

My Ganimed.

Pil.

The Prince is sure distracted.

Ceth.

New proiect still for me.

Orest.

I'le haue a guard of Furies which shall light mee

Vnto my nuptiall bed with funerall Teades,

The [...]atall sisters shall my hand-maides b [...]e,

And waite vpon the faire Hermione.

Ceth.

Hermione? shee is betroth'd to Pyrhus,

And (mourning for your absence) all the way

Vnto the Temple shee will strowe with teares.

[Page]Orest.

Ha? Pyrhus rape my deare Hermione?

Hee that shall dare to interpose my purpose▪

Or crosse mee in mine Hymineall rights,

I'le make him lie as flat on the cold earth

As doth this hound Egistus.

Ceth.

And I would so.

Orest.

Would? [...]ay I will, his father woare a smocks,

And in that shape rap't Deiadamia.

Hee shall not vse my Loueso, oh my Mother;

Friend take that obiect hence.

Ceth.

But you Hermione,

Orest.

My hand's yet deepe in blood, but to the wrist,

It shall shall be to the elbowe: gods, nor men,

Angels, nor Furies shall my rage withstand,

Not the graue Honour of th' assembled Kings,

Not Reuerence of the Altar, nor the Priest:

No superstition shall my fury slay▪

Till Pyrhus from the earth be swept away,

Exit.

Ceth.

Pillades attend your friend.

Pil.

Hee's all my charge,

My life and his are twinnes.

Ceth.

Their mines are countermin'd, Cethus, thy fall

Is either plotted, or to blowe vp all.

Exit.

Enter Synon and Thersites.

Syn.

My head akes brother.

Ther.

What a batchiler,

And troubled with the Spartan Kings disease?

Syn.

No, there's a wedding breeding in my braine,

Pyrhus the Bride-groome: thou strange creature woman▪

To what may I compare thee?

Ther.

Canst thou deuise ought bad inough?

Syn.

Tis sayd they looke like Angels, and of light▪

But for the most part, such light Angels prooue,

Ten hundred thousand of their honesties

Will scarce weigh eleauen Dragmaes.

Ther.

Clite [...]nestra,

[Page] And Hellen for example.

Syn.

Young Hermi [...]ne

Hath face from both.

Ther.

The sharpe shrewes nose, they hate hereditary.

Syn.

Thersites, I commend that fellowes wit

Proffred a wife young, beautifull and rich,

Onely one fault she had, she wanted braine:

Who answered in a creature of that sexe,

I nere desire more wisedome; then to know

Her husbands bed from anothers.

Ther.

I commend him,

But tis not in th' Atrides family,

To finde out such a woman.

An Altar set fo [...]rth, Enter Pyrhus Lending Hermione as a bride, Menelaus, Vlisses, Diomed. A great trayne, Pyrhus and Hermione kneele at the altar.

Syn.

See now the sacred nuptiall rights proceede▪

The Priests prepare the Alter.

Fyr.

Hymen to whom my vowes I consecrate

As all my loue. To thee Hermione,

Whom in the presence of these Argiue Kings,

I heare contract, be thou auspitious to vs:

This flamming substitute to Saturnes sonne,

Within whose sacred Temple wee are rooft▪

And before all these high Celestiall gods

And goddesses, in whose eyes now we kneele:

Especially you I [...]n [...] Queene of marriage,

And faire Lucina, who haue child-births charge,

Your fauours I inuoake: Let your chast fires

Drye vp this Virgins teares; make her so fruitefull

That in her issue great Achilles name

And fame withall, may liue eternally▪

Proceede Priest to your other Ceremonies▪

Enter Orestes, Cethes, and Pilades, with the guard, all their weapons drawne, Orestes [...] [...] Pyrhus.

[Page]Orest.

Priam before the holy Alter fell,

Before the Alter bid thy life farwell:

Rescue Hermione.

Pyr.

Achilles sonne

Cannot reuengelesse dye, then witnesse all,

Blood must flow high where such great Princes fal.

Pil.

Orestes is in danger.

Mene.

Saue Prince Pyrhus.

Cethus whispers with Diomed.

Ceth.

This plot was layd

Both for your life and Kingdome.

Dio.

Menelaus: shall neuer beare it so.

Vlys.

Fy Thersites,

Thy sword against me.

Ther.

Curse vpon all whoores.

A confused scuffle, in which Orestes kils Pyrhus: Pyrhus, Orestes: Cethus wounds Pillades, Diomed, Menelaus, Vlisses, Thersites, &c. All fall dead sane Vlisses, who beareth thence Hermione: which done, Cethus riseth vp from the dead bodies and speakes.

Ceth.

What all asleepe? and are these gossiping tongues,

That boasted nought faue Warre and Victory,

Now mute and silent? Oh thou vgly rogue,

Where's now thy rayling? and thou parracide,

Thy madnesse is now tam'd, thou need'st no chaines

To bring thee to thy wits, darknesse hath don't.

This Diomed? who dar'd to encounter Mars,

And sayd to wound faire Ʋenus in the hand:

Where's your valour now? Aegiale,

Vnlesse (as some say) she be better stor'd,

Is like to lye without a bed-fellow:

Rise Pillades, and helpe to awake thy friend,

What doth your friendship sleepe now? Menelaus

Hellen's with a new sweete-heart ith'next roome,

Wilt thou be still a Cuckold? winke at errors

As pandors do and wittoles? Cethus now

[Page] Be crown'd in Hystory for a reuenge,

Which in the former World wants president:

Methinks, as when the Giants warr'd'gainst heauen,

And dar'd for primacy with Ioue himselfe▪

Hee darting 'gainst their mountaines thunder-boles▪

Which shattred them to peeces: the warre done,

I like the great Olimpicke Iupiter,

Walke ore my ruines, tread vpon my spoyles

With maiesty, I pace vpon this floore

Pan'd with the trunkes of Kings and Potentates,

For what lesle could haue sated my reuenge?

This arch-rogue falne amongst them? he whose eie [...]

Had the preposterous vertue to fire Troy.

Now is thy blacke soule for thy periuries

Swimming in red damnation.

Synon who had before counterfeited death, riseth vp, and answereth.

Syn.

Sir, not yet,

All pollicies liue not in Cethus brayne,

Synon hath share, and know if thou hast craft,

I haue reseru'd some cunning: see my body

Free and vntoucht from wounds.

Ceth.

Speake, shall we then

Diuide these dead betwix [...] vs, and both liue?

Syn.

If two Sunnes cannot shine within one spheare,

Then why should two arch-villaines? thou hast discouered

Projects almost beyond me, and for which

I haue ingrost a mortall enuy here,

I will be sole, or none.

Ceth.

Cease then to be,

That I may liue without Competitor.

Cause Synons name be rae'd out of the World,

And onely mine remembred.

Syn.

Thine's but frailty,

My [...]ame shall be immortall; made more glorious

In treading vpon thee, as thou on these;

[...]oope thou my Vnderling.

[Page]Ceth.

I still shall stand

They fight, and kill one another.

Rooted.

Syn.

And yet cut downe by Synons hand.

Ceth.

I now am dust like these.

Syn.

One single fight

Ends him, who millions ruin'd in one night.

Enter Hellena, Electra, and Hermione.

Her.

Can you behold this slaughter?

Hel.

Yes, and dye

Atsight of it: for why should Hellen liue▪

Hellen the cause of all these Princes deaths▪

Cease to lament, reach me my Glasse Hermione,

Sweete Orphant do; thy fathers dead already,

Nor will the fates lend thee a mother long.

Enter Hermione with a looking glasse, then exit.

Thankes, and so leaue me. Was this wrinkled fore-head

When 'twas at best, worth halfe so many liues?

Where is that beauty? liues it in this face

Which hath set two parts of the World at warre,

Beene ruine of the Asian Monarchy,

And almost this of Europe? this the beauty

That launch'd a thousand ships from Aulis gulfe?

In such a poore repurchase, now decayde?

See fayre ones, what a little Time can doe;

Who that considers when a seede is sowne,

How long it is ere it appeare from th'earth,

Then ere it stalke, and after ere it blade,

Next ere it spread in leaues, then bud, then flower:

What care in watring, and in weeding tooke,

Yet crop it to our vse: the beauties done,

And smel: they scarse last betwixt Sunne and Sunne▪

Then why should these my blastings still suruiue,

Such royall ruines: or I longer liue,

Then to be termed Hellen the beautifull.

I am growne old, and Death is ages due,

When Courtiers sooth, our glasses will tell true.

[Page] My beauty made me pittied, and still lou'd,

But that decay'd, the worlds assured hate

Is all my dowre, then Hellen yeeld to fate▪

Here's that, my soule and body must diuide,

The guerdon of Adultery, Lust, and Pride.

Shee strangles her selfe

Enter Ʋlysse [...].

Vlys.

In thee they are punish t: of all these Princes,

And infinite numbers that opposed Troy,

And came in Hellens quarrell (saue my selfe).

Not one suruies, (thankes to the immortall powers)

And I am purposde now to acquire by Sea,

My Kingdome and my deare Penelope,

And since I am the man soly reseru'd,

Accept me for the Authors Epilogue.

If hee haue beene two bloody? tis the Story,

Truth claimes excuse, and seekes no farther glory,

Or if you thinke he hath done your patience wrong

(In teadious Sceanes) by keeping you so long,

Much matter in few words, hee bad me say

Are hard to expresse, that lengthned out his Play.

Explicit Actus quintus.

Here ends the whole History of the destruction of Troy.

Information about this book

Title statement

The iron age contayning the rape of Hellen: the siege of Troy: the combate between Hector and Aiax: Hector and Troilus slayne by Achilles: Achilles slaine by Paris: Aiax and Vlisses contend for the armour of Achilles: the death of Aiax, &c. Written by Thomas Heyvvood.

Heywood, Thomas, d. 1641.

Edition statement

1632

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2006-06 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A03223

ID [STC]

STC 13340

ID [STC]

ESTC S104049

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99839789

ID [PROQUEST]

99839789

ID [VID]

4241

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Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A03223)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 4241)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1575:02)

Source

— The iron age contayning the rape of Hellen: the siege of Troy: the combate between Hector and Aiax: Hector and Troilus slayne by Achilles: Achilles slaine by Paris: Aiax and Vlisses contend for the armour of Achilles: the death of Aiax, &c. Written by Thomas Heyvvood., Heywood, Thomas, d. 1641..

Extent

[168] p.

By Nicholas Okes,. Printed at London :: 1632.. (In verse.) (Signatures: A-L⁴; ² A-K⁴.) (The first leaf is blank.) ("The second part of the iron age" has separate dated title page and register.) (In this issue the title page bears an oval printer's mark.) (Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.) (Title page from STC 13340.5 bound at beginning.)

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