The notable hystorie of two famous princes of the worlde, Astianax and Polixena wherein is set forth the cursed treason of Caulcas. Very pleasaunt & delectable to reade. Gathered in English verse by Iohn Partridge, in the yeare. 1566

The hyſtorie of two of the moſt noble Princes of the world Aſtianax & Polixena WHen Troie we Troianes were incloſde, by mighty armies twayne: And wéery Greekes forſoke that lande, retourning home agayne. By their deuiſe a monſter huge, was left in Troian ground: A playne diſceyte them to deſtroy, as afterwardes they found. A horſe of wood, in which there was, of armed men great ſtore: Vliſſes and the offſpring of, the huge and briſtled bore. When that theſe Knights in armor bright incloſed were therein: To Tenedos not farre from thence, to goe they doe begin. A place in ſight of Troian lande, where men them might not ſée: Bycauſe of miſtes which cauſed were, vnto the Skies to flie. Theſe Gretians there themſelues did hide, and Phrygians did beginne: By force of men, the ingine great, to hale and plucke it in. With minſtrels and with trompets eke, and feaſt this night they make: And fearing nought that might enſue, their quiet reſtes they take. When halfe the night was ſpent in flepe, at Troie the Greekes ariue: Then thoſe that in the ingine were. their fiers forth do driue. To top of towre theſe fiers they flewe, the houſes eke belowe: And what within the ingine was, the Gretians playne do ſhowe. Then ſtrayght the Troianes all in heapes, vnto the court doe flie: And eke the rowte of Gretians ſtoute, Aeneas doth defie. And ſéekes with manly courage ſtout, the Greekes for to reſtrayne: But out alas, his noble heart, did trauayle all in vayne. For more and more the Greekes did yet, their number multiplie: That ſuccour ought to Troie ſhould come, the Gods did playne denie. And cruell fates that were peruers, to Troianes as I déeme: The Troian towne olde Illyon, did nought at all eſtéeme. And when that once Neptunes hand, the walles at will to beate: And cruell Iuno in the toyle. did labour till ſhe ſweate. And all the Gretian Gods at once, doe giue them to the ſpoyle: Both Iuppiter and cruell Mars, Lieutenant of the broyle. There men might ſée the Troian walles, turnde topſie turuie downe: And at this breach the Gretians kepe, to enter in the towne. Here nowe they winne the victorie, and there to ground they fall: And ſome vnto the temples runne, vpon the Gods to call, For ayde and helpe, but all in vayne, the towne is quite deſtroyde: And for the ſpoyle their labour all, is duely now imployed. There Priamus the auncient King, by Pyrrus hande is ſlayne: And here the Greekes the caſtle ſtrong, indeuour to obtayne. The towne once wonne, then all in haſte, they runne to take the ſpoyle: And here and there the Troianes doe, of Gretians take the foyle. At length the towne is put to ſacke, and all as dead doth lie: And then the Greekes do ſtrayght prepare, to Greece agayne to hie. And Agamemnon generall, doth part the ſpoyle and gayne: And eke the captiues they doe ſéeke, to Greece with them to trayne. While all theſe things in Troian lande, were thus commit and done: Dauphebus in the Zodiacke, had more than halfe outrunne. And running now another way, did call for Winter dayes: To which time mighty Aeolus, nought of his power decayes. Then homeward do the Greekes prepare, to wende in very déede: And firſt to get the ſpoyle to ſhippes, they forwarde doe procéede. Some nowe do rigge and tallowe eke, the ſhippes that beaten were: With winde and rayne, and other ſome, the mighty maſtes doe reare. Some ſcoure the gons, ſome tackels new, ſome vitailes doe prouide: And ſome full ready are to wende, yet lacke they winde and tide. The Gretian Princes them diſporte, in midſt of Prygian lande: And wofull Troianes in the midſt, with wringing handes doe ſtande. Before the ende of dolours all, in ſight there did appeare: A manly Knight in armour bright, And ſpake theſe words vnto the hoſte, of Gretians ſtoute and ſtrong: You haue my Knightes, within this lande, remayned very long. And nowe at length you haue repayde, the Troians once their hire. For not one ſtone on others left, now all lies in the mire. Therefore I ſay attende to me, and aunſwere quickly giue: You knowe the mayde whoſe wedlocke I, did craue when I did liue. With that they all aſtonied were, and muſed who ſhould be: The wight whoſe loue he did deſire, in his proſperitie. At laſt, he to diſſolue them from, this feare that they were in: And then a newe to proſecute, this tale he doth beginne. Achilles I your Champion olde, that ſometime was your King, Nowe being deade yet do requeſt, of you but this one thing. That Polixena may be mine, and on my tombe be ſlayne: So ſhall your ſhippes returne full ſafe, vnto your friendes agayne. And loſed be from long decay, the which here they abyde: With paynted pompe, and ſhall agayne, vpon the ſalte ſeas ſlyde. And more I will and doe commaunde, that ſhe to death be put: And then your ſhippes ſhall loſed be, the foming ſeas to cut. By Pyrrus hande I will that ſhe, be ſlayne, and then depart: And then ye haue the Troianes payde, after their owne deſert. This ſayd, the earth did quake, & downe, to hell he did deſcende: The Greekes his wordes for to perfourme, do thorowly intende. Then to their ſhips the Greekes do hie, in poſting wiſe amaine: For weather faire did then appeare, to bring them home ogayne. Vliſſes then, whoſe diueliſh wiles, were not farre of to ſéeke: Did this procure, that Hectors ſonne, ſhoulde die in maner like. Aſtianax that manly wight, yet being but a childe: Coulde not forbeare, he ſeing that from Troie he was exilde. But willingly his tender corps, for countries ſoyle would beare: Through all the rowte of Gretians ſtrong, which Vliſſes did feare. And practizing to haue him ſlayne, for feare he ſhoulde in ende: Be able with an armie huge, through Gretian lande to wende. And then his children after him, by force for to ſubdewe: And eke deſtroy all Gretian lande, as they had ouerthrewe, The Troian towne olde Illyon, as men thereof may ſée: Vliſſes and Caulcas therefore, hereon agréed be. That Caulcas ſhall adiure and ſweare, that one there muſt be ſlayne: For whome the Greekes doe make delay, and ſtill in créeke remayne. The night is paſt, the day is come, auroraes beames do ſpred: And now Caulcas that traytour olde, doth ryſe from drowſie bed. And ſtands at aultare twixt the Gods, to offer ſacrifice: With foming mouth the Heyfer yong, before the altare lies. Much like as when a raging bore, compaſt with any wight: And ſtricken to the heart with ſhafte, of force muſt lie vpright. And foming at his cruell mouth, he wraſtles all in vayne: The more he ſtriues, the more increaſeth, his ſore and grieuous payne▪ So lies the Heyfer yong before, the altare of the Gods: His breathing paunch is opened, the bloud runs forth with clods. Then crieth out the Prophet olde, and ſayth that néedes muſt we: Slay Hectors ſonne, for loe the Gods, with vs agrieued be. And nothing can appeaſe their ire, but onely ſacrifice: And therefore Aſtianax muſt be ſlayne, I ſay in any wiſe. Then ſtrayght from thence to ſéeke the boy the Gretians doe them hie: But for a time him for to finde, the God doth them denie. Till at the laſt that crafty King, traynde vp with all diſceyte: Did finde him out, as one that knewe, the way him for to get. At length when they obtayned had, this péereleſſe Princes childe: Towarde they doe commit the boy, and eke the Aunte ſo milde. Vntill ſuch time as poynted was, by Caulcas traitour olde: The which thing he before, within his traytours head had folde. Aurora twice had ſhewed hir face, and Tytan twice in Skies: Hath ſhewed his gliſtering beames frō out the ſide where he doth riſe. And nowe the thirde to men is come, whereof they did reioyce: With mery notes the Mariners, do ſing with chéerefull voyce. At laſt this Hector yong of yeares, doth ioy, and haſtes with ſpéede: Of cruel fate for to receiue, his finall ende in déede. Then ſtrait the Greekes & Troianes runne to place where he ſhould die: And who firſt at the place ſhould be, the Greekes and Troianes trie. Some by the caſtle wall doe ſtande, and ſome heape ſtones on hie: And ſome from top of Idamon, do ſée where he ſhall lie. Some gather ſtones, and pyles doe make, thereon to ſtand and ſée: Some other weepe at his ill fate, appoynted ſo to bée. Some talke of Hectors valiauntneſſe, ſome come with him behinde: Some that Vliſſes necke were broke, wiſh both in heart and minde. And ſtyll they ſtand and gaze vpon, the olde and rotten toure: And doe aſpect of Mars his ſtroke, when that ſhall come the floure. At length he coms that cauſer was, of Greekes ſo long delay: And Greekes with Troianes all at once, lamen • that dolefull day. The manly boy with manly heart, vnto his death doth goe: And rolles about his ſéemely eyes, his friendes and foes to knowe. Vnto the top of Caſtle olde, the Greekes and he doe wende: And from the hieſt toppe thereof, they downewarde do him ſende. The tender corps of Princes bloude, and Illyons onely ioy: In whome his hope did all conſiſt, for to repaire olde Troie, Doth nowe in midſt of Illyon towne, lie quite diſſolued of life: The mourning now who can expreſſe, of noble Hectors wife. The Greekes lament his wofull hap, with teares their eyes do flowe: And eke how Troianes doe lament, my pen can not forth ſhowe, They houle, they wéepe, they mourne & cry they wring their handes amayne: To ſée how that the tender corps, of that ſwéete Prince lies ſlay •• At length the Greekes do downe deſcende, Polixenaes death to ſée: But Agamemnon in whome doth growe, the braunch of faire pitie, Doth Greekes deny that they ſhould ſée, the fall of hir likewiſe: And for the death of Hectors ſonne, the teares runne downe his eyes. Then Pyrrus he with poſting ſpéede, and Gretians all doe hie: Vnto the place where as Iwis, Polixena muſt die. The Gretians doe runne amaine, and Troians be not ſlowe: The company, the poynted place, doe throng and ouerflowe. The number was with wayling fillde, to ſée ſo faire a wight: In pitious wiſe for ſlaughter huge, ſo cruelly to be dight. At length they come, and Hellyn ſhe, doth beare the mariage brande: Before the mayde, as maner was, with ſtretched arme and hande. The mayde with manly courage ſtout, doth viewe the mighty trayne: With ſterne aſpect, reuoluing here hir ſight and there agayne. Wyth bended browes ſhe viewes the hoſt of Gretians as ſhe goes: And yet for that with Tyndaris, not one fote ſhe doth loſe. But is as luſty in hir way, as beſt of Gretians all: No cruell dreade durſt once aſſay, within hir bones to fall. And after hir in order commes, Achilles onely ſonne: Which muſt the mayde on fathers tombe, with ſworde quite thorow runne. And Caulcas eke did after come, but yet with ſlower pace: The mayde before the reſt ſhe went, whoſe gliſtering golden face, Did quite excell the bright ſunne beames, of Phoebus freſh and faire: Which good cauſe gaue the Gretian hoſt, vpon hir ſo to ſtare. Hir comelie haire depending downe, behinde hir head did ſhewe: Hir perfect graces what they were, in which ſhe full did flowe. Hir face as Roſes freſh and ſwéete, did ſéeme that there were plaſte: Hir tender lips, hir body eke, in kirtle being laſte. Hir fingers long and lyllie white, yea euen as the ſnowe: Dame nature in Polixena, hir power at once did ſhowe. No parte of hir miſſeſhapen was, but all full well did grée: Which cauſed of the Greekes to wéepe, hir cruell chaunce to ſée. It would haue made a heart of flint, to wéepe or elſe to burſt: To ſée ſo faire a Lady die, as one that was accurſte. Now is ſhe come vnto the tombe, of hie and ſtout Achil, The Gretians all then of the Gods, the 〈◊〉 eares do fill. With roarings and with cries alſo, euen as a mother woulde: When that euen now hir childe to die, before hir ſée ſhe ſhould. So do the Greekes and Troians all, lament hir cruell fall: And oft for help, but yet in vayne, vnto the Gods they call. And then to top of tombe ſhe goes, and there as ſtill doth ſtande: As any lambe, which to be ſlayne, the butcher hath in hande. Then downe ſhe knéeles & prayes ye Gods, and then doth riſe agayne: And euery man to heare hir ſpeake, approch and are ful fayne. Then thus to them at laſt ſhe ſpake, all feare now layde aſide: Leaue of quoth ſhe, I ſay you Greekes, leaue of your filthy pride. The crowne of victorie the which, you now triumphant beare: For if you loke neuer ſo hie, yet fortune doth To throwe you downe vnto the earth, that erſt ſhe ſet on hie: And yet O Troie I now ioy much, that I with thée muſt die. I ſhall not wander into Greece, nor as a ſlaue ywis: Be bound with chaines in priſon ſtrong, as nowe the maner is. But with my father and my friends, ſhall here abyde I ſay: Now welcome O thou death to me, I ioy to ſee this day. With that Achilles ſonne, pluckt forth his bloudy blade: Hir pleaſant corps intending then, by ſworde for to inuade. Then lifting vp his hande to ſtrike, he ſtayed in the blowe: For cruell feare in quaking bones, intangled had him ſo. At length he quite deſolued from feare, doth hyde his ſworde within: Hir tender ribbes, hir breathing bloud, 〈…〉 beginne. And yet not dead, ſhe falles as though, the burden ſhe would make: Full heauy to Achilles, then, there life ſhe doth forſake. And then the bloud out of the wounde, in breathing wiſe doth flowe: Euen as a floud out from the hilles, deſcending downe belowe. Then all the ſhores is through complete, with wéepings manifolde, The Greekes they wepe hir cruell fate, on that wiſe to beholde. From thence they goe vnto their ſhips, and homeward thinke to wende: The ſhips be loſde, and fate reuolued, faire winde the Gods haue ſende. Then hoyſe they ſayle, away they 〈…〉 to ſée once Greece agayne: And leauing Troie on foming 〈…〉 they ride and ſayle ama ••• Iohn 〈◊〉 FINIS.