❧The beginning, accidents and ende of the warre of Troy.
WHilom in Troy
Troy.
that ancient noble Towne,Did dwell a King of honor & renowne,
Of port, of puisaunce, and mickle fame,
And Priam
Priam.
was this mighty princes nameWhom in regard of his triumphant state,
The world as then surnamde the fortunate:
So happy was he for his progenie,
His Queene, his Court, his Children and Countrie.
Yclypped stately Hecuba
Hecuba.
was shee,So faire a creature hardlie might you see,
So braue, and of so comelie personage,
And long before she tasted fortunes rage,
With twenty sonnes and daughters, wondrous thing,
This lustie Ladie did enrich her King.
Priams honours.
Fruite not vnlike the Tree wherof they sprong,
The daughters louely, modest, wise and yong.
The sonnes as doth my storie well vnfolde,
All Knights at Armes, gay, gallant, braue and bolde,
Of wit and manhood such as might suffice,
To venter on the highest peece of seruice.
His Peeres as loyall to their royall Lord,
As might ne taynted be for deede or worde,
His Court presenting to our earthlie eyes,
A skye of starres or shyning Paradise.
Thus happy Priam didst thou liue of yore,
That to thy hap could nought be added more:
Till mong the Gods, I wot not what was hee
Eouying tho this happines to thee,
Or Goddesse, or accursed fend belowe,
Conspyring thy Troyes wracke and ouerthrowe.
Alack th [...]t happines may not long last,
That all these braueries beene so breefe a blast.
[Page 9]Till one (I say) a venging power or other,
Buz'd in the brayne of the vnhappy mother,
A dreadfull Dreame, and as it did befall,
Hecuba wyth Chylde with Paris.
To Priams Troy, a dreame deadly and fatall.
For when the time of Mothers payne drewe nie,
And now the loade that in her wombe did lie
Began to stirre, and mooue with propper strength,
Readie to leaue his place, behold at length
She dreames, and giues her Lord to vnderstand,
Hecubacs Dreame.
That she should soone bring foorth a fire-brand,
Whose hote and [...]lyming flame should grow so great,
That Neptunes Troy it would consume with heate.
And counsell taken of this troublous dreame,
The Sooth sayers said, that not swift Sinois streame,
Might serue to quench that fierce deuouring fire,
That did this brand gainst Towne of Troy conspire.
Which to preuent, (a pittious tale to tell)
Both Sire and Dame gainst law and kind rebell,
And that this feare might so be ouer-blowne,
This babe from Troy withouten ruthe is throwne.
Paris throwne out of Troy.
But tempted may the gods, not mocked be,
It is thy fate, nor may thou Troy foresee
What must befall, thou maist it not foreknoe,
Yet Paris liues, and men him called so.
He liues a sheepheards swayne on Ida hils,
Paris a sheepheard in Ida.
And breathes a man gainst Troy and Troyans wils
That threatens fire to Troy, a iolly swaine,
And heere me list leaue Priam and his trayne.
And tend we Paris [...] another while,
How he can Nymphes and sheepheards trulls beguile.
And pypen songs, and whet his wits on bookes,
And wrap poore Maydes with sweet alluring lookes.
So couth he sing his layes among them all,
And tune his pype vnto the waters fall,
And weare his coate of gray and lustie greene,
That had the fayre Oenone
Oenone enamoured of Paris.
neuer seene[Page 10]His tycing curled haire, his front of Iuorie,
The carelesse Nymphe had nere bene so vnhappy.
Then was the time when Flora with her flowers,
Like Iris in her pryde and partie collours,
Sate in her Sommer
Sommer.
Arbours like a Queene,And dight the earth in yellow, blew and greene.
Then Phaebe gan a sollemne hunting make,
A feast for Pallas, Iuno, Venus sake.
Dianaes feast and hunting. with Pallas, Iuno, & Venus.
And on that Ida where king Pr [...]ams sonne
Paris, this louelie sheepheards swayne did wonne,
A wondrous strife and variance did befall,
Among the goddesses
The Goddesses contende.
for a golden ball.Ate throwes the ball.
That some fell furie threw among them all.
And fatall was it to this sheepeheards boy
That in his bosome bare the bane of Troy,
To wander by that sacred place alone.
Belike his Nymphe and walking mate was gone.
And there was chosen iudge to ende this strife,
Paris chosen Iudge of beauty.
That after lost full many a man his life.
And thus this doubtie daies-man as I reede,
Did crancklie venture on this thankles deede.
Whom Iuno
Iunoes offer.
first, the great and stately goddes,Entiste with honor of much welth and riches.
And certes gold hath store of eloquence.
Him Pallas eke
Pallas offer.
the Queene of sapience,Tempted with wisedome and with Chiualrie.
To win the golden ball bequeath'd to beautie.
But neither welth nor wisedome might him moue,
When Venus
Venus offer.
gan t'encounter him with loue.So led away with ouer vaine conceite,
And surfeyting belike on pleasures baite,
As men are wont to let the better goe
And choose the worse, this iolly sheepheard loe,
In hope to winne the gallant flower of Greece,
Fayre Helena that braue and peereles peece,
G [...]ueth the pryze to Lady Venus grace,
Paris giues the ball to Venus.
[Page 11]And ends with endles warre this doubtfull case.
Ah Paris, hadst thou had but equall eyes,
Indifferent in bestowing of the pryze,
Thy humaine wit might haue discerned well,
Wherein true beautie of the mind did dwell.
But men must erre, because that men they bee.
And men with loue yblinded cannot see.
Throughout the world the rumour beeing blowne
Of this euent: the man was quicklie knowne,
And homewards comes forsooth to luckles Troy,
Paris returnes [...] Troy from Ida.
Of yore a sheepheards svvayne, King Priams boy.
And in his brest did beare an vncooth heate,
The strength whereof began to grow so great
As needes Sir Paris must prepare to see,
What might the substaunce of this shaddow bee,
That yet his fancie wrought vpon so fast,
So furnished with men and ships, at last
To Lacedemon
Paris expedicion to Lacedemon.
doth this mynnion come,The windes made way, the sea affoording rome,
In fine, the cut and voyage beeing short,
This Knight arriues at Menelaus Court.
Paris ariues at Menelaus Court
Where such his entertainment was I finde,
As iustlie might content a princelie mind.
For she was there to giue him welcome thoe,
Who more his inward sence then eye did knoe.
A lustie, braue, and liuely Dame was shee,
A lasse well worthy to be Paris fee.
The Queene her selfe that hight faire Helen [...],
Whom yet vnseene his thoughts did all obey.
And by the hand she takes her newcome guest,
And giues him entertainment
Helen entertaines Paris.
of the best.Yet stately Troy did floorish in his pryde,
And Priam whom no Prince might mate beside
T [...]ll loue and hate together did conspyre,
To waste this Towne and Realme with wastfull fire.
The Prince of Troy gan eazelie now to see,
[Page 12]How we [...]l her person with her fame did gree.
When calling on Dame Venus for his due,
The King of Sparta
Me [...]elaus goes from Sparta.
with a lordhe [...]rueMust poste from home, and leaue his wife forsooth,
To giue Sir Paris welcome for his tooth.
Thus Venus first to helpe Loues pollicie,
Aduantag'd him with oportunitie.
And nowe as Louers wont their times espie,
This Louer can his taske full well apply:
And striues to court
Paris Courtes Melen.
his Mistres cunninglieWhose tender breast the conquering God of Loue,
As wild his Da [...]e, with arrowes gan to prooue,
And found it fit for loues impression.
No sooner was King Menelaus gone,
But Helens hart had tane so great a flame,
As loue increast with Paris onelie name.
And nowe she gan suruay his louelie face,
Helen lookes on Paris.
And curiously obserue each courtlie grace.
And after large disputes of right and wrong,
What did to loue and womanhoode belong▪
Ah that this loue will be no better rulde,
Ah that these Louers nill be better schoold.
After sweete lyn [...]s that from this straungers penne,
Came swiftly to her reading now and then.
Regard of honour throwne aside by this,
She armes her boldlie to this great amis.
And for her hart was from her body he [...],
To Troy this Helen
Helen sayles to Troy with Paris.
with her Louer wen [...] ▪Thinking perdie a part contrary kinde
Her hart so wrought, her selfe to stay behind.
And thus hath Paris with his cunning caught,
The daint [...]e Byrd that all so farre he sought.
No sooner were they started thus away,
But straight the King, yet all too late a day,
Had newes of this vnworthy trayterous deede,
And after (sayes my story) gins to speed [...].
[Page 13]But conque [...]ing Loue that hath no leaden heelns,
Belike tide wings vnto the Troyan [...] keeles.
[...]
Away flyes Paris with his chased pray,
And lands in Troy the gallant Helena.
Whom aged Friam and Queene Hecuba,
With all their noble sonnes and daughters to
Welcome with royall feastes and much adoe.
And euery louelit Dame and lustie Knight,
Doe pay the Prince such honour as they might.
The Peeres, the Princes, and the Lords of Greece,
Toucht with the rape of this reprochfull peece,
Not suffering such barbarous villanie,
Dishonour to their state and Countrey.
In furie gan the quarrell vndertake.
Not all alone for Menelaus sake,
The Greekes vndertake Menelaus quarrel.
But to rebuke and to auenge beside,
Helens false loue, Paris adulterous pride.
Making prouision for a lasting warre
That wounded all so deepe, and yet the skarre
Remaines, and will endure from day to day,
That teeth of fretting T [...]ne shall neuer were away.
In Aulis
Aulis.
gulfe they mightilie assemble,Whose power might make the proudest Troy to tremble.
Lord Agamemnon
Agamemnon Generall of the Grecian [...].
there among them all,With Greekes consent was chosen Generall.
Before this time a while, as I [...]an reade,
Vlisses by the me [...]nes
Vlisses saynes madnesse.
of Palumede,Vnhappy man was fetch'd from It [...]ica,
Yet well could counterfeir a cause of stay,
To tarry with his wife Penclope.
But priuate came must common cause obey.
And though [...] a madnesse for the nonce,
Yet can Sir Palamedes
Palamedes dysciphers him.
all at onceTo try his wit, offer his tender sonne,
Whom while the Sire refusd to ouer-ronne
That playd the frantick plow man all in vaine,
[Page 14]He roundly brought him to the Argiue trayne.
That for the hate he harbourd in his heade.
Nil cease till this Sir Palamede
Vlyss [...] [...]
was deade.So Peleus noble sonne, the great Achilles,
Achilles hyd by Thetis.
That loth'lie with the Grecians went to seas,
Clad by his Dame in habite of a woman,
Vnworthy cowardize of a valiant man.
But that no cowardize this deede can hight▪
In him that was approu'd so good a Knight.
Vlisses
Achilles dyscouered by Vlisses.
with his toyes and tryfles trim,Full like a Pedler can discipher him.
The force of Greece and Armies all by this.
For want of wind haue houerd long in Aulis.
The Greekes [...]ayd in Aulis.
What mighty men misdoe, the meaner rue,
So great an ill by lingring dooth ensue.
Nor was there other helpe but Iphigen,
That might enforce the windes to blow agen.
And will he, nill he, Agamemnon
Agamemnon sends for Iphigenia.
must,If he will termed be a Generall iust,
Dispatch some trustie messenger or page,
Vnder pretence of loue or mariage,
To fetch to Aulis
Clytemne [...] comes to Aulis.
gulfe the Argiue Queene,To see the spousalles of faire Iphigen.
And Prince Achilles was her louer namde,
But all vntowardly this busines framd.
For Clytemnestra had espied ere long▪
Whereto this subtile message did belong.
In fine, the Virgine flayne in sacrifice,
Iphigenia sacri [...]zed.
The Greekes haue winde at will, the waters rise.
How many ills doo follow one annoy?
Now merily saile our Gallant Greokes to Troy.
And scoure the seas, & cheerly runne forth right,
As shootes a streaming starre in winters night,
The Greekes arriue at Troy.
Away they flye, their tackling te [...]t and tight.
Toppe and top gallant in the brauest sort
And as ye wote, this warre and tragicke sport
[Page 15]It was for Helena.
King Priam now gan easelie vnderstand,
How Greekes with all their power were hard at hand.
And sadlie doo the peeres their Prince aduise,
The while in rage Cassandra
Cassandr [...] Co [...]nsell.
calles and cryes.Render ye Troyans to these madding Greekes,
The Dame that all this expedicion seekes.
And to this battaile bruted farre by fame,
Great ayde of Armes on either partie came,
From Tyber, and the quaking Tanais
To Troy, the Queene of Amazons by this,
Penthesilea with her warlike bande,
[...] in ayde of Pryam.
Ariu'd in honor of King Priams land.
And ouer-long it were for me to tell,
In this afflicting warre what hap befell.
How many Greekes, how many Troyan Knights,
As Chiualrie by kind in loue delights.
Vpon their helmes their plumes can well aduaunce,
And twist their Ladies coullers in their Launce.
So loue doth make them bold and venturous,
So hardie was the true Knight Troylus,
Troylus.
All for pure loue of the vnconstant Cresid.
T'encounter with th'unworthy Diomed.
Diomede.
But leaue I heere of Troylus to say,
Whose passions for the raunging Cressida,
Creside.
Requires a vollume to vnfold at large,
And cunning neede he be that takes the charge,
To paint the colloures of that chaunging peece,
Staine to all Dames of Troy and stately Greece.
And that I may doo euery man his right,
Sir Paris mounted in his Armour bright,
Pricks foorth, and on his helme his Mistres sleeue,
How could that sight but Menelaus greeue.
And nowe the Greekes, and nowe the Troyans may,
As pleaseth Fortune beare away the day.
The times of truce sette downe by Marshall lawe,
[Page 16]The Dames of Troy with louelie [...],
The harts of [...]
The [...]
[...]
That night [...] he might his rest enioy,
So was his [...] gaged whole to Troy:
That now [...] this warrier would,
Or mought I [...] no more for loue he could▪
The Campe complames vpon his loue and [...]oth,
And charge him with his knighthoode and his othe.
Now rides out Hector, call'd the scourge of Greekes.
And like the vn [...]ath'd Panther pryes and seekes
Where he might prooue his [...] and [...]lorming thus,
[...]
He lights vpon Ac [...]lles friend [...]
When as the great, Achilles ga [...] him greete,
And Lyon like runnes proudlie him to meete,
For reskue of his friend as he were woode,
And charging tight his staffe in eager moode,
Forgetfull of the [...]
As Fawlcon wonts [...] stoope vpon her pray.
As Hector had vnhorst Patroch [...]s tho:
Dispoyling him in field, alas for woe,
Vnwares to wreake this [...] of his beleeke,
He slayes a peereles Troyan for a Greeke.
And hauing thus performd this murdrous treason,
Achilles kyl [...] Hector.
He tryumphes in the spoyles of Priams son.
Now gan the Gree [...]ans [...]lap their hands for glee,
But blood will blood so euer mought it be.
The Troyans glory now gan waxen dim,
And cold their hope, sith death hath seazed him,
That gaue them hope and happy fortune to.
The Mother Queene withouten more adoe,
Gan whether wits to wreake this mallice donne,
And trayterous murther of her va [...]ant sonne.
When Hectors death was more then halfe forgot,
Or at the least dissembled well I wot,
Full [...] g [...]n this Lady offer make,
Her daughter faire [...] to spouse,
In Pallas Temple should he make his vowes.
And thus the Queene that knew no law of Armes,
Vowde cleere to him, and voide of further harmes.
But when this Greeke did little thinke of guile
To vvorke reuenge for Hectors death, the while,
Euen in the fatall place, Sir Paris than,
Paris woundes Achilles in the [...]eele.
With poysoned shaft dispatcht the haples man.
And vvhere his Mother Thetis him not hent,
Directlie thether was his arrowe sent.
Now lyes the great Achilles deade in Troy,
Achilles dies.
The Greekes make mone, the Troyans leape for ioy.
And Pri [...] doth bestow his bloodles bones,
Vpon his wretched hartles Mirmidons.
Immediatly began a bloodie brawle,
Among the Lords and Greekish Captaines all,
Touching the Armour of this valiant Knight.
Sir Aiax
Contention twixt Aiax and Vlisses for Achilles Armour.
first doth clayme it as his right,And then gainst him the Lord of Ithica,
Thinkes for desert to beare the prize avvay.
And of the twayne but one might it enioy,
And pleade they must vpon the stronde of Troy
Before the Ships: where Aiax in a heate,
For that the stomacke of the man was great:
Layes open to the Greekes his seruice donne,
In their affaires since first this warre begonne.
And tvvits Vlisses with his cowardize.
But Aiax this for thee may not suffize.
For though the Targe were ouerbig to beare,
And stoute Achilles helme vnfit to weare
For wise Laertes sonne: yet pollicie
That hight indeede the strength of Chiualrie,
Was that where of this Knight doth cheefely vaunt,
So with his words he gan their vvits enchaunt:
That vvhen he must conclude and say no more,
A stole by night from Troy, and then (quoth he)
Bestovve it heere yee Greekes if ye nill giue it me.
Wherewith he wonne their harts & cha [...]nde their [...]
And from Sir Aiax got the Marshall prize.
Vlisses winnes the Arm [...]n [...] ▪
The man whom vvrath and furie [...],
Not able to endure this open shame,
Foulie sought violent meanes to stint this strife,
And with a deadlie stab reau'de his ovvne life.
And nowe this wastfull vvarre that lasted long,
To Dames of Troy and Greece a tedious wrong,
With hote encounter and vnhappy fight,
And hast [...]ed death of many a hardie Knight.
Gan grow to this, that Greekes to bleere the eyes
Of their foreweried [...]oes, began denise.
And hauing built a great vnweldie frame
Much like a Horse,
The Troyan [...] Horsse.
and well ystuft the samewith men of warre, they make a subtill shoe,
As though from Troy they homewardment to goe,
And rayse the [...]ioge, and leaue the prize behind,
But Gods doo know they nothing lesse doo minde.
For as I weene, my History doth say,
To Tenedos
The Greekes retyre to Tenedos.
the Grecians tooke their way.An Ile that gaue them harbour and abode,
Now leaue we there these Greekes to lie at road [...] ▪
Amidst this hurlie burlie and vprore,
King Pria [...] sends avvay young Pollydore,
Polydore King Priams sonne.
With store of treasure, and with mickle mucke,
His yongest sonne to Thrace, but little lueke
Ensude this deede: sor Polymnestor loe,
Polymnestor King of Thrace, murthers Polydore.
The thirst of Priams riches choak [...] him so,
A wofull tale as I haue heard it tolde,
Murthers this Prince for lucre of his golde.
The subtile Synon
Synons treason.
for his villanie,The noted Author of Troyes tragedie.
When traytrous Greekes had sluncke to Tenedos,
[Page 19]Gan with the silly Troyans highlie gloze.
And tell a tale p [...]rdie of little trueth,
Although as it befell of mickle ruthe.
And so bewitcht King Pria [...] and his Cours,
That nowe at last to Troyans fatall hurt,
In stedde of that might most their states aduaunce,
They gree to hoyse this engine of mischaunce,
The Troyan [...] re [...]eiue the [...] [...]uto the towne.
And make a breache like fooles, and neuer lin,
Till their owne handes had pulde their enemies in.
Thus ryot, rape, and vaine credulitie,
Binnam'd cheefe Authors of Troyes tragedie.
The monstrous Horse that in his hugie fides,
A traytrous throung of subtill Grecians hides,
Gan nowe discharge his vast and hydeous loade,
And silently disperse his strength abroade.
Nyght.
It was the time when midnights sleepe and rest,
With quiet pause the towne of Troy possest.
The Greekes forsake the ships and make returne,
Novve Troy as was foretolde began to burne,
Troy set on fi [...]e by the Greekes
And Iliums statelie towres to smoake a pace.
The conqu'ring Greekes begin a maine to chase
And follow fast their foes, that vnawares
False Synon had betrapped in his snares.
Ah what a piercing sight it was to see,
So braue a towne as Troy was said to be,
By quenchlesse fire layd leuell with the soyle,
The Prince and people made the souldiers spoyle,
The vnhappy Priam mazde with frights and feares,
Seeing his Pallace flame about his eares,
Out of his wretched slumber hastlie start:
And weening to haue playd a young mans part,
Girts to his Arming sword with trembling hand,
But she alas that bare the fatall brand
That firde the towne, the most vnhappy Queene,
Whose like for wretched hap was neuer seene.
Said leaue my Lord, becomes vs not to striue,
And flie from ayde of men to powers [...]
And so with me lay hold on [...] shry [...]e.
But he whose bloodie mind and murdring rage,
Nor lavve of Gods, nor reuerence of age,
Coulde temper from a deede so tyrann [...]s.
Achilles sonne, the fiercevnbridled Pyrrhns.
Pyrrh [...]s.
His fathers ghost belike entycing him,
With slaughtring hand, with visage pale and dim.
Hath hent this aged Pri [...] by the haire,
Like Butcher bent to sley, and euen there,
The man that liu'd so many golden yeeres,
The Lord and Maister of such lordlie peeres,
The King of Troy, the mightie king of Troy,
With cruell yron this cursed Greekish boy
Rids of his life: as whilome hee had donne
With poysond shaft Paris, old Priams sonne.
Priam [...] the Altar by Pyrrhu [...].
Thus soules by swarmes doth presse to Plutoes [...]all,
Thus naked Troy, or now not Troy at all.
Doone is thy pride, dim is thy glorious gite,
Dead is thy Prince in this vnhappy fight.
My penne forbeare to write of Hecuba,
That made the glorious Sunne his Chariot stay,
And rayning teares his golden face to hide,
For ruth of that did afterwards betide,
Sith this vn [...]phy Queene suruiude the laft;
Till Fortunes spight and mallice all was past.
And worne with sorrow, wexen fell and mad.
Hecuba mad.
And all the happines that Priam had,
In his mishaps and bloodie funerall,
Was that he savv not yet the ende of all.
His daughters rauisht, slaine in sacrifice,
Astianax
Polixena sacrisi. Astyanax.
before his mothers eyes,The princelie babe throwne from the highest towre,
Thus to our deathes there needeth but an howre.
Short tale to make, when first the tovvne of Troy
When Pyrrhus had the guiltie Paris slaine,
Paris slayne by Pyrrhus.
Loe now at last the Greekes haue home againe,
With losse of manie a Greeke and Troyans life
Vnhappy Helen, Menalaus wife.
Menelaus receiues Helen.
The good Aeneas,
Aeneas.
whom the Gods beleeke,Reseru'd some further better happe to seeke,
With olde Anchyses,
Anchises,
leaues this vvretched Towne,And on the Seas ytossed vp and downe,
Ariues in Lauine land, when he had seene
The bounty of the famous Carthage Queene.
Dido.
Whom driuen by fates this wandring Knight deceau'd,
That him and his so royallie receau'd.
MY Author sayes, to honour Helens name,
That through the worlde hath beene belide by Fame:
Howe when the King her pheere was absent thence,
A tale that well may lessen her offence.
Sir Paris tooke the Towne by Armes and skill,
And carried her to Troy against her will.
Whom whether afterward she lou'd or no,
I cannot tell, but may imagine so.
FINIS.