Troia Brittanica: or, Great Britaines Troy A Poem Deuided into XVII. seuerall Cantons, intermixed with many pleasant Poeticall Tales. Concluding with an Vniuersall Chronicle from the Creation, untill these present Times. Written by Tho. Heywood |
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Canto. 3.
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 | Troia Brittanica: or, Great Britaines Troy |  |
53
Canto. 3.
Argumentum
Calista knowne to be with Child, is driuenFrom Dians Cloyster: Archas doth pursue
His mother: vnto him Pelage is giuen,
Now termed Archady: when Tytan knew
Saturne had sonnes aliue, his hart was riuen
With anger: he his men togither drew
To Battayle: the two brothers fight their fils,
Ioue, saues his Father, and his Vncle kils.
Arg. 2.
Trans-formd Calisto, and the Gyant-kingsIoues Combat with great Tiphō, Gāma sings
1
When I record, the dire effects of Warre,I cannot but with happy praise admire
The blessed friendes of Peace which smoothes the scat
Of wounding steele, and al-consuming fire,
Oh, in what safety then thy Subiects are,
Royall King Iames, secur'd from Warres fierce yre,
That by thy peacefull gouernment alone,
Studiest deuided Christendome t'attone.
54
2
To thee, may Poets sing their chearefull laies,By whom their Muses flourish in soft peace:
To thee, the Swaines may tune eternall praise,
By whom they freely reape the earths increase;
The Merchants through the earth applaud thy daies,
Wishing their endlesse date may neuer cease,
By whō they throgh the quartered world may traffick.
Asia, Europe, America, and Affricke.
3
Thy Liege-men thou hast plac'st as on a hill,Free from the Cannons reach, from farre, to see
Diuided Nations one another kill,
Whilst thy safe people as Spectators be,
Onely to take a view what blood they spill,
They neere to ruine, yet in safety we
Alone in peace, whilst all the realmes about vs,
Enuy our blisse, yet forcst to fight without vs.
4
So did the Newter Londoners once standOn Barnet-Heath, aloofe, to see the fight
Twixt the fourth Edward, Soueraigne of this land,
And the great Duke of Warwicke in the right
Of the sixt Henry, in which, hand to hand,
Braue Iohn of Oxford a renowned knight
Made many a parting soule for liues-breath pant,
And vanquisht many a worthy Combattant.
5
So stood the Kentish men to view the maine,In the yeare Eighty eight, when th'English fleete
Fought with the huge Armadoes brought from Spaine,
With what impatience did they stand to see't
On the safe shore, willing to leaue the traine
Of such faint Cowards, as thinke safety sweet
In such a quarrell, where inuaders threat vs,
And in our natiue kingdome seeke to beat vs.
6
Where Royal Englands Admirall, attendedWith all the Chiualry of our braue Nation,
The name of Howard through the earth extended
By Naual triumph o're their proud Invasion,
55
In Lightning and Earths-thunder, in such fashion
That all the sheafed feathered shafts of Spaine,
Headed with death, were shot them backe againe.
7
It shewed as if two Townes on th'Ocean built,Had been at once by Th'eauens lightning fired,
The shining waters with the bright flames guilt,
Breathd Clouds of smoke, which to the spheres aspired,
The bloud of Spanish Souldiers that day spilt,
Which through the Port-holes ran, Neptune admired,
And tooke it for the Red-sea, whilst the thunder
Of English shot, proclaymde the Sea-gods wonder.
8
But least this Ordinance should wake from sleepe,Our auncient enmity, now buried quite,
The graue of all theyr shame, shall be the deepe,
In which these peopled Sea-townes first did fight;
Yet that I may a kinde of method keepe,
And some deseruing Captaines to recite:
Liue famous Hawkins, Frobisher and Drake,
Whose very name, made Spaines Armadoes quake.
9
Now to returne vnto Pelagia backe,Which Ihoue hath made to him and to his seed,
Then takes his leaue: the people loath to lacke
The Prince, that from a Tyrant hath them freed
Who of their liues and Honors sought the wracke,
would change his purpose, but he hath decreed
Pelagia to forsake, and I must leaue him
To Epires King, who gladly will receiue him.
10
And to the Forrest to Calisto turne,Whose sorrow with her swelling belly growes:
Alasse, how can the Lady chuse but mourne?
To see hirselfe so neere her painfull throwes:
Tis August, now the scortching Dog-starres burne,
Therefore the Forrest-Queene a set day chose
For all her traine to bath them in the floud,
Calisto mongst them by the riuer stood.
56
11
The Queene with iealous eyes surueies the place,Least men or Satyres should be ambusht by them,
The naked Ladies in the floud to face,
Or in their cloth-lesse beauty to espie them,
Now all at once they gin themselues t'vnlace:
(Oh rauishing Harmony) had I bin by them,
I should haue thought so many silken strings,
Tutcht by such white hands, musicke fit for kings.
12
They doffe their vpper garments: each beginsVnto her Milke-white Linnen smocke to bare her,
Small difference twixt their white smocks and their skins,
And hard it were to censure which were fairer:
Some plunge into the Riuer past their chins,
Some feare to venture, whilst the others dare her,
And with her tender foot the riuer feeles,
Making the waters margent rinsh her heeles.
13
Some stand vp to the Ankles, some the knees,Some to the Brest, some diue aboue the Crowne,
Of this her naked fellow nothing sees,
Sauing the troubled waues, where she slid downe:
Another sinkes her body by degrees,
And first her foot, and then her legge doth drowne,
Some their faint fellowes to the deepe are crauing,
Some sit vpon the banke their white legs lauing.
14
One onely discontented, shrinks aside,Her faint vnbracing idely she doth linger,
Full faine the Lasse her swelling brest would hide,
She pins and vnpins with her thumbe and finger,
Twice Phæbe sends, and musing she denide
To bath her: she commands the rest to bring her,
Who betwixt mirth and earnest, force and play,
All but her Cobweb shaddow, snatcht away.
15
Dian at first perceiues her brests to swell,And whispers to Atlanta what she found,
Who straight perceiu'd Calisto was not well,
They iudg'd she had her Virgins belt vnbound,
57
And that her belly shew'd so plumpe and round,
They little need to aske if she transgrest,
Calistoes guilty blush, the act confest.
26
Therefore she banisht her, nor sutes nor teares,Can with the Queene of Damsels ought preuaile,
Who when by strict inquiry made, she heares
Of Iupiter and his deceitfull stale,
Who seem'd so like a Virgin: Phebe sweares,
Because her iudgement thenceforth shall not faile,
And to avoide occasion of like venter,
To search all such as to her traine shall enter.
17
Thus is Lycaons daughter banisht nowThe Citty, by her late assum'd profession,
Banisht the Cloyster by her breach of vow,
For by no praiers, teares or intercession,
Diana her reentrance will allow
After exilement, for her late transgression,
Therefore asham'd, thrugh darke shades she doth run,
Till time expires, and she brings forth a sonne,
18
So did our Cynthia Chastity preferre,The most admired Queeene that euer rained,
If any of her Virgin traine did erre,
Or with the like offence their honors stained
From her Imperiall Court she banisht her,
And a perpetuall exile she remained,
Oh bright Elisa though thy dated daies
Confine: there is no limit to thy praise.
19
Calistos sonne immagine seuen years old,Brought vp mongst Lyons, Tygers, Wolues, & Beares,
The sauage impe growes day by day more bold,
And (halfe a bruit) no beast at all he feares,
He brookes both Summers heat and Winters cold,
And from the Woolfe his pray by force he teares,
Vpon a time his mother crost his will,
Whom he inrag'd pursude, and saught to kill.
58
20
She flies, he followes her with furious rage,Till she is forcst the Forrest to forsake,
And seeing no meanes can his spleene asswage,
She doth the way vnto the citty take,
The neighbour Citty which is cal'd Pelage,
Where Iupiter by chance did merry-make;
Whose hap it was, then crossing through the street,
The mother and th'inraged sonne to meete.
21
Calisto spies Ioue, and for helpe she cries,And at his Royall feet she humbly throwes her,
He stops the sauage, and with heedfull eyes,
Viewing Calisto well, at length he knowes her,
Though clad in barke and leaues, (a strange disguise)
For a kings daughter, and a Realms disposer:
Helpe Ioue (quoth she) and my pursuer stay,
Archas thy sonne his mother seekes to slay.
22
Ioue gladly doth acknowledge the bold LadTo be his son, for all the guifts of nature,
Pattern'd and shap't by Iupiter he had,
And of him nothing wants, but age and stature,
He caus'd him in rich garments to be clad,
And then he seem'd to al, a goodly creature,
For being attir'd in cloath of Gold and Tissew,
He may be easily knowne to be Ioues Issue.
23
The strife betwixt the mother and the childe,Is by the father and the husband ended,
Calisto hath againe her selfe exil'd,
Scorning the grace that Ioue to her extended:
She hies her to the groues and forrests wilde,
With generall mankind for Ioues sake offended,
But in her flight as through the fields she ranged,
She feeles her figure and proportion changed.
24
Her vpright body now gan forward bend,And on the earth she doth directly stare,
And as her hands she would to heauen extend,
She sees her fingers clawes, o're-growne with haire,
59
To be for colour peerelesse, kissing rare,
Are rough and stretcht in length, hir head down hangs
Her skins a rough hide, and her teeth be fangs.
25
And when she would her strange estate bewaileAnd speake to heauen, the sorrowes of her hart,
Instead of words she finds her Organs faile,
And grunts out a harsh sound, that makes her start,
She feares her shape, and ouer hill and dale
Runs from her selfe, yet can she not depart
From what she flies, for what she most doth feare
She carries all the way the shape of Beare.
26
And though a perfect Beare, yet Beares affright her,So do the Wolues, though mongst their sauage crew
Her Father liues, how should a Wolfe delight her
Vnlesse Lycaon in such shape she knew?
Meane time young Archas proues a valiant fighter,
And in all Martiall practise famous grew,
Adding seaueu Summers more vnto his age,
Hee seats him in the kingdome of Pelage.
27
Where leaue him raigning in his Grandsires sted,Changing his kingdome and his peoples name,
Whether by loue or fate (I know not) led
Themselues Arcadians they abroad proclaime,
After the name of Archas now their head
Pelage a Citty too of ancient fame,
They Archad call, a stile that shall perseuer
Vnto the people and the Towne for euer.
28
Archas in Archad liues, in Epyre Ioue,Saturne in Creet, the God of Earth proclaimed,
Tytan through forren Seas and Lands doth roue,
Hauing by Conquest many Nations tamed,
For time still gaue him Conquest where he stroue,
which made him through the world both fear'd & famed
Yet with a world the Tyrant seemes not pleasd,
Till he haue Creet his Natiue birth-right ceasd.
60
29
By strict inquiry, he at length hath foundHis periur'd Brother hath kept sonnes aliue,
against the couenant he by oath was bound,
Which was, that no male issue should suruiue:
This of his future war must be the ground,
He vowes in Irons his Brothers legs to gyue,
His hands to Manacle, his necke to yoake,
In iust reuenge that he the league hath broke.
30
His sonnes all Gyants, and by nature strong,He sends to assemble to this dreadfull warre,
Who like their father apt for rape or wrong,
Without the cause demaunding gathered are,
Vnnumbred people in their armies throng,
Brought by the Big-bon'd Titanoys from farre,
Where he and all his Gyant-sonnes assemble,
They make the groning earth beneath them tremble.
31
Lycaon was not there, him Ioue beforeHad from th' Arcadian kingdome quite put downe,
There was the Gyant Typhon, he that wore
The Ciprian wreath, and the Cicillian crowne,
Huge Briareus that the scepter bore
Of Nericos, a monster, at whose frowne
Nations haue quak't, whole armies stood agast,
And Gods themselues shooke till his rage were past.
32
Cœon likewise king of great Cœas Isle,A fellow of a high and matchlesse size,
Who the rough Ocean calmed with a smile,
And with a frowne hath made the billowes rise,
Ægeon too that hath inlarg'd his stile
Through many a kingdome: from whose raging eies
Bright lightning flames haue in his furious ire,
Afore a storme of thunder flasht out fire.
33
Of him the great Mediterranean OceanIs cald th'Ægean Sea, it doth deuide
Europe from Asia, and hath further motion
along the greatest part of Greece: beside,
61
Therefore was cal'd Brianchus for his pride:
The next Hyperion of the selfe-same breed;
All these haue sworne the death of Saturnes seed.
34
There likewise came vnto these wars Iapetus,(Cælum and Terraes son) in Tytans aide,
He brought with him his sonne Prometheus,
Whom Tytan the first houre a Captaine made,
His brother Athlas too, and Hesperus,
Their royall Ensignes in the field displai'd,
And ouer diuers seas their armies ferried,
From Mauritania, Lybia, and Hesperied.
35
Their Randezvouz in Sicily they made,And thence by sea they rigge a royall fleet,
The flourishing realme of Saturne to inuade,
In time, their countlesse hoast takes land in Creet,
Vallies by them are fil'd, hils euen are laid,
Townes burnt, high Castles leuel'd with their feet,
Where ere they turne, fire from their eye-bals flashes,
Which townes and villages consumes to ashes.
36
Saturne their bold inuasion much admires,Not knowing whence their quarrell may be grounded,
He cals his Counsell, and of them inquires
How their immense ambition may be bounded,
How with his enemies blood to quench the fires,
And by what power the foe may be confounded,
Aduise is giuen to make a generall muster,
To beat them backe that in such numbers cluster.
37
And as the king thron'd in his chaire of state,Sits in his pallace, all his chiefe Peeres by him,
On these affaires to Counsell and debate,
In thrusts a Knight from Tytan, to defie him,
And mongst the Lords that bout him circled sat,
He rudely throngs, and presseth to come me him,
But being kept backe, aloud he lifts his voice,
And thus greets Saturne from the Tytanoys.
62
38
Thus sayes impetious Tytan, Saturnes Lord,Like a low vassaile from my Throne discend,
Or I shall chase thee thence by fire and sword,
And with thy glory, to thy daies giue end,
For thou hast broke thy oath and Princely word,
And therein made an enemy of thy friend:
My Crowne I but resign'd vpon condition,
And thou those bands hast broke by thy Ambition.
39
Whilst Saturne his male-children kils: so longHe is the King of Creet, but that neglected,
He weares the Cretan Diadem by wrong,
Thy periury is to the world detected,
And therefore with an army great and strong,
Shall Saturne from his high throne be deiected:
Thus Tytan doth the king of Creet defie,
And by these Summons, to submit or die.
40
Bold spirited Saturne doubly mou'd appeareth,At his proud Message, with disdaine and wonder,
Disdaine; as being a Prince that nothing feareth
To heare his scorned enemy-threatnings Thunder;
With admiration: when he strangely heareth
Of sonnes aliue, which makes him deepely wonder,
And taking Sibell by the hand thus say,
(Hauing commanded first his traine away.)
41
Sister and wife, I charge thee by the zealeThou owest to me thy husband and thy brother,
The truth of all this practise to reueale,
And what I next demaund thee nothing smother,
Since it concernes th'estate of all our weale,
Art thou of any liuing sonne the mother?
The trembling Queene, low kneeling, thus repli'de,
You charge me deepe, and I will nothing hide.
42
I am a woman, and full well you know,A woman hath a soft and tender brest,
But more, I am a mother: can you show
A mother that in this kind hath transgrest?
63
Which mothers to their children most detest:
Was it for murder you espous'd me first,
To be a wife, of all good-wiues accurst?
43
I'de rather be a pittious mother helde,Then through the world a Murdresse be esteem'd,
Be my selfe murdred rather, then compeld
To murder those for whom this womb hath teem'd:
This wombe with three faire Princely sons hath sweld,
Which dead to Saturne and the world are deem'd,
Yet all three liue, but cruell husband where,
Saturne shall neuer know, nor Tytan heare.
44
Th'amazed king immagines by her looke,Her feruent tongue doth on her hart-string strike,
Necessity at this time; makes him brooke
What his disturbed soule doth most dislike,
Without reply the sad Queene he forsooke,
It pierst his hart as if an enemies pike
Had by the aime of some strong hand bin cast,
And side to side through all his entrailes past.
45
He comes where all his Lords in counsell sat,And tels them of three sons preseru'd to life,
The Peeres at first see me much amaz'd thereat,
Yet all commend the pitty of his wife,
And praise her vertue: (intermitting that)
They next proceed to Tytans hostile strife,
And thus conclude their enemies to expell,
Whom they know Barbarous, bloody, fierce and fell.
46
When calling him that the defiance brought,This answere backe to Tytan they returne,
That they his brauing menace set at naught,
That their owne blouds shall quench the towns they burn
That their immediate ruines they haue sought,
And they no longer can reuenge adiourne,
But the next sonne shall see strange vengeance tane
Of all his Cretan subiects they haue slaine.
64
47
The Messengers dismist, while they prepareArmes and munition for the Morrowes field,
Meane time great Tytans sonnes assembled are,
Who all their Fortunes on their fury build,
Their hauty lookes their spleenfull harts declare,
Each brandishing his sword, and ponderous shield,
Longing to heare from Saturne such reply,
That on his men they may their valours try.
48
Nor do they tempt the Deities in vaine,They haue what they desire: to them behold
The baffled messenger gallops amaine,
But ere the Knight his message hath halfe told,
So much the Gyant kings their braues disdaine,
That with their scornefull feet they spurne the mold,
Their browes they furrow, and their teeth they grate,
And all the Gods blaspheame, to shew their hate.
49
Now hath the Sunne slid from his fiery Car,And in cold Ister quencht his flaming head,
Blacke darknes rising from the earth afar,
You might perceiue the welkin to orespread,
Orions blazing lockes discouered are,
Pale Cinthia gouernes in Apolloes stead,
Bootes his waine, about the pole hath driuen,
And all the stars borne bright that spangle heauen.
50
The morning comes, Tytan in field appearesIn compleat harnesse, arm'd from head to toe,
Next him Ægeon, who no Corslet weares
Or coat of Armes to incounter any foe,
Vnarmed as he is, he no man feares,
A plume doth from his guilded helmet flow,
Made of the Peacockes traine, his armes is strong,
In which he shakes a skeine, bright, broad, and long.
51
Creous huge sinnowy Armes, and brawny thighesAre naked, being tawnied with the sun,
Buskins he weares that boue his ankles rise,
Puft with such curl'd silke as Arachne spun,
65
Laceth his body in, these Armes he woon
Of a huge Monster, in the Isle of Thrace,
Whose weapon was a weighty iron mace.
52
His knotted beard was as the Porphir blacke,So were the fleecy lockes vpon his crowne,
Which to the middle of his armed backe,
From his rough shaggy head discended downe,
His fiery Eie-bals threaten Saturnes wracke,
Sterne vengeance rous'd her selfe in Cæons frowne,
His sheild, a broad iron dore, his Lance a beame,
Oft with his large stride he hath Archt a streame.
53
Typhon in skins of Lyons grimly clad,Next his too Brothers in the march proceeds,
The hides of these imperious beasts he had,
From th'Erithmanthian forrest, where his deeds
Liue still in memory, like one halfe mad
The Gyant shewes in these disguised weeds,
The Lyons iawes gnawing his Helmet stood,
And grinning with his long fangs stain'd in blood.
54
And yet his owne fierce visage lowring vnder,Appeares as full of terror as that other,
Two such aspects makes the Saturniens wonder,
Next him appeares Euceladus his Brother,
Whose eye darts lightning and his voice speaks Thunder
(This was the onely darling of his mother,)
His weapon was a tall and snaggy Oake,
With which he menac'st death at euery stroake.
59
Hiperion in an armor all of Sunnes,Shines like the face of Phœbus o're the rest:
This Gyant to his valiant Brothers runs,
Crying to Armes, base lingering I detest,
Damn'd be that Coward soule that damage shuns,
Or from apparant perill shrinkes his brest,
Behold where Saturne mongst his people crownd,
His hornes and Clarions doth to battell sound.
66
56
Saturne appeares as great Hyperion spake,Borne in an Iuory chaire with bright stones stoodded,
Mongst which in trailes ran many an Anticke flake,
With rich Inamell, azur'd, greene and rudded,
At the first push their enemies rankes they brake,
He fought till his bright Chariot was all bloodded:
About him round their bowes his Archers drew,
A fight which yet their Foe-men neuer knew.
57
The big-bon'd Gyants wounded from a farre,And seeing none but their owne souldiers by them,
Amazed stand at this new kind of warre,
To receiue wounds by such as came not nie them,
From euery wing they heare their looses iarre,
They knew not where to turne, or how to flie them,
The showers of Arrowes rain'd so fast and thicke,
That in their legges, thighs, brest, and armes they stick
58
So long as their strong Bowes of trusty EweAnd silken strings held fast, so long fresh riuers
Of Crimson blood the Champion did imbrew,
For euery shaft the Archers Bow deliuers,
Or kils or woundes one of their countlesse crew,
But when they once had emptied all their quiuers,
And that the enemy saw their arrowes wasted,
To blowes and handy-strokes both armies hasted.
59
Thou famous English Henry of that nameThe fift: I cannot but remember thee
That wan vnto thy kingdome endlesse fame,
By thy bold English Archers Chiualry,
In Agin-Court: when to the Frenchmens shame,
King, Dolphin, and the chiefe Nobility
Were with the ods of thousands forcst to yeeld,
And Henry Lord of that triumphant field.
60
But such successe king Saturne had not then,He is in number and in strength too weake,
His people are but one to Tytans ten,
Nor are his guards so strong their spleene to wreake,
67
Into their foes Battallions rudely breake:
Their Polaxes and Clubs they heaue on hie,
The Kings surpriz'de and the Saturniens fly.
61
The Tytans brandish their victorious Glaues,and enter the great Citty (Hauocke crying)
In Cretan bloud they drowne their Chariot Naues,
And slaughter all the poore Saturniens flying,
One hand sharpe steele, the other fire-brands waues,
In euery place the grones of people, dying
Mixt with the Conquerors showts, to heauen aspire,
and in their harsh sound, make a dismall Quire.
62
The Citty's ceizd, Saturne and Sybill bound,Whilst Tytan Lords it in the Cretan Throne,
His reuelling sonnes for Pillage ransacke round,
And where they heare Babes shrike, or olde men grone,
They showt for ioy; meane time King Saturnes wound
Sybill bindes vp: and being all alone
In prison with her Lord, to him relates
The fortunes of her sonnes, and their estates.
63
She tels him that young Ihoue, in Epire famedFor Martiall triumphs, is theyr naturall sonne:
He that Lycaon queld, Pelagia tamed,
And many spoyles for Milliseus woon:
No sooner did the King heare young Ihoue named,
But he repents the wrongs against him doon;
and proud of such an Issue so farre praisd,
Hopes by his hand to haue his Fortunes raysd.
64
He therefore by the carefull Damsell sends,(The selfe-same Damsell that to Oson bore him
as from a sorrowfull father kind commends)
The Damsell hauing found him, kneeles before him,
And the whole proiect she begins and ends
Of Saturnes fall, and prayes him to restore him:
Ihoue (that till now) a father neuer knew:
amaz'd at first, himselfe a space withdrew,
68
65
And hauing in his hart her words debatedAnd euery thing conferd: his birth vnknowne
Which from his infancy the maide related
Euen to the time that he to yeares was growne,
Knowing the day and houre exactly dated,
His mothers pitty, and his fathers frowne,
To which her words she doth as witnesse bring
The two fayre daughters of the Epyre King.
66
The youthfull Prince is to the full perswaded,It glads him to be sonne to one so great,
He sweares his Vncle shall be soone disgraded,
And tumbled headlong from his Fathers seat,
And all that haue the Cretan Clyme inuaded
Shall be repulst with scandall: In this heat
The Epire King he doth of ayde implore,
And Archas, whom he late had crownd before.
67
Were he a stranger, yet he holds it sinne,Not to pursue his rescue being opprest,
But being his father, and his next of Kin,
That by a Tyrants hand is dispossest,
His mother to, that had his ransome bin
And kept the bloudy weapon from his breast:
All these incite his valour, and the rather
To seeme kind sonne, to so vnkind a Father.
68
Posts are to Archas in Archadia sent,His father with two thousand men to meet,
Who musters vp his troopes incontinent,
Proud that his valour shall be knowne in Creet:
The bold Parthemians likewise to Ihoue sent
Of their owne voluntary minds a Fleet
Of ships well stor'd with men, who both admire
His valour, and his amity desire.
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The men of Oson round about him flocke,Glad by so braue a Captaine to be guided,
Knowne to be issued from a Regall stocke,
Meane time King Milleseus hath prouided
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The Cretan streetes, with trunkes of men deuided,
So with the remnant of their forces troope
To make proud Tytan and his Issue stoope.
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Their Army they transport, and on the beachOf the ritch Cretan shore securely land it,
No man appeares their entrance to impeach,
The selfe-opiniond Foe so slightly mand it,
They thinke their fortunes out of dangers reach,
And that their power's so great, none can withstand it,
The couetous Princes more intend the spoyle
Of one ritch towne, then losse of all the soyle.
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But when the watch from the high Citty wals,Sees all the neighbor playnes with Armor spread,
Alowd to Tytan and his sonnes he cals,
To arme with speed: the Gyants straight make head
Tydings of bloudy broyles them nought appals,
With courage they their businesse managed,
And hauing each addrest his sword and shield,
Issue from forth the gates, and take the field.
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Into three Battailes Iupiter diuidesThe Royall Army he conducts: The mayne
King Melliseus by appointment guides,
Th'Osonieus and Epyriens fill his traine,
Some from Alacre he receiued besides,
A Citty subiect vnto Epires raigne:
Ihoue the Parthemians in the vaw doth beare,
Yong Archas with th'Arcadians leades the reare.
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Syx Battailes Tytan makes, the great'st he leades,And in the other fiue his sonnes employes,
It cheeres him when he sees his Army spreads
So many furlongs, led by his bold boyes:
He sweares, the ground whereon his enemy treads
Shall drowne the hoast that he this day destroyes
In their owne gore: and after in small while,
Yeeld to their mangled trunks a funerall pile.
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By this young Archas twixt the Camps appeares,A trumpet all the way before him sounding:
For Tytan through the army he inqucers,
The Tyrant with all pride and spleene abounding
Admits him, in the presence of his Peeres,
Legions of armed men his person rounding:
His sudden comming, much amazement breeds,
When Archas with his message thus proceeds.
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Thus saith Prince Iupiter, king Saturnes sonne,Stay there (quoth Tytan) for thou hast confest,
That what I do, is all by Iustice done,
And by good right my selfe I here invest:
The Cretan Crowne I haue by conquest won,
In which I haue a filiall Interest:
The name of Saturns sonne, Saturne excludes,
And Tytan iustly enters (not intrudes.)
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When Archas thus replyes: Great Saturnes seedeAnd yssue Male suruiues, to see thee slayne,
The bloud thou sought to shed, shall make thee bleed,
And all the Gyant Princes of thy traine,
So hath the Epire King with Ihoue decreed,
Therefore before your blouds this verdure staine
Leaue (these vsurped Confines) and release
My Graundsire King, that hostile armes may cease.
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Else, thus thy Nephew Ihoue by me hath sworne,By me his sonne Archas, th'Arcadian King,
To plucke that Crowne from off thy browes, in skorne,
And thee from that Tribunall headlong fling,
and such as thy vsurped state suborne
He shall to ruyne and destruction bring:
Tytan, whose rage darts fire out of his eyes,
Thus to the bold vndaunted youth replies:
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Princox, Thou thinkst by thy despightfull braueTo daunt vs, but thou giu'st vs greater spirit:
Thou comst from Saturnes sonne: Thou dost depraue
In that one word, his Tytle, not my Merit:
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Which as our fathers eldest we inherit,
For iust so old as Ihoue is, iust so long,
Saturne vsurpt vpon my right, by wrong.
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Go tell thy Father, that his life is mine,And I that life am now come to bereaue,
So is thy life too which thou must resigne,
When he got thee, he should haue askt me leaue,
His death was at his byrth due, so was thine,
Which then deferd, you now come to receiue:
Reply not: the proud braues thou hast commenced,
Hath vs and all our Issue much incenced.
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Archas departs: Tytan his Souldiors cheeres,And tels them the directnesse of his cause,
That tis Vranus Scepter which he beares,
And he his eldest by all Natures lawes,
The true successor to the Crowne he weares,
They signe his Aue with a shrill applause,
And by these motiue arguments perswaded,
Threaten their liues, that haue his Clyme inuaded.
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So Ihoue and Milleseus hauing heardHis peremptory answer, both prepare
For iminent vengeance, not to be deferd,
Lowd showts and cryes from both sides pierce the ayre,
In euery battell dauntlesse rage appeard,
The Champions in their hot bloud proudly fare:
A confusd noyse drums in their halfe-deafe eares,
Of trumpets, drums, shouts, swords, shields, splinterd Speares.
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Out of this Battailes Chaos and confusion,Of vndistinguisht valor Prince Ihoue springs,
And where he Tytan spies makes rough intrusion,
Maugre the strength of all the Gyant-kings:
This prologue was to some the full conclusion
Of that daies Tragedy: theyr darts and Slings
From euery part with enuious hands they cast,
And Ihoue thrugh thousand weapons points hath past.
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Proceeding still, his sword prepares the wayEuen to the Chariot where his Vncle sat,
And spite of those that would his violence stay,
He strikes him on the Helme, and layes him flat,
There had he slaine him dead, but to the fray
Encelad coms, and much inrag'd thereat
Assayles the Prince, whilst he the fight intends,
The rescude Tytan his high chayre ascends.
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The noyse of his surprisall, in small spaceWas spread through euery wing of this large field,
Such as beheld him fall, ran thence apace,
And to his sonnes reported he was kild:
In hast they draw their forces to this place,
And Ihoue is round incompast (Heauen him shield)
Saturne from his high turret lookt, and wondred,
To see one Knight hold battell, gainst an hundred.
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And calling Sybill to the Battlement,From whence they might the doubtfull skirmish view,
They may perceiue how Ihoue incontinent,
Twenty tall Souldiors of King Tytans slew:
Amaz'd they stand at his great hardiment,
One askt another, if this Knight they knew:
When noting well the bold deedes he had done,
(Quoth Sybill) may not this be Ihoue, our sonne?
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Whilst in this hopefull doubt they stand confounded,Behold, young Archas hauing vnderstood
His Father Ihoue with thousand foes was rounded
And mongst the Gyants fought, all gul'd in blood,
He causd a lowd charge to be shrilly sounded,
And thither makes where Ihoue inuiron'd stood:
Now grew the battell hot, bold Archas pierses
Thrugh the mid-hoast, & strewes his way with herses.
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And at first shocke, breakes through th'Iron ringOf armed men, that had his Father pend,
Whose sword by this emboweld the proud King
Enceladus, and to his daies gaue end:
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And to large proofe his dreadlesse spirit extend,
With such essentiall ioy the Prince doth cheare him,
Each blow deales death and not a man dares near him
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Saue Tytan, who mongst many Corses lying,O're which his Armed chariot swiftly ran,
Amongst the rest Euceladus espying,
The blood forsooke his cheeke, his face look't wan,
He stampes, he stares, he strikes, still vengeance crying,
And in disordered fury spares no man,
Plummets of Lead, he from his Chariot threw,
And many of the bold Archadians slew.
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Ioue wondering whence so great a cry should grow,Or who so many of his men had slaine,
Spies Tytan comming on, him Ioue doth know,
And with all speed makes towards him againe:
Now is the warre at height, for many a blow
Deales wounds and death, thicke shewers of arrows rain,
Quarters of men, and heads, with Helmets battered,
Halfe hid in blood through all the fields are scattered.
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Tytan encounters Ioue, Ioue him defies,And from his Steely Burgon beates out fire,
By Tytans side doth proud Hyperion rise,
Against him Archas doth the field desire,
And now each other brauely doth despise,
They combat son to son, and Sire to Sire,
But Ioue and Archas best in power and skill,
Old Tytan and the young Hyperion kill,
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Iust as they fall, comes Typhon, hauing lateKing Milleseus and his battell chaced,
His enemies swords had hewd off many a plate
From that iron coat in which his sides weare laced,
Who letting out the nailes that bound him straite,
Walkes in a cloud of his own smoake, vnbraced,
And as vpon his fathers trunke he gazed,
He pluckes his bold foote backe, and starts amazed.
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But when he further looking, gan espyThe proud Hyperion weltring in his gore,
And huge Enceladus besides him lie,
He quite forgets their Obits to deplore:
The Earth he curses, and blasphemes the sky,
And from his knotty head the blacke locks tore:
With that inrag'de, his Axe aloft he heaued,
And Ihoues broad shield iust in the middle cleaued.
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Both armies giue them field-roome, two such spiritsBeget in their encounter preparation,
If Ihoue suruiue, King Saturne Creet inherits:
If Typhon liue, great Typhon rules that Nation:
Both parties stand Spectators of their merits,
To view this Combat with high admiration,
Forgetting fight, their weapons downe they bend,
To see these two (the best on earth) contend.
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Huge Typhon is vnweeldy, Ihoue more quicke,and better breath'd, doth oft-times trauerse round,
(To speed him with a blow, or with a pricke)
Till he hath worne a bloudy circle, round
about his bulky foe: Typhon strikes thicke,
But his vaine blowes dig Trenches in the ground,
Had they falne right, they to the waast had cleft him,
and both of Father, Crowne, and life bereft him.
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Two tedious houres lasts this renowmed fray,Yet neither Victor: with this fight compard
All the dayes bloudy broyle appeard but play,
Both warde, both strike, both skorne to be out, dard,
Ihoue with one blow, quite through his Targe makes way
It cuts the steele-bars, the guilt studs it pared:
Typhon to be aueng'de of this disgrace,
Aymes a stiffe stroke full at his armed face.
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It crost his Visor, and so downe it glanced,And onely rac'st his Gorget: when Ihoue stands
A Tip-toe with his armes on high aduanced,
Holding his conquering sword in both his hands,
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The massiy stroake vnreuets all the bands
That lockt his Helme, his wounded face appeares,
He mad, with his sharpe nayles his Armour teares.
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And now both strike at once, steele against steele,And armour against armour: their lowd strokes
Make the woods tremble, and the earth to reele,
Such blowes, cleaue Rocks, and fell the mountain-Oakes,
At length they close and grapple, Typhons heele
Twines about Ihoues mid-legge, his armes he yoakes
about his Gorget: actiue Ihoue lets slip,
and by fine slight, catcht Typhon on the hip.
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The Gyant scapes the fall, and both let goe,Their weapons lost, they buffet fist to fist,
and at aduantage lie: now hie, now low:
To close againe, Ihoue catcht by Typhons wrist,
Typhon by his, both tugge, both cunning show:
Typhon makes play, Ihoue catcht him by the twist,
Heaues him aloft, and in his armes he brings him
To a high Rocke, and in the Sea he flings him.
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Typhon thus dead, their bands disordred fly,Ihoue, Archas, and the Epyre King pursue them,
Ægeon scapes, hereafter kept to die
By him that with his brothers fought and slew them,
Bri'reus, Iapet, Athlas, Hespery,
Prometheus too disguis'd, that no man knew them,
Fled with the rest: Ihoue tyred in the chace,
Returnes to Creet, his parents to embrace.
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Oh in what ioy was Sybill boue the rest,And Grandam Vesta freely to behold him,
They weepe their teares of Ioy vpon his breast,
And thousand sighes in their strict armes infold him,
Saturne for Iuno sends, with Ihoue to feast,
And his two sonnes (of whom his wife hath told him)
With Archas and the Epyre King to meet,
At generall Triumphs, to be made in Creet.
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The end of the third CANTO.
| Troia Brittanica: or, Great Britaines Troy | |