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. 6.
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 | Troia Brittanica: or, Great Britaines Troy |  |
115
Canto. 6.
Argumentum
Perseus the Gorgon kils, then takes his wayTo Ioppen, on his flying horse alone,
Destroyes the Monster, frees Andromeda,
Acrisius saues, turnes Atlas into stone:
King Pricus Wife, the beauteous Aurai
Doates on the valiant Knight Bellerephon:
The Troians are with fearfull pests annoyde,
By Hercules, great Troy is first destroyde.
Arg. 2.
In Zeta Phineus fals, Chimer is slaine,Dis acts his rape: Queene Ceres doth complain.
1
Minerua , thou that hadst the power to makeMonsters of them, that thy high Name despise,
To turne a golde-Wire to a crawling Snake,
And change the beauty of bewitching eyes,
The Patronage of all my labors take,
More sacred Names, thy God-hood may comprise
Religion, Vertue, Zeale, we may thee call,
Whose foes are vgly, and with Adders crall.
116
2
The three foule Gorgons by thy power disguised,Were Lust insatiate, Auarice and Pride,
These Sisters in Hisperia tyranised,
All looking with one eye, who can deuide
Their powers and Natures, being three comprised
Within one head, and Sisters neere allide,
All such as on their strength themselues assure,
Sencelesse of good, as stones they soone obdure.
3
Therefore to arme vs gainst this horrid fiend,Behooues vs to implore Myneruaes ayde,
Perseus bright shield vnto our arme to bind,
And then we boldly may such foes inuade,
His shield was Cristall, and so bright it shind,
It dim'd the Gorgons eye, and whilst she plaid
In darkenesse, and her killing sight forsooke,
Her monstrous head he from her shoulders strooke:
4
About the time Perseus the Gorgon slew,Busyris gouern'd in Egiptia,
Cadmus rul'd Thebes: to Komos France was due,
Belochus Emperor of Assyria,
Othoniell Trumpets before Israel blew,
Prince Radamant raign'd King in Lycia:
Tyrhenus Italy, and Triton Spaine,
Whilst Liber Pater all the East doth gaine.
5
The Gorgons head with power to turne to stone,Vpon his shield he fixt, and of the blood
That Issued from the wound, swift Pegas shone,
And neigde out of the earth a Stallion good,
Whom Perseus backt, and out of sight is gone,
Flying o're Mountaine, Valley, rocke, and flood,
From Arctos vnto Cancers burning tracke,
And from hot Cancer to cold Arctos backe.
6
In his high Airery progresse ouer allThe Prouinces and Clymes beneath him spreading,
Where ere the purple drops from Gorgon fall,
Adders and Snakes are bred, the people treading
117
Their venomous stings, and fearefull hisses dreading:
Affrique doth Snakes in most aboundance store,
Because he longest did o're Affrique soare.
7
Yet whilst his venomous spoyles were bleeding new,But leauing Affrique, forward Pegas flyes,
He now the Ræmme, now doth the Fishes view,
And mounts and stoopes as the winds fall or rise:
At length he leaues the Orient to pursue,
The farre Septemtrion keeping still the skies:
Till falling with Hyperion in the West,
He with the day-tyrd Phœbus couets rest.
8
And stooping with the Sunne into these Seas,Where night by night he sleckes his fiery Carre,
And Atlas of that Orchard keepes the keyes,
Where golden Apples in aboundance are;
Thus Perseus greetes him: May your Highnesse please
To be my royall Host, who come from farre:
If greatnesse may my welcome more approoue,
Know thou in me receiuest the Sonne of Ihoue.
9
If nouelty in strangers thou acquirest,Behold, my flying steed and couered shield,
Hence groome (quoth Atlas) thou that rest desirest,
Lodge with the waking starres in the broad field,
To thee that to our Pallace thus aspirest,
We scorne all succour and reliefe to yeeld:
Thou com'st, as Prophets did long since reueale,
From Hespery my golden fruit to steale.
10
One of Ihoues yssue our Deuiners say,Must perpetrate such theft, and thee I feare,
Thou lookst like one that aymes at golden pray,
And I my Aurea Mala, hold so deere,
That I haue stopt vp each accessiue way:
Instead of pales, high mountaines their heads reare
About mine Orchard, by a Dragon kept,
A wakefull Monster, one that neuer slept.
118
11
With that he violent hands on Perseus layes,To beat him from his Pallace, but Ihoues sonne
The Gorgon-sheild vnto the King displaies,
Who instantly turnes to a hill of stone,
His haires and beard increase to Trees and sprayes,
His Bulke and Shoulders into hils are growne:
His head a Promontory top, o're-peering
The neighbour Rockes, and other Mountains neering.
12
His bones to stones, his bloud to Christall springs,And by the Gods decrees he so increaseth,
And with his growth such height and vastnesse brings,
That heauens huge weight, the two strong poles releaseth
To rest them on his shoulders: the Larke sings
The Sun his earely note, the night surceaseth:
Acrisius Grand-child doth with Phœbus rise,
And to his arme his shield Gorgonian ties.
13
His hooked skeyne he fastens to his thigh,So mongst the clouds on Pegas backe he sores,
The Swaine below that filles his wandering eye,
Leaues off his labor, and the helpe implores
Of powers deuine, t'explaine this nouelty,
He passeth diuers Seas and sundry shores:
Euen to th'Æthiopian Clime, and thence,
To where Cepheus makes his residence.
14
There for her Mothers guilt, Andromeda;By vniust Hammon was condemnd to die,
Whom as yong Perseus in his Ayery way,
Did from amongst the racking clouds espy,
Saue that the winds her golden haires display,
And drops of Pearle raine from her watry eye,
He had mistooke her, being chain'd alone,
For some faire Image of white Marble stone.
15
But when he saw no Marble was so white,Nor Iuory to her skin to be compared,
He raines his winged Steed and staies his flight,
And greedily vpon her beauty stared,
119
He loues, and greeues to see how ill she fared,
And now his toong no longer he refrains,
But sayes: oh you, vnworthy these rude chains,
16
Much fitter for a louers kind embrace,Tell me your stocke, your Nation, and your name,
And why such beauty should possesse this place?
Or for what crime into these bands you came?
Faine would the bashful girle haue hid her face,
Saue that her hands were bound: she blusht for shame:
Twice did he vrge her, she was silent still,
Yet the third time tels al, against her will.
17
How bright Casseipe her beauteous Mother,Knowing her daughter to be wonderous faire,
The pride her hart conceiued could not smother,
But with Nereides must needs compare,
For which they a'l complaind to Ihoues great Brother
Neptune, who with infection taints the ayre,
Nor can the pest cease, or the Towne be spared,
Til she there dy, that was with Nimphs compared.
18
But in the midst of her discourse, behold,Ere she can end her lamentable tale,
A huge Sea-monster with his long traine rold
In curled knots, makes the poore Girle looke pale,
The frowning billowes are by him controld,
Boue which h'aduanceth many a shelly skale:
She shreekes: her Sire and Mother, both dispaire,
The people with shrill out-cries pierce the ayre.
19
Which Danaes sonne espying, thus he saiesVnto the Queene and the lamenting King:
The time you see is short, the Monster staies
Assur'd destruction to yon maid to bring,
If then Ihoues son his towring fames can raise,
And pierce yon huge Sea-Dragons skaly wing,
Destroy the Monster, and preserue her life,
Shal the bright Virgin be my troth-plight wife?
120
20
Who doubts, but the sad Parents soone agree?They paw ne their honors to this sudden motion;
Phineus besides, the Maide doth promise free,
Resigning vp his right with much deuotion;
The Couenants made, and now from farre they see
The Whaly Monster beare a-brest the Ocean,
And driuing with his Fins whole Seas afore,
In making to the Virgin on the shore.
21
When suddenly young Perseus mounts the skies,His shadow danc'st vpon the siluer waues,
Which when the wrathfull Serpent did espy,
Against the idle shape he fumes and raues,
And as his drowned traine appeares on high
Aboue the brine, in which so oft he laues:
The dantlesse Prince, whose courage neuer sailes,
Strikes with his Faulchion, fire out of his scales.
22
And as you see a towring Eagle, whenShe spyes a speckled Serpent, soone her spangles
Vpon the greene brest of some Moorish Fen
Stoopes downe, and in the Dragons Crest intangles
Her talents: least his Iawes turning againe,
Ceaze her proud Sears, and whilst in vaine she wrangles
And threatens ruine to the princely Fowle,
She tires on euery knot and curled rowle.
23
So Perseus sowses on the horrid BeastHe hewes and beats him, till he makes him reele,
Possessing still his backe, which much increast
The Monsters fury, such strange weight to feele,
Sometimes aboue the Sea he lifts his brest,
And Perseus still pursues him with his steele,
Somtime beneath the blood-stain'd waues he shrinks,
The whilst his woūds like graues, whol billows drinks.
24
Whilst he the Sea, the Prince the Ayre supplies,Waiting aloft to see the fiend appeare,
Whose yawning chaps aboue the Billowes rise,
Ready to swallow all the Confines neare,
121
He makes to him amaine, all voyde of feare:
And on his winged Steede against him tilts,
Shouing bright Harpe vp euen to the hilts.
25
The wounded Whale casts from his hillish IawesRiuers of Waters, mixt with purple gore,
But from their force the wary Prince withdrawes,
And strikes behind, on both sides and before,
In many a place his shelly Armour flawes,
Still byting Harpe, makes the Hell-hound rore:
And tyrd at length, the brutish Monster drownds,
In the blacke bloud that yssued from his wounds.
26
The God of Seas quak't at the frightfull soundHis Monster made: the Gods aboue looke pale,
The waters in the which his bulke lay drownd,
With feare shrunk from him: now the slaughterd whale
Receiues from Perseus many an vnfelt wound,
Whom Keene-edged Harpe pierst from head to tale:
The parents now clap hands: the Mayde reioyces,
The people lift to heauen their plausiue voyces.
27
And whilst the multitude their wondring eyesCast on the Monster, Perseus raines his steede,
And from the Marble rocke the Mayde vntyes,
By his late valour from the Hell-hound freede,
How can Cepheus or his Queene deuise,
Or the bright Mayde to giue sufficient meede
To Perseus for his merite, who desires,
With quicke dispatch to kindle Hymens fires.
28
The yeere Andromeda from death was freede,Pheamone first in Pythia propheside,
Cadmus found Letters: taught the Greekes to reede:
Cecrops th' Athenian Monarchy supplyde,
Rhomnus the Spanish Scepter (in the weede
Pontificke.) Ranses did through Ægypt ride,
Achaio did Achaya first instaure,
Now breath'd in Creete, the two shapt Mynotaur.
122
29
The pallace is prepard, in euery placeLowd Musicke sounds, the Bride is richly clad,
The Father his bold Sonne in Law to grace
Inuites the Neighbour Kings: but Phineus mad,
From this high feast absents himselfe a space,
Till of his friends, great troops he gathered had,
To force the Virgine, freed on Ioppens shore,
Now Perseus Bride, though plight to him before.
30
Behold, the Pallace Court throngd with a crew,Of men in Armour glistring: The loud sound
Of Nuptiall Musicke, through the Hall that flew,
With shrill confusions on the sudden drownd,
And still their showtes and cryes more violent grew,
Till all the Bridall guests, incompast round
With hostile siedge, amazedly discend,
To know what foes their powers against them bend.
31
With wrath vntam'd, the hurrying multitudeRageth, and growes Impetuous: some cry, bring
That Stranger hether, whom we will exclude
From the fayre Court: some cry, lets haue the King:
Others the Bride: some mongst the rest more rude,
Say, come, the Pallace to the ground lets fling:
And whilst these seuerall clamors pierce their eares,
Proud Phineus first, before them all appeares.
32
And shaking in his hand an Oaken SpeareHeaded with Brasse: he thus bold Perseus greets:
Behold, th' Auenger of my nuptiall Pheere,
Whom thou wouldst force. The Pallace Court & streets
Glister in armes, and canst thou hope to beare
Andromeda from hence, Him Cepheus meets,
And as he was about his Speare to cast
At warlike Perseus, Thus replyes at last.
33
Oh! what will Phineus do? What hellish rageMads thee to mischiefe? Who begot this strife?
Is this for Danaes Sonne sufficient wage,
Whose valor hath preserud my Daughters life?
123
For sauing her that should haue bin thy wife?
Whom not bold Perseus but the Gods bereft thee,
The fates, and not the prince, hath wiuelesse left thee.
34
When she was married to the Marble rocke,The fastning of those chaines thy bands vntide,
Wa'st not enough, thou borne of Cepheus stocke,
Her husband and her Kinsman neere allide,
Saw'st all this people round about her flocke
To see the sea-Whale in his bowels hide
And bury her? Her freedome not pursuing,
Vnworthy thou didst leaue her to her ruine.
35
Is Phineus sorry that she did not bleed,That her Redeemer he pursues with ire?
Or if thou holdst her such a high-priz'd meed,
Why didst thou not her from the Rocke desire?
Or else, to him that hath my daughter freed,
Why dost not yeeld her? Phineus eyes sparke fire:
Doubtfull at whom he shall his Iauelin fling,
His Riual Perseus, or his Kinsman King.
36
The vprore like the raging sea increaseth,Where thousand Rebels are by Perseus slaine,
Till tyr'd with slaughter his tough arme surceaseth,
With multitudes of men to strow the plaine,
For not a daring souldier neere him preaseth,
But dies by Harpe, and yet all in vaine
Such throngs of Phineus friends his valor cumber,
That Noble vertue must needs yeeld to number.
37
Therefore the Prince his Gorgon shield vncases,And saies aloud (since you compell me) see,
Reuenge sufficient for my foule disgraces,
For where strength failes we must vse policy,
All that are Perseus friends, turne hence their faces,
My foes all perish in their surquedree:
Fright Babes with Bug-beares, quoth the next that stands,
ayming a speare at Perseus with both hands.
124
38
But as on Gorgons head he casts his eye,His limbes grow stiffe, and he is changd to stone:
Another strikes the next that stands him by,
And pierst him through the brest, who now doth grone
His soule to Ayre: this done, he ment to fly,
But feeles his actiue spirits fled and gone:
His Marble arme hath lost his nimble speed,
To draw it from the bulke which he made bleed.
39
Behold a Prince borne by the seauen-fold Nyle,Crying to Perseus thus: See here thy bane,
Be proud, that we who dallied all this while,
Will at the length vouchsafe thy blood to draine:
And as he spake such words, a scornefull smile
His visage casts, intending to haue slaine
The Ihoue-star'd prince, his frozen Statue showes
Like one still smiling, and still threatning blowes.
40
What? Stand you at the Gorgons sight amazed?(Quoth Moble Erix;) or hath Witchcrafts spell
Such power vpon the valiant, who haue blazed
Their armes in many conflicts, and fought well?
Lets see what deuill in this shape is raised,
Whom my steele-pollax cannot prostrate fell,
But in his pressing forward, he soone feeles
Cold leaden numbnesse gyue his sencelesse heeles.
41
Amongst the rest, one of bold Perseus crew,Glancing his eye vpon his maisters shield
Turnd stone: him one of Phineus souldiers knew,
And thought to cleaue him standing in the field,
But with the stroke fire from the Marble flew,
His fore-head sounded like a brazen shield;
At which the Souldier musing, Gorgon spyes,
So stands transformd, with wonder in his eyes.
42
So that at last Phineus repents his spleeneAnd vniust warre made for Andromeda,
Two hundred of his traine his eye hath seene,
All Statuës: vnto some he cals (Away)
123
With which you threatned Perseus? Wherefore stay
Your paces from pursuite? Wheres the defying?
So claps them on the shoulders, Courage crying.
43
But when he felt their hardned limbs offendHis aking hand, and yeild it no impression,
And that their mockery shapes did idly bend
Their threatning armes, now finds he his transgression:
His penitent hands he doth to heauen extend,
Praying that they would ayd his intercession
To great Acrisius Grand-childe, who strikes dead,
So many bold sprites with his Gorgons head.
44
Now as with oblique paces, and his eiesTurnd from the conquering Prince, he kneeling, speakes;
Hoping t'appease him with submissiue cries,
The implacable Prince his rage thus wreakes,
Behold what doome the Impartiall Deities
Alot the wretch that Lawes of honor breakes:
So with his shield Gergonian him pursude,
Hardning the face which he behind him skrewd.
45
At th'instant his retorted necke waxt hard,His spread Armes stiffe, his fixt eyes shewing feare,
And you would thinke his shape all sence debard,
Spake as it stood, words that a man might heare:
These tumults done, and Hymens rights prepard,
The Prince intends another course to beare:
He takes his leaue, consorted with his Bride,
And to his Mother his swift steps applide.
46
In the Mid-way he youthfull Danaus meets,(His hopefull Brother) who at the first sight
Salutes him and his wife, with kind regreets,
In many a sweet discourse they spend that night:
At length the Murke and Palped darkenesse fleets
From the skies azurd forehead: with the light
The Princes rise, and speed them to the shore,
To which the mast-lesse boat their mother bore.
124
47
Now Phrigian Mydas (famous for his eares,In giuing Apolloes honor to God Pan,
And for his golden wish) the Scepter beares
Of Phrigia: In Israell that good man,
Samgor was Iudge, whose power so great appeares,
He of the Philistyns kild many a man;
And in one battaile whilst the Trumpets blew,
VVith an Oxe-goade sixe hundred Heathen slew.
48
But in these passages great Saturnes Sonne,That with the Troians was at broad hostility,
At Ganimeds request, a league begun,
Now Ihoue and Troos are one: he whose ability
Could not defend his Troy from being ore-run,
Now can commaund Troyes foes with much facility:
So, to yeeld way, rebates the greatest stroake,
So, softest walles, hard bullets soonest choake.
49
T'wixt England and great Spaine, two potent Nations,Like enmity, hath long time beene commenced,
And whilst Eliza liu'd, her proclamations
Oppos'd their pride, and her owne Prouince fenced,
But now with mutuall kind Congratulations,
All iniuries on both sides are dispensed,
And our great Englands Ihoue for Spaines best vse,
Hath at their suite, granted a termine Truce.
50
Troos yeelds his due to Nature, him succeedsIlion his Sonne, who Ilions high Towers reard,
More famous for his buildings, then braue deeds,
A royall Prince, and more beloud then feard,
He for a present, sends foure milke-white Steedes
To Cretan Ihoue (a Present much indeerd)
Who by the Knight that such a treasure brought,
Re-sends a pretious gold-branch quaintly wrought.
51
Much richer gifts in enterchange of state,Our Soueraigne to the lofty Spaniard gaue
The warlike Constable, who came of late
From Hespery: a fiue yeares truce to craue:
125
Bare Englands Admirall: both rich and braue,
When from K. Iames sent with a princely traine,
He was the great Embassador for Spaine.
52
Ihoues branch (cald the Palladium) the King plac'stIn Pallas royall Temple, where it stood
Till Troyes proud wals were quite deiect and rac'st,
And Islions lofty Turrets swam in blood:
Great Islion dies, and he that next him grac'st
The Troian Crowne (a prince not all so good)
Laomedon, of whom vve heere vvill stay,
To beare the Sonnes of Danae on their way.
53
Who as they past the desart, from a farreThey might espy a goodly Knight lie spread
Vpon the grasse, he seem'd a man of Warre,
For he was arm'd at all points (saue the head)
On his faire brow appear'd no souldier scarre,
It seemes he had not Armes long managed:
Exchanges past of many a kind salute,
Thus speaks the armed Knight, whilst they stand mute.
54
Who hath not of the great Acrisius hard?Acrisius, hē that built the brazen Tower?
Novv Arges King no longer, but debard
His natiue kingdome by his Brothers power,
His Brother Pricus hath against him ward,
And all his glories reft him in an hovver:
Stay there (quoth Perseus) you haue toucht me neerly
Acrisius vvrongs, King Pricus shall buy deerely.
54
We are Acrisius Grand-child, and discendedFrom beautious Danae, and that fort of Brasse
That Lady Rumor hath so farre commended,
Who in Gold-liquid-showre-drops courted was;
Oh! vvhere vvas I Acrisius, t'haue defended,
With Pricus blood to haue staind the Argiue grasse:
Both Abas sonnes, a Prince frugall and thrifty,
He, Linceus sonne, the sole remaine of fifty.
126
56
Is Brother-hood abroad so light esteemed,That kingdomes can such holy knots vnty?
Let me no more Ihoues Royall soone be deemed
But for Acrisius wrongs, King Pricus die,
He that in all the world austeerest seemed,
And stood vpon most points of honesty,
Hath prou'd the greatest Hypocrite: like those,
Without precise: within, religious foes.
57
Assist me Noble Knight in this aduenture,(Quoth the great Gorgon-tamer:) when replide
The armed stranger, by the firme Indenture
Of honor, I am else-where bound to ride;
But if with me you will my voyage enter
And see what shall my Chiualry betide,
My Noble taske atchieu'd, I then wil lead you
To Pricus, where my knowledge much may sted you.
58
When I the Triple-shapt Chimere haue slaine,Whose dreadfull forme makes all Sicilia quake,
Bellerephon will then returne againe,
And your attempt gainst Pricus vndertake:
The Princes wonder at Chimeraes name,
And that one knight his desperate life should stake
Against such ods, asking what Imposition
Hath sent him on this dangerous expedition.
59
Or whether vncompeld he be so madTo seeke assur'd destruction, and to scale
The Deuils den, where nothing can be had
But certain ruine, his tough skin is Male,
A terrible huge Lyons head (which drad)
A Chieures body, and a Serpents tale,
Him whose vast gorge whole armies cannot fill,
Why should one desperate Knight attempt to kill?
60
Bellerephon replies, by Pricus doome,Not my owne will I am compeld to go,
Else in my growing yeares that yet but bloome,
I'de flesh my sword on a more equall foe.
127
Or kill the triple-Monster, dreaded so,
(Sayth Perseus then) VVhat makes him so seuere?
Attend (quoth he) great Princes you shall heare.
61
Oh! Why did Nature frame these Women fayre?And make theyr outward features Angell-bright?
When their blacke insides staynd and spotted are,
With Lust, with Pride, Contempt, disdaine, & Spight?
Why should the snowy Swans in beauty rare
Haue such blacke feet? Why should the Lilly white
Beare such ranke smel? Can men withstand their fates,
When golden vessailes bring in poysoned cates?
62
I thought I might haue gatherd a fresh Rose,And not haue prick't my finger with a Thorne:
Or a sweete flower out of the Garden chose,
But not a Nettle in my hand haue worne:
Still, next the sweetest flower, the Nettle growes,
The rarest beauty hath the rudest scorne:
The Rouers Shippe beares the best promising sayles,
The foulest Serpents the most golden skales.
63
By a fayre Woman is my youth mispent,My Innocēnt youth that neuer loue imbraced,
Her deuillish mind to mallice wholly bent,
My fortunes hath o're turnd, my Name disgraced,
And I, through her maleuolent entent
Like a poore exile from my Countrey chaced:
Oh woman! Made of Enuy, Pride, and Lustes:
Woe to the man, that to thy weakenesse trusts.
64
My hopes (quoth Perseus) I on this haue layde,And thinke her heart to be her beauties peere,
Nor where I trusted most am I betrayde,
Andromeda I know still holds me deere,
The stranger Knight (quoth she) that doth vpbrayde,
Our sex so much, me thinkes is too seuere,
To blame all women, for one Ladies deedes,
At this all silence made, whilst he proceeds.
128
65
In Pricus Court my Child-hood I haue spent,And there the grace of many Ladies gained,
But I whose thoughts were all on Knight-hood bent,
Regardlesse of their lookes, their loues disdained:
Among the rest, Queene Aurea often sent
Gifts and smooth Letters, fraught with lines vnfaigned:
This beautious Q. whose thoughts were at such strife,
Was my dread Soueraigns spouse: King Pricus wife.
66
More then her rauishing beauty could intice,Th'allegiance to my King with me preuailed:
The more the wanton Queene incites to vice,
The more her sighes and amorous Courtships failed:
I held my name and honor of more price,
Then basely yeild, when womanish lust assailed:
At last, with such hot flames her entrailes burnd,
That (being disdain'd) her loue to rancot turnd.
67
She that before held of my person deerely,Now damnes my presence to the deepest hell,
And in her hart vowes to reuenge seuerely
My loyall scorne (I know no hate so fell
As that which was once Loue) It toucht her neerely,
Where loue once log'd such poysonous hate doth dwell,
That now she aimes her enuy at my head,
Nor can she liue, Belerephon not dead.
68
Forthwith she cites me to King Pricus throne,And as a Rauisher I am accusd,
She sweares that when I found her all alone,
I would her royall person haue abusd:
And then round pearles about her eyebals shone,
Which dropt downe by her cheeks, (such craft she vsd:)
Oh heauen! what cannot cunning women doo?
By oaths, and teares, to win their husbands too?
69
I pleaded Innocence, but what (God wot)Could my weake plea against her teares preuaile?
And to accuse her spouse-breach booted not,
Her whom teares helpt, could protestations faile?
129
Vpon her loyalty, rather bewaile
Her want of grace, and the hy-Gods importune,
To assist my Innocence, and guide my fortune.
70
When I askt witnesse of such foule abuse,She thus replide, commixing words with teares:
When lustfull men aime at such horride vse,
They watch all spyal-eyes and listning eares:
Nor can the want of witnesse plead excuse,
For who (that to a woman fancy beares)
Will, when he seekes t'inforce her gainst all reason,
First, call his witnesse, to such hated Treason?
71
Rather he watcheth the most silent houre,When man and beast is sunke in leaden slumbers,
And Morpheus he that hath on midnight power,
The world with vniuersal darkenesse cumbers:
When (sauing Lust and Murder) al the powers
Of earth lie husht and charmd: vvhen no man numbers
The yron toongs of Clockes: such a blacke time
Should haue bin guilty of his more blacke crime.
72
For double vvitnesse in this case I stand,Pricus (you are my Husband and my King)
And where should Aurea if not at your hand
Seeke Iustice: at that word fresh sourses spring
From her drownd eies: what need the cause be scand
With more sufficient proofe? What needs she bring
More arguments? Since euery teare she spilt,
Perswades her loyalty: my heinous guilt.
73
The King though inly mou'd with wrath and spleene,Yet in his calme lookes moderates his Ire,
He cals to mind how faithfull I haue bin,
Since, (when I seru'd as Knight) before (as Squire)
Loath would he vnreuenged leaue his Queene,
As loth doth he my Innocent blood desire:
Therefore twixt both, this rigorous doome he gaue,
That the Chimeraes wombe should be my graue.
130
74
His tale thus ended, the two Princes vowTo lend him all assistance: by their aide
Belerephon hath made Chimera bow,
Which done, they ioyntly Pricus Realme invaide:
Acrisius by their armes is raised now,
And Pricus slaine: In Arges they are staide
By old Acrisius, who repents at last,
Of Danae, mongst the ruthlesse Billowes cast.
75
The Noble Perseus he adopts his sonne,And makes him Heyre-aparant to the Crowne:
Sorry for all the spight against him done,
And now bright Danae he accounts his owne,
Sending young Danaus and Bellerephon
With royal gifts (soone to the Princesse knowne)
Shewing by these his reconciled hart,
But with the warlike Perseus hee'l not part.
76
Whom the same day he Arges King creates,Himselfe in Darraine liues a life retyred,
Perseus, Andromeda his Queene instates
In the like pompe (a Lady much admired)
Fiue children he begat (so would the Fates)
More valiant, with their Fathers gifts inspired:
Rich Scelenus, great Bachmon, and bold Demon,
Noble Erictreus, and faire Gorgophon.
77
This Gorgophon is held to be the first,That in those daies was knowne to marry twice,
Her husband dead, alone this Lady durst
Proue second spousals, which was held a vice,
The chasest Matrons her example curst,
Who held their constant loue in Soueraigne price:
Our hinder widowes, Saint her name in heauen,
Some foure, some fiue, nay some haue told to seauen.
78
His sonnes takes wiues, Acrisius still suruiuing,Who glories in his warlike Grand-childs seed,
Their honors from their Fathers acts deriuing,
For by their swords did many Tyrants bleed:
131
And of Acrisius timelesse fate proceede:
Forgetting what was told him long agone,
That Danaes Sonne must turne him into stone.
79
When Perseus had in Arges gouernd long,Vpon a night he much desird to see
Acrisius: and to Darraine that was strong
With triple gates, alone ascended he,
There knocks, the Porters had forgot his toong,
and with bold words denyde him entrance free:
At which inrag'de, the Prince his Harpe drew,
And at first stroke th'Ill-languad'g Guardian slew.
80
The vprore flowes apace, Clamors ariseFrom all parts of the Fort: to the Kings eare
They come at last, who with the Warders cryes
Astonisht, to the tumult preaseth neere,
Thinking t'appease the broyle and riotyze,
But haplesse man vnwares he perisht there:
The inraged Prince that mad-like layde about,
Struck with a blow, his Grand-sires life-bloud out.
81
Perseus the vnauoyded fates now blames,And layes Acrisius in his Marble graue,
He that on earth inioyes the hy'st-stilde-names,
Vnto theyr doomes must yeeld himselfe a slaue,
From all delights the Prince himsefe reclaymes,
In Arges Throne he no delight can haue:
But for his sake that th' Argiue Scepter bore,
he leaues the Prouince, neare to see it more.
82
His Court vnto Mecenes he transported,But thither did his sorrowes him pursue,
and therefore with a huge hoast brauely sorted,
himselfe into the Orient he withdrew:
his army he with warlike phrase exhorted
Gainst Lyber-Pater, whom in armes he slew,
and where the Easterne Monarchs bloud lay spilt,
Persepolis a stately Towne he built.
132
83
He cals the prouince Persea by his name,Where Bachmon in the kingdome him succeeds,
Erictreus did all the Nations tame
By the red Sea, and there his honoured deeds
Are Chronicled: great Scelemus thy fame
Liues in Mecenes: the Pontificke weeds
Are for thy Royalty reseru'd alone,
In Thebes, remaines twice-married Gorgophon.
84
Alceus and Electrion from his lineDiscend, Alceus was Amphitrioes Sire,
Electrion as Bochas doth deuine,
Alcmena got, whose face all eyes admire,
Alcmena and Amphitrio combine
Themselues by Hymens ceremoniall fire:
Of this bright Theban dame through Greece commended,
This Monster-tamer Hercules discended.
85
But how great Ihoue with bright Alcmena lay,Himselfe transforming to Amphitrioes shape,
Adding three nights together without day:
How Iuno enuious of her husbands rape,
Alcmenaes Child-birth hindred, and did slay
The vnborne infants who with wonder scape
Her Hell-borne charmes, how by Galantis smile,
Iuno was mockt, Alcmena scapt her guile.
86
How young Alcides in the Cradle lying,Check't two inuenomed Snakes, by Iuno sent
To strangle him: how Ypectens dying
By those charm'd Serpents, to Elisium went,
And how the Ihoue-star'd Lad his valor trying
Vpon th'Olimpicke mount: disgraced sent
All such as came to haue their valours tride,
To leape, to run, to wrastle, or to ride.
87
How by the K. Eristeus he vvas taught,Lou'd beautious Megera, and fam'd all Greece,
And through the world renown'd aduentures sought,
Conquer'd great Cacus and the golden fleece:
133
Doted on Deianeira that faire peece,
And Iole, who the more fame to win,
Made great Alcides on a distaffe spin.
88
All these we leaue as tales too often told,And rubs that would our running voyage let,
Not that our thoughts despise them being old,
(For to antiquity we owe much debt)
But because Time that hath his acts inrold
To many a Common sale his deeds hath set,
Therefore (though no part of his worth to reaue him)
We now for matters more allide, must leaue him.
89
And now looke backe to Troy: LaomedonIntends new wals about his Towne to reare,
But wanting coined Gold to deale vpon,
Solicits all the Gods, such as dwelt neare,
Chiefely those two that rule the Sea and Sun,
Neptune and Phœbus Mony-maisters vvere,
Of whose rich Priests for so much coine he cals,
As may repaire his Citties ruin'd wals.
90
They dispuruey their vestry of such TreasureAs they may spare, the vvork now being ended
Demand their sums againe: but out of measure
At their request the Monarch seemes offended,
And saies he meanes to pay them at his pleasure:
The Gods (by whom Troy vvas vvith wals defended,)
Inrag'd at his ingratitude, conspire,
With ioynt reuenge to vvreake their spleenfull ire.
91
The vvrathfull Neptune first his Billowes raisdAboue the high-built-Wals, thinking to drowne
Those lofty spires whom all the world hath praisd,
Hurrying his brinish waters through the Towne:
Now Dolphins play, where barbed Steeds haue graz'd,
In euery pau'd-street Neptunes Billowes frowne,
Till being weary with the Citties sacke,
He drawes himselfe into his Channels backe.
134
92
For by the fates appointment the proud GodMust keepe his falling ebbes as well as flow,
Else pale-fac'st Cinthia, at whose dreadfull nod
Obedient Neptune shrinkes, her rage will show,
For she commands his waues, and his abod
Is pointed by the Moone, whether below
In his Abisme, or rockes appearing hire,
He guids his lookes by her immortall fire.
93
But as he shrinkes his waters at her becke,He leaues much slimy filth vpon the shore,
Now gan the God of Fire his beames reflect
Vpon the drownded Continent that wore
The sea-Gods wrath, and now must bide his checke,
A hot contagious stemme (not knowne before)
Poysons the Clime, and as the heat increast,
The infectious pest consum'd both man and beast.
94
Halfe-perisht Troy vnable to withstandTheir double wrath, her people from her flye,
Knowing they both offended Sea and Land,
And to abide their vengeance must needs dye,
The King himselfe that wants power to command,
The all-consuming Plague, fears to come nye,
The wals he reard, but must to Delphos trauell,
To excuse his Pride, that with the Gods durst cauell.
95
His due Oblations ended: tis returnd,That he must seeke th'offended Gods t'appease,
Else the hot plague (his peoples entrailes burnd,)
Shall all the remnant of his subiects cease,
Nor must his fearefull pennance be adiournd:
Nothing can Neptune and Apollo please,
But monthly to a Monster of the flood,
To yeild a beautious maide of the Kings blood.
96
This couenanted, the Troyan King preparesAlotted Virgins, now th'infection slakes,
At length alas (for bold Fate all things dares,)
The lot the beautious maide Hesione takes,
135
For him, whose hand th'Imperiall Scepter shakes.
The hood-winckt Goddesse dare on all sides strike,
Beggers and Kings, in lots are both alike.
97
Imagin her with thousand Virgins guidedVnto her fearefull Toombe, her Monster-graue:
Imagin how the hulky Diuell slyded
Along the Seas smooth breast, parting the waue:
Alasse poore naked Damsell, ill prouided,
Whom Millions, without heauens help cannot saue:
Yet see, help coms: behold the pride of Greece
Deck't in the conquest of the Golden fleece.
98
Along the glassie Hellespont by chanceAlcides sayling, sees vpon the Land
The all-dispoyled Virgin in a Trance,
Wayling her ruine on the bryny Strand,
Aboue the Waues he sees a Whale aduance
His dreadfull shape: at whose sight all that stand
Vpon the Beach, some sounding, as halfe dead,
Others dismayde, backe to the Citty fled.
99
Such onely, whom the cause concerned most,And vnto whom the Virgine was allyde,
Attend her swallowing, on the Marine coast,
For whom (no Mortall) safety can prouide,
Now great Alcides with his Greekish hoast
Lands on the Continent vnterrifide:
And while the Troian King with terrour shakes,
The Virgins Rescue boldly vndertakes.
100
Two barbed Steeds, the best that Asia bred,Are by the King ordaind the Victors met'd,
By whose strong hand the Sea-Whale shall fall dead,
The Virgine liue, and Troy from pest be freed;
Now fals his huge Club on the Monsters head
With such impetuous weight, and violent speede:
As if Heauens greatest Collumne should downe fall,
That beares the high roofe of th'Olimpicke Hall.
136
101
The hydious Augur slaine, and she releast,The periur'd King, the promist meede denies,
And seeing Troy both wal'd, and free from pest,
Excludes the Greeke for his bold enterprise:
Who sayles from Greece: after few months of rest
Doth burne Larisse, and Tenedos surprise,
Ruinates Troy, expels Laomedon,
Beates downe the wals made by the Sea and Sunne.
102
In which atchieuement Philicteles fought,(Made of Alcides vanquisht foe his friend)
The King Eristheus there for honor sought:
And Creon to this dreadfull fight gaue end,
The Noble Theseus his assistance brought,
Theban Amphitrio did his arme extend
Gainst Asiaes pride, and with the rest returning,
Ayded great Hercules in Troyes first burning.
103
These as they were a Ship-board, hauing fildThe vast Wombes of their Barkes with wealthy spoiles,
Insulting in the Troian bloud they spild,
Discoursing of their fightes and dangerous broyles,
And such great victories attaind but seild,
Though with more labours, and Insudate toyles:
Cups of Greeke Wine vnto this Conquest crownd,
Thus King Eristheus boards the Princes round.
104
Now the first Vigill of the night is entred,With some discourse lets ouertake the Sunne,
Who flying, is by this beneath vs centred,
And whilst the waking Stars their courses runne,
Discourse, who first the Tartar gates aduenterd,
And by whose hand that bold attempt was done,
Of Orpheus and Euridice, and in fine
Of Pluto, and the rauisht Proserpine.
105
When Theseus thus: Since you desire to knowThe true report of these Tartarian bralles,
Which none can better then Alcides shew,
Or Theseus Present: by th' Ætnean Walles,
137
And thence into the Neighboring Riuer fals:
Crownd with a groue, through which the lake doth run,
Making his bowes a Bon-grace from the Sun.
105
Hether fayre Proserpine repayring still,With Daysies, Daffadils, and Lillies white,
Roses and Mary-golds her lap to fill,
And to returne home laden (a sweete sight)
Chaplets to make, or Gyrlands by fine skill,
By chance the God of shades in edge of night
In his blacke Ebon Chariot hurrying by,
Vpon the Virgine casts a Rauishers eye.
106
He spyes, and loues, and catches vp at ones,Th'affrighted Virgine, who lets fall her flowers,
he beares her ouer hils, Dales, Rocks, and stones,
She, cals on Mother, Friends, and (teares she powers,)
Mother nor friend can heare her shriekes and groanes,
Through pooles and Lakes the God of Tartar skoures,
he yerkes his hot Steedes with his wyery strings,
And from his Coach Wheeles rusty darknesse flings.
107
And cals his Ietty Stallions by their Names,Whose hard hoofes make the vaulted Center-sound,
his ratling Chariot, through the ayre proclaymes
his feare and flight, with burnisht Brasse shod round,
Nor once lookes backe the dreadfull God of flames,
Or thinkes his rape safe on the vpper ground:
But with his Ebon-Mace the earth inforces,
Which cleft, sinkes him, his Chariot, and his horses:
108
The Queene of Plenty, she that crownes the landWith seuerall graine, and Neptunes Kingdome bounds,
Searches about, but cannot vnderstand
Of her fayre Daughter, yet the world she rounds,
And day by day she takes this taske in hand,
But in her bootlesse search her selfe confounds:
Aurora finds her in her trauels rising,
The setting Sunne still sees her, ease dispising.
138
100
But in our labors we our pen must rest,Least in her search, vve our Inuention loose,
Which finding tyr'd vvith trauell, vve hold best
A vvhile to cherish, (therefore rest we choose)
Heere therefore let vs breath, ere vve disgest
Troyes second fall, as that vvhich next ensues:
Our Muse vvith Phœbus sets, and vvith the Sun
To Morrovv rising, is our taske begun.
139
The end of the sixt CANTO.
| Troia Brittanica: or, Great Britaines Troy | |