University of Virginia Library

The Gretians Conquest.

When Helen fair by Paris was,
conueid to Troy foom Greece:
They warres begun as enuied with,
the losse of such a Peece.
Who beeing fled and kept in Troy,
the Greeks imbassadge sent:
To Troy to fetch their Queen again,
if Troians would consent.
Which message when the Troyans scand,
their answere thus they made:
That Helen as a guest to Troy
did come, and her denaid.
If Paris did (quoth they) obtain
her fauour by his sute:
The Greeks vnto vs Troyans can,
no cause of wrong impute.
If wee by force of Armes had fetcht
your Helin to our Land:
And seemed when shee was in Greece,
the Gretians to withstand.
To win her thence, as wrongd you might,
to Troy defiance giue:
(But beeing heer) shee shall remain
in Troy while Troyans liue.
What Paris did when hee as Guest,
arriued in your Realm:
Wee haue not for to deal therwith,
yet deem wee it extream
That such defiance should be sent
to vs (Men ignorant)
How Paris did your Helin gain
not mooued by our graunt.
And for your threats wee way them not,
wee Troyans redy are:
As you for her, so wee for him,
shall yeeld our selues to war.
This answere made, the Gretians strait,
made haste vnto their Land:
And told how stout the Troyan did
their message sent withstand.
Wherwith the King an armie huge,
did presently prepare:
And sent them vnto Troy with speed,
the Troyans force to dare.
Long was the warre, great was the fight,
and many People slain:
The Troyans kept their Citie safe
wherby the Greeks in vain
Did think their comming for to be,
and with their whole assent:
Were minded to return to Greece,
when ten yeeres war was spent.
But Pallas bearing spight at Troy,
procurde the Greeks to frame:
A mightie horse, of timber built,
in honor of her name.
Which beeing placed neer the wall,
the armed Greeks did lurck,
Within the horse, til Sinon did,
his craftie practice woork.
The Troyans deeming that the Greeks
had left their war, and gon
To Greece again, the Gates of Troy,
did open thereupon.
And People had delight to walk,
ful ten yeeres kept in holde,
To vieu the place where Greeks erst lay,
their passage to withholde.
And also for to gaze vpon,
the huge and stately frame:
Of timber built, which they had lefte
to Pallas endlesse fame.
Vnminding of the subtle wiles.
the Greeks therin did hide:
Nor yet esteeming of the harmes,
therby they should abide.
Although with furious mood,
Laocoon loud did crye:
And wild the Troyans of the Greeks,
the treason to defie.
Atlength with false and subtle showes
of heuie pensiue brest:
His face besprent with brinish teares,
complaning of vnrest.
Comes Sinon foorth in simple sorte,
brought bound vnto the vieu:
Of Troyans all, who blamde the Greeks
as bloody beasts vntrue.
When Greeks (quoth hee) from war were bent
in recompence of praise
To Pallas as an Offering ment,
to end my breathing dayes.
But when I saw their furious rage,
to mee poor wretch forlorne:
I stole from them to saue my life,
which long they held in scorne.
(I fled) at length they did erect,
this mightie frame of wood:
To pallas as a present great,
for sacrifice of blood.
Which if you can by any meanes
conuey into your Town:
As iniur'd with a spiteful wrong
the Greeks in rage will frown.
Thus yeelding of his life to them,
with falling on the ground
Before the King, hee pitie took,
wild him to be vnbound.
On vow he would to him and Troy,
a faithful subiect liue:
Wherto by othes to shroude his craft,
his promise hee did giue.
But lo, ere long his time did serue,
to put his guile in vre:
And opned wide the horses paunch,
when Troyans thought them sure.
From whence there issued armed men,
who gaue them selues to fight:
Burnt vp the houses huge in Troy,
and spoyld them in the night.
The Citie flamde, the People cryde,
amazed from their sleep:
No meanes they had to saue them selues,
their foes their force did keep.
They flung the fire from place to place,
the Troyans they did slea:
Theirs was the conquest then of Troy,
they lookt for ten yeeres day.
The ancient Sires they ouerthrew,
the Matrones they did kil:
Yung men and Maides they forst to death,
And Infants blood did spil.
The sonne before the Fathers face,
bereued was of life:
Great was the slaughter then in Troy,
ere ended was the strife,
Wherin that Helen false of faith,
vnto her wedded mate:
Did lose her life as one deseru'de,
for causing of the hate.
For who but Helin bare the sway,
in Troy while Troy did reign:
And did against the Gretians force,
the Troyans war maintain.
Thus Troy was sackt, the People slain,
which stood and erst did liue:
For Helens sake who moning now
these speeches foorth dooth giue.

Helens Complaint.

See heer by due deserued death,
the fall of mine estate:
And learn to shun ambitious pride,
whence riseth deadly hate.
My beautie what preuoileth mee,
or state of Honors seat:
The vain desire of lawlesse lust,
my fal may wel repeat.
A peerlesse Prince of beautie braue,
seduced with desire:
Did yeeld vnto the vain delights,
which fancie did require.
Whome neither loue of princely fere,
nor honors hye degree:
Might mooue to liue within the mean,
of vertuous modestie.
But yeelding to the plesant speech,
of Paris did consent:
To leaue the glorie of my dayes,
ere youthful yeeres were spent.
Whose hainous fact hath been the spoyle,
of many a Troyans life
And Gretians to, since them between,
began the deadly strife.
My self pertaker of their woes,
hath tasted of their fall:
By dint of swoord because I was,
the vrger of their braul.
Loe, thus beholde the fall of sinne,
the ruine and the shame:
Of such as look not in their liues,
to liue in honest fame.