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 |
 |
|
| I. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 8. |
| 9. |
| 10. |
| 11. |
Canto. 11.
|
| 12. |
| 13. |
| 14. |
| 15. |
| 16. |
| 17. |
 | Troia Brittanica: or, Great Britaines Troy |  |
242
Canto. 11.
Argumentum
The Græcians Land, Prothesilaus falsBy Hectors sword, King Diomed is sent
With wise Vlisses to debate their brals,
And fetch the Spartan to her Husbands Tent:
Hellen denide: the Greekes begirt Troy wals,
But are by Hector raisd incontinent:
Troylus and Diomed in Armes contend
For Cressida, so the first battels end.
Arg. 2.
Our English Worthies, Fame & her rich Crowne,With Troyes confedred Kings, Lambda sets down
1
Oh can we forraine Worthies Memorize,And our owne Natiue Champions quite forget,
Whose fame swift Clangor hath through pierst the skies,
To whom due Honor still remaines in debt:
How many true victorious Peeres arise
From this faire Garden, midst the Ocean set:
How many an English Knight hath borne his head
As hie as those, whom Troy or Greece hath bread?
2
Achilles, Aiax, Diomed, or thoseWhom Homer hath extold with Golden praise,
Haue not done greater spoile vpon their foes,
Then some that haue suruiu'd euen in our dayes,
245
That writ the Græcian Acts, my pen should raise
Our Brittish Champious, and their acts proclame,
Aboue the Greekes in the high Tower of Fame.
3
What could Achilles more then Brittish Bren,That after many dangerous battailes wun,
Forrag'd France, Denmarke, Germany, and then
Sackt Rome, and high Pernassus ouer-run,
And by the ayde of his bold Englishmen,
Laid siege vnto the Temple of the Sun:
Or what bold Græcian dare gainst Nennius stand,
That fought with twice-foyl'd Cæsar hand to hand.
4
Renowned Arthur famous in his age,In his round Table, and his thirteene Crownes,
Hie Romes Impetious Senate felt his rage,
and paid him homage in their purple Gownes,
His Came'lot Knights their hardiments ingage,
Through all the world to purchase their renownes:
Of Noble Edgar, my dull Muse next sings,
Row'd on the Thames by eight commanded Kings.
5
Bold Edmond (Sir-nam'd Ironside) him succeeds,a brauer Spirit breath'd not vitall ayre,
The Bastard Williams Sonne, Duke Roberts deeds
aske the next place, for his attempts were rare,
By Cort-hose many a Tyrant Panim bleeds,
By whom the Christians re-invested are:
and whilst hye Syons Towers triumphant stand,
He chosen Monarch o're the holy Land.
6
Richard the first that Cordelyon hight,and Edward Sirnam'd Long-shankes, without Peere,
Was neuer Dardan Prince or Argiue Knight,
That in their ages more admired were:
Edvvard the third that Conquer'd France by fight,
and Edvvard the Blacke Prince to England deere,
He forrag'd France, for Pedro vvan all Spaine,
Which after Iohn a-Gaunt subdude againe.
246
7
Henry the fift, then whom the world neare breadA worthier Prince. Bedford and Talbot bold,
Who in their forrain Regency so sped,
That puissant France was by their powers controld,
Edward the fourth (though wantonly misled)
Wan ten set battailes: The third Richard sold
His name to scandall, else his warlike merit,
Might with the rest, a Worthies name inherit.
8
The valiant Earle of Surrey often staidThe Northerne Enemies from filching heare:
In the eight Henries dayes Charles Brandon made
England renown'd, by his victorious Speare,
And those whose Woorths these late times haue displaid
Howard, Grey, Norris, Sidney, Essex, Veare:
These, had they liu'd in aged Priams dayes,
Had dim'd the Greekes, and matcht the Troians prayse.
9
Now to our hostile preparations, weMust arme our Pen, the Greekes are vnder saile,
There is a place from Earth, Sea, Heauen, stands free,
And equally remoued from them all:
In the worlds Nauell, fixt where Concaues be,
And hollow-sounding Vaults through Crannies small:
Where the reports and rumors of all sounds,
Giue shrill Reuerberat Ecchoes and rebounds.
10
Heere Fame her Pallace builds by wondrous skill,Seating her selfe in her most lofty Tower,
Yet is her house erected on a hill,
A thousand Loope-holes are within her Bower,
A thousand doores and windowes open still,
Transparant euery late and early hower,
Full of Big-bellyed Vaults, and the wals such,
Of sounding Brasse that rings with euery tutch.
11
Whose empty wombe continuall murmur yeilds,And iterates againe each word it heares,
Within this place no toonglesse silence builds,
No solitary dumnesse spares the eares:
247
Which shakes the trembling branches, but forbeares
All violent gusts: about this hollowed ground,
There are perpetuall calmes, no Tempests found.
12
And though no silence, yet no clamors rise,Onely a whispering murmur like the Seas
Heard a farre off, or when the troubled skies,
(With remote Thunder mou'd) soft showers appease,
The Courts are throng'd with multitudes of spies,
Light giddy people tatling what they please:
Who (in and out) through euery chamber passe,
Whispering sometimes what is, and what neare was.
13
Infinite Currors, Purseuants, and Posts,Embassadors, and such as hurry newes,
Heralds (such men as Trafficke betweene Hosts)
Walke too and fro, and no man Tales eschewes,
One speakes of Warres, of Combats, and rude boasts,
Another serious talke of Peace pursues:
All as they are dispos'd, this man is telling
Of buying Land, that other speakes of selling.
14
Some talkes of this mans Honors, that mans shames,Others of Stormes, and many a boysterous flaw,
Some men of their successe and chance in games,
One what he heard, another what he saw,
Some men of Knights aduenturers, some of Dames,
Others how long their sutes haue hung in Law:
Toies with things serious passe, graue things with bables
Lies mixt with truths, and truths discourst with Fables.
15
Numberlesse rumors through the Pallace flye,In euery nooke they make their free intrusion,
heere bashfull truth doth face the bold fac'd lye,
To fend and proue begets a meere confusion,
Whilst some th'attentiue eare with newes supply,
Others report Stale things, and in conclusion,
Addes of his owne, which bandied without ceasing,
From euery seuerall tongue receiues increasing
246
16
Heere you may see a dwarfe-like rumor grow,Euen in an instant to a Gyants size,
Whether the Nature of the winds that blow,
Retaines the power to make the tumors rise
Or whether Fame all tydings apt to know,
Giues to her traine such Bombast Liueries:
Their growth is strange, whom I compare aright,
Vnto the Mush-roome, statur'd in a night.
17
Heere dwels credulity, rash error, feare,Doubt, volubility, and quicke beliefe,
There is no voyce hath power to pierce the eare,
But fame of brutes and rumors, Queene and chiefe,
Shrieks through the world: From hence the Troians hear
Th'Atrides rage, King Menelaus griefe:
Their expedition, and their Naual power,
Ready the threatned Enemy to deuower.
18
Their Frontier Townes that border next the wauesAre fortified, three distant leagues from Troy
Stands Tenedos, whom with imperious braues
The Argine Fleet assault, race, and destroy:
The wrathfull Greeke not one poore Phrygian saues,
But to their ruines all their powers imploy:
This done, by generall Counsell tis decreed,
Two Kings to Priam shall on Message speed.
19
Into the Hall where th' aged King then sate,Attended with his Captaines, Sonnes, and Peeres,
And such confedered Kings as to the Fate
Of threatned Troy, brought Horsemen, Bowes & Spears,
On this hie businesse to deliberate,
And rid their hearts from all inuasiue feares:
In, throngs Vlisses and bold Diomed,
Two Princes arm'd at all points saue the head.
20
Heere sat the King Pandrastus King Pandore,And the King Galior, that to Priams ayde,
Brought each of them a thousand Knights and more,
Foure Kings that from Tholosson waftage made,
287
And stowt Amphimachus: these Kings displaid
Their warlike Ensignes, in all dreadfull fights,
Bringing along fiue thousand valiant Knights.
21
Next these seauen Kings, K. Glaucus tooke his place,Three thousand bold Squires he from Lycia brought,
His Sonne Sarpedon of the Troian race,
In all King Priams battailes brauely fought,
Next whom Eusemus sat, distant a space,
Who with three thousand Knights Troyes honor sought,
Lyconians all, Lyconias Realme he guided,
Since into seuerall parted Crownes deuided.
22
Two puissant Kings to make the Iury full,Came from Larissa, these had in their traine
Knights fifteene hundred; Mystor, whose tough scul
The Argiue Princes bruis'd: Capidus slaine
In battaile too, about the Spartan Trull,
Neuer to see hir Natiue Clyme againe:
On a rich bench fast by King Priams State,
These twelue bold Kings vpon the right hand sate.
23
Vpon the left, from Thabory that came,King Remus, who besides three thousand men,
Brought foure great Dukes, seauen Earles of Noble fame
All clad in Azure armes, wel noted then;
The King of Trachy, whom some Pylex name,
Was plac'st next him, this royall Monarch, when
He entred Troy, had in his Princely traine,
Eleuen hundred valiant Knights, all after slaine.
24
With him Duke Achumus the Troians ayded,By whom Pessemus the Pannonian King
Was seated, him great Hector had perswaded
Vnto these wars three thousand Knights to bring,
All expert Archers, with whom Stupex traded,
A valiant Duke, and in his youthfull spring:
Next him sat three Boetian Dukes Fortunus,
Duke Samnus, and the bold Duke Ausernumus:
288
25
These led twelue hundred Knights, next whom tooke place,Two Brother-Kings, the bold Boetes first,
The other Epistemus, of one race,
Both Princes, in the Realme of Burtia nurst,
They brought a thousand Knights the Greekes to chace,
Men of great spirit, and such as all things durst:
Next them was set a Gyant (dreaded sore)
Philemus, of the Realme of Paphlagore.
26
The Æthiopian Perseus Rauen-blacke,And the King Thiclion of the selfe-same hue,
With Symagon, in whom there was no lacke
Of heart or skill his foe-men to pursue:
These Kingly Moores that Priam come to backe
Next to the lofty Gyant sit in view,
Three thousand sunburnt knights, that brauely fought
From Æthiopia they to Phrygia brought.
27
This State was full: and lower one degree,Another longer Bench runs crosse the Hall,
Where mixt with Priams valiant sonnes, you see
More of these leagued Kings in order fall:
First of the ranke was Hector, next him, be
Two potent Kings, Thelemus hye and tall,
And young Archilochus a valiant Boy:
These with a thousand good Knights strengthen Troy.
28
Paris next them, and by his amorous side,Two Princes raigning in Argrestes Land,
They brought twelue hundred Knights to see them tride,
Next these was Troylus plac'st on the left hand,
And Deiphebus full of warlike pride
Mixt amongst these, a King of great command:
Epistropus, that beyond Scythia came,
Twixt Greece and Troy his valour to proclame.
29
He brought a thousand Knights, and a strange BeastHalfe horse, halfe Man, two perfect shapes deuided,
A Sagittary cal'd (not dreaded least)
An expert Archer, his strong shafts were guided
289
His dread among the Greekes (at first derided:)
Next, great Epistropus rankt by their yeeres,
Sat Priams Bastard-sonnes, next them his Peeres.
30
Next them a Prince in Iewels rich, and Gold,That many Knights brought from Meander flood,
The barbarous Meones Duke Nastes told,
By whom, vpon a costly foot-pace stood
Tentumidas, by some (sirnam'd the Bold,)
Now aged in his prime, a Souldier good:
By him Prince Pindarus aduancst his head,
Next him Hyrtacides in Sestos bread.
31
Adrastus, Amphius, Merops, Princes three,Are ranked then, by whom Ennonius sits,
And Chronius, vnder whom the Mysians bee,
Pylemen the next empty place well fits,
Prince o're the Paphlagonian Chiualry:
Pyrechmes next, whose fiery Horses bits
The Pæons manage. Good Euphemes then
Whom the Cicinians led, all expert men.
32
Ascanius and Dius, who doth guideThe Halizonians next in order fall,
Then Pyrous who his Thracian Souldiers tride,
And warlike Mnemon boldest of them all:
Pyleus and Hypothous them beside,
These the Pelasgians vnto battle cal:
Warlike Æneas of the Noblest race,
Next whom, the Lords and Barons take chiefe place.
33
Anthenor, with Polydamus his sonne,The glistering Ladies keepe another State
Aboue them all: Priams hye throne begun
To lift it selfe where he in glory sate,
Benches of Dukes and Earles from all sides run,
Apparel'd in rich Robes of greatest rate:
Thus was the King prepar'd, when the two Greekes,
Presse forward to his throne with blushlesse Cheekes.
290
34
At their approach the Lords amazed rise,And at their bold intrusion musing stand,
Vpon these two, the Kings fix all their eyes,
Prepar'd for some strange Nouell, when his hand
Vlisses wafts for silence, and applyes
His speech to Priam thus: Hee whose command
Rauisht from Sparta, great Atrides wife,
Forfeits to Greece, his Country, Crowne, and Life.
35
If thou beest he whom all these Lords adore,I summon thee in Agamemnons name,
Backe to her Lord, Queene Hellen to restore,
With full amends done to the rauisht Dame,
And to present thy lustfull sonne before
The bench of Argiue Kings, t'abide such shame
That he in after times to our successors,
Be made a terror to the like Transgressors.
36
Else shall th'inraged Princes spoile thy Townes,Thy Matrons in their husbands armes defloure,
Slaughter thy Sonnes and bury their renownes,
And with thy peoples blood the channels scoure,
Of these confederate Kings ceaze all the Crownes,
When death that swallowes them must thee deuoure:
Say, wilt thou to preuent this and much more,
Punnish thy sonne, and Hellen backe restore?
37
To this th'incensed King replies againe,Th'vnable Greekes (alas) are much too weake,
Wanting the power thy proud vants to maintaine,
Or to make good what thou doost rashly speake:
They rauisht our faire Sister, whom in vaine
We re-demanded, her despights to wreake:
Our Sonne the amorous Paris crost the deepe,
To fetch thence Hellen whom the Boy shall keepe.
38
Haue they not slaine our Father, spoyld our Citty,Pillag'd our people, wiues nor Matrons spared,
Euen Babes and Infants mangled without pitty,
And in their barbarous rigor all things dared,
251
Since not the least of these Greece hath repair'd:
Since whilst our Sister leads a Strumpets life,
Hellen is grac'st to be young Paris wife.
39
You shall repent: King Diomed replies,This insolence which we will punish deerely,
By vs the Generall of the Greekes defies:
Priam and Troy whom wee'l chastice seuerely,
Vnto whose ruines seauenty Princes rise,
Whose forces shall begirt you late and earely:
These words promist, the Troians so disdaine them,
That many drew their Faulchions to haue slain them.
40
But euer-Honoured Hector qualifiedThe sudden vprore, and appeas'd the brall,
Their passage by the multitude denide,
Hector makes free, and Vshers them through all,
Yet many proud braues past on either side
Twixt the strange Kings and them i'th Pallace Hall:
At their departure casting vp his eye,
King Diomed by chance doth Cresseid spy,
41
As she with Hecuba and Hectors wife,Creusa and Pollixena was plac'st,
Him thought he neuer saw in all his life
A Lady better form'd, or Sweet-lyer grac'st,
His mutinous thoughts are in themselues at strife,
To see a face so faire, an eye so cha'st:
Beauty so full of charme, with which inchanted,
He craues her name by whom he seemes so danted.
42
When vp starts netled Troylus; and thus sayes,Her name is beautious Cressid whom you seeke,
And Troylus Mistresse? to whose heauenly praise
My soule hath bin deuoted many a Weeke,
And if thou aym'st my graces thence to raise,
I challenge thee the combat valiant Greeke,
He would accept it, but he needs must part,
His body goes, he leaues behind his hart.
252
43
The dantlesse Troians now prepare for warre,Whilst to th'incamped hoast the Legat Kings
Relate King Priams answere, and how farre
He stands from peace, the Grand-Duke now begins
Like a good Captaine to foresee what barre
May lie twixt him and safety: with swift wings
Achilles is dispatcht to crosse the Seas,
With Telephus the sonne of Hercules.
44
Because the Messean Land where Theutram raign'dWas fertile, they from thence demand supply
Of Victuall for the hoast, but he disdaind
T'assist them, therefore him the Greekes defie:
The Kings hye blood Achilles Faulchion stain'd,
Theutram (alas) by him is forcst to dye,
And Telephus crown'd King, from whose rich Coast,
With store, & Victuall he relieues the hoast.
45
Twelue Moones were past since first the Greeks took land,When Duke Palamides at th'host ariues,
Whose absence murmur'd long, yet the command
Of the whole Army, with the Princes liues,
Are made his charge, none seeming to withstand
his principality: this Duke deriues
His byrth from Naulus, and is made the head
Of the stout Greekes, in Agamemnons stead.
46
But in desaster houre, Vlisses friend,To Agamemnon by his crafty fraud,
Both to his life and his command gaue end:
He that but late the Argiue Princes aw'd,
And foyld the common foe, cannot defend
his owne deere life, but whilst the hoast applaud
Atrides honor, in vnhappy season,
Is forcst to perrish for suspected Treason.
47
Tenedos sackt, the Greekes insult vpon't,And from that place made leuell with the plaine,
The Fleet disanchors, whose proud Nauall front,
Prothesilaus proudly doth maintaine,
253
A hundred Ships whose Flags and Pendants staine
The Ayre with various Colours, he commands,
And twice repulst, vpon the Beach he Lands.
48
His ships tough ribs vpon the sands he brake,And many Greekes, some drown'd, some landing, fall,
As well the boldest that the Ship forsake,
As those that keepe aboord must perish all,
Onely the bold King makes the Troians quake:
Who whilst his maymed traine for rescue call,
Makes good the place, till with an hundred more,
Archelaus and Prothenor mans the shore.
49
Now growes the battle hot, for the rude routOf the disordered Troians madly flocke
To impeach their Landing, who with courage stout
Leape on the shore, and there abide the shocke
Of the proud Foe, who murder all about,
And with rude taunts their proud Inuasion mocke:
But Askalus and Agabus draw neare,
Two Kings, whose landed souldiers change their chear.
50
Yet at the length into the Sea driuen backe,Till Nestor seconds them with fresh supply,
and now th'astonisht Troians suffer wracke,
Yet still make good the shores with fresh supply;
againe repulst, the Greekes made good the lacke
Of more arm'd men; Vlisses Ships prest ny,
Whose dreaded Ensignes on the Margent spred,
Conquer the Beach, the whilst the Troians fled
51
King Philomenes enuious of his Fame,A pointed Speare brake on Vlisses face,
and stounded him: but when the bold King came
T'himselfe againe, he quitted that disgrace:
So much did wrath his Noble thoughts inflame,
he wounded him in such a speeding place,
That had not Ihoue kept backe his Weapons force,
The late victorious, had dropt downe a Corse.
254
52
Whilst these two Kings contend, the Greekes retire,And backe into the blood-stain'd Sea are driuen,
When Thoas with his fleet doth Land desire,
Now Agamemnons Ships are all to riuen
Vpon the Strond, his men halfe blood, halfe mire,
Tugge for the shore, whilst many die vnshriuen;
Next Menelaus hath vnmand his Ship,
And from his Barke doth stormy Aiax skip.
53
At whose approach neere to the brinish brinke,Th'amazed Troians yeild him Landing free,
Beneath his ponderous Arme the strongest shrinke,
Before his sword th'affrighted people flee,
Their soules below the waues of Lethe drinke,
Whose deeds of valor when King Perses see:
He with a band of Moores their violence stayde,
Making th'astonisht Greekes expect more ayde.
54
When the great Duke Palumides discendsVpon the Continent, and in his traine
A thousand Armed Knights, his Noble Friends,
Whose swords the Beach with blood of Troians slaine:
Palumides gainst Symagon extends
His pointed Iauelin, Symagon lies slaine:
A valiant Moore, to Perses neere alide,
Though strong, he by the sonne of Naulus dide.
55
Now gainst the beaten Troians rose lowd cries,Which puissant Hector hearing, from the Towne,
Issues from forth the gates, and soone applies
His fortitude, where Warre seem'd most to frowne;
His armor Siluer-white, his shields deuise
A Lyon Gules the field, Or after knowne
And dreaded mongst the Greeks, where ere he marches
The Flowers & grasse with blood of Greeks he parches
56
Prothesilaus him encounters first,and at his Steely Beauer aymes his Speare,
The King his Staffe vpon his Visor burst,
But from the Worthy Hector past not cleare:
243
The steel-head Lance from off his steed doth beare:
The dreadlesse King, who rose by great indeuour,
But Hector cleft his head quite through his Beauer.
57
So passeth on strowing his way with Corses,That in a while his smoaking blade was feared,
Whom ere he meets he to the ground inforces,
His valour hath the drooping Troians cheared,
He without riders leaues fiue hundred horses,
Whose broken limbes lie on the earth besmeared:
Death Marshals him the way where ere he traces,
Pauing the Margent of the Sea with faces.
58
His courser Galathee the Noblest Steed,That euer Knight bestrid, i'th morning white,
In euery bare place seemes from farre to bleed,
His valiant ryder shun'd no dangerous fight:
Hee's flak't all ore, and where no wounds indeed
Were hewed, great gashes grisly to the sight
Appeare vpon him, Galathee still stood
Sound, and yet stain'd all ore with Græcian blood.
59
Nor wonder if his white Steed were so painted,When his sharpe sword so many Riuers shed,
This day a thousand Knights beneath him fainted,
And on the verdure by his hand lye dead,
With this mortality the ayre is tainted,
The spatious plaines with wounded Greekes are spred:
Charon the sweat wipes from his ghastly face,
And neuer wrought so hard in so short space.
60
Hels Iudges and the Gods of Darkenesse wonder,What's now to do on earth, that such a throng
Of Ghosts whose threds the fatall Sisters sunder,
Presse in such multitudes for sentence: long
The Princes of the Vaults and regions vnder,
Were not so troubled to iudge right and wrong:
For neuer in one day it hath befell,
So great a Sessions hath bin seene in Hell.
256
61
Th'inuincible Dardanian Heroe tyr'dWith purple Massacre, towards night with-drew,
Horse, Armes, and Plumes the brightest morne admir'd
For whitenesse, at his yssue, purple grew,
And he returnes Vermilion all: attir'd
In Crimson, scarce the royall Priam knew
Great Hector from the Torras where he stood,
Seeing his onset white, Retrait all blood.
62
Soone was the Noble Troian mist in field,For with his Myrmidons proudly attended
Achilles Lands, and that renowned sheild
God Vulcan made, in which his art extended,
He vaunteth: yet the daunted Troians yeild,
Th'vnconquered shores Hector so late defended
Lie open to inuaders, whole Greece Lands,
For gainst the great Achilles no man stands.
63
Euen to the Citty wals the Troians fly;Whom the maine hoast with hostile showtes pursude,
And had not Noble Troylus heard the cry,
Paris and Deiphebus where they view'd
So great effusion from a Turret hy,
They had won the Towne, the streets had bin imbrude
With Natiue blood, but they in hast discend,
Releeue th'opprest, the Citty gates defend.
64
And yssuing with three thousand Knights, compellAchilles to retrait, and when his face
Look't backe from Troy-ward, there was none so fell
Vpon the Græcian party, but gaue place:
This day Prince Diomed was seene t'excell
In Armes: him Troylus met in equall race:
They spur their Steeds that ran both swift and true,
Incountring, both their Staues to splinters flew.
65
Their Launces broake, they try their burnisht blades,A thousand fiery starres at euery rushing
Fly from their helmes, with fury each inuades
His opposite, their mutuall Armors frushing,
257
Young Troylus cannot match his strength, and blushing
A beardlesse Lad should hold him so long play,
Doubles his blowes and thinkes to end the fray.
66
The Noble youth whom Cresseids loue prouokesTo all atchieuements, beyond mortal power,
(Though young,) his lofty spirit his riuall yoakes,
Who thought his infant Vertues to deuoure,
He doubles and re-doubles warlike stroakes,
The battell lasts the best part of an houre:
But whilst vpon their helmes each champion thunders
Night that deuides the hoast their fury sunders.
67
This Eeuen the Greekes incampe, earely the Morrow,They shine in armor with the rising Sunne,
The Troian Princes from their Ladies borrow
Rich fauours, and withall to horse-backe runne,
A kind of feare begot twixt ioy and sorrow,
Liues in their eyes, til the dread fight be done:
To see their Champions proudly arm'd they ioy,
Grieue to behold so huge an hoast fore Troy.
68
Now are both Battailes pitcht, Menon appearesFirst from the Argiue hoast: from Troy forth stands
Hector, who in his burnisht Beauer weares
Andromachs Gloue, and now all Troy commands:
These two begin the battell with their Speares,
They broke, they tosse their bright steele in their hands:
Hector soone hurles King Menon from his horse,
So passes on to proue his warlike force.
69
The two hoasts ioyne, ruffling confusion flyesThrough all Scamander field, the dying grones
Are mixed with th'applausiue Conquerors cryes
Troians and Greekes conquer and fall at ones,
Renowned Hector this day wins the pryse,
he sunders Males and Armors, flesh and bones:
His al-deuiding sword was made by charme,
No steele so wrought but shrunke beneath his arme.
258
70
Thus like a raging storme he rusheth still,Ouer his Plume a Clowd of terror hung,
And where he rides he doth on all sides kill,
His bloud-staind Faulchion spares nor old nor yung,
Tyr'd with his horse, his Chariot Mount he will,
Now vp he takes a Bow deuinely strung,
And shooting midst the Hoast, not one steele-head
Iat'd from his Bow but stroke a Græcian dead.
71
Him the King Menon and king Glaucion then,Huge Thesus and Archilochus defie,
They in their squadron lead three thousand men,
But Hector in his Chariot still sits hie,
Vntill his Brasse-shod wheeles are purpled, when
Their Naues are drown'd in blood of men that die:
Charioted Hector these foure Kings assaile,
But his smart Steeds spring through their armed pale.
72
Menon that was too forward boue the rest,Pursues great Hector in his lofty Carre,
A dart the Troian quiuer'd through his brest,
King Menon bids his last farewell to warre,
With multitudes the Prince is ouer-prest,
And yet he kils the Greekes neare and from farre:
Neere, with his fatall sword he cleaues their harts,
And a farre off, with his keene shafts and Darts.
73
Vnto this rescue Prince Securabor,One of King Priams Bastard sonnes soone came,
And Noble Margareton thirsting for
Honor, and mongst the Greekes to get a name,
All Priams yssue cowardice abhor,
Duke Menesteus enuious of their fame,
Against them comes, now clamors fill the skie,
Whilst about Hectors Chariot thousands lie.
74
Vnto this hostile rumor from Troy-ward,Three Kings with Noble Troylus the fourth man
Make their incursions: King Sampitus far'd
Like a fierce Lyon, King Maclaon wan
259
Alcanus: gainst whom Menesteus ran
And bore him Nobly, yet alas too weake,
Till Thesus came the Troian rankes to breake.
75
Troylus Menesteus singles, but his HorseStumbled, and he enforcst on foot to fight:
Fiue hundred Greekes beguirt him, and enforce
The youthfull Troian (now debard from flight)
To be their prisoner; Many a liuelesse corse
Troylus first made, before compeld t'alight:
When Hector heard but word of his disgrace,
He slew on all sides till he wan the place.
76
But first Alccenus had addrest his Speare,Against the Duke that led Prince Troylus bound,
The Steele point tooke him twixt his cheeke and eare,
And made th' Athenian Duke a dangerous wound,
Sampilus seconds him (a Steed was neare)
On which they mounted Troylus from the ground:
Menesteus mad that he hath lost his prise,
Pierst through the throng, and cald for more supplies.
77
King Menelaus and Prothenor knowingTh'Athenians voyce, presse that way with their powers,
But find Hyripsus and King Hapon strowing
The earth with Greekes, at which the Spartan lowers:
These foure their forces ioyne, many yet growing,
Their swords supplant: death through the Champion scowers
At whom th'Olimpian Gods amazed stand,
To see him with such quicknesse moue his hand.
78
Anthenors sonne Polydamus makes on,King Rhemus backes him with three thousand more,
Their Speare-length (through the presse he had not gon)
But Celidus him from his Courser bore,
A fairer Prince then Celidus liu'd none,
By Venus gift he Beauties Liuery wore:
Polydamus re-mounted, soone addrest,
A second course, and pierst him through the brest.
260
79
Which Menelaus seeing, soone assaylesRhemus, and layes him stounded in the field,
And but that stowt Polydamas preuailes,
H'had borne him to his Tent vpon his shield,
Still was not Hector Idle, Hils and Dales
His Chariot skoures, to him the mightiest yeild:
For like a raging Torrent after Rayne,
Where ere he comes confusion fils the plaine.
80
Now was he by the men that Aiax ledTroopt in: the Salamines Thunder about him
Like Ciclopes, as if his Noble head
Were Vulcans Anuile (yet the boldest doubt him)
And seeing store of Carcasse bout him spred,
Wish in their hearts to fight else-where without him:
For like a baited Lyon at a stake,
he cuts them off, and makes the boldest qnake.
81
King Theuter somewhat rougher then the rest,as worthy Hector kept these Dogs at bay,
Finding the Prince with two much taske opprest,
against him with his Courser makes swift way,
The brazen-headed staffe glides by his brest,
and gainst his rib he feeles the Iauelin stay:
King Theuter thou hast done a Noble deed,
Thou art the first that mad'st great Hector bleed.
82
Well was it for thee that thou staidst not long,Those that growe next him for thy act must fall,
Like a mad Bull he fares the Greekes among,
and whom he hits, beneath his Chariot sprall,
The Prince, the common man, the weake, the strong,
The Bold, the Coward, tast confusion all:
The Sun looks pale, heauen red, the green earth blusht
To see their bones beneath his Chariot crusht.
83
Whose valour Thesus seeing, nobly spake:Great Hector, I admire thee, though my Foe:
Thou art too bold, why dost thou vndertake,
Things beyond man, to seeke thine ouerthrow?
261
So little of thy worth, to perish so?
Fond man retyre thee, and recouer breath,
And being thy selfe, pursue the workes of death.
84
Prince Hector his debility now finding,Thankes royall Thesus, and begins to pawse,
And bout the field with his swift coursers winding,
Vnto a place remote himselfe withdrawes,
Meane time King Menelaus the battaile minding,
Wan in the dangerous conflict much applawse:
Heere Celidonius valiant Moles slew:
Moles that his discent from Oreb drew.
85
By Mandon, King Cedonius lost an eye,A Græcian Admirall, Sadellus kils,
And Aiax Telamonius doth defie
Prince Margareton, King Menestheus, spils
The Galles red blood, Prothenor low doth lie
By Samuels Speare, renowned Hector fils
The field with wonder, he his Carre forsakes,
And Milke white Galathee againe he takes.
86
At his first entrance he espies his friendPolydamas by thirty souldiers led,
Amongst whom spurring, they themselues defend,
But scarce one man hath power to guard his head,
Vnto their dayes great Hectors sword gaue end,
And freedome to Polydamas, nye dead:
With shame and wrath, next to the battell came
King Thoas to redeeme the Argiues Fame.
87
With him the King Philotas who adrestThemselues gainst two of Priams Bastard Sonnes,
Young Cassilanus puts his Speare in rest,
And with great fury against Thoas ronnes,
He brake his staffe, but Thoas sped the best,
As to their bold encounter Hector comes,
He sees his young halfe-brother he held deare,
Through-pierst (alas) by Thoas fatall Speare.
262
88
Hye-stomackt Hector with this obiect mad,hurries through the thicke prease, and there had slaine
Whole thousands, for the death of that young Lad,
But his red wrath King Nestor did restraine,
For with six thousand Knights in armor clad,
he fortifies the late forsaken plaine:
Gainst whom marcht Philon, of the part of Troy,
Their battailes ioyne, each other they destroy.
89
Polydamus and Hector taking partWith Philon, aged-Nestor growes too weake,
For Cassilanus death the Greekes must smart,
They through their flankes, wings, rankes, and squadrons breake
When Aiax Telamon spide what huge wreake,
The Troian Worthy made: his men take hart,
And with King Menelaus them dispose,
To rescue Nestor, and assault their Foes.
90
Gainst them Æneas with the hoast arriues,And ioynes with Hector: on the Argiue side
Philoatas with three thousand souldiers striues,
all proued Greekes, whose valors had bin tride:
Æneas and great Aiax gage their liues
To equall conflict, whom their troopes deuide:
Philoatas on great Hector thinkes to proue him,
(In vaine) he from his saddle cannot moue him.
91
But him the Woorthy stounded with a blow,A flatling blow that on his Beauer glancst,
Vlisses and Humerus next in row,
With twice fiue thousands Knights on Hector chancst,
But Paris hapned with as many moe
On Hectors part, where numbers lye intrancst:
Paris a keene shaft from his Quiuer drew,
Whose fatall point the King of Cipresse slew.
92
This Ciprian, Kinsman to Vlisses was,In whose reuenge the Ithacan defies
Prince Paris, who in Arch'ry did surpasse,
These two in field against each other rise,
263
But parted by the tumult, they deuise
On further massacre, neere to this place,
Troylus, Vlisses meets, and wounds his face.
93
Nor scapt the Troian wound-free, in this stowerWas Galathee beneath Prince Hector slaine,
And he on foot, the Greekes with all their power
Begirt him, and assault the Prince amaine;
But he whose fame aboue the Clouds must lower,
From all their battering strokes still guards his braine:
Till Dynadorus Priams Bastard son,
Against well-mounted Polixemus ron.
94
A strong Barb'd horse the Noble Greeke bestrid,a Worthier Maister now the steed must haue,
The Bastard youth gainst Polixemus rid,
Vnhorst him, and his Steed to Hector gaue,
Who mounted, farre more deeds of Honor did,
Leauing the Greekes most Coarses to ingraue:
a troope of Archers Deiphebus brings,
Who expell the Greekes with arrowes, darts, and slings
95
At the first shocke the Prince King Theuter hit,and caru'd a deepe wound on his armed face,
The well steel'd point his sword-proofe Beauer split,
and now th'assaulted Greekes are all in chace,
Some saue themselues by swiftnesse, some by wit,
Young Quinteline of Priams Bastard race,
and King Moderus haue surpriz'd by force,
Thesus, and spoyl'd him both of armes and horse.
96
Whom when the Dardan-Worthy saw surpriz'd,He cals to mind the cur'sie to him done,
By whom nye breathlesse, he was well aduis'd,
The future eminence of warre to shunne,
King Thesus whom his Victors much despis'd,
Hector releast, and by the glorious Sunne,
Sweares not to leaue him, till he see him sent,
With safe conduct vnto his warlike Tent.
264
97
Here Thoas, by whom Cassilanus fell,Is by great Hector beaten from his Steed,
Who razing of his Helme, to send to hell
A soule he so much hated, was soone freed
By Menesteus: who makes on, Pell-Mell
With a huge hoast, and rescues with all speed
Th'astonisht King: not long the day he tride,
Till Paris with an arrow pierst his side.
98
Humerus glaunst a Iauelin through the sightOf Hectors Beauer, that it racst the skin,
Th'inraged Prince on proud Humerus light
And with one stroke he cleft him to the chin,
Proceeding on, hee still pursues the fight,
The Grecians loose, and now the Troians win,
They beate them to their Tents, where some inquire
For pillage, whilst the rest the Nauy fire.
99
In this pursute Hector and Aiax meete,Who (after interchange of hostile blowes)
Part on eeuen tearmes, and with kind language greet,
For the two kinsmen now each other knowes:
Aiax intreats the Prince to spare theyr Fleet,
And saue theyr tents, whose flame to heauen-ward grows
Which courteous Hector sweares to vndertake,
For Aiax and his Aunt Hesiones sake.
100
Oh Il-stard Hector! Thou hast ouerseeneA Victory, thou canst not reach to more?
Hadst thou to him inexorable beene
Thou hadst sau'd Troy, and freed the Dardan Shore:
Duke Aiax prayer hath wrought Troyes fatall teene
And hath the power (lost Grecia) to restore:
Oh, hadst thou tane the aduantage of this day,
all Greece had perisht, that now liues for aye.
101
But theres a Fate in all things: Hector blowesHis wel-knowne horne, his Souldiers all retreat:
The Greekes to quench theyr Fleet themselues dispose,
and re-instaure their tents, whose spoile was great:
265
A Herald, to surcease all hostile heat:
Demanding truce till they the dead haue grounded,
And both of Campe and Citty cur'd the wounded.
102
Tis granted, from the Towne with Coffins comPale widdowes, winpled in their mourning weeds,
To fetch their husbands coarses cold and nom,
To whom they offer solemne Funerall deeds,
The Children fetch their Sires, and Fathers some
Their slaughtred sons, which generall mourning breeds:
The Greekes likewise their fellow-mates desire,
And yeild their bodies to the hallowed fire.
103
But whilst these odoriferous piles they reare,And sacrifiz'd their friends in holy flames,
And in perfumed Boxes, prized deare,
Coffin their precious ashes, least their names
Should die in Lethe: Nouell broyles appeare,
And Ate through the Campe discord proclames:
But now to truce our spirits we haue intention,
Before twixt them we moue a new dissention.
302
The end of the eleuenth CANTO.
| Troia Brittanica: or, Great Britaines Troy | |