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Caput. IX.

Argument.

The Aeneans full of fortitude
With valourous despyt
Encounters mightie Sigismund
And all his armie gryt
But they ar slaine, Penardos deids
Wins glorie and renoune
Old Grodan comes to his releif
And vanquish'd Sigismund.

1

When of bright heaune the orientall gate
Lyik glistring gold wyde oppin did appeir
Wheir Phœbus in his glorious coathe was sett
From wearie night both heaune and earth to cleir
His goldin loks about his shoulders lyes
That throwes their glistring beams throw gloomie skyes

2

And daunceing now one trembling Thetis bak
Penardos skoutts they doe returne on hast
And shew the Prince that they had sein the tract
Of more then fourscoir thousands at the least
With goldin arm's and syluer shynning sheilds
That martch'd within a league out ow'r the feilds,

3

This was great Sigismund ye hard of yo're
Whom Brando did aduerteis long ago
Who hard of these that fled the day before
Of all that past into the battells tuo
And hasting to reuenge his subiects lost
Was come so near with this his mightie host.

4

Great is that woundrous vertue can resist
And boldlie feght gainst all extremitie
That for no fear of danger will desist
From honors deids, disdaining miserie
Nor for no force can euer'd be forcd to zeild
Bott gainst all daunger proues a mightie sheild.

5

(This vertue rare) feare fortitude does claime
As due to her, that for no greif can groane
Her works ar constant and she feirs no shame
For reassone reuls her stayd opinione
She works by courage and true valour gyds her
She feirs no foe, nor from no hazard hyds her.

6

If fortitude haue in our mynds no place
Nor rewll as souering Quene ore all the rest
Owr works owr deides our actiones has no grace
Shs wyslie ponders both the warst and best
To lyfe she geues a lustre radiant
And croun's our deids with honors ornament.

7

For lo indeid the braue Thessalians
Wer cround with all the fructs of Fortitude
First in their mynds was great magnificence
Attemping things heighe excellent and goode
Nixt confidence in their most valiant hairts
Bred hope of goode euent for their deserts.

8

And thridlie patience was their mightie guyde
In suffring for their, countrey and their fame
And lastlie with perseueranc'e did abyde
In their opinione fermelie fearing shame
Yea eurie one with other seemd to stryve
Who best should use these vertues four alyve.

9

Which pitie drawes from roode Barbarian hairts
The feircest Tyrants crewell mynd doeth wound
To sie them (whoes vnmatchable deserts
Deseruis with endles glory to by cround)
Feght in their owne defence half dround in blood
Not slaine but smotherd with hiuge multitude.

10

Their matcheles mightie Gen'rall was not last
That braue Penardo whom the world admeirs
Whom death nor danger could not make agast
In him true valorous Fortitude appeirs
Who Angel-lyk in voyce, in face, in speiche
Thus sweitlie, meiklie, homely did beseiche.

11

My Frends (quod He) of you I made a choice
Not for your valours proof so much of fame
Bot eu'n becaus I knew you to be those
That more aceount did mak of honors Name
Nor goods nor riches, worldly welth, nor gaine
Nor lyf, nor death, nor pleasure, nor of paine.

12

This Honor now which you so long haue sought?
Wheirof so cairfully yow mak aceount
So well, yow haue atch yu'd tho deirlie bought
That to hir throne this last day yow did mount
Lo now this day she offers for to croune yow
And mak the world yea heav'ne it self renoun yow.

13

For Honors croune so precious is, that nought
Within the ten fold orbs of heau'ne, remains
Compaird to it the, whiche has ay bein sought
And for it all the world has tane suche pains
From age to age from tyme to tyme we sie
All sues for Honour glorie dignitie.

14

For eu'ne the basest sort will not refuse
Paine trauell danger yea nor death at length
For it; whill as the brauer mynds do chuse
With hazards great to win that glorious strength
So did the Macedonian bold and stout
That victor went the solid glob throughout

15

Still carles he, still fearles did he venter
Perswadit still to win and neuer to lose
No thought of lose into his mynd could enter
Such was his courage gainst his fainting foes
By hazards, Fortun thus hir walth dispons
For hope bred Hap, and Honor both at'ons,

16

Who gainst great Darius Monarch of the east
Twyce fought and yet not thryce our number past
Four hundreth thousand Perseans at the last
Encounterd him yet wan he first and last
But you may say they wer the Greeks that wan
Ar we not Greeks as well as they wer than.

17

Yes we ar Greeks Honor for ws preserus
The croune he took such trauell to obtaine
Tuyce was he proued wheir to his courage serns
Vs also twyce, the thrid does yit remaine
The which she keips that we may win the croune,
With al his fame, his glorie, his renoune.

18

Then deirest freinds considder what we ar
And who we ar, of whom we ar discendit,
To win the croune we ventred haue to far
If lyf in death, honor in shame be endit
This jemme, this croun, this garland yow should haue
Shall those weak, feble, faint, from yow bereaue.

19

No no but let vs ayme at Honor euer
Base fear dar not assayle a mightie mynd
Let honest shame ws guide and let vs neuer
Care for this lyfe once we must die by kynd
A noble hart has only to his lot
To fear for nothing bot dishonors blot

20

The happiest Prince that ou'r a Natione regnes
Is he whoes people standeth more in aw
Of filthie shame or of dishonors stings
Then of the streittest or seuerest law
Then let me haue that happie Prince his station
And let you be that euer happie Natione.

21

Nether deir Bretherien do as I haue sayde
Bot also as my deids shall after show
Before your eyes instructioune haue I layde
And next myne owne example shall ye know
As He who by your valours must obtain
The greattest glorie that on erth remain,

22

Then galents show your selfs true Greeks in wear
And onlie ask wheir is your Enemis
True Greecians disdaine for to inqueir
What numbre or what multitude they be
For in their multitude their Hope remains
Bot truest valour victorie obtains.

23

With those his words his face did shyne so cleir
That conquest flow'd in streams from his fair eyes
And on his louely forheid did appeir
Grace, valours, woorth, triumphant victorie
Yea from his looks (as from a Dyamont stone)
Come victorie that sparkled ganc't & shone,

24

And then this litle handfull did beginne.
Whith cheirfull shouts for batel new to call
So willing wer they honor for to win
That eu'ne the lam'd and deidly woundit all
From camp from tent from trinshes came to proue
If sicht of deidle wounds reweinge could muoe

25

And such as might for battel did prepair,
Others that wanted legges and armes did crye
Reuenge our blood whill as their wounds they tear
That their hote blood the armie might espy
Whoes harts whith angrie wo began to swell
All swearing to reuenge or die withall

26

The gallant Prince Penardo did reiois
To sie their willing minds And thus he sayde
(Eune with a cheirfull and couragious voice)
Greeks ar not borne (quod he) to be affrayde
Thessalians can feir nothing at all
While thei'r on earth except the Heaun's doun fall.

27

Eu'ne as the Lyone when he seis his foe
Dath raise his taill and beat him self so sore
Till kendling wruth his breist does ouer floe
And then his couragie hot begins to rore
At whoes dreid noyes all beasts with trembling fears
His pray with pawes he crushes rents and tears.

28

Eu'ne so Penardo in his princelie mynd
Wold neids accuse him self of dastard fear
Which so inflam'd his courage stout by kynd
The Lyons braue example he wold bear
He feghts, he stricks, he turns to eu'ry hand
He wounds, he kills who ewet did him whth stand.

29

And thus his back his glistring armour fair
He showes his souldiours & his foes his face.
Which was the harangue he could best prepair
Wheir by he sharps their courage whith such grace
That roaring trumpet's sounds whith dreidfull fear
And thunders furth death murther blood & wear.

30

Their mettings terrible on both the sydes
Their salutatione was a warre-lyk noyes
Of snow whyt lances whill their mightie guyds
Hade dy't their whyt in blood lyk crimsone rose
Others in flinders flie to tear the skyes
Becaus on earth they mist their enterpryse.

31

Their nothing hard but clashing armour still
Crushing of staues and iustling bodies loe
That sharpest swords resounding bloes did kill
Whose harsh and iarring musick mad a show
As beautified with greislines of wound's
With shouts, with cryes, with grones, with ghostlie sounds.

32

Their horses died bereth their Maisters deing
And some that in their lyfe their Maisters buir
In death wer borne by them their others flying
To seik some ryders that wold sit more sure
Their some with agoneising death that stryue
Tears vp the earth entoumbs them selfs alyue

33

And yet no sword did pay to Plutos croune
Of Paganes soull's so large a tribut still
As did Penardos brand, who sending doune
Legions that emptie kingdome for to fill
His wrath his raige his anger cost theme deir
Death on his sword most vglie did appeir.

34

Those warlyk Aeneans of Thessaly
Wold merchants proue to sell their lyues and all
Yea sure the Paganes thought their merchandrie
So deir at all their vantage was bot small
For fyue to one they pay whill as they sie
A Squadron fresh appeir into their eye.

35

They seemd aboue fyue thousand to appeir
That all Achaians wer of courage braw
Who of the former victorie did heir
For which to render thanks them selfs they shaw
Andromodane led furthe those troups so long
Stout hardy bold aduenterous and strong.

36

The Aeneans their rancks wer now bot thinne
Till this new force their courage did renew
And as they wer but new for to beginne
A freshe assault they gaue wherein they shew
That they from braue Achilles wer discendit
Who was so much throughout the world commendit.

37

The Datians their ground begane to lose.
Whil Sigismund preuenting when he saw
Sent Dinrmon that brother germane was
Vnto that vmqhile Prince Phelaston braw
And with him sent bands, legiones, squadrones stout
Encompassing syde, wing, flanck, front about

38

Now was their last destructioune drawing neere
Now their incompast in one euery syde
Though terrour shew her self at first t'appeir
Deckd with the gold of shynning armours pryd
Yet now for bloode wrath yre & raige she shook
Dreidfull her face, and terrible her looke.

39

With earthe with dust with blood wer all imbrev
Ther brokin armour and their mangled fleshe
Which seemt a burthene to their soul's that rewit
Their purest Essence was defyld no less
Sum vpwart mountes reuenge in heau'ne to call
And others draw'ne by Pluto's guarde to Hell.

40

But neither could those daungers dreidfull be
Nor could they seeme as daungers to the mynd
Of braue Penardo whoes all conquering eye
Shew how his hart to furie was inclynd
They fall, they feir, they flie, wheir er'e he fought
Death on his sword, reuenge into his thought

41

As thunders beats whith lightning from the sky
Heighe tours tall Cedars mightie Roks to ground
As fearce tempestuous wind with angrie swey
The rypned corne & graine to earth has bound
So wheir he goes to earth they tumbel all
Sum hurt, sum slaine, & sum for fear does fall

42

When Dinamon his ualour did espy
Who knew that by his sword his brother dyit
He sought him through the battell couriouslie
Whoes deids might easily mak him espyit
That whith his sword had made so spatious roum
As he had knowne the combat was to cum

43

And thus they both approatching each to other
Hate in them both had steird desyre of tryall
They thus begane a combat both together
Wheir courage, witt, nor strength mak no denyall
With rage and furie eache one ather throwes
Yet by their witt and skill they deall their bloes.

44

And still the more they feght they more desyre
The more they smart the les they feill their paine
And quicklie now to know the victors hyre
They neids wold try their valour once againe
They stryue by might by skill by strength & proues
Wheir valour most abyds whom Fortune loues.

45

Penardo lookt about and did espy
About thrie hundred of his deirest Mates
Whoes mangled fleshe with purple painting dy
Had mask'd them vp with horrors dreidfull feates
And that no more of all his syd wer left
The rest of lyfe (thogh not of honor) reft.

46

Eune now and not till now began his hart
To swell with sorow greif and kyndest loue
Ah who wold now haue sein his face conuert
His eyes that wount with furious flamms to moue
His browes wheir anger satt in maiestie
His countenance wheir courage wont to lye.

47

All these wer banisht quytt, his cheirfull ey
Was dround with tears the flamms wer quyt put out
His countenance was sorowfull to sie
His browes had sadnes louring round a bout
His hart the seatt of his all conquering mynd
To sighes to greiffes to sorowes was inclynd.

48

But Dinamon that saw him so amaiz'd
Sayd knight my sword shall chainge the yet moir strainge
Wheir would thow flie thow hes but fondlie gaiz'd
My Brothers Ghost too long abyds reuenge
Wheir fore he reuneitts his force againe
And said proud Knight yle make the proue with paine.

49

I send thy brother to the Stygiane laick
But to prepair the passage for thy ghoste
Thow stayes too long receaue this for his sake
And with the worde the bloes redoubled most
That eurie bloe stroaue to be formest still
To mak the Paganes soule run post to Hell.

50

Att last one bloe he gaue whoes force was such
As reft not lyfe but sensles has him made
And as a lyone that disdains to tuitch
A man but weapins at his mercie layde
So scornes the Knight to spend his force in vaine
One foes that flies, or feirs, or faints for paine,

51

With wrath and hote desyre for to reuenge
He thrusts him self in throw the ranck's and made
A longe broad way, one euerie syde a rainge
Lyke to a wall of Paganes corps was layde
Such wounders their he wrought that one might say
He was the Paganes sepulchre that day,

52

Still preasing forwart at the last he saw
Ten Pagane Knights incompast round assayes
To kill tuo galant Knights whom he did know
Belmundo and Phenabon prince of Thais
Who stoode so stronglie to their owne defence
That other ten they had dispatched thence.

53

But then he sies Belmundo fall to ground
The Prince of Thayis so wearie was withall
That he drew neir vnto his fatall wound
One him the bloes lyke lightning doune did fall
Their Vrson was and Vrsides his Sone
That o're Moldauia regn's and beirs the croune.

54

These tuo did Prince Phenabon greattest harme
Whose loftie courage still disdaind to yeild
Till breathles he, and strengthles was his arme
Bloodles him self but bloodie was the feild
Yet feghting stil he still doth scorne to flie
Not they but death obtaind the victorie.

55

Their Captains hart with pitie ouersett
In him greif sorow rage and furie stay
With his fyne sword he maid a spatious gett
All these wer kild that did impashe his way
At last he came wheir Vrson did most harme
Who felt the weyght of his all-conquering arme.

56

One blow did part his body from his heid
The which his Sone young Vrsides espyd
With furious bloes he one Penardo layde
Railling and cursing all his Gods he cryd
Ah Vrsone Vrsone deir and with the word
In his hart bloode Penardo drinsht his sword,

57

The rest that saw the Prince was so offendit
Took them to flight and left him all alone
They thought it was sum God that had discendit
To punishe them for their presumptione
Such woundrous deids as this one Knight had wrought
Belong'd to none but to a God they thought.

58

To Sigismound they brought thir newes in hast
That Vrsides and Vrson both wer slaine
Eune by a God or els sum feind at least
For no such strength in mortalls could remaine
Euphrastes heiring of this valour strainge
Desyre did burne his breist with hote reuenge.

59

Euphrastes was a mightie Pagane strong
He had Vrsides sister to his wyfe
Who efter wrought Penardo mekle wrong
And wrapt him in mischeif and endles stryfe
But lett ws show Euphrastes his pretence
That called was of Transyluania Prence.

60

Who throw the battell has Penardo sought
Till in the bodie of the battell grytt
He saw them running heir and their he thought
Their ranckes wer brokin & disordred quyt
At last he saw and seing did admeir
One Knight that wounders wrought as did appeir,

61

Eune as a wolf amid the fleecie hearde
Some chace sum slay some tear crush ryue and tack
Or lyk a boare whoes face the ratches feard
(Finding the stolne aduantage of his back)
Will preas to wound yet does but moue to wrath
Who in his furie crusheth them to death.

62

Eune so this Knight with furious rage does tear
All whom he fand his noble brand dispatcht
Such heaps wer slaine that all the rest did fear
And now th' aduantage of his back they watcht
He stricks he wards he taks he turn's he payes
Behind, before, and round about him layes.

63

Euphrastes much admeird his val'rours deids
And knew him for Vrsides cause of deathe
Wheirfore he forward vnto him proceids
And said leaue of Sir Knight and turne thy wrath
Gainst him who better can abyde thy strength
And for thy deids shall chasties thee at length.

64

Indeid Euphrastes was a gallant Knight
Who nere before encountred with a foe
But these whom still he vanquest in the fight
With foyle, shame, death, and euerlesting woe
Now breathd he wrath, warre, vengeance, furth lyke smook
But braue Penardo from a Pagane took

65

A stronge and mightie launce, into his hand
Wheir with so fearce enconter did he mak
That nether sheild nor armour could with stand
Till the steill head appeird behind his bak
Now fell he to the ground alreddie ded
Whoes name to all the east great terrour bred.

66

The Paganes feir'd and woundred much to sie
That Prince in whom their greattest hope did ly
By this one Knight so ouerthrowne to be
Wheirfore in great dispaire and rage they cry
Ah Gods iniust how long will yow delay
With lightning from the heaun's this Knight to slay.

67

Thus running on him mad with furie, beats
In euery part and thought with bloes to end him
But he who litle feard of all their threats
With such a woundrous valour did defend him
That they assaill in vaine and mak a choise
In seiking of his lyfe their owne to iose.

68

The tribute of his wrath them deirlie cost
For all the ground their bodies deid did fill
So that it seemd in all this mightie host
Their wer not men anew for him to kill
At last he came wheir Sigismund a bad
Wheir threttie thowsand Knights on horsebakrad.

69

And their one blow he did not spend in vaine
At euerie stroak he send a soule to Hell
And still their places being fild againe
He serud them all alyk with deing baill
When as by Sigismund he was espyde
Who send a Squadrone fresh to quell his pryde.

70

And then with long sharpe launces all these bands
Bore him and horse and all vnto the ground
Yea surelie he had ou'r-schapd their hands
But that this purest remainder him found
Tho hurt and deidlie wounded still they feght
Led by that Prince that Mandadorus heght.

71

Whoes woundrous feits I did too long forget
Four valiant Pagans slew he hand to hand
At last with Sigismund him self he mett
Who of his mightie prowes suirlie fand
He bett him to the ground with might & maine
With strength woorth valour victorie disdaine,

72

But when he seis the Prince he nelds wold act
The laistest pairt of this sad tragœdie
His mangled band still following on his tract
Wheir as the Prince defends him valiantlie
Oft bet to ground yet still in feght proceids
Strange was his valour, wonderfull his deids.

73

Thus while he fought expecting nocht but death
This band wold die and by their death releiuie him
Showing such valour in their deing wrath
They flie they fall they die that first drew neir him
And Mandador from his owne horse did light
Horsing the Prince with valour strength and might.

74

While this small handfull held them altogether
They red vnto them selfs a spations roume
But still fresh bands of men resorting thither
Left them their armour for their brauest toumbe
Yet fame their Trophees eterneiz'd with ioye
Which tyme nor death nor hell could not destroy.

75

But Mandodorus that one foote did rest
Who to his Prince had lent his horse before
Whas with the multitude so sore opprest
That he to deathe his tribut does restor
Thryce happie he who bought whith deaths expence
From death his Lord his leadder and his Prince.

76

By this a mightie armie drawing neir
Their speedie pace presaigd a sharpe reuenge
Whille as the Datians harts begane to feir
Els wearied with their battell past so strange
Recuilling back with feir fall flight and death
But they persue with rage blood murther wrath.

77

This was king Grodane and his mightie host
Who raizing, Phocis walls was come to ayde
His sone but seing all his armie lost
Amaiz'd he gaiz'd astonisht wheir he red
The act incredible the murther strainge
Wheir valour stroaue with Fortun chance & chainge.

78

Then brunt with greif wo, sorow, wraith & ire
Reueinge from wo and pitie did redoune
Swelling aboue the bancks of his desyre
And send vp floods of tears his eyes to droune
So brooks ore flowes their banks with late falne raine
The brook a riuer, riuer growes a maine

79

Reuenge reuenge, ah deir reuenge ah care
Care stopt his breath with greif rage anger woe
This harang so did sharp their mynd's to wear
All cryd reuenge reuenge the trumpets blow
Their foes that flies they kill, chace, slay not tak
Till night her friends wrapt in her mantle black.

80

Yet still reuenge and kill the armie calls
Blood blood kill kill reuenge reuenge we most
Whill tuentie thousand dead bofore them falls
The king that feird his only Sone was lost
Caus'd sound retreat & sadlie now he murns
When lo Penardo frome the chace returns,

81

And falling one his kneis before his Syre
He craues him pardone for this great mischeif
His willingnes for honor to aspyre
Had bene the eaus of all their greattest greif.
Of fourtein thousand which he brought away
Their was not tuentie left alyue that day,

82

Wheirof the King was wofull when he hard
But glaid his onlie Sone deid liue and lo
His ioyfulnes his sorow quyt debard
He was desyrous all the trouth to know
Which when he heirs of all that does proceid
He thinkst a bloodie victorie indeid

83

He causd to searche the feild wheir as he found
Andromodane and Mandador the fair
Belmundo and Phenabon whom entoumbd
He causd to be in glorious sepulchair
Those lyns insert their fame to testifie
To aige to tyme to endles memorie.

The Epitaphe of Mandadorus.

Heir Mandadorus lyes
Of Meson vnqhill Prince
That left his natiue soyle to feght
In Greciance defence
Of braue Achilles stok
He haid his Pedegrie
The cheifest of the Aeneans
That duelt in Thessaly
Of suche a mightie mynd
And suche a trustie faith
That willinglie he pay'd the ran
Soune of his Princes death.

The Epitaphe of Andromadan.

Heir lyes Andromadane
The braue Achaian loe
That payd his lyif for tribut of
His countrey to his foe.

The Epitaphe of Belmundo

Heir lyes Belmundo fair
Whoes honorable Name
Is lest in cronicles of Tyme
To eternize his Fame
A Greciane, true he was
And died in Greece defence
Of Thessaly and Aneane
Of Toropeya Prince
So famous for his woorth
And woorthie for his works
That Tyme and fame in memorie
And glorie him inbarks.

The Epitaphe of Phenabon.

Heir does Phenabon ly
That thryce renouned Lord
Of Thay's that Paganes mightelie
Disdain't defy't abhorde
Who diet in the defence
Of Grece his natiue land
O happie He who deing did
His countreyes fall with stand
Then who soeu'r beholds
Those Tumbs in passing by
Learne to defend they Countreys weell
Or in defence to dy

Wheirby thow shalft attaine
To glorie and renoune
To honor fame and dignitie
To an celestiall croune.

84

This haueing done with cost and large expence
The King entoumb'd the Pagane Princes loe
The Seruain and the Transiluanian Prince
Euphrates Vrson Vrsides also
And causd insert their praises due theirone
Which tyme has rold in blak obluione

45

But we'll returne to Sigismund agane
And of his new discomfeit armie shoe
Wheir surelye of ane hundreth thousand men
Wer skairslle fourtie thousand left and loe
These weried hurt, fled, feird, with feght so strange
Had left no hand, sword, hairt, for to reuenge.

46

Wheir fore he hyes him home in greattest hast
Whill losse and shame was all the wealth he gain'd
Penardo now in sorow sadlie plac'd
Eu'ne for his freinds stil murning had remain'd
At last he stealls troughout the camp alone
In desert wyld for to bewaill and mone.

87

Now am I forc'd to leaue the gratulatione
Wheir with the Achaians did commend the King
To show Penardo's haples constellatione
His angrie Starr's so mightelie did regne
But loe his mother died with in short space
Whiche made his father home returne his pace

88

Penardo goes throw manie diuerse wayes
Till bright Apollo drensht his goldin hayre
In westerne stream's then doun him self he lay's
His wearie horse to pastur did repair
When to our hemisphere the sable night
From Erebus blak house hade tane her flight.
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