The notable hystorie of two famous Princes of the worlde Astianax and Polixena: wherein is set forth the cursed treason of Caulcas. Very pleasant & delectable to reade. Gathered in English verse by Iohn Partridge |
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THE PRÆFACE.
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 | The notable hystorie of two famous Princes of the worlde |  |
THE PRÆFACE.
Consider well and weygh,what castles, towers and townes,
What realmes, what Kings by cruell Mars,
haue lost their royall crownes.
The force of warre eche man,
hath felt, this well I knowe:
If euer he in Martiall feates,
did any time bestowe.
Howe many headlesse men,
what townes destroyed be?
If stories olde thou do reuolue,
there playnely mayst thou see.
This storie I therefore,
in English haue translate:
Bycause thereby thou mayst perceyue,
of warre the cruell fate.
Howe Mars with bloudy sworde,
doth raunge when victorie:
Shal ope hir gates, and let him in,
to haue the maysterie.
What Princes bloud is spilt,
of captiues wofull case:
And how that traytours vse their sleyghts
their Princes to deface.
by Caulcas traytour olde:
Which to the Greekes a Princes childe,
by trayterie hath solde.
I haue in time heard say,
how men that did delight:
To reade olde iestes of battayles olde,
did much desire the sight,
Of bookes that did intreate,
of Hectors courage stoute:
How in the midst of all the Greekes,
with valiant heart he fought.
Loe here thou mayst perceyue,
in Hectors little sonne:
The courage of his father olde,
and what he oft hath done.
Buy therefore and it reade,
the price of it is small:
If ought there be in it amisse,
amend it soone I shall.
Thus I take here my leaue,
requiring this of thee:
That thou accept here my good will,
though rude the verses be.
| The notable hystorie of two famous Princes of the worlde | |