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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| I. |
Canto. I.
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| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 8. |
| 9. |
| 10. |
| 11. |
| 12. |
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 | Troia Brittanica: or, Great Britaines Troy |  |
Canto. I.
Argumentum
Tytan and Saturne differ, their great strife,Is by their carefull mother (Vesta) ended:
Saturne, his Sister Sybill takes to wife,
And the heyre-males that are from thē descended
He doomes to death: faire Sybil saues the life
Of Iupiter, grim Saturne is offended,
And to the Oracle at Delphos hyes,
Whiles Titan thrugh the earth his fortune tries.
Arg. 2.
The Worlds Creation, gold from the earths veines,Neptune and Plutoes birth, Alpha conteines.
1
This Vniverse with all therein conteined,Was not at first of Water fashioned,
Nor of the Fire, as others oft haue feyned,
Nor of the Ayre, as some haue vainly spred.
Nor the foure Elements in order trained.
Nor of Vacuitie and Atom's bred.
Nor hath it beene Eternall (as is thought
By naturall men) that haue no further sought.
2
Neither hath man in perpetuity bin,And shall on earth eternally perseuer
By endlesse Generation, running in
One circuit; (In corruption lasting euer)
2
Vnder the mid Equator: some indeuour
So to perswade; that man was first begunne,
In the place next, to the life-giuing Sunne.
3
Neither was he of Earth and water framed,Tempered with liuely heat (as others write;)
Nor were we in a former world first named,
As in their curious Problems (some recite:)
Others, more ripe in Iudgement, haue proclaimed,
Man fram'd of clay, in fashion exquisite;
In whom were breath'd sparkes of Celestiall fire,
Whence he still keepes his Nature, to aspire.
4
But this most glorious Vniuerse, was madeOf nothing, by the great Creators will;
The Ocean bounded in, not to inuade
Or swallow vp the Land, so resteth still
The azure Firmament, to ouer-shade
Both Continent, and Waters, which fulfil
The Makers word, one God doth sole extend
Without beginning, and shall see no end.
5
That powerfull Trinity created manAdam, of Earth, in the faire field Damaske,
And of his rib he Euah, formed than,
Supplying them with all things they can aske;
In these first two, Humanity began;
In whom, confinde Ihehovahs six-daies taske.
From Adam then and Euahs first Creation,
It followes we deriue our Brittish Nation.
6
Inspire me in this taske (Ihoues seede I pray)With Hippocrenes drops besprinke my head,
To comfort me vpon this tedious way,
And quicken my cold braine nigh dull and dead;
Direct my wandring spirits, when they stray,
Least forren and forbidden paths they tread:
My iourney's tedious, (blame not then my feares)
My voyage, aymes at many thousand yeares.
3
7
Oh giue me leaue, from the Worlds first Creation,The ancient names of Britons, to deriue
From Adam, to the Worlds first Invndation,
And so from Noah, to vs that yet suruiue:
And hauing of Troyes Worthies made relation,
Your spurs the Chariot of my Muse must driue
Through all past Ages, and precedent times,
To fill this new World with my worthlesse rymes.
8
Oh, may these Artlesse numbers in your eares,(Renowmed Iames) seeme Musically strung,
Your fame (oh Ioves-star'd Prince) spread euery where,
First gaue my still and speech-lesse Muse a tung:
From your Maiestike vertues (prised deare,)
The infant life of these harsh meeters sprung;
Oh, take not then their industrie in skorne,
Who, but to emblaze you, had beene yet vnborne.
9
Not let your Princely Peeres hold in disdaine,To haue their Auncestry stild'e and inrolde
In this poore Register, a higher straine
Their merits aske, since brazen leaues vnfold
Their neuer-dying Fame, yet thus much daine,
Not to despise to heare your vertues told
In a plaine stile, by one, whose wish and hart,
Supplies in zeale, want both of Skill and Art.
10
Times faithfully conferd, the first inuentionOf most thinges now in vse, heare you shall finde,
Annext with these, the vse and comprehention
Of Poësie, once to the Goddes desceind,
Suffer our bluntnesse then, since our intention
Is to good vse, sent from a zealous mind.
If Stones in Lead set, keepe their vertues: then,
Your worth's the same, though blazde by a rude Pen.
11
In the Worldes Child-hood, and those Infant-daies,When the first earth was in her strength and prime,
Of her owne nature yeilding plants and Spraies,
Flowers, both for smell and Medicine: when each time
4
To ripen fruites in their conuenient time;
Before the labouring Swaine with'is iron plow,
Made furrowed wrinkles in the Earths smooth brow.
2
When men were gouernd more by Will, then Art,And had their appetites by Nature swayde,
When Fraud was vnbegot, and had no part
In the worlds Empire; before Coyne was made,
When man his mutuall fortunes did impart
Without Extortion, Guile, or Vsurers trade;
Before smooth Cunning was to ripenesse growne,
Or diuellish Wax and Parchment yet were knowne.
3
I meane the golden world, the purest Age,That knew not brazen warre, or fatall steele,
For war was in his cradle: yron age
Bred but his teeth: yet did the world not feele
His rauenous phangs, no man did battell wage,
Or try the inconstant course of Fortunes wheele;
There was twixt king and king no grim defiance,
Nor bands (saue of affection and alliance.)
4
Then liu'd Vranus a great Lord in Creet,To Æthra and great Demogorgon heire,
He married with a Lady bright and sweet,
Vesta through all those climes (sur-nam'd the faire)
With two young lads she did her Husband greet,
Tytan and Saturne, at two births she bare:
Tytan the eldest, crooked, and il-fac't,
Saturne well shap't, faire spoke, and comely grac't.
5
Vranus, in his hopefull issue famed,Begot on Vesta two faire Daughters more,
The first Sibilla, the last Ceres named,
Fairer were neuer seene in Creet before.
Both were by Nature in her cunning framed,
Out of her beauties choise, and purest store:
Tytan, was for his vgly shape abhord,
But Saturne, for his comlinesse adord.
5
6
This Saturne, was the first by whose inuentionThe Earth was Til'd, and Ear'd, and gaue increase,
Before his fruitfull daies, was neuer mention
To sowe, or plant; Till then a generall peace
Was made twixt th'earth and vs, our apprehention
Strecht not to know her secrets: Now gan cease
Blind Ignorance in man, Saturne first found,
To till, to plow, to sow, to reape the ground.
7
He likewise was the first that strung the bow,And with a feathered Arrow pierst the Aire,
Phæbus at first, admired, and did not know
What new made Birds could flie so swift and faire,
Mistaking Saturnes shafts, for who would trow,
Mans wisedome could inuent a thing so rare,
(Being Earth-bred) to stretch his braine so hie,
As teach his shafts way through the empty skie.
8
And now began th'amaz'd Earth to admire,To see such strange fruites in her bosome growing;
To see her head weare such vnknowne attire,
To see the Swaines, some planting, others sowing;
Now first began the birds to pearch them hier,
And shun mans sight, still wondering, but not knowing,
How men below on th'earths verdure lying,
Should reach into the aire, and strike them flying.
9
To kill the Sauadge beast he likewise taught,And how to pierce the Serpents skale from farre,
By him, the wilde-swift-running Hart was caught,
He first deuis'd for vs the vse of warre;
He shewd which mines of earth be good, which naught,)
Which be the veines of Gold, which siluer are;
He Minerals first found, and from the mold,
To decke his Pallace, brought refined gold.
10
Yet some great Saturnes glory would deface,And say, that Cadmus first this mettall found
In high Pangeus, a huge hill in Thrace,
Else Thoas and Eaclis searcht the ground
6
Knowne in such precious mettals to abound:
Some, twixt Erichthon and Ceacus deuide,
Finding bright siluer (first in Athens tride.)
11
Idei Dactili Iron mettall wroughtIn Creet: some deeme, two Iewes in Cipres made it,
Selmentes and Damnameneus brought
The Ore from thence, and to their vse assaide it;
For yellow Brasse the sly Pannonians sought,
The Scithian Lydus, with the fire allaid it,
And taught it first to melt; which some suppose,
The Phrigian Delos did by Art disclose.
12
Midacritus a Minerall more then theseBrought from a Prouince that belongs to Spaine,
Lead: from the Ilands Cassiterides,
Which some would Attribute to Tuball-Caine.
Glaucus all Mettals brought beyond the seas
Taught how to sother, (else their vse were vaine.)
The first Smiths-forge, the blacke Calibians made,
And after taught the Ciclopes their trade.
13
Cyniras: the Stythee, leuer, Tongs and File,Pyrodes was the first from flint stroke fire,
Which how to keepe in matches longer while
Prometheus taught: This Vulcan did acquire:
The bellowes: Anacharsis in the Isle
Cal'd Scithes, and thus men did still aspire
For knowledge; and in seuerall Countries nurst
These Arts, of whom we hold king Saturne first.
14
Therefore the Cretan people much esteemed him,And cal'd him God on earth for his rare wit;
Much honor he receiu'd which they beteem'd him,
And in their populer iudgements held it fit
To burne him Mirrhe and Insence, for they deem'd him
Worthy alone amongst the Gods to sit,
Perswaded such a high inuentious straine,
Could not proceed from any Mortals braine.
7
11
As these rare guifts the giddy Commons noted,So in his mothers hart they tooke Impression,
Who on her sonnes perfections inly doted,
Making for him her daily intercession,
Thus in a Sea of sweet content he floted;
For who, but of his vertues made confession?
In processe, and the chiefe of Saturnes pride,
The old Vranus craz'd, fell sicke and dide.
12
After a few sad funerall sighes and tearesBy Vesta, o're her husbands body shed,
In crooked Tytan, to the world appeares
A strong intention, to impale his head
With his dead fathers Crowne: This Vesta feares,
And calling Saturne, thus to him she sed:
My dearest sonne, tis by the Lords decreed,
That in Vranus Prince-dome, thou succeed.
13
Thy brother Tytan, though in Age before thee,Yet in thy wisedome thou hast him out-stript;
Thou hast the popular loue, they all adore thee,
His blasted hopes, are in the blossome nipt;
With Coine, with Men, with Armor, I will store thee,
Let him stand fast, or he shall sure be tript:
Both Lords and people, ioyne with me thy mother,
To invest Saturne, and depose thy brother.
14
With that, before her sonne could make reply,Where they were speaking, rusht bold Tytan in,
A storme was in his brow, fier in his eye,
After some tempest, he doth thus begin:
Must then young Saturne raigne? Oh, tell me why?
Am I a Bastard, and begot in sinne?
Hath Vesta playd the strumpet with my Father,
That you despise me, and elect him rather?
15
Was I not of that Virgin-wombe the first?And lay I not as neere your heart as he?
Was I not of those breasts before him nurst?
And am I not his Elder in degree?
8
Your Mayden-birth, and your first progeny:
Before him I was borne, and to be plaine,
(By all the Goddes) I will before him raigne.
16
Had I not in your wombe, the selfe-same being?Am I not of the selfe-same bloud created?
Is not my Royalty with his agreeing?
Is not my birth before his Anti-dated?
Is elder Tytan, now not worth the seeing?
Must in my right, that young boy be instated?
Hath he so well, or I so ill deseru'd:
No: first I came, and I will first be seru'd.
17
And turning to young Saturne, with an eyeThreatning reuenge, and ruyne to his life,
Prin-cox (quoth he) must you be plac't so hye,
The only darling of Vranus wife?
Canst thou so soone out-leape me? Thou shalt die,
And in thy fatall obits end this strife;
Then, with his fatall blade he blest his head,
Had the blow falne, it had strooke Saturne dead.
18
But Vesta staide it comming, and withallCame Ceres and Sibilla thrusting thither,
They hugge young Saturne, but on Tytan fall,
Thundring on him with clamors, altogither,
The yonger brother they their Soueraigne call,
And bid the elder packe, they care not whither:
The people second them: thus in disgrace,
The Stigmaticke is forst to leaue the place.
19
But hauing better with himselfe aduised,Tytan and Saturne thus the strife decide,
That Tytan (for his shape so much despised)
Should leaue the Scepter vnto Saturnes guide,
And so to stint all mallice enterprised;
But after Saturnes death, the Crowne t'abide
To Tytan and his heyres, by his last will;
So Saturne sweares all his heyres male to kill.
9
20
King Saturne must not let a sonne suruiueTo keepe his brothers Issue from the Crowne,
Only his Daughters he may saue aliue,
These Couenants are betwixt them both set downe:
Hence-forth, no more these haughty brothers striue,
For eyther by Indenture knowes his owne:
The Crowne is Saturnes, due to Tytans seed,
To make which good, all Saturnes sonnes must bleed.
21
The elder brother, thus o'reswaide with might,Cannot indure that Clyme, but seekes another,
To see his yonger throned in his right,
Or to be cal'd a Subiect to his brother,
And therefore full of anger and despight,
He leaues his Countrey, Sisters, and his mother;
And to be rid at once of his disgraces,
He seekes aduentures strange, in forren places.
22
Where Fortune his attempts so much befrended,That many Warlike Nations he subdud'e,
No quest, saue Armes and valour, he intended,
And how by Vsurpation to intrude
Into the rightes of others, who defended
Their Honors, both by strength and multitude:
Thus he of many Islands raignes sole King,
And all the World, of Tytans Actes doth ring.
23
Yet into Creet he daily sendes espiall,To know if Saturne made his Couenant good,
Forcing his slye skouts (mauger all deniall)
To bring him word, how Saturnes glory stood,
Whether of Mariage he had yet made tryall,
Or hauing Children male, had spilt their bloud;
Knowing himselfe to be sufficient strong,
By force of Armes, to right his former wrong.
24
So with his fiue and forty Sonnes makes thence,With fayre Tytea, mother to seuenteene
Of that large broode; all these with rage dispence,
And by their late attonement, Exiles beene.
10
Hoping well Armed once more to be seene,
And with their brood of Tytanois to meet,
And tug with Saturne, for the Crowne of Creet.
25
Rhea (of all the beauteous daughters fairest)Brides with Hiperion, her best-lou'd Brother:
He likewise, for his feature was the rarest
Of Tytans sonns (there liu'd not such another)
Oh sweet Hiperion, thou in shape comparest
With all the Gyant yssue of thy mother;
At seuerall byrths, two Babes she childed soone,
The male she cald the Sunne; Female, the Moone.
26
The tother Tytans fearing, to these twoTheir Fathers Conquests should in time descend,
A monstrous Act they haue intent to do,
Whose scandall shall beyond both Poles extend,
And none but Parricides would yeild vnto,
For they that should their Brothers life defend
Conspire together, and gainst right or reason,
In dead of night, they seeke his death, by Treason.
27
But first they take his little sonne, the Sunne,And to the floud Eridanus (well knowne,
That streames along their Coast:) In hast they run,
Where the young Lad amongst the waues is throwne,
This, when his tender Sister knew was dun,
From a high Rocke, her selfe she tumbled downe:
In pitty of whose beauties, grace, and yeares,
The Gods translate them, to the brightest Spheres.
28
Meane time, the new made King of Creet's renowneIncreast so much, that he was term'd a God,
He was the first that ware a Lawrell Crowne,
The first that venter'd on the Seas, and rod
In triumph on the waters; (this being knowne)
They held them happiest, that could make abod
In his blest Prouince, which being well conducted,
Kings sent their Sonnes to him, to be instructed.
11
25
Saturne in those daies was helde onely wise,Many young Princes in his Court were trained,
He taught them both the vse of Seas and Skies,
And what hid wealth within the Earth remained;
Then gan he Citties build, and Lawes deuise,
for an Irregular people he disdained:
The mynerall mountaine-veines he vnder-minde,
And was the first, that perfect Golde refinde.
26
Yet neuer did this King in ought miscarry,Hauing what Earth, and Sea, and Ayre could yeild,
Happy in all thinges, saue, he durst not marry,
He sees the gorgeous house, he late did build
Shine with reflecting Gold (his obiects varry)
He sees his ripe corne, growing in the field,
He sees the wilde Birds by his Archers caught,
Pierst with those shafts, whose vse before he taught.
27
He sees the vast Seas, by his Oares deuided,And the deeepe waters, without danger past,
By Art of Sayle and Rudder, they are guided,
(What greater happinesse could Mortall tast?)
But when the Couenant long before decided
Twixt him and Tytan he records, at last,
It pierst his hart with sorrow: for his life
Seemes to him tedeous, led without a wife.
28
What bootes him all his Honours and ritch state?His wealths-increase, and all his worldly pleasure?
For whom doth he rise early, and sleepe late?
Hauing no heyre, to inherite all his Treasure:
He knowes he hath incur'd his Brothers hate,
Yet must his seed, make of his kingdome seazure:
He enuyes his owne wealth, bicause he knowes,
All his life time he toyles, t'enrich his foes.
29
He loues his Sister Sybill (yet not soThat if she children haue, their blouds to spill)
And yet his timerous passions howerly grow,
Nor can he on her beauty gaze his fill:
12
If shee haue Issue, he her sonnes must kill,
So that he wishes now, (but all too late)
That for his vow, he might Exchange his state.
30
In this distraction many dayes he dwelt,Till Loue at length in Saturnes hart preuailed,
Such feruent passions in his brest he felt,
That spight his Oath, (which he so much bewailed)
He feeles his soft thoughts in his bosome melt:
(Needs must he yeild whom such faire lookes assailed)
And now vpon this desperate point he stood,
To wade t'her bed, thogh throgh his childrens blood.
31
This can great Apis witnesse, who that timePeloponessus gouern'd: This records
Iubalda, who the Spanish seat doth clime;
This Craunus kneel'd to by th'Italian Lords:
This Satron, who the Gaules rul'd in his prime,
Now to Semiramis Assyria affords
The Monarchy: who after Ninus dide,
Married her Sonne, and perisht by his pride.
32
The marriage rights with solemne feasts are done,Sybill both wife and sister; the first Queene
That raign'd in Creete, hath now conceiu'd a sonne,
Neuer hath lesse applausiue ioy bin seene
At such a Brides Conception: the time's come
The long suspensiue daies expired beene:
For if a male, his blood the Earth must staine,
A male she brought forth, and the Lad was slaine.
33
For so the King commanded, being a King,He thought it base if he should breake his word,
Oh golden dayes, of which the Poets sing,
How many can this Iron age afford
That hold a promise such a precious thing,
Rather to yeeld their children to the sword,
Then that the world should say, thy oath thou brakest,
Or wast so base, to eate the word thou spakest.
13
33
Such difference is twixt this, and that of gold,We in our sinnes are stronger; Vertues weaker;
Words tide them fast, but vs no bonds can hold;
They held it vil'd, to be a promise-breaker;
A Lyar was as strange in times of old,
As to find out amongst vs, a true speaker:
Their harts were of pure mettall, ours haue flawes,
Now lawes are wordes; in those daies, wordes were lawes.
34
The Funerall of the first slaine infant ended,And the sad daies of mourning quite expir'd,
At which the pittious Queene was most offended,
But now her spirits with dull sorrowes tired,
The King a second metting hath intended,
And the Queenes nuptiall bed againe desired;
Sibill conceiues, and in her wombe doth cherish,
More children, ready in their birth to perish.
35
And growing neere her time, the sorrowfull father,Displeas'd to see his wife so apt to beare,
Who for his vowes-sake wish her barren rather,
(The murther of his first sonne toucht him neare,)
Sends through his Land, a kingly traine to gather,
And makes for Delphos, hoping he shall heare
Some better comfort from the Delphian shrine,
Whose Oracles the king esteemes diuine.
36
He therefore first his sacrifice prepares,And on Apollos Altar Incense burnes,
Then kneeling to the Oracle, his praiers
Mount with the sacred fume, which neare returnes,
Tell the pleas'd God acquainted with his cares
Lookes downe from heauen, & sees him how he mourns,
Desiring that his power would nothing hide,
But tell, what of her next birth should betide.
37
With that there fell a storme of Raine and Thunder,The Temple was all fire, the Alter shooke,
The golden roofe aboue, and pauement vnder,
14
To see what heauenly power had caus'd this wonder,
Faine he the holy place would haue forsooke,
When th'Oracle thus spake: thy wife growes great,
With one that shall depose thee from thy seat.
38
For from her royall wombe shall one proceed,That in despight of thee in Creet shall dwell,
So haue the neuer-changing fates decreed,
Such is the Oracles (thrice sacred) spell;
A sonne shall issue from king Saturnes seed,
That shall enforce his father downe to Hell,
This heard, the discontented king arose,
And (doubly sad) away to Creet he goes.
39
What shall he do, faire Sibils time drawes neere,And if the Lad which she brings forth suruiue,
The newes will stretch vnto his brothers eare,
To whom he sware to keepe no male aliue,
Besides a second cause he hath to feare,
Least he his father, from his kingdome driue,
Then, to preuent these ils, he swears (on hie,)
Inspight of fate, the infant borne shall die.
40
Yet when the King his first sonnes death records,In his resolued thoughts it breeds relenting,
The bloudy and vnnaturall act affords
His troubled thoughts, fresh cause of discontenting,
None dare approach his presence, Queene, nor Lords,
That to his first childs death had bin consenting:
The first vnnaturall act appeares so vilde,
The king intends to saue his second childe.
41
So oft as he the murder cals to mind,So oft he vowes the second son to saue,
But thinking on his couenant, grows vnkind,
And doomes it straight vnto a timelesse graue;
Againe, the name of sonne would pitty find,
And for his oth some refuge seekes to haue:
But when the Oracle he doth recall,
The very thought of that, confounded all.
15
42
So deare to him his Crowne and state appearedThat he his pompe before his blood preferred,
It ioyes him to commaund, and to liue feared,
And now he thinkes his foolish pitty erred,
And setting light his issue, seemes well cheared,
His fortune to the Goddes he hath referred,
Rather then loose his Scepter, tis decreed,
Had he ten thousand brats, they all should bleed.
43
Resolu'd thus: newes is brought him by his mother,That Sibell (late in trauell) is deliuer'd
Of two faire Twins, a Sister, and a Brother,
At this report, his heart is well nigh shiuer'd,
Go, spare the t'one (quoth he) and kill the tother;
Alas (saith she) we women are pale-liuer'd
And haue not heart to kill: no beast so wilde
Or brutish, but would spare so sweete a childe.
44
And shall a father then so madly fareWith his owne issue, his childs blood to spill?
And whom the Tigers and fell beasts would spare,
Shall reasonable man presume to kill?
The birds more tender ore their young ones are,
Fishes are kind vnto their issue still.
Fish, bird, and beast, in sea, Aire, earth, that breedeth,
Though reasonlesse, her tender young ones feedeth.
45
Further she was proceeding, when the son,An irefull frowne vpon his mother threw,
Away (quoth he) and to Sibilla run,
And let the same hand that my first borne slew
Destroy this to, for as we haue begun,
We will persist, the Lady sad, withdrew,
Affraide and greeu'd at once, to see him moued,
Whom, as her King (she fear'd) her son; she loued.
46
No sooner was she out of sight, but heOne of his trusty seruants cals on hye,
Who waits his pleasure on his bended knee,
16
Say, if the brat suruiue, Sibill and she
As Traytors to our person, both shall die:
Hees gone, and little in the King doth lacke,
At his departure to haue cal'd him backe.
47
Twice was the word halfe out, and twice kept in,Faine he would haue it done, and faine neglected,
He thinkes dam'd Parricide on vgly sinne,
But worse he thinkes from State to be deiected,
Neuer hath Prince in such distraction bin,
His bloud he lou'd, his kingdome he affected:
But since he cannot both at once enioy,
His state hee'l saue, his yssue hee'l destroy.
48
Ambition to his fiery rage gaue fewell,He now remembers not his Sibils teares,
Whose tender hart laments, to lose her Iewell,
No sparke of pitty in his looke appeares,
It sports him only to be tearmed cruell,
At name of Father, now he stops his eares;
Had not his Crown, more then his couenant tempted,
Sybill, thy sonne had bin from death exempted.
49
But the commaund is gone, and in his breastHe now reuolues the vilenesse of the deed,
Scepter, and Crowne, and life he doth detest,
Within him, his remorcefull entrailes bleed;
And now at length, the King would thinke him blest,
Might he togither perish with his seed:
And that which most his Melancholy furthers,
He knowes, the world condems him for his murthers.
50
No ioy can cheere, no obiect make him glad,The dayes in sighes, the nights in teares he spends,
Nothing can please him: (be it good or bad)
His troubled and craz'd sences it offends,
That he is now surnam'd, Saturne the Sad,
He sets not by alliance, strangers, friends;
Here leaue him in the depth of his dispaires,
A melancholy King, composde of cares.
17
51
And to the Queene returne who sadly waitesHer Infants execution or repreeue,
Did Saturne see this boy (she thus debates)
That he would kill him, I can scarce beleeue?
Alas: poore infants borne to wofull fates,
What corsicke hart such harmelesse soules can greeue;
Thus lies the Queene, til from her Lord she heare,
Halfe chear'd with hope, and halfe destroy'd through feare.
52
In Vesta comes; her sad cheare Sybill spies,And in her bed (though weake) her selfe sh'aduanced,
She might haue read the Message in her eies,
For as vpon the smiling Babe she glanced,
She fil'd the chamber with lowd shreekes and cries,
At which the wofull mother was intranced:
The Grandam, in her eyes the kings wil showing,
The mother, by her lookes, her meaning knowing.
53
Not long in this strange sorrow they remained,But the kings seruant mongst the women presseth,
A generall flush the Matrons cheekes hath stained,
And his owne blush ioyning with theirs, confesseth
That place vnfit for him; yet none complained,
For euery one his cause of comming gesseth;
Knowing the gentle knight, would not present him
In such a place, vnlesse the king had sent him.
54
On whom, as more attentiuely they gaze,Thus wils the king (quoth he) my sonne shall die;
In vaine with sorrowfull teares your eies you glaze,
Or fill this chamber with a generall cry,
He for the heart of his young infant staies;
Which if his mother, or his Queene deny,
They shall abide like doome, hee'l haue their harts;
The message ended thus: the knight departs.
55
So long in sorrowes simpathy they mourn'd,That with excesse of griefe their soules were tired,
Now for a space they haue their feares adiourn'd,
18
At length their mourning into madnesse turn'd;
(Quoth Sibell) no base murtherer shall be hired
To worke this out-rage, so the king hath wild,
And by my hand the sweete babe shall be kild.
56
With that a knife the wrathfull Sibell snatcht,And bent the point against the infants brest,
Thinking to haue his innocent life dispatcht,
And sent his soule vnto eternall rest;
The Lad his mother by the bosome catcht,
And smiling in her face, that was addrest
To strike him dead, away she hurles the knife,
And saith (sweet babe) that smile hath sau'd thy life.
57
Then giue it me quoth Vesta, for take heed,My son hath charg'd vs on our liues, to slay him,
The infant by his Grandams hand shall bleed,
So wils the king (whats she that dares gainsay him?)
My aged hand shall act this ruthlesse deed,
And I that should protect him, will betray him,
She aimes to strike, at which the infant smilde,
And she insteed of killing; kist the childe.
58
Are you so timerous (quoth the Midwife by?)Or do you count this babe so deare a treasure?
Know you not, if we saue him we shall die,
And shall we hazard death in such high measure?
Though you would slight it, by my life not I;
I am more fearefull of the kings displeasure:
With that, a keener blade the Beldam drew,
The babe still smild, away the knife she threw.
59
When they behold the beauty of the Lad,They vow within themselues his life to saue,
But then the kings Iniunction makes them sad,
And straight (alas) they doome it to the graue;
Now with their blades in hand, like Beldams mad,
They menace death: then smiles the pretty knaue,
Then fall their kniues, then name they the kings will,
And then againe they threat the babe to kill.
19
60
Three times by turnes the Infant past their hands,And three times thrice, the kniues point toucht his skin,
And each of them as oft confounded stands,
(Such pitty did his smiling beauty win)
That more then they esteeme their liues or lands,
They all abhor the vilenesse of the sinne;
At length they all consult with heedfull care,
To saue their owne liues, and the childe to spare.
61
Saith Vesta, in the bordering Prouince dwelsOld Mellisseus, a renowned King,
His daughters I brought vp in sacred Spels,
And taught them Chares, to sow, to weaue, to sing,
No Lady liuing these bright Dames excels
In vertuous Thewes, good graces, euery thing;
To these my little Graund-child I will send,
And to their trust, this pretious charge commend.
62
Faire Almache and Mellissee I know,(For so these vertuous Ladies haue to name)
Will when they vnderstand what Queene doth owe
This royall yssue, and from whence it came,
Their best and choysest entertainment shew,
And to no eare our secret Act proclaime;
Thus they conclude, all needfull things are fatcht,
And on her way a trusty mayde dispatcht.
63
Who in the Citty Oson safe ariuing,To the two Sisters she her charge presents,
They glad to heare of Vesta still suruiuing,
Yet grieued at her cause of discontents,
Welcome the Damsell, In their honors striuing
To cheere her, who as doubtfull still laments,
Not knowing yet how the young Prince shall speed,
Or what the prouident sisters haue decreed.
64
The courteous virgins, hearing the sad storyOf vertuous Sybill and her sonne related,
Both for the mother and the Sonne, are sorry,
20
They hold their womanish pitty much more glory
Then to be rude, and cruell estimated,
And now their studies are, the Babe to hide,
And for his carefull fostring to prouide.
65
They beare him to a Mountaine, in whose brow,A Caue was dig'd, the round mouth was so strait,
That at the entry, you of force must bow,
But entred once, the roome was full of State,
This Cauerne for the darknesse, they allow
To shield the Infant from the Fathers hate;
Which being selected as a place most meet,
The Damsell is againe sent backe to Creet.
66
With milke of Goates they nurst him for a space,Till Fortune on a time so well prouided,
That when to still the Babe (who cride apace)
They sounded Cymbals, and with tunes deuided
Strook on their Tymbrels, by some wondrous grace,
A swarme of Bees was by, that Musicke guided
Into the place, who made the Caue their Hiue,
And with their Hony, kept the Child aliue.
67
By this the Damsell is return'd againe,And all the newes to Vesta hath related,
What prouident care the royall Dames haue tane
To saue the Prince, how well they haue requited
Her former loue; still Saturne thinkes it slaine,
Being with the terror of his death affrighted,
Which in the Kings opinion, to make good,
Vesta salutes him with a cup of blood.
68
An Abbest stone into the bole was brayed,It shew'd like the Babes hart, beaten to powder,
The Dowager in funerall blacke arrayed,
With reuerence to her Son and Soueraigne bowed her,
(Women haue teares at will) their wiles to ayde,
And she hath plenty to her plot allowed her;
See here (quoth she) and as she more would say,
Griefe strikes her mute, and turnes her head away.
21
69
Againe she would proceed, againe she faileth,But the third time begins her sad Oration:
See heere thy sonne, whose losse thy wife bewaileth,
Murdered and massacred in piteous fashion;
In vaine against the froward fate she raileth,
In vaine she teares her eies in extreame passion,
Saturne hath to this cruell act constrain'd her,
And see of thy young son the poore remainder.
70
Now maist thou keepe thine oath with Titans seed,Yet that thou cruell art, I needs must tell thee,
Neuer did Tiger father such a deed,
In tiranny the Wolues cannot excell thee?
Now maist thou safely weare thy imperiall weed,
(Can this thy issue from thy throne expell thee?)
This blood can neuer gouerne in thy sted,
Alas poore Grand-child, thou too late hast bled.
71
Th'vnwelcome newes seeme welcome to his cares,And yet he wishes they awhile had staide;
That the vil'd deed is done, he glad appeares,
Yet in his gladnes, he seemes ill apaid:
She moues the king with her laments and teares,
(What cannot weeping women men perswade?)
The king in sorrow of his sonne late dead,
Vowes euer to abiure Queene Sibels bed.
72
And whilst the warme blood reek't before his eies,No wonder if he purpost as he spake,
But when the beauty of his Queene he spies,
Her graces mou'd him, and his vow he brake:
Such charming vertue in her beauty lies,
That he forgets the rash oth he did make;
And rather then his nuptiall sweets forbeare,
Hee'l sacrifice a young sonne euery yeare.
73
These stormes blowne ouer, and their sorrowes spent(For violent tempests neuer long remain'd)
The king young Iuno to Parthemia sent,
22
To doe her honors, is his whole intent,
Since his sonnes bloud by timelesse Fate is drained:
Nor maruell, if to honor her he striue,
Knowing (saue her) no Issue left aliue.
74
Time keepes his course, the King and Queene oft meet,And once againe she hath conceiu'd a Male,
The Lad in secret is conveyde from Creet
To Athens, in a vessell swift of sayle;
Th' Athenian King, they with the Infant greet,
Who the Babes fortunes sadly doth bewaile,
And the young Neptune fairely doth intreat,
And traynes him like the sonne of one so great.
75
The husband-King, who no such guile surmised,Is by the crafty women mock't againe;
New teares are coin'd, a second tricke deuised,
To make him thinke that Issue likewise slaine:
Once more the King with sadnesse is surprised,
Once more appeasd (for teares he knowes are vaine,)
Againe the King and Queene are met in bed,
And in small processe, she againe is sped.
76
A sonne and daughter at this birth she bare,The sonne she hides, the daughter she discloseth,
The sonne she Pluto named, the winde stood faire,
And him into Thessalia she disposeth,
The messenger applies with earnest care
Her tedious iourney, for no time she loseth:
Whilst the twin-brother she is forst to hide,
Her daughter Glauca in her childhood dide.
77
Neptune was nurst by Aruo, after growingTo manhood, fairefoot Amphitrite hee
would haue espousde, but she her beauty knowing,
Despisde the Sea God, thinking to liue free,
wherefore he sends the Dolphin, who straight showing
His masters thoughts, the Louers soone agree,
For with the Dolphins signe to Heauen was borne,
And plast on hye, not farre from Capricorne.
23
78
The vntam'd Gennet he did first bestride,And made him seruant to the vse of Man,
(Before him) no man durst presume to ride,
(Famous alone he was in Athens than)
He coupled first the Steedes, and curbd their pride,
And by his Art, the armed Chariot ran:
Therefore, as greatest honor to his state,
The Horse to him was freely consecrate.
79
And when he trauels o're the foamy waues,With foure Sea-palfreys he is drawne along,
By sundry Nymphes and Girls, (whose loue he craues,)
Four-score fayre sonnes he got, surpassing strong,
Who Cittyes built, and menac't Hostile braues
Gainst Tyrants, that vsurpt their States by wrong:
He Riders grac't, and Sea-men gladly cheared,
And by his hands, the wals of Troy were reared.
80
To him three Temples consecrated were,Of great Magnificence; In Isthmus one,
In Tenarus a second did appeare,
A structure (in that Isle) famous alone,
A third to him the stowt Calabrians reare,
Semblant to these, through all the world were none;
Vpon these shrines to make his glories full,
The people vsde to sacrifice a Bull.
81
Pluto (whom some call Mammon) God of gold,Who (after) did the Tartar kindome seaze,
As Ioue a Scepter in his hand doth hold,
Neptune the Trident, so he graspes the Keies:
Some thinke this God inhabited of old
Hiberia, him the Pyren mountaines please,
Of whom and Proserpine his rauisht Btide,
Desist; to speake what Iuno did betide.
82
Thus eldest Iupiter liues in a CaueNeere Oson, nurst with Hony from the Bees,
Th' Athenian King did the young Neptune saue,
24
Athens the well of knowledge, and the Graue
Of Ignorance, where Neptune safety sees:
Pluto the yongest of the three, doth dwell
In lower Thessaly, since tearmed Hell.
83
The time these liued, was Patriarch Isaac borne,In Lybia Affer raignde, Brigus in Spaine,
By Inachus, the Argiue Crowne is worne:
Aratus doth the Assyrian state maintaine;
Now Sodom and Gomorrha to ashes turne,
Pelloponesus doth Ægidius gaine,
Germania is vpheld by Herminon,
And Æthyopia sway'd by Phaeton.
84
Saturne, that of his three sonnes nothing knew,Doted on louely Iuno, and oft sent
Vnto her place of Nurture, where she grew
Faire and well featur'd, there her youth she spent,
Whose soiorne in Parthemia Saturne drew
To visite her (on earth his sole content)
Many rare presents, and rich guifts he brought her,
Where leaue him in Parthemia with his daughter.
27
The end of the first CANTO.
| Troia Brittanica: or, Great Britaines Troy | |