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THE AVTHOR to his Patrone.

Your Lordshipe when I call to mynd,
And your great fauors, whiche I fynd,
I plaine, I sighe, my tears doun fall:
For this my strenth, my witt, my skill.
Not equaleizing my good will,
No not my lyfe, my self, my all.
My self, my seruice, both is due,
Both bonde by duety, vnto yow,
My wealthe to meane, for to present yow
A present then, I shame to mak it,
Nor with your honor stands, to tak it,
Thus nought is myne, that could content yow.
Oft thus I pause, I think, I muse,
And thous and vther things I chuse,
Wheirof their's no thing myne to geue.
Then geue I ouer my vane contentione,
And'st, yues in nought but apprehensione,
So rests your dettore while I leiue.
Zit to mak knowne that if I could
Faine would I do al that I should,
And oft alone on this I mus'de:
At last presents vnto my vew,
This Knight, beir, cold and pale of hew,
That seem'd no danger hade refus'de.

His armour rousted, rent, and torne
Clift was his sheeld, his sword was worne,
A stranger in this countrey strainge
Nor aduentures might heir be found,
The warr-lyk Knights heir, till the ground,
And rights their wrong, with lawes reuenge.
Altho this Knight was borne a Prince
Zit none wold do him reuerence,
Whiche I lamented muche, bevaild:
And of his sorowes took a pairt,
But lo his proud ambitious hairt,
Calamitye hade nere assaild.
This muche, his giddy braine surth bred
If he with armour once wer cled,
To searche aduenturs, hunt for fame:
Zit wovld he tary heir a whyle,
And pouse his fortune, throw this yle,
Perhaps to win a famous name.
I pitied much his poore estate,
His mightie mynd I could not hate,
No armour, no equippage fyne,
Hade I befaitting such a Knight,
Zit to my power, strenth, and might
I vsde my moyane, my ingyne.

When he was featted to my strength,
On Some he would depend at length,
Then come your honour to my mynd
Whoes many fauors, I haid founde,
Me Nature, lyfe, and duetie bounde,
My thankfulnes some way to find.
Him then to you I first present,
To serue, to please and to content
Beneth your wings let him be seine:
If he be not so rigged furthe
As apperteineth to his worthe,
Myne is the fault, whoes wealth was meine,
His name Penardo he me told,
A youth ambitious, hardy, bold,
His trauell, lyfe and deads hes beine,
A warre, betuixt ambitione strong,
And craftie loue, that lested long,
Which be the sequel shal be seine.
P. G.

To the Right noble Lady Ladye Margret Countes of Marsheale.

Long haue I wishid my Muse, to sound thy prayse
The worthe, the fame, the due, to the belonge,
But she onlernd vn fit, for such a phrayse,
Deny it to doe, say, think, so heighe a songe:
Since on thy worthe, both heaune, and earthe still gaize
She should but shame her self, and do the wronge
Better quod she be sobre silent, still,
And spair to speek, then speek, and speek but ill.
O but quod I, to speek her praise, her worthe,
Out of my faith, my trueth, my zeall my loue,
Faith, trueth, lone, zeall, and duetie, breaths it furthe
As shal my pure, cleir, simple meining proue:
Her nature myld, heighe place, and royall birthe,
Her witt, her worthe, her vertue, from aboue.
Has croun'd with garlants, of immortall glorye,
Then none can writt amisse, that writts her storye
Whill thus my barrene Muse, and I contend
Thy worth, wit, vertue, and thy geighe desairt,
Commands me write, and speek, and praise furthsend
To eurye countrey, province, place, and pairt,
But comeing to (what should I say) in end.
O then I stand, I pause, I think, in hairt
Words does my witt, wit does my words confuse
Nou this, now that, a thousand things I chuse,

So infinite, thy endles graces be
That what I sould, I would, Zit can not doe
Witt moketh witt, arte skorneth arte, in me
And wealth, deludeth wealth I know not how
When I should end, I but begine to sie,
A world of worlds rair worthines, in yow,
Then this I say, nor will I write no more,
None is, shall be, nor was lyk the before.

To the richt Noble Lady, and full of all verteus Ladye Anne Countesse of Enyie.

Feir Madame. grac'd from hyest heau'ns aboue,
With wealth of Fortune, Nature, beautye Loue,
Lend not to frowning looks, thy gratious eye,
For this bold pryde, and arrogance in me,
That darr's breath furthe, or preis to pen thy praise
Earths ornament, heaun's obiect, beauties gaize.
Nor Maro great, nor Naso sweit, am I,
Nor haue I Homers mightie style, wheirby
I might to ester aiges e're reveiue,
Thy fame; thy worthe, and mak thy glory leiue,
Zit wer it but t'awake the braver witts,
Whoes loftie quill's thy sweitter praises fitt's,
This much I say, nor vanely vaunt I nather,
Thy wit, thy beautye, and thy vertue rather

Celestiall is, rair, excellent, devyne,
(In whom all woorthe, all grace, al goodnes shyne)
Then humane. so heaun's croun's, adorn's thy bloode
With Naturs wealthe, graceful, & fortuns goode
Then lett the Poëts on their Muses call,
To fil their brains, their pen's, their papers all
With ornament of methode, witt, and sense,
That flowes from thy rair worth, rair excellence.
In goldin showrs, whiche fame on her faire winges,
To eurye natione, countrey, kingdome bringes,
And strowes it heir, and their, in eurye pairt,
To beautifye speeche, eloquence, and arte,
If on poore me, some, drop's she would doune poure,
I'le spend my pains, my witts, soules wasting power
To pen thy praise, and thy braue Mates, whoes worthe
Thow stryues to mach, as thow hes match'd his birth
O wonderous stryfe, blis'd, happie, perfect, pure,
Long may that warre myld, pleasant, sweet, indure.
P. G.

To the ryght worthe and verteous Lady Dame Griseel Stvarte Lady Meldrum.

Madame, if I should smouther vp thy praise
For most ingrate, thow iustlye might me blame
All eyes should sie, all tongues to heau'ne should raise
My staine, my blote, my neuer deing shame
In me, poore me, if ony vertue growes
In the it leius, frome the it springs, it flowes.
For lo thyne was the seid, thyne was the tree,
Goode reasone wer't that thine should be the gaine,
Thin the rncrease, the haru'st, the fruct must bee,
Zit reapts thoow to to lytle for thy paiue
But much it is, in such a barten soyle
If thow receaue the seid, for al thy toyle.
And thought vnhappie I, could nothing kno,
Noir paint of thy great graces could haue gain'd
Me by thy sweit example did thow sho,
Of thy thryce happie lyfe, pure, cleir vnstam'd
My ill my owne, if goode I haue in stoir
Thyne be the thanks, thyne be the prais, the gloir.
Eu'ne as the Eggle learn's her burds tho flie
First how, then mean than, heigher still to ryis
Till far aboue al vther, foulls they be
With loftie soaring wings in asure skyis,
On Phœbus than, their eyes she maks yame set,
Nor his bright birning beam's yair sight mey let.

So Eggle lyk thow taught me as thy chyld
To mount to vertue, wisdome, grace deuyne
But I thy precept's wyse, sweit, easie, myld
Could not conceaue, so grosse was my ingyne
Whill Phœbus lyke, vpone my face thow stream's
Thy vertues rayes, & wisdomes goldin beam's.
And thus thow proues my loftie Eggle fair,
But I, poore I, I hade no wings to flie,
My Phœbus als thow shynes with vertues rair,
Zit Eggle lyke, I daris not looke on the,
Then Quene of fowles, & light of sterr's aboue
My Eggle, and my Phœbus bothe still proue.
And what I haue, eu'ne yat should thow receaue,
As propre thyne, and only due to the,
Myne be the fault, the wrong, the ill I haue
Thyne be the goode, if onie good their be
If none, as muche me fears, their's none but ill
Zit for thy pain's, i'le praise, the, serue ye, still.
P. G.

To the Author.

Sonnet.

[Come forth Laissa spred thy lookes of Gold]

Come forth Laissa spred thy lookes of Gold,
Show thy cheekes roses in their virgine Prime
And though no gēmes the decke which Indies hold,
Yeild not vnto the fairest of thy tyme
No ceruse brought farre, farre beyond the seas
Noe poisone lyke Cinabre Paints thy face
Let them hawe that whose natiue hues displeas
Thow graceth nakednesse it doth the grace
Thy Syre no pyick purse is of others witt
Thoise Iewellis be his oune which the adorne
And though thow after greatter ones be borne
Thow mayst be bold euen midst the sirst to sitt
For whilst fair Iuliett or the farie quene
Doe liue with theirs thy beautie shall be seene,
M. William Drommond.

To the Authour.

Altho my shallowe witt sound's nott thy deep,
And weakling ey's followes not thy flight:
Tho wher thow run's, I can not thether creep,
Nor chyldishe weaknes imitat thy might
Since in this sacred trade I made a pause,
By intermitting of my Elio's lawes.
Yit since I haue most wonderouslie detected
A swane whoes Syren-musique me enchant's
Yit since I find eune wheir I least suspected
A lurking poët in our home-bred haunt's
O when I sie him, when I sueetlie hear him,
I can not but commend him and admeir him.
Thy years (dear frend) ar young, thy wit is old,
Thy youth er chyld tyme come is brought a bed,
Thy mine in liew of ore, yeilds purest gold
Thy basest rob's with crimsone ouerclade
How glade am I thoes mythologique flowrs
Argue the reconnings of thine Idle hours.
Mr. Robert Gordone.

To the Authour.

Laissa's bathing in the sacred well
With charming beutie wounds the chastest haire.
Penardos valour into Plutos cell
To basest mynd's dois honour's woorth impaire
And moues the Coward to desire the fight:
And chastest recluse search for beuteis sight.
The fei full ourthrow of thy Sigismund
For Vsurpatioune: pryd, and priuatt gaine
Show's how the lord the loftie will confound,
And in extream's the humb'led soule sustaine
For tyrann's proud, loe heir a curbbing bitt:
For humb'led misers, heirs a confort fitt.
Those sacred lights proceiding foorth frome the
In Natours sueetnes staning straned airt
Maks vs the treasure of thy mynd to sie
The ritches rair wheir with thowe furnish'd art:
For beutie, Valour, right and hellishe wronge.
Ar prais'd reprou'd, and painted in thy songe.
Dear freind with loue whill I admeir thy lyn's
Thy braue inuentioune clam's a fresh respect:
Thy gracefull method in them both so shyn's
That I am doubtfull whither to direct
My freindlie ey's, or well affected hart.
To playe the lizards, or the pensiue part.
Ihone. Wirey.

To the Authour.

Th' Enthusiasme, or furie of thy spreit,
A grace both great, & dignlie deim'd divyne:
So fluentlie, into thy front does steit,
Whill all the world admeirs both the and thyne
Each word has weght, and full of lyfe each lyne
Quick thy conceapt Emphaticall thy phraise,
Thy number's iust, judicious thy in gyne,
O thow the new adorner of our dayes.
Whoes pen or pinsell shall depaint thy praise
Since Maro nought, nor the Meonian muse
Be with their learned nor their liuely layes
Into this wondrous worthie work to vse.
Then tak this task, & tune thy trump vnto it:
For onlie thow art destinatt to doe it.
M. Allexander Gardyne.

To the Authour.

Demereits Maro from proud Mars his throne
A freindlie look, or yit a thankfull sho?
Deserueth Naso from young Venus sone
A cheirfull smyll? (if they can haue no mo)
Yes faith: I pray then what should be thy hyre?
Who maks all men thir monarch gods admyre.
Has not thy Pen proclaim'd att lairge to all,
Sterne Mars his soldier great Penardo strong?
Has not thy layes learn'd how Laissa's thrall
To craftie loues allurments too too long?
Then both the warreours, & the wanton's theame
Should spare no pains, to æterneize thy name,
William. Tod,

THE FIRST BOOKE, OF the Famous Historie, of Penardo and Laissa.

Caput I.

Argument.

A visione moues Achaias King,
His daughter to haue slaine,
The Muses find her, and preserue
Her lyfe with care, and paine,
In whom such woundrous vertue grew,
Such beautie bright, and fair,
That those whoe sau'd her lyfe, now soght
Her woe, her wrack, her care.

1

In glorius Greece there lies a firtile land,
Of antient time Achaia cald by name
Within whose blessed borders brauelie stand
Parnassus mont, so much renound of fame.
Where Aganippes siluer streames doe spring
About the which Ioues-brain-bred daughters sing.

2

Sending from thence that which in flamm's the brain
Of brauest Spreitts, and beautifies the mynd
With end les rare inventions, which obtain
The name of wondre, to the humane kynd
Who in theire works of learned witt's divyne
Make Learnings light, in blakest darknes shyne.

3

Eune heir, and in this natione most renoun'd,
The famous Phedro sumtyme rul'd, as King,
By iust discent, and regall title croun'd
And first in peace enioyd a happie regne,
At last his starrs which bad coniunctions borrow
Did turne his sweets in sowrs, his mirth in sorrow.

4

For when the winds in hollow eaves containd,
Leaue off their sharpest cold, and bitter blast,
To slay the tender herbs, when they refraind
The talest Cedars torment then was past
Then was it not, as when they raige at will
Vnder the horns of the lasciuious bull.

5

Eune when the Farthe spreds furth her mantle grein,
On which the wanton Flora spreds her treasure,
While tyme that wait's one Phœbus goldin eyne
Giues lyuelye colours, for the Goddesse pleasure,
The hills, the daills, the plain's, ar passing fair
Through heat, through moyst, though sueitnes of the Aer.

6

The tries bud furthe before their fructe the flourish
The herbs before their seid, the blossom'd floure
The corn's, and grane, their, leauie stalks do nourishe
The winding vynes their pregnant graips yet sour
When as the goldin chariot of the Sune
Twixt day, and night, an equall couse doeth rune.

7

Wherfore eache creture bles'd with equall light,
Saluts the princelye spring with pleasant noys
The restles roling heaun, with shyning bright
Smyls on the earthe (his loue who does reioys
Of such a Mate; and with her mantle grein
Was deck't, wheir riche embrodries might be sein.

8

In this delicious pleasant tyme of yeir
Which bringes to farmers hope of great ineres
When Phœbus gan doun in the west appeir
In Thetis lap to coole his fyrie face,
And shadowes dark of glomie night opprest
All creatur's, with silence, sleip, and rest.

9

King Phedro wrapt in heauie sleip, did ly
Free from all trauell, care, all paine, and toyle,
Yet so oppresst in his fantassy
That rest from rest, and ease from ease, did spoyle
His spreitt's, his senses, faculties, and sent
A visione that his braine did muche torment.

10

And thus it was, he, thought him self did stand
On Helicon and vewd a fearfull fire
That brightlie burnt ore all Achaia land
Which did vndoe burne: waest his whole empyre
And their withall it seemd a voyce did say.
This night has brought thy kingdome her decay.

11

This fyre he thought did from him self proceid,
And to him self againe it did returne
The diadem from of his princelie head
This fearfulll flamme in melting drops did burne.
And when brunt, spent, consumed it had bein
No mark no nor no flame was to be sein.

12

Evne as a clothe in aquauitæ dyd
Or in sum strong and mightie burning oyle
If kendled by sum fyre it is espyd
To flamme, to shyne to blase, to burne, to boyle,
The liquor spent, the cloth reteins no staine,
Nor spot, nor blot, nor burning does remaine.

13

When as the King awakes frome drousie sleip
This woundrous visione did torment his mynd
And all his senses from there fauctions keip,
His thoughts in vprore now no rest do fynd
But when he rangd them hade a thousand wayes,
One path he finds in which them all he stayes.

14

For loe eu'ne then his Queene wes brought to bed
Of a fair daughter lyke the morning starr.
Nor Phœbus light in glomie darknes spred
Might matche with her, she staind that beautie farr,
But tho she was most admirable fair,
Her lyfe as strange was as her beautie rare.

15

For finding by his curious searching out
Evne at her birth this visione to enswe
He thought she wes the flamme (if not put out)
That should his croune and kingdome thus subdue
Vheirfore resolud for to preuent mischeif
Her death must be the way to his releif.

16

The dolfull message of this wofull charge
He to a Groome whom he most trusted gaue
A youth whoes faith he oft had tryd at large
Him he commands the infant to reseaue
And to transport her to a woode or montaine
And droune her in sum river, Spring, or fontaine.

17

O crewell sentence barbarous decrie!
O happie chyld! but oh vnhappie Father!
That for a dreame, a tove, a fantasie
A vaine Chimera or hells vision rather
Wold spoyle so sweet a creature of breath
And kill thy self to saue thy self from death.

18

In Acheron blak Night her selfe did wrapp
And heaud her head, aboue the Easterne streame
But Titan dyud in Thetis watrie lapp
While yow might see him blushing reid for shame,
Thence to be chass'd with his fearce foe vnkynd
That braith'd furth darknes to the farthest Ind.

19

In darkest shaddowes of the glomie night
This Messinger furthe throw the desert goes
The harmeles Infante harmefull death to dight
That her poore lyfe now got, she now might lose,
So suckling lambs by rauening wolfs ar torne
And dones by Eggles to their deaths furthborne.

20

This Messinger Kalander heght to name
Whoes Syre the greattest Prince beneth the croune
Boor rewell o'ur Sparta land of antient fame
His witt and valour wan him much renoune
Whoes Sone of these tuo vertewes wanted nether
But shewd him self the Sone, of such a Father

21

Who going straight vnto this crewell act
And moud with pitie of the infants age
Whoes youth to young, for deathes procuring fact
And Innocent of Fathers wrathfull rage,
Yet fearing if he does prolong her breath
He should procure him self a shamefull death

22

To Helicons fair mont he taks his flight
Praying the bloude of this poore Innocent
Vpone the Fathers head might alwayes light
That in disgrace and shame he might repent
For doating dreams if this poore Infant die
His be the fault, the losse, the infamie.

23

Thus praying he approch'd vnto the place
Hypocrene downe wheir the Muses sport
Vewing the beautie of this Angels face
Againe it moud his pitie in such sort
He nought regairds the King, nor lyfe, not all,
But saves the babe frome ruine, death, and fall.

24

Leauing her saif lie by the fontane syde
Vnder the vmbrage of a loftie Pyne
Wishing her frowning Fates for to prouyde
Her beautie once into the world might shyne
Thus he returns, and thus the King beguyld,
And craftily, with suggred words him sild.

25

When golden-haird Apollo furth did glance,
His amber loks furth throwes irradiant beams
And one the esterne waues begins to daunce
To murm'ring musick of the roaring streams
The Muses for to welcome home their Syre
From coutche and secreit Cell did furth retayre

26

Their daylie morning progres is to vew
The sacred streams of Aganippe well
whoes murmur like sweet lullabies furthdrew
Old Morpheus from out his quiet cell
Vho had the babe with slumbring sleip bereft
whom young Kalander at the fontane left.

27

These sacred Virgins when they did espye
The babe; sad fear made all their beautie fade
Fearing discouerie by sum wantone eye
But vewing well the beautie of the Mayde
They vewd admiring and admird the sight
Their sight bred wounder, wounder bred delight.

28

Such beautie rare till then they nere had fein
But feard it was sum stolne virginitie
Wheir With theme selfs so spotles pure and clein
They wold not thus defyle in infamie
But instruments the Fates did them ordaine
Of pleasure, lyfe perplexitie, and paine.

29

For pitie them forbad of creueltie
Vnto this harmeles helples innocent
Wherefor with graue aduise and modestie
The Muses all in vniforme consent
Brings vp the babe, with care full obseruation?
In vertue, grace, and heaunly meditatione.

30

The sacred Muses that in vertue shone.
As if they well had knowne the Fates decreit
Vnto the infant wold a name impone
A name conforme, and to her meritts meit
So that a correspondence might be knowne
Betuixt her name, and her hid Fate vnshowne.

31

And dyueing then with drops divyne her heid
Fair Lissa or Laissa thay her cald
A proppre name for her mishaps indeid
Who subiect was to daungers many sold
For Lissa is asmuche to say as rage
Vheirin no force her furie could asswage.

32

When with the Musses she remaind weell neir
while she did rune of fyifteine yeares the race
Eune for the loue which they to her did beir
Eache one of them indued her with a grace
But lo these gifts made her enuyd of all
Thus loue brought gifts, gifts hate, and hate her fall,

33

Yea to the fair Laissa in her birth
The heauns wer all affect'd so feruentlye
Looking with myld aspect vpon the earth
In th' horoscope of her natiuitye
That all the gift of grace, and goode perfection
They pourd on her most beautifull complection.

34

Her face was lyke the sky bothe cleire and fair
Her cheeks as whyt with vermeil red did show
Lyke roses in a bed of lillies rare
Whill they ambrosiall odours from them throw
Feiding the gaizers sensewith double pleasure
Such force his beauties all-celestiall treasure.

35

In whoes bright eyes tuo lyuelie lamps did flame
That dairted beam's lyik lightning blasts of thunder
Cupid tho blind still ayming at the same
Thousands of shafts he sende but with great wounder
She breks his wantone dairts with awfull yre
And with dreid maiestie she quensh'd has fyre

36

The Graces one her ey-lid's seem'd to sitt
Vnder the shadow of her bending browes
Her goldin treases couriouslye was knitt
With Pelicans of pearle, and siluer doues
These hair lyke goldin weir one eurye pairt,
Serud as a nett for the beholders hart.

37

Her yuorie forhead was a table fair
Wheir Loues triumphs were cunninglie ingrapht
All goodnes, honor, dignitie was their
In vertues treasure litle hade she left.
She was the mirrour of celestiall grace
That can not be outrune with tyme swift pace.

38

And yow might sie that alwayes when sho spak
Sweit words lyik dropping hony she wold shed
Tuo rainge of pearle with rubies tuo wold brak
The words betuix them softlye whill they fled
Which made sweit siluer sound's whoes noy sent furth
Wold deadlie sadnes moue to amarous mirth.

39

And yet her humble and submissiue mind
Was neuer moud with hellishe pryde to rise
But why should I, poore I, descrybe her kind
Which to expres no mortall can deuise
Nor can I preis to paint furthe such a feature
Least skilles I should wrong so fair a creture.

40

Fair Imps of beautie whoes bright shining eyes
Adorn the solid Earth with heaunlie light
Ou'r your great conquest do not tyraneize
Though yow subdue all by your seemlie sight
But with Laissaes meiknes be content
And grace your beautie with that ornament.

41

To your fair felfs her fairnes first apply
Her courtesie her meik and humble mind
Tempred with grace and goodly modesty
It feemd those vertues tuo did striue to find
The highest place and stryueig but for dewtie
Eache uther helps and but augments her bewtie.

42

While as the Muses see her vertues rare
Her beautie wisdome modestie and all
Surmounting them so farr that euriwhere
They feard her fame should once procure their fall
Wheirfore they seike with witt, craft, slight & wrath,
Her infamie, her woe, her wrak, her death.

43

And waiting still occasione when they may
Find out a fault vnto her faultles mynd
That with the sharpest sentence of decay
Sum punishment they fitlie might outfynd
Thus they decreid her death, conspyrd her fall
Fauord by, tyme, fate, fortune heau'ns, and all.

44

It chanc'd the Muses once vpone a day
Were in an abor neir vnto the fontane
While as Laissa at her sport and play
Was gone a hunting through the rockie montane
For Phœbe-lyke it did delight her mynd
To chase, to kill, to wound, the hart, the hynd

45

Alone now comming wearie frome the chace
And traueling in heat of all the day
Had sought to bath her in that pleasant place
And with enamourd streams a while to play
While as the Muses wait, they lye, they lurk
Their wrath, their will, their vengeance for to woork.

46

The streams not deip, nor shallow which did glyd
With prettie whispring noyes so calme and cleir
Theirof the moueing skairslie could be spyd
And yit a heaunly murmur you might heare
The Pebles seimd to leap, to swimme, to daunce,
While as the streams did tremble, moue, and glance.

47

The Pyns, and Poplars bowed theme selfs from hie
From heat and cold that shaddowed all the streame
She dip'd her daintie legs vp to the knie
That lyke two snow-white marble Pillers seame
So polishd Porphyre deckd with purest gold
Doth temples tombes and trophees faire vphold.

48

And being now entysed by the cold
She taks her bow and quever frome her syds
Hung in a lace of purple silk and gold
That ouerthuart her snow-whit breist diuyds
Tuo azur streams of Nectar-feiding fontanas,
Springing to tops of Alabastre montanas.

49

And haueing hung her garments on a Pyne
O who had sein so fair a silkin skine!
So daintie well proportion'd, pure, and fyne,
So beautifull, so Quaint, so cleir, so thine
The thrife thrie Nymphs whome wrath haid now deuys'd.
To work her wrak could skarslie be entys'd.

50

Now beauties shopp, vne los'd begins to be
And showes her store of treasure to the sight
Their all the pleasurs that do pleas the eye
And all was their that doeth the tutch delight
The Graces had their clothes about her drawen
To keip the mayd vnfelt, vnsein, vnknowen.

51

Their thoughts contentment, their was harts delight
Their bankets for vnsatiat appetite
Their wisdome Conquerour whoes only sight
The Tygers tams and Lyons fearce does smit
The key of all thir wealth keip't Chastitie
Whoes ornament was shamefast modestie.

51

While this fair Iemme vpone the water lyes
With cooling streams she maks a dalleying sport
With leges and armes a thousand tricks she tryes
Toying with swimming in a seemlie sort
As Dolphins do vpone a sunnye day
On Thetis glistring back whill they wold play.

53

The Muses that no longer could abyde
Out from their priuie arboir ishew'd all
How soone this Paragon has them espyde
She smills and sporting thus to thame does call
Yow Thesphiane dams go seik some other streame
And come not neir this sacred fount for shame.

54

But thay (whill rage within thair brests did sual)
Not virgine-lyke but bearing Tygers harts
Menassing her aloud they gan to call
We sie thow thinks to much of thy desarts
Foull Fondling does thow think thy beautie such
That thou deserus our sacred streams to touch.

55

No, no, these Streams ar only due for vs
The dreided Imps of proud Apollos light
For since the foote of fleing Pegasus
Medusæes birth begot by Neptuns might
Let soule the rains of this sole sacred fontane
None els but we presum'd to reache this montane.

56

Of fauors we haue showen thee great and many
And brought thee vp with cairfull paine and charge
Our presens not till now was granted any
And we indewd thee with our graces large
We that before wer sacred Muses nyne
Made thee a tenth though mortall not devyne

52

And then they fled, this Lady for her cryme
Whom they so dasht that she as half amas'd
Sitts by the fontaine naiked all the tyme
When loe her thoughts a rose vermiliane rais'd
Now red now pale, her colour changed oft
She sigh'd, she grond, she qua'ikd, & staid aloft.

58

While as the syluer stream that softly slyds
With silent noyes and sweitest murmur sounds
Such heau'nly musick throw the medowes glyds,
While rocks with rare reports there noyes rebounds
That with ther Diapason so bereft her
All naked and a sleip they still had left her.

59

Then Morpheus spred furth his sable wings
The virgine fair infolding in his armes
Rest, quyet, ease, and sweet repose he brings
Dischairging care; greif, sorow, woes, and harmes
Yet through soft sobs, deip sighs, sore grones, salt tears,
Woe, anger, care, greif, sorow, paine, appears.

60

While as the Nymphs with angre, wrath and yre
Her name, her fame, her glorie ouer waylling
Did sink her shipe (to honor that aspyre)
In seas of sweittest virgine pleasurs sayling
Extending all their malice, craft, and slight,
To wrape her Sune in clouds of darkest night,

Caput. II.

Argument.

The Muses send Melpomine
Doune to the lowest Hell's
She meits with Night and askes the way
Which she vnto her tells
To Plutœs kingdome when she cam
She past by all the pains
At last out of her dreidfull Den
Alecto she constrains

1

Ther is nothing beneth the sky insearte
More moues my mynd to pitie & compassion
Then for to sie a true and vpright hearte
Wheir faith & trueth has bult hir only statiō
By Fortuns snar's and Enuyes craftie baits
Dispys'd, disdain'd disgrac'd with falce deceats.

2

And whither it be kyndest pitie loe
Or duetie (which I ow all woman kynd)
I know not, but my hart doeth burst for woe
When harme vnto ther harmeles sexe I find
And my poore eyes Whil as I writting lay
With tears did seeme to washe the lyn's away.

3

Fa'r wemen should be lou'd and not envy'd
Whoes substance is so daintie pure and fyne
In Naturs triple fornace being try'd
Till all the drosse be thence remoud, and syne
That Essence pure most Angel-lyk retains
No staine, nor blot, but alwayes cleir remains.

4

But this poore Lissa beautifull and fair
(Which beautie God did geue her as a grace)
Was by deceat throwne doune in endles care
By Envi Slaine that monstre merciles
And suir I think whome God has grac'd with beawtie
For them he cars, to them we ought a dewtie

5

For when he made this great and woundrous frame
Of Chaos masse that shaples lay confus'd
He tooke the purest substance of the same
And that which was most beautifull he chus'd
And theirof did he make the Angelis bright
To glorifie his name, and show his might.

6

He made the purest substance which remaind
Vnto his blissed self a Mansione rair
Syne thrice thee Orbs, whairof the eight containd
Bright shyning starr's, and seu'n the Planets fair
Nixt placd the Fyre because'n beautie next,
Syne Aer, then Water, last the Earthe he fixt,

7

Earthe then we sie the drosse of all things yit
Which this great Architector singling furth
By his great migt and all for seing witt
Is lowest plac'd according to her worth
But that which was most beautifull and pure
Eune next vnto him self he placed sure.

8

And then that Alcreator did ordaine
Eache thing according to their substance pure
To bring furthe fruit this all to intertane
Which by his powre he caused to indure
Not tyme, nor age, nor restles moueing, may
Destroy confound, or weir, or make decay.

9

First then the Heav'ns (as haueing most of bewtie
Brought furthe the starr's, the Moone, the Suns great light
And aer (conmmanded next to do his dewetie)
Brought furthe all sorts of fouls with fethred flight
Water brought furth all sort of fishe anone
The Earthe brought furthe all beasts that leiue theirone

10

As heauns are of the fynest substance lo
So are the starr's most beautifull most cleir
But cheiflye Planets seuin theirin doeth show
Gods powr'full might (werin doeth well appeir)
He getts them rewll, might, vertue, pow're & strength
Our fouls, fishe, beasts, tries, herbs, & men at length.

11

And thus we sie eache creatuere furthe doth bring
(According to its essence) ill or g'oode
The aer breids foules, in water fishes springe,
Herbs tries, and liuing beasts ar Earths grosse broode
Yea eurie thing (according to his kynd)
Ill fauor'd foule, fair shynninge, clear, we fynd

12

Altho it pleas'd heigh Ioue from heaune discend
Fraill man to make of earth of drosse, of clay,
Most fair of all ou'rall to haue command
For him, all made to him all should obay
Then man should thank him prase him, pray him still
To love, to blesse, and to forsie his ill.

13

Yea lyke to his owne Image man he maks
In which he shews his loue and eak his might
But these to whom most beautie he betaks
These maks he lykest to his Image bright
Wherefore to these we owe great loue, & dewtie
Remembring God the fontane of all bewtie

14

For why when this great God made all things first
To beute did he giue the heighest place
Becaus it was the substance worthiest
Of the aspect of his most glorious, face
Then whoso eu'with beautie is indewd
Them shuold we loue, as through Gods loue renued.

15

And if so he in Chaos mas confus'd
Sum say their was no light nor beautie fair
But God (the fontane of all light) infus'd
Such beateous light in all his creturs rare
Then vnto whom he beautie geues, to those
His grace, his goodnes, and his loue he shoes

16

Yea in my simple iudgement this I think
Ou'r beautie God has ay a speciall caire
So that with Lucifer they do not shrink
Away frome grace and think them selfs too fair
But with meik mynds vpon his holy montane
Giue God the praise who s of all beautie fontane

17

But o my Muse too heighe thow seem's to flie
Thy wings ar lag'd with vapo s dull and grosse
That which thou sing's is too too heigh for thee
More meit foy pregnant witt's and learnings force
Turne back, least thou repent thy self, advyse,
Wade not too deep in Gods heigh misteryes

18

Turne to thy sacred sisters with thy quill
For to aduyse with them what must be doone
With Lissa fair, whoes beautie works her ill
For lo Melpomene they do inioyne
To bring Alecto frome her dreidfull den
Who blood, and warre, and murther maks on men.

19

Melpomene made way throw empty aer
And through the wattrie empyrs wyde and deip
Through darkest hollow caues she did repair
And trough he bowell, of the Earth did creip
And low where light of day did neuer shyne
Nor Phœbus show his euerlasting shryne,

20

Wheir Cynthia does steip in siluer dew
Her neuer cheirfull, euer drouping light
In Thetis watrie bed whoes azur hew
Her lustre showes in blak eternall night
Through fearfull, loathsume, foull, & filthie fenns,
Throgh foggie smook, throgh dark, & dreadfull dens,

21

She haueing past frome Phœbus cheirfull light
Came to a Regione of eternall darknes
The habitation of the dun kishe Night
It wes indeid, so fearfull was the marknes
She meitts that greislye Hagge with visage sadd
Who was into a cole blak mantle cladd.

22

And sat into a chariot pitchie blak
Four ieatblack steids that braith'd dark clouds of smook
With ramping noyes made all their harnei crak
With braying all the solid earth they shooke
This vnaquainted brightnes when they saw
Their Mistres doune to hell they seem'd to draw.

23

At last the Muse so oft aloud did call
That vglie Night out of ther chariott looks
She sayes most dreidfull Dame so feard of all
Melpomene that tragick sadnes brooks
Wold know thy wayes, dark paths, & fearfull gets
That doune to Plutoes loathsum kingdome lets.

24

The aged Hagg with furious rage thus spake
With gostly speeche and dreidfull countenance
Thow Imp of my old foe who seiks my wrack
Why trubles thow my Regions with thy glance
Lo wheir fyre smook and sulphur doe aryse
In younder denne if thow dar enterpryse.

25

The greisly gulf of deip Auernus holle
Aboue the which my mantle black is spred
About the which a fearfull laick doth rolle
Doune throw that flamming gulf thow must be led
Wheir neuer yit did enter any wight
But feirce Aneas and Sibilla bright.

26

Eune that same way the sacred Muse is gone
The smook and sulphur ceast their restles flame
And doune to Plutoes court she goes anone
The brasin getts burst oppen when she came
At ther bright looks and at her beauties glance
Feinds spirits and Ghosts fell in a hellische traunce.

27

Ou'r Acheron she past the bitter waues
(Wheir damned souls with shriling skreiks lament)
To Flegithone with fyrie floods that shewes
The tortring torment of that element
Wheir Sinners nought but desperatione gains
And thou sand thou sands of eternall pains

28

At Plutos gate was dreidfull Cerberus
With thrie wyid oppin hollow throats deuoring
And curled hair of snaiks, most venemous
Gnawing blood, fleshe, and bones with fearfull roring
But her deuyne, and Sune-shyne beauties such
Hells porter dar's not once her vesture tutch.

29

Straight to the house of endles paine she goes
Inuiround with that fyrie flamminge floode
That Phlegithone whoes fearfull laick furth throes
A filthie smook out belshing labberd blood
Tisiphone the keipar heght to name
Mother of murther, Sinn deceat, and shame

30

Ther did the rout of loathsum Harpyis roar
Ther Sillaes sound, their seuine moth't Hydras houling,
Their Serpents hisse their greifly Gorgons hoar
Their Centaur's, Sphinges, fearefull Chymers rouling,
All those and many thousand Monsters more
Wher set one burning thrones their Prince before

31

Their wofull wailing wretches tos'd with pains
With ghostlie grones with onglie yeling sounds
With harsk and jangling noyes of irone chains
Whoes clamors, cryes, and shouts throu hell redounds
Those monstres trampling were in darksum shed
That horror, dred, fear, death, & terrour bred

32

Their Sulmon crauling was in endles paine
For counterfitting thundreflaught & fyre
Their Titius (darling of the earth) was flaine
A Vulter feidding one his filthie lyre
Their was the wheill Ixion turning still
For daring tempt heaun's Queine to lechrous ill.

33

Their Tisiphus disioynted one a rack
Their Theseus to end les slouth condem'd
Their fyftie Sisters drawing warer wrack
And yet their vessels emptie still vnstem'd
Thair Tantalus with thrist, and hunger slaine
Sees meat and drinck yet nether could he gaine

34

At last a foull and filthie sink she sees
Wheir fyre and brimstone pitche and tar were smooking
Whoes deipnes dyu'd as far beneth the seas
As it was vp to heaune from thence in looking
Aboue this sink a dragone still repears
Whoes monstrous bodie feftie heids vprairs.

35

Doune in this fearfull smook and filthie hole
Wer Titans broode and Earths fearce childring thrust
That in their bloodie raige did restles roll
In their owne blood whill sulphur smook them burst
Tiphon and all the Gyants warr's that maid
Against the Gods were their by lightning led.

36

While in this hollow pitt they do remaine
They thunder furthe such fearfull roaring crye
Confusdly iarring in their endles paine
Their bodies hudge in flamms still rosting lye
Which send a stinking smook furth with the cry
That much amazd the Muse in passing by.

37

At last she came vnto a dreidfull caue
Wher Furies furthe send many fearfull cryes
Their Pryd attended on by wraith as Slaue
Their Madnes that on wraith had fixd her eyes
Their Envy fals one, Vertue still was railling
And their Dispair her owne hairt furth was trailling.

38

Their Rage did rune her heid against the wall
And their despight satt gnawing of her fingers
Their was the thrie commanders of them all
Wofull because the Earthe from mischeif lingers
Alecto. Tisiphon, Megera their
Who work mischeif, plague, famin, bloode, & weir.

39

The Muse Alecto furth she calls in ha'st
And said I pray the pas vnto Achay
Wheir is the Virgine fair Laissa plac'd
And work her wrak her ruine her decay
She's daughter too the great Achaian King
And has defyld our fair caballean spring.

40

This When the Muse hade said she did returne
Throuw shadows dimme of dark and glomie night
Vp to her Sisters who with anger burne
Till wrought was all their veangeance their despight
On Lissa fair whom beautie hade in keiping
Who all this whyle lay by the fontane sleiping

Caput. III.

Argument.

Alecto moues Achaias Prince
Fair Helicon to vew
Butt Man say of the flamming rock
Forbids his iornay new
When vnto Helicon he cam
Laissa he espyes
Whom he for Sister does not know
And wold with loue surpryse.

1

Melpomene now gone, the furie streight
Directs her course vp to the light of day
Deuysing what way best to frame this slight
And so bethinks her on a strainge essay
A slight, a falsed, and a curs'd reuenge
A creweltie, a plague, that seemeth strainge

2

And thus it was the for said Phedro had
A lau full Sone Phelarnon cald by name
Whos prais and mereits was so lairgly spred
His father ioyid of such a Galants fame
Alecto him from rests hey tour broght doune
To search for honour and to find renoune.

3

When lazie night with sable wings ou'r-spread
The cristall sphers, and dim'd the azure Light
Sleip buried men in rest from labor fred
In Sleip Phelarnon sies ane Angell bright
To him appeir and his walk braine tormented
With vision strange at last those words presented

4

Fair Prince as Nature has ordaind the strong
Of goode proportioune with a verteous mynd
Yea of thy Martiall self must be the song
Of after liuing Poëts as we fynd
Nature in the those gifts has no wayes showne
To burie them vnto the world vnknowne

5

Who so wold win renoune he thus proeeids
Vp to the throne or Theatre of glorie
The first rewarde of heigh and noble deids
Must be to act the deid (Whos endles storie)
shall be reueiu'd with neuer dyng Fame
In Tyms steill books to etermize thy name

6

Yea verteous woorth but glorie can not be
Glorie on Vertue waits wheir ere she goes
(Evne as thy shaddw followes still on thee)
And all Her deids to endles Fame she showes
Thus his desyre, his mynd, his will, and all
She fram'd to worke his wrak, his death his fall

7

Lastlie with flattrie thus the feind essayes
Braue Youth begot of royall race and birth
How spends thou so into obscure thy dayes;
This stains thy valour and thy woundrous woorth
Go then to Parnass mont extoll thy name
With vertue, wounder, valour, glorie fame

8

For know Parnassus mightie mont retains
That which should raise thy glorie to the skyes
So fates decreis and so the Heauens ordains
Heighe Ioue the wills from sluggish rest to ryes
This said to shaples aershe takes her flight
But left his hart impoyson'd with her slight

9

For whill she spak his spreit she did in spyre
With hote desyre of honor glorie fame
He wa'k't, he Blush't, his eyes did flamm with fyre
Whill strengthe & courage stroaue with slouth & shame
Her stronge and venom'd word's suche vertue had
They Hope, desyre, strength, courage, valour bred.

10

And by this tyme fair Phœbus ishewing out
Did beautifie with brightnes of his beams
Fair Leucotheas foreheid round about
Rysing aboue the wauie Oceane stream's
Athon, and Phlegon trampling clouds that powrs
Melted by fyre breath in siluer showr's.

11

Getting a tincture to the Spiders wheb's
Waueing aboue dame Floras fragrant poses
Vpon sweit smelling birkes and tender shrob's
Greine leaues and prickles of vermiliane roses
Whill Aeoll breaths, their prettie tops declyning
They daunce, they glance, they smyl on Phœbus shyning

12

Not only heir alone fair Phœbus shaw's
One Neptuns glassie glistring back he playes
Vpon whoes restles neuer ceassing waues
He combs his crispe irradiant heir whoes rayes
Wold seeme to set the hiest heauns on fyre
Whill in our Hemispere is his empyte.

13

But suddenlie to darknes turn'd the day
From skyes heaune threatned earthe with roaring thunder
That man and beast and feinds in hell affray
Heauens fyre did seeme to tear the earthe a sunder
Which of this Monarches fall did warning make
Of death, of bloode, of ruine, and of wrake

14

Ah flattrie wyld and most pernicious
The mask of malice mouer of mischeif
The Father old of lies most vitious
The Nurse of falshood, and the ground of greif
The fall of kingdomes, Princes and estates
The cause of murther, sinck, of all deceat's

15

The map or purtrat of Hypocresie
Vsurping once the office of a freind
Thou beirs the name and voyce so cunninglie
As if the knott of freindship wer combin'd
In the, (while lyik a Slaue thouw serues the will)
Yet fram's desyre to the desing's of ill.

16

Thus vnto man a Slaue thou seem's to be
And yet thou still obtains the masters hyre
Tho art Conquerour of womens chastitie
And ou'r their Sex thow beirs a proud empyre
The sharpe rebuk's of freinds ar better far
Nor suggred words of anie flatterer

17

As cunning Foullers drawes (with craftie flight)
The fouls into the traine for theme deuysd
Or fishers that allures the fishe by sight
Of bait which pray has them to death entys'd
So flattrie leids a man to his owne fall
His shame, his wrack, his death disgrace, and all

18

As Syrens doe (with sweetest sounding songs)
Enchaunt the Sea-mans hart, his ears, his eis.
That them to heare ay more & more he longs
Thither direct'd his winged vessel flies.
Till shee is clift-vpon the craggie shore
And then the monstre does the man deuoure.

19

So Sycophants allures thy mynd and thence
In flamm's desyre when from their lip's does flow
Stream's riuers floods nay sea's of eloquenee.
That drouns the Senses with a pleasant show
Of all delight yet proues deceat and pain
Which heir is shown'e by falce Alectos train:

20

Whoes fyre in flam'd the braue Phelarnon's mynd
That vp he rose to vew Parnassus montane
And from his fathers court (insecreir kynd)
He stole vnsein to sie the sacted fontaine
While by the way his hope, his hairt, his thought
For praise, woorth, valour, and renoune, they sought

21

While he drew neir the mount he stoode to wonder
The earthe begone to tremble quack and rapp
As if it would haue rent and brust a sunder
With trembling noyes lyik to a thunder clapp
At last he on a fearfull flamme did look
Cum frome a caue enrold in clouds of smook,

22

He (whoes vndanted spright nought could effray)
To know this strange aduenture wold draw neir
Frome out the flamme he hard a voyce to say
Ah wofull Prince Phelarnon back reteir
Death the abyds vpone, Parnassus montane
If thow approache too neir the sacred fontane

23

He stoode as one amaz'd to heir his name
So cald vpon, by Whome he could not know
At last as one awakned frome a dreame
He sayd what ghost so er'e thou be but show
Thy name, & why thou threattins me with death
Their of no sign's appeir, I liue I breath.

24

The voice agane made answer to the Prince
My name is Mansay of the flamming rock
That in the bowel's of the earth far hence
(By magick spells) fore saw thy fatall chok
For this heaune threatning mont whoes streams falls doun
Conteins thy wrack and ruine of thy croune.

25

Wheir fore flie back and leaue thy fond conceat
Mar not thy mynd with suche a frantick storie
Learne for to eternize thy endles deate
In anticque roll's of fame with Martiall glorie
Leaue to the Muses their diuorc'd empyre
Be not ou'r cum with loues alluring fyre

26

And thus fairweel new visions calls me hence
At those his words the Prince amazed stands
He neids wold now returne but no defence
Was left Alectos flattrie him commands
To go and sett all dastard fear apairt
It is not words but deids that kills the hairt

27

This was Laissas brother certanlie
Achaias king of children hade no more
For all men deem'd Laissa for to be
Dround by Kalander as ye harde before
Alecto (that foull feind the Prince,) has led
Of Lissa fair to be enamoured.

28

And so resolud he mounted vp so hye
That by this tyme the chariot of the Sune
Had neir hand reacht the top of all the skye
From whoes reflex all creaturs doeth shune
Them selfs; and so he sies a groue of tries
Whoes loftie tops did seeme to threat the skies.

29

Wheirto Phelarnon hastelie did goe
They promeist aide the heat for to with stand
Wheir Sommers blossomes made a seemlie show
So thick that heat nor cold no entraunce fand
Whose smell a swit ambrosiall odour throues
Furth throuw the plains the medowes & the groues.

30

He much admeird those tries so straight & fyne
The Cedar Elme, and Oak, the Ciprus fair
The Esp, the Esh, the Popler, and the Pyne
The Lourell, Ew, the Raintrie, Willow rair
The Birk, the, Olyue, Sallow, and the Mirrhe
The Mazer, Beitche, the Birsell, and the Firre.

31

There was he led throuw Naturs woundrous store
Whill chirming birds did toune their chanting lay's
Vnto a syluer brook that sweetlie rore
Whoes murmur on the trembling Pebles play's
Their roaring musick Echo back resounds
From hollow caues, heigh rock's, & whisling winds

32

And whil he trauel'd throuw these path's vnknowne
He suddanlie was ravish'd with delight
Of ane fair Ladie who to him was showne
All naked saife her smoak, and sleipping streght
Beautie wold neids triumphe & loue should wonder
Loue bred delight, and courious sight bred wonder

33

Her armes owr'croce her comely brest that hings
As if they wold defend it frome assault
Of frantick Loue who with displayed wings
Aboue her in the are was finding falt
That Ioue sutch sacred treasur would pas by
Whome Iuno skarce could keip aboue the sky.

34

Her long small hands as lillis whitte did seeme
To ioy for being amorous eache of other
Their soft embracements sweit they did esteeme
Whill as their fingers link't in pair's together
Her yourie monts (to whose aspyring top's
Blew asure conducts drew sweit Nectar drop's)

35

Humbled them self vnto her corall lipps
Who in their pretious purple painting dye
Tuo rainge of orientiall pearle eclipse
From wounding sight of peirsing mortall eye
What carles sleip neglect's by curious chance
In ordour lyes her beautie to aduance.

36

Her muskie breath still mounting in the skie
Whose smook lyik sweit perfume infects the air
Her deip and hollow throat continually
Sends furth a dulce and dolfull sound of care
Wheir with sum skalding sighes wer interlynd
Whoes munting shew the sorow of her mynd.

37

Her daintie limbs wer shed with flourie knop's
Who loath to part from such a galant prey
Made leauie mantles of their loftie top's
To hyde her daintie skine from heat of day
And flourisht fairer then they did before
Prouyding crouns and garlands for her glore.

38

Evn'e as the Lyzard through the flourie grase
Beholds a mans fair visage whill he sleip
Thither to haist she craull's with speedie pase
And of her brood her kendlinges, taks no keip,
She lyes she looks, she loues, and taks delight
To sie his face, and surfeit one the sight

39

So whill the Prince beheld the sleiping Mayde
The beautie of her louely countenance
Delight, loue, wounder, and amazement bred
He stoode he stear'd he gaiz'd at eury glance
He blush'd; to looke wheir touche (no looks) haue part
Yet lookd, till looks in lust, hade droun'd his hart

40

Whill carles sleip thus naked had her left
Left was the Prince in wounder, loue, delight.
Delight his hart out throuw his eyes had reft
Reft with each looke each thought each glāce each sight
Sight wounder, loue delight, amaizment breidinge
Hope, passione, heat, desyre one lust still feiding.

41

At last resolulid with silent noyes drew neir
To act this furious wofull tragedie
Not knowing that it was his Sister deir
Whom he wold now bereaue of chastitie
But o he feird that heauen's reuenging flame
Wold plague him if he wrong'd that Virgine Dame.

42

And now he back reteirs with silent pace
And shrouds him in a shaddow groue frome sight
Wheir he might still behold her loulie face
Whill she awaking frome a trubled spright
With sobs, with sighes, with grones, with tears she sayes
Ah hauen's too long your justest vengeance stayes.

43

But shameing' thus to sie her self so bare
She drawes her to her gramends neir hand bye
And being cled she seemed thryce so fair
That dimd the sight of any mortall eye
None might abyd her blazing starr's bright glance
Which back reuerberats their radiance,

44

Not muche vnlyk Apollos goldin light
You first his drousie eyes may weel espy
When he from wattie Thetis taks his flight
And first begins to mount the azure sky
But whane on tope of hiest heauen's he stands
No ey his ey, no looke his looke, with stands.

45

Eu'ne so whill she did sleip he might descry
The louelines and lustre of her face
But being wakned now her cheirfull ey
Furth throwes his spangling reyes in euery place
Whose peircing glance with flamming hote desyre
Threw lightnings furth, and set the skyes on fyre

46

The Prince Phelarnon byds no longer sight
But goes vnto the fontane by and by
She that had neuer seine ane armed Knight
(Before that tyme) geue out a fearfull cry
And fled he praes'd with flattring praise to proue her
She knew no loue, no flattrie then could moue her.

Caput. IIII.

Argument

Feirce Tropalance of Datia
And Prince Phelarnon feght
Laissa and they both enchanted
Ar by Mansay's might
Great Sigismund ane armie brings
Achaias to invade
He vanquisht them and causd them seik
To Thessaly for ayde

1

That griesly chyld of darknes and of Hell
Who had so well accomplisht her desyre
Her poyson in Phelarnons breist did swell
And quyt for to cōsume him with that fyre
An other Prince at this same time she brought
Who for the lyke desyre of glory sought.

2

This other Prince whome she had brought apace
Was walking throuw these groues and did espy
Laissa who manteind her fearfull chace
While as he thought her beautie dim'd the sky
This Knight was Sone vnto the Datsan Prince
And height to name the mightie Tropelince

3

Who come the fontane Helicon to vew
Whose name so much throghout the world was known
But seing this fair Lady to eschew
A Knight, that to him now his eyes had shown
Or him to mak a conquest then with speid
He breath'd furth warr with terrour & with dreid,

4

The Prince was loath to pairt from such a pray
And preast to shune this Knight but all in vaine
He lighted doune and stoutlye bad him stay
Furth drawes the blad, had many thousand slaine
Wheirwith lyke lightning dints, and blasts of thunder.
His stroaks bred paine, paine raige, and raige bred wonder.

5

For lo his arme this brand hade raizd on hie
And gaue the Prince vpone the armed creist
So hudge and heauie blowes that now weel nie
He maid his braith forsake his panting breist
The Prince almost now braithles fearclie cryitt
Fals miscreant thow deirlie shall abyitt.

6

And then his murdring blade did fearcely draw
And gains the Paganes breist a thrust he sent
Which made him reill that it appeird (in shew)
His cursed lyfe out of her lodge was rent
His shoulder blade receau'd so deip a wound
He groueling fell with bloodie goir to ground.

7

The Prince past by and followed one his loue
His loue, his Sister, and his vnknowne freind
The Pagaine cursed all the Gods aboue
And sweir he was sum feirce infernall feind
And yit in this his raige he followed fast
Till of the Prince he got a sight at last.

8

Who now hade gote Laissa in his armes
And with myld words hade pacified her fear
The which to Tropolance bred greatter harmes
Then when he did his fleshe and armour tear,
Her looks he thinks vnto his loue consents
Wheirby his courage tuentie fold augments.

9

Now wraith in him began to raige and swell
And thus be said fy turne thy feble face
Leaue that fair Lady and defend thy self
Lo dreidfull death abyds the to embrace
Wheirwith he strak and peared the Princes syd
With strength, the blaid for bloode maid entres wyd,

10

Then from Phelarnon stream'd a luk-warme flood
With purple goir that dyed the grassie ground
Whill as the Pagane spy'd the streaming blood
The victorie he thought he surelie found
But as a Lyone moud to raige and wraith.
That teirs his prey with bloodie pawes to deith.

11

So now the Prince delt deildlie dints and blowes
That nether armes nor sheild might them withhold
Like haill and thundre thousand stroakes he throwes
At last a stroak he gaue with courage bold
This Pagaines breist with this his mightie hand
Gaue way vnto the lyff reuenging brand

12

Eune as a mightie Cedar (cutt be-low
By sharpned aix (falls trembling to the ground
So fell the mightie Tropolance althow
Reuenge, raige, furie, stroue with fats last wound
And as dry woode when fyre has spent the same
At his last death sends furth the brightest flame.

13

So he (thogh dead in strength) with angrie pryd
And curs'd reuenge renew'd his deing force
The courteus Prince Phelarnon step'd a syd
No hurt he profer'd but with myld remorce
Requird him yeild, who in his dying smart
Sheathed his poinyeard in the Prince his hairt.

14

This was the sorow of Achaians all
This was the wrak and ruine of their croune
This was the ground and causer of their fall
This was the deith that dang their Phedro doune
This brought great Sigismund from out his foyle
With many thousand Datians to their spoyle.

15

But lo the graue magiciane Mansay knew
The fatall end of those tuo princelie Knights
Thus in a dark blak cloud of fearfull hew
He brought them to his caue with hellishe sprights
Wheir yeat as then they gaspe their lattest breath
And dies in paine yet leiues in endles death.

16

The fair Laissa he has their also
Enchanted still in her amaized moode
Becaus she was the ground of all thi woe
Whylls brint in flamm's & whyls shes dround in bloode
That Hell it self no greater burthene beirs
Paine, raige, and greif, her hairt in peices teirs

17

Now Fame began her fether footed race
By manie lands and seas she tooke her flight
At last (to rest her swift and speedie pace)
In Datia land at courr she doune did light
And in the ears of mightie Sigismound
Those wofull newes she wofullie did sound.

18

How that his deirest Sone deir Tropolance
Achaians Prince hade now bereft of lyfe
And that into a Ladyes fair defence
He brauelie died in that couragions stryfe
Then plague on plague the Tyrans ear's confound it
Pryd, angre, raige, reueng, blood, murther, sound it.

19

Reuenge proceids of iniurie by right
A Passione that fraile man tormenteth much
It gnawe the hart with torments of despight
By day and eake by night molesting such
As ar offendit thus iniust it proues.
For the offendar nought at all it moues.

20

Sum in reuenge does alwayes use to kill
But that is crewell rage and meir despight
For he that would reuenge must haue the skill
To haue a kynd of pleasur and delyht
That the reueng'd may feill with shame and paine
The weyght of the Reuengers wrath and gaine.

21

But Sigismund (of whom we now shall treat)
Vs'd only crewell rage and not reuenge
Most vitious and detestable deceat
Most filthie barbarous and yet more strange
A fear, a beastlines, a brutishe passione,
And euill of euills, past all imaginatione.

22

A passione which with wemen doeth endure
And oftentym's has by that Sex bene vs'd
And also by the Vulgare being sure
Of stronger backs, or cowards that has chus'd
The weaker contrare partie for their fo
And therupon theire courage most they show.

23

But lo the braue and mightie mynds (we sie)
(Wheir valour dueells) their strength does exerceize
Against the strong resisting enemie
And those whose deids their fame does eterneize
Whome they no soonner to their mercie gett
But pitie does their crueltie abett.

24

Such pitie us'd not Sigismund who sweir
To mak the Earth with Græcians blood so drunck
That all the world yea heaune it self should heir
The iust reuenge of his deir Sunnes deid trunck
Thus soone he rais'd ane armie void of fear
Whoes stomacks stout breath'd surth reuenge & wear

25

This Sigismund a mightie Pagane strong
The scepter held of many mightie land
Which he by right of warre or rather wrong
Most Tyranelyk did keip into his hand
Who with this armie great to Greece did goe
And tour's, and strengths, and touns, did ou'erthroe.

26

And comeing to Achaia at the last
King Phedro old his furie to with stand
An armie did conuein wheir whith he past
And mett him on the bordours of the land
But this proud Pagan (with his multitude)
Gott victorie with too much Christiane blood.

27

Twyce efter this the Paganes furious wrath
Reuengd too well his ding sones deir blood
Whole feftie thou sand he did bring to death
With fyftiene Princes of the royall brood
Their King at last him self in Thebs inclos'd
When Princes, lords, and commons all wer los'd.

28

Whom Sigismund incompast round about
With wrath, with pryd, with iniurie and wrong
He swoor that citie sould not hold him out
Tho't wer as Troy as great a fair as strong
But he wold mack irt equall with the plaine
And theirof should no memorie remaine.

29

But Phedro old his threatninges to preuent
(Fearing his wrack his ruine and his fall)
And romadan Embassadour he sent
In Thessalie, releif help, ayde, to call
Andromodan a great Achaian lord
Whome valour, woorthe, & vertue much decoird.

Caput. V.

Argument.

Peenardo Prince of Thessalye
Is heir vnto yow showne
Whoes buried deids so long in graue
Shall to the world be knowne
Achaias great Embassadour
Requyrs Thessaliane ayde
The wich is granted and anone
For warre prouisione made.

1

Into the mightie land of Thessalye
Their regn'd a King that Grodane heght to name
By mightie force he conquerd Arabie
Throw Greciane land so famous grew his fame
Earthes terrour, Europs tour, and Africks woe
Bulwark of freends, and buriell of his foe.

2

This Grodane had to wyfe a noble Dame
That Sister wes vnto the Spanishe King
Whoes lyfe gouernd with such a spotles name
Old fame throw emptie aer this song did sing;
The yee happie Prince of Iasons lyne that regn's
And to the world an other Iason breng's.

3

Those tuo wer lou'd with such a lust regarid
She lou'd, he feird, she praisd, and he renound
The famous citie Eregon he reird
And built the princelie Palace Pitemuond
And their his royall court he intertain'd,
Million's of knights and Ladyes their remaind.

4

He had no children but a Sone alone
Whoes beautie and proportione of his face
Bewrayd his royall Progenie anone
His persone Princelye and his comelie grace
Most rair, most wyse, most valorous, most fair
Most lou'd, most loath'd, still croc'd, with Fortuns snair

5

Penardo cald the obiect of disdain
The skorne of loue, the monument of lothe
The mirrour of mischeif, the map of paine,
The marck of daunger, and the mold of wrath
The Seat of sorrow, and the tombe of care
The winges of wrack, the Burtio of dispair.

6

Yet was he well traind vp in feart's of armes
Tilt's, turnayes, and all war-lyk exercise
Whoes braue vndanted Spright espyes no harmes
Whoes mightie force his fame doeth eternize
So lou'd of all, and yet that all so feird him
That Heaune, and Earth, & Hell, to much admird him.

7

And had his grand-Syre (Iason valorous)
Bein now alyue he hade not cron'd the Maine
For that his dangling tresses pretious
Surmunts the goldin fleece whiche he did gaine
His looks, his gesture, and his countenance
Would chaistest Phœbe moue to dalliance

8

Dame Nature followed him with sad laments
Compleining of her treasurs emptie coffers
Proportioune beautie vertues excrements
Was left to her and cheirfullie she offers
To quyt all those if he would proue so kynd
To runder back perfections of the mynd

9

And yet sumtyme she (stairing' in his face)
Wold seeme to loue him wowing him with swyll's
And proud of this her handie work whoes grace
She swoir the glorye of the gods beguyl's
And other whills complaining in a rage
She lak'd materiall's for ensueing age.

10

Which true did proue for Nature was vndone
The earth was lost, and mankynd was forlorne
Th' ensewing ages monster's prou'd too soone
Some reasone wants some but proportione borne
Some dum, some deaf, some blind, some leam'd ar seene
Some sensles, witles, strenghtles, hartles bein.

11

Now whill the Earthe was rap't with admiratione
Of this fair youthe so muche admeir'd of all
(One contrarie remou'd) the confirmatione
He seem'd to haue of all that grace men call
He that in loues despight him self had showen
Yet lou'd at last and loath'd was ouerthrowen,

12

For who can shunn his fortune or his fate
All to loues liue tho'lyfe wer but a night
Cear, traueel woe, with pleasure does debait
Greif sorow, paine, with pastyme, ioy, delight.
The truest happimes one earthe remaine
Wheir croce is mixt with confort, ioy with paine

13

But Whil fair fame (this royall court to show
Throuw spatious Earthe and oceane took her flight
Aduentrous Knight's hade (many year's ag'oe)
Sleep't in dark silence of eternall night
Desyre of honor (to the worlds vew)
Calls furthe one Youth, deip Danger to persue,

14

Penardo as ane Gallant would obey
Whoes braue heroick spright surpast so farre
All youths of Greece that he would oft essay
The most and best approued Knight's of warre
When tuo at once he caus'd for to effront him
They could not find the meins for to dismont him

15

Yet whill he sleip't at home in silent pace
Th' Embassadours come to the court in haist
Frome out Achaia whom it pleasd his grace
To entertaine with many royall feast
Who muche admeird the great magnifience
Of his fair court and of his excellence

16

Thrie dayes wer spent in feasting or repast
When they desyr'd for to be hard of all
The King and counsell being set at last
They wer convay'd vnto a princelie hall
Yea to vnfold that costlie court so fyne
Should pas the might of such a Muse as myne.

17

The pillers wer of purest yourie fram'd
With pearle and pretious stone in gold embost
Whoes glistring beam's continuall light inflamd
That sable Night her entrance their had lost
The stones to wall's their glances consecrat's
Which ritchest mantles still reuerberat's

18

Whoes maieste was stairlie to behold
For round about the walls the tapestrie
Was goodlie arace wrought with Indiane gold
With purple silk and syluer gloriouslie
So viuelie wrought vnto the humane eye
Maiestick purtreats lyuelie seemd to be,

19

Their Cupid painted in his glistring pryd
His eyes wer shut, yet in his crewell fist
An goldin bow and arrowes did abyd
Wheir with he shot at randone when he list
He bends, he draw's, he shoots no shaft in vaine
He hitt's the Hart, & yet no marks remaine.

20

Ther Ioue and their the Thebane Semale
Their jealous Iuno lyke her Nurse appeirs
And caus'd her seik that Ioue in majestie
Wold come with thundring darts & lightning fyr's
Their might you sie when he performd ye same
Her birne in heauenlie fyre & schoarcking flamme

21

Their Leucothea. their was Phœbus bright
In sheape of old Eurimine her mother
Their Orchamus her father tacks her streght,
And eard's her quick (til Phœbus coming hither)
Vnto a lamp a starre a flamming light
He chang'd her for to chace from thence ye night

22

Ther Mars and Venus at ther dallying sports
Their Vulcans artificiall yrone nett
Wherin he wrapt these louers, their resorts
Feir Danaes Sone whome Ioue did erst beget
Who cutts Medusa's heid and their the fontane
Wheir he had chang'd King Athlas in a montan.

23

Their also feghts he with the monster wyld
That persecutes the fair Andronad euer
Their Cephey and Cassiope bewayld
Their daughters hap, & yet could help her neuer
Whom thundring Ioue iniustlie their detaind
She weip't, she murnt, she sigh't, she pray'd, she plā'd

24

All these yow might haue sein so perfectlie
That nothing els but vitall breath they wanted
Whil as they seem'd to lurk so priuely
Sum heir sum their in pairs together hanted
They seemd to blushe when curious eyes did sie them
And shrow'd their yourie limms in fowlds to flie them

25

So Cynthia does shrood her self frome sight
Of wearie Trauelers that wandring strayes
Wrapt vp in darkest cloud's of silent night
Yet through thin clouds oft shoots out syluer rayes
So seem'd they in those fowlds, to creip vn knowne
Yet shew them self vnwilling to be showen.

26

Or as the stream's of crooked wynding brooks
Now heighe then low, now ryse, then falls againe
In darkest corners holes and priuie crooks
Will steall vnseene Yet can not skaip the maine
Each tumbling in hudge heap's their homage does
Compleaning on the Earths vnkynd refuse

27

Eune so those mantles glorious riche and rair
If strurd will alter chainge and turne in vaine
Trembling and wafting mou'd whith shaples aer
Heir low their heighe their low heir hyeghe again
Whiche maks sum portrats show & sum reteir
Sum heighe sum low and sum vnwar's appeir

28

Those strangers stoode amazed at that sight
The King to brek their silence low did moue him
Vpon a bench of gold that graue great light
A Pale lyk heauens-starrd'd canoby aboue him
The cheifest bow'd to ground and then began
To show the King (who heght Andromadan.)

29

O thouw most mightie Prince of Iasons race
Thou skourge of Paganes and of Persians pryd
O thow who did by mightie strength deface
Arabia fœlix and the spoyls deuyd
Amongst the Souldours with a princelie mynd
Thy seruants come from far, thy help to fynd

30

Know that we ar Achaian's mightie Prince
Of antient Greciane bloode we ar discendit
Against the Paganes we haue made defence
Our realme lost our royall blood is endit
Our King our countray kingdome croune & all
Arrest and forc'd before our Foes to fall

31

By Sigismund great King of Datia
Of Transyluania and Moldauia Prince
Of Seruia and of Valachia
He holds the septure and the gouernance
With armies great to mak his valour knowne
Our contrey, tours, and tounes has ouerthrowne

32

This was the caus, Ill hap our Prince let out
One day the mont Parnassus sor to vew
Well arm'd he was both loftie strong and stout
Well fauord fair and of a heauenly hew
Our King Of Children had no more at all
Ther was he lost, and their our strength did fall.

33

For their he chanc'd to vew a sacred Muse
Enamourd thus he fondlie fell in loue
Pre sing her deuyne deitie to abus
Whose mynd from chaist desyrs he could not moue
By chance a Kinght arryu'd & sought withall
His paine, his greif, his lose, his death, his fall

34

And thus they both in combat fought a space
Vntill ther fatall howre approched neir
And then they both wer slaine into that place
Evne then began our woe, our wrack our care
This Kinght was Prince of Datia & was Sone
To Sigismund for him this warre begane,

35

When he had done in silence still he stoode
Abyding answer from the King who sayde
(In greattest ire) he wold reuenge their bloode
And willinglie wold lend his freindlie ayde
Liue happie Prince (sayd thay) in whoes sweitt eyes
Wrath, terrour, dreid, reuenge, and glorie lyes.

Caput. VI.

Argument.

The armie marches to Achai,
Encamps on Phocis plaine
Grodane seeks peace at Sigismund
Who answers with disdame
Bœotia stayes their garisone
For Grodans help they sue
Penardo goes to their releef
With all the Aenean crew.

1

O Amitie the worlds onlie lyfe
Without the which this great & woundrous frame
Of heaun & earth should so be wrapt in stryfe
That contrare motion's wold cōfund the same
It seem's frome mightie Ioue thow art descended.
He send the doun when this great work was ended.

2

Of man thow art the staff and only guyde
Without the, man should walk in darkest night
Thow art the stay, and ioy of his abyde
The worlds lamp her lanterne and her light
Of Gods elect the sacred flamme alone
Kindled in heaune before his mercies throne.

3

The Nurse of true societie humane
Piller of staitts and policies for aw
Nor any els saue Tyrans the disdane
For wheir thow art their is no neid of law:
Law is a second mein deuysd to be
And serus for nought but their wheirs want of the.

4

Trew freind ship reulls desyre and the affects
The hert, the toung, the mynd, the will, and all
But lay the yock of justice on their necks
For aw of punishment, and fear of thrall
They ar constraind their duetie for to doo
Which freind ship wold most willinglie go too.

5

Thus Amitie the sacred flamme has beine
That fosters truethe, to duetie geuing lyfe
Which in this following historie is seine
By Grodane who had wrapt him self in stryfe
In him true Amitie hade sole dominione
Which gaue no place to wordlie base opinione.

6

For lo his counsell wold this way proceid
They could not thus procur so great a foe
Except the King Heyre to Achai succeed
Great fools ar they that threatning dangers knoe
And rune but hope but help aduyse, delay
Headlongs to wrack, to ruine, to decay.

7

This seem'd to grie with reasone but the King
Who feard not, caird not, sought not, gaine to craue
True vertue, glorye, amitie did rigne
In him who could not, should not, wold not leaue
His freinds in strait, in danger, in distress
His ayde, they sought and they should find no less.

8

Wheirat the legatts (falling one their face)
Did weep for verie ioy before them all
And reuerentlie againe they thank his grace
All Thessaly for armes began to call
The Kings will, pleasure, and command declar'd
Bands, legions, troups, & squadrons wer prepar'd,

9

Thus throgh the mightie land of Thessalye
Theirs nothing hard but murther, bloode, and wear
Such tumolts did aryss that presentlye
All nighbour nationes gann his force to fear
Fame fil their ears eune babling fame too nimble
All feard his name, and fearing all did tremble.

10

So feard is Nilus proud and mightie raige
That fertill Aegipts land does ouerfloe
When by the hatcheing Crocadills presage
They know how farr the Princelie stream will goe
When ower his bancks he spreds his azure wings
All faints, all fears, all flies the force he brings.

11

Then while the floure of Thessally repaird
Before Eregon on a pleasant plaine
Whoes panting hearts appeald their pow're prepaird
To gield their glistring armes with glorious gaine
To wrath they yeild, wrath, them to warre commands.
Wrath arm'd their heart's, their harts has arm'd their hands.

12

This great and mightie armie was as much
One horse and foote as feftie thousaud strong
Wheirof wer threttie thousand footemen such
As any was all Christiandome among
The horsemen all wer Princes, Lords, and Knights
Great wonders wrought their valours, strētghs & mights

13

In Thessaly the Aeneans did dwell
Of all the Greicks those were the most renound
In martiall featts of armes they did excell
Their pedegre from braue Achilles found
Of those ten thousand to this warre was sent
Most braue, most stronge, most fearce, most valient,

14

Those guardes the persone of this mightie King
And called his Caualarie alwheir
Thus well prouyded all of euerie thing
This armie martch'd in goodlie ordour their
And being come vnto the frontiers end
Grodane his legat to the Datian send.

15

Requiring him from such attemps to cease
And let the Græcians brook their natiue soyle
Restoiring back their cities and with peace
Depart but trouble, pillage, pray, or spoyle
And be not proud of Fortuns plesant howres
Whoes smyls ar mixt with frouns whoes sweitts with sorwes

16

Altho his Sone Prince Tropolance was slaine
Him self too weell reueng'd his death before
For he the Prince Phelarnon kild againe
The law of armes prouyds reuenge no more
Then should he not triumphe and tyrannize
Thus in their fall, their wrack, their miseries.

17

Eune as a staitlie ship (her foes to urge)
Furth slyds vpon the restles, rolling waw
Imperiouslye she cutts the azure surge
One Thetis back she ryds with galant shaw
But when the angrie Seas begins to roare
Waues beats her doune, that beat the waues before,

18

So hie vpone the tope of Fortuns wheell
Must neids be throwne doune heidlongs at a bloe
In pryd he said he wold make Grodane feell
The force of datian arms before he goe
Altho his Sone had els reuengd his death
That kingdome skair slie could suffeice his wrath.

19

And sure (quod he) if I had knowne the platt
That Grodane made this warre to take in hand
I wold haue keipt his glorie in for that
Yea and perhaps his furie still with stand
For eune before the walls of Eregone
My armie ther in armour should haue shoone,

20

Soone after those disdain full speeches past
The armie martch'd sum tuentie leggs that so
Thay being heir to Phocis at the last
Grodane direct'd ane herauld for to show
(By sound of trumpet) that he wild them yeild
But they refuis'd, wheirfore he man'd the feild.

21

When he haid laid his seige vnto the citie
His Skoutts brought in a Messinger in hast
Who prayd his Maiestie to tak some pitie
Vpon Bieotia that was lost almaist
Tuo dayes ago they slew their garysone
And maid reuolt frome wicked Sigismune.

22

And lo of Transyluania the Prince
(Cald strong Phelaston) comes to raze their wall
And kill them selfs, their, Enfants but defence
Leaueing no memorie of them at all,
This Prince indeid of all the Pagane camps
Was most renound and feard for braue attempts

23

Of manly courage stout of body strong
Bold was his hart and valorous his hand
Crewell his mind enuyous full of wrong
Disdaine, pryde, raige, yea furie in him fand
A duelling fitt (and last to show him right)
Feareles of God, cairles of hells despight.

24

Wheirfore Penardo neids wold show him sell
And falling one his kneis before his Syre
Desyr'd that he might haue the chairge to quell
The furie of that princelie Paganes ire
His trembling voice, pale face, and fyrie breath
Showes his true valour and his furious wrath.

25

So does a gentle Lyon meik and myld
(For Princes pleasour team'd with teacher true)
If mou'd to raige and wrath he growes so wyld
His wonted courage in his breist renew
His taill he lifts a loft and ruffs his heir.
Shoots surth his flamming toung, & pawes to teare.

26

Loath was his father he should vndergoe
So greatt a charge in these his tender yeirs
Yet knowing courage did his breist ore floe
In him strength, might, and valour weell appeirs
Whoes sune of glorie can no cloud ow'r vaill
Whoes day no night, nor darknes, may assayle,

27

To him he gaue this great and mightie charge
And with him sent three Princes stout and bold
Whoes name fame, praise, worth, valor shall at large
Be showen aboue the notherne stars' enrold
And with him went those warrelyk Aenean bands
Terror of earth, and strength of Græciane lands.

Caput. VII.

Argument.

Penardo's ayde is cum to lat
The toun is set on fyre
He followes on the Enemie
Revenge is his desyre
A visione in his sleip appeirs
The whiche he does declear
Beneth Apollo's altar, He
Hes found an armour fair

1

Ambitioune is a passioune woundrous strong
Of noble courage and of mightie force
Whiche captive leads all g'alant spreits along
And euen the strongest passions does enforce
Yea loue it self whiche seemeth to contend
Yet oft ambitione victor proues in end.

2

Ambitione is an flamme that burns the mynd
with endles drouth still thristing efter glorye
A blind excessiue gredine (of kynd)
To be imbost in tym's eternall storie
Still hunting after greatnes that we sie
Ambitione neuer satisfied to be.

3

Ambition heigh is not a Passione feat
For baseborne brain's, or wordlle small attemp's
Renoune and glorie stoups not to such bait
Those ar not capable but ar contemp's
For proud ambitioune beats & casts them doune
Whill as they seik praise, glory, and renoune.

4

Ambitione after gaine does not persue
Nor actions reapping profeit does it cair
But ay wheir dreidfull danger does ensu
Difficult strainge vnusuall and rare
Eu'ne there, ambitione hunts for glorie euer
For base and wordlie gaine it caireth neuer.

5

This passione Prince Penardo did bereaue
Of whom we write this following historie
Who thirsting after honor seem'd to leaue
A famous name in Glorious memorie
In him ambitione, crewell warre susteind
Gainst loue, and famous victorie obtaind

6

Who as we said recei'd that armie small
Wheir with he should releiue Beotias neid
But Sigismundi (the citie for to thral)
Haid send the Transiluaniane Prince with speid
Whoes valarous renoune to heaune did munt
Wheir for Penardo with ambitione brunt,

7

He freat's) he froun's, he longs to reaue the croune
Of fame and glory from Phelastons head
And set it on his owne, whith great renoune
To beir it through the world vnconquered
More greif he fynds when one goes him before
Then ioy in conquing of a thous and skore.

8

Now he right glade in gaining of this chairge
Tuo dayes led furth his army one the way
At last drew neir and on a plaine right large
Wold neids refresh his wearle men a day
And then he sends, to learne, to vew to kno
Th' estate, the place, the number of his foe.

9

When Phebus drinsh't his sylver shyning hair
In Thetis lape they saw a cloud aspyre
Whoes smook send suddane darknes throw the aer
Wherin appeird reid flashing flamm's of fyre
As if the earthe out of her bowells wyde
Had send to choak the loftie heauens for pryde.

10

While as the armie vewing stoode amaiz'd
Whoes hautie hearts no fear could harbor in
Yeit vew's with fear and fearing still they gaz'd
Their quyet murmur made a fearfull dine
At last the skoutts returning told ye treuth
Which mou'd them all to, woe, to care, to reuth.

11

Know mightie Prince your enemies ar gone
Becaus they haue fulfild their fearce desyre
For they haue raysd the walls of yonder toun
And set it all with skoarching flamm's a fyre
Touns tours and walls in crewell fyre doth burne
Men, women, babs, by bloodie swords ar torne.

12

This was the caus of their destructione loe
They feard the Prince his ayde should come too lait
And laiking souldiours on their wall's to show
For their defence agains their crewell fate
Within a forrest full of lack's and fenn's
Thre hundreth robers lay in caues and denns.

13

The cheif of these was once a citizene
Who playing bancker out, his goods hade lost
Whairfore he hyed him to the Robers dene
Who chus'd him chiftane of their theeuishe host
Him hyr'd they straight with soum's of Indiane gold
To guarde their walls and to defend their Hold

14

But he who had no pitie nor regaird
Vnto their lywes but only to their gold
Agreid by priuie letter's for reward
And to Phelaston has the citie sold
Ah haples wretch that caust destroy and kill
Men at thy mercie, thy command, and will.

15

Eune as the mightie marlion mounts the sky
And soares one loftie wing's with g'aizing eyes
At last the chirming larke she does espy
Cheif chanter in the queir of all that flies
Whose hollow throat, sends furth a thousand sounds
To pearce the azure vaults that back redounds,

16

Her shrill sweit notts, with silent blowing breath
Now seing her fearce enemie aspyre
Pearcing the emptie aer to flie from death
Whil to prolong she mounteth, still the hyer
Bot with sad looks, whill thus she bids adue
Their she a wearie traueler does vew.

17

Whoes hart she oft had cheird with chirming cleir
Awaking him frome drousie sleip to ryse
And warnd him that Apollos light drew neir
And in his long'sum iorney did deuyse
New not's wheiron she curious descant founds
Filling his ears with diapason sounds

18

And thinking now that he wold thankfull be
She hyes fast doune and seiks his ayde to beild her
With feirfull shreiks does in his besome flie
Glad that she song to him who now does sheild her
But he whoes hairt no pitie harbours loe
Deliuers her vnto her mortall foe.

19

So did this fructe of ill this welth of woe
This curse of hauene in Whoe vnnaturall hart
No pitie could haue place but to her foe
The citie yelds (for this her good desert)
That oft had song sweit not's of educatione
To draw him from his haples constellatione

20

Eu'ne so the rauening wolfe by simple goat
Broght vp, with loue, with trauell, care, and, paine
And feid vpon her teat (such is her loat)
Till strength and force and vigour he retaine
Then he whome she brought vp so cairfullie
Her deith, het graue, her sepulchre must be

21

The Prince that pitied suche a sore mischance
Admiring much this monstrous crueltie
Swoor in a rage his armie to aduance
Till he reueng'd Bœotias miserie
Which did inrol his praise aboue the skyes
His fame, woorth, valour, woundrous victories.

22

When Phebus harbinger in crimsone cled
Chaic'd donne to Hell nights hated hew abhorde
The flower that murn's for Phebus absence spred
Her beautie furthe and smyl's vpone her Lord
Whoes birning beams and lyfe infusing rayes
Conforts the Earth and beautifieis ye skyes

23

Then through the campe a murmur gane to ryse
All cryes for armes the trumpets sounds aloud
Ther sturdie coursars courage loudly brayes
And seemd to cry for loftie sydars proud
They forward march't whith ioy & great delight
Their willing mynds made heauie armour light

24

And martching thus with suche a restles pace
Thre dayes there nights, at last they com in sight
Of their proud foes who heiring of their chaice
Had lyk desyre lyrk will to proue their might
Shouts, clamours, cryes, on eurye syd descry
Their will, desyre, and hope of victory.

25

And yit Phelaston lyk ane champioune wyse
Forecasting perrells in his throught alone
Feard that Penardo's hardie enter pryse
Was but a craftie traine to draw him on
And that the armie in some corner lay
His campe vpone a suddane to betreay

26

Yet being of a mightie galant mynd
He sham'd to flie at his imaginatione
Wheir fore in hast to Athens did he send
Wheir Brando lay at seige to show the fashione
Brando, the reull ou'r Seruia did hold
Stout, hardy, wight aduentorous and bold

27

Which when he hard his seige he rais'd in hast
And to the Prince Phelaston martch'd along
Now know that in his camp their was at least
One horse and fute sum tuentie thousand strong
To Sigismund those newes he shortlie sends
Who rais'd his seige frome Thebs and thither wends.

28

Now Primum mobile hade drawen the light
with his swift course out of our Hemispere
And spred the ieatblack mantle of the night
That summonds all the creatures with fear
Vnto their rest then for to be thair sheild
They built a canues citie on the feild

29

Whil thus he had incamped in their sight
Set furth his watch his campe intrinshit strong
This Campioune caus'd disarme them all that night
For their refreshment after iorney long
After repast the Prince to sleip is gone
And in his sleip appeird this visione.

30

A virgine Nymphe (whoes beautie dimd the sky)
With saddest looks with sobs with sighs with tears
So sorowfull the seem'd with weipping ey
Led by tuo feinds of Pluto's griesly fears
Her body seem'd all dyed in crimsone blood
Her garment skoarch'd in flamm's of hellish brood.

31

Thus leading her hard by him (as he thought)
She cryd o sweitt Penardo lend thy ayde
Whoes only strength the fates decree has wrought
To end the ceasles torments of a Mayde
Wheirat him thought he start with suddane fear
Drawing his brand those hellishe feinds to tear.

32

But then with myldest speeche she sayd no more
Thy willingnes suffeizeth at this tyme
A greatter danger thow must pas before
Thy happie ayde geue end vnto my cryme
But mightie Ioue in danger, warre, and stryfe
Preserue thy fame, thy honor, and thy lyfe.

33

Not farr their stands within a pleasant vaill
Ane altar built at Agamemnons cost
In honor of fair Pallas sacred Cell
When he was captain of the Grætiane host
Their, lyes a sword, a sheild, ane armour fair
Of woorth, of wounder, and of vertue rare.

34

Feight not before yow haue this armour on
Whose woorth shall much aduance thy wondrous fame
For know this much before tuo dayes by gone
That Pluto has conspyrt to spoyle thy name.
For he has send the Feinds in legions foorth
To seik to shame, to wrack, to staine, thy woorth.

35

And thus she vanisht quyt out of his sight
He wakeing one a suddane from his sleip
Thought this to be a fantasie too light
That from his humor'd braine did fondlie creip
Yet warlie did his thoughts one witt attend
Weying if good or ill theron depend.

36

Aurora in her purple robe arose
Warning proud Titan for to light the day
And drew, the courtens that did him disclose
In Thetis louelie armes that dalleing lay
Who stole away and in the gloomie East
Reard vp aboue the Earth his flamming crest.

37

How soone the Prince espyit his goldine light
He cald for Mandadorus Prince of Mesone
This Mandadorus was of greattest might
Of all his subiects saue the Duik of Thesone
To him he told his dreame who said your grace
May try't and trying lett the trueth haue place.

38

Wheirfore he send and from his antient roume
Causd raise the altar wheir they fand a stone
Of Alabastre builded lyk a Toumbe
In greik sum letters wer ingraft theron
Those we ethe words (ingraph't in gold so fyne
That now as first their lustre seem'd to shyne.

39

This pretious stone ane armour does retain
Whose woundrous woorth as yit shal no man know
Vntill the Spreit of them that liues in pain
Eune to a mightie stranger shæll them show
Who with the same recalls relents, releifs,
Thrie Souls from paine, from death, frō Hells mischeifs

40

Hid was the meaning darck the sentence seemd
Of all the trueth they could not type the ground
But this fair costlie armour as they deemd
Had at the famous wars of Troy beine found
Which graue and wyse Cassandra had inuented
For Paris, Troys feirce fall to haue preuented.

41

Lo thus it was she knowing by her art
The ruine of heaun threatning Troy drew neir
And that proud Paris his vniust desert
Should be the caus of such an endles weir
To him by art she had this armour wrought
That all the Gods decree might turne to nought,

42

For she discending to the lowest Hells
Her mightie powre in magick force she shew
The greislie Ghosts stood trembling whill she tells
Her will in frameing of this armour new
Loath to prouyd remorce, remeid, releif
Who ioy'd in blood, warre, murther, and mischeif.

43

Yitt fear them forc't they durst not disobey
Her mightie art and all-commanding will
For she with strainge characters could a lay
The pains of Hell from punishment of ill
Yea she the Suns diurnall course culd stay
And turne to darkest night the brightest day.

44

And whill these feinds this armour fyne did make
They forgd the metall first in Aetnas flame
And temperd it into the Stygiane lake
With herbs of woundrous force amongs't the same
That mightie strong inchantments can with stand
Yea sword, and fyre, and water, can command.

45

Ioues douchter brought king Agamemnon furth
When she with them returning was to Troy
Who seing them of such a woundrous woorth
Bereft the graue Cassandra of her ioy
Who had with herbs and flams of Flegitone
Composd a strange and admirable stone.

46

Which secreitlie she in this armour sett
Whose vertue was his owner for to stay
From loue, and amorous desyr's to lett
Arming the hart gainst all venereall play
For princelie Paris she deuys'd this traine
That he might render Helene back againe.

Caput. VIII.

Argument.

Achaians fall fair Pallas doeth
Forsie long tyme before
And that Penardo should them raise
Vnto their former gloir
The Aeneans tuo batales wine
And by the Prince alaine
The Transyluanian and the Seruian
Disput; both ar slaine,

1

When as the Greciane gote this armour Io
Ioues brain borne girl did gif him this command
That of this thing no creatur should know
Till he returnd vnto his natiue land
Wheir to her name he should ane Altar rear
And secreitlie inclose this armour rheir.

2

The which he did with duetifull regaird
According to heighe pallas her command
For loe that sacred altar vp he raird
Their vnder layd the armour which they fand
Wheir it had lyine so many hundreyht yeirs
Vn-found vnmark'd vnknowne as it appeirs.

3

Sum sayes that bright warlyk pallas did forsie
Eune then, the ruine of Achaias croune
And that fair Lissa cause theirof should be
Trogh hir great bewtie of so hye renoune
Thus she prouyds, forseis, preuents their fall
By means vn sought, or unrequeird at all.

4

This brought Penardo out of Thessaly
From torment this fair virgine to releass
So faites ordaind such was his desteny
So heauns decreed her torment thus should ceass
O mightie Ioue blesd be thy sacred name
That so preuents, forseis, remeids, our shame.

5

When they had brought this armour to the Prence
They fitted him so weell on euerie part
As if they had bene made for that pretence
Who thus acouter'd with a loftie harte
Lyik Mars him self his countenance he bar
That thundred furth blood, victorie, and war.

6

This armour was with red vermilione rosd
And spangled thick with starrs of Indian gold
Whose cornert points with diamonds imbosd
And syluer branches that the starrs vphold
He goes they glance they shyne while as he sturd
Of all has praisd, regairdst, loud, admyrd.

7

His hautie helmet guildet all with gold
Whoes shynning brightnes trembling terror bred
Ow'r all his creist an Eggle did vnfold
His goldim winges which proudlie ouerspred
The shynning helme and with his tallones wyde
He seemd to tear the metall in his pryde.

8

Vpone his downie cronne their stoode vpright
A bunsh of plumes discolored diuerslie
Spangled with spangs of gold and pearle whoes light
D'aizled the sight of the beholders eye
Their shaddowes in the Eggls eyes did glance
That seemd right glad of this their dalliance.

9

So does a tall and loftie Cedar show
That growes on top of mightie Parnass montane
The myldest blast that Zephyrus can blow
Maks all his leaues to tremble on the fontane
Or Cynthia lyk in silent night that shawes
Her beam's to daunce and glance one Thetis wawes:

10

Of burnisht steill his glanceing sheild It shone
The true presage of his ensewing dayes
Wheir sat a lady on a crimsone throne
A knight lay prostrat at her feitt who sayes
Ah Fates your fearce Decree I surelie proue
That keeps her hart from all the darts of loue.

11

His mortall blad did semlie hing with hold
Within a syluer sheath wrought curiouslie
The hiltes wer of the fynnest burnisht gold
Which pearle and saphyre stones did beautefie
No metall nor enchantment could resist
This murthring blade when euer his owner list.

12

And armed thus he red vpon a steid
Whoes pryd with pransing beatts the groneing ground
And champing on his foamme bitt with dreid
Wold seim with trampling noye the aer to wound.
By loftie volts and rauets showing still
How glade he was t'obey his masters will,

13

Who manag'd him so weell at wisht contents
With turns and curbits heir and their remoues
And when he slakt the rayns his loftie sprents
Wold skairslie tipp the trembling earth with houes
And glad of such a Maister matchles rare
With swift impetuos speid wold peirce the aer.

14

Off was his helme, his amorous face and eyes
Lyke Hesper shynd amongst the lesser lights
His countenance still promest victories
Fair smyling, sweitt, and pleasant in their sights
A light but fyre a hart but fear or dreid
A lamp vnqueinshd a mynd vnconquered

15

Then loue him self more sweit his countenance
Wheir grace lay hid in glanceing beauties lap
Still sending with each smyle, each look, each glance
A thousand amours that the senses rap
With all delight at last he breathed forthe
True valour vertue wonder glorie worthe,

16

Braue Bretherine and Campanions all in wear
Remember your Forefathers loftie feat's
Our sweit Thessalian soyle did only bear
Those mightie mynds that all the earth abaits
Our natione with our Iason left their soyle
To gaine the glorie of the goolden spoyle.

17

What brauer spreits in Greece then hath bein ours
What greatter glorie then our countrey wan?
What manlie mynds and mightie Conquerour's
But we may claime ay since the world began
Yea if we look our lyns discents and bloods
Wei'll shame to flie from worlds of multituds.

18

But leaue we honor, fame discent, and blood,
Remember onlie whom with all we deall
With Pag'anes, spoylars of the christian Good
The antient foes of Greece we must assayle
Nay foes I shame to call them not but Theues
On robrie theft, spoyle, prey, & pillage leeues.

19

Their Captane strong Phelaston strong I know
Tho cald so stout so strong so fearce in fight
Tho Persians, Syrans, and Arabiams too
He foyls yet hes not feltt the Græcian might
Those naked, bare, vnarmmed fear maks fall
Bot hautie Greeks surpas them, him, & all

20

Great victorie by this braue feght shall come
The daunger nothing and the labour small
Some fearfull strengthles, hairtles, mightles, some
Before our face they fear, they flie, they fall
What neid we mor bat kill tak, stay, and chace?
Enuy, stryf, discord, throw them flies a pace.

21

Whereat the armie gaue a ioyfull cry
And willinglie they rank them selfs the whyle
Their Captanes and commanders ioyfullie
Did cheere them vp with the reward of spoyle
Ther breists ar sweld with conquest courage wrath
The roaring trumpet's sounds blood, warr, & death.

22

The Prince his battells ordored in this sort
By Mandadorus was the vnegaird led
To whom tuo thousand fotemen did rosurt
Of Aneans a thousand horse he had
Who looks lyk hungrie Lyons whill they go
That wrath warre blood & veangeāce doeth foreshow

23

Phenabon prince of Thays the reirward had
Equall in nombre wepins arm's devyce
Belmondo duike of Toropeia led
The batall great that was as mony twyce
All those for warre wer borne in warre they floorisht
In trauells great, great paine great danger nurisht

24

The Prince him self wold not in battell stand
But with tuo thousand mightie men of armes
Would geue supplie wheir any want he fand
And with fresh ayde would still reuenge their harmes
Whille as he said Braue Brotherin let me sie.
That if they fle thei'r slaine, if feght they die.

25

Now by this tyme the Prince Phelaston had
His armie weel in battel ranck arayed
And with new hope their fanting harts he fed
That nothing now but courage in them stay it
His venegaird was fyue thousand at the least
Led by a migtie Pagane Alphorest.

26

Lagone the reirwaird led a Pagane good
Wheir was fyue thousand bold strong hardy stout
And with him self the greattest battel stood
Ten thousand strong but fear but care but doubt
Thus martching both they joune the trumpetts sounds
At whoes hudge noyes both heauen'e & earth redoūds

27

Lyke to the blasts of boystrous Boreas
That hurl's with haistie wings from hiest heau'ne
With thundring ioyes and threatning glorious
To shak the Earths fundatione fondlye dreven
Blasting the heauens' that back redounds his blowes
Beatting' the earth and billowing Seas that showes.

28

With swelling waues to soare in loftie skyes
Disdaining the gouernement he keip's
Thath causeth all their watrie empyr's ryes
From silent moueing in the lowest deip's
Raising hudge mont's one. Neptun's azure plaine
In foamie drops he throuws them doune againe.

29

And vp agane through aerie waults from sea's
His bloustring blasts from North to South he sends
Crushing the clouds that fast before him flies
Togither dash't their broken ranks discends
In tearie drops as if they seem'd to weip
That he so great gouernament should keip,

30

Eune so these mightie men of armes did crushe
With furious strenght their weapones each on other
Hudge drops of bloode in stream's did alwayes gush
The streams in floods the fluds brought Seas together
That drops, and strem's & floods, & seas took pairt
To drinshe, to dashe, to droune, the Martial hart.

31

The rank's that stiflie stands agenst ther foes
Fall's doune in slap's waltring in bloodie stryn'ds
Wheron freshe ranks (still marching brauely goes
Out ou'r the bellies of their deing freinds
Not yelding to their foes till ether syde
Does sacrafice their soulls to swelling pryde.

32

Now whilst on eurie syd they fearslie fight
The wantguards met with mightie strength and boste
Wheir Alphorest the Pagane shew his might
Before his feit lay manie deing ghoste
Till Mandadorus saw such hauok their
Wheir Alphorest did feght he did repair.

33

And Alpharest (that lyk a Lyoune bears
Him self) espyd the Prince of Meson by
To red him self of commone souldeours feirs
His bloes seem'd lightning thundert throw the sky.
And then he lent the Prince a mightie bloe
That almost from his horse he forcd him goe

34

But he acquyts him lighting on his hand
That hand and sword, and all, fell to the ground
And wheir his visar louse he lykewayes fand
He made him, their receaue his fatall wound
The Pagans now began to fear and fant
When as their mightie leadder thus they want.

35

And by this tyme the greattest battel flies
Eune their wheir as the Transysuanian stoode
For that Penardo with his freshe supplies
Had brok in throw their rancks embrew'd whith blood
So that in generall all began to flie
Except Phelaston their would brauelie die

36

And sure that day his admirable might
If I sould pas vntold I wer to blame
For that him self alone in single fight
Had slaine thrie knights of great and famous name
Lighosthon, Guelpho, Meldabreid, at lenth
By cruell death had felt his mighte strength

37

Nor those alone by his accursed hand
Depryu'd of lyfe of soule of breath did lye
But Oerard, Ormond, Groian, by his brand
Were slane all Knights of noble progenie
With many mo he in that fatall stryfe
Hurt, feld, or bruis'd, or then bereft of lyfe.

38

Penardo still that followed on the chaise
Belmondo and Phenabon he espy'd
Both by one Knight wer put to great distres
Ther armour all with crimsone blood was dy'd
In greattest hast if he had not come to theme
That Knight alone was lyke for to vndo theme.

39

Yet woundring that such woundrous force could be
In one to foyle such fomous Knights as they
And piteing that other syde should die
He trusts him self betuein and bids them stay
And to Phelaston sayes heir ar no foes
Bot from his brand he answerd him whith bloes.

40

Then he commands those tuo to stande asyde
The furious Pagane feiresie he assaild
His thristie blade oft in his bloode he dyed
At euerie stroak his armour he dismaild
With equall strengthe the Pagane countervaild him
Showing his woundrous valour no thing faild him.

41

The Pagane raisd his sanguin sword on hie
Discharging blowes vpone his helmet strong
Whill fyrie starr's out of his eyes did flie
His mouth furth-casting streams of bloode along
Wheirfore he now whith wrath shame raige & woundre
Send bloes lyik lightning tempest, storme, & thunder.

42

Theirwith redoubled was the Pagans ire
Who said shall one poore knight my strenth recall
And so agane the Prince receaud his hyre
That tuyce he reild and reddie tuyce to fall
At last he blush't for shame & shook for wrath
Requyting shame whith foyle, disgrace with death.

43

This was the Transyluanian fearce and strong
Whom he had slaine, and forward then he past
And put him self among's the Pag'anes throng
Which scattred chac'd, & slaine to ground he cast
As sand before the northerne blast furth fleis
So fled those troup's, & fleing fall's, and deis,

44

Weriet with killing then they sound retrait
From sending Pagans soul's to Plutos ports
Wheir of a now I cease for to repait
Whill as to them more danger still resorts
For loe a greatter host they might descry
With standarts wafting in the aerie sky.

45

Amaz'd they stoode and knew not what it mein'd
At last the Prince vndanted courage shew
By trumpets sound he causd them be conueind
And thus said he itt is not tyme to rew
Keip what your valour courage might & strenth
Has brauelie wone, and win you shall at lenthe.

46

Tanck then your self's while Courage you releeue
Let fear flie hence to mynds effeminat
These mynds to martiall glory doos atchyue
Whoes lyfes to hasards bold ar consecrat
Doe from your hands, your swords your harts, your eies
Strenth, valour, conquest victorie furth flies.

47

Then willinglie they call for battell new
Still thirsting after glorie to aspyre
Their bloodles face and trembling voices shew
That wrath within their breist had kendled fyre
The warre-lyk noyes of trumpets roaring breath
Steird horse to courage and the men to wrath.

48

And now began the feght more sharpe, and thin
Now their encounters crewell hand to hand
The Datians feghts to keip what they had win
The Grecians to releue their natiue land
Their victorie and courage mand the feild
Their come reuenge to force those tuo to yeild,

49

Yet wer the Datians stout in daungers strong
Their bodies freshe not woundit bruisd nor bleeding
Their first assault was scarce and lasted long
Them selfs within the Gretians ground intruding
But Prince Penardo blamd their fainting harts
Whose braue example promeisd heighe deserts.

50

And formast then he led them throw their foes
With deip impressiones in theis Squadrons great
His sword so broad a way had made for thoes
That followed him with hope, strength, raige, despy.
While now the Datians seemd to rander back
Their new rest ground a reall mends to mack,

51

But not content with this him self he thrust
With his braue guarde of Princes lords and Knights
Gainst the great bodie of the battell first
The which he shuik and breck with stragling flights
Transported so with courage might and strengthe
Furth throw his foes he leaues his guarde at lengthe.

52

Wheir he his ouerflowing valour showes
His sword that seemd his danger for to know
Such hauock made among his fainting foes
That he was stronglie now intrinsht and soe
Deid corps wer forts whoes bloodie ditches shoes
Teir, terrour, dreid, and death to all his foes.

58

Braue Brando than the Seruiane drawing neir
The great Commander of these mightie maits
Began his woundrous valour to admeir
He loud his deids though their effects he haits
This was the Seruiance Disput whom before
Phelaston send his ayde for to implore.

54

Penardo slew and hurt and chac'd his foes
None leu'd but these who fled his angrie wrath
He lyke a wyld and hungrie Lyone goes
From place to place and with him dreidfull death
But seing then no foe gainstands his rage
He stayes and staying does his wrath asswage.

55

As winds gainstand by woods hills tours or walls
The buildings shaks and tries by roots uptears
Whil ouer the oppin plains he myldlie swalls
Eune so Penardos wrath he calmely beirs
When none his strength his will his raige assayld.
But Brando him at length to feght appeald.

56

And whill their eyes did draw them both in sight
Their mynds consents to combat not agreing
Wheirwith they now begine a famous fight
Whoes brauery was beheld with thousands deinge
Who raird their heids a loft their lyfes renew
In deaths despight that combat for to vew.

57

Their noyes how much inferiour to the rest
So much superiour they in skilfull fight
Their courage was by skill gouerned best
Their skill secundit by their strength and might
Their terrour pleasur showes, vnto the eye
Wheir strength with skill & witt with wrath agrie.

58

Both valiant and both despysing death
Both confident not vs'd to be ow'r come
Yet doubtfull bothe bothe forcd to draw their braith
Vniting all their strength they chang'd their roume
With leaps and turn's, their hands wer agill parts
Watchfull their eyes and resolute their Harts.

59

Eache stryueing still as Conquerour to be
Their bloes lyk thunder lights on eury sydel
Brando (that nere before such force did sie)
Thus to be matcht for rage and swelling pryde
He thinks of this their fight to mak ane end
With all his force a furious bloe he send.

60

Which lighted on Penardos head so sore
That his remembrance left her batterd ludge
At which aduantage he redoubling more
Had sensles leyd him with his bloes so hudge
The Prince with shame & paine enduring longe
His bloes so heauie great, sore fearce, and strong.

61

But then o then who would haue sein his face
Shame in his cheiks reuenge into his eyes
And now to win his honor lost apace
He waits till fitt aduantage he espyes
Vniting raige, and skill, & strength in one
He lights vpon his helmet which anone.

62

He claue; the murdring blade that doune warde forc't
Maks passage for his soule whom he commands
To ouerrune Phelastons wearye Ghoste
And first to gett a kisse of Plutos hands
And tell him from Penardo that he will
With Paganes soules his darkest regions fill,

63

The Datians that saw their Campione fall
Began to mak their feitt their best defence
Penardo and his chosen traine with all
So stuft the chace that in their fleing hence
Tuelue thousand skars assuadged their furious hait
While sable darknes made them sound retrait.

64

This was beginning of Penardos praise
This tyme, his fame through all the earthe proceids
This day, his tropheis to the heauns did raise
This was the birth day of his valorous deids
That hard it was to ludge in generall
Whither he was most loud, or feird of all.

65

But Night that for her nevoyes did lament
In sable black attyre bevayl'd their woe
Hanging her head sad, louring, dis content
That day their shame vnto the world should show
To keip vnknowne their fault, their flight, their feir.
She darknes breath'd throw heaune throw earth throw aer

66

And by this tyme the skoutts and watch was set
The Captanes brings their lord into his tent
Then eury man vnto his rest was let
That efter paine sum pleasur might be lent
Thus being cairles of their farther stryfe,
This first night was the last night of their lyfe.

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.

Caput. X.

Argument.

Penardo by a visione warn'd
Does pas trough Pluto's Port
He kild a Gyant, when to him
A Virgine does resort
Who leids him throw a dreidfall caue
Wheir fearfull ghosts abyde
He finds a deing Knight that shous
What thair should him betyde.

1

The mightie mynd that harbours hautie deid's
And is conceau'd with, child of glorious gaine
Can rest no wheir but to the birth proceids
Of glorious act's brought furth with endles paine
Such restles thought's Penardo did torment
Still longing whil the night were over spent.

2

At last Aurora shews wheir she was layd
In aiged Tithons arm's and vp did spring
Blushing for shame that she so long had stayde
Her goldin loks for haist did lously hing
Her crimsone chariot made no longer stay
From criestal heaun's to chace dark night away.

3

As Pilot one the seas has stay'd his sight
Vpone the fixed Pole his course to guyde
Whill foggie smook and tempests cloudie night
The burnisht light of that bright lamp doeth hyde
Then to his compas has recourse, wheirby
He guyds his hollow veshell stedfastly.

4

Eu'ne so Penardo that was all alone
Who hade no seruand nor no trustie guyde
One hope he setts his stayd opinione
And with that compas constant does abyde
And furthe vpone his waye he still proceids
Fed with desyre of heighe & glorious deids.

5

Three dayes he traueld finding nought, at last
With wearie bones he layde him doune to sleip
Whill as with sudden fear he was agast
A visione in his restles braine did creip
The Lady whiche he saw before tormented
Was with those pains agane opprest, presented.

6

This was the ghost of the enchaunted fair
Laissa whom Penardo must releeue
Eune that fair Mayde who to him did repair
Before the battells, to preuent mischeive
So much her wrong and her desyre so iust
That pitie bad him ayde, & ayde he must

7

And now for to performe his promeis past
She comes agane for to emploir his ayde.
Requesting him that he wold come at last
To end the ceasles torments of a Mayde
Whom he within the burning caue shall fynd
Eune at the foote of proud Parnassus pynd.

8

The Prince awaking from his sleip arose
From of the grasse wheiron he softly lay
And wheir his horse was feidding their he goes
While as Aurora gane, to light the day
He trauel'd still till that the Caue he seis
Led with reuenge, hope, valour, victories.

9

Whose sulphur flams would fearfull hairts haue stayd
The mounting smook such trembling terrour shows
But he who was not borne to be effrayde
Still in the greattest dangers did reioyse
And since he saw no entrie but by fyre
Valour bred hope, and courage bred desyre.

10

Resolving thus his murdring blade he drawes
And thrusts him self withe furie throgh ye same
His swords sharpe point directing fordwart shawes
His braue assault against the sulphur flamme
Which geueing place diuyds it selfe in tuo
As if it feird his ualour for to know.

11

Now on he goes till he has past the light
Throgh caues wheir glomie darknes still abyds
Which seem'd the pallace of eternall Night
Wheir she her store of sable treasure hyds
And eeke from whence her mantles black she brings.
Whoes dreidfull terrour tams all leiuing things.

12

Yet this our Prince Penardo nothing letts
But on he goes, at last he heirs a noyis
Lyik to the opning vp of brasin gatts
Wheirfro their came this dreidfull sounding voyce
Who past throgh Plotos, port without paynes,
His due in fyrie Phlegiton remains.

13

Then ishew'd from a deip and hollow Caue
Tuo Dwarfs that held in eurie hand a torche
By whoes great light the Prince might weel perceaue
A moustrous Gyant mounting from a porche
Great lyk a tour that braithd furthe smooke and ire
His eyes no eyes but tuo great flamm's of fyre.

14

The Prince was not amaized at the sight
But rather was desyrous of renoune
With sword and sheild him self he brauelie dight
With courage braue to him descending doune
whose mass, lyke to anc irone Bolt on hight
He rair'd, with wraith, powre, furie, strength & might.

15

And beatts with force the Prince his sheild aback.
Vpone his face till with that mightie bloe
He forcd him tumbling doune the steps, to mack
Homage vpone his face vnto his foe
Then with ane other bloe vpon his creist
He made his lyuevish breath forsaik his breist.

16

Thus being sensles layd vpon the ground
His mightie hand his murdring blade forsook
The Gyant (that perceaud him in that stound)
Vp under his left arme him lightlie took,
So go shalks doe who ceasing on their pray
Mounts in the aer and lightlie flies away.

17

He caries him throw many fearfull wayes
Till he arryu'd vnto a pleasant plaine
Wheir stoode a pallace poynting at the skyes
Whoes loftie turretts seem'd for to disdaine
The basest earthe and beautifie'd the acr,
With brightest Alabastre tours so fair.

18

Then drawing neir vnto the castell gett
The Gyant wearie of this burthen strong
Threw him to ground and doun him self he sees
To breathe a whyle who had not rested long
When by the fall the Prince agane reueiu'd
Aer brought him breath, breath lyfe from death releu'd

19

And being weel awaked frome his dreame
He wounde that these wounderfull euents
When memorie returnd he blusht for shame
All his confused thoughts bred discontents
And when he soght vp from the ground to cleir him
The gyant with his masse agane drew neir him.

20

Which lighted one his shoulder with such force
That one his hands agane he stoupt to ground
Who by this rude intreatment raiging worse
Raige brought him strength and strength his courage found
His armed fist aloft he stronglie rears
And beats the Gyants brains about his ears.

21

The gyant fell with such a fearfull noyes
As when a thunderbolt from heaune does fall
Whoes lightning seems to rent the azure skyes
And shaks the powr's of heaune and earth withall
Or lyk a wind whoes furious devastatione
Doune throw the aer does shak the earth fundatione.

22

Eune with such noyes the Gyant fell to ground
While presentlie the earth did him deuour
Receaueing him within her hollow wound
Then clos'd agane lyke as she was before
Wheir at great Iasons Neuoy was amazd
And deim'd he was sum feind by magick rais'd.

23

While he in this amazed moode did stand
Hard at his feitt his sworde he did espy
The which how some he gotte into his hand
He marrched forwart most couragiouslye
But neirer to the pallace when he came
He thought him ay the farther from the same.

24

So thinks the courious man that wold attaine
By trauell to heaune threatning Atlas tope
Mounting as far as first his eyes hade sein
It seems ane other Atlas ryseth upe
Whoes tope did aeirs thrid regione proudlie threat
Compast with clouds & skoartch'd with Phœbus heate

25

Then is his hope accompanied with doubt
Such hope such doubt dwelt in Penardos thought
He staid him self and looking round about
His gaizing eyes vnto his vew sune brought
A Mayd who towards him directs her pase
And first saluts him with a modest grace.

26

Then ax'd him whither he was mynd'tt to goe
He sayd that galant fortres for to sie
Quod she thow finds no entres their but loo
If thow would enter thow must goe with me
Content was he to goe, to know, to proue,
To end the pains of death of lyfe, of loue.

38

At last she came vnto a vault or groat
Whoes greislienes was fearfull to behold
But he who onlie had vnto his lott
A braue vndanted Spreit with courage bold
Straight followed her from light of day to darknes
And lost her in that vnaquanted marknes.

28

Where he does heir a dreidfull sounding voyce
Lyik to the skritching of the nights blak Houle
Hissing of serpents, and the greislie noyes
Of ghostly spreits in Plutoes court so foule
Who if his armours vertue had not saift him
Of lyfe, of fame, of glorie, wold had reft him.

29

Whom they begin to buffet heir and their
Him beat thay oft vnto the ground agane
Yet could he nothing find but filthie aer
Whoes smook might weell consume a world of men
Such filthie smook it was such vglie blasts
As Aetna from his dreidfull mouth forth casts.

30

He drawes his sword and forward still he goes
Vowing to sie the end of these euents
The further in, the thicker grow the bloes
At last a fearfull noyes to him presents
A thundring sound a fearfull trembling shak
Whoes dreidfull voice made all the earth to quak.

31

Yet he procids and thinks them all but toyes
And stumbling doune at last to ground he fell
While as he hard a piteous groneing voice
Lyk to the sore tormented soulls in hell
That in this greislie caue, this darksum shade
A houling and a yowling sound still made.

32

The deing grones of sum tormented wight
He seemd to heir amongs these fearfull sounds
Their Sorow dwelt, and their eternall Night
Of euerlasting horror still resounds
But he no terrour fear's nor daunger dreids
But forward goes and throw the dark proceids.

33

As does the blind in desert forrests wyde
Ow'r hazards roks caues, craiges & montanes wander
While fear of death has chast his faithfull guyde
Eune feir of tempests lightning storme and thunder
When as he heirs a noyes, a sound a cry
Hope throw the danger guyds him hastilye,

34

So wanders he stout hardy fearles bold
Att last vpone a deing Knight he fell
Skarce could he speik bott zett this much he told
Ah tho thou seiks for death Dispair and Hell
Heir duells sad death plagues, torments, heir remains
Hell brings from this her euerlasting Pains.

35

Ah crewell death, ah blak dispair alace
Wo wo and with the word wo chokd his breath
The Prince that pitied such a wofull cace
Heau'd vp his heid and said relent from Death
Perhaps some hope sum hap, sum help remain
He answerd, (nocht but this one word) In vane.

36

Why (quod the Prence) is thy releife in vaine
If God so pleas his grace and mercie lend
But to this house and to this hell of paine
How cams't thow in, or wast thow heir in send
Faine would I know wheir with the deing Knight
Breathd furth these words thoght weakly as he might:

37

Within this caue their is a virgin Mayde
Loue dairteth lightning from her glorious eyes
Her beautie bright does all their hairts invade
(With death, loue, furie, passione) that her seis
Muche is the force, the strength, the vigour much
Who seis her, deis for loue, th' enchantments such,

38

Many attempt's this aduenture to end
But still they end themselfs and it remains
Which I poore I has too too suirlie kend,
And now must pay my lyf for these my pains
My bosume keips her beauties burning fyre
That tears my hairt in peeces with desyre.

39

Ah pitie (said the Prence) is their remeid
To saue thy lyfe and quensh youths loueing flamme
No no (sayd he) theirs naine till I be deid
Heir many mo lies buried for the same
Wheirfore go back, leaue of, returne againe
Heir is no heyre bot death for all thy paine

40

Then sai'd the Prince I surelie wer to blame
Not seing danger, for to leaue it soe
Quod he then since thow cairs so muche for shame
I pray the tak my counsall or thow goe
Aboue this dreidfull Caue their stands a laik
Whoes restles waues this thundring noyes does mak.

41

The Mayde is on ane altar sacrafeizd
With sulpher flamms of fyre to Pluto's Deitie
Tuelf hours within that fyre sho's, martyrizd
And tuelf houres dround in blood with out all pitie
Before her burnes a Taper will not slaik
Bot in the water of that thundring laik,

42

This Taper yow must win with mightie force
Syne drinsh it in the forsaid laik & lo
Her flamm's ar quenshed then with great remorce
But how to quenshe the blood yow their shall kno
Yet if yow be intangled by her beautie
Thy hairt thy eyes thy hands shall leaue their duetie.

43

Now if the burning Tapre thou obtein
To get it back shall many wayes be sought
As soone as it thou wants by any mein
As soone shall she from lyf to death be brought
Bot if thow be intangled with her loue
The Tapre frome his place thow can not moue.

44

Thus fair you weell, and with the word the Knight
Sunck doune with sleip of leaddin death opprest
Greif woe, and pitie, did the Prince affright
His valour, courage, hope, they muche distrest
He goes but confort, whill his guyde was cair
His manlie hairt assayld with cold dispair.

45

Though he was still turmoyld with cair and greif
Though daunger still forbids his interpryse
Tough sad dispair threat's death without releif
And though Dreid, fame and conquest both denyes
Yet fordward still he goes but cair or paine
And hops ane happie succes for to gaine.

Caput. XI.

Argument.

The birning Alters Keeper, of
His lyfe Penardo spoyls
He seis the daylie funerall
In blood the Virgine boylls
He that by loue could not be win
The Tapre does obtaine
About the Quene of loue he seis
All thois yat Loue had slaine.

1

O now yow Muses matchles and devyne
Help by your sacred skill my gros defects
Mak sharpe my wit and pregnant my ingyne
That by your freindly ayde in all respects
My pen suplied may boldly breath his name
Inrold aboue the star's by endles fame.

2

Whoes mynd the feat of royall vertues birth
And who all goodnes knew; but knew no ill
Admeird of all the world for his rare woorth
Which causd Envy for raige her self to kill
Eune he vwithout all fear or cair did enter
And throw this cave lyk greisslie hell did venter.

3

At last a thirling light he did espy
Which from a dure did glanceing furth appeit
Wheirto when as the galant Prince drew nye
He saw a flamme most pure most bright most cleit
Vpon ane alter burne and in the same
Brint, skoarch'd; tormented, lay a virgine Dame.

4

Whill on this piteous spectacle he gaiz'd
From out a corner dark he might perceaue
A monstre hudge that maid him much amaiz'd
Whoes greatnes seem'd to fill that emptie caue
He breathd furthe clouds of smook which dim'd the flamme
And darkned all the place about the same

5

So thundring tempests dims the goldin Sunne
And darkins all the cristall heauns so hy
The reiking clouds lyik smook doun moltin runne
By force of fyre that thonderis throw the sky
At last such roars he thunders in his ear
It seemd the caue, shook, trembled, quaik'd for fear.

6

This monstre fearslie did assaill the Prince
Who nimble, quick, sharp, readie, light, auoyding
His mightie bloes, so braue was his defence
Oft him he harm'd, him self vnharm'd abyding
So that the monstre roird for greif and paine
Furth casting Floods, of poysond goira maine.

7

Thus eache perseuing other to the death
With strength with raige with furie hait & ire
That neither geue the other leaue to breath
The monstre still threw furth bright flamms of fyre
Who's skaills bore furth the Prince his furious dint
Lyk tempred Steill, hard diamond, or flint,

8

Wheir for a stranger kynd of feght he chuses
Quyting his sword he draw's a dagger fyne
His skill his slight his might, and strength he uses
To ridd this deulishe monstre out of pyne
Who lifting vp his armed creist with ire
Smook frome his mouth his eyes furth sparkling fyre.

9

Did fearcelie forewart to the Prince furth pace
Infolds inrolls in lincks with gaipping iawes
But he with foresight, waying, well the case
His skaillie gorge in his stronge arme he thrawes
And through his burninge ey with fatall knyfe
Brought furthe his brains & with his brains his lyfe.

10

Glade was he to be ridd of such a foe
Yet pitie, cair and sorow, chac'd delight
To sie so fair a Mayde tormented so
His eyes with chyld of tears his hairt stil sigh't
Tacirs from his eys spring's riuers floods furth sent
Sighes from his hair tlyk blustring winds vpwent.

11

When neirer to the alter he was come,
Of sorow he might heir the saddest sound,
There greuous grone, wer inter mix'd with some
Weak breathing words, that did sad death resound
The words wer sweet and pitiefull to heir
The accent soft the voce was sharpe and cleir

12

Those wer the wofull words he pitied most
Ah Pluto Pluto end this sacrifice
Hell Hell douore my souls tormented ghost
Ah crewell Heau'ns that gloir's to tyraneize
Ah paine paine paine let endles paine remoue
Curs death, curs hel, curs earth, curs heauns aboue.

13

Whill thus she spak Penardo hard a noyes,
And suddenlie appeir'd a greatter light,
A hundreth torches borne by litle boyes
All clade in murning weid a wofull sight.
Softlie the prince convayes him self a syde
To sie of these euents what wold betyde

14

After these torches wer tuo horses led
Whose Tiapers wer of purple silk & gold
Such curious work so rich imbrodered
Was admirable fair for to behold
For greffon lyk thay pareing seem'd to flie
With goldin plumed wings right curiously.

15

These horse wer keept by lackaves tuo who had
Two sheilds which seem'd of sundrie Knights to hold,
And after them tuo Paiges richlie cled
Two mightie lances bore with heads of gold
Nixt after them four galant coursers drew
A crimsone cotche that seemd of bloodie hew.

16

within this cotche tuo Kinghts wer sadlie plac'd
In glistring armoor that was fynelie fram'd
The armours shyning lustre was defac'd
With purple blude that from their bodies straimde
Sad was their mynds wheir sorow did remaine
Great wer their wounds but greatter far their paine.

17

The one still sigh'd and groin'de but spak no word
For in his breist a bloodlie dagger stoode
The other throughe his bodie had a sword
From whoes steill poynt ranne streams of crimson blood
Death ou'r them both long since hade spred her wings
Yet lyfe by airt paine, greif and sorow brings.

18

Behind the alter stoode a brasen portch
Which oppind wyde for to receaue this traine
Where enters all the boyes with euerye tortch
The hors, and all the rest that did remayne,
But whill the cotche neir to the alter drew
The wofull dame her sorows did renew.

19

Ah Heaun's alace come come I glaidly goe
Let deith geue end to Hells tormenting flamme
Blood blood glut vp both soule and body lo
Stop now my braith and suffocat the same
Let these tuo leiue & then impose on me
Ten thousand deaths so I may once but die.

20

No sonner did she end her plaints when as
Tuo old and aiged Haggs come in their sights
Who bore ane huge great veshell made of bras
That keipt the blood of those tormented Knights
Long gaizd the Prince on thir hid misteries
Whill paine, on paine, & greif on greif he sies.

21

The virgine from the fyre began to moue her
The veshell neir, she throw her in the same
While as the blood begane to boyle aboue her
And vtherwhyls aboue the bloode she come
So bubling streams of brooks from hye that fall
Raise vp the Pebls pure whyt cleir and small

22

They gone the Prince did with him self deuyce
To spill the blood bot now he heirs a sound
It seem'd a heighe and bloistring wind did ryse
And looking wheir the veshell to haue found
He saw a piller raited vp whoes end
Reatch'd frome the ground almost vnto the pend.

23

Then did he heare a murmur and a noyes
A duilfull murning and a wofull sound
So from a hollow pitt resounds a voyce
Of one that lyes tormented vnder ground
Or lyk the ghostlie and the dreidfull dine
That roaring bulls mak hollow Caues within.

24

The piller seem'd to be of marble stone
In forme of ane Pyrameid as it stood
Within the which the virgine was alone
Tormented still within the boyling blood
Penardo knew but help of humane hand
That it was fraimd his furie to with stand.

35

But neirer to the piller when he drew
Sum goldin letterd lyns he might espy
Whoes meining was as efter doeth ensue
Be not so bold this aduenture to try
Least Faits who made the most admeird of all
Should mak the most in famous for thy fall

36

But cairles who had thus menac'd him so
Which serud but to affray a fanting hairt
Now round about the piller does he go
While as he finds sum other lyns insert
Wheirby he knew the former faing'd deny all
Was but to stay him from a farther tryall.

27

What ere thow be that proues to end the pains
Of this tormented Mayde that heir remains
And wold vndoe the great and woundrous frame
Which Mansays arte has build it for the same
The tapre from the birning Altar take
And drinsh it in the fearfull thundring lake
But first from birning lust search some releiff.
For These tuo Princes wrapt in all mischeiff,

28

Not half so fast the Tyger swift furth goes
Throgh desert waves for to redeeme her brood
As does the Prence when these glad newes he knoes
Vnto the altar wheir the tapre stoode
He hopes yet doubts sum ill might him be fall
To marr his hope, hap, will desyre, and all.

29

Cassandras armour was not now for noght
Els of that dame inamour'd hade he beine
For the effect of this enchantment wrought
On eurie one before that had her seine
And being once entangled by her loue
Te tortche they could not steir, nor toutch, nor moue

30

Yea surelie if his armours vertue strong
Had not resisted the enchantments force
Within the caue he should haue stayd so long
While he had diet for loue without remorce
Her beautie was of force, strength, pow're to moue
Yea massacre a world of Hairts with loue.

31

But he who in his armour does retaine
The rare and precious stone of chastitie
(Whoes vertue is the owner to restraine
From loue, or lust, or Venus fantasie)
Could not be mou'd, to love, so none but he
Could end the fair Laissas miserie.

32

And entring now within the brazen portch
The which he thinks to be the only way
Eune with the light of this his lytle tortch
He saw some lynes ingraph'd (which made him stay).
Vpon the brasen gate he did behold
Indented all with courious warks of gold.
If ought thow lose that thow has brauelye win
Thow deirlie shall repent thy comeing in.

33

Now he began to gaize vpon the ground
And calling presentlie vnto his mynd
The deing Knight whom he before had found
Within the Caue and of his counsall kynd
He knew it was the taper to defend
Or els her sorow should with death haue end.

34

And by this tyme within a goodlie Hall
He entred was when vewing weel this sight,
The rare proportion was maiesticall.
To eurie airt their was a galant light,
And glaid their of ioy cheirt his countenance
So Phœbus flour spred's when her lord does glance.

35

Long stayd he nought when looking heir and their
One his left hand a doore he might espy
Within the which he saw a gall'ry fair
Wheir pleasur did invite a gaizing ey
While throgh this pleasant gall'ry he was walking
He thought he hard sum people softlie talking.

36

Whoes murmuring sound hade drawne him now in sight
Of a fair chamber that was richelie hung
Wheir sporting at their dalleing delight
Wer Knights and Ladyes lying all along
Vpon the pauement wrought of cristall rock
Whose glances bright the Prince his sight did chock.

37

But his delight did him thair after lied
Vnto ane other chamber much more fair
For their the cristall pauement all was spred
With crimsone veluet costlie, ritche, and rair,
And in the mids a piller stoode vpright
Of gold that shynd, flam'd glāc'd, with sparkling light

38

A dioynd vnto the piller rose a throne
Of beattin gold whoes lustre cleir vnstaind
The beautifullest Queene did sit theirone
That cristall heaune or solid earthe containd
And round about her stoode a comlie traine
Of kings, queins, lords, knights, dames that loue had slaine.

39

Their was the Queene of Carthage, Dido fair
Who for Aeneas loue hade lost her breath,
And for Antonius loue with Vipers their
Sad Cleopatra Sting'd her self to deathe,
Their Ariadne that her self hade slaine
For proud vnthankfull Theseus disdaine.

40

Whoes lyfe decre'd to Minotaurus raige
She fred and from the Labyrinthe him gaind
Their was Media by whoes counsaill saige
Iason the goldin glorious fleice obtaind
Their Phillis who did many passiones proue
Chuseing sad death for sweet Demophoons loue,

41

Their Iulia the wyfe of great Pompey
Who died becaus she feird her husbands death
Their Porsia for Brutus loue did stay,
Who with hote birning coalls hade choakd her braith
Their Pisca with her louer loud to be
Who threw them selfs both heidlongs in the Sea.

42

Their might Pandorus loueing dame be seine
That chus'd for to be buried quick in graue
Rather then be the Persean monarchs Queene
Becaus he did her louers lyfe bereaue
The Greciane dame fair Camma their did moue
Who slew her self and him that slew her loue.

43

These wemen with their louers did inioy
A pleasant lyfe about this princelie Queene
And men that did for loue them selfs distroy
Menon that hang'd him self might their by sein
For to the proud Assyriane King alone
His best beloud Semiramis head gone

44

And their Tiberius Gracchus did remaine
That fund tuo Serpents in his chamber floore
And knowing if the femell first wer slaine
His lyfe should longer nor his wyfes indure
The Male he slew so weell he loude his wyfe
And made his deathe the ransone of her lyfe

45

And Marcus Lepidus did their abyde
That slew him self eune for his loues disdaine
And Platius Numidius by his syde
That for his deir loues death him self hade slaine
Their old Syluanus that him self hade hangd
Becaus proud Nero wold his loue haue wrang'd.

46

Their Pollio graue and sad, a Germane borne
A famous Knight though Fortune wrought his fall
This was the Knight that in the Caue beforne
Had told the Prince what their should him befall
There many more that died without remorce
For Lissaes loue by the enchauntments force,

47

All these and many thousand their remaines
Who to that court doe momently resort
The winged boy delights in all their pains
And of their greattest greif he maks a sport
But lo that glorious Queene bred all their ioyes
Their loue their fansie and their amorous toyes.

48

For to inthrall the hart that Queene weell knew
The soueraigne Maistres of that art she was
Her wantoune shyning looks and heaunelie hew
With sweitt allurements secreitlie wold pas
For still the glanceing of her wantone ey
Wold mak her trayne, sad, ioyfull, liue, or dy.

49

Her wantoune eyes bewrayd her inward mynd
Her countenance declaird her harts desyre
To burning lust she seem'd to be inclynde
Consumeing still with neuer quenshing fyre
Dissembling all with such a craftie mynd
That anie saue Adonus wold by kynd.

50

Her modest blush wold diuers tyms bewray
That which (it seem'd) she sham'd for to vnfold
With amours queint her wanton eye wold play
And from her hairt in sport their message told
Her lowring looks or cheirfull smyls doth moue
To laugh to weep, to smyll, to sighe furth loue.

51

Amongs the rest Penardo might espy
Phelarnon braue and Tropolance the bold
Whom by their wofull looks he did discry
To be eune far agains their will with hold
Phelarnons breist bewrayit his ceasles pain
Wheirin a bloodie dagger did remain.

52

And Tropolance his wofull hart was rent
With bloodie sword, tormented still he goes
Yea these tuo princes onlie did lament
While as the rest did seeme for to reioes
But now sad shaddowes of the dankish night
Begane to dryue away the cheir full light.

Caput. XII.

Argument.

Penardo's tempted oft and yit
The tapre he obtains
He chaiseth burning lust to hell
And ends the Princes pains
He quensheth in the fearfull Lake
The Tapers light anone
He finds sum tombs and sies sum lyn's
Which wer ingraph'd theirone.

1

When hells great Grandame gan her self to ryse
For anger breathing furth dark clouds of smook
And chaist heaun's cheirfull lamp doun through the skyes
Then of his wyde impyre possessione took
Penardo hard a fearfull thundring sound
Lyk Neptune raiging gainst a stormie wind.

2

And lo a fearfull wind did now aryse
With dreidfull thunder, lightning flamms of fyre,
Ane earth-quak and a trembling in the skyes
That seem'd to shak the world's sure fixt empyre
From of his centre & his stedfast statioune
And with proud raige to raise his sure fundatione.

3

Wheir with of all this tryne incontinent
He, seis not one in twinkling of ane ey
But of their feet he might decerne the, prent
In the riche cloth that on the ground did ly
Wheirat Penardo much a mazed stoode
But nothting danted was his courage goode

4

And looking round about whill thus he stard
Ane other dure he saw wheiron he red
Tak what thow finds within for the prepairde
Thus in the braue Thessaliane was led
By courage and a fearce vndanted mynd
Not feiring hell it self thairin to fynd.

5

The royaltie of this fair roune was uche
As seem'd the lyik on earth could not be found
The value of the hangings was so much
That from the syling to the paued ground
Did reache all richlie wrought with pearle & gold
Which Hercules great battels did vnfold,

6

Ther hade he slaine the Gyaunt all alone
Who sumtyme rewl't fair Europs fairest yle,
Of whom it got the name of Albeon
And their was seu'ne mouth'd Hydra feirce e're whyle
Whom he by his al-conquering force had slaine
His shafts there, in the monstre did remaine.

7

Their in the Næmeane forrest he hade slaine
The Lyones fearce' the monstre of the Sea
He slew' and fair Exione did obtaine
There the Thessalian Centaurs vanqueist he
Theire Cerberus he bond and Captiue led
And Proserpine frome Pluto's thraldome fred.

8

Theire did he kill Anhteon feirce and bold
And Nessus there, and Gereon proud of Spaine
And frome Hesperides renoun'd of old
Wheer did the goldin fleiced floks remaine
He theme Frome Atlas daughters did disseuer
And bonde Philotes as a slaue for euer.

9

Theer his tuelf works bred terrour to the eye
And trembling fear vnto the boldest hairt
There hade he thrown'e him headlong in the Sea
Who brought to him the strainge Emppyson'd shirt
There he in paine raige sorow, did lament
Tearing the venome that this flesh did rent.

10

And in the mids a piller stoode vpright
Wheiron a rich and glorious armour lay
Their hung a sheild ingrapht whoes glancing light
The armes of Thessaly did furth display
A boue the which a candle-stick of gold
Did hing which seem'd but one small-lamp to hold.

11

In this fair chamber stoode a glorious bed
Of beattin gold Whoes fyrie sparkling flies
Frome pretious stones & diamonds which spred
Their pearsing beam is that dim'd the Prince his eies
The tapers light that in his hand he bure
Gaue place to this more shyning cleir & pure.

12

Four mabre pillers did a table bear
Of yellow glanceing Topas fynlie drest
And of transparant cristall stoode a chear
As if it wold inveit the Prince to rest
Who wearied with his toylsum trauell past
This profer'd rest accepted at the last.

13

And gaizing still vpone this glorious wark
The table suddenlie wes ouer spred
By whome he knew not bot he might remark
With fruetefull Ceres danteis it wes clade
Their Bacchus plentie flowe'd till yis braue Prince
Was weill suffeiz'd then all remoued thence.

14

And all this tyme the taper did abyde
Into his hand wherone he does deuyse
How he might sauelie lay the same asyde
And rest In the fair bed till Tytan ryse
When presentlie did in the table stand
Ane candle-stick presented to his hand

15

Which as ze hard did our the armour hing
Wheirof when he the warkmanship espy'd
He did perceaue ingrauen about the ring
Sum lyn's in azure blew thame selfs bewray'd
Whiche if obeyit it ends the ceasles stryfe
Of Lissa's paine and with her paine her lyfe.

16

Of me thow only mak a chois
Till thow with sleip thy self repose
I am devysd thy light to hold
Then but suspitione be thow bold.

17

This youth had goth no sleip tuo dayes ago
Wheir for to rest a great desyre he fand
Bot woundred who so weel his mynd did kno
Assaying if his light theirin wold stand
A suddane fear assaild his hawtie hairt
He trembled, and he quack'd in euerye pairt.

18

And, as a merchant in a darksum night
Does trauell in a forrest all alone
Wheir he before has sein a fearfull sight
Of robbing Theeues and murtherers, anone
Does feare and faint, and tremble yea and quak's
So he In eury ioynt, and sineu shak's.

19

And wondred what this accident sould mein
When presentlie their come vnto his thought
The deing Knight he in the cane had sein
Who told him all his trauell was for nought
If once the tortche wer tint or gone; or lost
Lost wer her lyfe, lost all his paine and cost.

20

Then Night begane to hyde her loathed heid
Rendring her place unto her fo so fair
Whose messinger was cled in crimsone reid
Hurling his fyrie beam's throw glomie aer
Melting the clouds in liquid drops that fall
Moystninge the thristie pearched earth with all,

21

The royall Knight right ioyfull of the day
That he might bring to end his tedious task
When to the piller whair the armour lay
Whene Titan did his shyning face vnmask
He saw a goldin image which did hold
A table of black Iaspal wreit in gold.

22

And towards him the table poynting was
The which How soone his arme did rais aloft
The image let't it with his hand furth pas
vewing the courious workmanship so oft
The lyn's he red which shaddowish all deceat
Mischeif, dath, discord, furie, wraith, debait.

Uolcane this fair and goodly armour wrought
Whiche Venus to her Sone Aneas brought
Whoes vertue frome all tempting tounge defends
And Hope and courage to she hairt it sends
With vigoraus strenth it does the bodie seid
And vanquisheth the Enemie with dreid
Who wears the same shall victor still remaine
And still his hairts desyre he shall obtaine
Inchantment strong or ony secreit traine
Of subtile Foes shall alwayes proue in vaine
No humane strenthe can this enchantment end
Except the Trojanes armour him defend.

23

Sure quod the Prince this is a rair devyce
That no deceat nor dainger can assaill
True valour sould be compted bot a vyce
If this wer true the coward should prevaill
Then falset crueltie and all deceat
Should trueth, woorth, valour, vertue, all abait

24

Falset should banishe purest trueth to hell
And wicked wrong all right should ouerthraw
Folie should wisdome leid as slaue to Sell
And manly mynds of fazards stand in aw
Of humane kynd then to preuent the fall
This euill of euills I'le cut in peices smal.

25

He cutt's the armour which als soft as brasse
He finds and knew it was bot to entrape
Him in a snair (bot Fates ordaind his glasse
To rine his howres of lyfe in Fortuns lape)
For lo suche deu'lish strenth the armes retaind
As in the shirt of Hercules remaind.

26

And sure too great mischeif should haue betyde
If one him self this armour he receau'd
For first the tapre he must lay a syde
Wheir with Laissa's lyfe hade bene bereau'd
And also him with furie, raige, and wraith
Paine, sorow, cair, and greif had brought to death.

27

But Fortune smyld, her looks wer gratious
And suffred not frost, storme, haill, cold or raine
A flour so young, so fair, so pratious
With death, decay, or dolour, too be slaine
But ridd of this he searching fand anone
Ane irone doore with this inscriptione.
That dreidfull Dragone heir within does ly
That fosters still the fyre of Lechery
Wherin tuo Princes ar tormented still
And can not be remou'd frome thence, vntill
A Knight shall come whoes chastetie is suche
And whoes good Fortune fauours him so muche.

As can not be by aine meins entys'd
To fall into the snairs for him deuys'd
He first must lay his sword & sheilld a syd
Then vnto him the doore shall oppin wyd
Syne proue by strength the weapens for to win
That does the Princes wounds remane within
Wheirwith he must ow'r cum the dragon fearce
Then shall the torments of the Princes cease.

28

This deuelish dragone was ane feind of Hell
Bred first in floods of fyrie Phlegitone
In whom the fyre of birning lust did dwell
Which sho broght furth from darkest Acherone
And being bred of such infernall broode
She leui'd on fyre, in darknes was her foode,

29

This lustfull fyre throgh all the world she send
Wheirwith she hade infect the greattest pairt
Who lyk vnto their mother does intend
In darknes for to quensh their burning smairt
There, help they find, but no releif at all
Till for their mother they haue searchd in hell.

30

Whom Mansay by his airt had brought from thence
Vnto this place these Princes to torment
Whose lustfull fyre had bred their owne offence
And first vnto their ruine gaue consent
But loath he was hes sword to lay a pairt
Which brought his foes to woe, to death, and smairt.

31

Yit seing no releefe he layes a syde
His sword and sheild and fearles fordwart goes
When presentlie the doore brust oppine wyde
And their (a fearfull sight) vnto him shoes
A burning caue that throws owt flamms of fyre
Which from a dragones mouth did still retyre

32

Eune as the dreidfull Salamander liues
Amid the fyre while one the fyre she feids
The fyre her braith her lyfe her essence geues
But fyre she dies in fyre she leues and breids
Eunedo this feind in smook and flamms so bright
Did burn and shyn and glance, and sparkle light.

33

In throgh these flamm's he saw these Princes lay'd
On burning beds of steill lyk furies fel
Wheir hell thay curst and heaune they did obbraid
With many fearfull cry and wofull yell
To sie such galant Princes so tormented
With tears into his eyes he thus lamented,

34

Ah harmeles Soulls so pynd curs'd be the tyme
That Mansayes crewell arte deuysd such pains
His punishment is more then is your cryme
Ah how iniustlie heir he yow detains
Your harme done to your self cryme your owne
To him no spight nor malice had yow showne.

35

Ah eursed by that Zoroastes old
That first devysd deip incantatioune
Of magick arte, whose spells oft being told
Brings vp that foule infernall natione
The man whoes witt does search furth such one euill
Is foe to man and freind vnto ye Deuill.

36

Ah mightie Ioue that does permit such wrongs
And does behold thy creaturs thus pynd
Revenge vnto thy glorious self belongs
Mercie thow grantes to a repenting mynd
Ah for thy glories saik in mercie grant
Thow by my hand this feind infernall dant,

37

Nether could fear of terrour yeilding fyre
Nor world deuoiring monstre him effray
Nor daunt his dauntles hairt that does aspyre
Throw daunger for to gaine great glories pray
This sayd, he swiftly to the monstre hyed
Feir terrour dreid and daunger he defyed.

38

The monstre now with flamming tounge drew neir
With deathe, or lustfull heat him to inflamme
But these her flamms did not on him appeir
Nor could he be molested be the same
She seith that her hoate consumeing fyre
Could not inflamme his spotles chaist desyre.

39

Straight did caste furth a dark blaek foggie smook
Which with the flamme made this a secound hell
Fixt on the Prince her burning eyes did look
Clapping her yrone wings and dreidfull taill
Infixed in this taill wer stings anew
The Prince the Knight the Champione to persue.

40

These stings if thay be fix'd the fleshe within
Does it infect with filthie lustfull fyre
Of venamous and poysonable sine
And appetites inquenshable desyre
Working throw all the vains, till boyling heat
Makes them the heaune yea God him self forgett.

41

Into her tounge ar also stings infixt
Whoes poysone breideth sensuall delight
Which with a gluttonus desyre is mixt
Wallowing in pleasure, plungd in eternall night
Of all forgetfullnes and idle slouth
And sklaueth man to pleas his daintie mouth.

42

For drounkinnes and gluttonnie alone
Drawes efter them a thousand filthie sines
Greif, anger, loue, extremitie, anone
And birning lust throughe all the bodie rins
That memorie, and vnderstanding quyt
Extinguisht ar with lecheryes delyt.

43

It maks a dulnes ow'r the mynd to creip
A monstre maks the bodie fatt with rest
And reassone thus it lulleth sound a sleep
Thus man does differ nothing from a beast
These bates in the begining sweitlie moue
But in the end a Cocatrice thay proue.

44

This monstre these her stinges infecting heat
In mortall mynds, infixeth but releif
And howked once allurde with poyson'd baite
She drawes them heidlong vnto all mischeif
At last to deathe and hells eternall paine
From which all hope of blis'd releiffs in vane.

45

None of these stings could in the Prince haue place
With them she him assayls but all in vane
Wheirfore she fearcelie fordwart flies apace
Ayming with tearing pawes him to haue slaine
And being now heigh rais'd aboue the ground
She beats him with her mightie force a sound.

46

And ayming for to crush him vnto death
In her sharpe pawes she taks him gredilie
But he (who was not whollie void of breath)
Her by the gorget gripeth speedilie
And had th'enchanted tapre beine a syde
She new'r had gone from thence in hell t'abyde.

47

But yet altho he had no hand but one
Her greislie gorge so stronglie did he grip
That she was forc'd to ryis and with a grone
Her hold about his bodie to let slip
She roar'd she yeld she brayt she billow't lowd
So does the lyons, bulls, boars, coursers prowd.

48

This monsters mouthe lyk to a golfe appeirs
And their she thinks him quick for to entomb
A filthie smook she throwes before his eyes
Which forc'd him breathles for to leaue that roume
And farther throw the flamms to seek for breath
She roaring still, still gaip'd still threatned death.

49

So Neptune in a raiging storme doeth rore
When Aeolus his bloystring face ou'r blowes
His rolling billowes fearche beatts the shore
Gaipping his hollow greedie gulfs he showes
Wher in threts to swallow or to wrak
The Plowars of his yrie awfull back.

50

Before she could Penardo ouer reatche
He came vnto the steillie burning bed
And from Phelarnons breist wheir was the breatche
The daggere pull's when with a weappine cled
The monstre seem'd more heauie sadd and low
Her force moir feble, wearie, fante, and slow.

51

Thus thinks he of this feght to mak ane end
And with the dagger to bereaue her lyfe
Who with her oppine jawes does her defend
And theirin cacht the dagger which with stryfe
From him sho reft and brak in peeces small
And thus to him no weappine left at all.

52

Betwixt him and the sword her self she sett
Which Tropolance his bloodie breist containd
While as such fyre and sulphur furth she let
That all the hous into a fyre remaind
So she a birning Salamander seem'd
But nothing of hir fyre the Prince esteem'd.

53

And yet this kynd of feght was verie strange
That Hercules the lyk did neuer vew
When ay the Gyant Cacus (in reuenge
Of Italies enormities) he slew
Nor when the Minyan force before him falls
Raising their mightie seige from Theban walls.

54

Nor when he slew the dragone fearce in fight
Yea none of his tuell labours might be match
To this for that he vsd his strength and might
And with his weapeins did aduantage watch
Tuo hands he hard, Penardo had but one
He weapins als our Champion had none.

55

But now the braue Thessaliane nought amaizd
Maks him as he the dragone wold assaill
Who with her winges aboue the ground was rais'd
And to the feght him fearslie did appaill
With opned mouth she preasd on him to flye
Who lightlie leaps a syde and letts her bye.

56

Then pulls he out the bloodie weapine streght
From out the deidlie wound and their withall
Him self addresseth brauelie for the feght
Bott loe he sies the dreidfull dragone fall,
With roaring low'd the earth she rudelie tear
Doune tumbling into hell with greiflie fear.

57

A mightie wind made this fair building quaik
So that the greatter pairt theirof doun fell
The earthe began to ryve and with a shak
The edefeice sank dounwards vnto hell.
When lo he was vpon a pleasant plaine
Wheir, of that building did no marck remaine.

58

At last he spyes a fearfull laik in sight
Which restles rowlleth lyk a raiging Sea
Whoes billowes baits their bounding banks with might
That crubs them from destroying libertie
And whoes huge waues with restles noyes did swel
Though Aeolus nere breath'd theiron at all.

59

Wherby he knew it was the verie same
Wheir he to qvenshe the tapre should returne
Which being done the strong enchanted flamme
Made all the laik with fear and dreid to burne
At last it raise and lyke a thunder-bolt
With fearfull noyes it pearc'd the azure volt.

60

When as lyk christal all the streame grew cleir
The which before a pitche colour hyd's
No waue no surge no billow did appeir
Bot softlie on the goldin channell slyds
The syluer streame with sweittest murnming sound's
Which wind's, rocks, caues, woods, montanes back redounds.

61

He wounder't much at all these strainge euents
Amaiz'd he stoode and gaiz'd vpon the grounde
When as thrie plesant toumb's to him present's
Them self's, wherin he looks what might be founde
The toumbs of mabre richelye wrought with gold
Wher on these lynes ingraph'd he did behold.
J laughfull loued and yet
Vnlaughfall was my loue
I'm punisht justlie for my fault
And yet I faultles proue
I die becaus my cryme
Deserueth well to die.

And yit no act nor cryme at all
Committed was by me
First did I slay my foe
And then my foe slew me
And deid, my Syre I brought to wrack,
Such was my destanie
The Palace wheir I dwelt
Was fairest of remoune
By feftie thousand pillers borne
All which my death threw doune
But none can change decrie
Of Fates nor nonraphel
If anie for my name enquire
The former lyne doeth tell.

62

This matchles Champioune was the rat amaiz'd
The meining dark he skairslie could descrye
But that he knew this trophee now was rais'd
And that Phelarnon their intoumbd did lye
For nonraphel he knew his name to be
And on the secound toumbe these ly'ns did sie.
Me to my crewell death
Ambitione surth did call
In my reuenge my natioune wrought
A stranger natiouns fall
And with their fall their owne
Perpetuall infamie

Thus am I ground of all mischief
Ordaind by destanie
Ah curs'd vnhappie loue
Loue was the caus of all
In spoyling of my Riualls lyfe
I spoyld myne owne and all
Then who so ere shall look
On Tropolance his name
Remember loue to be the cause
Of ruine, death, and, shame.

63

Penardo was right sorowfull to sie
Such galant Princes so bereft of lyfe
For that be thought that he had made them frie
But at what tyme he took the fatall knyfe
From each of them out of his bloodie breist
Then death from the enchantment them relest

64

Yet more desyre hade he the third to sie
Ane trembling feir through all his bodie goes
For that he feird Laissa dead to be
And then his longsum trauell should he lose
But now in Thetis azure palace fair
With her to dally Phebus does repair.

65

Then lowring sad cum furthe the cheirles night
Ouer earth to spred her sable canoby
Whill as the staitlie birning lamps wer light
Shynning in Ioues heighe palace presentlie
Twixt fear and hope doune lay the Prince vnsein
Vpoune the grasse, soft, fresh sweit, easie, grein.

Caput. XIII.

Argument.

Upoune the sleiping Toumbe the Prince
His trauells seis ingrapht
He seis Laissa their ye sword
He from the rock out rest
A spreit or feind of Hell he meitts
Vpoune Danubius fair
That in the shap of Mayd him leids
To paine, wol greif, and cair.

1

No sonner goldin Phebus guilds the skyes
And shoots furth fyrie beam's throw emptie air
Wheas the Prince vp frō the grasse does ryse
And in his hairt a thousand thoughts repair
His courage fled he doubts, he fant's, he fears
Floods from his eyes send stream's of sylver tears,

2

Kynd was his hairt tho not resolu'd to loue
Cairfull his mynd her lyfe for to preserue
Constantin kyndnes did he alwayes proue
Courtes and cairfull Ladies fan to serue
His hairt a throne for beauties excellence
If airt witheld not Natures influence.

3

At last to the desyred toumbe he came
Which seem'd not to be wrought with humane hands
So riche so rair so wounderfull the same
Which on four syluer shynning Pillers stands
Of beattin gold so pure fair, cleir, and bright
Whoes shynning seem'd to skorne fair Phebus light.

4

And round about him self he might behold
His traeull's throw the birning caue, it shew
No painting colours beautified the gold
Bot Emiralds, Pearls, Rubies, Saphirs blew
Which lyuelie shoes each purtrat & eache pairt
So comelie nature helped courious airte.

5

Their was the purtrat of the Sulphure flamme
In birning Charbunkles and manye a ostone
Whoes glanceing light agains the Sune furthe cam
Lyk sparklying fyre that flam'd that brint that shone
Ther where the Gyant feld him to the ground
And caried him through all the caue a sound.

6

A crimsone blush a pourple dy our spred
His louely face and made him hing his eyes
Shame, raige, reuenge, wraith, furie, anger bred
He loths him self he freats he froun's, he fry's
He thinks these purtrats in despight wer shorne
To show him self vnto him self in skorne.

7

But looking farther of he did espy
There wheir The Gyaunt threwe him to the ground
And how he role agane with maiestie
Giuing at once his foe his fatall wound.
Eache purtrat their to pleas his eye contends
And seem'd for former faults to mak amends

8

There all the rest of this his longsum wark
Wer fynly graph'd in pretious stones and gold
The which frome point to point he did remark
And their his woundrous valour might behold
Bot lynes effrayed his hairt, his eyes, his ears
He feirs to reid yet reids and reids with tear's.
All is in vaine all labour is for nought
Frome Mansayes charmeing spells can non defend
In vaine her lyfe in vaine releif thou sought
In ending of her pain her lyfe did end
Thow casd her pain and crewell death did send
This is the fruct of all thy trauels past
Thow wrought her death her death to the shall send.

Greif, sorow, cair wo shame, disgrace at last
Set is thy Sune with clouds of shame or'e cast
Spent is thy lamp of glorie praise & fame
Thy honor fades dishonor buddeth fast
And blossoms beirs of wo, disgrace, and shame
Thy glories doone praise dead & fame outworre
Go then of heaune, of earth, of hell, the skorne

9

Eune as when fearfull dreams in slumbring sleip
Wold mack a man to shout, to cal, to cry
Whil fear and horrour ou'r his senses creip
Yet speiechles, sightles, mightles does he ly
So now it seem'd the Prince was in a traunce
And greatlie troubled in his countenance.

10

Thus drunk with sadnes and deuoyde of ioy
Amaizd he stoode bereft of speich and sence
Dounwarde he casts his looks with sad anoy
Greif sorow cair wold lyfe haue chaiced thence
Oft did he wishe the solid earthe to ryue
And hyd his shame, by swallowing him alyue.

11

But waiking from this dreaming sleip at last
His loftie witts agane together flies
When as his roaling eyes by chaunce he cast
Aboue the toumbe the which he oppin seis
As Seaman in a raiging storme of wind
At glaid the land and wished shore to find.

12

So glaid he was hoping to find releefe
That sorow's past might haue a happie end
Wheirfore to eas his cair, his paine, his greif,
A loft vnto the toumb his looks he send
Wheir hope with dreid, & dreid with hope made weir
He feird in ioy, & ioyde in mids of feir

13

For their Laissa fair he might behold
Nay not Laissa bot Penardo rather
For eu'ne the sharpest eye could not vnfold
The meinest mark of difference tuixt ether
And thus not glade whill her he oftin light's
But eu'ne him self to sie him self delight's

14

As that fond boy that gaizd into the wel
Wheirin he sies the shaddow of his face
And being deip inamoured of him sell
Oft looks and oft the image wold embrace
So in her face as in a glas or well
He lou'd the only image of him sell

15

She sat vpone a bensh of glanceing g'old
And lein'd her louelie face vpon her hand
Bright look'd her eyes wheir loue & fancie rold
But lo no spunk of aer nor breath he fand
Yet was her colour lyuelie fair and cleir
A sylver tinctour in her cheeks appeir.

16

He cald her oft and nam'd her by her name
First soft, then lowd, then whispred in her eare
But yet no show of heiring made the Dame
Nor anie signe of lyfe could once appeer
Wheirfore sad sorow sheltred all his ioy
And horried paine his pleasour did distroy.

17

And ean this be (quod he) and art thow dead?
And has the worlde her cheifest glorie lost
Could not my pains thy dearest lyfe remead
Oh no, no pains, of noght but shame I bost
O shame, O fame, shame brings eternall foyle
Shame shall my fame disgrace, my glorie spoyle.

18

Oh could my lyfe, thy lyfe (deir lyfe) redeeme
Soone should it by discharged from this breist
Or wold the heauns so much my soule esteeme
That heir it might dislodge and their might rest
Or that but sinne my luck les lyfe might smairt
I to thy ghost wold sacrafeize my hairt.

19

Oh but the faits denyes I sould haue pairt
Of thy sweit ioyes, and heauns denyes my bliss
That their fearce wraith may mak me more to smairt
For this my fault, my iniurie, my mis
Curs'd by the spreitt that me deceaued twyce
With visions dreams, temptatioune, fantasyes.

20

Curs'd be the tyme I put this armour on
Curs'd be the toung that me their to intys'd
Curs'd be the hands that fram'd the same alone
Curs'd be the witt that armour first deuys'd
Curs'd be the spreitts the feinds the furies fell
That built this house of shame, of death, of hell.

21

And with the word his birning eyes did roll
And shoot furth fearfull flamms & sparkling fyre
Dispight raige furie madnes did controle
Witt, reasone, shamefast modesties desyre
Wyldlie he lookd, he staird, he gaizd about
Raige hade his witt, and reason quyt put out.

22

Then of his helme and armour did he teir
Which in his furious raige he threw away
Quod he I am not woorthie airm's to beir
If this be all my conquest all my prey
Of simple mayds the blameles lyfe to tack
Heaune, earth yea hell it self, abhors the fact

23

Let brightest heaunes a sable hew vnfold
Let grasse and hearbes be withert wheir I goe
Let Sunne and Moone in duskie clouds be rold
Loathing to shyne shameing my faults to shoe
Which sould be wrapt in black eternall night
In hell in paine in horrour and despight.

24

Thus from the toumb he goes furth throw the plaine
And wanders far and wounders at him sell
He seiks the flamming rok but all in vaine
That led him first vnto that feild of hell
Their to gett out but none saue Mansay knew
That fearfull caue, and his infernall crew.

25

This valley's walld about by Natures airt
With mightie craiges, steip rocks, and montanes hie
Except the caue their is no entring pairt
Which by that flamming fyre defend it bee
Their set by Mansayes art but now the Prence
The craigs, rocks, montans, climbs, & flieth thence,

26

While this braue youth torments his mightie mynd
With wo, dispair, cair, sorow, greif, and paine
A marble rock his roling eyes out fynd
Wheir in he sies a glaunceing sword remaine
The sword half in the rock, a sheild besyde
And vnderneth sum verses he espyid.

27

But in his furie he disdaind to reid
Which efter was the caus of all his greif
For from these verses did his health proceid
His hope, his hape, his ioy, and his releif
Yet from the rock the sword & sheild he taks
The which, he cutts, he beats, he bowes, he breaks.

28

This was his sword and sheild which he did leaue
Behind when Lechers birning forte he wane
No weapins now he cairs, nor none did craue
He goes he knowes not why, nor wheir, nor when
Nor stands, nor sits, nor rests in any place
Till Phœbus tuyce had sunck, tuyce showne his face.

29

At last he comes vnto that rolling floode
Heght Danubie whoes tumbling billowes roir
His murmring streams in heaps yik montanes shood
To shoulder from his place the craggie shoir
Discharging Surges throw the clifted rocks
With thundring noyes the fearfull crage he Shoks.

30

Eune as that mightie yrone ingyne strong
His bellie being fild with sulphure broune
Casts furth a flamming smookie cloud along
With fyrie balls that touns and towr's throw doune
And fills the aer with noyes of roaring thunder
The heauns with lightning & the earth with wounder

31

Eune so this mightie flood with hiddeous swye
Of surges great beats doune his brokin shoirs
And ow'r the fertill land does swiftlie flie
His sounding streams throw humid aer that roirs
Heir stayd the Prince and heir heis forc'd to stand
Till he espyes vpon the syluer strand.

32

A litle bairge that fleitted nigh the place
The which a Damosell a lone did guyde
Bright was her colour louelie was her face
But sorowfull her countenance he spyde
Leauing her barck she quikly to him drew
And sighing sayd those lynes which doeth Insew.

33

Ah vofull miser wretched cre'ture I
Wo, Paine, and death, greif, sorow, cair, I find
Long haue I gone long sought sum Knight to try
Yet nere the neirer to my iourneyes end
Ah my poore Lady dies for paine & greif
Ow'rcum but caus and vanquisht but releif.

34

Altho the Prence was full of woe and cait
Yet for to heir of Ladies ouerthrow
Did his old paine the sorow he gott air
Reneue augment Inc ess, and caus ouerflow
So does grein wounds their bleidding stensht & gone
The mynd once vexd, againe they ryue anone.

35

And thus he said fair Lady if you please
The caus of this your greif I pray you show
To greif (in trubled mynds) it is ane ease
The same t'vnfold or pairtners for to know
Wrongs blaizd abroade will seeldom skaipe reproofe
On gaind sum hope sum confort sum releif.

36

Fair sir (quod she) my wrong, my hope, is done
Wrong past releif and hope is turnd dispair
And thogh of ayde my comfort al is gone
Yet ile vnfold a verie world of cair
Tears stop'd her braith, such cunning could she frame
Now reid, now pale, her colore, went, and came.

37

Thus silent did the Lady stay a whyle
And sigh'd and grond at last from craftie mynd
She breath'd a souggred lye a craftie guyle
A fals deceat sprung of malicious kynd
Yet could she weell dissemble her fayned feirs
With bashfull blushe, with grones, with sighes, & tears

38

And thus begane, In Transalpina fair
Their regn'd a Prince that bold Euphrastes heght
Who went with Datians to that luckles warre
Of Greece their slaine by proud Thessaliane might
He left no Heyre his sceptour for to hald
But his fair wyfe the fair Philena cald

39

So young, so wyse, so verteous, and so fair
All Regiouns fild wer with her glorious fame
So excellent in all perfectiones rair
That Monarches, Kings and Prences, swed the dame
And wow'd, her, sought her, loud her, yet still fynd
That none could proue or moue, or match her mynd.

40

At last fame singes her beautie sounds her worthe
In th' ears of Antiochs braue Prince anone
The round, the sad and solide globe sought furthe
Apollo shynd not on a brauer one
His might, his strength, his woorth, his val'rous deids
Alcmenas fearce vnconquered Sone exceids.

41

Fame Rendled so this Prince with hote desyre
Which to Philænas loue did him prouock
That nather could he eeas, nor quenshe the fyre
Which death ordaind both loue and lyfe to chock
But to our court he come ane errant Knight
And saw her fair, and seing loud the fight.

42

He serud her long and by his valour wrought
Deids of great wounder, woorthe eternall fame
And for his due rewaird of her he sought
Her loue, her fauour, maryage was his ayme
She no les brunt with loues consumeing fyre
Yeilds to his sute consents to his desyre.

43

At last that day, cursd day wnhappie yeir
When loues vnsein delight and beauties treasure
The fortres which all wemen holds most deir
She should haue randred he receaud with pleasure
Eune that same day with strēgth, with might, & stryfe
Sheis carred thence and he bereft of lyfe.

44

By tuo strong gyants mightie fearce and bold
Which Maro fearce and Bramarano heght
That does ow'r Creitt their crewell scepter hold
Which they haue won by murther, bloode, and feght
Her beautie fame vnto their ears hade soundit
Wheir by proud Bramaranos hart was woundit.

45

This Bramarano sone to Maro is
Who hearing of Philenas wedding day
Come with his Syre and feftie Knights of his
While she (poore soule) was but ane easie prey
For all the court in pompe in ioy in stait
Had nether sword shield armis nor feard deceat.

46

Thrie scoir and more into this wofull broyle
Wer slaine and their the Prince of Antioch fell
Whoes onlie valour long with stude this spoyle
Seune airmed Knights he slew vnarm'd him sell
On Bramaranos sword at last he smairted
O crewell death, o Tyrant crewell hairted.

47

This woefull murther wrought, they thence remoue
Philæna fair, with trauell paine and toyle
Nor could her car, her greif, her sorow, moue
Their harts to pitie, nor their hands from spoyle
But Bramarano would haue rapt the prey
Which eye should not behold, nor tongue bewray.

48

And yet withe tear's with murninge, and complaint
His hairt by Nature furious, fearce, and crewell
She mou'd on this conditione to relent
Tho loue still brunt, and lust still fond the fewell
Where noghtbut beautie breideth loues desyre
Lust feids the flamme and booldith stil the fyre.

49

He was content if in tuo months she could
Find out a knight to vanquish him in fight
Vnto her formar libertie she should
Be set and he should quyt discharge his right
Prouyding if no Knight with stoode his stryfe
She should remaine his Concubine or wyfe

50

And now tuo tyms has swartishe Cynthia shynd
Tuyce showin her spherick face with borrowed light
And tuyce agane to horned shape declynd
Since I frome fair Philena took my flight
To find sum Knight, sum Champione, or sum Lord
That wold to hit his happie ayde afford.

51

Yet haue I fund not one that hade regaird
To honor glorie fame or dignitie
Altho she geues her self for their rewaird
Who conquere shall so fearce ane Enemie
And now no more but full tuo weiks remains
Of the appointed tyme which he ordains.

52

Thus haue yow hard the somme and heill effect
Of all my toyle, my trauell, and my paine
Sure then quod he it seem's that yow neglect
To find a Knight or els no Knights remaine
Bot if the heau'ns so pleas or it be long
I shall abaitt his pryde, reuenge her wrong.

53

Thanks sir quod sho, your great good will I sie
But lo yow laick both armour sword and sheild
I was but knighted now of lait quod he
And swoor to wear none till I wan't in feild
Why then quod she if our reuenge ensue
The heaun's has smyld and I haue done my due.

54

The Prince and she both enters in the bairge
But heaun's preserue him from that deculishe traine
Which falslie is deuys'd for him at lairge
To worke his shame, his fall, his death, his paine
Who ou'r that great Danubius is gone
A companeid with fals deceat alone.

Caput. XIIII.

Argument

The Prince is by this feind furthled
Vnto Philæna's bour
He slayes the Gyant seine by fair
Philena from her tour
Her raige to loue does turne but loue
Disdaint turns meir despight
She seiks his death he's by an
Angell warnd & flies by night.

1

Happie ar they that can eschew deceat
Whoes baits ar beautie glorie flattrie gaine
That vertue pulls frome honors hie estait
Alluring them by what they wold obtaine
Thus hope of vertue glorie praise & fame
Leads them to death destructione foyle & shame.

2

So does the craftie Crocadeill entyse
Beneth the fertile banks of flowing Nile)
The trauellers with murnefull platns and cryes
As if it wer sum wofull wight that feill
The pains of death but when they come to sie
With terrour feir and death tormented be.

3

Suche kynd compassione with Penardo wrought
He goes bot knowes not to his death deuys'd
So was decreid and so Philena sought
So with this false deceat she him entys'd
For tatling Fame had maid it knowne to all
That Prince Euphrasies did before him fall.

4

Whairfore long tyme she murn'd she sigh't she plaind
At last she send (when for reuenge she cryes)
For Arebo a visarde (who sustain'd
And brought her vp in youthe) with him t'aduyse
Whoes airt his wit his will to ill entysde
Ay ill he wrought ill vsde and ill devysde.

5

He told her that the Prince Penardo was
So braue a knight whom heaune so muche did fauour
All slights all straits all daunger could he pas
Except he chanc'd but sword or armis to wauer
In chantment strong his vertue still commands
If mou'd to wraith whole armeis he withstands.

6

Whoes might be then had brought to end (he said)
The fairest rarest wounderfullest warke
That ere be force of magick airt was maid
Yet he the wished end shall not remark
For that shall be vn sein vnfun'd vnknowne
Till tyme place fates and fortuue leaue to frowne.

7

Wheir for now fits the seasone for reuenge
Now fits the tyme to croune thy iust desyre
Now trauells he throw desert montanes strainge
From whence my arte shall mak him heir reteir
For Bramarano send whoes strenth all knowes
To the that Gyaunt great affectione showes.

8

Feid him with showes and shaddowes of delight
Whoes valour strenth and might so weell is knowen
If not by him not by the world that Knight
Mey be orecum or vanquisht or or'e throwen
Yea if he hade his armour sword or sheild
He nor all Europe could not win the feild.

9

Thus did the wiked wisard her entyse
To act this fals deceat and crewell slight
Which was perform'd eune as he did deuyse
And Bramanano brought was to the fight
Whoes furie strength and might so knowne by fame
That all those kingdomes trembled at his name.

10

Thus Arebo ane wicked feind hade sent
(In shape of Mayde) with whom o're that fair streame
Of Danubie, the Prince Penardo went
Not doubting ill deceat disg'race nor shame
But in her louelie looks deceat did loure
So Serpents lurck amidst the fairest floure.

11

When ouer Danubius the Prince was gone
With this foule feind this ladie and this guyde
Such will hast, zeal, and such desyre alone
He had that fast he on his iourney hy'd
Ah happie Prince hade it bene know'ne to the.
Who train'd the, brought the bure the compaine.

12

In fals report no credit nor no hope
Thow wold haue had nor haue beleeud deceat
But mightie Ioue who gaue thy rains the skoipe
His Angell send for to preserue thy staitt
Els furies feinds ghostes Spreitts & fairies all
Had brought shame death & euerlasting fall.

13

Guydit by hell altho preserud by heaun'e
At last Philenas palace he espyde
Vpoun a rock heighe built wer castells seaune
Below a murmuring riuer softlie glyd
Ore whiche the rock with rugged airms furth lay
Threatning his fall her speedie course to stay.

14

Thrie quarters of this rock the riuer folds
And in her asure armes it rude ye taks
A [illeg.]ousie plaine thrusts in betuine which holds
The streame vnmet whoes roaring billowes braks
With surges great vpone the sandie shoare
Yet to the rock the plaine a passage boire.

15

The rugged craiges and clifts that seem'd thus brok
Was cled with tries with hearb's with flours witgrasse
Which garland-wayes bedect'd the mightie rok
Pyns Cedars Oaks Palms Eshes Firs Embrase
The streame below wheire, Caues, walks groaues, and sheds
Erects to Venus chambers galries beds.

16

The Prince with great delight walkd throw the same
At last his ey sight lady sayes Sir Knight
On top of yonder rok abyds my dame
From whence you must releas her by youre might
The gyant by the way will you assail
No longer must I stay for fear farweall.

17

And with the word she glyd's throw shaiples aer
He gaz'd about to sie wheir she was gone
But nought he seis yet nothing could he fear
But forward still he goes and goes alone
By Arebo at last the Prince was knowen
And to Philena from heighe turrets showne.

18

Then from her springs of tears bright flames furth shyn'd
Wher raige reuenge mischeif wraith anger bud
With sorow care, woe, greif'and saidnes pyn'd
Wyldlie she gaiz'd with rolling eyes as wode
Now Bramaran with tears and grones she mou'd
She sigh'd she murn'd she plain'd she pray'd she prou'd

19

She mou'd him prou'd him wisht him tak reuenge
Of that fearee crewel proud disdainfull Knight
Which if he did she promeist to exchainge
Her self for guerdone of his strenth & might
Her croune her wealth her kingdome al efford
All should be his & he should be her Lord.

20

As he who gaizeth one the Sune is seine
To haue a weake a dimm and daizled sight
So blindit was the gyants hungrie eyne
Who all this tyme fed on her beautie bright
Feir not Madame (quod he) be heaune I sweir
His bodie frome his cursed head to tear.

21

His looks from loue now chang'd to wraith & ire
Soone was he arm'd and soone to battel dight
Doune from the rok he goes with great desyre
To feght to vanquish and to slay the Knight
So does a falcone soaring in the skye
Haist doune when as his prey he does espy.

22

By this the Prince was come the rock hard by
Winds birds and streams thrie pairts sang in his eare
When he that mightie g'yant did espy
Lyk Typhon that appeald the gods to weare
Nor had the Prince sword sheild nor armour strong
But choos'd a club the sturdie Oaks among.

23

Wheirwith he martch'd against his mightie foe
Whoes throat send furth a hoarse confused sound
So buls and lyons roir to feght that goe
Ah Gods quod he this simple man confound
Who naiked bear but armour sword or sheild
Dars feght or look or meit me in the feild.

24

Ceas quod the Prince thy threats and babling toung
Vse now thy sword thy hand thy strength thy might
So pleas the heauns ile mak the know er long
T'abaitt thy pryde God has ordain'd a Knight
Then do thy worst or best or what thow may
Heauns be my hope my strength & thy decay.

25

No longer could feirce Bramarano stay
Foame from his mouth fyre sparkled from his eyes
Thy spytfull cursed head (quod he) ile lay
In fair Philenas lape for thy defyes
This sayd together flew the champions bold
Their battell strainge rare woundrous to behold.

26

Penardo was of bodie great and strong
Quick nimble actiue reddie sharpe and light
The gyant lyk a tour as great as long
It seem'd if he but fell vpon the Knight
That he wold crush his bones to peeces small
So Serpents feght with Elephants more tal.

27

Penardo eye his hand his fute goes right
He nimble shuns the gyants mightie bloes
The Gyants spends his force in vaine, so light
And reddie was the Prince who alwayes goes
Trauersing heir and their and oft at neid
Stricks wards reteirs turns And assails with speid

28

Thus long in equall ballance stoode the feild
But farr vnequall in their armes they fall
The Gyant arm'd with mass arm's sword and sheild
Penardo hade no armes sword sheild at all
While thus they stryue to win stout hardy bold
Philena from her tour did them behold.

29

Long gaizd she thus and long she lookt thairone
At last she said vnto the wisard old
Sure wer thy words and sure yone Knight alone
If arm'd gainst mightie armeis might be bold
It fears me now and sure I dreid his strengthe
Shall vnreueng'd my vengeance work at lengthe.

30

This sayde the dame for that she felt her hairt
From raige reuenge and vengeance to Relent
Raige myld became and vengeance did conuert
To pitie, then did crueltie repent
Of ill the sourse dry'd vp the spring did cease
What discord ist that loue can not apaise.

31

But Arebo (who had her words mistane)
Sayd loe Madame I fear our hope shall chainge
If he yone weapine from the Gyant gaine
In vaine our toyle in vaine our wish'd reuenge
Wheirfore me thinks it best thus to preuent
Thy Gyaunts death his lyfe your discontent.

32

In matcheles Macedone their regnes a Queene
To Geraldinus sole and onlye Heyre
At whoes sad birthe the Destanies wer seine
T'ordaine her fate strange wounderfull and rair
Clotho ordaind of all the earth alone
She should be fair and equall vnto none,

33

Nixt Lachesis ordaind and did protest
She should be loud of all that vew'd her face
And Atrepe made her spotles pure and chast
Tho loud of all she nere should loue embrace
O beautie rair O chastitie, O loue
O woundre vertues thrie, thrie vyces proue.

34

For still her beautie praise augments her pryde
The loue of all her heighe disdaine still feids
Pryd and disdaine the ornaments does hyde
That from her spotles chastitie proceids
Nor meik nor myld nor humble is her mynde
Non she regairds non cane her fauour fynde.

35

Thus manie thousands loues and dies for loue
And thousands loues and liues a deing lyfe
And thousands mo (that dar not fortune proue)
Sum kills them self sum kild by Riualls stryfe
Loue breids confusioune warre blood discord death
Al loues few liues and none withstands her wraith.

36

She conquers all and yet her gaine is losse
When she has vanquisht all she wins but shame
These she ore cum's these breids her greattest croce
This crewell Queene Olindo heght to name
Whom by my arte ile mak this Knight to sie
Her shall he loue and loueing her shall die.

37

But fair Philenas ferce reuenge or now
Was ouercome with pitie myldnes loue
Sighes grones and tears wer all that she could dow
True signes wheirby we true repentance proue
At last she sayd shall he depairt ah no
Ile haue his cursed hairt before he goe.

38

For if stout Bramaran he chance to kill
Eune heir will I inveit him for to rest
Then fitts the tyme then must I work my will
Then to my wishe shall my reuenge be best
Loath wold I be that any should bereaue
The lyfe I should I wold and I must haue,

39

This spak the Dame all that her heirs still weining
That she decreit by death to work his smairt
But subtile wemens words hes double meining
Each blow that he receaues lights on her hairt
Oft lookd she doune oft victorie she prayd him
And with her looks her hairt flies furthe to ayd him.

40

And all this tyme still equall stoode the fight
The gyants bloes could neuer do him harme
He was so agill nimble quick and light
At last he lighted on the Gyants airme
Wher his left shoulder band it to his back
Which with his club lyke Hercules he brack.

41

Wheir at proud Bramarano raiging more
Cursd all the Gods and cursd heighe he auns aboue
In vaine his blowes in vaine his masse he boir
In vaine his force his strength his might to proue
Wheirfore in raige his masse away he flong
And drawes a curtlax keine sharpe heauie long.

42

Wheirwith he fearflie did assayle the Prence
Vniting force strength furie raige and wrath
Now gainst his thundring blowes was no defence
He geues not Prince Penardo leaue to braith
For now his club was no defence at al
The Gyant cuts the same in peices smal

43

Nere was the Prince in daunger vntill now
Now lytle could his lightnes him defend
He geues him wound on wound and blow on blow
Wheirfrom the blood in purple streams discend
So does a fontane made with arte and cunning
His streams in sundre oppin pairts furth running

44

Greats shouts and clamours from the castell came
Wheirwith that wicked crew expresse their ioye
But cheiflie Arebo who sayde Madame
Our skill our wit our flight no more employ
Ours is the day the feght the victorie
His be the fall the wrak the in famie.

45

Ah quod the Queene it much torments my mynd
That Bramarano liues if he should die
My loue my self my mariage I assyng'd
To him and deathe (ye know) it wer to me
Him for to wed which he wil haue perforce
Ah deir reuenge ah lait too lait remorce.

46

Ah heauns I wishe yone crewel Knight alyue
Till my reuenge my self should vndertake
If he the Gyaunt of his lyfe depryue
Eune him my thrall and bund slaue wold I mak
No more for greif and sorow could she say
Her tears her sighes her grones the rest bewray.

47

But she disguysd her loue with showes of hate
Altho for loue she tremble pant and quaikt
These words againe did to her self repeat
Eune him my thrall and bond slaue wold I makt
But o sweit loue should be his prisone good
My airms should be his bands my lips his foode.

48

And thus did she this doubtsume feght attend
With torment fear care sorow greif and paine
For eurie drop of blood the Prince did spend
Her hairt a sighe her eyes a teare furth straine
Still when the Gyant stricks she starts she cryes
The wounds impressione in her bosome lyes.

49

Amaizement greif and sorow mixt with dout
Her change of hewes her thoughts confusioune showes
Cold was her blood within but hote without
Trew witnes that her hairt her torment knowes
Now reid now paile now pale now reid agane
Her loue bred fear fear greif & greif bred paine.

50

Hard was the stait wheirin Penardo stood
His club now gone long deip and wyde each wound
From whenc flou'd riuers of his purple blood
Which dyed in sanguein all the flourie ground
With weknes now he wearies and he faints
His agill leaps and nimble quicknes wants.

51

Oft sought he with the gyant for to close
Al tho his wounds his strength & lyfe did waist
But all in vaine his trauell did he loose
Such was the gyants wraith his raige his haist
That him now heir now their now out now in
He forcd about the field for to rine.

52

At last he stumbled on the yrone masse
Wheirof as then great neid great help he fand
That he it got the Prince right ioyfull was
Now strength reneu'd into his strengthles hand
Reuenge bred ire wraith furie raige and might
Wheirwith againe he did renew the fight.

53

Feirslie he faught but feble was his strengthe
His might his slight his cunninge all was gone
And onlie wratth manteind the feght at lengthe
The gyaunt breathles brusd with blowes alone
At last eache one so neir to vther drew
That breist to breist and airme to airme they threw.

54

Blood moud the Prence a dreid reuenge to tak
Shame moud the werie Gyaunt vnto wraith
Shame gainst reuenge reuenge gainst shame does wrake
Their ire their will their veangeaunce vnto deathe
Thryce stroaue the gyaunt in his armes to fold
The Prince, but his left airme refusd his hold.

55

Which great eduantage did the Prince espy
And in his armes the gyant stronglie greips
Whill both their feble forces thus they try
Sad night with sable wings their deids eclip's
Whill as her daughter darknes their resorts
To guyde the gyaunts soule to Plutos port's.

56

Thryce gir't the Prince the Gyant in his armes
And thryce againe he's forc'd to let him go
With deip and deidlie wounds the gyant harm's
The back the leggs the theighs of his strong foe
By on vnarm'd so ouercum to be
He loath'd he scorn'd and he disdain'd to die

57

Thus strugling long at last to ground they pas
Of fallis the Gyants helme the Prince up flies
And quicklie with that mightie irone masse
Beats furth his brains & with his brains his eyes
Thus bold disdainfull fearce prow'd full of wraith
He yeelds his soule to hell his lyfe to death.

58

The Prince gaue Ioue his prase his thanks his right
But yet this bluddie conquest hade so muche
Febled his strength his ualour & his might
Tyrd wer his trembling legges his waiknes suche
He falls at last no differ could ye kno
Betuixt the victor and his vanqueist foe.

59

The Queene Philena fair (who all this whyle
Hade weel remark'd the valour of the Prince)
Cheird vp her wofull looks and with a smyle
She haisted doune to bring Penardo thence
Whom when she sawly pale cold bloodles dead
She grou'nd she sigh'd she sank doune at his head.

60

This sight amaz'd her seruants much but more
It troubled Arebo the trueth to fynde
At last his science airte and magik loir
Reueild to him the secreit of her mynd
Wheirfore with cair greif sorow wo & wounder
He fear's least deathe pairt lyfe & loue assunder.

61

Altho eun'e to the deathe he haits the Prince,
Yet for Philenas cause for him did cair
And softlie caus'd them bothe be caired thence
Vp to the rock and lay'd in chambers fair
Wheir soone he brought by skill arte craft ingyne
His lyfe his senses and releif from pyne.

62

When lyfe o're death hade got the uictorie
And feir Philena hade reuiud againe
Loue stroane with shame and shame with in famie
And in famie reuiu'd what loue had slaine
But shame reuenge hait in famie and all
At last by lout was foght foyld bund in thral

63

Wherfore these words she sadlie did rehears
O lawles Loue imperious proud and crewell
Vniust vnteamd vnconquerd strong & fearce
O thow of goode and bad effects the few all
Thow moues mischeif shame dath warr woe despight
And freindsship true true ioy & true delight.

64

And thus thow ar! More wold ye dame haue sayde
But Arebo she seis who did remoue
The Ladies all when she on bed was layde
His cure his spells and mightie charm'e to proue
She that her self bewray'd might now behold
Discoured al, reueild all al she told.

65

So does a craiftie Traitour to a King
Who with his fellowes has conspyrd his death
But fearing once discouerie of the thing
Repentance faynes in looks in words in breath
Discouering all their curs'd, malicious treasone
And still him self condemn's him self with reasone.

66

When Arebo had harde the taill she told
Still interrup't with grones with sighes with tear's
His hairt inclynd to crueltie he wold
And could haue bene content to stope his eares
But that the loue he bore vnto the Dame
Stop'd vp his wraith and quensh'd his furies flamme.

67

Wheirfor this much he promeist her at lenthe
That he so weell his phislik wold apply
His healthe his vigour beautie blood & strenth
Should to his senewes vain & arteirs flie
Which in few dayes he hade performed so
The Prince began to ryse to walk to goe.

68

Whom to Philena euerie day repairs
Her cheifest pleasure was, to dres eache wound
Her snow whyte hand she daintelie prepairs
To dight to dry to dres to rype the ground
Loue smyld to sie his nouish thus allurde
O happie man so drest so heald so cuerde

69

And whill she tuich'd his soft & snow white skin
Which heir and their was staind with purple blood
Tears frome her eyes lyk liquid pearle doun rinne
And on his skin oft trembled rold & stood
To plead for their fair dame & seem'd to moue
His hairt to yeeld to pitie or to loue.

70

Some tyme she ey'd his fair and louelye face
His goldin looks his quick sweet smyling eye:
His weell proportion'd limms & eurye place
She still remarks still feids on what she seis
She looks she vewes admir's & still she gaizeth
And frome each pairt a wound her loue increseth

71

Weell might the Prince behold her passiones strong
Yet seemd he nought to know or not allow
Least by deny all he should do her wrong
Whoes martiall mynd to loue could neuer bow
Yet courteslie her profer'd pains with stands
Which for vnkyndnes she taks at his hand's

72

Oft by her looks yet would she mak him know
The passioune that torments her inwart mynd
Oft hy her prettie speeches would she show
She caird not muche altho he wold be kynd
And often be simlituds would proue
How farr her Sex exceedeth his in loue.

73

But nether speeche similituds nor looks
Could mak him quick or capable at all
He could not sie those baits, allurements hook's
Or seing would not sie nor heir their call
Stil Mars his Sogeour he himself had sworne
For Cupid he was nather bred not borne.

74

Yet fair Philena could not leaue to loue
With new conceats new toyes & questions new
Which in ane vthers persone she wold proue
By parables his sansie to subdue
But seing nother this nor that could moue him
With sighes and tear's she told him she did loue him.

75

Wheirat he stood long silent and amaizd
At last resolud to tak it but in skorne
He sayd Madame i'me glade yow so ar pleasd
To tak your pastyme of a wretche for lorne
Whoes birth whoes merit and whoes poore estate
Your basest hand mayde wold not chuse for mate.

76

By this his simple answere weel she knew
He knew her loue her passione and her mynde
Wheirat she sham'd & chang'd to vermeil hew
Sham brought in wraith, wraith sweir be was vnkynd
Wraith brings in haitt in hait away she flong
And whill she flies disdain chac'd loue along.

77

Penardo left in chamber now alone
Repents him of his answer rashlie sayde
Ah now Philena had yow knowne his mone
And sein the grones, the sighes, ye tears he shade
Once more thy cruell mynd hade now re-ented
And thy mischeif new bred hade new repented.

78

But heaun's deny'd his pace and her content!
So prone and bent her mynd was to mischeefe
Who now with Arebo has geuen consent
To end his dayes and with his dayes her greefe
In throw a priuie posterne they should creep
And in his bed should murder him a sleep.

79

When bright Apollo sank doun vnder ground
And Night look'd vp with manie thousand eyes
Penardo in his bed was sleeping sound
Ane Angell bright discend from heaune he sies
Who sayd vp vp heighe Ioue commands ye flie
Flie then in haist for if yow stay thowle die.

80

Then he awaks and leaps vnto the flure
His birning eyes rold staird & gaizd about
At first he could not think him self secure
To go from thence or stay such was his dout
Not that he feard whole armies their to fynd
But cald Philenas restles sutte to mynd

81

Whill dimme weak hale and feble Cynthia shyne
Her borrowed light she lends to arme ye Prince
With armour bright riche costlie rair and fyne
And with a sword & sheild for his defence
Which fair Philena gaue him long ago
And with them would haue geu'ne her self also,

82

Be chance then to ye dure he did repair
Which to receaue the murtherers oppin stoode
And doune a black deip dark and hollow stair
Which seem'd to lead to hell and Lethes floode
At last benethe the rock wheir waters glyde
Furthe their he come doune be the Riuers syde,

83

And thus along the riuer syde he goes
Throw rocks craigs tries woods groues and paths vnknowne
In silence of the night whill Cynthia shoes
Her pale weak pure cleir syluer Beam's furth throwne
Throw glomie aer tuixt clouds youth Zephyre brings
Vpont his soaring swift & loftie wings.

Caput. XV.

Argument.

The Murderers mis their fals intent
Alone Penardo flies
He on the banks of Theissa fair
The Heyre of Hung'ry seis
By Argalantes reft away
He kills him brings her thence
He foyls Lord Doreo in her sight
Shea's amrous of the Prince.

1

Great harme ensue by ouer great desyre
O vaine desyre rediculous and ill
That birnes the mynd & setts the hairt on fyre
From the proceids wode furious fraintik uil
A groundles deip of ill if ill abusde
Diuerse inconstant infinit confusde

2

Vnnaturall desyres heighe heauens offend
And appetits immoderat and vaine
As birning lust but limits bounde or end
A sink of sin a gulfe a sea a maine
Which drawes the soule from heaunlie contemplatione
And beastlie bruttslie maks her operatione.

3

Yea who soere or what soere they be
Suffring them selfs with lust for to be led
They ar no more them selfs, no more ar frie
Nor from no trauell paine and labor fred,
For their desyre a thousand wayes they vse
Nor for it thousand torments will refuse.

4

Their bodie not refusing thousand pains
So they obtain their pleasure their desyre
Into their mynd a thousand hells remains
In quenshing (thought vnquenshable) their fyre
And their desyre their fyre incressing still
Turns furie seiks for death if want of will.

5

Suche furie in Philena fals abyds
Who birnes in fyre of sensuall delight
Wanting her will and her desyre prouyds
In furie for to murder this her Knight
Not loue of him but lust in her remaind
And therfore crewell death becaus restraind,

6

For presentlie no sooner was he gone
When sextein Knights arryu'd in armour cled
And throw that secreit passage goes anone
With cleir sharpe swords about the Prince his bed
The which if mightie Ioue had not forsein
Their had he died their had he murdre'd beine,

7

But he whom heaun's preserud for better hape
Did restles on his longsum iourney wend
Till Tytan thryce in Thetis watrie lap
Had dyu'd and thryce his spherick course did end
When he vpone the banks of Teissa fair
Lay doune and ends his wearie iorney their.

8

This Teissa is a fair and pleasant floode
Which Hungaries east bordour rins a longe
Neir to that montanes seuine heighe hoarie rude
Which Transyluania fortefie right strong
Heir rests the Prince all night & feids his mynd
With conquest praise and glorie brought from Ind.

9

And wheir he lay the riuer from a rock
Pour'd doune his pure cleir syluer streams in stoir
Which on the peble channell softlie brok
Throw hollow concaues of the crooked shoir
Whoes ghostlie roars maks all the craigs to ring
Whill tries birds winds with sweit reports does sing.

10

Whoes confort rare of musick sweit and fyne
Soung him a sleip till bright Aurora ryse
Whoes mantle bright reid whyt & cleir did shyne
And alter-turne and change in azure skyes
A suddan sound (into his ears that rings
A waks the Prince with shouts and murmerings.

11

He starts a loft and looking round about
He sies ten Knights come fro a forrest wyde
Who Captiue led seaune Ladyes in a rout
Whom with away in greattest hast thay ryde
He drawes his sword and with his sheild he goes
To wine that prey be valour death and bloes.

12

One of the ten their passage to mak frie
Cums farr before and caught his mightie launce
The which he shuns with hand with fute with eye
And quicklie did his murdring blade aduance
Which in the Knights hairt bloode he sheathd perforce
Then took his launce and quicklie man'd his horse.

13

By this the Ladies and the Knights drew neir
And swor their fellow should not die for nought
One moir they send the passage for to cleir
Whose king for reuenge a vengeance bought
The Prince eune with his fellowes lance a pairt
Pearst throw his breist his bodie and his hairt,

14

The rest with raige with furie and despight
The Ladeis daintie hands and feitt hade bund
And taine them fro their horse for feir of flight
And left them sadlie weeping on the ground
And in their furie mad for their reuenge
All with the Prence began a battell strainge.

15

The Prence who saw the ladyes weep and murne
His ire and wraith was chang'd to pitie myld
But pitie vnreuengd to raige did turne
Thus lyke a lyone angrie fearce and wyld
His flamming sword he tos'd till they all shoke
Yet fanting striks and tremble whil they stroke.

16

The Prince rush throw them with his brand heigh borne
Death by his syde at each bloe one to catche
As sythe cutts doune the graine the grasse the corne
So cut befoir him fall they eurye wratche
Eache bloe a wound eatch wound brought death with paine
Himself vntiutch'd vnharm'd vnhurt remaine.

17

Eune as a montane craige or mightie rock
Whom raiging seas or blustring winds assayle
Gainst seas winds stormes & lightning thunder broke
Still vnremou'd abyds and neuer faill
So sted fastlye the Prince with stoode their strengthe
And hurt feld slew or chac'd them all at lengthe.

18

Not one now left his furie to withstand
His bloodie brand he dights and sheaths it then
The ladyes he would louse bound fute and hand
Tormented sore with sorow greif and payne
And she that Mistres seemd of al to be
Her lows'd the Prence from bands & set her frie.

19

Mistres she was indeid of all the rest
For comelines for beautie and for grace
For verteous mynd vnstaind pure cleine and chaist
Meik modest myld and sprung of princelie race
The feild of loue did modest vertue plow
And rypt the fructe vnpuld as yet that grow.

20

Her modest blushe her Sune shyne beauties ray
Her fyrie sparkling light cleir bright and shynning
Their goldin beams springs furth in wantone playe
Streams on the Prence his face whoes eyes refynning
Hade recolle'ct' her spredding beams in one
And throwes them back and burns her hairt anone

21

So bright Apollo spreds his beam's o're al
And sweitlie warms and conforts eurye floure
But in a litle birning glas recal
His rayes he shows his might his strength his powre
For that to which before he comfort brought
He birnes he skortches and consumes to nought.

22

The Prince admeird the beautie of her face
She stoode she staird she woundert & she gaiz'd
Still from his eyes come lightninge furthe a pace
Which brint her hairt dismayd and much amaiz'd
For loue of eurye glance and eurye looke
New weapins forg'd when with her hairt he strooke.

23

Thus stoode the dame now pale now reid now wane
Which weell bewrayde the passiones of her hairt
Till floods of tears from her fair eyes doune ranne
Sighes from her swelling breist vnsolds her smairt
Then loue for mend's did change to cristall ball's
The syluer globs which from her eyes doune fall's,

24

And them he throwes at Prince Penardos eyes
Their with to hit to wound, or worke his smairt
But all to weak his chyldishe airme he seis
To harme the man that hade a Mars his hairt
Wheirfore he sweir in furie raige and ire
To fet eyes hairt and all into a fyre.

25

Ane arrow from his quauer furth he drew
The which by chance did bear a leaddin head
Wheirof he nothing in his furie knew
Till in the Princes hairt he fixt the lead
Then Cupid blusht & sighdt and grond full sore
Who neuer knew that he was blind before.

26

Ane vther shaft with goldin head he taks
Wheirwith he wold vndo his work ere long
But all in vaine his trauell now he maks
For that the vthers poysione was too strong
Yet mollefied the force and did him moue
To pitie her becaus he could not loue,

27

Then weiping throw the aer young Cupid flies
To show vnto his mother his mischance
The dame who now hade cleird hir wattrieeyes
With modest blushe and smyling countenance
Gaue thanks vnto the Prence for his releefe
When lo appeird more harme & more mischeefe.

28

For that a mightie Gyant they espyde
Come from the woode vpone a Cameall strong
At whoes hudge fearfull sight the ladyes cry'd
O now begins our hell our death ow'r wrong
But she that was vnbound with smyling cheir
Sayde thus vnto them all, leaue of your fear:

29

In this most braue and gallant Knight remains
Our hope, our confort, our releefe, our strengthe
Such vertue grace and valour he retains
That he must be our tour and sheild at lengthe
Loue bred her courage that the taill hade tolde
What one so fear'd but loue can mak them bolde.

30

Such was her loue altho her loue was new
Then leaue her secound self she rather die
The Prince that saw the Gyant nerer drew
Sayd thus to her fair lady now I sie
I may not stay the rest for so vnbind
Wheirfore that wark to yow must be assingde.

31

Go then quod she heauns the preserue from ill
So small a work as this may I performe
He hors'd and took a mightie launce him till
Then reddie he abyds the furious storme
The Gyant neir now dead seis eurye Knight
And cryd ah Gods do I behold this sight,

32

Trembling with wraith with anger raige and yre
He gnash'd his teith and shook his head a round
Out from his eyes flew flamms of sparkling fyre
And from his throat a hoarce confused sound
His braith within his throat his speeches toir
So bulls and lyones billow feght and roir.

33

Thus in his madnes furie wraith and haist
He coutcht his mast-lyke launce & furth did runne
The Prince that hade before his launce in raist
Lyik haist lyk wil hade lyk desyre to win
And thus lyke Pegasus grosse earth they spair
And flies lyke thunderbolts throw boxin aer,

34

The Gyaunt brak his launce first on the prince
Him self not steirt nor hurt nor mou'd at all
But gainst the Prince his armes wer no defence
Split was his hairt he doune to ground did fall
With such a noyes & such a thundring sound
As maks a mightie tour that falls to ground.

35

Be this the Ladyes of their bonds werefied
And saw this bloodie monsters fatall end
Terrour of him and horror of the dead
Made them to shrink and fearfull looks futth send
They stood amaizd dismay'd affraid they fanted
Their timorous hairts in their weak bosums panted.

36

When to the Dam's the Prince reteired back
Those Ladyes all fall's doune vpone their kneis
First Ioue then him they thank for this kynd act
With tears lyke pearle that streams from their fair eyes
They myldlie him be seeche request and pray
Of pitie mercie grace that he wold stay.

37

As he hade freed them from that Tyrann strong
To be their gairde their gyde & their defence
Against al hazard death mischefe and wrong
Till they wer saif at home & far from thence
He lighted doune nor stray'd till they had doone
But sweitlie meeklie myldlie answer'd soone.

38

First by the hand he raisd them from the ground
And then he sayde fair Ladyes leaue to mourne
A gyde a guairde a seruant haue ye found
Till yow vnto your homes may saif returne
They thank him praise him ioyes in suche a guyde
Then tak their horse furthe on their way they ryde

39

And whill they traueld throw the forrest wyld
The Prince inquir'd how this mischance befell
When one of them bothe courtes graue & myld
With smylling countenance began to tell
Fair sire (quod she) first kno then what we be
Whom your great might & valour has made frie

40

This Lady pointing to the Dame whom he
First lowsd from bands (but ty'd in bands of loue)
Vadina heght sole Heyre of hungarie
Her Parents ioy delight and pleasure proue
And thus your force th' Vngarian hope defend
On her we wait we serue and we attend.

41

Into this wood oft tym's she muche delights
To chace the loftie harte and simple hynde
On her awaits Lords Princes Erl's and Knights
That loud her prais'd her serud her to her mynd
Amongst the rest that with the Princes came
Prince Dorio was a Prince of noble fame.

42

Betuixt tuo famous floods he holds the lands
Dravus the one Savas the uther heght
And Belgrad that on fair Danubius stand's
That mightie toune belongs to him of right
This galant Prince should wed Vodina fair
And regne with her as sole & only heyre.

43

This mightie Gyant whom yow haplie slew
The mightie Argolantes heght to name
Ore Misia he regn'd which they may rew
He when he hard of fair Vodinas fame
Send to the King & proudlie him command's
To geue his only daughter in his hands.

44

Whom after he had seene perhaps he wold
In mariage tak to be his laughfull wyfe
The King disdaind his pryde & sute so bold.
And him refus'd the which began this stryfe
The Gyant swor in pryd disdaine & skorne
Her wold he haue altho the King had sworne.

45

Thus with ten Knights he in this kingdome came
And skornd with mo this kingdome to subdue
Who thought him self sufficient for the same
Such was his hope his pryde his valour trew
And knowing by his spyalls eury day
Of this our pastyme hunting sport and play.

46

On vs he come before we was awar
When heat within our tents made vs reteir
Our Knights still wandred throw the forrest farr
Sum heir sum their to bring vs in the Deir
Except sum on the Princes that attend's
Whom in short space he brought vnto their ends.

47

Then vs poore soules he took vnto his pray
We that could mak no more defence but murn'd
Vs with his Knights before he send away
Whil with our Knights he faught that hade return'd
But much it feirs me al our Knights ar slaine
Heaun's grant that sweit Prince Dorio yet remaine.

48

And this is al fair Syre that I can shoe
Which but your ayde hade beene more tragicall
And if so pleas yow would the Princes kno
To whome her thanks should randred be for all
Since to your aid your valour strength and might
Our lyfes our selfs and al belongs of right.

49

Long mus'd the Prince and answer long delay'de
For loath he was his name should their be known'e
At last their Princes fair Vodina say'de
Whom al this tyme sadd silence hade or'e blowne
On her new loue her fansies new she fed
New thoughts new toyes deuyses new that bred,

50

If I presume or should this muche be hold
With Maydens modestie for to dispence
Eu'ne to your courtasie of whome I hold
My lyfe I wil bequeath my roode offence
Whoes woundrous woorth stil Midas lyk is such
Pure gold to mak of drosse if yow bot toutch.

51

Then this my fault this boldnes then forbeir
Tho for not els yet since I am a Mayde
For thy blis'd name blisd natione to enquire
And that thryce happie soyle wheir yow west bred
Resolue me this which to thy woorth adds more
More to my bands more to thy fame thy gloire.

52

Not so Madame quod he theirs not in me
That merits from your lips to haue a sound
Much les a praise yet if their onie be
Yow ar the sourse the roote the spring the ground
From whence that vertue spring bud bear or grow
Such force haue words if from your lips they flow,

53

As for my name my natione soyle or bloode
In Thessalye neir Tempe's flowing fontanes
Vpone the banks of fair Peneas floode
Their was I borne betuixt to famous montanes
That Ossa and Olympus heght and so
From then Pelympus I, no more, I kno

63

Thus whill he spak attentiue was the Mayde
To his sweit braith and his sweet voices sound
That peirsd her breast her hairt and all affray'de
Eache word a dairt eache dairt a crewell wound
Eache wound by force a deidlie poysione framme
A seiknes a diseas a quen'shles flamme.

55

And whill she thus to him heir speak delights
Amid the bushes thick they heir a noyce
Of horses trampling and of armed Knights
Whill trembling fear bereft the Ladyes ioyes
But lo the Prince his sword and sheild prouyds
And suddanelie wheir was, the sound he ryds:

56

Wheir as he seis thrie Knights in armour bright
And in his wraith inquyres what they wold haue
From the those ladyes sayd the formest knight
First sayd the Prince you their goodwill must craue
Yes Yes sayd he but for thy fault thy wrong,
Death thou deserues death you shall haue or long.

57

Who death so frilie geues & no thing wins
Perhaps mey serue, him self before another
For charite ay at it self begins
This said the Prence no answer made the other
But eache began to thunder on the bloes
Valour alyk lyk strength lyk courage shoes.

58

Yet that which harm'd the Prince Pinardo most
The vther tuo did also him assaill
But he whoes neuer-deing valour lost
No tyme, his deidlie blowes began to daill
Doune to the breist the one he cleift in tuo
And heidles left the vther at a bloe,

59

His first Apailler feirslie forward ryde
Tuo mightie bloes he gaue him for his due
One cleift his sheild the vther pears'd his syde
And at the thrid his sword in pecees flew
Whome at on bloe the Prince hade brought to death
But saw him with out a sword and calm'd his wraith.

60

But hee that wants a sword did nimblie prease
To greip the Prince and bring him from his horse
Which he refuses not bot with a treace
Him in his mightie armes he strains by force
He beirs him to Vodina him presented
Who all this tyme the battel soir lamented.

61

Yet knew she not those other Knights at all
Loue hade her eyes so fix't vpone the Prince
The other Dams fled fear'd & fanting fall
But loue stout hardy bold was her defence
And when the Prince presents to her the Knight
Ah stay quod she thy hand wraith ire and might.

62

He is my freind and come to find me out
And to releeue me from the Gyants thrall
Prince Doreo he heght strong hardie stout
Then my offence my wronge my fault & all
Quod he deserueth death ah haist I blame
Haist cause of murning death repentance shame.

63

Prince Doreo stil amaizd dum sensles stoode
Loue and regaird stroaue with disgrace wraith shame
Wraith bad reuenge reuenge the others bloode
Shame bad reuenge disgrace, loue sayd the same
Dismay'd, amaiz'd, he staird & gaiz'd about
At last Vodina thus recald him out.

64

Amaizment Dorio leaue and leaue to dreame
Thank now this Knight whoes valour courage strenthe
Preseru'd my lyfe my honor and my fame
The Gyaunt and his knights chastiz'd at length
Whome to disgrace to death to shame he send
Thus he began what non but he could end.

65

Loue jealousie disdain hade kendled fyre
Of wraith to heir his Mistres praise his foe
Yet cunninglie he smuddert in his ire
Till tyme place fate and fortune fauor sho
Then quicklie turning to the victor Knight
Thus sayde he syre I shame not by thy might.

66

To beore cum, since fates hes the ordaind
Most happie and most fortunat of all
Nather do I accout my valour staind
Since Fortune the her Champione does call
Thryce happie thow and famous thryce for why
Thow art Vodinas freend hir Seruand I.

67

Be these his laittest words the Prince weell knew
Loue was the only passione of his mynd
Wheirat within him self he smyld yit shew
Great coutesie for these his prayses kynd
Nor did he loue nor feard he Riualls spoyle
Such proud ambitione in his breist did boyle.

68

Then fordward on their way they still proceed
Till they oretack the Ladyes that wer fled
Whom heir and their in bushes hid for dreid
They find half dead with fear and terror led
Yet all with fair Vodina ford wart pas
To Buda wheir the King her father was.

69

At last Apollo in the west discendit
And chang'd heauns goldin smyls to azure hew
When as their iorney with his course was endit
Budas heighe tours they look they sie they vew
Whoes glift'ring splendor fyrie lightnings throwes
Throughe glomie heauns so shynning Cynthia shoes.

70

Thus neir to fair Danubius they drew
Meane while swift fame hade tydinges borne of all
How that strainge Knight fearce Argalantes slew
And sau'd Vodinus shame disgrace and fall
Then from his kinglie throne her father raise
And come to geue him honor thanks and praise.

71

They past that famous flood whoes syluer streame
Disioyns tuo cities staitlie riche and fair
Buda the one Pesth is the others name
That on his banks heaune-threatning tops vprair
Lift vp from earth as if in skyes they stoode
To vew their glanceing beauties in the floode.

72

Arryu'd wheir as the King did them abyde
Vodina kneild before her royall Syre
And told him that braue Knight kneild by her syde
That sau'd her lyif his honour croune empyre
Them lifted vp betuixt his armes the Roy
Both them he kist and both embracd for ioy.

73

H'is led betuixt Vodina and the King
Vnto their court proud staitlie riche and fair
Still praises new, new thanks new honors bring
Due for his woorthe and happie fortuns rair
And eurye day wer new triumphs deuysd
That him to pleasur ioy delight entysd.

Caput. XVI.

Argument.

Vodina shoes her loue but He
Fayning base birth refusde
She kills her self and Doria him
As Murderer accusde
From prisone long hes brought at last
To burne, But heauns Reuenger
A stranger fends that him redeems
And he Redeems the Straunger.

1

Whill Prince Penardo heir vnknowne abyds
Vnder the title of Pelympus still
Inconstant fortune all her fauor hyds
And turns her smylls to frouns her good to ill
O wordlie pomp: O glorie vane: O fame
A waisting lampe A shaddow and A dreame.

2

Long stayt he heir lou'd praist admeird of all
Of Dorio disdaind invy'd and feard
But poore Vodinas feidle was made thrall
By Tyrane loue loue sow'd loue reapt loue ear'd
All place to her was loathsum day and night
Except the braue Lolympus wer in sight.

3

And whil she wakes his sight her loue augments
But oft in sleip sad visiones frights her mynd
In sleep he sad and frowning him presents
Vnthankfull coy disdainfull prowd vnkynd
And death in thousand formes he showes in hate
The presage true of her ensueing fate.

4

When she awaks she calls him too vnkynd
Tears droune her eyes, and sighes o'reflowe her hair?
Yet oft she wisht that he hade knowne her mynd,
Loue bids her use some meins loue to impairt:
But shame forbids her modesty to pas
Tuix Loue and shame a crewell warre their was.

5

Shame sayes a simple Virgine and a Mayde
Should chastlie loue and modestlye desyre
And of audatious words should be afrayde
From loue propon'd should shune & thence retyre
For Mayds that heir & forts that parly lowd
Mak both the louer & the foe grow prow'd.

6

Much more if thow propone will he disdaine
Thy wanton formes and thy immodest loue
The glorious name of Virgins shall thow stain
And Maydin hoode a heauie load shall proue
Loue by refusall liues but profert dyes
A woman conqueres loue when loue she flyes

7

But Loue beguyl'd bothe Modestie and shame
And thus he sayd, A woman thow must be
O sirs thow not what stains a womans Name
No thing so much as Haite and Cruelty
Nature hath framd a womans hairt to yeeld
And Courtesie and loue to win the feeld,

8

Sure he wold speek if he wer once assurde
Of such a Princes fauor as thine owne
His birthe too base thy matche to haue procurde
Or els long since his fansie hade yow knowne
Tho base of birthe he beirs a Monarchs mynd
Then do but speik or look and He'll be kynd.

9

What if some new occasione call him hence?
Then shall some other Princes win his hairt
May thow not once with modestie dispence
Befor thy loue and lyfe be death should smairt
If health loue ease & pleasur stayeth still
Vpone a word theyr'r fools that wants their will.

10

What also if thy father the constraine
Prince Doreo to wed against thy will
For with a nother doth thy Hairt remane
Altho before thou gaue consent theirtill
Pelympus o Pelympus onlie He
The sight of Doreo wer but death to ye,

11

Haist then to tell Pelympus that thow loues
Els he goes hence and Doreo shall the wed
But o what if the Knight disdainfull proues
O he wil not disdaine a Princes bed
Altho thy beautie could not moue his mynd
Yet will the croune of Hungare mak him kynd.

12

Thus on new Hope begyld with loue she fed
Resolueing once for to vnfold her mynd
Thus argued she thus thought she in her bed
Whill Cynthia pale wan and dimlie shynd
At last heauns gett aboue the easterne streams
Oppins and day shoots furth his syluer beams.

13

With heauns bright syluer hew the Dame op rose
When Phœbus beams did guild heaune earth and sea
She in a gardine did her self repose
Alone saue loue that boire her companie
She thence her dames and Ladies all hade sent
Till on loues altar she pour'd furth her plaint.

14

Then to ane quyet arbor she reteird
Wheir long she murn'd she sighd she plain'd she prayde
She honord loue, loue prais'd and loue admeird,
For wheir abyds true luoe but in a mayde:
Oft she complaind that loue hade done her wrong
At last she took her Lute and thus she song.

15

The sensles snaik benouwd with Winters cold
With storme with frost with haill with snow with raine
If her for pitie one inbreist should hold
Till cherisht lyfe with heat returne againe
Then strength and lyfe and Nature maks her bold
To reaue the lyfe that did her lyfe obtaine
Of loue this is the true similitude
O loue the purtrat of ingratitude.

16

When thow was dead in winters of disdaine
And perisht quyt in dark obliuions flood
I cherist the with trauell cair and paine
And thy sad death my fyrie smylls with stoode
But when my breist by heat did lyfe obtaine
Thow stingd my hairt and made my bosome bleid
Ah loue how can a simple mayde offend
That this her loue should bring her lyfe to end.

17

Loue brings dispair dispair brings death & hell
Some say that musick oft proud loue withstoode
But o how can thy hairt in pleasure seall
When as thy verie soule is dround in blood
Tet pray perhaps thy pray'r mey loue compell
But meditatione is of pray're the foode
And crewell loue by meditation liues
Then eury thing Pelympus deir reviues

18

Thus whill she playes thus whill she sweitly sings
Throw emptie aer the Queir of burds doune flye
And spred a round their soft and daintye wings
To shrow'd her whill she strains her nots on hye
And when they heir her voyce her sound her noyes
Lyik hands they clap their wings in signe of ioyes.

19

When she hade doone about her heir and their
Some saye her song and strain her tender throts
Some laurell leaus and myrtles sweit prepair
In their sharpe beiks and then with merrie nots
Vpon her head they lett the leaus doun fall
And seem to croun the Virgine their with all.

20

Others wold sitt and from their throats forth send
A wofull sund that seemd to moue the skyes
To pitie her sad death and wofull end
Whil as the birds would straine such doolfull cryes
As who would say ah loue ah beautie murne
For her whoes death your day to night does turne.

21

But all this tyme she mus'd vpone her loue
Her loue her ioy her pleasure her delight
Pelympus braue whoes deids did matchles proue
Non liue'd lyke him in valour strength and might
Who walkt abroade that day to tak the air
Whill fate heaune chāce & fortune brought him thair

22

She seis him come throw bushes leaues and wands
Then lyk a mabre image vp she stoode
The Lute falls doune betuixt her snow white hands
And her fair eyes pow'r furth a syluer floode
Lyk deaw on roses whyt and reid that falls
Or syluer globs or pearle or cristall balls.

23

To wake her frome this dumpe he taks her hand
And whill he toutch'd she trembled quakd & shook
Now reid for shame then pale for fear she fand
How her fant hart his wounted roume forsooke
And vpwart fled frome paine wo greif despight
True signes of suddane loue or sad afright.

24

At last the Prince her silence thus remoues
Some saye that musick does the mynd delight
But lo Madame in yow the contrare proues
Quod she in hell death horrour and despight
Who liues melodious sounds at harmefull still
And still augments but ne're remeids their il.

25

To the perhaps my words may seame vn faitt
For basheful Mayd's or simple Virgins pure
And not agreing with my heighe estait
To sue for grace whene I should leiue secure
But o quod she if I indecent proue
Not I but shameles tyraneizing loue.

26

The ravening wolf, the simple lamb did catche,
Whom on he thought to fill, to feid, to prey,
When lo the princelie lyone did him watche,
First him he slew, then brought the lamb away,
Tho once from death he did the lamb releefe,
Afarr more crewel death he did it geue,

27

This wolf was Argælantes, I the lambe,
And thow the princilie lyone made me fre
When lo thyne eyes more crewell bands' did framme
And band and chain'd and link't my hairt to the,
Ah deir Pelympus, deir, too deir, it feares me,
Loue shame, fear, hait, in thousand peicees tears me,

28

Thow stole my hairt out throw my besome poure,
But, o, sweit stelth, sweit theef, I pardone the,
Myne eyes thow took and did their ayde procure
And thus I help't to steill my self to the
Deip sobs and tears, heir stayd hir wofull speche
And with dumbe signes his pitie did beseeche,

29

But all this tyme the Prince look't doune to ground
Rueth, reaslone, pitie, wo, amaizement bred
Yet in his besome loue no place hade founde
But myldest pitie hade so far him led,
That hardlie he from yeilding was refraind
Yet thus he answers, and from loue restraind,

30

Madame (quod he) your luckles loue I rew
And would it mend if with my life it stood
Too base my birthe fair Princes is for yow
My woorth too small to equaleize your blood
I will not hait and yet I most not loue
Mars doth my hert from Cupid far remoue.

31

Then dryue those fonde affections frome your mynd
Let your wyse hairt calme loue & leue secure
Loue is, a, monster, furius ferc and blynd
And I'm an errant Knight base woorthles poore
I'le serue yow still if yow but loue forbeir
In ioy in greif in confort hope in feir.

32

Forbeir quod she and must I then forbeir?
O? mad misluck O? loue O? chaunce O Fate!
O, loue, O, torment great? O, greif? o fear!
O? plague of plagues! O, desperat deceat!
O sting, O deadlie Poysione of the hairt
O hell of mightie mynds o death O smairt?

33

Forbeir to loue O, word of sad disgrace
The task begune by loue must loue not end?
Natur had fram'd the fair and sweet alace
But the a crewell Tygers mynd did send
O crewell nature man, O man to crewell
To foule a blot to staine so fair a Iewell.

34

And loue forbeir alace that word forbeir
O sad decrie O sentence of my death
O torment of my soule, from verteus spheir
Could suche disdane and loathsum hait tak breth
Thou loues to liue in scorn of loue and me
I liue to loue, and looth'd, for loue must die.

35

And now alace the houre approched nye
When her sweet lyfe that sweet sweet hold must leaue
She drawes a knyfe which hange low be her thie
And tuix her breist's a flood-gat vp she reaue
Wheir pitie loue and beautie long with stoode
The fatall knyfe the lyfe the vitall-bloode.

36

From him she turn'd her face & did this fact
Then turns and say's without, a shrink or pai ne
Receaue this solemne sacrafeize I mak
Vpone the altare of thy heighe disdaine
Deir sweet receaue my hairt my lyfe my loue
My Virgine soule, Fairweell I must remoue.

37

And now the starre light of her eyes grew dimme
Her fair sweet face vpone her shoulder fell
In her paill looks sad pitie lookt on him
Her trembling kneis grew weak & doun she fell
Lyik ane fair floure pure beautifull and young
By frost new slaine youth had but newly sprung

38

Eune as discoloured opell's change and turne
The whyte now wan now pale heir reid their blew
Her louelye whyte grew pale and seem'd to murne
The reid in spot's did change to azure hew
The Sune grew dimme and smylling heau'ns did lour
The cloud's did murne & floods of tears doun powre,

39

The Prince that saw both lyfe and soule was gone
His mightie mynd began for to relent
His syght his speeche his sense him left a none
Woe sorow cair greif sadnes discontent
His lyfe and breath clos'd in his hairt withall
Pale cold and dead he on her breist did fall.

40

Thow lyes Penardo dead vpoune the ground
Whom myghtie armies could not ouerthrow
Nor losse of blood nor many greuous wound
Could mak the shrink or flie or yeeld or bow
Altho she dyed for loue and for thy hait
Yet should thow not be blam'd bot crewell fate.

41

But Fortune wold extinguish & put out
His shynning lampe of conquest prais and fame
For Doreo that long hade sought them out
With ielousie and loue despight and shame
Was thither led whene he this sight did vew
Bothe ioy and greif dispair and hait ensue,

42

Ioyfull he was to sie Pelympus dead
But deadlie wofull for his mistres deir
Tuix contrar passiones finds he no remead
At last reuenge on his dead corpes he sweir
That wheir before he was renound & praisde
His infamie to heaune should now be rais'd.

43

The fatall knyfe which in her brest he spyed
He pulls away and putt's into the place
The Princes dagger, then alowd he eryede
Ah treassone tresson ah wo wo alace
Whoes dreidfull noyes throw all the palace ring's
And thither Lords Knights Erles & Barones brings.

44

When they had hard & sein this wofull sight
Their come the King the Quene the Ladyes all
Great was their cair their angwish their despight
They weep they murne they sigh they cry they cal
That roks wodes montanes sound furth sad dispair
Whoes Echos fill the earthe and emptie aer.

45

Yet some more ware and wyse perseauit the Prince
Not dead but falne a soune the whiche thy tell
In chains in cord's in gyues they brought him thence
Vnto a dungeone deep and dark lyk Hell
When he reveiu'd and fand him self in chains
He woundred muche at last he thus complains.

Penardo his complaint.

What? do I liue quod He
And speek and sie & breath?
Whoes damned soule the heaun's abhors
And skornes to geue me death
And of that guer done due
For sine they me depryue

Till I should daylie leiue and die
Ten thousand deaths a lyue
Come death teir furth my hairt
My too too crewell hairt
That of my loue more then deseru'd
Did skorne she should haue pairt
But death sence thow art vsde
Poore virgins lyfes to tak
Thow pities so to ease my paine
Since hell abhors my fact
Yow fearfull monstres all
Yow feends yow furies felt
Yow Centaurs Harpy's Hydra's foull
Yow Gorgons grim of Hell
Come Plutos damned Ghosts
Come all since death delayes
With legiouns of your greislie troups
I'le feght and end my dayes
But o yow fear to veiu
worse then your selfs can be
Mo torments in my soule abyde
Then yow in Hell can see
Fa'ine would I flie my self
Becaus my self I fear
For still my self within my self
A thousand Hells doth beir
But whein o wheir is she
Wheir is that Angell fair
With whom abod al grace al good
Al loue al beauty rair
Ah thryce vnhappie Me
Ah my disdane had pow're
To reaue the Heaun's thair Darling deir

And earthe her fairest flour
My haples slouth before
Bereft a Virgins breath
And now disdane my mad disdane
Ane other brought to death
Why stay't I not alace
With fair Philena still
She would haue geuen me due rewarde
And hade preueind this ill
O fantasyes! O dreams!
O foolish visiones! O
Why gaue I credit vnto yow
That twyce hes wroght my woe?
But wofull monstre I
Of luckles loue alace
That still must leiue in endles paine
Least death my sorowes chace.

46

Thus in this agoneizing greif he lay
Long in this doungeone filthie deep and dark
Fast bound in chains nor saw he sight of day
And still bewaild his lyfe his chance his wrak
And this his murning wo greif sorow care
Turn'd vnto madnes oft and oft dispair.

47

But all this tyme great wo great paine great greife
Prince Doreo took for his deir Ladies death
And still his mynd was bent on heighe mischeefe
He sought reuenge with furie raige and wraith
For in his craft his malice his despight
This vitious wrong he wrought that valiant Knight.

48

Whill to this gardyne I did walk (he sayd)
I harde a sound a voyce a call a cry
Ah Heauns preserue me let me die a Mayde
Thither I ranne but when I come hard by
The Murderer me saw and faind he fainted
And fell as lyfe breath sense and soule he wanted,

49

I litle caird his feir his fate his fall
But to the Ladie rann whom soone I knew
I cryd and in my wofull airmes withall
I took her vp but gone was her fair hew
I cald her once once lookt she in my face
Once spak this word ah wofull word alace.

50

Into her fair and yuorie breist abaid
The instrument of that fearce tyranes wraith
I puld it furthe and their with all she said
Thow come to lait for to preuent my death
Her hand I gote fairweell she wold haue sayde
Wheirof but (fair) her laister breath furth-layde,

51

These speeches spak Prince Doreo and with all
So wo begone and sorowfull he sem'd
Oft stopd by sighes and oft would tears doun fall
That eury one him prais'd and much esteem'd
And then the King in wraith reuenge and ire
Commands Pelympus should be brint in fyre.

52

The night before this wofull Prince should dye
For her he murnes on her he calls he cryes
So does the lap-wing when some Sheiphird by
Her brood bereaues all day all night she flies
And weips and calls Yet sleips or night be past
So weeps the Prince and so he sleeps at last.

53

And in his sleep the Angell did appeir
That wairn'd him from Philena for to flie
And lookt on him with fearce and angrie cheir
Saying Penardo O Penardo sie
Ioues wraith prononced if thow not soone repent
Thy wicked thoughts thy words and thy complaine.

54

Thow doest refuse his help his grace his ayde
Thow still rebells gainst mightie Ioues decree
Thy greif at Hells wyde mouth thy Soule has layde
O wratche O man from sinne refraine or die
O sie behold thy plaints and Ioues heighe wraith
Leids the to paine to hell to endles death,

55

Thy visiones come from heauns and not from hell
Why temps thow then heighe heaune with plaints and tears
He hes decreit what e're to the befell
Do then what he ordains leaue greifs and fears
Eune of thy good he maks thy self the meins
But thow his goodnes grace & loue preueins.

56

Vodinas blood on her owne head shall fall
A iust rewaird for her vniust desyre
For her owne sinne and her fore fathers all
That race in her must end their prowd empyre
Nor in thy loue no intrest hade ye Dame
Ane other of more woorth shall win the same

57

Who shall preserue thy lyfe ere it be long
Flie not heauns ioy heauns peace but heaune obey
This sayd his face lyk lightning beam's outflong
That fild the house with glorius glistring ray
Which doone the Angell thence him self convoyes
And left him fild with conforts hops and ioyes.

58

Then ioyfull he awaks and watis the houre
Of lyfe or death as mightie Ioue thought meit
No plaints but prayers did the Prince furthe powre
Vpone the altar of repentance sweitt
And still he sighd he murn'd he plaind he prayde
To God for grace for help releefe and ayde.

59

Now come the tyme wheirin this crewell King
Would execute his vengeance on the Knight
Furth to be brint with fyre they did him bring
When lo a weary our bold approcht their sight
In airmour cled it seem'd dreid warre he brought
He finds the King whom throw the thronge he sought

60

And sayde Sir King perhaps my comeing may
Dismay yow much yet i'le the trueth vnfold,
And what my giltie conscience bids me say
That none yow wrong as now it seems yow wold
I beir the hand that wrought your Daughters fate
Yone Knight to saue her came, but came too laitt.

61

Fearce Argalantes was my vncle deir
Whoes blood for to reuenge, I thither came
Long waited I into this forrest neir
That yoynes vnto your Park your Gardines framne
And disper at my wisht reuenge to work
At last into thai gardine did I lurk.

62

When bright Apollo gilted had the sky
Vodina by misfortune come within
The arbor wheir I secreitlie did ly
And would haue fled agane but could not win
I took her wold haue forcd her gainst her will
But she dny't whom I in raige did kill.

63

Her laittest grones yone Knight whom kill yow wold
Hade harde and come to sie I fled be twein
The Parks and Gardenes to the forrest old
The way I come vnhard vnmarkd vnseene
Euer since within the forrest did I stray
Nor out from thence could euer find the waye.

64

And still her gost vnto me does repair
And still presents Hells torments to my mynd
And still the greislie feinds throw trubled aer
Sounds furthe the pains my wofull soule should fynd
In thousand formes her murdred ghoste before me
Appeirs; & hell still gaipes for to deuore Me.

65

This day agane she did her self present
Commanding me to the the trueth to sho
Ane other giltles lyfe for to prevent
Els I tormented should in endles woe
This is the caus that I my death desyir
Then set him frie & leid me to the fyre.

66

All that this warryour hard wer much amaizd
And look't and mus'de & gaizd and silent stoode
Thought pitie in the King was neuer rais'd
Yet sham'd he was to wrongd a Knight so goode
And causd to lowse vnbind and set him frie
And armour horse and all restoird to be.

67

How soone his horse and armour he receaud
They charg'd him to depairt the court and flie
But nobly for to dye was all he crau'd
For to reuenge his wrong his infamie
Yet knew not who with death his lyfe wold by
But also sweir him to releeue or dy,

68

Whom they had tyed with cords & with a chaine
Had bound him to a staik his armour on
So he desyrt and so he did obtaine
In armour thus to burne and burne alone
O kyndnes true that feare of death remoue
O praise O vertue great o wondrous loue.

69

To sie that sight amaizd Penardo stoode
His breist begane to swell with raige wraith ire
Ritie drew from his eyes of tears a floode
Wraith pitie helpt, pitie blew angers fyre
And thus his wraith his pitie ire and wo
Brought Suddane warre and suddane conquest lo,

70

Heir loue heir proud ambitioune man'd the feild
And still contend's who most gouerns the mynde
Loue caus'd the stranger to the fyre to yeeld
Eune loue of Prince Penardo most vnkynd
Who rewld by proud ambitione skornd to be
Ore matchd in ought and cheiflie courtesye.

71

He feghts alone amongst a thousand foes
And all of them defyes and onerthrew
All whom he fand; to ground with mightie bloes
And still his wraith still his reuenge renew
Nor gaue them leaue to pray to plaine to call
Suche haist he made to kill to murder all.

72

Some at his dreidfull angrie look affray'd
Fled heir and their and some in heaps doune fell
Those that withstoode slaine on the earth wer layde
And those who leauing could not him repell
With their dead bodies rais'd a wall a none
And thus gainstoode when other means wer gone.

73

But he but ledder skalled or engyne
Martchd proudlie o're those walls and fortres strong
And wold display his sheild for ansigne fyne
And tosse his flamming sword his foes among
Till he vnto that dreedfull fyre was come
Some fear'd some fell all fled to giue him roume.

74

That amorous Knight that to the staik was tyed
Beholding his strainge deads and wonders strainge
Brek all his bands and through the fyre he hyed
Whoes threatning sword did thrist for dreid reuenge
Not that he cair'd his lyfe or feard ye fyre
But for to ayde or dye was his desyre.

75

Be this the King Prince Doreo hade sent
With him his guarde for to chasteize their pryde
Him self reteir'd that mischeef to preuent
He feard some secreitt treasone their t'abyde
This armed band and Doreo now assaild
These warryours stout but nothing yet preuaild.

76

More deadlie then more crewell grew the fray
The Prince and his Companione bak to bak
Such valoure shew such wounders wrought that day
And with such courage did such hauok mak
As Eggles Haulks or rauening Wolfs that tear
The simple sheep or sillie fowles that fear.

77

Those warryours tuo stout hardy fearce and bold
Wold thus asswage their hunger quensh their thrist
With bodies dead in gorie blood inrold
Great was the valour of the stranger first
That sharpe reuenge and vengeance sharp ordaine
Ilk blow a wound catch wound death vo and paine.

78

Those Champions disseuered wer againe
Eache one with warrelyk troups besett a round
And stroue to tak them both but all in vaine
They beat them back and kill & fell to ground
Whose arme straitcht furthe to tak them first wold enter
He seis cutt of & darrs no further venter.

81

Penardo still those forces new assaild
Whom he with strenth and might still overthrew
And lykwayes still the stranger Knight preuaild
But Doreo the Prince his strenth weel knew
And theirfore to the stranger Knight he haisted
On him both ire and honor to haue faisted.

82

That galant stranger matchles for his woorthe
Met him amid the reid blood flowing plaine
And raige bloode warre & murther breathed furthe
Eatche other stronglie hits & hitts agane
At last the stranger's airme aloft he bore.
And Doreo's heid he brak he clift he tore.

83

Dreid horrour fear and terrour of the sight
Made all to feir to tremble & to quak
Conquest once smeld by that braue stranger Knight
The Squadrones ranks & bands he roodly brak
Wholl trops to earth he brings he beats he beirs
So winds brinks doune the corne & rypned eer's.

84

As chyldren mak in pastym sport and play
Ane spaill to waft to role to tosse to flie
About their heid quick speedie nimble lay
That of one thundring spaile it seemeth thrie
So seemd the straungers sword whoes deids thy thought
Strainge wonderfull incredible wer wrought

85

This ramping lyoune sought Penardo out
And fand him in the mids of all his foes
Whom strong & valiant hardie bold & stout
The heaps of murdred bodies did inclose
So irk't he was and wearie their with all
Tho still he faught yet reddie stil to fal,

86

Their Deaths sad court deaths palace their abode
Their tropheis wer erect'd vnto his name
Their lukwarme blood did smook and flow abroade
The stranger stood amaizd to sie the same
And softlie sayd O valours onlie stoir
Whence comes his wealth of conquest fame & gloir.

87

Now Phœbus from his glorious carre doune lyes
In Neptuns azure palace whill sad nyght
A rose maskd vp and cled in dreidfull gyis
With fearfull shad's of darknes and affright
The worthie stranger to Penardo haisted
And delt so many deaths till Death was waisted.

88

But lo the tumulte munting in the are
wold pers, ye clouds with plents and vofull sounds
Men wemen bairnes with furie raige dispair
Reuenge and vengeans call's till heaune resounds
Now wes their daunger greatter then before
Thousands by heaps almost to earth them bore.

89

Yet heaun's decried their savetie thus inteir
Blak night o're all the earthe spred furth her vaill
And suche a fearfull darknes did appeir
It seem'd their was no darknes left in hell
With hands they grap't they wander & they stray
So does the blind alone that los't the way,

90

And thus confus'd now heir now their they rine
Penardos freind thus to him said but dreid
Sheath now thy sword leaue heir thy sheild & win
Out throw this lawles multitude with speid
I'le gvde the to the forrest heir but stay
Why then I go quod he show yow the way

91

Thus throw the throng vnseene vnmark't vnknowne
They marche alone but feir but cair but dreid
Nor was their feirles flight to anie showen
But saiflie to the forrest come with speid
Wheir in a groue hard by a fontane syde
They rest whill light for saifer flight prouyde.

Caput. XVII.

Argument.

The stranger Prince Penardo knoes
Of whom he does reioy's
Who tell is him many woundrous thing's
At last they heir a noyes
The Queene of Macedon they sie
Led by them as they thought
Fals Arebo beguyls the Prince
Whome long the stranger sought.

1

When Budans could not thus attaine reuenge
Of that disgrace & shame was to them wrought
With noyes confus'd sad shout's and murmur strainge
The slaine & murdred bodies home they brought
And to this day Penardo's thought so wyld
That with yat name they still yair weeping chyld.

2

Whill they in wofull murning pas the night
Penardo in the forrest did remaine
With his true freind his vnaquainted Knight
That for him tooke more then a freindlie paine
No wounds they hade but wearyed whill they lay
Hard by the sounding streame & longd for day,

3

The Prince sayd thus synce heaun's ar pleasd with thise
That I must liue who lookt for nought but death
Most woorthie Knight think not I doe amise
To kno of whoes braue mynd I hold my breath
And vnto whome my indeuores and al
My lyfe my thought my seruice should be thrall.

4

Or if the heaun's hath sent yow to my aide
Since none but heauns my innocence heth knowne
Vodinas death was falslie on me layde
Which Ioue this day has of his mercie showne
Nor my request becaus too lait yow shune it
Long since if tyme hade seru'd wold I haue doone it.

5

Then quod the other, Prince Penardo kno
I am that mayde whome thow redeem'd from death
From paine from hell from everlasting wo
From Mansays mightie charms his craft his wraith
Eu'ne I that same Laissa whome throw fred
First from the flamme last from the sleipping bed.

6

Her words at once bred wounder and delight
Yet in his hairt ther could no credit fynde
Till of she tooke her cask of sylver whyte
Then bleiz'st her eyes her, looks lyik lightning shyn'd
Her shining haire about her face doune flies
Through which bright vale lyke starres appeare her eies,

7

As when the Sune throw yealow glase doeth shyne
On alabastre toumbs pure cleir and whyt
With small and prettie goldin streams deuyne
Seem's trembling on the stone to tak delyte
Of that whyt obiect deckt with cristall rocks
On her fair face so shynd her goldin lock's.

8

Altho the nyght was dark he might behold
Her eyes lyk glanceing comets blaizing farre
Or dyamonts in whyt enameld gold
Penardo thow whoes hairt from dreidfull warre
Could not be thrald to womanizing loue
How thinks thow now this passion for to proue

9

Wheiron now thinks thow wheiron does thow gaize
The same is she whoes louelie self thow saw
Within the sleipping toumbe and could not raise
Nor from enchaunted sleep her senses draw
Whoes bright Idea wanders throw thy mynd
Yet can no resting place for loue out fynd.

10

When thoughts assurde him she the same must be
Oft tymes he thanks the heaun's for her releef
Has heaun'e fate so tune smyld agane quod he
And ar thow now suffeis'd with my mischeefe
Heighe Ioue his sacred helpe & aide vp steirs
When daunger most most harme most wrack appeirs.

11

And fair Madame quod he yours is my name
My lyfe my seruice and my all is your's
Your's be the praise the honor glorie fame
Yours be my deads my acts my happie hour's
Yours is my lyife by right me shall yow haue
To be your knight your seruant and your slaue.

12

The varient stuf that alter change and turne
Wrought of discoloured silk soft subtile cleir
Heir lillie whyte their crimsone reid doeth burne
Now mingle both and now doth red appeir
So she that heirs him turn's and changes so
Heir reid their whyt & then all reid doeth sho.

13

Sweit wer the sounds that from his lips proceid
Which pearst her tender breist & gentle hairt
Wheiron her old-bred loue & fansie feid
Renewes the flamme first in her mynd insert
For first she fell in loue with him when as
Enchanted sitting in the toumbe she was.

14

And euer since in loue hade she remaind
Far hade she gone far sought to find him out
Till prouidence of hyer pow'rs ordaind
She should of his sad death remoue the doubt
For Cupid of his deads a chaine did framme
That captiue led this fair & amorous damme.

15

Thus whill she gaisd long on his countenance
A modest smyle for answer he receau'd
Oft wold her eyes steil furth a secreit glance
If not for shame a kisse she would haue crau'd
Eache pairt she vew'd she loud she prais'd with smyling
Suche craft can louers vse them selfs beguylling.

16

From secreit pleasurs and from hid delight
From gaizing thus at lengthe the Prince awaks her
To passaway the long and wearie night
With courtes speiche and prayers fair he maks her
To tell her lyfe her inuirye her wrong
Her fore past labours and her trauells long.

17

First then she rais'd her myld and modest eyes
And cleir'd her countenance with heaunely grace
A fyrie smyle sweit plesant glade furthe flies
That chac'd the clouds of cair and greifs apace
While beautie of her foreheid made a throne
And sat their to be gaiz'd and woundred on.

18

My Lord quoth she to show my wofull lyfe
Would tedious proue and neuer haue ane end
For heauens and fortune seime to be at strife
Which should against mee most theire forces bend
Yet shæll yow kno the Muses crewell hairted
And what befell to me since yew departed.

19

My Parents freinds nor blood I do not kno
Nor of what house or lyne I am discendit
Nor of my wofull birth I can not sho
But skairslie well thrie lusters yit ar endit
Since swadled by the Heliconian fontane
The Muses fand me on that pleasant montane.

20

They brought me vp within that holy mont
Taught me their holye reitts and sacred art
One day (a wofull day) as I was wount
When I hade chac'd the Stage ye Hynd ye Harte
In ther swit spring to bath I took delight
Which was my ground of wo greif cair despight.

21

The Muses for that caus I do not kno
But that was all the fault they did pretend
Left me bereft me and decreid my wo
And by their Pow're deuyne did thither send
Two Knights my loue to win to sue to pray
And Riualls both each one did other stay.

22

Then Mansay did his charmes and spirits send
Enchaunting them and me as yow haue seene
Which by your might and valour brought to end
And yow to lett when as he saw no meine
Me in the sleipping toumbe he did enchaunt
That saw yow knew yow tho my speech did want.

23

When from the rook yow took the sword and shield
Then from my paine and prisone you redem'd me
I cry'd I cald I sought you throu the field
But Mansay that some better then esteem'd me
Appeird to me and told me you ver gone
Which made me weet my cheekes and sigh and mone.

24

The Wizard then from murning me refrainde
And told me you should saif returne againe
For you paine cair and sorow was ordaind
Whair throw yon must to glorie great attaine
So heau'ns decreit and so you must obay
Thus sayd throw shaiples aer he went away.

25

His words renewd but somwhat easd my greif
Still on I went ouer craigs & montanes hoar
But hope but hap but help or but releif
The wraith of heaune, ne're satisfiet the more
And to augment my cair my wo my stryfe
I liued this base this poore this serueill lyfe

26

It was my channce when I had traueld long
In forrests wyde some sheipherds for to find
Whoes lyfe content secure from fortuns wrong
Would fite my cursd and haitfull dayes to end
Wheir long I serued in poore and mein degrie
Refusile no paine whill paine refusde not me

27

But Fortun still invying my estait
And skorning this my blist tho poore content
Disdaning so I should eskape her hait
Not suffring death my shame wo greif preuent
Nor pitied she my wo my cair my greif
But pitied I should thus eshew mischeif.

28

One day as I my shaggie flock furth dreaue
From fold to groue to medewe and to plain
Evandone Prince of Ephyre did persaue
Within whoes land thoes shipherds all remain
By chaunce from sporthe com and me esteem'd.
More beautifull then in effect I seem'd.

29

And thither oft in tyms he did resort
To thrall me chaste desire vnto his will
But I still cloyde with cairs and vod of sport
Deny it his sute and preisd to shune his ill
But all in vaine my trauell was for nought
Me gainst my will vnto his court he brought.

30

Ane youth he was vnmaried I confes
And on my head wold set his diadem
But I whoes hairt ane other did posses
This spak the dame vnwarrs and bushd for shame
And thus she turnd her speeche, from whom all loue
My cair my greif my sorrow did remoue.

31

When he perceaud my resolutione strong
Vnmoud nor vowes, nor prayers could preuaill
He neids would haue by force dispight & wrong
What he could not obtain by loue t'assaill
And long he mew'd me vp frome dayes sweet lyght
In prisone dark in voes eternall night.

32

Nor could these wrongs his crueltie suffeize
Nor could he pitie puire vnhappie me
But in the sight of all the Peoples eyes
He would bereaue my spotles chastitie
Nor could words prayers sighs or tears him moue
To leaue so foull so vyld so filthie loue.

33

His vitious mynd so odious had him made
That all his Lords and people him detested
Then would he haue me bound vpone a bed
When on my knets this one thing I requested
He would not suffer Rascalls bind or bow me
But his owne hands yat honor wold allow me.

34

Wheirto he yeelds and I resolue to die
Then cald I thryce on sweit Penardos Name
Thus twyce vnwarrs her passion furth did flie
Twyce she her loue bewrayd & tuyce thought shame
O loue true loue for speeks she or be mute
Her blushe looks smyls or word bewrayt her sute.

35

Yet loue to hyde that had so oft burst out
Her eyes tuixt wraith and shame rold brint and shynd
At last this she excuse she casts about
Quod she Thyne ayde would their haue pleasd my mynd
I wish'd the when the Tyrane did aspyre
To act his filthie foull and vyle desyre.

36

His dagger then I quicklie puld a pairt
And ere he could him self of me releef
I stobd his loue but with his loue his hart
Wheir with the people cry'd O sad mischeef
Some in a raige me souriouslie assayld
But with the greatter pairt my pairt preuaild.

37

And thus begane a fearce & crewell feght
On at her syde wer kild hurt brusd or slaine
I pitied for my caus my deid my right
They murdred thus should masacred remane
Wheirfor with gentle speeche & pleasant words
I both appeasd their wraith & sheathd their swords.

38

When they bethought them on the Tyrans deids
His murders great when they to mynd did call
They prais'd heighe Ioue from whom ther help proceids
To me they gaue yair kingdome croun and all
Which long for to enioy I could not stay
Whom angrie fates and fortune cald away.

39

I vowd yat rest my bodie should not find
Till I my countrey freinds & parents kno
A gouernour their left I me behind
Then forward on my iourney did I go
Long traueld I and mony dangers past
Till in this forest I arryud at last.

40

Wheir whill I lay my weary lims to rest
Beneth the vmbrege of a spredding Beeche
A virgine Nymphish lyk attyrt and drest
Presents to me this armour with this speeche
Aryse Laissa now the tyme drawes neir
Wherein thou must a knight no mayde appeir.

41

Mansay the send this armour sword and shield
And thair with bids the go to Buda straight
Wheirby thy Fortune Heauns shall to ye yeeld
By cunning slight by force and dreidfull feght
Thou must that Knight from fire from death detaine
That the releeud from fyre from bloode from paine.

42

As for thy Parents this he letts ye kno
Thou art sole Heyre vnto a mightie King
Which tym and fate and fortun shall ye sho
And end to all thy greif cair sorow bring
But kno thy hart's delight and greattest ioy
Shall be the greattest caus of thy annoy.

43

This sayd the Nymphe throughe shaples aer does glyd
I fond my self well arm'd on euery pairt
And forduart fast my spedie steps I hy'd
Me thought some fear assailt my pancing hairt
Some fear of fortune ill mishap mischeef
Wheirat I tremblit shouk & quakt for greif.

44

Whill thus I go tuix dreid wo hope and fear
I met By happie chance a Palmer old
Who did the mater all to me dcelair
And how yow slew stout Argalantes bold
And tho your name was chang'd yet weell I knew
Your deads your valour shew me it was yow

45

Then Argalantes Nephoy fain'd I me
To mak you frie non other mein I saw
And to reuell to yow for yow I die
Then knew I weell yow all the treuth wold shaw
So should yow die I leiue for to be sory
That Earths obiect was saift & lost her glory.

46

By this heaun's light Earths confort Darknesse foe
From our horisone Night did wairn to pas
And lyke transparent cristall gaue to sho
The hemisphere or lyk bright azure glas
Or lyk a demi-syluer-globe it lyes
Vpone the earthe earthe seem's to beir the skye.

47

No sooner days faire coach man did appeir
When as their talk was interrupt and stayit
A noyes of horse and chariots they did heir
And suddanly they roise as half affrayit
Whill as the sound drew neir they did espy
Some threttie Knights that gallopt softlie by,

48

And round about a coatche they seemd to ryde
That four whyt fair and galant coursers drew
In which a lady sat whoes beauties pryd
Seemd to contend with bright Apollos hew
Yet throw her beautie lookt furthe proud disdaine
That shew her mynd displeasure did containe.

49

Her crimsone cheek leandon her snow whyte hand
Her eyes Loues fyrie Comets seem'd With chyld
With tears which woe and anger did command.
And raind downe Tempest from her face so myld
On her fair breist lyk diamants whoes rainge
Fyr't by hir eyis in thousand colours cheange.

50

Or lyke the rory deaw in May that lyes
One snow white-lilies and on purple roses
So stands the Nectar drops stild from her eyes
Vpone her rosie cheeks sweit beauties poses
She breath'd sweit balme whoes odore phisick proue
To purge grosse sense & sharpe dull witts for loue.

51

And wartone Cupid dalieed in her lap
Snatching the cristall balls still as they fall
And at Penardo throwes him to intrap
Too weell that craftie Cupid knew with all
How to reuenge Penardos former wrong
Whiche wofully he acted now ere long.

52

O thow Penardo braue Penardo thow
What doest thow think or wheiron dost you gaize
Heth loue o're cum the, has one made the bow
Whoes hand o're airmyes gote the conquiring praise
But O what hairt so hard or strong to keepe
But yeeld's to loue when beautie list to weepe.

53

And whill he stoode in this amaize he seis
A simple Groome vpone a galant-horse
Who cryes and sighes and weeps with watrie eyes
And followes still the traine with great remorce
At him he wold enquire and run's a pace
Who in few words thus answred him Alace.

54

Sire Knight if ere true pitie pears'd your hairt
Or if the vow of knight hoode you obey
Releeue my Dame and ease her wofull smairt
By cruell tyranes rest and brought away
Tak this my horse and stay my Ladyes flight
Thryce happie I if this succeid a right

55

The haples Prince no questione more wold craue
But taks the horse and after them he ryd's
The wicked Groome that did him so deceaue
Was not a Groome but in that shape abyds
Fals Arebo so full of all disceat
That sought his deathe & fall of his estate

56

For when the Prince eskeap't Philenas traine
Wairn'd be the Angell when he fled by night
She wold haue murdred him for his disdaine
But finding he hade sau'd him self by flight
With Arebo consults for her reuenge
Who hade deuys'd this traine fearce crewell strange.

67

This galant Lady whom the Prince had sein
Was faire Olinda whom the fates ordaind
Faire crewell chaste & of all hearts the Queene
Loue bow'd to her but she all loue disdaind
Ore Macedon she regn'd whoes shaip by airt
The wisard fraim'd to worke Penardos smairt.

58

Laissa oft requirde the Prince to stay
Till she with him the quarrel hade embrac'd,
But he impatient of all delay
Told herd he would returne agane in haist
Yit loue made her vnfit to follow fast
Till wandring farre she lost the way at last.

59

And wearied with her heauye armours weyght
Dround in displeasure sorowes greifs and harmes
She traueld till the dark and dreid full nyght
In folds the worlde within her lazie airmes
Then rest's she by a fonte, bevaills her state
Her luck, her chance, her fortune, and her fate.
FINIS. Heir ends the first book of the famous History of Penardo and Laissa.

To the Authour.

Nature and arte contending which should proue
Most fauourd of the muses did ordaine
Old Orphæus their Iudge who broght his loue
From Plutoes kingdome and from hellish payne
But he excus'd him self his workes wer torne:
And with, tymes rusly Canker cleane outuorne.
Yet Sayd that he would wish them to ane vther
Whoes lynes could weall decyd their wrangling stryff
And soe thy braue Penardo did discover
Wheirby aste seem'd to be bereaft of lyff
Whilst thou hir conqur'our to thy greater grace
Makst arte to nature euin in arte giue place.
Then since thu'rt arts Controler, natures Chyld,
Stird vp by vertue to encreass thy fame
Leaue not Layssa thus from loue exyld
For saue thy self non dare attempt the same
And as thou dost in vs sweet thoghts Inspyre
Soe goe thou one and we shall still admyre.
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