University of Virginia Library

THE FIFTH ACTE.

Nuncius,
Andromacha. Hecuba.
O dyre , fierce, wretched, horrible, O cruell fates accurste,
Of Mars his ten yeares bloudshed blows the wofulst and the worst.
Alas which should I first bewayle? thy cares Andromacha?
Or els lament the wretched age of woful Hecuba?

Hec.
What euer mans calamityes ye wayle for myne it is.
I beare the smart of al their woes each other feeles but his
Who euer he, I am the wretch all happes to me at last.

Nun
Slayne is the mayd, and from the walles of Troy the child is cast.
But both (as them became) they toke their death with stomacke stout.

And
Declare the double slaughters then, & tell the whole throughout.

Nun.
One towre of all the rest ye know doth yet in Troy remayne,
Where Pryam wonted was to sit, and view the armies twayne.
His litle Nephew eke with him to lead, and from a farre,
His fathers fightes with fire and sword to show on feats of war.
This towre, sometyme wel knowne by fame, and Troyans honor most.
Is now with captaynes of the Greeekes, beset on euery coast.
With swift recourse and from the shippes, in clustred heaps anone.
Both tagge and ragge they runne to gase what thing should ther be done
Some clime the hilles to seeke a place where they might see it best,
Some one the rockes a tiptoe stande to ouerloke the rest.
Some on their tēples weare the pine, some beech, some crownes of bay,
For garlandes torne is euery tree, that standeth in they'r way,
Some from the highest mountaynes top aloofe beholdeth all.
Some scale the buildinges halfe thurnt, and some the ruinous wall.
Yea some there were (O mischief loe) that for the more despyghte.
The tombe of Hector sits vppon beholders of the sight.
With princely pace Vlisses then past through the preased band
Of Greekes, King Priams litle nephew leading by the hand.
The Child with vnrepyning gate past through his enmies handes,
Up toward the walles, and as anone in turrets top he standes,
From thence adowne his lofty lookes he cast on euery part,
The neerer death more free from care he seemd, and feare of hart.
Amid his foes his stomacke swelles, and fierce he was to sight,
Like Tygers whelpe, that thrais in vayne wt tothles chap to bight.
Alas, for pitty then each one, rew on his tender yeares,
And al the route that present were, for him they shed their teares,
Yea not Vlisses them restraynd, but trickling downe they fal,
And onely he, wept not (poore foole) whom they bewayled al.
But whyle on Gods Vlisses cald, and Calchas wordes expound,
In midst of Pryams land (alas) the child leapt downe to ground.

And.
What cruel Calchas could or scith such slaughter take in hand?
Or by the shore of Caspyan Sea, what barbarous lawles land.
Busyridis to th'aulters yet no infantes bloud hath shed
Nor neuer yet were children slayne fortrast of Diomed.
Who shal alas in tombe thee lay, or hyde thy limmes agayne?

Nu.
What limmes from such a headlong fall could in a child remayne,
His bodies payse throwne downe to ground, hath batred al his bones.
His face, his noble fathers markes are spoyld agaynst the stones.
His necke vnioynted is: his head so dasht with flint stoane stroake,
That scattered is the brayne about, the scul is al to breake.
Thus lieth he now dismembred corpes, deformd and all to rent.

An.
Loe herein doth he yet likewyse, his father represent.

Nun
What time the Child hath headlong falne thus from the walls of Troy,
And al the Greekes thēselues bewaild ye slaughter of the Boy,
Yet strayght returne they backe, and at Achilles tombe agayne
The second mischiefe goe to worke the death of Polixeine.
This tombe the waues of surging seas, beset the vtter side,
The other part the fields encloase aboute, and pastors wyde.
In vale enuyroned with hils, that round aboute do ryse,
A sloape on height erected are the bankes in Theatre wyse.
By al the shore then swarme the Greekes, & thicke on heaps they prease
Some hope that by her death they shall theyr shippes delay release.
Some other ioy their enmies stocke thus beaten downe to bee:
A greate part of the people, both the slaughter hate, and see.
The Troyans eke no lesse frequent their owne calamityes
And all affrayd, beheld the last of all their miseryes.
When first proceeded torches bright as guise of wedlocke is.
And author therof led the way the Lady Tindaris.
Such wedlocke pray the Troyans then, God send Hermiona
And would God to her husband so, restoard were Helena.
Feare masd each part, but Polixeine her bashful looke downe cast:
And more then earst her glittring eyes and beauty shyn'd at last.
As sweetest seems then Phœbus light, when downe his beams do sway,
When starres agayne with night at hand opprest the doubtful day.
Astonnied much the people were, and all they her commende,
And now much more then euer earst, they prays'd her at her end.
Some with her beauty moued were, some with her tender yeares:
Some to behold the turnes of chaunce, and how each thing thus wears.
But most them moues her valiant minde, and lofty stomacke hie,
So strong, so stout, so ready of hart and wel prepard to dye.
Thus passe they forth and bold before King Pirrhus goeth the mayde,
They pitty her, they maruel her, their hartes were all affrayde.
As sone as then the hard hil top (where die she should) they trode,
And hie vppon his fathers tombe the youthful Pyrrhus stoode.
The manly mayd she neuer shronke one foote, nor backward drew,
But boldely turnes to meete the stroke, with stoute vnchanged hew,
Her corage moues eche one, and loe a strange thing monstrous like.
That Pyrhus euen himselfe stoode stil, or dread and durst not strike.
But as he had, his glittring sword in her to hilts vp doon,
The purple bloud, at mortall wound, then gushing out spoon.
Ne yet her corage her forsooke, when dieng in that stounde,
She fell as the'rth should her reuenge with ireful rage to groūd.
Each people wept the Troyans first with priuy fearful crye,
The Grecians eake, each one bewayld her death apparantly.
This order had the sacrifyce, her bloud the tombe vp dronke,
No drop remaynth aboue the ground, but downe forthwith it sonke.

Hec.
Now go, now goe ye Greekes, and now repayre ye safely home.
With careles shippes and hoised sailes now cut the salt sea fome.
The Child and Uirgin both be slaine, your battels finisht are.
Alas where shal I end my age? or whether beare my care?
Shal I my daughter, or my nephew, or my husband mone?
My countrey els, or all at once? or else my selfe alone?
My wish is death that children both and virgins fiercely takes
Where euer cruel death doth hast to strike, it me forsakes,
Amid the enmies weapons all, amid both sword and fyre,
All night sought for, thou fleest from me, that do thee most desyre.
Not flame of fyre, not fall of towre, not cruel enmies hand
Hath rid my life, how neere (alas) could death to Priam stand?

Nun.
Now captiues all with swift recourse repayre ye to the saies,
Now spread the ships their sayls abroad, & forth they seeke theyr waies.