University of Virginia Library

The vertue of Vlisses wife

An answere.

The vertue of Vlisses wife
Dothe liue, though she hath ceast her race,
And farre surmountes old Nestors life:
But now in moe than then it was.
Such change is chanced in this case.
Ladyes now liue in other trade:
Farre other Helenes now we see,
Than she whom Troyan Paris had.
As vertue fedes the roote, so be
The sap and frute of bough and tree.
Vlisses rage, not his good wife,
Spilt gentle blood. Not Helenes face,
But Paris eye did rayse the strife,
That did the Troyan buildyngs race.
Thus sithe ne good, ne bad do yll:
Them all, O Lord, maintain my will,
To serue with all my force and skyll.