The notable hystorie of two famous princes of the worlde, Astianax and Polixena wherein is set forth the cursed treason of Caulcas. Very pleasaunt & delectable to reade. Gathered in English verse by Iohn Partridge, in the yeare. 1566

The hystorie of two of the most noble Princes of the world Astianax & Polixena WHen Troie with Troianes were inclosde , by mighty armies twayne : And wéery Greekes forsoke that lande , retourning home agayne . By their deuise a monster huge , was left in Troian ground : A playne disceyte them to destroy , as afterwardes they found . A horse of wood , in which there was , of armed men great store : Vlisses and the offspring of , the huge and bristled bore . When that these Knights in armor bright inclosed were therein : To Tenedos not farre from thence , to goe they doe begin . A place in sight of Troian lande , where men them might not sée : Bycause of mistes which caused were , vnto the Skies to flie . These Gretians there themselues did hide , and Phrygians did beginne : By force of men , the ingine great , to hale and plucke it in . With minstrels and with trompets eke , and feast this night they make : And fearing nought that might ensue , their quiet restes they take . When halfe the night was spent in slepe , at Troie the Greekes ariue : Then those that in the ingine were . their fiers forth do driue . To top of towre these fiers they flewe , the houses eke belowe : And what within the ingine was , the Gretians playne do showe . Then strayght the Troianes all in heapes , vnto the court doe flie : And eke the rowte of Gretians stoute , Aeneas doth defie . And séekes with manly courage stout , the Greekes for to restrayne : But out alas , his noble heart , did trauayle all in vayne . For more and more the Greekes did yet , their number multiplie : That succour ought to Troie should come , the Gods did playne denie . And cruell fates that were peruers , to Troianes as I déeme : The Troian towne olde Illyon , did nought at all estéeme . And when that once Neptunes hand , the walles at will to beate : And cruell Iuno in the toyle . did labour till she sweate . And all the Gretian Gods at once , doe giue them to the spoyle : Both Iuppiter and cruell Mars , Lieutenant of the broyle . There men might sée the Troian walles , turnde topsie turuie downe : And at this breach the Gretians kepe , to enter in the towne . Here nowe they winne the victorie , and there to ground they fall : And some vnto the temples runne , vpon the Gods to call , For ayde and helpe , but all in vayne , the towne is quite destroyde : And for the spoyle their labour all , is duely now imployed . There Priamus the auncient King , by Pyrrus hande is slayne : And here the Greekes the castle strong , indeuour to obtayne . The towne once wonne , then all in haste , they runne to take the spoyle : And here and there the Troianes doe , of Gretians take the foyle . At length the towne is put to sacke , and all as dead doth lie : And then the Greekes do strayght prepare , to Greece agayne to hie . And Agamemnon generall , doth part the spoyle and gayne : And eke the captiues they doe séeke , to Greece with them to trayne . While all these things in Troian lande , were thus commit and done : Dauphebus in the Zodiacke , had more than halfe outrunne . And running now another way , did call for Winter dayes : To which time mighty Aeolus , nought of his power decayes . Then homeward do the Greekes prepare , to wende in very déede : And first to get the spoyle to shippes , they forwarde doe procéede . Some nowe do rigge and tallowe eke , the shippes that beaten were : With winde and rayne , and other some , the mighty mastes doe reare . Some scoure the gons , some tackels new , some vitailes doe prouide : And some full ready are to wende , yet lacke they winde and tide . The Gretian Princes them disporte , in midst of Prygian lande : And wofull Troianes in the midst , with wringing handes doe stande . Before the ende of dolours all , in sight there did appeare : A manly Knight in armour bright , And spake these words vnto the hoste , of Gretians stoute and strong : You haue my Knightes , within this lande , remayned very long . And nowe at length you haue repayde , the Troians once their hire . For not one stone on others left , now all lies in the mire . Therefore I say attende to me , and aunswere quickly giue : You knowe the mayde whose wedlocke I , did craue when I did liue . With that they all astonied were , and mused who should be : The wight whose loue he did desire , in his prosperitie . At last , he to dissolue them from , this feare that they were in : And then a newe to prosecute , this tale he doth beginne . Achilles I your Champion olde , that sometime was your King , Nowe being deade yet do request , of you but this one thing . That Polixena may be mine , and on my tombe be slayne : So shall your shippes returne full safe , vnto your friendes agayne . And losed be from long decay , the which here they abyde : With paynted pompe , and shall agayne , vpon the salte seas slyde . And more I will and doe commaunde , that she to death be put : And then your shippes shall losed be , the foming seas to cut . By Pyrrus hande I will that she , be slayne , and then depart : And then ye haue the Troianes payde , after their owne desert . This sayd , the earth did quake , & downe , to hell he did descende : The Greekes his wordes for to perfourme , do thorowly intende . Then to their ships the Greekes do hie , in posting wise amaine : For weather faire did then appeare , to bring them home ogayne . Vlisses then , whose diuelish wiles , were not farre of to séeke : Did this procure , that Hectors sonne , shoulde die in maner like . Astianax that manly wight , yet being but a childe : Coulde not forbeare , he seing that from Troie he was exilde . But willingly his tender corps , for countries soyle would beare : Through all the rowte of Gretians strong , which Vlisses did feare . And practizing to haue him slayne , for feare he shoulde in ende : Be able with an armie huge , through Gretian lande to wende . And then his children after him , by force for to subdewe : And eke destroy all Gretian lande , as they had ouerthrewe , The Troian towne olde Illyon , as men thereof may sée : Vlisses and Caulcas therefore , hereon agréed be . That Caulcas shall adiure and sweare , that one there must be slayne : For whome the Greekes doe make delay , and still in créeke remayne . The night is past , the day is come , auroraes beames do spred : And now Caulcas that traytour olde , doth ryse from drowsie bed . And stands at aultare twixt the Gods , to offer sacrifice : With foming mouth the Heyfer yong , before the altare lies . Much like as when a raging bore , compast with any wight : And stricken to the heart with shafte , of force must lie vpright . And foming at his cruell mouth , he wrastles all in vayne : The more he striues , the more increaseth , his sore and grieuous payne ▪ So lies the Heyfer yong before , the altare of the Gods : His breathing paunch is opened , the bloud runs forth with clods . Then crieth out the Prophet olde , and sayth that néedes must we : Slay Hectors sonne , for loe the Gods , with vs agrieued be . And nothing can appease their ire , but onely sacrifice : And therefore Astianax must be slayne , I say in any wise . Then strayght from thence to séeke the boy the Gretians doe them hie : But for a time him for to finde , the God doth them denie . Till at the last that crafty King , traynde vp with all disceyte : Did finde him out , as one that knewe , the way him for to get . At length when they obtayned had , this péerelesse Princes childe : Towarde they doe commit the boy , and eke the Aunte so milde . Vntill such time as poynted was , by Caulcas traitour olde : The which thing he before , within his traytours head had folde . Aurora twice had shewed hir face , and Tytan twice in Skies : Hath shewed his glistering beames from out the side where he doth rise . And nowe the thirde to men is come , whereof they did reioyce : With mery notes the Mariners , do sing with chéerefull voyce . At last this Hector yong of yeares , doth ioy , and hastes with spéede : Of cruel fate for to receiue , his finall ende in déede . Then strait the Greekes & Troianes runne to place where he should die : And who first at the place should be , the Greekes and Troianes trie . Some by the castle wall doe stande , and some heape stones on hie : And some from top of Idamon , do sée where he shall lie . Some gather stones , and pyles doe make , thereon to stand and sée : Some other weepe at his ill fate , appoynted so to bée . Some talke of Hectors valiauntnesse , some come with him behinde : Some that Vlisses necke were broke , wish both in heart and minde . And styll they stand and gaze vpon , the olde and rotten toure : And doe aspect of Mars his stroke , when that shall come the floure . At length he coms that causer was , of Greekes so long delay : And Greekes with Troianes all at once , lamen● that dolefull day . The manly boy with manly heart , vnto his death doth goe : And rolles about his séemely eyes , his friendes and foes to knowe . Vnto the top of Castle olde , the Greekes and he doe wende : And from the hiest toppe thereof , they downewarde do him sende . The tender corps of Princes bloude , and Illyons onely ioy : In whome his hope did all consist , for to repaire olde Troie , Doth nowe in midst of Illyon towne , lie quite dissolued of life : The mourning now who can expresse , of noble Hectors wife . The Greekes lament his wofull hap , with teares their eyes do flowe : And eke how Troianes doe lament , my pen can not forth showe , They houle , they wéepe , they mourne & cry they wring their handes amayne : To sée how that the tender corps , of that swéete Prince lies slay●● At length the Greekes do downe descende , Polixenaes death to sée : But Agamemnon in whome doth growe , the braunch of faire pitie , Doth Greekes deny that they should sée , the fall of hir likewise : And for the death of Hectors sonne , the teares runne downe his eyes . Then Pyrrus he with posting spéede , and Gretians all doe hie : Vnto the place where as Iwis , Polixena must die . The Gretians doe runne amaine , and Troians be not slowe : The company , the poynted place , doe throng and ouerflowe . The number was with wayling fillde , to sée so faire a wight : In pitious wise for slaughter huge , so cruelly to be dight . At length they come , and Hellyn she , doth beare the mariage brande : Before the mayde , as maner was , with stretched arme and hande . The mayde with manly courage stout , doth viewe the mighty trayne : With sterne aspect , reuoluing here hir sight and there agayne . Wyth bended browes she viewes the host of Gretians as she goes : And yet for that with Tyndaris , not one fote she doth lose . But is as lusty in hir way , as best of Gretians all : No cruell dreade durst once assay , within hir bones to fall . And after hir in order commes , Achilles onely sonne : Which must the mayde on fathers tombe , with sworde quite thorow runne . And Caulcas eke did after come , but yet with slower pace : The mayde before the rest she went , whose glistering golden face , Did quite excell the bright sunne beames , of Phoebus fresh and faire : Which good cause gaue the Gretian host , vpon hir so to stare . Hir comelie haire depending downe , behinde hir head did shewe : Hir perfect graces what they were , in which she full did flowe . Hir face as Roses fresh and swéete , did séeme that there were plaste : Hir tender lips , hir body eke , in kirtle being laste . Hir fingers long and lyllie white , yea euen as the snowe : Dame nature in Polixena , hir power at once did showe . No parte of hir misseshapen was , but all full well did grée : Which caused of the Greekes to wéepe , hir cruell chaunce to sée . It would haue made a heart of flint , to wéepe or else to burst : To sée so faire a Lady die , as one that was accurste . Now is she come vnto the tombe , of hie and stout Achil , The Gretians all then of the Gods , the 〈◊〉 eares do fill . With roarings and with cries also , euen as a mother woulde : When that euen now hir childe to die , before hir sée she should . So do the Greekes and Troians all , lament hir cruell fall : And oft for help , but yet in vayne , vnto the Gods they call . And then to top of tombe she goes , and there as still doth stande : As any lambe , which to be slayne , the butcher hath in hande . Then downe she knéeles & prayes the Gods , and then doth rise agayne : And euery man to heare hir speake , approch and are ful fayne . Then thus to them at last she spake , all feare now layde aside : Leaue of quoth she , I say you Greekes , leaue of your filthy pride . The crowne of victorie the which , you now triumphant beare : For if you loke neuer so hie , yet fortune doth To throwe you downe vnto the earth , that erst she set on hie : And yet O Troie I now ioy much , that I with thée must die . I shall not wander into Greece , nor as a slaue ywis : Be bound with chaines in prison strong , as nowe the maner is . But with my father and my friends , shall here abyde I say : Now welcome O thou death to me , I ioy to see this day . With that Achilles sonne , pluckt forth his bloudy blade : Hir pleasant corps intending then , by sworde for to inuade . Then lifting vp his hande to strike , he stayed in the blowe : For cruell feare in quaking bones , intangled had him so . At length he quite desolued from feare , doth hyde his sworde within : Hir tender ribbes , hir breathing bloud , 〈…〉 beginne . And yet not dead , she falles as though , the burden she would make : Full heauy to Achilles , then , there life she doth forsake . And then the bloud out of the wounde , in breathing wise doth flowe : Euen as a floud out from the hilles , descending downe belowe . Then all the shores is through complete , with wéepings manifolde , The Greekes they wepe hir cruell fate , on that wise to beholde . From thence they goe vnto their ships , and homeward thinke to wende : The ships be losde , and fate reuolued , faire winde the Gods haue sende . Then hoyse they sayle , away they 〈…〉 to sée once Greece agayne : And leauing Troie on foming 〈…〉 they ride and sayle ama●●● Iohn 〈◊〉 FINIS .