For losse of whome the craftie queene

Did often sorrowes faine.
"Cease, madame," saieth Hercules,
"Not long the time shall be,
But I his tyrannie shall end,
Else it giue end to me."
Her sorrowes did not tith her ioy,
When he had given consent
To vndertake that deathfull taske:
For death was it she ment.
Now Hercules in Ægypt meetes
Busiris and his crew,
When sodainelie with maine assault
On him the giant flew :
Supposing to haue dealt with him
As he had done before.
With other strangers, Hercules
Alonely, and no more

To take his part, with skathfull strokes
Bestird his club so well,

In battering of the tyrant's bones,
That strengthlesse downe he fell.
Then did he kill and chase away
His lewd and cruell traine,
Till hearing of no further foe,

He commeth backe againe,
And taketh vp the wretched king,
That cryeth out for ayde:
And on the altar, where himselfe
Had strangers often layde,
Himselfe was made a sacrifice:

And as his blood did staine

The altar, euen at that same time
There fell a joyfull raine.

With ended drought, and tyrant's death,
A common ioy befell,

And all in Memphis entertaine

The vnknowen champion well :

From thence returning back to Thabes, He there awhile did dwell.

KING Creon's daughter Megara,
At Thæbes he did espouse:
To countenance their wedding feast
Did want nor knights, nor prowse.

Which triumphs ended, when the knights
Should thence depart away,
Pirithous to his wedding bids

Them all, and names the day
Wherein to meete at Thessalie:
To which did all consent,
And at the time concluded of

At Thessalie conuent.

Amidst their cheere, the solemne feast
The Centaures did disqueat :
Whom by no meanes the nobles there
To patience might intreat.

For they, an hundred giants strong,
With drinking whitled well,

Amongst their cups, from words to blowes,
And worser dealings, fell:

And (too outragious at the last,
Fierce Eurytis their guide)
Vnreuerently they rauish thence
Hippodame the bride.

But Hercules not brooking it,

To arme himselfe begunne,
And all alone in rescue of

The rapted bride did runne.
By this time did Ixeon's seede
Stand still in battell ray,
When he, but one against them all,
Began a bloodie fray.

Ech arrow that with ayming hand
From sturdy bow he sent,
Did answere by the death of one
The sender his intent.

Whilest Hercules with deadly bow
Had store of Centaures slaine,
And, wanting arrowes, with their blood
His valiant club did staine,

The bridegroome and the other knights
Came to the ceasing fight,

When all were foyl'd, excepting twelue,
That sau'd their liues by flight.
Alonely Lycus yelded him
A prisoner, and liues,
And liuing vnto Hercules
Much after-sorrow giues:
But Nessus, that escaped then,
In time him worser grieues.

CHAP. VI.

THE glory of this high attempt,
And sauing of the bride,
They all ascribe to Hercules:
And whilst they Heere abide
To exercise his piracies,

As Pluto, king of Hell,
(Such was the lewdnes of his life,
And place where he did dwell,
That hee and it were titled so)

Lay houering neere the shore,
And saw the folke of Cicilic

Their gods with rights adore, This rouing king, with armed guardes Of his disordered crew,

Did come a land to make their pray:
But for, to outward view,

They faine deuotion, none suspect
The ill that did ensue.

Anon, a wreathing garlands sweet
Hard at her mother's side,

King Pluto sawe Proserpine,
And liking whom he spide,

Concluding with his companie
How to conuay her thence,
Betwixt his boistrous armes he tooke
The faire and fearefull wench,
And doo what the Cicilians might,
He setteth her aboord;

And to his giltie sailes the aire
Did gentle gales afoord.

A number eyes in Cicilie

For her did weepe, in vaine: For her her mother Ceres and Her loues-mate did complaine.

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Her selfe (sweet lady) of her moane
Did finde no meane, God wot,

Though Dis, to please, did say and giue
What might be said or got.

Imbarked then, with him his harpe
Did woful! Orpheus take,
And to Molossa, Pluto's realme,

With speedie sailes did make:
Where be, vnknowne, at gate of Hell
Did harpe such musick sweete,
As lumpish Cerberus could not

But shake his monstrous feete.
His foule and warpt ill-fauoured face,
Ore-hung with cole-black haires,
His horslike teeth, his lolling lips,
His doglike hanging eares,

His hooked nose, his skowling eyes,
His filthie knotted beard,

And what not in his vgly shape!
But presently appear'd

More milder than his common moode,
And lesser to be fear'd.

This hellish porter, deeming that
Such musick would delight
His weeping mistris, did conuay
The harper to her sight:
Where Pluto swore by dreadfull Stix,
If Orpheus did by play

But make her laugh, what so he askt
He should receiue for pay.
Anon such heauenly harmonie
On skilfull harpe he plaid,
That she her husband's musick knew,
And ioyfull was she made.

Now Orpheus did a watch-word giue,
And she to laugh began:

And for reward to haue from thence
His wife be asked than.
Although it gawled Pluto's soule

His sweet-heart to forgo,
Yeat for to quit him of his oath,
He yeelds it shall be so,

With this condition, that before
They fully passed Hell,

He should not backwards look on her,
What chance so ere befell.

Now as they passe through blinde by-waies,
He fearing least perchance

She erre or lag, returnes a looke:

And who should marke that glance

But Cerberus, that purposely
For such aduantage waites:
Who still detaining her, did shut
Her husband out the gates.

When Ceres heard of this mischance,
She Cicill leaues anon,

And knowing all the knights of Greece

To Thessalie were gone,

She thether goes in hope of helpe:
Where presently she meetes
With Theseus and Pirithous, whose
Salutings she regreetes.

They, wondring what the noble queene
Of Cicill there should make,

Become inquisitiue thereof:
To whom sad Ceres spake

First of Proserpine her greefe
And then of Pluto's guile :
For her she weepes, on him she railes,
And mooueth them meane while.
The mother of false Dis his rape

Had more behinde vnsaid,
When Ægeus and Ixion's sonnes
Did iointly offer aide.
About the desert parts of Greece
There is a valley lowe,

To which the roaring waters fall
That from the mountaines flowe:
So rockes doe ouershadow it,

That scarce a man may vewe
The open ayre; no Sun shines there:
Amidst this darksome mewe
Doth stand a citie, to the same

Belongs one onely gate,

But one at once may come thereto,
The entrance is so straite,
Cut out the rough maine stonie rocke:
This citie did belong

To Pluto, and because that he
Was euer doing wrong,
And kept a theeuish rable, that
In mischiefes did excell,
His citizens were diuels said,

And citie named Hell.

When to this citie's ruthlesse gate
Were come the friendly knights,
Fierce Cerberus did rouse himselfe,
And, scarcely barking, bites.
He thought the world had lackt the man
That thether durst repaire ;

And troth to say, not one till then
To doo the like did dare.

Now fiery sparks from thundering strokes
In dark did give them light,
And Ceres' champions valiantly
Maintaine their ventrous fight,
When stout Pirithous, too too bold,
A deadly wound he catcht,
And Theseus, though combattan-like
He long the helhound matcht,
Yeat with his fellowe had he falue,
And flying feares to cope,
Expecting nothing lesse than life,
But hap exceeded hope:

For Hercules at Thessalie

Did feare so hard euent;

Whence lanching out, he made in showes
As if to Thebes he went,

But with Philoctes all his traine,

And Lycus, home he sent :

And he himselfe to aide his friends
Did to Molossa goe,

Wheare, like as did his minde presage,
He found it very so.

For euen as currish Cerberus
With gorie blowes did chace

The wounded and the wearie knight,
Came Hercules in place.

And vnexpected happie sight
To Theseus at that tide;
Whom Cerberus forsaking, then
At Hercules he flide,

Vpbraiding him with threatning words,

And like himselfe did raue,
And reacht him many a crabbed rap
With his presumptious glaue.
The danter then of trespassers
Perceauing Theseus drie

His grieuous wounds, and at his feete
Pirithous dead to lie,

Desirous to reuenge them both,

Laies lustie lode about,

And with his still victorious club

Did Cerberus so cloute,

That, quite dismaid at such a match,
He reeling to the ground,

Did send from out his doggish throat
A loud and diuelish sound.
But when the victor sure enough
The vanquished had bound,
He, leauing Theseus weake without,
Into the citie went :

Whereas he found the wicked king
-And citizens, that spent

Their frutelesse time in vices foule,
And dealings most vniust,

As that those in their porter's strength
Reposed all their trust.

With these did Hercules play rex,
And leauing Dis for dead,
Not one escapes his deadly hand,

That dares to shewe his head,

Whole thousands then did breath their last,
And who had seene the sight,

Might well haue said it Hell indeede: "
For euerie thing out right,
Besides that sullen mewe it selfe,
Did giue a figure plaine

Of selfe same Hell, where damned souls

Abide in endlesse paine.

Saue howlings out and shuddering feare
Came nought to eare or sight,
With grieuous grones of dying ghosts,
And so much more their spight,

By how much more he found them then

In pleasures and delight.

This horrour hanging, Hercules,
In bustling vp and downe
In Pluto's pallace, to her ioy,
Proserpine he found,

And tolde her of enlargement thence:
And then in harrowed Hell
(Pyrithous buried) he, nor she,
Nor Theseus, longer dwell:
But, waying anker, with the queene

Of Cicil's daughter went

To Thessalie; where present greefes
Pretended ioyes preuent,
For, hearing of Pyrithous' death,
Not one but did lament.
Hippodame (a widowe nowe)
Especially bewailes

Her ouer-hardie husband's death:
But weeping lesse preuailes
Then did reuenge; for Hercules
Vnto her doome commits

Her greefe's-contriver, Cerberus,
Almost besides his wits

For feare of death, his due desert:
Whome causing to be bound
Both hands and feet, and to be dragd
Along the ragged ground,

A knauish skull of boyes and girles
Did pelt at him with stones,
And laying on with staues and whippes
Did breake both fleshe and bones.
WHEN Hercules should passe to Hell,
As hath before been said,
And that Philoctes of his men

He had lieutenant made,
And as Philoctes with his charge
On seas to Thæbes did passe,
He met Androdamus, the king
Of Calcedon he was.
Androdamus, not knowing yet

His cosen there inthralde, (For Lycus was his cosen) to

The Thabane pilots calde

To ken of whence and where they would.
But ere the Thabans might

Giue answer, Lycus, clogd with chaines,
On hatches stoode vpright

And cride, "Androdamus, beholde
And succour me, thy friend,
That shamefully, vnles thou helpe,
Am like my life to end.

I captiue am to Hercules,

And thus to Thæbes must goe: Giue aide therefore." Androdamus

Deferres not dooing so,

But setteth on Philoctes, that
Himselfe and shippe defends,
And part of Calcedons he slewe,

And part to sea he sends:

But where the number tripled there
For them the battell ends.

When Lycus was discharg'd of bands,
And stout Philoctes bound,

He tolde what skath the Centaures late
In Thessalie had found.

Amongst the slaine he named some
Allied to the king:

For which the sauage tyrant swore
Reuenge on Thæbes to bring.

And, sayling thence, preuailed theare
By comming vnawares;

And putteth all to sacke and sword,
Nor olde nor young he spares.
He slaieth Creon, and in holde

Faire Megara was cast:
And leauing Lycus king in Thæbes,
From Thæbes the tyrant past.
Whilest Lycus thus did lord it theare,
The errour of his eye

Did vexe his heart; but Megara
His lust did chastly flye.

And Hercules by now had newes

How things at Thæbes fell out,
And how that Lycus theare was lord,
And none for him durst route.

Disguised then he thither comes,
And to the pallace went;

Whom, when the porters would haue staide,

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His ragges he of did rent, And showes himselfe like to himselfe, No bloe in vaine he spent,

That sets not breath or bloud abroch.
This vprore Lycus heard,
And thinking that some priuat fray
Had falne amongst his garde,
Presuming that his presence would
Appease the growing heat,
Did cast his haughtie armes abroad,
As who would say, "Be queat,
Or here am I that can aswell
Command it as intreat:"
Which Hercules so suddainelie

Chopt off that (yet vnmist)
He thinking to haue vsed armes,
Was armeles ere he wist.
"Then Hercules, our Hercules

Is come," all Thæbes it cride,
"Now shake we off our seruile yoke
And follow him our guide :" ·
And so they did, till none were left
To holde on Lycus side.
The medly ended, Hercules
Did bring the Centaure bound
To prison; whereas Megara
In miserie he found:
(For Lycus, speedeles in his lust,
Against her so had frownde)
Yea (more reuengefull) seeing her
Imbraced by his foe,

And hoping nothing lesse then life,
To vexe them ere he goe

He said: "Thou doatest ouermuch
To entertaine that whore,
The falsest ladie vnder Heauen,
For let me liue no more,

"If Megara (1 speake by proofe)
Imbraced so of thee,

Hath not offended diuers waies,
And common been to me."
Then Hercules supposing that

His speeches had been true,
Sweept off the lying Centaure's head,
And in that choller slewe
(Too credulent) his guiltlesse wife :
But dead, her death did rue.

FOR losse of her, and slaughtered friends,
He, vexed at the heart,

Did then from Thæbes (an heauie man)
To forraine lands depart.
Distressed in the Troyan rhode

He, succour sought for pay:
To which (his people's triple plague)
Laomedon said nay:

And to prouide their second scourge
Sail'd Hercules away:

For, coming back with Iason's prize
From Colchos, he complaines
Of churlish king Laomedon,

And so an armie gaines.

At Troy the Greekish peeres and he
Did land their armed men:
Whome to resist Laomedon
Did range his battailes then.

The Troyans they bestird them well, The Grecians stood not still, Laomedon fights valiantlie,

And many a Greeke did kill: Till Hercules (disgesting ill To see his foe pursue Such good successe) encounters bim, Whom easilie he slue.

And hauing slaine the traiterous king He ceaseth not to die

His Thæbian club in Phrigian bloud, Till all began to flie.

But with the Troyans, Telamon,

And Hercules both twaine,
And by their valour all the Greekes
The gates and citie gaine,

And kill who so of Troy they caught,
And rased to the ground
The citie, whilest that house by house
Or stone on stone they found.
When ventrous Telamon, for that

He ent❜red first the gate,
For prize had faire Hesione,
Of Troy the latest fate:
For Priamus to quit her rape,
Long after sent his sonne
To rauish Hellen from the Greekes:
So thirdly warre begonne :
Hesione the cause to Troy,

And Hellen to the Greekes,

And all did worke that Troyan Brute The Albian climate seekes.

THE

SECOND BOOKE OF ALBION'S ENGLAND.

CHAP. VIL

THE twise-sackt towne the Grecians then

Did merrilie forsake,

And Hercules for new affaires,

Did land in Egypt take.

There in a porte hee did espie

A fleete of shippes from farre,
Well fraught with men, munition, and
What else pertaines to warre.
When Affer (he chiefe captaine was
Of that same fleete) did spie
The ensignes of the famous Greeke,
He knew them by and by;
And entertaining on his knees
The owner of the same,
Reioyced to behold the man
So honoured by fame.
With Affer sailed Hercules to
Lybia, to put downe

The gyant king Antæus, that
Had aided to the crowne

Of Egypt, against th' Egyptians' willes,
Busiris lately slaine

By Hercules, in whose conduct
They doubt not to obtaine