¶ The notable history of two famous Princes of the world, Astyanax and Polixena: wherein is set forth the cursed treason of Caulcas. Very pleasant & delectable to read. ❧ ❧ ❧  
Gathered in English verse by john Partridge, in the year. 1566.  
Imprinted at London, by Henry Denham, for Thomas Hacket: and are to be sold at his shop in Lombard street. Mensis Maij. 7.   

THE PREFACE.  
COnsider well and weigh,  
what castles, towers and towns,  
What realms, what Kings by cruel Mars,  
have lost their royal crowns.  
The force of war each man,  
hath felt, this well I know:  
If ever he in Martial feats,  
did any time bestow.  
How many headless men,  
what towns destroyed be?  
If stories old then do revolve,  
there plainly mayst thou see.  
This story I therefore,  
in English have translate:  
Because thereby thou mayst perceive,  
of war the cruel fate.  
How Mars with bloody sword,  
doth range when victory:  
Shall ope her gates, and let him in,  
to have the mastery.  
What Princes blood is spilled,  
of captives woeful case:  
And how that traitors use their sleights  
their Princes to deface.   

To the Reader.  
Lo here thou shalt it see,  
by Caulcas traitor old:  
Which to the Greeks a Prince's child,  
by trayterie hath sold.  
I have in time heard say,  
how men that did delight:  
To read old jests of battles old,  
did much desire the sight,  
Of books that did entreat,  
of Hector's courage stout:  
How in the midst of all the Greeks,  
with valiant heart he fought.  
Lo here thou mayst perceive,  
in Hector's little son:  
The courage of his father old,  
and what he oft hath done.  
Buy therefore and it read,  
the price of it is small:  
If aught there be in it amiss,  
amend it soon I shall.  
Thus I take here my leave,  
requiring this of thee:  
That thou accept here my good will,  
though rude the verses be.   

The history of two of the most noble Princes of the world Astyanax & Polixena  
WHen Troy with Trojans were enclosed,  
by mighty armies twain:  
And weary Greeks forsook that land,  
returning home again.  
By their devise a monster huge,  
was left in Trojan ground:  
A plain disobeyed them to destroy,  
as afterwards they found.  
A horse of wood, in which there was,  
of armed men great store:  
Ulysses and the offspring of,  
the huge and bristled boar.  
When that these Knights in armour bright  
enclosed were therein:  
To Tenedos not far from thence,  
to go they do begin.  
A place in sight of Trojan land,  
where men them might not see:  
Because of mists which caused were,  
unto the Skies to fly.  
These Grecians there themselves did hide,  
and Phrygians did begin:  
By force of men, the engine great,  
to hale and pluck it in.  
With minstrels and with trumpets eke,  
and feast this night they make:  
And fearing nought that might ensue,  
their quiet rests they take.  
When half the night was spent in sleep,  
at Troy the Greeks arrive:  
Then those that in the engine were.  
their fires forth do drive.  
To top of tower these fires they flew,  
the houses eke below:  
And what within the engine was,  
the Grecians plain do show.  
Then straight the Trojans all in heaps,  
unto the court do fly:  
And eke the rout of Grecians stout,  
Aeneas doth defy.  
And seeks with manly courage stout,  
the Greeks for to restrain:  
But out alas, his noble heart,  
did travail all in vain.  
For more and more the Greeks did yet,  
their number multiply:  
That succour ought to Troy should come,  
the Gods did plain deny.  
And cruel fates that were perverse,  
to Trojans as I deem:  
The Trojan town old Illyon,  
did nought at all esteem.  
And when that once Neptune's hand,  
the walls at will to beat:  
And cruel juno in the toil.  
did labour till she sweat.  
And all the Grecian Gods at once,  
do give them to the spoil:  
Both jupiter and cruel Mars,  
Lieutenant of the broil.  
There men might see the Trojan walls,  
turned topsy turvy down:  
And at this breach the Grecians keep,  
to enter in the town.  
Here now they win the victory,  
and there to ground they fall:  
And some unto the temples run,  
upon the Gods to call,  
For aid and help, but all in vain,  
the town is quite destroyed:  
And for the spoil their labour all,  
is duly now employed.  
There Priamus the ancient King,  
by Pyrrus hand is slain:  
And here the Greeks the castle strong,  
endeavour to obtain.  
The town once won, than all in haste,  
they run to take the spoil:  
And here and there the Trojans do,  
of Grecians take the foil.  
At length the town is put to sack,  
and all as dead doth lie:  
And then the Greeks do straight prepare,  
to Greece again to high.  
And Agamemnon general,  
doth part the spoil and gain:  
And eke the captives they do seek,  
to Greece with them to train.  
While all these things in Trojan land,  
were thus commit and done:  
Dauphebus in the Zodiac,  
had more than half outrun.  
And running now another way,  
did call for Winter days:  
To which time mighty Aeolus,  
nought of his power decays.  
Then homeward do the Greeks prepare,  
to wend in very deed:  
And first to get the spoil to ships,  
they forward do proceed.  
Some now do rig and tallow eke,  
the ships that beaten were:  
With wind and rain, and other some,  
the mighty masts do rear.  
Some scour the gons, some tackles new,  
some victuals do provide:  
And some full ready are to wend,  
yet lack they wind and tide.  
The Grecian Princes them disport,  
in midst of Prygian land:  
And woeful Trojans in the midst,  
with wring hands do stand.  
Before the end of dolours all,  
in sight there did appear:  
A manly Knight in armour bright,  
And spoke these words unto the host,  
of Grecians stout and strong:  
You have my Knights, within this land,  
remained very long.  
And now at length you have repaid,  
the Troyans' once their hire.  
For not one stone on others left,  
now all lies in the mire.  
Therefore I say attend to me,  
and answer quickly give:  
You know the maid whose wedlock I,  
did crave when I did live.  
With that they all astonished were,  
and mused who should be:  
The wight whose love he did desire,  
in his prosperity.  
At last, he to dissolve them from,  
this fear that they were in:  
And then a new to prosecute,  
this tale he doth begin.  
Achilles I your Champion old,  
that sometime was your King,  
Now being dead yet do request,  
of you but this one thing.  
That Polixena may be mine,  
and on my tomb be slain:  
So shall your ships return full safe,  
unto your friends again.  
And loosed be from long decay,  
the which here they abide:  
With painted pomp, and shall again,  
upon the salt seas slide.  
And more I will and do command,  
that she to death be put:  
And then your ships shall loosed be,  
the foaming seas to cut.  
By Pyrrus hand I will that she,  
be slain, and then departed:  
And then ye have the Trojans paid,  
after their own desert.  
This said, the earth did quake, & down,  
to hell he did descend:  
The Greeks his words for to perform,  
do thoroughly intend.  
Then to their ships the Greeks do high,  
in posting wise amain:  
For weather fair did then appear,  
to bring them home ogayne.  
Ulysses then, whose devilish wiles,  
were not far of to seek:  
Did this procure, that Hector's son,  
should die in manner like.  
Astyanax that manly wight,  
yet being but a child:  
Could not forbear, he seeing that  
from Troy he was exiled.  
But willingly his tender corpse,  
for country's soil would bear:  
Through all the rout of Grecians strong,  
which Ulysses did fear.  
And practising to have him slain,  
for fear he should in end:  
Be able with an army huge,  
through Grecian land to wend.  
And then his children after him,  
by force for to subdue:  
And eke destroy all Grecian land,  
as they had overthrew,  
The Trojan town old Illyon,  
as men thereof may see:  
Ulysses and Caulcas therefore,  
hereon agreed be.  
That Caulcas shall adjure and swear,  
that one there must be slain:  
For whom the Greeks do make delay,  
and still in creek remain.  
The night is past, the day is come,  
auroras beams do spread:  
And now Caulcas that traitor old,  
doth rise from drowsy bed.  
And stands at aultare twixt the Gods,  
to offer sacrifice:  
With foaming mouth the Heifer young,  
before the altar lies.  
Much like as when a raging boar,  
compassed with any wight:  
And stricken to the heart with shaft,  
of force must lie upright.  
And foaming at his cruel mouth,  
he wrestles all in vain:  
The more he strives, the more increaseth,  
his sore and grievous pain▪  
So lies the Heifer young before,  
the altar of the Gods:  
His breathing paunch is opened,  
the blood runs forth with clods.  
Then crieth out the Prophet old,  
and saith that needs must we:  
Slay Hector's son, for lo the Gods,  
with us aggrieved be.  
And nothing can appease their ire,  
but only sacrifice:  
And therefore Astyanax must be slain,  
I say in any wise.  
Then straight from thence to seek the boy  
the Grecians do them high:  
But for a time him for to find,  
the God doth them deny.  
Till at the last that crafty King,  
trained up with all disobeyed:  
Did find him out, as one that knew,  
the way him for to get.  
At length when they obtained had,  
this peerless Prince's child:  
Toward they do commit the boy,  
and eke the Aunt so mild.  
Until such time as pointed was,  
by Caulcas traitor old:  
The which thing he before, within  
his traitors head had fold.  
Aurora twice had showed her face,  
and Titan twice in Skies:  
Hath showed his glistering beams from out  
the side where he doth rise.  
And now the third to men is come,  
whereof they did rejoice:  
With merry notes the Mariners,  
do sing with cheerful voice.  
At last this Hector young of years,  
doth joy, and hastes with speed:  
Of cruel fate for to receive,  
his final end in deed.  
Then straight the Greeks & Trojans run  
to place where he should die:  
And who first at the place should be,  
the Greeks and Trojans try.  
Some by the castle wall do stand,  
and some heap stones on high:  
And some from top of Idamon,  
do see where he shall lie.  
Some gather stones, and piles do make,  
thereon to stand and see:  
Some other weep at his ill fate,  
appointed so to be.  
Some talk of Hector's valiantness,  
some come with him behind:  
Some that Ulysses neck were broke,  
wish both in heart and mind.  
And still they stand and gaze upon,  
the old and rotten tour:  
And do aspect of Mars his stroke,  
when that shall come the flower.  
At length he comes that causer was,  
of Greeks so long delay:  
And Greeks with Trojans all at once,  
lamen● that doleful day.  
The manly boy with manly heart,  
unto his death doth go:  
And rolls about his seemly eyes,  
his friends and foes to know.  
Unto the top of Castle old,  
the Greeks and he do wend:  
And from the highest top thereof,  
they downward do him send.  
The tender corpse of Prince's blood,  
and Illyons only joy:  
In whom his hope did all consist,  
for to repair old Troy,  
Doth now in midst of Illyon town,  
lie quite dissolved of life:  
The mourning now who can express,  
of noble Hector's wife.  
The Greeks lament his woeful hap,  
with tears their eyes do flow:  
And eke how Trojans do lament,  
my pen can not forth show,  
They howl, they weep, they mourn & cry  
they wring their hands amain:  
To see how that the tender corpse,  
of that sweet Prince lies slayer  
At length the Greeks do down descend,  
polixena's death to see:  
But Agamemnon in whom doth grow,  
the branch of fair pity,  
Doth Greekes deny that they should see,  
the fall of her likewise:  
And for the death of Hector's son,  
the tears run down his eyes.  
Then Pyrrus he with posting speed,  
and Grecians all do high:  
Unto the place where as Iwis,  
Polixena must die.  
The Grecians do run amain,  
and Troyans' be not slow:  
The company, the pointed place,  
do throng and overflow.  
The number was with wailing filled,  
to see so fair a wight:  
In piteous wise for slaughter huge,  
so cruelly to be dight.  
At length they come, and Helen she,  
doth bear the marriage brand:  
Before the maid, as manner was,  
with stretched arm and hand.  
The maid with manly courage stout,  
doth view the mighty train:  
With stern aspect, revolving here  
her sight and there again.  
With bended brows she views the host  
of Grecians as she goes:  
And yet for that with Tyndaris,  
not one foot she doth lose.  
But is as lusty in her way,  
as best of Grecians all:  
No cruel dread durst once assay,  
within her bones to fall.  
And after her in order comes,  
Achilles' only son:  
Which must the maid on father's tomb,  
with sword quite thorough run.  
And Caulcas eke did after come,  
but yet with slower pace:  
The maid before the rest she went,  
whose glistering golden face,  
Did quite excel the bright sun beams,  
of Phoebus' fresh and fair:  
Which good cause gave the Grecian host,  
upon her so to stare.  
Her comely hair depending down,  
behind her head did show:  
Her perfect graces what they were,  
in which she full did flow.  
Her face as Roses fresh and sweet,  
did seem that there were placed:  
Her tender lips, her body eke,  
in kirtle being last.  
Her fingers long and lily white,  
yea even as the snow:  
Dame nature in Polixena,  
her power at once did show.  
No part of her misseshapen was,  
but all full well did 'gree:  
Which caused of the Greeks to weep,  
her cruel chance to see.  
It would have made a heart of flint,  
to weep or else to burst:  
To see so fair a Lady die,  
as one that was accursed.  
Now is she come unto the tomb,  
of high and stout Achil,  
The Grecians all then of the Gods,  
the 〈◊〉 ears do fill.  
With roarings and with cries also,  
even as a mother would:  
When that even now her child to die,  
before her see she should.  
So do the Greeks and Troyans' all,  
lament her cruel fall:  
And oft for help, but yet in vain,  
unto the Gods they call.  
And then to top of tomb she goes,  
and there as still doth stand:  
As any lamb, which to be slain,  
the butcher hath in hand.  
Then down she knéeles & prays the Gods,  
and then doth rise again:  
And every man to hear her speak,  
approach and are full fain.  
Then thus to them at last she spoke,  
all fear now laid aside:  
Leave of quoth she, I say you Greeks,  
leave of your filthy pride.  
The crown of victory the which,  
you now triumphant bear:  
For if you look never so high,  
yet fortune doth  
To throw you down unto the earth,  
that erst she set on high:  
And yet O Troy I now joy much,  
that I with thee must die.  
I shall not wander into Greece,  
nor as a slave iwis:  
Be bound with chains in prison strong,  
as now the manner is.  
But with my father and my friends,  
shall here abide I say:  
Now welcome O thou death to me,  
I joy to see this day.  
With that Achilles son,  
plucked forth his bloody blade:  
Her pleasant corpse intending then,  
by sword for to invade.  
Then lifting up his hand to strike,  
he stayed in the blow:  
For cruel fear in quaking bones,  
entangled had him so.  
At length he quite dissolved from fear,  
doth hide his sword within:  
Her tender ribs, her breathing blood,  
〈…〉 begin.  
And yet not dead, she falls as though,  
the burden she would make:  
Full heavy to Achilles, then,  
there life she doth forsake.  
And then the blood out of the wound,  
in breathing wise doth flow:  
Even as a flood out from the hills,  
descending down below.  
Then all the shores is through complete,  
with weepings manifold,  
The Greeks they weep her cruel fate,  
on that wise to behold.  
From thence they go unto their ships,  
and homeward think to wend:  
The ships be loosed, and fate revolved,  
fair wind the Gods have send.  
Then hoist they sail, away they 〈…〉  
to see once Greece again:  
And leaving Troy on foaming 〈…〉  
they ride and sail ama●●●  
john 〈◊〉  
FINIS.