IDUMEUS

What ever he be that sceptar bears or rules in state full High Is soonest down through Fortune's eyar, & brought to myserey, As of late years the worthy king Agamemnon by name, whose prass throughout y e world is blou ̄ , by gold ̄ true ̄ p of fame His well wone fame in marshal stour, does reach unto y e sky Yet lo through Fortune's blind attempt, be lo in earth does lie He y e had passed the fate of war, where chance was equal set, Through Fortune's spite is caught alack, win old Meros net And he which sometime did delight, in clothed coat of mail, Is now constcaynd in Carones boat; over the brouke to sail. That flose upon y e fatal banks, of Plutose kingdom great And that in shade of silent wodes, and valleys green do beat. Where souls of kings & other wights a pointed are to be, In quiet state there also is, this worthy real tree. Of south I joy for to behold, Horestes actyue cheer, The which in father sometime was, in son does now appear, But where is he that all this day, I neauer saw his face, What thing is that if we suppose, it lawful for to be, On princes faith without delay, at shall be given the. Stey their a while Horestes mine, till council do decree? The thing that shall unto your state, most honorabell been. My counciler how do you think, let us your council have, How think you by this Thy ̄ g y to which Horestes now does crave Sith Council thinks it fit in dead, revenged for to be, That you Horestes in good south, for to revenge I agree. And also to maintain your war, I grant you w to good will, A thousand men of stomach bold, your enimise to kill. Take them forth with, & forward go, let slip no time ne tied. For chance to leisure to be bound, I tell you can not bid Go therefore straight provide your men & Like a manly knight In place of stover put forth thy self, assay w to all thy might. To win the fame, for glorey none, it chambering does rest Mark what I say to get thy men, I take it for they best. Sith he is gone for to puruaye, such things as shall in deed, Suffice to serve his tourn in wares, whereof he shall have need Let us depart and when he shall, return heather a gain, To see the must or of his men, we will sure take the pain. Enter. To see this monster let us go, for I suppose it time, Where is Horestes why stease he: the truth to me define: Come on Horestes we have stayed, your monster for to see. I do agree and now a while, give ear your king unto, It does behoof corragious knights, on this wise for to do. That is to strive for to obtain, the victorey and praise, That lasts for aye, when death shall end, y to find of these our dais Wherefore be bold, & fear no fate, the gods for you shall fight For they be joust and will not see, that you in case of right. Shall be desstrest wherefore attend, and do your busey pain, The crabyd rage of enymyse, by force for to restrain? And as to me your trusteynes, hath here to before be known, So now to this Horestes here, let eke the same be shown. Be to his hests obaydient, be stout to take in hand, Such enterprise which he shall think, most for his state to sta ̄ worser Which if you do the same is yours, the glorey and renown, That shall arise of this your facts, throughout y e world shall sou ̄ worser The which you may I pray the gods, your guides here in to be And now farewell but not that well, that I have said to you. Now hark Horestes sith thou must, of men the gether be, And that the will of gods it is, thou must now partly from me. Take yet my last commandment, & bear it in thy mind, Let now they men courragiousnes, in the their captain find And as thou art courragious, so like wise let their be, For safeguard of thy men a brain, well fraught with policy. For over rash in doing ought, does often damage bring, Therefore take council first before, thou dost any thing. For council as Plaato does tell, is sure a heavenly thing. And Socrates a certaynte does say, council does bring. Of things in doubt for Lyuy says, no man shall him repent, That hath before he worked ought, his time in council spent And be thou lybraull to thy men, and gentle be also, For y e way at thy will thou mayest, have them through fire to go And he that shall at any time, deserve ought well of the, Soffer him not for to depart, till well reward he be. Thus have you hard horestes mine, remembar well the same In doing thus you shall pourchas, to the immortaull fame. The which I hope you will assay, for to atchife in deed, The gods the bliss when in y e war, thou forward shalt proceed. Embrace him Farewell my son Horestes I, thy parting ill shall take, Yet ear thou go let me embrace, the once I the do pray, A lack alack that now from me, thou must needs partly away Yet whyell thou art in preasent place, receive of me this kys, Kys him. Farewell good knight for now I shall, thy sweet embracings mys Ah, ah, how, grievous is his parting now, my council unto me The Gods him bles & send him health, I pray them hartele. Woe worth the time the day and our, now may Horestes wail And Clytemnestra may lament, that so she did assail. His father deer for now on blood, Horestes mind is set, And to revenge his father's death, sure nought their is can let. In voiding of a mischief small, they have wrought their decay For now nought else in Horestes, but soar revenge bears sway Sith gods have wild the same to be, good luck y e gods him send Come on my council now from hence, we purpose for to weened Go out. The Gods presarue your gracis all, & send you health for aye. In deed as Hermes does declare, no man can once estew, The judgement of God most joust, that for his faults is Due. And as God is most merciful, so is he joust like wise. And will correct most suerley those, that his hests dispysel Seize of sir king leave morning lo, nought can it you avail Not with standing be ruled now, we pray by our counsaylle. Consider first your one estate, consider what may be, A joyful mean to end at leyngth, this your calamytie. Horestes he is young of years, and you are somewhat old, And sorrow may your grace to soon, within her net in fold, Therefore ites best you do forget, so shall you be at ease, And I am sure Horestes will, endeavour you to please, So far as it for him may be, with honour lefe to do, He will not shrink but will consent, your gracis bidding to For assurance of your good will, Horestes here does crave, your daughter fair Hermione, in marriage for to have. Thereby for to continue Still, true love and amity, That ought in sought betwixt to such, indefferent for to be. And we likewise o gracious Prince, do condisend there to. Go out. My council now declare to me, how think you by this wight Does not he seem in south to be, in time a manley knight. By all the gods I think in south, a man may easeley know, Whose son he was, so right he does his father's steps follow