HELENA

Though care do cause the want of wit, and reasons rule deny, And heavy hap does ofttymes hate his mates in misery Yet I before most hateful judge dare well defend my partly, That I of all your grievous cares sustain the greatest smart. Andromacha for Hector weeps, for Priam Hecuba, For only Paris privily bewaileth Helena. A hard and grievous thing it is captivity to bear, In Troy that yoke I suffered long a prisoner whole ten year. Turned are the fates, Troy beaten down, to Greece I must repeare, The native country to have lost is ill, but worse to fear. For dread thereof you need not care your evils all be passed, On me both parts will vengeance take all lights to me at last. Whom each man prisoner takes God wot she stands in slipper stay, And me not captive made by lot yet Paris led away. I have be cause of all these wars, and then your woes were wrought, When first your ships the Spartayn Seas & land of Greciam sought. But if the Goddess wild it so that I their pray should be, And for reward to her beauties judge she had appointed me, Then pardon Paris: think this thing in wrathful judge does lie, The sentence Menelaus gives, and he this case shall try. Now turn thy plaints Andromacha, and weep for Polyxeyne Mine eyes for sorrows of my heart their tears may not refrain. You would the more envy my state if you might know your own, Such Master's must you serve as does by chance of lots befall. By lot you fallen to Pyrhus hands you are his prisoner. Chief king of Greeks Cassandra keeps and his captive is she. You chanced to Ulysses are his pray you are become.