Nature ab-
horreth the
warre of the
Grecians.
F wee weigh naturall affeccion, it can not bee, that
the Grecians so moche abhorring frō nature, should
cast of the naturall loue of their wifes, their children
and countrie, to bryng home againe, by slaughter of infinite
people: soche an one as had left honestie, and chaste loue of
her housbande. For, what praise can redounde to the Greci-
Helena. ans by warre, to bryng home Helena, though she of all crea-
tures was moste beautifull, beyng a harlotte: followyng the
bridell and will of an other man. Maie shame or commenda-
cion rise to the Troians, can wisedome, counsaile, or grauitie,
Priamus. defende the adulterous luste of Priamus soonne, yea, could
Priamus so loue Helena, for Paris his sonnes sake, as that
he had rather venter the ruine and destruccion of his citée, and
the falle of his people, the murder and ruine of his children,
and wife for the beautie of one. For what is beautie, where
honestie and vertue lacketh, it is an vncomly matter, though
the Poetes so faigne it, not onely that in heauen, a contenciō
should fall emong the Goddises of their beautie, or that Iu-
piter of whom thei make an ignoraunt God, to chuse Paris
the kynges sonne of Troie, chief arbitratour & Iudge of that
matter, to whō he should giue the goldē Apell to her beautie,
as chief of al other, was ascribed these thynges, are vndecent
to thinke of the Goddeses, and moste of all, to thinke there is
more Goddes then one. And euen as these are vanities, and
forged imaginacions of the Goddes, so of the battaile.
¶ Uncomelie and vnprofitable.
HE daunger of many people doeth shewe, that no
soche thyng should happen, either of the Grecians
or of the Troians: for, it is a matter dissonaunt frō
all truthe, that thei should so moche neclecte the
quiete state, and prosperous renoume of their kyngdome, in
all tymes and ages, since the firste constitucion of all Monar-
chies and kyngdomes. Who euer harde soche a forged mat-
ter to be Chronicled, and set forthe. Or who can giue credite
to soche warre, to be enterprised of so small a matter: to leaue
the state of waightier thynges for one woman. All the wo-
men of that countrie to stande in perill, the slaughter of their
deare housbandes, the violent murder of their children to in-
sue. Therefore, the wilfulnesse of people and princes, are the
cause of the falle and destruccion, of many mightie kyngdo-
mes, and Empires. The fall of Grece ensued, when the chief
Ambicion.
Cesar fell by
ambicion. citées, Athenes and Lacedemonie tooke partes, and did con-
federate diuers citees to them, to assiste theim, and aide theim
in battaile onely: ambicion and desire of glorie, moued bothe
Discorde. the Athenians and Lacedemonians, frō concorde and vnitie
by whiche meanes, the power, glory, and strēgth of all king-
Pompey. domes falleth. Ambicion was the cause that mightie Pom-
pey fell, and died violently. Cesar likewise caught with am-
bicion, not bearyng the equalitée, or superioritie of Pompei,
was tourned of violentlie frō Fortunes whéele. Many prin-
ces of like sorte and kingdomes. By ambicion onely, had the
cause of their ruine. The glorie of the Assirian Monarchie
grewe moste mightie, by the ambicion of Ninus kyng of
Babilon: the ofspring of Ninus, whiche were kynges line-
allie descendyng to the firste kyngdome of the Medes, bothe
inlarged their kyngdomes, and also had the decaie of theim
by ambicion. Let the Medes also associate them selues to thē,
from Arbactus the first kyng, vnto Astiages the laste: the be-
ginnyng and falle of the Persian Monarchie. The mightie
Romulus kil[-]
led Remus
by ambicion. state of Grece, the seate Imperiall of Rome, by ambiciō first
extolled theim selues: and also by it, their glorie, scepter, and
kyngdome was translated, but the falle of Troie came not,
by ambicion, that the Grecians sought. But as the Poetes
doe faigne, the beautie of one woman so wounded their har-
tes, that the Grecians did hasarde, the perilles of their coun-
trie. The Troians so moche estemed, the beautie of Helena,
as that the state of all their kyngdome perished. It was no
glorie nor honour to the Grecians, to resiste by armour, and
to defende the violente takyng awaie of Helena, from her
housbande: nor it was no honour, the Grecians to pursue by
armour, the takynge awaie of Helena, beyng a harlotte. So
that by no meanes it can followe, these thynges to bee true,
of the battaile of Troie.
¶ Confirmacion.
The other part, contrary to destruccion or subuersion, is
called confirmacion.
Confirmacion, hath in it so greate force of argumente, to
stablishe and vpholde the cause or proposicion: as destruccion
hath in castyng doune the sentence or proposicion.
Confirmacion is a certain oracion, whiche with a certain
reprehension of the persone or facte, by order and waie of art,
casteth doune, the contrary propounded.