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Who (but a fool) fuch beauty would endanger?
Or truft it to the mercy of a ftranger?

Then, royal queen! if neither may intreat,
My quenchlefs paffion, nor love's raging heat
Can win you; we are woo'd both to this crime,
Even by the fit advantage of the time;
Either to love sweet sport we must agree,
Or fhew ourselves to be worse fools than he.
He took you by the hand the hour he rode,
And knowing I with you must make abode,
Brings you to me; what should I further say?
It was his mind to give you quite away.

What meant he elfe? then let's be blithe and jolly,
And make the best use of your hufband's folly.
What should we do? your husband is far gone,
And this cold night (poor foul) you lie alone.
I want a bedfellow, fo do we either,

What lets us then, but that we lie together?
You flumb'ring think on me, on you I dream,
Both our defires are fervent and extreme.
Sweet, then appoint the night, why do you ftay?
O night! more clearer than the brightest day.
Then I dare freely fpeak, proteft, and fwear,
And of my vows the gods fhall récord bear.
Then will I feal the contract and the ftrife,
From that day forward we are man and wife:
Then queftionlefs I fhall fo far perfuade,
That you with me fhall Troy's rich coaft invade,
And with your Phrygian gueft at last agree,
Our potent kingdom, and rich crown to fee.
But if you (blufhing) fear the vulgar bruit,
That fays you follow me, to me make fuit,

Fear it not Helen; I'll fo work with fame,
I will (alone) be guilty of all blame.

Duke Thefeus was my inftance, and fo were
Your brothers, lady; can I come more near,
To enfample my attempts by? Thefeus hal'd
Helen perforce: your brothers they prevail'd
With the Leucippian fifters; now from thefe,
I'll count myself the fourth (if Helen please.)
Our Trojan navy rides upon the coast,

Rigg'd, arm'd, and mann'd, and I can proudly boaft,
The banks are high, why do you longer stay?
The winds and oars are ready to make way.
You shall be like a high majestic queen,
Led thro' the Dardan city, and be seen

By millions, who your ftate having commended,
Will (wond'ring) iwear, fome goddess is defcended.
Where'er you walk the priests fhall incense burn,
No way you fhall your eye or body turn,
But facrificed beafts the ground fhall beat,
And bright religious fires the welkin heat.
My father, mother, brother, fifters, all
Ilium and Troy in pomp majestical,
Shall with rich gifts prefent you (but alas!)
Not the leaft part (fo far they do furpass)
Can my epiftle fpeak; you may behold
More than my words or writings can unfold.

Nor fear the bruit of war, or threatning fteel,
When we are fled, to dog us at the heel;
Or that all Gracia will their powers unite:
Of many ravish'd, can you one recite
Whom war repurchas'd? these be idle fears,
Rough bluftering Boreas fair Orithea bears

Unto the land of Thrace, yet Thrace still free,
And Athens rais'd no rude hoftility.
In winged Pegafus did Jafon fail;
And from great Cholcos he Medea ftale:
Yet Theffaly you fee can fhew no fcar
Of former wounds in the Theffalian war.
He that first ravish'd you, in fuch a fleet
As ours is, Ariadne brought from Crete.
Yet Minos and duke Thefeus were agreed,
About that quarrel not a breast did bleed.
Lefs is the danger (truft me) than the fear,
That in these vain and idle doubts appear.
But fay, rude war fhould be proclaim'd at length,
Know I am valiant, and have finewy ftrength.
The weapons that I use are apt to kill.
Afia befides more fpacious fields can fill
With armed men, than Greece. Amongst us are
More perfect foldiers, more beafts apt for war.
Nor can thy husband Menelaus be

Of any high spirit and magnanimity;
Or fo well prov'd in arms: for Helen I,
Being but a lad, have made my enemies fly;
Regain'd the prey from out the hands of thieves,
Who had defpoil'd our herds, and ftol'n our beeves.
By fuch adventures I my name obtain'd,
(Being but a lad) the conqueft I have gain'd
Of young men in their prime, who much could do;
Deiphebus, Ilioneus too

I have o'ercome in many fharp contentions;

Nor think thefe are my vain and forg'd inventions; Or that I only hand to hand can fight,

My arrows when I please fhall touch the white; I am expert i'th' quarry and the bow,

You cannot boast your heartless husband so.

Had you the power in all things to fupply me,
And thould you nothing in the world deny me;
To give me fuch a Hector to my brother,
You could not, the earth bears not fuch another.
By him alone all Afia is well mann'd;

He like an enemy against Greece fhall stand,
Oppos'd to your belt fortunes, wherefore strive you?
You do not know his valour that must wive you,
Or what hid worth is in me; but at length
You will confefs when you have prov'd my ftrength.
Thus either war fhall fill our steps purfue,
Or Greece fhall fall in Troy's all conquering view.
Nor would I fear for fuch a royal wife,
To fet the univerfal world at ftrife.

To gain rich prizes, men will venture far,
The hope of purchase makes us bold in war.
If all the world about you fhould contend,
Your name fhould be eterniz'd without end;
Only be bold; and fearless may we fail
Into my country, with a profperous gale!
If the gods grant me my expected day,
It to the full fhall all these covenants pay.

Helen to Paris.

No fooner came mine eye unto the fight
Of thy rude lines, but I muft needs re-write.
Dar'ft thou (O fhameless) in fuch heinous wife,
The laws of hofpitality defpife?

And being a ftranger, from thy country's reach,
Solicit a chafte wife to wedlock's breach ?
Was it for this our free Tanarian port
Receiv'd thee and thy train, in friendly fort?
And when great Neptune nothing could appeafe,
Gave thee fafe harbour from the stormy feas?

Was it for this, our kingdom's arms spread wide
To entertain thee from the water-fide?

Yet thou of foreign foil remote from hence,
A ftranger, coming we fcarce knew from whence.
Is perjur'd wrong the recompence of right?
Is all our friendship guerdon'd with despight?
I doubt me then, whether in our court doth tarry
A friendly gueft, or a fierce adversary.
Nor blame me, for if juftly you confider,
And these prefumptions well compare together,
So fimple my complaint will not appear,
But you yourself muft needs excufe my fear.
Well, hold me fimple, much it matters not,
Whilft I preferve my chafte name far from fpot;
For when I feem touch'd with a bafhful fhame,
It fhews how highly I regard my fame.

When I feem fad, my countenance is not feigned;
And when I lour, my look is unconftrained.
But fay my brow be cloudy, my name's clear,
And reverently you fhall of Helen hear.
No man from me adulterate fpoils can win;
For to this hour I have sported without fin:
Which makes me in my heart the more to wonder,
What hope you have in time to bring me under:
Or from mine eye what comfort thou canst gather,
To pity thee, and not defpife thee rather.
Becaufe once Thefeus hurry'd me from hence,
And did to me a kind of violence ;
Follows it therefore, I am of fuch price,
That ravifh'd once, I fhould be ravifh'd twice?
Was it my fault, because I ftriv'd in vain,
And wanted strength his fury to restrain ?
He flatter'd, and fpake fair, I ftruggled ftill;
And what he got, was much against my will.

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