ΒΑΤΡΑΧΟΜΥΟΜΑΧΙΑ.
9
Thus answer'd (rising.) Friends? I did not bring
Psycharpax to his end; He, wantoning
Vpon our waters, practising to swimme,
[1]Ap'te vs, and drown'd; without my sight of him.
And yet these worst of Vermine, accuse me
Though no way guiltie. Come, consider we
How we may ruine these deceiptfull Mise.
For my part; I giue voice to this aduise;
As seeming fittest to direct our deeds.
Our bodies decking with our arming weeds;
Let all our Powr's stand rais'd in steep'st repose
Of all our shore; that when they charge vs close;
We may the helms snatch off, from all so deckt,
Daring our onset; and them all direct
Downe to our waters. Who not knowing the sleight
To diue our soft deeps, may be strangl'd streight;
And we triumphing, may a Trophey rere,
Of all the Mise, that we haue slaughter'd here.
These words put all in armes; and mallow leaues
They drew vpon their leggs, for arming [2]Greaues.
Their Curets; broad greene Beetes; their bucklers were
Good thick-leau'd Cabbadge; proofe gainst any spe're.
Their speares, sharpe Bullrushes; of which, were all
Fitted with long ones. Their parts Capitall
They hid in subtle Cockleshels from blowes.
And thus, all arm'd; the steepest shores they chose,
T'encamp themselues; where lance with lance, they lin'd;
And brandisht brauelie; each Frogg full of Minde.
Psycharpax to his end; He, wantoning
Vpon our waters, practising to swimme,
[1]Ap'te vs, and drown'd; without my sight of him.
And yet these worst of Vermine, accuse me
Though no way guiltie. Come, consider we
How we may ruine these deceiptfull Mise.
For my part; I giue voice to this aduise;
As seeming fittest to direct our deeds.
Our bodies decking with our arming weeds;
Let all our Powr's stand rais'd in steep'st repose
Of all our shore; that when they charge vs close;
We may the helms snatch off, from all so deckt,
Daring our onset; and them all direct
Downe to our waters. Who not knowing the sleight
To diue our soft deeps, may be strangl'd streight;
And we triumphing, may a Trophey rere,
Of all the Mise, that we haue slaughter'd here.
These words put all in armes; and mallow leaues
They drew vpon their leggs, for arming [2]Greaues.
Their Curets; broad greene Beetes; their bucklers were
Good thick-leau'd Cabbadge; proofe gainst any spe're.
Their speares, sharpe Bullrushes; of which, were all
Fitted with long ones. Their parts Capitall
They hid in subtle Cockleshels from blowes.
And thus, all arm'd; the steepest shores they chose,
T'encamp themselues; where lance with lance, they lin'd;
And brandisht brauelie; each Frogg full of Minde.
