Page:The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (IA b30323241).pdf/36

whereof Palladius himſelfe would bee one, who ſhould haue their armes chayned, and be put in cartes like priſoners. This being performed according to the agreement, they marched on towards the towne of Cardamila where Clitophon was Captaine; and being come two houres before Sunne-ſet within viewe of the walles, the Helots alreadie deſcrying their number, and beginning to ſound the Allarum, they ſent a cunning fellow (ſo much the cunninger as that he could maske it vnder rudeneſſe) who with ſuch a kind of Rhetorike, as weeded out all flowers of Rhetorike, deliuered vnto the Helots aſſembled together, that they were countrie people of Arcadia, no leſſe oppreſſed by their Lords, and no leſſe deſirous of libertie then they, and therefore had put themſelues in the field, and had already (beſides a great number ſlaine) taken nine or ten ſcore Gentlemen priſoners whom they had there well and faſt chained. Now becauſe they had no ſtrong retiring place in Arcadia, and were not yet of number enough to keepe the field againſt their Princes forces, they were come to them for ſuccour; knowing that dayly more and more of their qualitie wold flocke vnto them, but that in the meane time, leaſt their Prince ſhould purſue them, or the Lacedæmonian King & Nobility (for the likeneſſe of the cauſe) fall vpon them, they deſired that if there were not roome enough for them in the towne, that yet they might encampe vnder the walles, and for ſurety haue their priſoners (who were ſuch men as were euer able to make their peace) kept within the towne.

The Helots made but a ſhort cōſultatiō, being glad that their cōtagion had ſpread it ſelfe into Arcadia, and making account that if the peace did not fall out betweene them and their King, that it was the beſt way to ſet fire in all the parts of Greece; beſides their greedineſſe to haue ſo many Gentlemen in their hands, in whoſe raunſomes they already meant to haue a ſhare; to which haſt of concluding, two things wel helped; the one, that their Captaine with the wiſeſt of them, was at that time abſent about cōfirming or breaking the peace with the ſtate of Lacedæamon: the ſecond, that ouer many good fortunes began to breede a proude reckleſneſſe in thē: therfore ſending to view the Campe, and finding that by their ſpeach they were Arcadians, with whom they had had no warre, neuer ſuſpecting a priuate mans credit could haue gathered ſuch a force, and that all other tokens witneſſed them to bee of the loweſt calling (beſides the chaines vpon the Gentlemen) they graunted not onely leaue for the priſoners, but for ſome others of the companie, and to all, that they might harbour vnder the walles. So opened they the gates, and receiued in the carts; which being done, and Palladius ſeeing fit time, hee gaue the ſigne, and ſhaking off their chaines (which were made with ſuch arte, that though they ſeemed moſt ſtrong and faſt, he that ware them might eaſilie looſe them) drewe their ſwordes hidden in the cartes, and ſo ſetting vpon the ward, made them to flye eitheir from the place, or from their bodies, and ſo giue entrie to all the force of the Arcadians before the Helots could make anie head to reſiſt them.

But the Helots being men hardened againſt daungers, gathered (as well as they could) together in the market place, and thence would haue giuen a ſhrewd welcome to the Arcadians, but that Palladius (blaming thoſe that were ſlow, hartning them that were forward, but eſpecially with his owne example leading them) made ſuch an impreſſion into the ſquadron of the Helots, that at firſt the great body of them beginning to ſhake and ſtagger; at length, euery particular bodie recommended the protection of his life to his feete. Then Kalander cried to go to the priſon, where he thought his ſonne was, but Palladius wiſht him (firſt ſcouring the ſtreetes) to houſe all the Helots, and make themſelues maiſter of the gates.

But