Their darts among vs fast they strike that few were free I wot. In legge and eke in thigh, some wounded eke in th'arme, Yea many darts stucke vs hard by, that mist and did no harme. By little thus at last, in great danger of life We got the sea, and almost past the danger erst so rife. Then gin they all retire sith all their darts were spent They had nought to reuenge their ire, and thus away they went. Our boat to ship doth roe, where two ores make soft way Sixe of vs nine were wounded so, [Sixe of our men wounded.] the seuenth for dead there lay. Lo, heare how cruelly the fiends ment vs to kill, Causelesse you see, if they truly on vs might had their will. And yet we gaue before much merchandize away, Among those slaues, thinking therefore to haue friendship for aye. And Orpheus past I wot the passage quietly, Among the soules in Charons boat, and yet to say truly I neuer read that he paid for his passage there, Who past and repast for to see. if that his wife there were. Nor yet that he paid ought, or any bribe there gaue To any office, while he sought his wife againe to haue. Whereby I surely gesse these men with whom that we Haue had to do, are fiends more fierce then those in hell that be. Well we now scaping thus the danger I haue tolde, Aboord we come, where few of vs could stand now being colde. Our wounds now being drest, to meat went they that list, But I desired rather rest, for this in minde I wist. That if I might get once a sleepe that were full sound, I should not feele my weary bones nor yet my smarting wound. And lying long aloft vpon my bed in paine, Vnto Morpheus call'd I oft that he would not disdaine To heare me then poore wight, but sende me helpe with speed That I might haue good rest this night of which I had great need. Me thought then by and by. there hung a heauie waight, At ech eye lid, which clos'd mine eye and eke my head was fraight. And being streight sleepe, I fell into a sweauen, That of my wound I tooke no keepe I dream'd I was in heauen. Where as me thought I see god Mars in armor bright, His arming sword naked holdes he in hand, ready to fight. Castor and Pollux there all complet stand him by, Least if that Mars conuinced were they might reuenged be. Then came marching along the great blacke smith Vulcan, Hauing a staffe of yron strong, and thus at last began: O Mars, thou God of might, what is the cause that thou Hast chaleng'd me with thee to fight? lo present am I now. Wherefore if that thou hast any great grudge to me, Before this day be spent and past it shall reuenged be. Then spake god Mars and said, for that thou churlish wight, Thy brutish blacke people hast made with those white men to fight