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 And therefore doo I little passe although I could not now Defend my fault, sith such a man of prowesse, birth and fame As was Achilles, was with mee offender in the same. But yit was he espyed by Ulysses wit, but nat Ulysses by sir Ajax wit. And lest yee woonder at The rayling of this foolish dolt at mee, hee dooth object Reproche to you. For if that I offended to detect Sir Palamed of forged fault, could you without your shame Arreyne him, and condemne him eeke to suffer for the same? But neyther could sir Palamed excuse him of the cryme So heynous and so manifest: and you your selves that tyme Not onely his indytement heard, but also did behold His deed avowched to his face by bringing in the gold. And as for Philoctetes, that he is in Lemnos, I Deserve not to bee toucht therwith. Defend your cryme: for why You all consented therunto. Yit doo I not denye, But that I gave the counsell to convey him out of way From toyle of warre and travell that by rest he myght assay To ease the greatnesse of his peynes. He did thereto obey And by so dooing is alyve. Not only faythfull was This counsell that I gave the man, but also happye, as The good successe hath shewed since. Whom sith the destnyes doo Requyre in overthrowing Troy, appoynt not mee thertoo: But let sir Ajax rather go. For he with eloquence Or by some suttle pollycie, shall bring the man fro thence And pacyfie him raging through disease, and wrathfull ire. Nay, first the river Simois shall to his spring retyre, And mountaine Ida shall theron have stonding never a tree, Yea and the faythlesse towne of Troy by Greekes shall reskewd bee, Before that Ajax blockish wit shall aught at all avayle, When my attempts and practyses in your affayres doo fayle. For though thou, Philoctetes, with the king offended bee, And with thy fellowes everychone, and most of all with mee, Although thou cursse and ban mee to the hellish pit for ay, And wisshest in thy payne that I by chaunce myght crosse thy way, Of purpose for to draw my blood: yit will I give assay To fetch thee hither once ageine. And (if that fortune say