Chronicles 1: The Historie of England | Page 9

historie of these
daughters of Danaus is onelie of purpose deuised, and brought in place of Dioclesianus,
to excuse the imperfection of our writers, whereas there was either no such historie (or at
the least no such women that [Sidenote: Nennius.] arriued in this Ile) the authoritie of
Nennius a Briton writer may be auouched, who wrote aboue 900. yeares past, and maketh
mention of the arriuall of such ladies.
[Sidenote: Belus priscus. Danaidarium porticani.](text unclear) To be short, the historie
is thus. Belus the sonne of Epaphus, or (as some writers haue) of Neptune and Libies
(whome Isis after the death of Apis maried) had issue two sonnes: the first Danaus, called
also Armeus; and Aegyptus called also Rameses: these two were kings among the
Aegyptians, Danaus the elder of the two, hauing in his rule the [Sidenote: Danaus.
Aegyptus. Higinus.] vpper region of Aegypt, had by sundrie wiues 50. daughters, with
whome his brother Aegyptus, gaping for the dominion of the whole, did instantlie labour,
that his sonnes being also 50. in number, might match. But Danaus hauing knowledge by
some prophesie or oracle, that a sonne in law of his should be his death, refused so to
bestow his daughters. Hereupon grew warre betwixt the brethren, in the end whereof,
Danaus being the weaker, was inforced to flée his countrie, and so prepared a nauie,
imbarked himselfe and his daughters, and with them passed ouer into Gréece, where he
found meanes to dispossesse Gelenor (sonne to Stenelas king of Argos) of his rightfull
inheritance, driuing him out of his countrie, and reigned in his place by the assistance of
the Argiues that had conceiued an hatred towardes Gelenor, and a great liking towardes
Danaus, who in verie deed did so farre excell the kings that had reigned there before him,
that the Gréekes in remembrance of him were after called Danai.
But his brother Aegyptus, taking great disdaine for that he and his sonnes were in such
sort despised of Danaus, sent his sonnes with a great armie to make warre against their
vncle, giuing them in charge not to returne, till they had either slaine Danaus, or obtained
his daughters in mariage. The yoong gentlemen according to their fathers commandement,
being arriued in Greece, made such warre against Danaus, that in the end he was
constrained to giue vnto those his 50. nephues his 50. daughters, to ioine with them in
mariage, and so they were. But as the prouerbe saith, "In trust appeared treacherie." For
on the first night of the mariage, Danaus deliuered to ech of his daughters a sword,
charging them that when their husbands after their bankets and pastimes were once
brought into a sound sléepe, ech of them should slea hir husband, menacing them with
death vnlesse they fulfilled his commandement. They all therefore obeied the will of their
father, Hypermnestra onely excepted, with whom preuailed more the loue of kinred and
wedlocke, than the feare of hir fathers displeasure: for shee alone spared the life of hir
husband Lynceus, waking him out of his sléepe, and warning him to depart and flée into
Aegypt to his father. He therefore hauing all the wicked practises reuealed to him by his
wife, followed hir aduice, and so escaped.
[Sidenote: Pausanias.] Now when Danaus perceiued how all his daughters had

accomplished his commandement, sauing onelie Hypermnestra, he caused hir to be
brought forth into iudgement, for disobeieng him in a matter wherein both the safetie and
losse of his life rested: but she was acquitted by the Argiues, & discharged. Howbeit hir
father kept hir in prison, and séeking to find out other husbands for his other daughters
that had obeied his pleasure in sleaing their first husbands, long it was yer he could find
any to match with them: for the heinous offense committed in the slaughter of their late
husbands, was yet too fresh in memorie, and their bloud not wiped out of mind.
Neuerthelesse, to bring his purpose the better to passe, he made proclamation, that his
daughters should demand no ioinctures, and euerie suter should take his choise without
respect to the age of the ladie, or abilitie of him that came to make his choise, but so as
first come best serued, according to their owne phantasies and likings. Howbeit when this
policie also failed, & would not serue his turne, he deuised a game of running, ordeining
therewith, that whosoeuer got the best price should haue the first choise among all the
sisters; and he that got the second, should choose next to the first; and so foorth, ech one
after an other, according to the triall of their swiftnesse of foote.
How much this practise auailed, I know not: but certeine it is, diuers of them were