m her harmes,
She beares her foe still claspt in her own armes:
And therefore, cousen Guise, let us avoid her.

_Enter Nuncius._

_Nuncius._ What Atlas or Olympus lifts his head 25
So farre past covert, that with aire enough
My words may be inform'd, and from their height
I may be seene and heard through all the world?
A tale so worthy, and so fraught with wonder,
Sticks in my jawes, and labours with event. 30

_Henr._ Com'st thou from D'Ambois?

_Nun._ From him, and the rest,
His friends and enemies; whose sterne fight I saw,
And heard their words before, and in the fray.

_Henr._ Relate at large what thou hast seene and heard.

_Nun._ I saw fierce D'Ambois and his two brave friends 35
Enter the field, and at their heeles their foes;
Which were the famous souldiers, Barrisor,
L'Anou, and Pyrrhot, great in deeds of armes.
All which arriv'd at the evenest peece of earth
The field afforded, the three challengers 40
Turn'd head, drew all their rapiers, and stood ranck't;
When face to face the three defendants met them,
Alike prepar'd, and resolute alike.
Like bonfires of contributorie wood
Every mans look shew'd, fed with eithers spirit; 45
As one had beene a mirror to another,
Like formes of life and death each took from other;
And so were life and death mixt at their heights,
That you could see no feare of death, for life,
Nor love of life, for death: but in their browes 50
Pyrrho's opinion in great letters shone:
That life and death in all respects are one.

_Henr._ Past there no sort of words at their encounter?

_Nun._ As Hector, twixt the hosts of Greece and Troy,
(When Paris and the Spartane King should end 55
The nine yeares warre) held up his brasen launce
For signall that both hosts should cease from armes,
And heare him speak; so Barrisor (advis'd)
Advanc'd his naked rapier twixt both sides,
Ript up the quarrell, and compar'd six lives 60
Then laid in ballance with six idle words;
Offer'd remission and contrition too,
Or else that he and D'Ambois might conclude
The others dangers. D'Ambois lik'd the last;
But Barrisors friends (being equally engag'd 65
In the maine quarrell) nev