And raging thus on euery side her enemies she spoiles : Much like a raging Lionesse

the furious Queene doth stampe, On euery side she sleys her foes, and spoils her enemies campe. At length the army all in blacke, and blacke Prince gan to quaile,

And of his blacke Queene aide he craues his foemen to assaile.

Who layes about as she were mad,

and rageth here and there,

And helpes her friends, and hurtes her foes,

and puts them all in feare.

The Pawnes are slaine on euery side,

the Archers goe to wracke,

And there lay weltring in their blood
the horsemen white and blacke.
For both the Queenes like Amazons
do either strike amaine,

Not meaning to forsake the Field
till oue of them be slaine.

Meane time the rulers of the hoste
did keepe the bodies slain,
And watch the captiue prisoners
lest they should fight againe.
But Mars a friend to Mercury,
standing by Phœbus side,

Did seeke by all meanes possible
to help his friend that tide.

And from the heape of dead men slaine,

blacke Rooke and Pawne he takes,

And put them in the campe againe,

which a fresh battell makes.

Thus secretly the prisoners,

that lately gan to yeeld,

Did stowtly fight, and vsed now their weapons in the field.

But Iunos sonne lame Mulciber

who onely spide the act,

Cried out aloude, and Phabus warnes

of this vnlawfull fact.

The Thracian Knight Don Mercury

thus taken, wexed pale,

Phœbus began to fret and fume

till Ioue had heard his tale. Then Iupiter angry with Mars, did Mercury checke plaine. Commaunding him to throw them out where they at first lay slaine: And bids him caste those men away

that Mars had giuen of late,

And causeth them to bring their game

vnto the former state.

Both captaines now began to rage,

and furiously to stampe.

And both their Queenes they send abroad, to spoile each others campe.

Their blades are both imbrewd in blood, whiles here and there they fling,

At last placed iust opposite,

both seeke to saue their King.

But whiles blacke Queene lesse for her selfe than for her husband cares,

Beholde the white Queene sodainly

did kill her unawares.

But not long time the Queene, alas, enioyde the victory:

For Bishop shot a deadly shaft, and slew her presently.

Both armies now beganne to faile,

the souldiers wept, alas,

When either side saw both their Queenes

lie slaine before their face.

Then gan they for to guarde their Kings, and stand about them round,

Both armies now beganne to feare

each souldier had his wound.

Yet were they not quite voyde of force, some helpes were yet behinde,

Which liu'de as yet to trie the field, as Fortune had assignde.

Phœbus had yet three footemen left, which stoode on the right wing, One Bishop and a Rooke beside for to defend his King.

So many Pawnes had Mercurie
one Bishop and a Knight,

For both his Rookes and all the rest
were slaine in former fight.
Then Mercurie gan to dispaire,
for losse of men at armes :
Yet warily gainst Phoebus fought
for feare of future harmes.

And seekes by all meanes possible,
his foemen to offend,

And bide the fortune of the field, hoping a better end:

Apollo then triumphantly

did march within the field,

Reioycing in the bloody spoiles

of those whom he had killd

Both Princes spoyled of their Queenes, though former loue remaines:

Yet seeke they now new mariages
to ease their former paines.

Therefore the white King first of all,
of wayting Maids I weene,
Doth seeke to chuse a second wife,
and make of her a Queene,

But first he means to trie their force
and courage in the Field:

And plant his loue on one that makes her Enemies to yeeld.

For none the Princes loue may gaine, except with courage bold

She harmlesse passeth to the place which aduerse King doth hold. Straight on doo go the wayting Maids, yet one among the rest,

That on right hand the third place held, in swiftnes was the best :

And hopes by valor to obtaine

the marriage of the King,

For th' other twaine were cast behinde, and thought of no such thing.

She marcheth on with courage bold

the foe-man King to greete:

For due reward, and hope of fame,

gaue wings vnto her feete.

The blacke Prince likewise doth attempt a second marriage :

Which causeth Mercury to step

all forward in a rage.

Moouing a Pawne from left hand side,

which on the fourth ranke stood,

But by a step he was too slow,

which made him mad and wood.

But now behold the Pawne in white, on top of Fortunes Ball:

Racing the Campe, did there possesse the highest place of all.

This done, the King adorned her with dead Queenes braue attire: And takes her to his louing wife, which was her whole desire.

Now gan the white Campe to reioyce,

and blacke men gan to frowne:

And Mercury began to weepe,

till teares did runne adowne.

The blacke Pawne now from highest place,

one onely step did lacke.

But Rooke in white was readie prest,

to haue her by the backe.

So that for feare she durst not stirre

from place wherein she stood,

Least that her deadlier Enemie

should triumph in her blood.

Meane time the stately new made Queene

her force in Battaile tride,

And raging so, she slew her foes

that stood on either side.

The blacke Campe at her verie sight

began for feare to tremble:

For Thestilis the Amazon

in Field she did resemble,

(To be continued.)

PROBLEM 258.

By the Rev. H. BOLTON.

[This is the position, very slightly varied, which appeared in our last number, p. 321, and which, in its original form, was found to be impracticable. The conditions of the present Problem are that White moving first, is to mate his adversary in five moves.]

Played at the Brighton Chess Club, between Captain K. and Mr P.

of the St George's Chess Club.

White. (Capt. K.)

1. K. P. two

2. K. Kt. to B. third

3. K. B. to Q. B. fourth

4. K. Kt. P. two 5. Q. B. P. one 6. Castles

VOL. VI.

Black. (Mr P.)

1. K. P. two

2. Q. Kt. to B. third

3. K. B. to Q. B. fourth
4. B. takes P.

5. B. to Q. R. fourth

6. K. Kt. to B. third

2 P