With sterne designes for bloodie warre at hand,
With crimson fights were armed all about,
And on the hatche many a goodly band
Deckt in braue armes, together thicke did stand,
Whose plume-deckt heads themselues aloft did show,
And seem’d to dance, with windes wau’d to and fro.
168.
With glittering shields their bosomes they did bar,
Each one well brandishing his fatall blade,
And from their bright habiliments of war,
Such blazing shine, as in the gloomie shade,
We often see by Phœbus beames displaid,
A splendor vp into the aire did throw,
And glittered on the glistning waues below.
169.
Their top sailes, sprit sailes, and their misens all,
Their crooked sternes, and tackle euery where
Adorned were with pennons tragicall,
Which in their silken reds did pictur’d beare
The sad ostents of death and dismall feare,
Who while their keeles through seas did cut their way,
In wanton wauing with the winde did play.
170.
The clangor of shrill trumpes triumphant sound
And clattering horror of their clashing armes,
Vpon the bordering shores did so redound,
That euen the deepe of their intended harmes
On England’s coasts did sound out thicke alarmes,
Which strooke a terror to the heart of him
Who then did border about Neptune’s brim.
171.
So great a fleet, since that same god so old,
Grim-bearded Neptune bore the sea-gods name,
The golden eye of heau’n did nere behold,
Nor Agamemnon’s thousand ships, that came
To sacke proud Troy, and all her towers enflame,
Nor that Eoan monarche’s fleet, that scar’d
The sonnes of Tyre, with this might be compar’d
172.
But while this mightie fleet did proudly boast
Her matchlesse might on Neptune’s high command,
Braue _Parma_, lord of all th’Iberian host,
Both of the horse and foot, that came by land,
Did troope them vp vpon the Belgicke strand,
To whom th’assistants of the Castile king,
Their seuerall troopes of men did daily bring.
173.
Beneath the bird of Ioue the prince of ayre,
Which th’house of Austria in their ensignes bore,
The proud Burgundian marcht in armour faire,
Th’Italian, Germaine, Dutch, and many more
Of other lands and language, who before
Had often been renown’d in many a fight,
For their high valour, and approued might.
174.
Such, and so mightie bands of famous men,
Adorn’d in richest armes of purest gold,
Vpon those coasts before had neuer been,
Nor any Belgian euer did behold
Such martiall troopes vpon that trampled mold,
So skill’d in habit of all fights in warre,
And for fights true direction past compare.
175.
Both horse and foot of Spaine’s impetuous might,
And of the auxil’arie bands, that came
As mercenaries for the bloodie fight,
Distinguisht vnder guides of speciall name,
Whom hope of spoile did to this warre inflame,
Drew towards the shores of Neptune there to meet
And ioyne their forces with the nauall fleet.
176.
Which being titled long before in Spaine,
The fleet Inuincible by all consents,
In all her pride now floted on the maine,
Readie prepar’d t’effect those blacke euents,
Presag’d before by proud Spaine’s sad ostents;
Who by report through all the world had won
The name of conquest ere the fight begun.
177.
The threatfull subiects of the Castile king,
In this huge fleet did such firme hope repose,
That all their sun-burnt brats they taught to sing,
Triumph and conquest, which they did suppose
Their very threats would purchase gainst their foes,
Who like braue lords, their valour to renowne,
Did cast the dice for faire _Elizae’s_ crowne.
178.
Much like the vanting French, when _Iohn_ of France
In Poyctiers battell with his mightie host,
Not pondering in his mind warres doubtfull chance,
The gotten victorie did vainely boast,
Before that either part had won or lost,
Where braue prince _Edward_ with his troope so small,
Renown’d his sword with _Iohn_ of France’ his fall.
179.
Euen so this brauing fleet, whose dreaded name,
Ineuitable ruine did foretell,
Thought, that the faire _Eliza_, who did frame
Her life in happie daies of peace to dwell,
Vnfurnisht was such forces to repell,
And therefore sent as from king _Philip’s_ hand,
A sterne inscription with this proud command:
180.
[Sidenote: This was sent written in Latin.]
“With auxil’arie bands she should no more
Vphold the Belgian gainst king _Philip’s_ frowne,
All Spanish prizes back againe restore,
Build vp religious houses beaten downe,
And vnto Rome subiect her selfe and crowne;
All which to do, if that she did withstand,
Her imminent blacke end was now at hand.”
181.
The noble queene, who in her royall hand
Did beare the state and stay of Britanie,
In deepe contempt of such a basse command,
With spirit of princely magnanimitie,
Did briefely answere this proud ambasie:
For in prouerbiall words her answere was,
“_Ist hæc ad Græceas fient mandata Kalendas._”
182.
An answere worthie, for the grace it bore,
The virgin spring of old _Plantagenet_,
Who from the foes to shield her natiue shore,
Her subiects hearts for fight on fire did set,
And their bold stomackes did with courage whet,
Who fir’d with loue of their _Elizae’s_ good,
In her defence did thirst to spend their blood.
183.
For when for certaine, fame th’intended harmes
Of Spaine’s blacke fleet to England’s shores did bring,
How gladly did her people flocke to armes,
And when the trumpe warre’s scathfull song did sing,
About their eares how pleasing did it ring?
Whose hearts with furie fed, to battell giuen,
With braue conceits did leape as high as heau’n.
184.
All townes did ring with sudden cri’d alarmes,
Whence with loud clamour to the marine shore,
The armed people clustred in thicke swarmes,
Where red-ey’d Eris warre’s blacke ensigne bore,
And mongst their troops did sprinkle blood and gore;
Stirring them vp with eager minds to wade
Through seas of blood, the aduerse fleet t’inuade.
185.
And as the golden swarmes of black-backt bees,
Their thighes full loaden from the flowrie field,
With humming noise flie to the hollow trees,
Where they with busie paine fit shelter build,
Their treasure and themselues from harme to shield;
So thicke in armes, th’alarum once begun,
Vnto their ships with shouting they did run:
186.
Where with their mutuall strengths they did assay,
To hale _Elizae’s_ fleet from off the shore,
Some pumpt, some cleans’d, some drew the stockes away,
Some hoist the top-masts, some great burthens bore,
The nauie’s want with furniture to store:
And with their vtmost diligence all wrought,
Till to perfection they their worke had brought.
187.
Which from the shores, once launcht into the maine,
Not all the world a fairer fleet could show:
For though in hugenesse, that black fleet of Spaine
Did farre surpasse; yet was it farre more slow
In nimble stirrage wafting to and fro:
For England’s fleet through seas swift passage won
With gentle gale, though th’ocean smooth did run.
188.
To shun their foes, each like a nimble hinde
In Neptune’s forrest, on the watrie greene,
Haue skipt from waue to waue, and with the winde,
When they list turne againe; they haue been seene
Like raging lions in their heate of spleene,
Flie on the Castile fleet to bring them vnder,
And with fell rore to teare their sides in sunder.
189.
All readie furnisht wafting to and fro,
Ouer the narrow seas deepe sandie beds,
They 'bout the coasts themselues did daily show,
In th’huffing winds wauing their silken reds,
And crimson crosses on their loftie heads:
Those ancient badges, through the world renown’d,
Which with high conquest fortune oft hath crown’d.
190.
Their braue demeanor did so much delight
The people, that beheld them on the maine,
That many more all readie for the fight,
Did make repaire, t’oppugne the fleet of Spaine;
Then all that royall nauie could containe:
Such feruent loue vnto their soueraigne’s name,
With fierie courage did their hearts enflame.
191.
Those stout sea-searchers of the stormie flood,
The sonnes of Nereus broad sea-sayling race,
And the braue offspring of Prometheus brood,
That with loud thunder-claps their foe-men chace,
Who in _Elizae’s_ royall fleet had place,
Made solemne vowes, backe to returne no more,
Except with conquest to their natiue shore.
192.
[Sidenote: Now Earle of Nottingham.]
Mongst whom the noblest obiect of them all,
That in the fleete did hold supreamest sway
Went honor’d _Howard_, as chiefe admirall,
Who by his stout demeanor did assay,
With courage bold to lead them on the way,
And euery heart did fill with hautie spirit,
By glorious deeds immortall fame to merit.
193.
Vpon th’Eolian gods supportfull wings,
With chearefull shouts, they parted from the shore,
While heau’n and earth and all the ocean rings
With sounds, which on her wings loud echo bore,
Of trumpets, drums, shrill fifes and cannons rore,
To which the people’s shouts on shores fast by,
Reecho’d in the rockes with loud replie.
194.
While they aboord at sea, so heere at home
T’auert all harmes, all subiects did prepare,
In mightie tumult to the murmuring drumme,
The multitude did make repaire from farre,
To trie their valour in th’approching warre
Thirsting to meete their foes on equall ground,
All hoping in their fall to be renown’d.
195.
With ornaments of warre, the earth did flow,
Glazing the skies with armes resplendent light,
And euery place in aire, shot vp did show
The blood-red crosse, which did conduct to fight
Many faire bands, all men of powerfull might;
For both of horse and foot, from euery shiere,
Thicke squadrons daily did in field appeare.
196.
Th’appointed place of generall meeting was
In Essex, on the coast at Tilburie,
To which the people in such troopes did passe,
That with their traine the shores they multiplie
Like Palamedes birds that forme the Y,
When cloud-like in thicke flockes their flight they take
Ore Thracian woods, to Strymon’s seuen-fold lake.
197.
There pight they downe their tents t’oppose all harmes,
Set vp the royall standards all about,
The faire supporters of _Elizae’s_ armes,
The rampant lion, and the dragon stout,
And th’ensigne of Saint George, which many a rout
Of Mars his noble race with conquering hand
Hath famous made, in many a forren land.
198.
Vnder whose colours like a leauie wood,
The host in seuerall bands digested all
Inrankt about with shot and pike-men stood,
As firme for battell, as a brazen wall,
Who to the workes of death did thirst to fall,
Inflam’d in heart with burning fire to fight
For England’s virgin, and their countrie’s right.
199.
Well did each horse-man teach his horse to run,
To stoope, to stop, to turne, to breake the field,
Well each bold musketier did vse his gun,
Each launceer well his weightie launce did wield,
Each drew his sword and well addrest his shield,
Teaching each other by this braue array,
How on their foes they best might giue th’assay.
200.
The sound of fifes, of drums, and trumpets shrill,
And mutuall exhortations for the warre,
All fainting hearts with manly sprite did fill,
And th’armed horse, that smell the fight from farre,
Inraged that the curbing bit should barre
Their forwardnesse, with neighing loud did crie
For present combat gainst the enemie.
201.
[Sidenote: Earle of Leicester.]
Thus in the field the royall host did stand,
None fainting vnder base timiditie,
But readie bent to vse their running hand
Against the force of forren enemie,
If they should chance t’arriue at Tilburie:
Mongst whom great _Dudlie_ bore supreamest sway,
Against their foes to lead them on the way.
202.
[Sidenote: _Rich. Hakluit_, and _Stow_ in his Annals.]
And as the daughter of the mightie Ioue,
When from the browes of heau’n she takes her flight
Downe to those sonnes of Mars, whom she doth loue,
In her celestiall armes with glorie dight,
To bring them dreadlesse to th’approching fight;
So England’s empresse, that vndaunted dame,
Vnto the campe in glorious triumph came.
203.
Like noble Tomyris, that queene of Thrace,
Deckt in rich vestiments of shining gold,
Vpon a snow-white steed of stately pace,
Mounted aloft she sate, with courage bold,
And in her hand a martial staffe did hold,
Riding from ranke to ranke, and troope to troope,
To whom with reuerence all the host did stoope.
204.
Her comely gesture, and her angel’s face,
The lodge of pleasure, and of sweet delight,
Did make the souldiers thinke some heauenly grace
Had left Olympus, and with powerfull might
Had come from Ioue, to cheare them vp for fight,
Her presence did with such high spirit inspire
Their manly brests, and set their hearts on fire.
205.
And as _Bunduca_, that bold Britaine dame,
When ore this land proud Rome did tyrannize,
Her Britaine’s heart with courage to enflame,
Amidst their troopes all arm’d in seemely wise,
Did Pallas-like a pythie speech deuise:
So our faire queene, bold spirit to infuse
Through all the host, these princely words did vse:
206.
“Captaines and souldiers, men of worthie fame,
And most admitted to our princely loue,
Thinke, what it is, to win a souldier’s name,
And fight the battels of the mightie Ioue,
With safe protection from his power aboue,
Faint thoughts from your stout hearts be farre expell’d,
And feare of foes with courage bold be quell’d.
207.
If that the foe dare set his foot on land,
We with the best all danger will out dare,
And step by step with you in person stand,
To be a partner with you, in that share,
Which God shall giue vs, be it foule or faire:
Then by my side like loyall subiects stand,
And Ioue assist vs with his powerfull hand.”
208.
This said from ranke to ranke, she rode about,
Enabling their endeuours for the fight,
And with sweet words from their bold brests blew out
All fainting spirit, and did their hearts excite
With ready hands, to vse their vtmost might:
Which royall gesture of so faire a queene,
Would haue inspir’d a coward’s heart with spleene.
209.
Thus hauing chear’d the common soulderie,
The cloudie euen began to shut vp day:
Wherefore she backe return’d from Tilburie,
And towards that martiall field did take her way,
Where as that other royall armie lay,
In which did march the nobles of the land,
In rich array, each with his seuerall band.
210.
Troopt vp there were in that same strong-arm’d host,
Fortie three thousand perfect in the frame
Of euery fight, who of that time may boast,
And craue inscription in the booke of fame,
T’haue been the guard of so diuine a dame,
Who for her person only chosen were,
Martiall’d by _Hunsdon_ that true hearted peere.
211.
[Sidenote: _M. Thomas Flemming._]
But while the noble queene her selfe appli’d
T’oppugne the foe, that should her state assaile,
Loe, from the Groyne the blacke fleet was descri’d,
Who now befriended with a gentle gale,
For England’s rockie bounds did make full saile,
Of whom hight captaine _Flemming_ first had sight,
And fled before them with industrious flight.
212.
At Plimmouth port where th’English fleet did lie,
He with full saile came in, and cri’d amaine:
“Weigh vp your ankors, hoise your sailes on high;
For like _Ortigian Delos_ on the maine,
Behold, th’Iberian fleet from shores of Spaine
Comes hard at hand, and threatens our decay;
Then arme, aboord with speed, make no delay.”
213.
This said, confusedly the souldiers ran
To ships from shore, earth flew about their feet,
Then weigh’d they vp their ankors, and each man
Put to his helping hand, to bring their fleet
Into the seas, the aduerse foes to meet,
And though the froward winds did them withstand,
They warped out their ships by force of hand.
214.
Then might they see from farre vpon the maine,
Like a blacke wood approching more and more,
Their foe-men’s tragicke fleet, which in disdaine
With sound of trumpets, drums, and cannons rore,
Came proudly thundring by the rockie shore,
And with amazement th’English to affright,
Their souldiers with loud shouts the heau’ns did smite.
215.
[Sidenote: _Stow_ in his Ann. p. 1249.]
They sayling came in order for the fight,
In such a forme on Thetis siluer brest,
As bright-cheekt Cinthia shewes in darkest night,
When stretching out her hornes into the east,
She shewes but halfe her face, and hides the rest,
Which made a crescent moone vpon the maine,
Whose hornes eight miles in compasse did containe.
216.
The royall English fleet, which did behold
The martiall order of their nauall traine,
Came sayling forward, and with courage bold,
For England’s queene did waue their fleet amaine,
Who in contempt soone waued them againe,
Whereby defiance with vndaunted pride,
By cannons cuffe was giuen from either side.
217.
Then bloodie Ennyon thundring out aloud,
Made each one thirst in fight his foe t’offend,
And as fierce fire wrapt vp in dampish cloud,
With violent force the sides thereof doth rend,
And with pale lightning thunder downe doth send;
So England’s warlike fleet wing’d with swift gale,
Broke through the waues th’Iberians to assaile.
218.
[Sidenote: The first fight before Plimmouth.]
The drums did beat, the trumpets shrill did sound,
Each aduerse force began the furious fight;
Then in the aire the fierce claps did redound
Of cannons hidious rore, and with affright,
Fire flashing leapt about and maz’d their sight;
And thus in furie did the fight begin
With darknesse, horror, death and dreadfull din.
219.
The seas did boile, the buxome aire did swell,
A cloake of clouds did ouercast the skie,
The echoing rockes the fight farre off did tell,
The bullets thicke as haile from clouds on high,
From either side in gloomie smoake did flie,
And pale-fac’d death vnseene of all the throng,
Aboue their heads in thicke fumes houering hung.
220.
The fight grew fell, and of disaster haps
In each blacke barke reports loud trumpet sings,
While heau’n records the cannons roring claps,
And the darke aire with grumbling murmurings
Of whistling bullets, borne on fiery wings,
Whose horrid thunder drown’d the volleies hot
And lesser noise of many a thousand shot.
221.
Oft did the English with the winde and weather,
Charge on their foe-men’s ships with hot assay,
Who for their safegard bound round vp together,
Pluckt in their hornes and in a roundell lay,
While on their sides the cannon still did play,
Not daring fight, except to rescue those,
That beaten were by their bold Britaine foes.
222.
[Sidenote: Lord _Thomas Howard_ now Earle of Suffolke.]
Both the bold _Howards_ and lord _Sheffield_ hight,
With _Hawkins_, _Frobisher_, and famous _Drake_,
Braue _Barker_, _Crosse_, and _Southwell_ that stout knight,
There, where the foes the fight most hot did make,
Through danger, dread and death their way did take,
And gainst their foes did fierie vengeance spit,
Which did their barks great bulkes in sunder split.
223.
They brake into the midst of Spaine’s blacke fleet,
Opposing dreadfull death to win renowne,
As when in skies the earth-bred brothers meet,
When Boreas flying about with stormie frowne,
Doth cuff the clouds, and brings his brothers downe;
For with high spirit, heau’n did their hearts inspire,
T’assaile the foes and burne their fleet with fire.
224.
Renowned _Howard_, England’s admirall,
Longing to see the Castile king’s disgrace,
Their stoutest hearts with terror did appall,
Who meeting with his foe-men face to face,
Vnto his furie made them all giue place,
Breaking so farre into the fleet alone,
That from the aduerse foes he scarce was knowne.
225.
Wherein the midst of danger vncontrol’d,
Vpon the vpper decke he stood on high,
From whence, when as from far he did behold
One of his captaines, who did wafting lie
Without the danger of the enemie,
Out of a cloud of smoake he loud did call,
Aboue his head wauing his sword withall.
226.
[Sidenote: M. _George Fenner_, This was in the second fight before
Portland. _Rich. Hak._ in the end of his 1. volume.]
“O _George_,” quoth he, “why dost thou shun the presse?
Report renownes thy name for valiancie:
Then leaue me not alone in this distresse;
But with vndaunted spirit follow me
To gaine the palme of glorious victorie;
So shall that hope, which I conceiue of thee,
In this daie’s bloodie fight not frustrate bee.”
227.
The captaine heard, and like a stormie puffe,
That stoopes from clouds and beats the billowes vnder,
He brake into the fight with cannons cuffe,
And came in height of spirit importing wonder
In clouds of smoake, in fierie flames and thunder,
With whom did many others giue th’assay,
And through Spaine’s fleet did furrow vp their way.
228.
The foes turn’d head, and made a violent stand,
Both parts stood bent each other to confound;
The cannons thicke discharg’d on either hand
Wrapt clouds in clouds of smoake, which did abound,
And hurl’d their horrid thunder forth to wound;
But fortune on the foes in fight did frowne,
And in her ballance, Spaine’s hard lot sunke downe.
229.
With fruits of death the fruitlesse waues did flow,
The seas did blush with blood, the ayrie skie
Did swell with grones, and wandring to and fro,
In clouds of smoake the grudging soules did flie
Of slaughtred bodies, that did floting lie
About the ocean, seeking for their tombes
In hollow rockes and monsters hungrie wombes.
230.
[Sidenote: This happened in the third conflict before the Ile of Wight.
It was fired by a shot.]
And in the fight, t’increase the foe-men’s harmes,
A ruddie flame from th’English fleet did flie,
Which swiftly seased in his spoilefull armes
The stout viceadmirall of th’enemie,
Who proudly bore her loftie head on high,
And with the violence of his shamefull flashes,
Did quickly burne her vpper workes to ashes.
231.
A golden bonfire on the siluer waues
Did flote about, whose flame did reach the skies,
While the poore Spaniard and his captiue slaues,
Seeing their tragicke fall before their eies,
Amidst the fire in vaine shriekt out shrill cries;
For th’horrid fire all mercilesse did choake
The scorched wretches with infestiue smoake.
232.
Many tall ships, that did in greatnesse passe
The greatest of our fleet, did fall in fight,
Mongst whom, that faire galeon surprised was,
In which renowned _Valdes_, that stout knight,
With other captaines of approued might,
Did yeeld themselues and all their golden treasure
To noble _Drake_, to be at his good pleasure.
233.
Three famous conflicts, in three seuerall daies,
_Elizae’s_ hardie captaines did maintaine,
And by their valour won eternall praise,
Oft turning into flight the fleet of Spaine,
With dreadfull fire, and cannon’s deadly bane,
Who now t’effect what they did vainely boast
Houer’d twixt Calice and the English coast.
234.
There cast they ankor, and conuei’d with speed
Swift notice to the prince of Parma hight,
Who thither should repaire, as was decreed,
And while each aduerse fleet stood hot in fight,
For England he should passe with all his might,
For which intent he had prepar’d before,
Foure hundred ships vpon the Belgicke shore.
235.
But noble _Seimer_ in the foe-men’s sight,
With _Iustin_ of Nassau, that Belgian bold,
And worthie _Winter_, that vndaunted knight,
With their tall ships on th’ocean vncontrol’d,
About the Belgicke strand strong gard did hold,
Whose proud afront the foes did daunt so sore,
That not a ship durst launch from off the shore.
236.
[Sidenote: _Allen_ was made Cardinall for that purpose.]
Yet the stout prince of Parma fondly led
With hope, that _Allen_, that false fugitiue,
Sent from proud _Sixtus_ to adorne his head
With faire _Elizae’s_ crowne, in vaine did striue
With all his power, his purpose to atchieue;
And vnto Dunkirk came with all his force,
To put in practise his intended course.
237.
Meane time the fleet, that did expect his aide,
Before French Calice did at ankor lie,
And now the chearefull day began to vade,
And Vulcan’s louely Venus mounting high,
Appear’d for euening starre in easterne skie,
Whereby both aduerse fleets did cease from fight,
And rendred place vnto th’approching night.
238.
But when soft sleepe, the carelesse thoughts did bind
Of others, that secure in cabbins lay,
Each English leader in his labouring mind
Did fashion counsels, how to giue th’assay,
And driue from thence their foe-men’s fleet away,
Who there did purpose by the shore to lie,
That from the prince they might haue fresh supplie.
239.
Amongst themselues our captaines did agree,
That eight small ships with artificiall fire,
Amidst the Spanish fleet should driuen bee
In dead of night, to execute their ire
Vpon the foes, that did sweet sleepe desire:
Which dreadfull stratagem against the foe,
Stout _Yong_ and valiant _Prowse_ did vndergoe.
240.
The time came on, the drowzie night did frowne,
Who clasping th’earth’s wide bounds with sable wings,
Vpon the seas did powre grim darknesse downe,
While sleepe, that vnto care sweet comfort brings,
In quiet slumber, husht all watchfull things;
And then the ships all fir’d for the euent,
Amongst the foes with winde and tide were sent.
241.
Through foggie clouds of night’s Cymmerian blacke,
A glimmering light the watch did first espie,
Which drifting fast vpon the sea-god’s backe,
And to the Spanish fleete approching nigh,
Burst out in flames into the darkesome skie,
Glazing the heau’ns and chasing gloomie night,
From off the seas with admirable light.
242.
A sudden puffe with force of powder driuen,
Oft blew vp sulphuric flames, in aire on high,
From whence, as if that starres did drop from heau’n,
The liuely sparkes on wings of winde did flie,
Threatning confusion to the enemie;
Who startled from their sleepe, shriekt out th’alarme
To euery ship, to shun such dismall harme.
243.
Th’Iberians drown’d before in sweet repose,
With feare affrighted from their naked rest,
Their eye-lids wanting weight one winke to close,
Beheld the fire on Neptune’s burning brest,
Which trembling horror in their hearts imprest;
For floting towards them with fearefull flashes,
It threatned sore to burne their ships to ashes.
244.
Then with disorder euery one did cut
Their blacke pitch’d cables, hoysing sailes with speed,
And from the shore to the maine seas did put,
In hope from present danger to be freed,
That did such terror in their bosomes breed,
While on the waues the burning ships bright light,
Did make a sun-shine in the midst of night.
245.
Who being disperst amongst their nauie came,
And like fire-spitting monsters on the maine,
In sable clouds of smoake and threatning flame,
Did fiercely bellow out their deadly bane;
Which horror th’English nauie did maintaine,
Discharging all their thundring shot together
Vpon th’Iberian foes with winde and weather.
246.
The horrid noise amaz’d the silent night,
Repowring downe blacke darknesse from the skie,
Through which th’affrighted Spaniard with blind flight,
His friends from foes not able to descrie,
Vpon the darkesome waues did scattered flie;
In which disturbance driuen with winde and weather,
Spaine’s chiefe galiasse fell foule vpon another.
247.
Which all vnable to escape with flight,
The startled fleet did leaue alone forlorne,
Keeping aloofe at sea, all that sad night;
But when from th’east the opall-coloured morne
With golden light the ocean did adorne,
The English fleet Spaine’s great galliasse did spie,
Which cast vpon a sandie shoale did lie.
248.
Whom captaine _Preston_ valiantly did bord,
Sent from the fleet in his long boat well man’d,
Which with an hundred hardie men was stor’d,
Who to the face of death oppos’d did stand,
About the ship vsing their readie hand,
Gainst whoso assault at first th’Iberian foes,
With proud resistance did themselues oppose.
249.
For _Hugo de Moncada_, valiant man
With noble courage did the fight maintaine,
Till through his wounded forehead’s hardned pan,
A fatall shot with bullets deadly bane,
Made open passage to the liuely braine,
Who being slaine, to shun the slaughtering sword,
Most of the residue leapt ouer bord.
250.
Thus great king _Philip’s_ mountaine-like galliasse,
In which three hundred slaues lug’d at the oare,
And twice two hundred armed men did passe,
Was soone despoil’d of all her golden store
By a small band of men on Calice shore,
Which fiftie thousand duckets did containe,
Of the rich treasure of the king of Spaine.
251.
Meane time the blacke fleet floting on the maine,
The night before disperst with foule affright,
In hope her former purpose to obtaine,
Return’d againe from base inglorious flight,
Arang’d in order for the nauall fight,
Which in diuided squadrons th’English fleet,
With hot incounter furiously did meet.
252.
[Sidenote: This conflict being the fourth and last, was before
Greueling.]
Who bound vp round together in a ring,
Lay close in their defence against their foe;
But as the southerne blasts in budding spring,
When Auster’s swelling cheekes do ouerflow
In handfuls thicke the blossomes downe to blow;
So thicke and dreadfully did slaughter flie
From th’English fleet amongst the enemie.
253.
Then had th’Iberians dread, their pride did bow,
Their foes by valour brake their nauall round,
And as a torrent from an hil’s steepe brow,
Clad in fresh showers and thunder’s fearefull sound,
Beares all before it in the plaine land ground;
So did they beat from off their natiue bounds,
Spain’s mighty fleet with cannons scathful wounds.
254.
And where the skirmish was propos’d most hot,
Their valiant _Drake_ did breake into the fight,
And though his ship were pierc’d with wounding shot
Twice twentie times; yet with vndaunted might
He horriblie did plie their sudden fright,
And with wide wounds the hollow keeles did batter
Of three tall ships betwixt the winde and water.
255.
Then in despaire with hands and weeping eies,
To heau’n the wretches prai’d for their escape,
And to some saint of heau’n with open cries,
Each one in blind deuotion prayers did shape;
But all in vaine, the gulfie flood did gape,
And in the deepe of his deuouring wombe,
Both men and ships did suddenly intombe.
256.
The rest all daunted with such vncouth sight,
From spoile to saue their fleet no time did spare,
But hoysing saile betooke themselues to flight,
Cursing sterne fate, that brought their fleet so farre,
To be despoil’d in such successelesse warre;
And after all their boasting backe recoile,
With emptie hands vnto their natiue soyle.
257.
They heartlesse fled, but in their hastie flight,
Two great galeons of captiu’d Portugale,
The huge Saint _Philip_, and Saint _Matthew_ hight,
Great _Seymer_ and stout _Winter_ did so gall
With wounding cuffe of cannons fierie ball,
That on the Belgian coast by friends forsaken,
They with their captaines by their foes were taken.
258.
Meane time the English with full saile did plie
The manage of the foes inglorious flight,
And as high stomack’d hounds, that with full crie
Pursue the fearefull game, do take delight
To pinch the haunch behind with eager bite;
So did _Elizae’s_ fleet pursue the foes
With shouts of men, and bullets banefull blowes.
259.
They all array’d in warre’s vermillion,
Did chace them to those seas of stormes and thunder,
Ouer whose waues in heau’ns pauillion,
Amongst those many golden workes of wonder,
A dragon keepes two wrathfull beares asunder,
And there they left them, in those seas to drowne,
Returning backe with conquest and renowne.
260.
They gone, the wretched foes in wofull case
Helplesse, perceiuing by sterne fortune’s doome,
Their action ended in extreame disgrace,
And in fame’s stead, for which they forth did come,
Finding but wounds to cure when they came home,
Did curse the ordinance of mightie Ioue,
Gainst whom with their huge strength in vaine they stroue.
261.
But while at sea, all were to labour giuen,
Securely rigging vp their crazed ships,
Al-seeing Ioue did worke their banes in heau’n;
For in an instant from his heau’nly lips,
From pole to pole a winged message skips,
And posting round about the earth’s great ball,
From th’house of stormes th’Eolian slaues did call.
262.
Then furious Auster, Ioue’s command once giuen;
With Eurus, Zephirus, and Boreas ruffe,
Stoopt from the cloudie corners of the heau’n
Vpon those seas, and with a violent puffe,
The tumbling billowes all on heapes did cuffe;
And raving gainst the rockes with hidious rore,
Wrapt waues in waues, and hurl’d them on the shore.
263.
Meane while night’s curtaines steept in Stygian blacke,
The crystall battlements of heau’n did hide;
Then Ioue did thunder, and the heau’ns did cracke,
Pale lightning leapt about on euery side,
The clouds inconstant flood-gates opened wide,
And nought, but mists, haile, raine, dark stormes and thunder,
Did fall from heau’n vpon the salt seas vnder.
264.
The white froth-foaming flood began to raue,
And enter combate with the fleet of Spaine,
Hurring it head-long on the mountaine-waue,
Now from the shores into the roring maine,
And now from thence vnto the shores againe,
While all the stoutest sea-men quake and quiuer.
Lest winde-driuen waues their ships in sunder shiuer.
265.
“Heere strike, strike, sirs, the top mast:” one doth crie,
Another saies: “Vale misene and sprit saile:”
And heere a third bids: “Let the maine sheate flie:”
All fall to worke themselves from death to baile,
Some cut the saile-cloaths, some againe do haile
The saile yards downe, while others pumpe with paine,
Sending the seas into the seas againe.
266.
Heere one vp lifted on a mountaine steepe,
By dreadfull flashing of heau’ns lightning bright,
With pallid feare lookes downe vpon the deepe
Into a pit, as deepe and blacke in sight,
As Tartarus the lothsome brood of night,
In whose wide gulfie mouth he thinkes to drowne,
Seeing the ship all topsie turning downe:
267.
Another heere in sandie shoale doth lie,
With mountaine waues on all sides walled round,
And seemes from hell to see the loftie skie,
Looking, when wallowing waues with windie bound,
In that deepe pit the vessell would confound,
Till with the lustie waue, the mounting ship
From thence to heau’n doth in a moment skip.
268.
The poore sad sailers beaten out of breath
With toilesome paine, and with long watching worne,
Through feare, the feeble consort of cold death,
Not knowing, alas, which way themselues to turne,
With wofull cries their fatall fall did mourne,
And cast their eyes to heau’n, where, what was seene,
Was blacke as hell, as if no heau’n had been.
269.
Heere the greene billowes bounding gainst a ship,
Vncaukes the keele, and with continuall waste,
Washing the pitch away, the seames vnrip,
While th’angrie tempest, with a boistrous blast,
Beares the false stem away, springs the maine mast,
And breaking downe the decke, doth passage win
For the next surging sea to enter in.
270.
Then all amaz’d shriekes out confused cries,
While the seas rote doth ring their dolefull knell,
Some call to heau’n for helpe with weeping eies,
Some moane themselues, some bid their friends farewell,
Some idols-like in horrors senselesse dwell,
Heere in sad silence one his faint heart showes,
Another there doth thus his feare disclose:
271.
“Thrice happie they, whose hap it was in fight
Against the foes to fall, when others stood:
Ye conquering English, causers of our flight,
Why were your swords not bath’d in my deare blood;
And why did I not perish in the flood?
Where braue _Moncada_ di’d with many more,
Whose bodies now do swim about the shore.”
272.
This said, a waue, that neuer brake asunder,
But mounting vp, as if with loftie frowne
It view’d the working of the waters vnder,
Came like a ruin’d mountaine falling downe,
And with his weight the wretched ship did drowne,
Which sinking, in the gulfe, did seeke her graue
And neuer more appear’d aboue the waue.
273.
Many more ships did perish in the deepe,
Some downe from top of waues to sandie ground,
All rent and torne the angrie surge did sweepe,
Some the winde-turned water whirling round,
In the blacke whirle-poole helplesse did confound,
And some with boystrous billowes bruz’d and battred,
In sunder split, aboue the waues were scattred.
274.
The other ships, that huge of building were,
Whose bulkes the billow could not beat asunder,
And whom the furious storme perforce did beare
Amongst the raging seas, now vp, now vnder,
Though through the waues, they wrought it out with wonder,
Yet many gainst the rockes the surge did beare,
And with the fruitlesse sands some couered were.
275.
Heere fiue at once round set with surging waters,
Sticke fast in quick-sands, sinking more and more,
There fiue againe the furious billow batters,
Being hurried head-long with the south-west blore,
In thousand pieces gainst great Albion’s shore,
Whereby the fruitlesse waues tost to and fro,
With fruits of ship-wracke euery where did flow.
276.
Here one fast holding by the broken shiuers
Of some wrackt ship, to heau’n lifts vp his eies,
There drifting on the mast, one quakes and quiuers,
Another heere his outstretcht armes applies
By slight of swimming on the waues to rise;
But all in vaine, the billowes breake in sunder
Aboue their heads, and beate their bodies vnder.
277.
Heere with sustentiue palmes themselues to saue,
Two crawling vp a cliffe, one backe is borne
By the next surge in seas to seeke his graue,
The other by the billow rent and torne
Vpon the ragged rocke, is left forlorne,
Where in his luke-warme blood he sprawling lies,
And th’haplesse food of hungrie fowles he dies.
278.
The rest, that did the Irish coast obtaine,
And had escap’d the furie of the flood,
By those wilde people wofully were slaine,
The Irish swift of feete, and flesht in blood,
Who thicke vpon the shore together stood
With deadly darts, to strike each foe-man dead;
That 'boue the waue did beare his fainting head.
279.
Great Ioue’s command, perform’d vpon the foes,
Th’Eolian king call’d home his windes againe;
Then ceast the storme; then did the seas disclose
The armes, the painted robes, and spoiles of Spaine,
Which heere and there did flote vpon the maine,
By England, Ireland, Norway, Normandie,
Where Ioue did act their fleet’s blacke tragedie.
280.
For of one hundred thirtie foure faire keele,
But fiftie three did greet their natiue soile,
Of thirtie thousand men arm’d with bright steele,
The greatest number after all their toile,
Did perish in great Neptune’s wrackfull spoile,
And all the prince of Parmae’s mightie bands
Return’d with shame, disgrace and emptie hands.
281.
Thus our _Elizae’s_ boasting enemie,
Who in vaine pride did blacke their tragicke fleet,
And brought ostents of threatning destinie,
In top of all their hope with shame did meet,
And fell beneath the conquering virgin’s feet;
Vnable many yeares to cure againe
The wounds, which in this warre they did sustaine.
282.
[Sidenote: A million of gold, one halfe paid in readie money, the other
halfe to be paid when any famous port was taken in England.]
Thus Rome’s proud _Sixtus_, England’s mortall foe,
Who towards the conquest of this emperie,
A million with his blessing did bestow,
And did presage vndoubted victorie
With seeming future searching prophesie,
Nor with his holy blessing, nor his gold
This mightie fleet from falling could vphold.
283.
But while Rome’s _Sixtus_, twixt foule shame and feare,
For such great losse gainst fortune did exclaime,
Fame through the world triumphantly did beare
This glorious act in our _Elizae’s_ name,
Who glorifying not in her foe-men’s shame,
With bounteous grace did vse the victorie
To her proud foes in their captiuitie.
284.
[Sidenote: When many were brought out of Ireland and other parts with
halters about their neckes, she sent them into Spaine at her owne
charge.]
The baser sort, though made her people’s scorne,
Yet of her bountie she from death did spare,
The better sort as her owne liege-men borne,
All common benefits did freely share,
And tooke the solace of the open aire,
Whom she, though subiects of a mightie foe,
To his disgrace triumphing did not show.
285.
[Sidenote: _An. Reg. 31._]
Vnder a canopie of gold wide spread
In chariot throne, like warre’s triumphant dame,
With crowne imperiall on her princely head,
Borne by two milke-white steeds in state she came
To Paul’s high temple, while with loud exclaime,
The people in her passage all about
From loyall hearts their auies loud did shout.
286.
Where round about the temple’s battlements
Hung th’ensignes of her vanquisht enemie,
As gracefull trophies, and fit ornaments,
T’adorne with state and greater maiestie,
The triumph of her noble victorie,
Which in the people’s sight made pleasing showes,
Who laugh’d to scorne the threatning of her foes.
287.
But she meeke prince dismounting from her throne,
With iuorie-fingered-hands vplifted high,
On humble knees, ascribed vnto none
The honor of this great deed’s dignitie,
But to th’Olympian king’s great deitie,
Who 'boue the rest, that scepter’s states did weeld
Her as his chosen, did from danger sheeld.
288.
O matchlesse prince, though thy pure maiden breast
Retain’d that spirit of magnanimitie,
That only brau’d proud Rome’s world-brauing beast,
Yet didst thou not with vaunting vanitie
Abuse the glorie of thy victorie:
But after all thy high atchieuements wonne,
To heau’ns great King gau’st praise, of what was done.
289.
Which he accepting as an humble show
Of her milde meeknesse, did so glorifie
The fame of this high conquest gainst the foe,
That her great name, since that great victorie,
Yet liues a staine vnto her enemie;
Yea many that beneath his yoke did grone,
Then su’d for succour at her princely throne.
290.
Prince _Don Antonio_, heire suppos’d by right
Of all consents to _Don Sabastian_, slaine
Against the barbarous Moore in bloodie fight,
Exil’d his countrie by the power of Spaine,
Of his hard hap did vnto her complaine,
Imploring aid at her assistant hands,
To free his countrie from Iberian bands.
291.
The noble virgin with remorsefull eyne,
Viewing that wretched state all rent asunder,
To pitie did her princely heart incline,
And to the seas sent those two sonnes of thunder,
That in the world had wrought so many a wonder,
Renowned _Drake_, and _Norrice_, worthie wight,
With _Don Antonio_ to obtaine his right.
292.
[Sidenote: _An. eodem. 31._ Portugale voyage, taken out of the
discourse written by _Colonel Anthonie Winkefield_, imployed in the
same voyage.]
With many a worthie souldier shipt from shore,
The stormie seas wilde wildernesse they plow’d,
And though the wrinckled waues rouz’d in rough rore,
Began to bandie billowes, waxing proud;
Yet th’English nauie, through tumultuous crowd
Of darksome surges, did swift passage sweepe
Vnto the shores of the Galician deepe.
293.
Where taking land, as bees from cranied rockes
Breake through the clefts, and to increase their store,
About the fields flie euery way in flockes:
So from their ships the souldiers more and more
In mightie tumult multipli’d the shore,
Where vncontrol’d themselues they did conioyne
In martiall troopes, and marched towards the Groyne.
294.
Which to defend from spoile the fainting foes
By need constrain’d, at first forth boldly came,
And in the field our forces did oppose;
But being with furie charg’d by men of fame,
Vnto the towne they backe retir’d with shame,
Whom to the gates the English did pursue,
And with smart stripes did reach them as they flew.
295.
Nor could their strong erected walles withstand
The fierce assaylants, who with nimble sprite
Did scale their bulwarkes, and by force of hand
Did turne th’Iberians into shamefull flight,
Although with most aduantage they did fight,
Of whom fiue hundred on the dust fell dead,
The rest to th’vpper towne amazed fled.
296.
The towne surpris’d, stor’d in the same were found
The sterne designes of _Philip’s_ raging teene;
For euery place with shipping did abound,
Which for another fleet prepar’d had beene,
Intended once againe against our queene;
But by despoiling of this conquered towne,
King _Philip’s_ hopes they in despaire did drowne.
297.
From hence the victors, in _battalia_ led
To th’vpper Groyne by _Norrice_ noble knight,
To which the foes had for their safegard fled,
Did march with speed, and in their foes despight
Before the towne their warlike tents did pight,
Where in strong battery many daies they lay,
And to remoue them none durst giue th’assay.
298.
Yet by the towne six miles from off the coast,
The count _D’Andrada_ with his armie lay,
Betwixt Petrance and the English hoast,
Who boasting with his powers to driue away
The foes from Groyne; yet durst not giue th’assay;
But kept aloofe intrencht within the ground,
With strong built baracadoes fenced round.
299.
Which, when braue _Norrice_ heard, with _Drake’s_ consent
Nine regiments amongst the rest he chose,
And whirlewinde-like with furie forth he went,
Marching with winged pace vpon the foes,
On their owne ground with them to bandie blowes,
On whom hight _Edward Norrice_, lion like,
Gaue the first charge with his sharpe pointed pike.
300.
Which with such furious force he did pursue,
That ouer thrusting downe he fell to ground,
At which aduantage in the foe-men flew,
And in the head the valiant knight did wound,
Whom in extremitie begirted round
By eager foes, his brother with strong hands
Rescu’d from danger, death, or captiue bands.
301.
Then noble _Sidnie_, _Wingfield_, _Middleton_,
Each with his band made in vpon the foes,
Then _Hinder_, _Fulford_, and stout _Erington_,
Stood firme in fight, and in the violent close
Amongst th’Iberians dealt such martiall blowes,
That their chiefe leaders in the field were slaine,
Or wounded, could no more the fight maintaine.
302.
The other fled, and th’English did pursue
With speedie haste, a number fell in chace,
Three miles the dust, with blood they did imbrue,
Some downewards groueling did the ground embrace,
Some vpwards spread, did shew death’s gastly face,
Three miles in compasse on that haplesse soile,
Did flow with fruits of blood, of death, and spoile.
303.
The valiant victors, that did backe returne,
Loaded with golden bootie from the chace,
The fruitfull countrie round about did burne
With wastfull fire, which did in euery place
Townes, towers, woods, groues with hungrie flames embrace,
Whose people did from farre behold the flame
With teare-torne eyes; yet could not helpe the same.
304.
Thus fam’d-grac’d _Norrice_ crown’d with victorie,
Vnto the Groyne returned backe againe,
And with more worth his deed to amplifie,
King _Philip’s_ standard with the armes of Spaine,
Which from his foes in fight he did constraine,
Before him in his march aduanced was,
As with his troopes he towards the Groyne did passe.
305.
Where he not long the voyage did delay
For Portugale in _Don Antonioe’s_ right;
But left the Groyne and lanched off to sea,
Where with that noble earle great _Essex_ hight,
His brother, and stout _Williams_ that bold knight,
He happily did meet, who with full gale
To Portugale together forth did saile.
306.
And in a storme, as people sent from heau’n,
That nation vnto freedome to restore,
They by the tempest gainst Peniche driuen,
Vp to the waste in waters raging sore,
Through death and danger waded to the shore;
Where when they came vpon the marine sands,
In spight of foes they martiall’d vp their bands.
307.
For when the _Conde De Fuentes_ came
With his proud troopes t’afront them in the fight,
The valiant _Deuorax_ in _Elizae’s_ name
Before the castle, and the towne in sight,
Did charge vpon them with such violent might,
That horror spread, through each Iberian troope,
To seruile feare made stoutest hearts to stoope.
308.
None durst abide, with foule retreat all fled,
Free passage to the victors open lay,
Who towards the towne did march, from whence, in dread
Of their approch, the people fled away,
And left the towne vnto their foes for prey,
Whereby the castle taken with the same,
They did possesse in _Don Antonioe’s_ name.
309.
From hence towards Lisbon they did march forthright,
And in the way the noble generall
Did enter Torres Vedras, in despight
Of that vaine boast of the proud cardinall,
Who gaue his faith to them of Portugale
T’oppose him in the field, though with delay,
He kept aloofe, and durst not giue th’assay.
310.
To Lisbon gates, troopt vp in martiall pace
The English went, and in the suburbs pight
_Elizae’s_ ensignes in the foes disgrace,
In hope that _Don Antonio_ would excite
The people to his aide, and in his right
Shake off the bondage which they did sustaine,
Thereby their late-lost freedome to regaine.
311.
But they ignoble kind of dunghill brood,
With female hearts, more cold in valiancie
Then naked Indians, who with losse of blood
Haue often sought in midst of miserie,
To free themselues from seruile slauerie;
When such stout champions in their cause did stand,
Durst not appeare to vse their helping hand.
312.
The sweets of libertie, for which the Iew
Withstood stout _Titus_, mightie _Cæsar’s_ sonne,
The loyall loue, that th’ancient Britaine drew
To those great deeds for _Carataccus_ donne,
When Rome’s _Ostorius_ did this land orerun,
The heartlesse Portugale could not excite,
To hazard fortune gainst the foes in fight.
313.
For many daies the English with renowne,
Gainst death and danger did themselues oppose,
And gaue assault vnto the chiefest towne,
By their high fortitude t’imbolden those,
That liu’d in dread of their insulting foes;
And to performe their promis’d force for fight
Against the foes, in _Don Antonio’s_ right.
314.
Yet at their hands no helpe to this assay
_Elizae’s_ famous captaines could obtaine,
Who wanting power their valour to display,
When the sad prince _Antonio_ all in vaine
The people’s helpe had sought, and none could gaine,
Remou’d their martiall power gainst Lisbon bent,
And towards Cascais vnto their nauie went.
315.
Where valiant _Drake_ with his triumphant fleet,
Came vp the riuer as it was decreed,
And with the armie at Cascais did meet,
Whose meeting to the foes such feare did breed,
That at their first approch, the towne with speed
And castle both without long batterie,
Did stoope their pride to th’English valiancie.
316.
And where the foes that proudly ranged were
Fast by Saint Iulian’s, readie arm’d for fight,
Had broadly misreported, that with feare
Of their approch their foes with foule affright,
Themselues had taken to inglorious flight,
Vndaunted _Norrice_ with his martiall traine,
Did towards Saint Iulian’s backe returne againe.
317.
[Sidenote: In _Colonel Wingfield’s_ discourse, pag. 148, in the second
volume of _R. Hak._ Nauigations.]
And valiant _Essex_ this bold challenge sent,
As combatant in his great soueraigne’s name,
To know, who durst of noble borne descent,
Stand forth amongst the rest to fight for fame,
And trie by blowes the cause, for which they came;
Or if that eight to eight, or ten to ten,
Durst tempt their fate in fight like valiant men.
318.
But through th’Iberian armie not a man
Stood forth as combatant in single fight;
For when the generall with his troops began
T’approch their campe, before he came in sight,
They fled away befriended by the night,
Nor stai’d they till they made great Lisbon gate,
Their safe asylum gainst all aduerse fate.
319.
Meane time, that sea-fam’d captaine worthie _Drake_,
Twice fortie martiall ships well man’d for fight,
In seas did sinke, did burne, did spoile and take;
Mongst whom Saint _Iohn de Colerado_ hight,
Third vnto none in building and in might,
He burnt with raging fire of flaming brand,
And sunk her bulke in shoales of swallowing sand.
320.
Thus though the English disappointed were
Of seating _Don Antonio_ in the throne,
Through that base female stomackt nation’s feare,
Whose sad distresse no future time shall moane,
Though vnder tyrant’s yoke their spirits groane;
Yet fame, the prize on which they ment to pray,
In their swift barks with them they brought away.
321.
And being launcht into the sea’s blacke brest,
By stormie puffe of Auster’s blustring blore,
They carried were with violent storme opprest,
'Bout Bayon iles, and towards the sandie shore
With swift winde-swelling sailes their nauie bore,
Where both the generals on the barren strand,
Did with two thousand souldiers put to land.
322.
And as the wealthie fields of ripe-growen corne,
Which ouercharg’d with seed their heads do bow
Are by the reaper downe in handfuls borne,
Who for that meed, which th’owner doth allow,
Still plies his labour with a sweatie brow;
So th’English did with sword and fire despoile
The fruitfull plentie of that pleasant soile.
323.
That strong street-fenced towne, Vigo by name,
In ashie heapes on ground did groueling lie,
And on the swift wings of a golden flame,
The vaile-inriched Borsis mounting high,
With blazing shine did glaze the cloudie skie,
While eight miles compasse Vulcan’s fierie fume
Dame Ceres gifts did in the vales consume.
324.
Thus grac’d with noble conquest and rich spoile,
The valiant victors with their royall fleet,
Did passe the seas vnto their natiue soile,
Where falling prostrate at their soueraigne’s feet,
With glorious prize the virgin they did greet,
The praise of which what they to her had giuen,
She gaue againe vnto the King of heau’n.
325.
[Sidenote: _Huighen van Linschoten_ and many others.]
Vpon the deepes of Neptune’s large command,
Many more high exploits were daily done.
And from the vanquisht foes by force of hand,
Many faire ships of many a hundred tonne
Full fraught with wealthie prize were daily wonne,
For forren pens speake wonder of the fame,
And rich spoiles gotten in _Elizae’s_ name.
326.
[Sidenote: _Anno eodem 31._
Taken out of the discourse written by that excellent enginer _M. Edward
Wright_.]
That famous horse-man, launce-fam’d _Clifford_ hight,
The great Heröe noble _Cumberland_,
About th’Azores in his foes despight
Did scoure the seas, and with three ships command
Each famous port vpon that slimie strand:
For those few English, which he did assemble
In three small ships, made all Tercera tremble.
327.
Vpon the walles of Fayall, that strong towne,
Which huge mount Pyco ouerlookes from west,
He by strong hand with England’s crosse did crowne,
And gainst that strand vpon the seas broad brest,
Many great hulkes with blacke rouz’d waues distrest
Of th’Indian fleet, full fraught with prize for Spaine,
He brought to England ore the broad-backt maine.
328.
Yet he alone braue champion euer prest,
For his faire mistresse to defend her right,
Did not triumph on Neptune’s watrie brest;
But many more, all men of famous might,
The vtmost parts of earth and seas did smite
With loud report that England’s bounds did keep,
A virgin, that was ladie of the deepe.
329.
[Sidenote: _Anno Reg. 32._]
Fame-winged _Drake_ and _Hawkins_, that bold knight,
Vpon the coast of Spaine the foes did dare,
When at the Groyne that host lay readie dight
To passe the seas, to dispossesse Nauarre,
Gainst whom th’vnholy league did warre prepare;
But while the royall fleet of our faire queene
Appeer’d at sea, they durst not then be seene.
330.
Nor durst that captaine of the Spanish fleet,
Th’insulting _Don Alonso Bacan_ hight,
_Elizae’s_ ships in equall battell meet;
But if by chance he found the ods in fight,
Then proudly would he vse his vtmost might:
Yet England’s blacke reuenge, alone, at length
Did worke him shame with all his nauall strength.
331.
[Sidenote: _An. Reg. 33._ Taken out of the discourse penned by Sir
_Walter Raughley_.]
For famous _Greenuile_ sayling neere to Flores
In the Reuenge of our _Elizae’s_ fleet,
Obscur’d from sight with th’ilands of th’Azores,
Spaine’s great Armada did vntimely meet;
Yet with sharpe welcome their approch did greet,
For rich reuenge he made vpon his foes;
Though he his life in his Reuenge did lose.
332.
Ten thousand men in three and fiftie saile,
Did in his barke alone begirt him round,
And fifteene howers space did neuer saile
With thundring shot his ship’s weake wombe to wound,
Both him, and her in th’ocean to confound,
Whom with twice fiftie men he did oppose,
And did inferre dire slaughter mongst his foes.
333.
[Sidenote: Some say this ship foundred.]
The great San _Philip_, that mount Etna like,
Lay spitting fierie vengeance gainst her foes,
In fight her entertaine did so dislike,
That she her sad mishap did soone disclose,
And fainting made retreate, to shun foule blowes,
While the amaz’d Iberians stroue to saue
Her leaking wombe from sinking in the waue.
334.
Like as a goodly hart begirted round,
With eager hounds, that thirst to see him fall,
Tir’d in the toile, turnes head and stands his ground,
And with fell blowes the dogs do so appall,
That in the end he makes his way through all:
So noble _Greenuile_ round besieg’d in fight,
Brake through their squadrons with admired might.
335.
Saint _Michael_ hight, and _Cyuil’s_ great Ascension,
With th’admirall of the hulkes, three ships of fame,
Each of the which so large was in dimension,
That _Greenuil’s_ ship, that bore Vindicta’s name,
Did seeme a skiffe compar’d vnto the same,
With crosse-barre shot in fight he did so wound,
That wallowing waues their hugenesse did confound.
336.
[Sidenote: In this fight there were fiue ships of great burthen sunke,
1000 men, and many of especiall note slaine.]
Against them all she proudly did enthunder,
Vntill her masts were beaten ouerbord,
Her deckes downe raz’d, her tackle cut asunder,
Vntill her shot and powder, that were stor’d
In her maim’d bulke could scarce one charge afford;
Yea when her sides were euened with the waue
She would not yeeld, but still her foes did braue.
337.
And had not fate inforc’d her noble knight,
To sinke downe senselesse in her hollow wombe,
Euen he alone would haue withstood their might:
But who, alas, can contradict the doome
O wilfull fate, when time prefix’d is come;
From musket’s mouth spit forth with vengefull breath,
A fatall shot did wound the knight to death.
338.
And at his death, to shew his mightie mind,
Being from his ship conuei’d amongst his foes,
Feeling th’approch of his last houre assign’d,
As one not fear’d in all externall showes
To leaue this life, whose end should end his woes,
With manly lookes amidst his enemies
These words he spake, ere death did close his eies:
339.
[Sidenote: This he spake in Spanish, recorded in the 99 chap. of _Iohn
Huighen van Linschoten_.]
“In peace of mind I bid the world adew,
For that a souldier’s death I truly die,
And to my royall queene haue paid her due,
Since by my timelesse death I glorifie
My God, and her against her enemie:
Which to my grace, since fame to her shall tell,
With ioy I bid the world and her farewell.”
340.
Thus fame’s faire finger in his manly prime,
With honor’d touch in death did close his eies,
Whose glorie shall outlast the prints of time,
Caru’d in his brow, and like the sunne in skies,
In darkest times each day shall fresh arise;
For to my verse if heauen such grace do giue,
True noble knight, thy name shall euer liue.
341.
[Sidenote: _An. Reg. 34._ Out of M. _R. Hak._ in the last part of his
second volume.]
His ghost regardlesse did not passe away
Without reuenge: for where in haplesse fight,
Vnhappie fate did worke his liue’s decay,
There _Frobisher_ and _Borrough_ that bold knight,
To his Iberian foes did worke despight;
For by th’Azores on the stormie maine,
Many a faire price they daily did obtaine.
342.
The Indian barkes at th’ilands they did stop,
For which, that naked people which adore
The king of flames in steepe Olympus top,
With wicked steele their grandames ribs had tore,
To glut their spacious wombes with golden ore,
Whom _Frobisher_ did send with all their treasure,
To be dispos’d at his _Elizae’s_ pleasure.
343.
Meane time, stout _Crosse_ and _Borrough_ valiant knight,
Against that monster of the fleet of Spaine,
The _Madre Dios_, did a noble fight
Before those ilands many houres maintaine,
Whom by plaine strength, at length they did constraine
To stoope her pride, and hazarding the might
Of twice three hundred, boorded her in fight.
344.
Who to inrich their noble enterprize
With a small world of treasure did abound,
Ten smaller ships fraught with her merchandize,
Which sto’d within her spacious bulke were found,
Arriued safe in Thamis siluer sound;
For fifteene hundred tunne she did containe,
And thirtie foot she drew within the maine.
345.
They tooke likewise the Santa Clare in fight,
Which from the Indian east for Spaine was bound,
And on the ilands in their foe-men’s sight,
With flames of hungrie fire they did confound
The Santa Cruze, which did with wealth abound,
Making each creeke and corner of the maine
To know the rule of their _Elizae’s_ raigne.
346.
But should I heere assay to sing of those,
Who to eternifie their soueraigne’s name,
Renown’d their swords with fall of thousand foes,
Had I a brazen trumpe to sound the same,
Which might out-sound th’eternall trumpe of fame,
Yet not an age drawne out in length of daies,
Would me suffice to sing their worthie praise.
347.
[Sidenote: _Huighen van Linschoten._]
[Sidenote: _Iohannes Parmenius Budæus._]
The Belgian author of that large discourse
Of th’Indian trafickes, truly doth explaine
The matchlesse vertue of their nauall force,
And of their high aduentures on the maine,
That Saxons Latin muse in loftie straine
About the world doth sing; yet cruell fate
Vnto his life did adde too short a date.
348.
[Sidenote: _Anno Dom. 1584._ Sir _Humfrey Gilbert_.]
For when braue spirit did _Gilbert’s_ thoughts excite,
To saile the seas to search for worlds vnfound,
This worthie poet with that noble knight
In th’angrie surge, alas, was helplesse drown’d,
And swallow’d vp within the deepe’s blacke sound:
Yet life to _Gilbert_ dead, his verse doth giue,
And his owne name, in his owne verse doth liue.
349.
But leaue we heere those valiant men, that loue
To diue the deepes of Neptune’s high command,
To see the wonders of the mightie Ioue,
And view meane while, with what auspicious hand,
_Eliza_ guides her plentious peopled land,
Whose royall raigne and bountie debonaire,
Time’s time to come shall count past all compare.
350.
While those bold martialists, that for their fame
In skill of warre affaires were so renown’d,
Did by their swords immortalize her name,
So those graue aged fathers, peeres profound,
In depth of iudgement with wit’s laurell crown’d,
In swaying th’empire’s scepter all her daies,
Did guide her steps in the true path of praise.
351.
Like gods in counsell in the state affaires,
They sate in senate skill’d in all things done,
Deeds past and future, carrying by their cares
Through broken sleepes the course of things begun
Striuing in dead of night the time t’outrun,
By good aduice, by plots, and counsels close,
T’oppugne, preuent, and circumuent their foes.
352.
From whom in care of state the royall maid
Did counsell take, as from the mouth of Ioue,
Still rul’d with reason, as in power obey’d,
Not led with false opinions fond selfe-loue,
But by their sound aduice did euer proue,
How she with lawes respect might best command,
Seeing Ioue had put the scepter in her hand.
353.
And with intent, that in her maiden brest
A deepe impression of that pregnant wit
In vse of lawes, by vse might be imprest,
Mongst the graue senate she did often sit,
And her conceit to consultation fit:
All princes that true vertue’s race do run,
The starre-bright light of counsell will not shun.
354.
As the good shepheard with respectiue right
Of his meeke flocke, drownes not the night in sleepe,
Nor spends the compleat day in his delight;
Who distant farre vpon some mountaine steepe,
Yet nere in care them safe from spoile doth keepe:
So her chiefe care, as carelesse how to please
Her owne affect; was care of people’s ease.
355.
Well did she know, that who would guard and keepe
The state and counsell of a realme aright,
Not vtterly dissolu’d in ease and sleepe,
Or led with loose affection of delight,
They must insist in their owne appetite;
But their state-charged thoughts in cares begun,
Through broken sleepes, and easelesse toiles must run.
356.
Yet if she did abstaine from graue affaires,
And found fit time to solace her delay,
With fond delight she did not ease her cares;
But with the ladie muses wont to play,
Or Pallas-like would often spend the day,
In making wits quaint parlie her best sport,
Amidst her virgin troope of stately port.
357.
Mongst whom, if some, yet mindfull of her worth,
With iuorie fingers touch do chance to turne
These luckie leaues, I only picke them forth
To grace Ioue’s wit-bred brood, the thrice three borne
With their great worth, she dead, left now forlorne,
That by their power, whence I this verse deriue,
She may in them, and they in her suruiue.
358.
And yee faire nymphs, that like to angels houer
About the palace of our Britaine king,
That locke the hearts of euery gazing louer
Within your lookes, whence all delight doth spring,
Of this faire queene vouchsafe to heare me sing,
And let her life, to whom she was vnknowne,
A Mirrour be for them to gaze vpon.
359.
It was, alas that now it is not so,
Praise-worthie deem’d amongst diuinest dames,
In learning’s lore their leasure to bestow,
For which the muses to their lasting fames,
In golden verse might eternize their names;
But now seduc’d with each mind-pleasing toy
In learning’s liking, few do place their ioy.
360.
Yet she, that could command all ioyes on earth,
With sweets of iudgement suckt from learning, skill
In all delights, did moderate her mirth,
Nor gaue she swinge vnto her princely will
In any pleasure to affect the fill;
But with true temperance aduis’d aright,
She best did loue the meane in each delight.
361.
In musike’s skill mongst princes past compare
She was esteem’d; and yet for that delight
The precious time she did not wholly square,
And though in daintie dance she goodly dight
Was matchlesse held for her maiestike sprite;
Yet not in dalliance did she go astray,
Ne yet in dance did dallie out the day.
362.
She with the seed of Ioue, the muses nine,
So frequent was in her yeares youthfull prime,
That she of them had learned power diuine
To quell proud loue, if loue at any time
In her pure brest aloft began to clime,
The praise of whom so chaste, and yet so faire,
Enuie’s foule selfe not iustly can impaire.
363.
In learning’s better part her skill was such,
That her sweet tongue could speake distinctiuely
Greeke, Latin, Tuscane, Spanish, French, and Dutch:
For few could come in friendly ambasie
From forren parts to greet her maiestie,
Whom she not answer’d in their natiue tongue,
As if all language on her lips had hung.
364.
Whereby the world did seeme to plead for right
Within her court, where in her princely chaire,
Astrea-like she sate with powerfull might
To right the wrong of those, that in despaire
Of other’s helpe, to her did make repaire,
Who after humble sute backe neuer went
Through her court gates without true mind’s content.
365.
Witnesse great _Burbon_, when that house of Guise
Did counterchecke thee in thy lawfull claime,
In thy defence what prince did then arise,
Or with strong hand, who in fight’s bloodie frame
Did ioyne to wound thy rebell foes with shame?
But England’s queene, who still with fresh supplie
Did send her forces gainst thine enemie:
366.
[Sidenote: _Anno eodem 34._
In _Stow_ anno 32.]
To beare the first brunt in those bloodie broyles,
That noble knight, the famous _Willoughby_,
Did crosse the seas, and through important toyles
Did lead a multitude, whose valiancie
Made France admire our English Britanie,
Whom England’s royall virgin did excite
Vnto that warre t’aduance thee to thy right.
367.
[Sidenote: _An. eodem._]
And then to reinforce thy strength’s decay
World-wondred _Norrice_, Mars his matchlesse sonne,
Did with three thousand souldiers passe the sea,
Who in French Britaine hauing once begunne,
Did not forsake thee, till thy warres were done,
Whom many did in this thy cause insue,
And in thy French dust did their bloods imbrue.
368.
[Sidenote: _An. eodem._ Earle of Essex.]
[Sidenote: Sir _Walter Deuoreux_.]
When noble _Deuoreux_, that heroicke knight,
To shew his loue to armes and cheualrie,
Ingag’d his person in that furious fight
Before that towne, hight Roan in Normandie,
His honor’d brother fighting valiantly;
Who though but yong, yet oft approu’d in fight,
By a small shot was slaine in his owne sight.
369.
[Sidenote: Sir _William Sackuile_.]
And thou braue _Sackuile_, _Buckhurst_ third-borne birth,
Who in these warres didst change thy life for fame,
Although thy bones lie tomb’d in stranger earth,
Yet in thy countrie liues thy noble name
And honor’d friends, that still record the same:
For though blacke death triumph ore humane breath,
Yet vertue’s deeds do liue in spight of death.
370.
Many more valiant men of no meane birth,
Whose names obscur’d, are yet not come to light,
Being slaine, did falling kisse their mother earth,
And with their foreheads trode the ground in fight,
Against vntruth t’aduance great _Burbon’s_ right,
Who by their valour, fighting for renowne,
Did at the length in peace enioy his crowne.
371.
Thus Albion’s mistresse as an angell sent,
The sonnes of men from hel’s blacke prince to saue,
The world’s vsurped rule from Rome did rent,
And from her yoke sweet freedome’s comfort gaue
To those her neighbours, that her helpe did craue,
Restoring princes to their royaltie,
Debas’d by Rome’s insulting tyrannie.
372.
The which when that seuen-headed beast beheld,
Who proudly treads vpon the necks of kings
With indignation his high stomack sweld,
And of the adulterate sect forthwith he wings
Many bald priests t’enact pernicious things,
Those close confessors, that most vse their skill
To worke the weaker sex vnto their will.
373.
[Sidenote: _An. eodem. 34._]
With these the bifront Iesuits, that cloake
Themselues in diuers shapes, did seeke againe,
Against their prince the people to prouoke,
And with pretence of zeale did thinke to traine
Their loyall hearts against their soueraigne:
But these their base attempts tooke no euent,
Seeing prudent Ioue their plots did still preuent.
374.
For at this time, the Irish _Oroick_,
That bloodie traytour to this kingdome’s state,
That with his vtmost diligence did worke
With Rome and Spaine to execute their hate,
Being most secure of his vntimely fate,
Preuented was, in what he did pretend
In his foule treason by a traytor’s end.
375.
For after all his plots at length he came
To proffer seruice to that roiall king,
Now monarch of this ile, and in his name,
All Ireland in subiection he would bring,
If he would shroud him with his soueraigne wing;
But he braue prince, t’whom traitors hatefull beene,
Did send that traitor to our noble queene.
376.
O peerelesse prince, that northerne starre so bright,
Whose shine did guide vs to the port of rest,
When our pure virgin lampe did lose her light,
If from thy sight these ruder times be blest,
But with one kingly glaunce, graunt this request,
As liuing thou didst honour her great name,
So shee being dead, O king, still loue the same.
377.
Persist, persist, to grace her being dead,
Who liuing did to thee all grace proclaime,
Against her name permit no scandall spread;
But quell those black-mouth’d monsters that defame
The Lord’s anointed our _Elizae’s_ name,
So thy great name ’gainst enuie’s biting rage,
May finde like fauour in the world’s last age.
378.
After this rebel’s ruine, in whose life
Rome did such hopefull confidence repose,
Hoping through him to raise some home-bred strife,
Vnable now t’auenge her on her foes,
By honour’d meanes in dealing martiall blowes;
Being senselesse of all princely roialtie
He sought reuenge by basest treacherie.
379.
[Sidenote: _An. Reg. 35._]
Hight _Lopez_ he, that was for physick’s skill,
Highly respected in the prince’s grace,
Corrupted was her loued life to spill,
And had the helpe of heauen not been in place,
The roiall virgin in a moment’s space
In stead of that, which should haue life protected
Had tasted death in poison strong confected.
380.
[Sidenote: He suffered death, _Anno Reg. 36_.]
But that great King of heau’n, whose watchfull eie
Did euer guard her maiden brest from taint
Of timelesse death, the drift did soone descrie,
And made false _Lopez_ in the fact to faint,
Depicturing out his fault in feare’s constraint,
Who wretched traytor, for his blacke deed done,
Blacke death and scandall in the world hath wonne.
381.
Rome’s demi-god that can at his dispose
By power from heau’n dispence with villanie,
Thus did his sanctitie of life disclose,
In plotting by inglorious treacherie,
Basely to act a virgin’s tragedie;
Whose force for fight seem’d both on seas and land,
Too full of death for him to countermand.
382.
Yet once againe with contumelious vaunt,
Inuasion threatned was against this land,
Which did our queene’s great heart so little daunt,
That to her conquering fleet she gaue command,
Which readie rig’d lay on the English strand,
To seeke the foes for fight in their owne home,
Thereby to ease them of their toyle to come.
383.
[Sidenote: The honorable voyage to Cadiz, _Anno Reg. 38_. Set downe in
the end of the last part of the second volume of Nauigations of _R.
Hakluit_.]
The royall fleet to do the dame’s command,
Rig’d vp to dance on Amphitrite’s greene,
With war-like musike’s sound did launch from land,
To whom, in loue of Albion’s honor’d queene,
Then easefull peace Spaine’s warre more wisht hath beene,
Whose bosomes twice ten thousand men did fill,
Train’d vp to tread the paths of warre with skill.
384.
Two noble peeres stood vp to lead them out,
The one hight _Howard_ he, that with renowne
Gainst Spaine’s blacke fleet successefully had fought,
Who now, though honor’d age his head did crowne
With snow-white haires of siluer like soft downe;
Yet in despight of yeares respect did goe,
As generall of the fleet against the foe.
385.
The other peere, whose heart heauen grac’d with grace
Of goodly gifts, was _Essex_ noble knight,
Whom from his youth treading the honour’d race
Of valiant men, true vertue did excite,
T’affect renowne in warre with chiefe delight,
Who best aboue the best of high command,
In this exploit went generall of the land.
386.
[Sidenote: They did proclaime their intended voyage in Greeke, Latin,
French, Spanish, &c. through most parts of Europe.]
These lords, not like the foes, did put in vre,
Their high exploit, who when their blacke fleete came
Did treate of peace, to make vs more secure;
But they each where their purpose to proclaime,
Chose fame for herauld to denounce the same,
Threatning all nations with their dames iust ire,
That should as agents with their foe conspire.
387.
Many more nobles drew their willing swords
In this exploit to trie th’Iberian might:
Braue _Sussex_, _Howard_, _Harbert_, valiant lords,
Lord _Warden_, _Burk_, stout _Veere_ and _Clifford_ hight,
With _Lodowicke_ of Nassau that stranger knight,
_Don Christopher_ young prince of Portugale,
And _Vanderforde_ the Belgian’s generall.
388.
From Plimmouth port in safe transport of these
And many gallants more, two hundred keele
Did with swift winde cut through the wauie seas,
While shee, whose heart th’effects of grace did feele,
Not giuing trust vnto the strength of steele,
While England’s sacred queene, while shee, I say,
For her faire fleete to this effect did pray:
389.
[Sidenote: Recorded by him that wrote this voiage, who carried it with
him into Spaine, translated into Latin by D. _Marbecke_.]
“Thou guide of all the world, great king of heauen,
That seest all hearts with thy all-seeing eye,
Thou knowest what cause vs to this warre hath driuen,
No thirst of blood, of wealth, or dignitie,
No malice of reuenge or iniurie;
But to defend thy truth, we lift our armes
And to preuent our foes intended harmes.
390.
Heare then, O king of heau’n, thy hand-maid’s prayer,
Giue full effect vnto our iust desire,
In midst of stormes t’our fleet vouchsafe thy care,
And with thy heau’nly fortitude inspire
Our souldiers hearts, that they may not retire
Vnto their homes without victorious fame,
T’aduance the glorie of thy holy name.”
391.
Thus pray’d _Eliza_, to whose iust request
The God of Hosts aduisefull audience gaue,
Who downe descending from his heau’nly rest,
Did safely lead her ships, as she did craue,
To Cadiz harbor ore the surging waue,
Where to all eyes appear’d his true foresigne,
That gainst th’Iberians they should victors shine.
392.
As that thrice happie bird, the peacefull doue,
When the old world groaning beneath the raigne
Of giants raging rule, was drown’d by Ioue,
Brought heau’nly newes of a new world againe
Vnto the Arke, then floting on the maine:
So now a doue did with her presence greet
_Elizae’s_ Arke, then admirall of the fleet.
393.
[Sidenote: Recorded by the Author then present.]
For loe the fleet riding at seas in sight
Of Cadiz towers, making that towne the marke
Of their desire, the doue did stay her flight
Vpon the maine yard of that stately barke,
Which long before that time was term’d the Arke,
Whose vnexpected presence did professe
Peace to the fleet; but to the foes distresse:
394.
Who from the browes of Cadiz loftie towers
With eyes amaz’d, viewing so many a keele
Floting vpon their seas, and seeing such powers
Of martiall people arm’d in brightest steele,
The cold effects of fainting feare did feele,
Through whose faint brests remembrance now did run
Of ancient wrongs to England’s empresse done.
395.
The fleete descri’d, the citie high did ring
Each where with horrid sound of shrill alarmes,
In euery street Bellona loud did sing
The song of battaile, and the foes in swarmes
Did throng together in the streets to armes,
While fearefull noise of children’s wofull cries,
And women’s shrikes did pierce the echoing skies.
396.
The gates were open set, out rush’t the hoast,
Both horse and foote in armes confused sound,
Who vaunting of their power did vainely boast,
Their fainting foes in battaile to confound,
If their bold feete durst presse the sandie ground,
Not doubting all their fleete, with fire t’inflame,
If from their ships to fight on shore they came.
397.
And in the gulfie mouth of that faire bay,
Where the proud waues doe wash the towne’s white breast,
The Spanish nauie ready anchoring lay,
All mighty ships bound for the Indian east;
But now for fight themselues they soone addrest,
With whom twice ten stout gallies did prepare
’Gainst th’English fleete to trie the chaunce of warre.
398.
The honour’d peeres, great _Essex_, and his mate
Renowned _Howard_, Time’s swan-white hair’d sonne,
Sitting in counsell wisely did debate,
How by their fleete with best aduantage wonne,
Against the foes the fight might be begunne;
For both the castle, forts and towne in sight,
Did threaten danger in the nauall fight.
399.
But through the windowes of heauen’s crystall bowres,
Ioue seeing the foemen’s force so full of dread,
The citie so well fenc’d with loftie towres;
The sea with faire ships fill’d, the field ore spread
With men of armes, that from the towne made head,
Did send to shield _Elizae’s_ fleete from harmes,
His braine-borne childe, th’vnconquered queene of armes.
400.
Who to effect th’Olympian god’s great will,
About the fleete from ship to ship did flie,
And with such courage euery heart did fill,
Inflaming their desires in fight to trie
The valour of the vaunting enemie,
That euery one did thirst to trample downe
The loftie pride of Cadiz towring towne.
401.
[Sidenote: Now Earle of Suffolk.]
The Norfolke noble duke’s vndaunted sonne,
Sterne-visag’d like the grim-fac’d god of war,
As was decreed, the fight at first begun,
Who to the foes like some disastrous star,
Or blazing comet did appeare from far;
Shooting forth fierie beames from his blacke ship,
Which with the mounting waues did forward skip.
402.
Each aduerse force to fight drew forth their powers,
And in a golden morne, when Phœbus drew
From off the battlements of Cadize towers,
The ruddie cheekt Aurorae’s pearlie dew,
The thundring bullets interchanged flew,
And either side a glorious day to win,
With deadly furie did the fight begin.
403.
The guns, astuns with sounds rebounds from shore
The souldier’s eares, and death on mischiefe’s back
Spit from the canon’s mouth with horrid rore
Flies to and fro in clowdes of pitchie black,
And 'mongst the valiant men makes spoilefull wrack,
While either part like lions far’d in fight,
None feeling seruile feare of death’s afright.
404.
Thus when stout _Howard_ had begun the fight
With many more to quell the foemen’s pride,
The noble _Deuoreux_, that vndaunted knight,
Who stood asterne his ship and wishly ei’d,
How deepe the skirmish drew on either side,
Nere stai’d, as was decreed, to second those
In the maine fight, but rusht amongst the foes.
405.
And as we see the sunne sometimes shine cleare
Amidst the skie, then muffle his bright face
In sable clouds, and straight againe appeare,
So famous _Essex_ did applie each place,
Sometimes incircled round with foes embrace
He stood in fight, and sometimes seene of all,
He in the forefront did his foes appall.
406.
Which when graue _Howard_ view’d from farre well dight
In noble armes, himselfe he did betake
Vnto his pinnace with lord _William_ hight,
His honor’d sonne, and with their powers to make
The fight more hot, into the presse they brake,
Where with fresh strength they labour’d to repell
The foes stout pride, twixt whom the fight grew fell.
407.
So long as faire Aurorae’s light did shine,
They equall fought and neither had the best;
But when the feruent sunne began decline
From th’hot meridian point and day decreast,
Feare did inuade each bold Iberian’s brest,
Who through the danger of the darkesome waue
Did flie their foes, themselues from death to saue.
408.
To shun Charybdis iawes, they helplesse fell
In Scyllae’s gulfe; for after all their braues,
Being all too weake the English to repell,
Their ships they left, and leapt into the waues,
In whose soft bosome many found their graues;
And lest ought good might to their foes redound,
They burnt their ships and ran them on the ground.
409.
The gallies fled, the ships with secret fire
Inflam’d, did burst to shew their burning light;
Then from the shore th’Iberians did retire
Close to their walles, who boasting of their might
In equall ground before did wish for fight;
But now beneath their walles scarce made they stand;
For without fight the victors went on land.
410.
All from the ships did cluster to the shore,
Forth marcht the foote, whose hearts emboldned were
With their late fight, and in the front before
Great _Essex_ breath’d exhorts in euery eare
To charge the foes; and not in vaine to beare
The name of first, but first himselfe to show
In euery deed, he first did charge the foe.
411.
With such swift force, as when wilde Neptune raues,
And ore the shore breaking his wonted bounds,
Riding in triumph on his winged waues,
Runnes vnresisted ouer lands and grounds,
And in his way all in his power confounds;
So from the fleet at shore went th’English downe
To charge the foes inranckt before the towne.
412.
The battels ioyn’d; but by their valour’s might,
The valiant English in one hower’s space
Brake through the foe-men’s rankes, who turn’d to flight;
Did turne their backes and gaue the victors place,
Who to the towne pursu’d with speedie chace,
Whose walles th’Iberians flying from the field
Against their foes did long to make their shield.
413.
And being entred with confused cries,
The gates were shut, and in the towne each where,
A diuers noise about with horror flies;
Then in the streets thicke troopes of men appeare,
Some to the gates, some to the walles with feare
Amazed runne, and euery hold about
They stuffe with men, to keepe their foe-men out.
414.
Meane time to triumph in proud Cadiz fall,
Illustrate _Essex_ did approch the towne,
Where scaling ladders laid vnto the wall
Were fill’d with men, who climing for renowne,
Did hazard death from off the walles cast downe:
For from th’assault to force them to retire,
Thicke fell downe darts, huge stones, and dreadfull fire.
415.
The fearefull cries of men on either side,
Rung through the towne, as they the walles did scale,
Not long the bold defendants did abide
Th’assailants by their prowesse did preuaile,
The foes gaue backe, their fainting hearts did faile,
Who left the walles, and through the streets did runne,
With ruthfull tidings how the walles were wonne.
416.
Vpon the battlements, the blood red crosse
Appear’d in sight, and from the walles downe went
The English troopes, and to the gates did passe,
Where th’iron barres in sunder they did rent,
Beate downe the posts, and all the iewses brent,
And passage wide to them without did win,
To whom the houses farre appear’d within.
417.
Then all the host, led by that aged lord,
The sea’s chiefe admirall, rusht through the gate,
And through the towne with fierie shot and sword
Did force their way in euery street and strait,
Euen to the publike market, where of late
The foes had purpos’d in the king’s highstreet,
To make their commons reindeuous to meet.
418.
[Sidenote: Sir _Iohn Wing_.]
There now the battell fresh againe begun,
For making head vnto that place, the foe
To reinforce their strength, in troopes did run,
While others downe from houses tops did throw
Ruine and death on th’English bands below,
Where fighting gainst such ods, they haplesse lost
Braue _Wingfield_ hight, a leader in the host.
419.
On whose dissolued life, such deepe remorse
The English tooke, that all with loud exclaime
Rusht on th’Iberians bold, and did enforce
Their speedie flight, then furie did enflame
The souldiers hearts, and in the bloodie game
Of raging Mars, remorselesse they were all,
To wreake reuenge for worthie _Wingfield’s_ fall.
420.
Like angrie lions rob’d of their deare yong,
The houses round about they now inuade,
The portals, posts and thresholds downe are flung,
The gates and walles of stone so strongly made,
And doores fast barr’d with earth are leuell made,
And all high turrets and strong chambers shake
With th’hot inuading, which the souldiers make.
421.
The inward roomes are fill’d with wofull sounds,
And wailing noise of folke in wretched plight,
The buildings all with larums loud rebounds,
And women with yong infants in affright,
Through chambers wide shunning the souldier’s sight,
Runne heere and there to seeke some couert place,
To hide themselues from angrie Mars his face.
422.
About the parent’s knees, the children swarmes,
Calling in vaine for helpe with pitious cries,
The spouse fast clips her husband in her armes,
In whose sad brest his cold heart fainting dies,
Seeing the armed men before his eies,
Stand with bright swords in thicke tumultuous croud
At th’entrie doores, crying out with clamors loud.
423.
But th’English all, that neuer vse to lift
Their hands against a yeelding enemie
By nature milde, not proud of fortune’s gift,
Did not insult vpon their miserie,
But with milde hand did vse the victorie,
And after fight they all abhorring blood,
Did only tend the spoile of golden good.
424.
Both the braue generals, by a strict command
About the towne, this mercie did proclaime,
That none thenceforth should vse the force of hand,
Nor offer wrong to any virgin dame,
That would sweet beautie keepe from lustfull shame,
Which vnreprou’d edict amongst all men,
Through th’English host inuiolate hath been.
425.
Amongst the captiues not the basest mate
With any sad designe they vexed sore,
The female sex vntoucht inuiolate
Did freely passe with all that golden store
Of chaines, and gemmes which they about them bore,
And all religious folke did find like grace,
Free without ransome to depart the place.
426.
Thrice valiant victors, euer may my rimes
Suruiue on earth, that in their life may liue
This famous conquest to all future times,
That from the best, that for true praise do striue,
All men to you the laurell wreath may giue,
Which that milde mercie, which you then did show,
Doth more deserue then conquest gainst the foe.
427.
After the souldier had return’d from spoile
Loaden with riches of the ransackt towne,
To yeeld fit compensation to the toile
Of each man’s paines, with fauour or renowne,
The generals did each souldier’s merit crowne,
And gaue to many a well deseruing wight
That noble order of true martiall knight.
428.
That noble order, which in antique time
In top of fame’s high tower tooke chiefest place,
To which by vertue valour’s steps did clime;
Was then no base mind’s meed, that nere had grace
T’ensue fame’s feeting in true vertue’s race;
Though now the aged world to dotage growne,
This noble order scarce is truly knowne.
429.
But now to sing the spoile and last decay
Of that faire towne by her owne folke forlorne,
The host all readie to depart away,
Intending first in funerall flames to burne
Her fatall pride, and all her pompe oreturne,
Did in thicke concourse cluster to confound,
Her high top towers and eu’n them with the ground.
430.
In number like the golden flowers in spring,
In forme like furies of the Stygian caue:
The souldiers high on houses tops do fling
Their burning brands, and round do range and raue,
To burie that faire towne in ashie graue,
While hungrie flames borne vp on golden wings,
Flies through the aire, and far their splendor flings.
431.
Then the faire wals inricht with painting’s grace,
And portals proud of gold are all cast downe,
Sterne Mulciber in his bright armes embrace
Doth graspe the towres, and on th’inflamed towne
Through rolling clouds of smoake doth sternely frowne;
Whose fierce fiers climing houses far away,
By foes are seene to worke the towne’s decay.
432.
Thus burnt Spaine’s Cadiz fam’d for that faire place,
Where great Alcides, when his sword did tame
The triple Gerion borne of tyrant’s race,
Did fixe his pillars t’eternize his name,
With _ne plus vltra_ grauen on the same;
Thus did it burne captiu’d in English yoke,
And all her fame lay stifled in the smoke.
433.
After the spoile, exchange of captiues made
For those, that Spaine had long captiu’d before,
Each souldier’s prize aboard the fleet conuei’d,
Leauing the towne despoil’d of all her store,
All made returne vnto the ships at shore;
At whose depart such after-signe was seene,
As had before at their arriuall been.
434.
[Sidenote: Recorded by the Author then present.]
For hoysing saile at sea, loe as before
Vpon the Arke a doue her flight did stay,
With which departing from th’Iberian shore,
She from the same departed not away;
But kept her station till that happie day,
That all the fleet did with the compleat hoast
Arriue in triumph on the English coast.
435.
Thus when vpon _Elizae’s_ royall brow,
Time’s honor’d age in print had set his signe,
Euen then her arme Spaine’s stiffened pride did bow
And when her youthfull daies did most decline,
Then did the King of heau’n to her assigne
The euer youthfull wreath of sacred bay,
In signe of triumph to her liue’s last day.
436.
The vtmost kingdomes canopi’d of skie,
Did beare record of her triumphant fame,
The vastest ocean, that did farthest lie,
With each small creeke and hauen in the same,
Did then resound the praises of her name:
Which to her friend’s defence, her foemen feare,
Her crosse-crown’d fleet about the world did beare.
437.
For all sea-bordering townes, that subiect were
Vnto the crowne of Rome-supporting Spaine,
Who high their breasts aboue the wanes did beare,
Did tremble to behold the crookt stern’d traine
Of English ships still floating on the maine;
For towards the sea’s greene bounds they often bore,
And many townes destroy’d vpon the shore.
438.
[Sidenote: _Anno eodem 38._]
Renowned _Clifford_ on the fruitfull deepe
Like Joue-borne Perseus, that illustrate knight,
In his swift Pegasus, the seas did sweepe,
And after many a prize surpriz’d in fight,
To make the land record his powerfull might,
He at that time with his triumphant host,
Got noble conquest on the Indian coast.
439.
Fortune with fame his high attempts did crowne,
And his dread name the foes with feare did fright,
Saint _Iohn de Porta Rico_ that strong towne,
And her faire castle, which did seeme in sight
Impregnable gainst all assaults in fight,
His hands to heapes of fruitlesse dust did burne,
And with her spoile he home did safe returne.
440.
The valiant English still did worke much woe
Vnto the foemen both on seas and land,
_Eliza_ still did triumph ore the foe,
And day by day vpon the English strand
Arriu’d rich prize surpriz’d by force of hand,
Whereby th’Iberian folke made poore and bare,
In heart did curse the causer of the warre.
441.
But leaue we heere of forren deeds to sing,
And turne we home at sound of those alarms,
Which on thy shores, O England, high did ring;
And let vs waile, alas, the wofull harmes,
Which did befall that valiant man of armes,
Who after all his glorie and renowne,
Beneath too hard a fate felt fortune’s frowne.
442.
_Tyrone_ that traytor, from whose treacherie
The first chiefe cause of his annoy did spring,
Disloyall to _Elizae’s_ maiestie;
Had now begun to set the war on wing
On th’Irish coast, whose townes and plaines did ring
With sad report of bloodie actions done,
By the bold rebels and the base _Tyrone_.
443.
[Sidenote: _An. Reg. 41._]
Tidings whereof to England’s rockie bound,
Borne ore the ocean’s backe on wings of winde,
The shores with Mars his rugged voice did sound,
And noble _Essex_ generall was assign’d
To crosse the fruitfull deepe, whose honor’d minde
Did wing him forward with desire of fame,
On earth to purchase an immortall name.
444.
Yet towards the coast when he this iourney tooke,
The king of flames that with delight did crowne
All that faire day before, did change his looke,
The heau’ns did thunder loud, the clouds did frowne,
And in the way Joue cast pale lightning downe,
Presaging sad euent of things to come,
Which tooke effect at his returning home.
445.
At his returning home, when his deare dame
The great _Eliza_, with maiesticke frowne
Gan change milde looks, when fortune foe to fame
Did turne her wheele about, and hurring downe
His towring state, all hope of life did drowne
In death’s deepe waues, whose most vntimely end
Both heau’n and earth lamenting did befriend.
446.
For that blacke morne, when he without appall
To lose his life vnto the blocke was led,
The sunne in heau’n, as for his Phaeton’s fall,
In sable clouds did hide his golden hed,
And from so sad a sight away he fled;
While wofull heau’n with dolefull teares sent downe,
For his sad fall the world in woe did drowne.
447.
He being dead, being dead, alas, and gone,
That hopefull lord, hight _Mountioy_, did succeed
As generall in the warre against _Tyrone_;
To whom all-seeing Joue tooke speciall heed,
And did direct his hand in euery deed,
Who would not haue _Elizae’s_ vnstain’d praise,
Distain’d by rebels in her aged daies.
448.
For what hath she in her affaires decreed,
Euen to her royall liue’s last breathing space,
In which Joue did not euer grace her deed,
Yea now when ripe yeares rugged prints had place
Vpon the fore-front of her princely face,
Then did her gratious God with compleat praise,
Perfect the vpshot of her aged daies.
449.
[Sidenote: _Anno eodem 42._
Grimestone _in his translation of the booke of the warres of the
Netherlands_.]
The happie Belgians on the marine coast,
In a pight field against a prince of name,
In person fighting 'midst his royall host,
Did purchase conquest, captiues, gold and fame,
By th’only aid which from _Eliza_ came:
Without whose helpe on which their hopes did build,
All had been lost, the foes had won the field.
450.
For when the Austrian prince on Newport Sands,
After the slaughter of the valiant Scot,
Had giuen charge vpon the aduerse bands,
When by thicke volleyes of their murdring shot,
Many stout men had drawne death’s fatall lot;
Then many Belgians fainting fled away,
And left their friends to win or lose the day.
451.
'Mongst whom the English chiefely did sustaine
The furious brunt of that important fight,
Where many worthie men were helplesse slaine,
Who rather chose to make that day the night
Of death’s approch, then turne their backs for flight;
Who all had fallen by death without remorse,
Had not the _Veres_ renew’d their fainting force.
452.
For the bold brothers both the valiant _Veres_,
Deepe wounds did purchase to regaine the day,
The one breath’d comfort in the souldiers eares,
While th’other through the foes with violent sway
Of his horse troopes did force a dreadfull way,
Through which the Belgians that before had fled,
Might ’gainst the fainting foes againe make head.
453.
The foemen fled, the ground was stro’d with harmes
Of their mishap, their duke fled fast away,
Leauing his horse of honour and his armes
Vnto the victors to remaine for ay,
As signes of conquest and that glorious day,
Which by _Elizae’s_ auxilarie traine,
Then agents there the Belgians did obtaine.
454.
Thus to the life of our triumphant dame
Time in her reigne no yeere did multiplie,
Which fortune did not dignifie with fame,
Or praise of some illustrate victorie;
’Gainst Rome, ’gainst Spaine, or th’Austrian enemie,
’Gainst whom that houre that she expir’d her breath,
She di’d victorious in the armes of death.
455.
[Sidenote: _Anno Reg. 43, 44._]
For when the Austrian duke with his proud hoast,
Atrides-like laid siege to little Troy,
And by a solemne vow did vainely boast,
Not to depart vntill he did destroy
That English towne; yet to his owne annoy,
He there did lie while th’horses of the sunne,
Their yeare’s race thrice about the heauen had runne.
456.
For England’s _Hector_ and his valiant brother,
That time’s young _Troylus_ did the duke appall,
And his best hopes in blood and dust did smother;
Yea many a thousand at that siege did fall
In death’s blacke graue before the towne’s strong wall,
Which while the Belgian patronesse did liue,
Vnto the foes in fight the foile did giue.
457.
And as our queene in forraine-bred debate,
From hence to heauen victorious tooke her flight,
So here at home before her liue’s last date,
Triumphant sounds of belles the starres did smite,
And bright bon-fiers the darkesome euen did light
With gladsome flames for worthy victorie,
Atchieu’d against the Irish enemie.
458.
[Sidenote: _An. eodem._]
Yea, when the hand of vnremorsefull fate,
Had euen spun out the thred of her liue’s clew,
_Tyron_, that long disturber of her state,
With shame of his offence remorsefull grew,
And on his knees did then for mercie sue:
That dying, she might say with vading breath,
I left no foes vnuanquisht at my death.
459.
But woe, alas, the dust-borne pompe of earth,
Made thrall to death, returnes to dust againe;
All vnder heauen, that haue their beeing and breath
Of nature’s gift, no longer doe remaine,
Then nature doth their brittle state sustaine,
The prince and swaine to death are both alike,
No ods are found when he with dart doth strike.
460.
For I, that whilome sung with cheerefull breath
Her roiall reigne, whose like no age hath seene,
Now cannot sing; but weepe to thinke how death,
All pitilesse of what before had beene,
Did rob poore England of so rich a queene;
And if I sing, I must in my sad song,
Exclaime on death for doing vs such wrong.
461.
For doing vs such wrong to dim the light
Of England’s virgin glorie then decaid,
Which, while heauen’s light the earth’s broade face shall smite,
All virgins shall admire and still vpbraid
That _Tarquin_ death, with death of such a maide:
For her, whose virgin blood no _Tarquin’s_ staine,
Did euer taint, O death, thy dart hath slaine.
462.
[Sidenote: Thursday.]
That day shee di’d, which to her roiall sire,
To great _Plantagenet_ hath fatall been;
That day, when fates did his sad death conspire:
That day when his young _Edward_ dead was seene,
That day when _Mary_ left to be a queene:
That day from vs did our _Eliza_ goe,
That day, that tyrant death did worke our woe.
463.
But why do we ’gainst death vse such complaint,
Seeing not in youth, then short of yeares to crowne
Her head with age, she di’de by death’s constraint,
But ripe in yeares, and loaden with renowne;
Made mellow for the graue, she lai’d her downe:
And leauing earth that part, which earth had giuen,
On faith’s strong wings she tooke her flight for heauen.
Heere Clio ceast, her lute no more did sound,
But in a moment mounting from the ground,
She vanisht from my sight, and with her fled
The place of pleasure which mine eyes had fed;
With which all had been lost, if in minde,
My dreame’s Idæa had not stai’d behinde.
FINIS.
END OF PART V.
VOLUME THE LAST.
Transcriber’s Notes
Obvious typos have been corrected. All other spelling and punctuation
remains unchanged.
The table of contents has been copied from Vol II, Part I, for the
convenience of the reader.
Italics are represented thus _italic_, superscripts thus y^n,
subscripts as y_{n}.