His vpper worke hew'd downe into the Sea,
Naught of his ship aboue the sourge was borne,
But euen leueld with the Ocean lay,
Onely the ships foundation (yet that worne)
Remaind a trophey in that mighty fray;
Nothing at all aboue the head remained,
Either for couert, or that force maintained.
Powder for shot, was spent and wasted cleane,
Scarce seene a corne to charge a peece withall,
All her pykes broken, halfe of his best men slaine,
The rest sore wounded, on Deaths Agents call,
On th'other side, her foe in ranks remains,
Displaying multitudes, and store of all
What euer might auaile for victorie,
Had they not wanted harts true valiancie.
When _Grinuile_ saw his desperate drierie case,
Meerely dispoyled of all success-full thought,
Hee calls before him all within the place,
The Maister, Maister-gunner, and them taught
Rules of true hardiment to purchase grace;
Showes them the end their trauailes toile had bought,
How sweet it is, swift _Fame_ to ouer-goe,
How vile to diue in captiue ouerthrow.
Gallants (he saith) since three a clock last noone,
Vntill this morning, fifteene howers by course,
We haue maintaind stoute warre, and still vndoone
Our foes assaults, and driue them to the worse,
Fifteene _Armados_ boardings haue not wonne
Content or ease, but beene repeld by force,
Eight hundred Cannon shot against her side,
Haue not our harts in coward colours died.
Not fifteene thousand men araungd in fight,
And fifteene howers lent them to atchiue,
With fifty three great ships of boundlesse might,
Haue had or meanes or prowesse to contriue
The fall of one, which mayden vertue dight,
Kept in despight of _Spanish_ force aliue.
Then list to mee you imps of memorie,
Borne to assume to immortalitie.
Sith loosing, we vnlost keepe strong our praise,
And make our glories, gaynours by our ends,
Let not the hope of howers (for tedious dayes
Vnto our lines no longer circuite lends)
Confound our wondred actions and assayes,
Whereon the sweete of mortal eares depends,
But as we liue by wills victorious,
So let vs die victours of them and vs.
Wee that haue mercilesse cut Mercies wings,
And muffeld pittie in deaths mistie vale,
Let vs implore no mercie; pittyings,
But from our God, deere fauour to exhale
Our soules to heauen, where all the Angells rings
Renowne of vs, and our deepe tragick tale;
Let us that cannot liue, yet liue to dye,
Vnthrald by men, fit tropheys for the skye.
And thus resolu'd since other meane is reft,
Sweet Maister-gunner, split our keele in twaine,
We cannot liue, whom hope of life hath left,
Dying, our deaths more glorious liues retain,
Let not our ship, of shame and foile bereft,
Vnto our foe-men for a prize remaine;
Sinke her, and sinking with the _Greeke_ wee'le cry,
Best not to be, or beeing soone to dye.
Scarce had his words tane wings from his deere tong,
But the stout Maister-gunner, euer rich
In heauenlie valure and repulsing wrong,
Proud that his hands by action might inritch
His name and nation with a worthie song,
Tow'rd his hart higher then Eagles pitch,
And instantlie indeuours to effect
_Grinuils_ desier, by ending Deaths defect.
But th' other Maister, and the other Mat's,
Disented from the honour of their minds,
And humbly praid the Knight to rue their stat's,
Whom miserie to no such mischiefe binds;
To him th' aleadge great reasons, and dilat's
Their foes amazements, whom their valures blinds,
And maks more eager t'entertaine a truce,
Then they to offer words for warres excuse.
They show him diuers gallant men of might,
Whose wounds not mortall, hope gaue of recuer,
For their saks sue they to diuorce this night
Of desperate chaunce, calld vnto Deaths black lure,
Their lengthened liues, their countries care might right,
And to their Prince they might good hopes assure.
Then quod the Captaine, (deare Knight) do not spill,
The liues whom gods and Fat's seeke not to kill.
And where thou sayst the _Spanyards_ shall not braue
T' haue tane one ship due to our virgin Queene,
O knowe, that they, nor all the world can saue,
This wounded Barke, whose like no age hath seene,
Sixe foote shee leaks in hold, three shot beneath the waue,
All whose repaire so insufficient beene,
That when the Sea shall angrie worke begin,
She cannot chuse but sinke and dye therein.
Besides, the wounds and brusings which she beares,
Are such, so manie, so incurable,
As to remoue her from this place of feares.
No force, no wit, no meane, nor man is able;
Then since that peace prostrate to vs repaires,
Vnlesse our selues, our selues make miserable,
_Herculeen_ Knight, for pittie, pittie lend,
No fame consists in wilfull desperat end.
These words with emphasis and action spent,
Mou'd not Sir _Richard_, but inrag'd him more,
To bow or yeeld, his heart would neare relent,
He still impugns all thought of lifes restore;
The Maister-gunner euer doth consent
To act his wish, swearing, in beds of gore
Death is most louelie, sweete and amiable,
But captiu'd life for foulenes admirable.
The Captayne, seeing words could take no place,
Turnes backe from them vnto the liuing few,
Expounds what pittie is, what victors grace;
Bids them them selues, them selues in kindnes rew,
Peace if they please, will kindlie them imbrace,
And they may liue, from whom warres glory grew;
But if they will to desperate end consent,
Their guilty soules too late shall mourne repent.
The sillie men, who sought but liuing ioyes,
Cryes to the Captaine for an honord truce,
Life they desire, yet no life that destroyes
Their wonne renownes, but such as might excuse
Their woes, their wounds, and al what els anoyes
Beautie of laude, for other they refuse;
All which the Captaine swears they shal obtaine,
Because their foes, in doubtfull states remaine.
O when Sir _Richard_ saw them start aside,
More chaynd to life then to a glorius graue,
And those whom hee so oft in dangers tryde,
Now trembling seeke their hatefull liues to saue.
Sorrow and rage, shame, and his honors pride,
Choking his soule, madly compeld him raue,
Vntil his rage with vigor did confound
His heauie hart; and left him in a swound.
The Maister-gunner, likewise seeing Fate
Bridle his fortune, and his will to die,
With his sharpe sword sought to set ope the gate,
By which his soule might from his bodie flie,
Had not his freends perforce preseru'd his state,
And lockt him in his Cabbin safe to lie,
Whilst others swarm'd where haplesse _Grinuile_ lay,
By cryes recalling life, late runne away.
In this too restlesse turmoile of vnrest,
The poore _Reuenges_ Maister stole awaye,
And to the _Spanish_ Admirall adrest
The dolefull tidings of this mournfull day,
(The _Spanish_ Admirall who then oprest,
Houering with doubt, not daring t'end the fray,)
And pleads for truce, with souldier-like submission
Anexing to his words a straight condition.
_Alfonso_, willing to giue end to armes,
For well he knew _Grinuile_ would neuer yeild,
Able his power stoode like vnnumbred swarmes,
Yet daring not on stricter tearmes to build,
He offers all what may alay their harmes
Safetie of liues, nor any thrall to weild,
Free from the Gallie, prisonment, or paine,
And safe returne vnto their soyle againe
To this he yeelds, as well for his own sake,
Whom desperate hazard might indamage sore,
As for desier the famous Knight to take,
Whom in his hart he seemed to deplore,
And for his valure halfe a God did make,
Extolling him all other men before,
Admiring with an honourable hart,
His valure, wisdome, and his Souldiours Art.
With peacefull newes the Maister backe returns,
And rings it in the liuing remnants eares,
They all reioyce, but _Grinuile_ deadly mourns,
He frets, he sighs, he sorrowes and despaires,
Hee cryes, this truce, their fame and blisse adiourns,
He rents his locks, and all his garments teares,
He vowes his hands shall rent the ship in twaine
Rather then he will _Spanish_ yoke sustaine.
The few reseru'd, that life esteem'd too well,
Knowing his words were warrants for his deede,
Vnkindly left him in that monstrous hell,
And fled vnto _Alfonso_ with greate speede,
To him their Chieftaines mightines they tell,
And how much valure on his soule doth feede,
That if preuention, not his actions dim,
Twill be too late to saue the shyp or him.
_Bassan_ made proude, vnconquering t'ouer-come,
Swore the brave Knight nor ship he would not lose,
Should all the world in a petition come:
And therefore of his gallants, fortie chose
To board Sir _Richard_, charging them be dombe
From threatning words, from anger, and from bloes,
But with all kindnes, honor, and admire
To bring him thence, to further _Fames_ desire.
Sooner they boarded not the crazed Barke,
But they beheld where speechlesse _Grinuile_ lay,
All smeard in blood, and clouded in the darke,
Contagious curtaine of Deaths tragick day;
They wept for pittie, and yet silent marke
Whether his lungs sent liuing breath away,
Which when they sawe in ayrie blasts to flie,
They striu'd who first should stanch his misery.
Anon came life, and lift his eye-lids vp,
Whilst they with teares denounce their Generals wil,
Whose honord mind sought to retort the cup
Of deaths sad poyson, well instruckt to kill;
Tells him what fame and grace his eyes might sup
From _Bassans_ kindnes, and his Surgions skill,
Both how he lou'd him, and admir'd his fame,
To which he sought to lend a liuing flame.
Aye mee (quoth _Grinuile_) simple men, I know
My bodie to your Generall is a pray,
Take it, and as you please my lyms bestow,
For I respect it not, tis earth and clay:
But for my minde that mightier much doth grow,
To heauen it shall, despight of _Spanish_ sway.
He swounded, and did neuer speake againe.
This said, orecome with anguish and with paine,
They took him vp, and to theyr Generall brought
His mangled carkasse, but vnmaimed minde,
Three dayes hee breath'd, yet neuer spake he ought,
Albe his foes were humble, sad, and kinde;
The fourth came downe the Lambe that all souls bot,
And his pure part, from worser parts refind,
Bearing his spirite vp to the loftie skyes,
Leauing his body, wonder to wonders eyes.
When _Bassan_ saw the Angell-spirite fled,
Which lent a mortall frame immortall thought,
With pittie, griefe, and admiration led,
He mournfully complaind what Fat's had wrought.
Woe me (he cryes) but now aliue, now dead,
But now inuincible, now captiue brought:
In this, vniust are Fat's, and Death declared,
That mighty ones, no more than meane are spared.
You powers of heauen, rayne honour on his hearse,
And tune the Cherubins to sing his fame,
Let Infants in the last age him rehearse,
And let no more, honour be Honor's name:
Let him that will obtaine immortall vearse,
Conquer the stile of _Grinuile_ to the same,
For till that fire shall all the world consume,
Shall neuer name, with _Grinuile_ name presume.
Rest then deere soule, in thine all-resting peace,
And take my teares for tropheys to thy tombe,
Let thy lost blood, thy vnlost fame increase,
Make kingly eares thy praises second wombe:
That when all tongues to all reports surcease,
Yet shall thy deeds, out-liue the day of doome,
For even Angels, in the heasens shall sing,
_Grinuile_ vnconquered died, still conquering.
_O ælinam_.
Footnotes:
1: Choristers.
2: Hangings, so called from having first been made at Arras.
3: Constellations.
4: Entangled.
5: Blown by being hunted.
"But being then _imbost_, the stately deer
When he hath gotten ground," &c.
--_Drayton's Polyolbian_, xiii, p. 917.
* * * * *
A true report of a worthy fight, performed in the voyage from Turkie, by
fiue ships of London, against 11. Gallies, and two frigats of the King of
Spaines, at Pantalarea within the Streights. Anno, 1586. Written by
Philip Iones.
The Marchants of London, being of the incorporation of the Turkey trade,
hauing receiued intelligencies, and aduertisements, from time to time, that
the King of Spaine grudging at the prosperitie of this kingdome, had not
onely of late arrested al English ships, bodies, and goods in Spaine, but
also maligning the quiet trafique which they vsed to and in the dominions,
and prouinces, vnder the obedience of the Great Turke, had giuen order to
the Captaines of his gallies in the Leuant, to hinder the passage of all
English ships, and to endeuour by their best meanes, to intercept, take,
and spoile them, their persons, and goods: they hereupon thought it their
best course to set out their flete for Turkie, in such strength and
abilitie for their defence, that the purpose of their Spanish enemie might
the better be preuented, and the voyage accomplished with greater securitie
to the men and shippes. For which cause, fiue tall, and stoute shippes,
appertaining to London, and intending onely a Marchants voyage, were
prouided and furnished with all things belonging to the Seas; the names
whereof were these:
1. The Marchant Royal, a very braue and good shippe, and of great report.
2. The Tobie.
3. The Edward Bonauenture.
4. The William and Iohn.
5. The Susan.
These fiue departing from the coast of England, in the moneth of Nouember
1585. kept together as one fleete, til they came as high as the Isle of
Sicilie, within the Leuant. And there, according to the order and direction
of the voyage, each shippe began to take leaue of the rest, and to separate
himselfe, setting his course for the particular port, whereunto hee was
bounde: one for Tripolie in Syria, another for Constantinople, the chiefe
Citie of the Turkes Empire, situated vpon the coast of Romania, called of
olde, Thracia, and the rest to those places, whereunto they were priuatly
appointed. But before they diuided themselues, they altogether consulted,
of and about a certaine and speciall place for their meeting againe after
the lading of their goods at their seuerall portes. And in conclusion, the
generall agreement was to meet at Zante, an Island neere to the maine
continent of the West part of Morea, well knowen of all the Pilots, and
thought to be the fittest place of their Rendeuous. Concerning which
meeting, it was also couenanted on eche side, and promised, that whatsoeuer
ship of these 5. should first arriue at Zante, should there stay and expect
the comming of the rest of the fleete, for the space of twentie dayes. This
being done, ech man made his best hast according as winde and wether woulde
serue him to fiulfill his course, and to dispatch his businesse: and no
neede was there to admonish or incourage any man, seeing no time was ill
spent, nor opportunitie omitted on any side, in the performance of ech mans
duetie, according to his place.
It fell out that the Tobie which was bound for Constantinople had made such
good speede, and gotten such good weather, that she first of al the rest
came back to the appointed place of Zante, and not forgetting the former
conclusion, did there cast ancre, attending the arriuall of the rest of the
fleete, which accordingly (their busines first performed) failed not to
keepe their promise. The first next after the Tobie was the Royal Marchant,
which together with the William and Iohn came from Tripolie in Syria, and
arriued at Zante within the compasse of the foresaide time limitted. These
ships in token of the ioy on all parts concerned for their happy meeting,
spared not the discharging af their Ordinance, the sounding of drums and
trumpets, the spreading of Ensignes with other warlike and ioyfull
behaviours, expressing by these outward signes, the inward gladnesse of
their mindes, being all as ready to ioyne together in mutuall consent to
resist the cruel enemie, as now in sporting maner they made myrth and
pastyme among themselues. These three had not bene long in the hauen, but
the Edward Bonauenture also, together with the Susan her consort, were come
from Venice with their lading, the sight of whom increased the ioy of the
rest, and they no lesse glad of the presence of the others, saluted them in
most friendly and kinde sort, according to the maner of the Seas: and
whereas some of these ships stoode at that instant in some want of
victuals, they were all content to stay in the port, till the necessities
of ech shippe were supplied, and nothing wanted to set out for their
returne.
In this port of Zante, the newes was fresh and currant, of two seuerall
armies and fleetes prouided by the king of Spaine, and lying in waite to
intercept them: the one consisting of 30. strong Gallies, so well appointed
in all respects for the warre, that no necessary thing wanted: and this
fleete houered about the Streights of Gibraltar. The other armie had in it
20. Gailies, whereof some were of Sicilie, and some of the island of Malta,
vnder the charge and gouernment of Iohn Andrea Dorea, a Captaine of name
seruing the king of Spaine. These two diuers and strong fleetes waited and
attended in the Seas for none, but the English shippes, and no doubt made
their accompt and sure reckoning that not a shippe should escape their
furie. And the opinion, also of the inhabitants of the Isle of Zante was,
that in respect of the number of Gallies in both these armies, hauing
receiued such straight commandement from the king, our ships and men being
but few, and little in comparison of them, it was a thing in humane reason
impossible, that wee should passe either without spoiling, if we resisted,
or without composition at the least, and acknowledgement of duetie to the
Spanish king.
But it was neither the report of the attendance of these armies, nor the
opinions of the people, nor any thing else, that could daunt or dismay the
courages of our men, who grounding themselues upon the goodnesse of their
cause, and the promise of God, to bee deliuered from such as without reason
sought their destruction, carried resolute mindes, notwithstanding all
impediments to aduenture through the Seas, and to finish their Nauigations,
maugre the beards of the Spanish souldiers. But least they should seeme too
carelesse, and too secure of their estate, and by laying the whole and
entire burden of their safetie vpon Gods prouidence, should foolishly
presume altogether of his helpe, and neglect the meanes which was put into
their handes, they failed not to enter into counsell among themselues, and
to deliberate aduisedly for their best defence. And in the end with
generall consent, the Marchant Royall was appointed Admirall of the fleete,
and the Tobie Viceadmiral, by whose orders the rest promised to be
directed, and ech shippe vowed not to breake from another, whatsoeuer
extremitie should fall out, but to stand to it to the death, for the honour
of their Countrey, and the frustrating of the hope of the ambitious and
proud enemie.