Page images
PDF
EPUB

Bed. The king himself is rode to view their battle.

West. Of fighting men they have full three-score thousand.

Exe. There's five to one; besides, they all are fresh.

Sal. God's arm strike with us! 'tis a fearful odds.

God be wi' you, princes all; I'll to my charge:

If we no more meet till we meet in heaven, Then, joyfully, my noble Lord of Bedford, My dear Lord Gloucester, and my good Lord Exeter,

And my kind kinsman, warriors all, adieu! Bed. Farewell, good Salisbury; and good luck go with thee!

Exe. Farewell, kind lord; fight valiantly today:

And yet I do thee wrong to mind thee of it, For thou art framed of the firm truth of valor. [Exit Salisbury

Bed. He is as full of valor as of kind

[blocks in formation]

Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man's company,
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian :
He that outlives this day, and comes safe
home,

Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbors,
And say, "Tomorrow is Saint Crispian";
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his
scars,

And say, "These wounds I had on Crispin's day."

Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our

names,

Familiar in his mouth as household words, Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,

Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.

This story shall the good man teach his son:
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother: be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now abed
Shall think themselves accursed they were
not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

BALLAD OF AGINCOURT

MICHAEL DRAYTON

1

Fair stood the wind for France,
When we our sails advance;
Nor now to prove our chance
Longer will tarry;
But putting to the main,
At Caux, the mouth of Seine,
With all his martial train

Landed King Harry.

[blocks in formation]

13

Gloucester, that duke so good,
Next of the royal blood,
For famous England stood
With his brave brother.
Clarence, in steel so bright,
Though but a maiden knight,
Yet in that furious fight,
Scarce such another!

14

Warwick in blood did wade;
Oxford, the foe invade,
And cruel slaughter made,
Still as they ran up.
Suffolk his axe did ply;
Beaumont and Willoughby
Bare them right doughtily;
Ferrers, and Fanhope.

15

Upon Saint Crispin's Day
Fought was this noble fray;
Which Fame did not delay
To England to carry.
O, when shall English men
With such acts fill a pen?
Or England breed again
Such a King Harry?

THE DEEDS OF ELIZABETHAN SEAMEN

RICHARD HAKLUYT

[From the Voyages, 1589]

To harp no longer upon this string, and to speak a word of that just commendation which our nation do indeed deserve: it cannot be denied, but as in all former ages they have been men full of activity, stirrers abroad, and searchers of the remote parts of the world, so in this most famous and peerless government of her most excellent Majesty, her subjects, through the special assistance and blessing of God, in searching the most opposite corners and quarters of the world, and to speak plainly, in compassing the vast globe of the earth more than once, have excelled all the nations and people of the earth. For which of the kings of this land before her Majesty had their banners ever seen in the Caspian sea? which of them hath ever dealt with the emperor of Persia as her Majesty hath done, and obtained for her merchants large and lov

ing privileges? who ever saw, before this regiment, an English Ligier in the stately porch of the Grand Signor at Constantinople? who ever found English consuls and agents at Tripolis in Syria, at Aleppo, at Babylon, at Balsara, and which is more, who ever heard of Englishman at Goa before now? what English ships did heretofore ever anchor in the mighty river of Plate? pass and repass the unpassable (in former opinion) Strait of Magellan, range along the coast of Chili, Peru, and all the backside of Nova Hispania, further than any christian ever passed, traverse the mighty breadth of the South Sea, land upon the Luzones in despite of the enemy, enter into alliance, amity, and traffic with the princes of the Moluccas and the isle of Java, double the famous cape of Bona Speranza, arrive at the isle of St. Helena, and last of all return home most richly laden with the commodities of China, as the subjects of this now flourishing monarchy have done?

TO THE VIRGINIAN VOYAGE

MICHAEL DRAYTON

1

You brave heroic minds,

Worthy your country's name,

That honor still pursue;

Go and subdue!

Whilst loitering hinds

Lurk here at home with shame.

2

Britons, you stay too long;
Quickly aboard bestow you!
And with a merry gale
Swell your stretched sail,
With vows as strong
As the winds that blow you!

3

Your course securely steer,
West-and-by-south forth keep!
Rocks, lee-shores, nor shoals,
When Eolus scowls,
You need not fear,
So absolute the deep.

4

And, cheerfully at sea,
Success you still entice,
To get the pearl and gold;

And ours to hold,

Virginia,

Earth's only Paradise.

5

Where Nature hath in store Fowl, venison, and fish;

And the fruitful'st soil,— Without your toil, Three harvests more, All greater than your wish.

6

And the ambitious vine
Crowns with his purple mass
The cedar reaching high
To kiss the sky,

The cypress, pine,

And useful sassafras.

7

To whom, the Golden Age
Still Nature's laws doth give:
Nor other cares attend,
But them to defend
From winter's rage,
That long there doth not live.

8

When as the luscious smell
Of that delicious land,

Above the seas that flows,
The clear wind throws,
Your hearts to swell,
Approaching the dear strand.
9

In kenning of the shore
(Thanks to God first given!)
O you, the happiest men,
Be frolic then!
Let cannons roar,
Frightening the wide heaven!
10

And in regions far,
Such heroes bring ye forth

As those from whom we came!
And plant our name

Under that star

Not known unto our North!

11

And where in plenty grows
The laurel everywhere,
Apollo's sacred tree
Your days may see

A poet's brows

To crown, that may sing there.

12

Thy Voyages attend,
Industrious Hakluyt!

Whose reading shall inflam
Men to seek fame;
And much commend
To after times thy wit.

THE VICTORY OF ENGLAND

SIR WALTER RALEIGH

[From A Report of the Fight betwixt the Revenge and an Armada of the King of Spain, 1591]

Because the rumours are diversly spred, as well in Englande as in the lowe countries and els where, of this late encounter between her maiesties ships and the Armada of Spain; and that the Spaniardes according to their usual maner, fill the world with their vaine glorious vaunts, making great apparance of victories: when on the contrary, themselves are most commonly and shamefully beaten and dishonoured; therby hoping to possesse the ignorant multitude by anticipating and forerunning false reports: It is agreeable with all good reason, for manifestation of the truth to overcome falsehood and untruth; that the beginning, continuance, and successe of this late honourable encounter of Syr Richard Grinvile, and other her maiesties Captaines, with the Armada of Spaine; should be truly set downe and published without parcialltie or false imaginations. And it is no marvell that the Spaniard should seeke by false and slandrous Pamphlets, advisoes and Letters, to cover their owne losse, and to derogate from others their due honours especially in this fight beeing performed farre of; seeing they were not ashamed in the yeare 1588, when they purposed the invasion of this land, to publish in sundrie languages in print, great victories in wordes, which they pleaded to have obteined against this Realme, and spredde the same in a most false sort over all partes of France, Italie, and elsewhere. When shortly after it was happily manifested in verie deed to all Nations, how their Navy which they termed invincible, consisting of 240 saile of ships, not onely of their own kingdom, but strengthened with the greatest

Argosies, Portugall Caractes, Florentines, and huge Hulkes of other countries: were by thirtie of her Maiesties' owne shippes of warre, and a few of our owne Marchants, by the wise, valiant, and most advantagious conduction of the L. Charles Howard, high Admirall of England, beaten and shuffeled togither, even from the Lizard in Cornwall: first to Portland, where they shamefully left Don Pedro de Valdes, with his mightie shippe: from Portland to Cales, where they lost Hugo de Moncado, with the Gallias of which he was Captain, and from Cales, driven with squibs from their anchors: were chased out of the sight of England, round about Scotland and Ireland. Where for the sympathie of their barbarous religion, hoping to finde succour and assistance: a great part of them were crusht against the rocks, and those other that landed, being verie manie in number, were not withstanding broken, slaine, and taken, and so sent from village to village coupled in halters to be shipped into Engla[n]d. Where her Maiestie of her Princely and invincible disposition, disdaining to put them to death, and scorning either to retaine or entertaine them: [they] were all sent backe againe to theire countries, to witnesse and recount the worthy achievements of their invincible and dreadfull Navy. Of which the number of souldiers, the fearefull burthen of their shippes, the commanders names of everie squadron, with all other their magasines of provision, were put in print, as an Army and Navy unresistible, and disdaining prevention. With all which so great and terrible an ostentation, they did not in all their sailing rounde about England, so much as sinke, or take one ship, Barke, Pinnes, or Cockbote of ours: or ever burnt so much as one sheep-cote of this land. When as on the contrarie, Syr Francis Drake, with only 800 souldiers not long before, landed in their Indies, and forced Santiago, Santa Domingo, Cartagena, and the Fortes of Florida.

And after that, Syr Iohn Norris marched from Peniche in Portugall, with a handfull of souldiers, to the gates of Lisbone, being above 40 English miles. Where the Earle of Essex himselfe and other valiant Gentlemen, braved the Cittie of Lisbone, encamped at the verie gates; from whence after many daies abode, finding neither promised partie, or provision to batter: made retrait by land, in despite of all their Garrisons, both

of Horse and foote. In this sort I have a little digressed from my first purpose, only by the necessarie comparison of theirs and our actions: the one covetous of honor without vaunt or ostentation; the other so greedy to purchase the opinion of their own affaires, and by false rumors to resist the blasts of their owne dishonors, as they wil not only not blush to spread all maner of untruthes: but even for the least advantage, be it but for the taking of one poore adventurer of the English, will celebrate the victorie with bonefiers in everie town, alwaies spending more in faggots, then the purchase was worth they obtained. When as we never yet thought it worth the consumption of two billets, when we have taken eight or ten of their Indian shippes at one time, and twentie of the Brasil fleet. Such is the difference between true valure, and ostentation: and betweene honourable actions, and frivolous vaineglorious vaunts. But now to returne to my first purpose.

The L. Thomas Howard, with sixe of her Maiesties ships, sixe victualers of London, the barke Ralegh, and two or three Pinnasses riding at anchor nere unto Flores, one of the Westerlie Ilands of the Azores, the last of August in the after noone had intelligence by one Captaine Midleton, of the approach of the Spanish Armada. Which Midleton being in a.verie good Sailer, had kept them companie three daies before, of good purpose, both to discover their forces the more, as also to give advice to my L. Thomas of their approch. He had no sooner delivered the newes but the Fleet was in sight: manie of our shippes companies were on shore in the Iland; some providing balast for their ships; others filling of water and refreshing themselves from the land with such thinges as they coulde either for money, or by force recover. By reason whereof our ships being all pestered and romaging everie thing out of order, verie light for want of balast. And that which was most to our disadvantage, the one halfe part of the men of every shippe sicke, and utterly unserviceable. For in the Revenge there were ninetie diseased: in the Bonaventure, not so many in health as could handle her maine saile. For had not twentie men beene taken out of a Barke of Sir George Caryes, his being commanded to be sunke, and those appointed to her, she had hardly ever recovered England. The rest for the most part, were in little better state.

« PreviousContinue »