night which holds meane blisse in scorne By action kills imaginations sway And then euen then gluts cōfounds his thought VVith all the sweets conceit or Nature wrought Euen so our Knight the bridegroome vnto Fame Toild in this battailes morning with vnrest At noone triumph'd daunst made his game That vertue by no death could be deprest But when the night of his loues longings came Euen then his intelectuall soule confest All other ioyes imaginarie were Honour vnconquerd heauen earth held deare The bellowing shotte which wakened dead mens swounds As Dorian musick sweetned in his cares Ryuers of blood issuing from fountaine wounds Hee pytties but augments not with his teares The flaming fier which mercilesse abounds Hee not so much as masking torches feares The dolefull Eccho of the soules halfe dying Quicken his courage in their banefull crying VVhen foule Misfortune houering on a Rock The stonie girdle of the Florean Ile Had seene this conflict and the fearefull shock VVhich all the Spanysh mischeifes did compile And saw how conquest licklie was to mock The hope of Spayne and fauster her exile Immortall she came downe her selfe to fight And doe what else no mortall creature might And as she flew the midnights waking starre Sad Cassiopea with a heauie cheare Pusht forth her forehead to make known frō farre VVhat time the dryrie dole of earth drew neare But when shee saw Misfortune arm'd in warre VVith teares she blinds her eyes and clouds y e ayre And asks the gods why Fortune fights with man They say to doe what else no creature can O why should such immortall enuie dwell In the inclosures of eternall mould Let Gods with Gods and men with men rebell Vnequall warres t'vnequall shame is sould But for this damned deede came shee from hell And Ioue is sworne to doe what dest'nie would VVeepe then my pen the tell-tale of our woe And curse the fount frō whence our sorrows flow Now now Misfortune fronts our Knight in armes And casts her venome through the Spanysh hoast Shee salues the dead and all the lyuing warmes With vitall enuie brought from Plutos coast Yet all in vaine all workes not Grinuils harmes VVhich seene shee smiles and yet with rage imbost Saith to her selfe since men are all too weake Behold a goddesse shall thy lifes twine breake VVith that shee taks a Musket in her hand Raft from a dying Souldiour newlie slaine And ayming where th' vncōquered Knight did stand Dischargd it through his bodie and in twaine Deuids the euer holie nuptiall band Which twixt his soule worlds part shold remaine Had not his hart stronger then Fortunes will Held life perforce to scorne Misfortunes ill The bubling wound from whence his blood distild Mourn'd to let fall the hallowed drops to ground And like a iealious loue by riuall illd Sucks in the sacred moisture through the wound But he which felt deaths fatall doome fulfilld Grew fiercer valiant and did all confound VVas not a Spanyard durst abord him rest After he felt his deaths wound in his brest Hundreds on hundreds dead on the maymed fall Maymed on sounde sound in them selues lye slaine Blest was the first that to his ship could crall For wounded he wounds multituds againe No sacrifice but sacrifice of all Could stay his swords oblations vnto paine Nor in Phillippie fell for Caesars death Soules thicker then for Grinuils wasting breath The Nemian Lyon Aramanthian Bore The Hircanian Tyger nor the Cholcean Bulls Neuer extended rage with such vprore Nor in their brests mad monstrous furie lulls Now might they learne that euer learnt before Wrath at our Knight which all wrath disanulls For slauish death his hands commaunded more Then Lyon Tyger Bull or angrie Bore Had Pompey in Pharsalia held his thought Caesar had neuer wept vpon his head Had Anthonie at Actiome like him fought Augustus teares had neuer drownd him dead Had braue Renaldo Grinuiles puissance bought Angelica from Fraunce had neuer fled Nor madded Rowland with inconstancie But rather slayne him wanting victorie Before a storme flew neuer Doues so fast As Spanyards from the furie of his fist The stout Reuenge about whose forlorne wast Whilome so many in their moods persist Now all alone naught but the sourge imbrast Her foes from handie combats cleane desist Yet still incirkling her within their powers From farre sent shot as thick as winters showers Anger and Enuie enemies to Life Strong smouldring Heate noisom stink of Smoke With ouer-labouring Toyle Deaths ouglie wife These all accord with Grinuiles wounded stroke To end his liues date by their ciuell strife And him vnto a blessed state inyoke But he repeld them whilst repell he might Till fainting power was tane from power to fight Then downe he sat and beat his manlie brest Not mourning death but want of meanes to die Those which suruiu'd coragiouslie he blest Making them gods for god-like victorie Not full twice twentie soules aliue did rest Of which the most were mangled cruellie Yet still whilst words could speake or signes could show From death he maks eternall life to grow The Maister-gunner which beheld his eyes Dart fier gainst death triumphant in his face Came to sustaine him and with courage cryes How fares my Knight worlds glory martiall grace Thine honour former honours ouer-flyes And vnto Heaven and Vertue bids the bace Cheere then thy soule if deaths wounding paine it Abrahams faire bosome lyes to entertaine it Maister he sayes euen heers the opned dore Through which my spirit bridgroome like must ride And then he bard his wounded brest all gore To court the blessed virgine Lambe his bride VVhose innoncence the worlds afflictions bore Streaming diuine blood from his sliced side And to that heauen my soule with courage flyes Because vnconquerd conquering it dyes But yet replyd the Maister once againe Great vertue of our vertues striue with Fate Yeeld not a minute vnto death retaine Life like thy glorie made to wonder at This wounds recouerie well may entertaine A double triumph to thy conquering state And make thee liue immortall Angell blest Pleaseth thee suffer it be searcht and drest Descend then gentle Grinuile downe below Into my Cabbin for a breathing space In thee there let thy Surgion stanch our woe Giuing recuer to thee our wounded case Our breaths frō thy breaths fountaine gently flow If it be dried our currents loose their grace Then both for vs and thee and for the best Descend to haue thy wound bound vp drest Maister reply'd the Knight since last the sunne Lookt from the hiest period of the sky Giuing a signall of the dayes mid noone Vnto this hower of midnight valiantly From of this vpper deck I haue not runne But fought and freed and welcomd victorie Then now to giue newe couert to mine head VVere to reuiue our foes halfe conquered Thus with contrarie arguments they warre Diuers in their opinions and their speech One seeking means th'other a will to darre Yet both
one end and one desire reach Both to keepe honour liuing plyant are Hee by his fame and he by skilfull leach At length the Maister winnes and hath procurd The Knight discend to haue his woundings curd Downe when he was and had display'd the port Through which his life was martching vp to heauen Albe the mortall taint all cuers retort Yet was his Surgion not of hope bereuen But giues him valiant speech of lifes resort Sayes longer dayes his longer fame shall euen And for the meanes of his recouerie He finds both arte and possibilitie Misfortune hearing this presage of life For what but chimes within immortall eares VVithin her selfe kindles a home-bred strife And for those words y e Surgions doomes day swears VVith that her charg'd peece Atropos keene knife Againe she takes and leueld with dispairs Sent a shrill bullet through the Surgions head which thence through Grinuils tēples like was led Downe fel the Surgion hope and helpe was rest His death gaue manumition to his soule Misfortune smyld and euen then shee left The mournfull Ocean mourner for this dole Away shee flyes for all was now bereft Both hope and helpe for life to win deaths gole Yet Grinuile vnamaz'd with constant faith Laughing dispisd the second stroke of death VVhat foole saith he ads to the Sea a drop Lends Etna sparks or angry stormes his wind VVho burnes the roote whē lightning fiers the top VVho vnto hell can worse then hell combind Pale hungry Death thy greedy longings stop Hope of long life is banefull to my mind Yet hate not life but lothe captiuitie Where rests no trust to purchase victorie Then vp he came with feeble pace againe Strength frō his blood blood frō his woūds descending Saies here I liu'd here wil I sustaine The worst of Deaths worst by my fame defending And then he fell to warre with might and maine Valure on death most valiantly depending And thus continued aye coragiously Vntill the day chast shadowes from the sky But when the mornings dewie locks drunke vp A mistie moysture from the Oceans face Then might he see the source of sorrowes cup Plainly prefigur'd in that hatefull place And all the miseries that mortals sup From their great Grandsire Adams band disgrace For all that did in circle him was his foe And that incircled modell of true woe His masts were broken and his tackle torne 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 foes in ranks remaine Displaying multitudes and store of all VVhat euer might auaile for victorie Had they not wanted harts true valiancie When Grinuile saw his desperate drierie case Meerely dispoyld of all succes-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 thē 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 our side Haue not our harts in cowards colours died Not fifteene thousand men araungd in fight And fifteene howers lent them to atchiue VVith 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 liues no larger circuite lends Confound our wondred actions and assayes VVhereon the sweete of mortall eares depends But as we liue by wills victorious So let vs die victours of them and vs. VVee 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 vs 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 retaine 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 Scarse had his words tane wings frō his deare tong But the stout Maister-gunner euer ritch 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 Grinuiles 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 VVhom miserie to no such mischeife 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 VVhose 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 lēgthned liues their coūtries cares might right And to their Prince they might good hopes assure Thē qd the Captaine deere 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 know 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 Shee 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 hart would neare relent Hee still impungs 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 which 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 all 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 Vntill 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 body 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 away 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 w t souldiour-like submission Anexing to his words a straight condition Alfonso willing to giue end to armes For well he knew Grinuile would neuer yeild Albe his power stoode like vnnumbred swarmes Yet daring not on stricter tearmes to build Hee 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 owne 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 VVith 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 shal 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 great 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 braue 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 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 VVhether his lungs sent liuing breath away VVhich when they saw 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 denoūce their Generals wil VVhose honord minde 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 This said ore-come with anguish with paine Hee swounded and did neuer speake againe They tooke 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 hūble sad kinde The fourth came downe the Lambe that all soules bought And his pure part from worser parts refind Bearing his spirite vp to the loftie skyes Leauing his body wonder to wonders eyes VVhen Bassan saw the Angell-spirite fled VVhich lent a mortall frame immortall thought With pittie griefe and admiration led He mournfully complaind what Fat's had wrought VVoe 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 thē mean 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 Honors 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 Grinuils name presume Rest then deere soule in thine all-resting peace And take my teares for trophyes 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 euen Angels in the heauens shall sing Grinuile vnconquerd died still conquering O vtinam FINIS WHat became of the Reuenge after Sir Richards death diuers report diuersly but the most probable and sufficient proofe sayth that within fewe dayes after the Knights death there arose a great storme from the VVest and North-west that all the Fleet was disperced aswell the Indian Fleet which were then come vnto them as all the rest of the Armada which attended their ariuall of vvhich fourteene sayle together with the Reuenge and in her two hundred Spanyards were cast away vppon the Ile of S. Michaels so it pleased them to honour the buriall of that renowned Ship the Reuenge not suffering her to perrish alone for the great honour shee atchiued in her life time
From those celestiall mirrors which remaine Obiects made happie in thy lookes suffrage Of Grinuile armes and honors soueraigne My sower Muse shapes this Nectar seeking straine Euen of that man and his almightie minde Boundlesse like heauen in magnanimitie Conuerting all things of what euer kinde VVithin his bodie held societie To glad-some starres in cleerest skyes assign'd VVanting but onely true eternitie Of him I sing Fairest but reade I pray Thine eyes makes happie all y t thine eyes suruay And with her thou great Soueraigne of the earth Onelie immatchlesse Monarchesse of harts From whose faire eyes issued the Muses birth Murderd by Iron-age and barb'rous darts Yeeld from thy beams plentie to my wits dearth That I may sing valures almightie parts And Chronicle those tropheys to thy throne VVhich from this Ile and his great spyrit shone And thou deare Soule the portraiture of Fame For whom Ioue made a newe fourth Hirarchie Of whose lost drops millions of vertues came Extold in heauen beyond the third degree Now giue thy selfe a light in this selfe flame That thou maist liue beyond posteritie And whilst I of th'vnconquered conquest write Sit on my hand and teach me to indite The Tragedy of Sir Richard Grinuile THat time of yeare when the inamored Sunne Clad in the richest roabes of liuing fiers Courted y e Virgin signe great Naturs Nunne Which barrains earth of al what earth desires Euen in the month that from Augustus wonne His sacred name which vnto heauen aspires And on the last of his ten trebled dayes VVhen wearie labour new refresh assayes Then whē the earth out-brau'd y e beautious Morne Boasting his cornie Mantle stird with aire Which like a golden Ocean did adorne His cold drie carcasse featurelesse vnfaire Holding the naked shearers scithe in scorne Or ought that might his borrowed pride empaire The soule of vertue seeing earth so ritch VVith his deare presence gilds the sea as mitch The sea which then was heauie sad and still Dull vnapplyd to sportiue wantonnesse As if her first-borne Venus had beene ill Or Neptune seene the Sonne his loue possesse Or greater cares that greatest comforts kill Had crownd with griefe the worlds wet wildernesse Such was the still-foote Thetis silent paine VVhose flowing teares ebbing fell backe againe Thetis the mother of the pleasant springs Grandam of all the Riuers in the world To whom earths veins their moistning tribut brings Now with a mad disturbed passion hurld About her caue the worlds great treasure flings And with wreath'd armes long wet hairs vncurld VVithin her selfe laments a losse vnlost And mones her wrongs before her ioyes be crost Thus whilst diuining sorrowe ceaz'd her hart Grinuile ô melt my spyrit in that name As sings the Swan her funerall depart And waues her wings the ensignes of her fame So he with vertue sweetning bitter smart VVhich from the seas long toyling seruice came For why sixe Moones so oft times the Sunne VVas past and had one halfe the signes ore-runne Ere he the earth our common Mother saw Now earlie greets black Flores banefull Ile Flores from whence afflictions selfe doth draw The true memorialls of a weeping stile And with Caisters Querristers which straw Descant that might Death of his darts beguile He tunes saluting notes sweeter then long All which are made his last liues funerall song Skillesse in deaths great Parliament he cals His fellowe mat's and minions to his fame Shewes them long lookt for land and how it brauls Repulsing backe the billowes as they came Much he triumphes and passed griefe for-stals VVith present ioy sorrow lights pleasures flame And whilst his hopes of Happy-fortune sings Misfortune by controls them with her wings Desird reliefe and euer welcome rest The elements that forme the wearie man Began to hold a counsaile in his brest Painting his wants by sicknes pale wan VVith other griefes that others force opprest Aduising stay as what is but they can VVhilst he that fate to come and past nere feard Concludes to stay till strength decayd repaird Then casts he Anchor hulling on the maine And all his shyps poore Cittizens recounts An hundred iust were free from sicknes paine Fourescore and ten death their redresse accounts So that of all both sicke and sound vnslaine Vnto two hundred wanting ten amounts A slender armie for so great a guide But vertue is vnknowne till it be tride Those whom their harts enabled to attempt He puts a shoare to make supplie for neede Those whom long sicknes taught of death cōtempt He visits and from Ioues great Booke doth reede The balme which mortall poyson doth exempt Those whō new breathing health like sucklings feed Hie to the sands and sporting on the same Finde libertie the liues best liuing flame Looke how a troupe of Winter-prisoned Dames Pent in th' inclosure of the walled townes VVelcoms the Spring Vsher to Somers flames Making theyr pastimes on the flowrie downes Whose beautious Arras wrought in natures frames Through eyes admire the hart w t wonder crownes So these wood-walled Cittizens at sea VVelcome both Spring and Sommer in a day The warring byllowes seas artillerie With long held siege had bruz'd their beaten keele VVhich to repaire the most most busied be Lab'ring to cure what want in labours feele All pleasd with toyle clothing extremitie In Hopes best robes that hang on Fortunes wheele But men are men in ignorance of Fate To alter chaunce exceedeth humaine state For when the Sun towred in heauens head Downe from the siluer mountaine of the skye Bent his bright Chariot on the glassie bed Faire christall guilded with his glorious eye Fearing some vsurpation in his stead Or least his Loue should too-long daliance spy Tweene him and Virgo whose attractiue face Had newly made him leaue the Lyons chase In that same myd-daies hower came sayling in A thought-swift-flying Pynnase taught by winde T'outstrip in flight Times euer-flying wing And being come where Vertue was inshrinde First vaild his plumes and wheeling in a ring With Goat-like daūcing stays where Grinuile shynd The while his great Cōmaunder calls the name VVhich is ador'd of all that speakes the same The great commaunder of this little Barke VVhich like an Eglet armes the Eagles side VVas Midleton the ayme of Honors marke That more had prou'd then danger durst haue tride Now seeing all good fortunes sun-shine darke Thrise calls Sir Richard who as oft replyde Bidding him speake and ring his newes aloude Ill not apald nor good could make him proude O then quoth Midelton thou soule of all VVhat euer boasts in magnanimitie Thou whom pure Vertue her best part doth call Better then valure stronger then dietie VVhom men adore and all the gods exhall Into the bookes of endlesse memorie I bring thee tidings of a deadly fray Begun in Heauen to end vpon the Sea The glorious Senate of the Skyes was set And all the gods were royaliz'd in state VVhen Happy-fortune and Ill-fortune met Striuing who first should
dyre reuenge gainst heauens impietie VVhich els in shame will make thee folow mee Behold these robes maps of my fortunes world Torne and distaind with eye-scornd beggerie These rags deuide the Zones wherein is hurld My liues distemprate hote cold miserie These tears are points the scale these hairs vncurld My hands the compasse woe the emperie And these my plaints true and auriculer Are to my Globe the perpendiculer Looke how I am such art thou like to be If armes preuent not heauens intendiment Grinuile which now surfeits with dignitie Burd'ning the Sea with my disparagement Chiding the wanton winds if greedelie They kisse his sailes or els too slowlie vent Like Ioue which bad the day be and it was So bids he Conquest warre she brings to passe The sole incouragement he giues his power Is Prophet-like presaging of thy death Courage he cries euen in the dying hower And with his words recalls departing breath O sayes he to his Mat's you are my glories tower Impregnable wall'd with vnuanquisht faith You are the hands and agents of my trust I but the hart reuoluing what we must Liue Saints til we haue ript the wombe of Spayne And wounded Error in the armes of hell Crushing the triple Myter in disdaine Which on y e seauenfold mounted Witch doth dwel Angells rewards for such dissignes remaine And on heauens face men shall your stories tell At this they shoute as eager of the pray as Ants in winter of a sunne-shine day Thus like triumphant Caesar drawne in Rome By winged Valure and vnconquered Chaunce He plowes the Sea ô were it made his tombe VVhilst Happy-fortune pypes vnto his daunce Yet may thy power alternat heauens doome So pleaseth thee thy forward will t'aduaunce And cheare y e sinews of thy mighty arme VVhose out-strecht force shall quell his proud alarme Then giue newe fuell to thine honours fier Least slight regard wealth-winning Error slay And so old Saturns happie world retyer Making Trueths dungion brighter then the day VVas neuer woe could wound thy kingdom nyer Or of thy borrowed beautie make display Because this vow in heauens booke doth remaine That Errors death shall consumate thy raigne Now for my god-heads remnant liues in thee VVhose lost successe breeds mine eternall end Take for thine ayde afflicting Miserie Woe mine attendant and Dispayre my freend All three my greatest great Triumuerie Blood-bath'd Carnifici which will protend A murdring desolation on to that will VVhich me in thee and thee in mee would kill Here with her fixed Comet-blazing eyes The damned Augurs of vntimely death Shee ends her tale whilst from her harts caue flyes A storme of winds no gentle sighing breath All which like euill spirits in disguise Enter Iberias eares and to her sayth That all the substance of this damned storie VVas zealous true coynd for her Spanish glorie Sworne to beleeue for ill in ill affies Spayne then enamour'd with the Romane trull Calls all her forces more then Atomies And tells Ill-fortunes storie to the full Many Parenthises shee doth deuise And frost-relenting words doth choycely cull Bewitching those whom oft shee had deceiued VVith such like Hemlock as her selfe receiued The first and greatest one commaunding all The soule of mischiefes old created mother VVas Don Alphonso Bassan proud in brall The Marques Sancta Cruces onely brother Him shee coniures by typ's emperiall And all that falshoods seeming trueth could couer To vndertake this hie she termd it act VVhich craues a curse of all that reads the fact Her selfe shee said and all the flowers of Spayne Should vnder his as heauens Ensigne warre Thus from her harts foule dunghill flyes amaine Grosse vapours metamorphosd to a starre Her words in fumes like prodogies retaine His hart by her tongues witchcraft bound so farre As what shee will that will hee vnder-take Be it to warre with heauen for her sake The seeming Nectar of her poysoning speech So well shee saw surprise his licoras sence That for to reare her ill beyond ills reach VVith selfe-like tropes decks self-like eloquence Making in Britan Dona such a breach That her arm'd wits conqu'ring his best wits fence He vowes with Bassan to defend the broile VVhich men of praise earth of fame shal spoile To him shee giues the Biscaynnoys for guard Mechannicall Artificers for death And those which of affliction neuer hard Shee tempers with the hammer of her breath To euery act shee giues huge lyp-reward Lauish of oathes as falshood of her faith And for the ground of her pretended right T'is hate which enuies vertue in a Knight These two to her fast bound in vassailage Vnto the Marques Arumburch shee flyes Him shee prouokes him shee finds apt to rage Imprisoning Pitties teares in flintie eyes To him the power of Siuill for a gage Shee doth bequeath bidding his prowesse ryse And clense his Countries face frō widowes tears To which he posts like lightning frō the sphears Lastly to make vp mischiefes perfect square To Luis Cutino shee takes her flight Him shee commaunds he to her homage sware To guide a Nauie to this damned fight Of Hulks and Fly-boats such as durst to dare Shee giues him soueraigne rule and publique right And then vniting all foure powers in one Sends them to sea to calme Misfortunes mone And now behold diuine for valiancie Like flying Castells sayle they to this strand Fiftie three saile strong in artillarie Best men of warre knowne in the Spanish land Fifteene Armados Kings of soueraigntie VVhich led the lesser with a mightie hand And these in foure battalions hither flie VVith whom three dayes I saild in companie Then gentle Grinuile Thetis parramoure Dearer then Venus Daughter of the flood Set sailes to wind let not neglect deuoure Thy gracious fortunes and thine Angell good Cut through the maine compell thy keele to scoure No man his ill too timelie hath with-stoode And whē Best-chaunce shal haue repaird thy fortune Time for this flight may iust reuenge importune Here Midelton did end the passing peale VVhich gaue the warning to a dismall end And as his words last knell began to faile The damned Nauie did a glimmering send By which Sir Richard might their power reueale VVhich seeming conquerlesse did conquests lend At whose appearance Midelton did cry See where they come for fame and pitty flie This certaine story of too certaine ill Did not extinguish but gaue honor fier Th' amazing prodigie bane of my quill Bred not astonishment but a strong desier By which this heauen-adopted Knights strong will Then hiest height of Fame flew much more hier And from the boundlesse greatnes of his minde Sends back this answer through his lyps refin'd Thanks hardie Midelton for thy dilate Perswasiue presage to auoyde my death But if thou wed my fortunes with my state This sauing health shall suffocate my breath To flye from them that holds my God in hate My Mistres Country me and my sworne fayth VVere to pull of the load from Typhons back And crush