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
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
my selfe with shame seruile wrack Nor if my hart degenerate should yeeld To entertaine an amorus thought of life And so transport mine honour to the field VVhere seeming-valure dies by cowards knife Yet zeale and conscience shall new forces build And others soules with my soule holdeth strife For halfe my men all that draw sound breath Are gone on shore for foode to conquer death If I forsake them certaine is their end If I obtaine them doubtfull is our fall Vpon my flight shame and their sacks depend Vpon my stay hope of good hap doth call Equall to me the meanest I commend Nor will I loose but by the losse of all They are the sinewes of my life and fame Dismembred bodies perish cripple-lame This sayd he sends a cock-boate to the shore To summon backe his men vnto their ship Who com'd a board began with some vprore To way their Anchors and with care to dip Their hie reuolues in doubt and euermore To paint deaths visage with a trembling lip Till he that was all fearelesse and feare slew VVith Nectard words from thē all dangers drew VVhen Midelton Saw Grinuills hie reuolue Past hope past thought past reach of all aspire Once more to moue him flie he doth resolue And to that purpose tips his tongue with fier Fier of sweete words that easelie might dissolue And moisten flint though steeld in stiffe attire Had not desier of wonder praise and fame Extinkt the sparks and still keepe dead the flame Greater and better then inarked he VVhich in the worlds huge deluge did suruiue O let thy wings of magnanimitie Not vainelie flatter Honour to acchiue Gainst all conceit impossibilitie By which thou murderst Vertue keepe aliue Nor in thy seeking of diuinitie Kill not heauens fame by base mortallitie O Grinuile thou hast red Philosophy Nature and Arte hath made thee excellent And what thou read'st hath grafted this in thee That to attempt hie dangers euident VVithout constraine or neede is infamie And honor turnes to rashnes in th'euent And who so darrs not caring how he darrs Sells vertues name to purchase foolish starrs Deere Knight thou art not forst to hazard fame Heauens haue lent thee meanes to scape thine ill If thou abide as true as is thy name So truly shall thy fault thy death fulfill And as to loue the life for vertues flame Is the iust act of a true noble will So to contemne it and her helps exclude Is basenes rashnes and no Fortitude He that compard mans bodie to an hoast Sayd that y e hands were scouts discouering harmes The feete were horsemen thundring on the coast The brest and stomacke footmen huge in swarmes But for the head in soueraigntie did boast It Captayne was director of alarms VVhose rashnes if it hazarded an ill Not hee alone but all the hoast did spill Rashe Isadas the Lacedemon Lord That naked fought against the Theban power Although they crown'd his valure by accord Yet was hee find for rashnes in that hower And those which most his carelesse praise affoard Did most condemne what follie did deuoure For in attempting prowesse is not ment But wiselie doing what we doe attempt Then sith t'is valure to abandon fight And base to darre where no hope is to winne Renowned man of all renowne the light Hoyst vp thy sailes delay attackts thy sinne Flie from ill-boding starres with all thy might Vnto thy hart let praise and pittie in This sayd and more desirous much to crie Sir Richard stayd him with this rich replie Captayne I praise thy warlike eloquence And sober Axioms of Philosophie But now's no time for schoole points difference VVhen Deaths blacke Ensigne threatens miserie Yet for thy words sound of such consequence Making flight praise and fight pale obloquie Once ere I die Ile clense my wits from rust And proue my flying base my stay most iust Whence shall I flie from refuge of my fame From whom euen from my Countries mortall foe VVhither but to the dungeon of my shame VVhy shall I flie for feare of happie woe VVhat end of flight to saue vild life by blame VVho ist that flies Grinuile Captayne no T'is England flies faire Ile of happines And true diuine Elizas holynes Shall then my lifes regard taynt that choyce faire First will I perrish in this liquid round Neuer shall Sunne-burnt Spanyards tongue endeare Iberian eares with what shall me confound The life I haue I for my Mistris beare Curst were that life should it her scepter wound And trebble cursed be that damned thought Which in my minde hath any fayntnes wrought Now for Philosophie defends thy theame Euen selfe Philosophie shall arme my stile Rich buskin'd Seneca that did declaime And first in Rome our tragicke pompe compile Saith Fortitude is that which in extreame And certaine hazard all base feares exile It guides saith he the noble mind from farre Through frost and fier to conquer honors warre Honie-tongd Tullie Mermaid of our eares Affirmes no force can force true Fortitude It with our bodies no communion beares The soule and spyrit sole doth it include It is that part of honestie which reares The hart to heauen and euer doth obtrude Faint feare and doubt still taking his delight In perrills which exceeds all perrills might Patience Perseuerance Greatnes and Strong Trust These pages are to Fortitude their king Patience that suffers and esteemeth iust VVhat euer woe for vertue fortunes bring Perseuerance holds constant what we must Greatnes that still effects the greatest thing And aimed Trust which neuer can dispaire But hopes good hap how euer fatall deare The Roman Sergius hauing lost his hand Slew with one hand foure in a single fight A thing all reason euer did with-stand But that bright Fortitude spred forth her light Pompey by storme held from th'Italyan land And all his sailours quaking in his sight First hoisted saile and cry'd amidst the strife There's neede I goe no neede to saue my life Agis that guilt the Lacedemon streete Intending one day battaile with his foes By counsaile was repeld as thing vnmeete The enemie beeing ten to one in shoes But he reply'd Tis needfull that his feete VVhich many leads should leade to many bloes And one being good an Armie is for ten Foes to religion and known naughty men To him that told Dienecus his foes Couer'd the Sun with darts and armed speares Hee made reply Thy newes is ioy in woes Wee'le in the shadow fight and conquer feares And from the Polands words my humor floes I care for naught but falling of the Spheares Thunder afrights the Infants in the schooles And threatnings are the conquerers of fooles As these my case is not so desperate And yet then these my darre shall be no lesse If this in them for fame was wondred at Then this in mee shall my desiers expresse Neuer shall Greece nor Rome nor Heathen state With shining honor Albions shine depresse Though their great circuits yeelds their acts large boūds