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
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
Yet shall they neuer darr for deeper wounds And thus resolu'd deere Midelton depart Seeke for thy safetie in some better soyle Thy stay will be no succour in my smart Thy losse will make them boast of better spoyle And be assur'd before my last breath part Ile make the Sunne for pittie backe recoyle And clothe the sea within a scarlet pale Iudge of their death which shall my life exhale This ship which now intombs my iealious soule Honestlie enuious of aspiring laude Is cald Reuenge the scourge which doth controule The recreants that Errors right applaud Shall like her selfe by name and fame enroule My spyrits acts by no Misfortune aw'd VVithin eternall Bookes of happie deeds Vpon whose notes immortall Vertue reeds Say if I perrish t'was mine honours will My Countries loue religion and my Queene And if that enuie glorie in mine ill Say that I dyed conqu'ring vnconquered seene Say fiftie three strong shyps could not fulfill Gainst one poore mayden vessell their foule teene But that in spight of death or miserie She fought and foyld and scapt captiuitie Replie not Midelton mine eares are closd Hie in heauens for-head are my vowes ingrau'd I see the banefull Nauie now disclosd Begon betime Fate hath thy fortune sau'd To me good starres were neuer yet opposd Glorie hath crownd me when I glorie crau'd Farwel and say how euer be my chaunce My death at honours wedding learnt to daunce This sayd away sailes Midelton with speede Sad heauie dull and most disconsolate Shedding stout manlie teares at valures deede Greeuing the ruine of so great estate But Grinuile whose hope euer did exceede Making all death in daungers fortunate Gan to prouide to quell this great vprore Then which the like was neuer heard before His fights set vp and all things fit prepard Low on the ballast did he couch his sick Being fourscoore ten in Deaths pale mantle snar'd whose want to war did most their strong harts prick The hundred whose more sounder breaths declard Their soules to enter Deaths gates should not stick Hee with diuine words of immortall glorie Makes them the wondred actors of this storie Nothing he left vnsaid that tongue could say To breede contempt of death or hate of thrall Honors reward fame for a famous day VVonder of ears that men halfe gods shall call And contrarie a hopelesse certaine way Into a Tyrants damned fists to fall VVhere all defame base thoughts and infamie Shall crowne with shame their heads eternally In this great thunder of his valiant speech From whence the eares-eyes honors lightning felt The Spanish Nauie came within the reach Of Cannon shot which equallie was delt On eyther side each other to impeach VVhose volleys made the pittying skyes to melt Yet with their noyse in Grinuills hart did frame Greater desier to conquer greater fame And now the sunne was past his middle way Leaning more louely to his Lemans bed And the noones third hower had attacht the day VVhen fiftie three gainst one were basely led All harts were fierd and now the deadlie fray Began tumultuouslie to ouer-spread The sea with fier the Element with smoake Which gods monsters frō their sleepe awoake In foure great battailes marcht the Spanish hoast The first of Siuill led in two great squares Both which with courage more then can be most Sir Richard forst to giue him way with cares And as the Sea-men terme it in our coast They sprang their luffe and vnder lee declares Their manie forces feebled by this one Whose thoughts saue him are rightly due to none And now he stands amidst the thickest throngs VValld round with wooden Castels on the waue Fiftie three Tygers greedie in their wrongs Besiedge the princlie Lion in his caue Nothing sees Grinuile which to hope belongs All things are fled that any hap could saue Bright day is darkned by incurtaind light And nothing visits them but Canons night Then vp to heauen he lifts his loftie hart And cryes old Solon I am happy made All earthie thoughts cleane frō his spirits part Vertue and Valure all his sences lade His foes too fewe too strong he holds his part Now doth he wish for millions to inuade For beeing conquerer he would conquer all Or conquerd with immortall honor fall Neuer fell hayle thicker then bullets flew Neuer show'rd drops faster then showring blowes Liu'd all the Woorthies all yet neuer knew So great resolue in so great certaine woes Had Fame told Caesar what of this was true His Senate-murdred spirite would haue rose And with faire honors enuie wondred then Cursing mortalitie in mightie men VVhilst thus affliction turmoyld in this brall And Grinuile still imployd his Actor death The great San-phillip which all Spayne did call Th'vnuanquisht ship Iberias soule and faith Whose mountaine hugenes more was tearmd then tall Being twice a thousand tuns as rumor saith Came rushing in becalming Grinuiles sailes Whose courage grew the more his fortune failes Hotlie on eyther side was lightning sent And steeled thunder bolts dinge men to hell Vnweldie Phillip backt with millions lent VVorse cracks of thunder then on Phaeton fell That with the dayes fier fierd the Element And why because within her ribs did dwell More store of shot and great artillarie Then might haue seru'd the worlds great victorie Three tire of Cannon lodg'd on eyther side And in each tire eleuen stronglie lay Eyght in her chase that shot forth right did bide And in her sterne twice eight that howerlie play Shee lesse great shot in infinets did hide All which were Agents for a dismall day But poore Reuenge lesse rich and not so great Aunswerd her cuffe for cuffe and threat for threat Anon they graple eyther to the other As doth the ban-dogge with the Martins skinne And then the wombe of Phillip did vncouer Eight hundred Souldiers which the fight beginne These board Sir Richard with thronging smother The day the ayre the time and neuer linne But by their entrance did instruct eight more To doe the like on each side foure and foure Thus in one moment was our Knight assaild With one huge Argosie and eight great ships But all in vaine their powers naught preuaild For the Reuenge her Canon loud-dogs ships VVhose bruzing teeth so much the Phillip quaild That foundring in the greedie maine he dips His damned bodie in his watrie tombe Wrapt with dishonour in the Oceans wombe The other eight fighting were likewise foild And driuen perforce vnto a vild retraite None durst abide but all with shame recoild VVhilst Valures selfe set Grinuile in her seate Onely Don Luis Saint Iohn seeing spoild His Countries honour by this strange defaite Single encountred Grinuile in the fight Who quicklie sent his soule to endlesse night George de Prunaria a Spanish Knight Euer held valiant in dispight of fate Seconded Luis and with mortall might VVrit on Sir Richards target souldiers hate Till Grinuile wakned with his loud rung fight Dispatcht his soules course vnto Plutos
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
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
enter Heauens gate The one made mad the others fame to let Neither but stirr'd with rage to wonder at Confusedly as water-floods doe passe Their common bounds such their rude entrance was The gods disturb'd admire their strange aproch Censuring their angers by their gloing eyes Ill-fortune was attended by Reproch Good-fortune Fame and Vertue stellefies One sweares the other doth her right incroch VVhich is the elder house none can deuise The gods deuide yet in the end agree The Fates shall iudge each others pedegree Good-fortune drawes from heauen her hye descent Making hie Ioue the roote of her large tree Shee showes from him how many god-heads went Archangells Angells heauens posteritie From thence she showes the glorious thrid she lent To Monarks Emperours and Kyngs in fee Annexing as Colatteralls to her line Honour Vertue Valure and Endles-time Naithlesse Ill-fortune will be elder borne Shee saith she springs from Saturne Ioues wronged Sier And heauen and earth hell her coate haue borne Fresh bleeding harts within a field of fier All that the world admires she makes her scorne VVho farthest seemes is to Ill-fortune nier And that iust proofe may her great praise cōmend All that Best-chaunce begins Ill-chaunce doth ende Thus they dispute guilding their tongues report VVith instances and argumentall sawes Ill-fortune bids let all the worlde resort And show within their Chronicles and lawes The man whose liues-line neuer did consort VVith sharpe affliction deaths first grounded cause Then will she yeeld else is shee victor still VVorlds good is rare perpetuall is their ill Euen as the racket takes the balls rebound So doth Good-fortune catch Ill-fortunes proofe Saying she wil her in her selfe confound Making her darts Agents for her behoofe Bow but thine eies quoth she whence ha'ts abound And I will show thee vnder heauens roofe Th'vnconquered man whō no mischaunce importunes Crown of my kingdom deaths mā to misfortunes At this the casments of the skye broke ope Discouering all what's girdled in her frame VVhilst Happy-fortune through her eyes large scope Like a Cosmographer comments on the same Three parts with praise she past and future hope Then to the fourth the VVesterne world she came And there with her eyes festrawe paints a storie Stranger then strange more glorified then glorie See sayd Faire-fortune to her foule shapt Foe How on the sourge which beates against the Ile Of Flores whence thy curst oblations growe A winde-taught capring ship which ayre beguiles Making poore Cephatus for-lorne with woe Curse arte which made arte framed saile such smiles Richlie imbrodred with the Iems of warre In thy dispight commaunds a lucky starre In that faire vessell liues my garlands flower Grinuile my harts immortall arterie Of him thy dietie had neuer power Nor hath hee had of griefe one simpathie Successe attends him all good hap doth shower A golden raine of perpetuitie Into his bossome where mine Empire stands Murdring the Agents of thy blacke commands Say and say true for what but thou wilt say That euer Grinuils fortunes came before thee Or euer prostrate at thine Altars lay Or with one wreath of Cipresse did adore thee Proue one blacke storme in all his Sommers day Whose threatning clouds compeld him to implore thee Thē wil I staine my milkwhite vaile with weeping And as thine handmaide dye in sorrowes keeping As wounds the lightning yet preserues the skinne So did these words split Lucklesse-fortunes hart Her smiling Superficies lockt within A deepe exulcerated festring smart Heere shee perceiu'd her first disgrace begin And wordlesse from the heauens takes her depart Yet as she flewe her wings in flying cri'd On Grinuile shall my fame and power be tride At her departure all the heauens were glad Triumphing in Ill-fortunes banishment Apollo set new Anthems as Ioue bad VVhich spheare tunes made more then most excellent No light in heauen but with new fier was clad Making next Ioue Good-fortune president Enrowling in the Bookes of destenie This memorable famous victorie Onely the Fat's su'd for her backe repeale For they Ill-fortune lou'd exceeding well Many her deedes and Tropheis they reueale And all her liues blacke legend weeping tell Yet all they speake cannot in heauen preuaile Which seene in spight they follow her to hell And there inhoused with their mother Night All foure deuise how heauen and earth to spight Hence sprang the loues of Ioue the Sonnes exile The shame of Mars and Venus in a net Iunos forsaken bed Saturns compile Of frantike discontentment which beset All heauen with armes Diana hence had while To court her sleeping boy whilst Thetis let Phoebus imbrace her in her Neptunes stead Who made complaints breach of his bridall bed Yet not content with these disparagments Much greater mischiefes issues from their minds Grinuile thy mountaine honour it augments VVithin their brests a Meteor like the winds VVhich thrall'd in earth a reeling issue rents With violent motion and their wills combinds To belch their hat's vow'd murdrers of thy same Which to effect thus they begin the same Fast to Iberia flies vntoward chaunce Iberia which we vulgar Christen Spaine Vpon whose Sunne-burnt continent doth daunce VVesterne Ducallidon the greatest maine Thither shee packs Error doth their aduaunce Her coale-blacke standerd in the hands of paine And as escapt from rauishment or bale With false teares thus shee tunes a falser tale Great Empire said shee blessed in thy birth Beautious created for-head of this round That with thy smiles first lent to heauen mirth And bout thy temples all perfections woond Lodgd in th'immagin'd corners of the earth Thou whom our centers Monarchesse art crownd Attend my suite baptisd in mournefull teares VVho but ere while triumphed on the spheares Nor for my selfe more then thine owne decay Which blindfold pleasure clouds as they arise Be gracious and retort the domefull day VVhich thee and me to shame would sacrifice Loe on the great west-walling boistrous sea VVhich doth imbrace thy gold-inclosing eyes Of many sailes one man of one poore Ile That will my fame and all thy faire defile His numberlesse great infinits of fame Haue shut against me heauens great christall dore The clouds which once my feets dust had to name Hang ore my forhead threatning euermore Death to my praise life to my infant shame Whilst I with sighes mediate a new restore And in my selfe behold my pleasures past Swimming amongst the ioyes I cannot tast Th'ambrosian Nectar-filled banqueting No more shall I communicate or see Triumphes in heauen Ioues masks and reuelling Are cleene exempt both from my ioyes and me The reason for my loue to thee I bring Trimming thy locks with Iems of dietie Making the gods a dread a fatall day VVorse then the Giants warre or Centaurs fray Poore goddesse rob'd of all eternall power VVhose broken Statues and downe razed Fan's Neuer warm'd altars euer forgotten hower VVhere any memorie of praise is tane VVitnes my fall from great Olympus tower Prostrate implore balme for receiued bane And
gate And after these two sent in post all those Which came within his mercie or his blowes By this the sunne had spred his golden locks Vpon the pale greene carpet of the sea And opned wide the scarlet dore which locks The easefull euening from the labouring day Now Night began to leape from iron Rocks And whip her rustie wagon through the way VVhilst all the Spanish host stoode maz'd in sight None darring to assayle a second fight VVhen Don Alfonso Generall of the warre Saw all his Nauie with one ship controld Hee toare his hayre and loudlie cryd from farre For honour Spanyards and for shame be bold Awaken Vertue say her slumbers marre Iberias auncient valure and infold Her wondred pulssance and her glorious deeds In cowards habit and ignoble weeds Fie that the spyrit of a single man Should contradict innumerable wills Fie that infinitiues of forces can Nor may effect what one conceit fulfills VVoe to the wombe ceaselesse the teats I ban That cherrisht life which all our liues ioyes kills VVoe to our selues our fortunes and our minds Agast and scarrd with whistling of the winds See how he tryumphes in dispight of death Promethean like laden with liuing fier And in his glorie spits disdainfull breath Loathing the basenes of our backe retire Euen now me thinks in our disgrace he saith Foes to your fames why make you Fate a lyer When heauen and she haue giuen into your hand VVhat all the world can neuer backe demaund Say that the God of Warre Father of Chiualrie The Worthies Heroes all fam'd Conquerours Centaurs Gyants victorious Victorie VVere all this Grinuils hart-sworne paramours Yet should we fightlesse let our shyps force flie Well might we crush his keele W t rocklike powers And him with them ore-whelme into the maine Courage then harts fetch honour backe againe Heere shame the fretting canker of the mind That fiers the face with fuell from the hart Fearing his weapons weakenes est assignd To desperate hardines his cōfounding dart And now the Spanyards made through words stone blind Desperate by shame ashamd dispaire should part like dāned scritchowles chimes to dead mēs hours Make vowes to fight till fight all liues deuours And now the tragicke sceane of death begins Acts of the night deeds of the ouglie darke VVhen Furies brands gaue light to furious sins And gastlie silence gaping wounds did marke Sing sadlie then my Muse teares pittie wins Yet mount thy wings beyond the mornings Larke And wanting thunder with thy lightnings might Split eares that heares the dole of this sad night The fier of Spaynes pride quencht by Grinuils sword Alfonso reinkindles with his tong And sets a batelesse edge ground by his word Vpon their blunt harts feebled by the strong Loe animated now they all accord To die or ende deaths conflict held so long And thus resolud too greedelie assay His death like hounds that hold the Hart at bay Blacker then night more terrible then hell Louder then thunder sharper then Phoebus steele Vnder whose wounds the ouglie Python fell Were bullets mantles clowding the haplesse keele The slaughtered cryes the words the canons tell And those which make euen rocky Mountains reele And thicker then in sunne are Atomies Flew bullets fier and slaughtered dead mens cries At this remorsles Dirgie for the dead The siluer Moone dread Soueraigne of the deepe That with the floods fills vp her horned head And by her waine the wayning ebbs doth keepe Taught by the Fat's how destenie was led Bids all the starres pull in their beames and weepe For twas vnfit chast hallowed eyes should see Honour confounded by impietie Then to the night she giues all soueraigne power Th'eternall mourner for the dayes diuorce Who drowned in her owne harts killing shower Viewes others torments with a sad remorse This flintie Princesse ayme cryes to the hower On which to looke kinde eies no force could force And yet the sight her dull hart so offended That from her sight a foggie dewe descended Now on our Knight raines yron sword and fiers Iron wrapt in smoke swords bath'd in smoking blood Fiers furies king in blood smoke aspiers The consumation of all liuing good Yet Grinuile with like Agents like expires His foe-mens dat's and euermore withstood Th'assaults of death and ruins of the warre Hoping the splendour of some luckie starre On eyther side him still two Gallions lay VVhich with continuall boardings nurst the fight Two great Armados howrelie plow'd their way And by assault made knowne repellesse might Those which could not come neere vnto the fray Aloofe discharg'd their volleys gainst our Knight And when y t one shrunk back beat with disgrace An other instantly supply'd the place So that their resting restlesse him containd And theyr supplies deny'd him to supply The Hydra of their mightines ordaind New spoile for death when old did wounded lie But hee Herculian-like one state retaind One to triumph or one for all to die Heauen had onelie lent him but one hart That hart one thought that thought no feare of smart And now the night grew neere her middle line Youthfully lustie in her strongest age VVhen one of Spaynes great Gallions did repine That one should many vnto death ingage And therefore with her force halfe hold diuine At once euaporats her mortall rage Till powerfull Grinuile yeelding power a tombe Splyt her and sunck her in the salt waues wombe VVhen Cutino the Hulks great Admirall Saw that huge Vessell drencht within the surge Enuie and shame tyerd vpon his gall And for reuenge a thousand meanes doth vrge But Grinuile perfect in destructions fall His mischiefes with like miseries doth scourge And renting with a shot his wooden tower Made Neptunes liquid armes his all deuouer These two ore-whelm'd Siuills Ascention came A famous ship well man'd and strongly drest Vindicta from her Cannons mouthes doth flame And more then any our dread Knight oprest Much hurt shee did many shee wounded lame And Valurs selfe her valiant acts confest Yet in the end for warre of none takes keepe Grinuile sunck her within the watry deepe An other great Armado brusd and beat Sunck neere S. Michaels road with thought to scape And one that by her men more choicely set Beeing craz'd and widow'd of her comly shape Ran gainst the shore to pay Ill-chaunce her debt VVho desolate for desolations gape Yet these confounded were not mist at all For new supplies made new the aged brall This while on Grinuile ceazed no amaze No wonder dread nor base astonishment But true resolue and valurs sacred blaze The crowne of heauen and starrie ornament Deckt his diuine part and from thence did raze Affects of earth or earths intendiment And in this broyle as cheerefull was his sight As Ioues imbracing Danae by night Looke how a wanton Bridegroome in the morne Busilie labours to make glad the day And at the noone with wings of courage borne Recourts his bride with dauncing and with play Vntill the