THE Most Honorable Tragedie of Sir Richard Grinuile Knight Bramo assai poco spero nulla chieggio At London Printed by I. Roberts for Richard Smith 1595. To the right Honorable his singuler good Lord Charles Lord Montioy THE zeale most excellent Lord which in my soule hath euer beene deuoted to your seruice intangl'd with your honorable fauors to mine vnable deseruings hath giuen fier to my hart wings to my youngling Muse to raise her leaden humor aboue the ordinarie pitch of her dull Anthems and sing of a subiect the height of whose action might if I had might make my verse most mightie graunt then renowned Lord that thine eyes may lighten on my layes and thy graces keepe from scandall my poore wydowed Orphan pyttie renowned Grinuile in his death-renowning hower excuse his rough Poet whose sences are vnshapt for more softer melodie so shall hee liue happie and I vnfaultie both satisfied Your Lordships eternally Ieruis Markham TO THE RIGHT HOnorable Robert Earle of Sussex GReat Lord to whom infinitiues of fame Flock like night starres about the siluer Moone That giuest new fier to learnings late quencht flame Sauing the Muse by stonie times vndoone Let me finde fauour in thine honord sight Daring my rimes vnto thy sacred hand And whilst their accents talke of valures might Yeeld them some splendour from thy valures brand Thou in their lines they in thine eyes shall see Nothing but honors vncontrouled minde Thou lending they exacting still from thee Substance that might to mightines doth binde And for his sake whose praise my Muse hath sought Fauour my worke the image of thy thought I. M. To the right Honorable Henrie Wriothesly Earle of South-hampton and Baron of Titchfielde THou glorious Laurell of the Muses hill Whose eyes doth crowne the most victorius pen Bright Lampe of Vertue in whose sacred skill Liues all the blisse of eares-in chaunting men From grauer subiects of thy graue assayes Bend thy coragious thoughts vnto these lines The graue frō whence mine humble Muse doth raise True honors spirit in her rough deseignes And when the stubborne stroke of my harsh song Shall seasonlesse glide through almightie eares Vouchsafe to sweet it with thy blessed tong VVhose wel tun'd sound stills musick in the sphears So shall my tragick layes be bleft by thee And from thy lips suck theyr eternitie I. M. To the honorable Knight Sir Edward VVingfield WHen Alexander read Achilles prayse VVith honours enuie and a loftie hart He shed stout teares in ruth of stonie dayes VVhich to his acts no Musicke could impart So all my all essence of what I am Though our Achilles praise play in thine eye Feare not records for thine inrouled name VVhich shall out-liue immortall Poesie A thousand Sirens in the worlds last age Shall sing of thee thy valure and thy skill And to their lines lay Angells eares in gage With soueraign charmes sent frō a soueraigne quill Meane while vouchsafe to grace my worke me Gracing the soule beloued of heauen and thee I. M. The argument of the whole Tragedie SIr Richard Grinuile lying at anchor neere vnto Flores one of the westerlie Ilands of the Azores the last of August in the after noone had inteligence by one Captayne Midelton of the aproch of the Spanish Armada beeing in number fiftie three saile of great ships and fifteene thousand men to man them Sir Richard staying to recouer his men which were vpon the Iland and disdayning to flie from his Countries enemy not beeing able to recouer the winde was instantlie inuirond with that hudge Nauie betweene whom began a dreadfull fight continuing the space of fifteene howers in which conflict Sir Richard sunck the great San Phillip of Spaine the Ascention of Siuel the Admirall of the Hulks and two other great Armados about midnight Sir Richard receiued a woūd through the bodie and as he was in dressing was shot againe into the head and his Surgion slaine Sir Richard mayntained the fight till he had not one corne of powder left nor one whole pike nor fortie lyuing men which seeing hee would haue sunke his owne ship but that he was gaine-stood by the Maister thereof who contrarie to his will came to composition with the Spanyards and so saued those which were left aliue Sir Richard dyed aboard the Admyrall of Spayne about the fourth day after the battaile and was mightelie bewaild of all men Faults escaped in the printing IN B. the second page the third stanza and the first line for night eternall read nights eternall In F. page eight the second stanza and the last line for Abrahams read Abr'ams Also in the next stanza folowing and the thyrd line for bard read bar'd ¶ The most Honourable Tragedie of Sir Richard Grinuile Knight To the fayrest A Heauenlie fier is crope into my braine A heate diuine and all celestiall A burning furie spreads through euery vaine A turret-climbing thought maiesticall All these infuse a spirit-giuing raine Vnto my humble wits great festiuall Whose reede vnpleasing hermonie hath found Thus to transforme her into warlike sound Of wonders miracles and famous chiualrie Of Honours Image and of Vertues iarres Things past beliefe yet pure in certaintie Of Death dead-slaine by Death of glorious scarres Of mortall made immortall Dietie And all containd in Valures stainelesse warres My homelie Muse stretching her oaten string Vnlearn't to thunder mildlie meanes to sing Rest thee dread boy the night eternall Lord Faire feathered Cupid thy Licaenas ioy Of thy tryumphant Chariot richlie stord VVith bleeding harts that breathing sighes destroy Nor thee nor of thy kingdome I record Nor louers teares nor loue nor loues annoy Nor ought that in the vast world may be found Where tears in sighes sighes in tears are drownd Fit subiects those for Poets golden quills Such as haue trod the true Pierian race VVhose sacred braines those numbers tun'd distills VVhich giues conceit the child of heauen her grace But now this flame that all my bodie fills Is Englands weeping ioy and Spaynes disgrace Fearefull alarums and the wet worlds sacke Swells in my song the Dirge for glories wracke To thee faire Nymph my loue my life my gaze My soules first mouer essence of my blisse Thought-chast Dictinna Natures onlie maze Heauen of all what euer heauenlie is More white then Atlas browe or Pelops blaze Compleat perfection which all creatures misse More louelie then was bright Astioche Or Iunos hand-mayd sacred Diope To thee which neuer lifts thine eyes to heauen But harts of Kings are showred in the same Fairer then Sunne Moone Starres or Planets seauen True brand of Vertue Honours liuing flame O thou whom hate adors whose praise is euen Matcht with the glories of the greatest name Thou like thy selfe or better much by ods Nere made without a Parliament of Gods To thee this labour of my Sunne-burnt braine Ill limn'd memorials of diuinest rage I offer as oblations to detaine Thy life-inspiring sight my peaces gage
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
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
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
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