Strikes England so yet this they comfort call Into the hands of man they shall not fall b Sad growes the time nor with her wonted cheare Or usuall dressing does the Spring appeare No cleansing gale of Zephyre moves the ayre While rising fogs obscure the welk in faire Without his showres contagious Auster blowes And painted Summer no kind fruit bestowes Nor does the Sunne as if inflam'd with ire Send out that wholesome and prolifique fire He us'd to doe but beames of mortall heat And from the bosome of the twins as great Combustion kindles here as if he then Vpon the Nemean Lion's backe had beene Within the farthest Easterne Lands from whence Day breakes breakes forth the fatall pestilence As if with rising Titan it begunne And follow'd thence the motion of the Sunne To Europe then does th hot contagion flye Raging through euery part of Italy And France that bled so late is forc'd to see Beside warres stroke a new mortality But most of all o're England's mourning face The sad infection spreads and Death apace In his pale Chariot rides through all the land No age nor sexe escape his vengefull hand Young men in prime of all their strength are strooke And yeeld The sucking Infant what he tooke From Nature soone is summon'd to repay From those soft limbs untimely fleets away The new-come Soule before it can be growne Acquainted with the tender mansion The aged man not because aged goes But onely ' cause he had a life to lose The mourning grave becomes a marriage bed To beauteous maids praeposterously dead One father wailes his sonne another all His houshold carries in one funerall And for so many deaths one mourning serves If one be left to mourne No care preserves Nor antidote can save from this disease Their greatest hope is but to dye in peace For oft the fiery sicknesse did invade Reasons coole seat and there prevailing made A strange distraction worse then losse of breath For which their friends wish'd as a cure their death The face oft burn'd no moisture had the eye Nor could by teares expresse their misery Some while their dearest friends they doe entombe Before that pious office done become Themselves a funerall Death makes him to be An hearse that came a mourning obsequy Nor does this venemous contagion Worke the destruction of mankind alone The sheepe and cattell perish as if growne On earth quite uselesse since the men are gone Wast lye the Lawnes the fields of tillage now Are desolate while the forsaken plow Nor men nor cattell scarce can exercise The Oxe in midst of all his labour dyes And leaves behind his mourning fellow now Dismist from toyle and service of the plow Who takes no comfort now in shady woods In flowery meadowes or cleare Chrystall floods That destiny alas for him remaines Although at rest The warrelike horse disdaines The pleasant streames and sicke forgetteth quite His food or th' honour of a race or fight Even Toads and Vipers dye acquainted growne With venome farre more mortall then their owne Twice through th' Horrizon had Hyperion runne Since first the fatall Pestilence begunne Before th' Almighty did his sword restraine And with his favour visit earth againe He now is pleas'd to cast a gracious eye On this distemper'd world her misery He cures and makes her former beauty come With kindly fruits he fills earth's fertile wombe And makes sweet blasts to move the wholesome ayre The people find at last their humble prayer Is heard and now the teares are wip'd away Due praise and thankes before his Altar pay Annotations upon the fourth Booke a Those that would see at large the actions of the Earle of Darby in Guyenne Aquitaine and Normandy let them read Froissard where they shall see them fully though not elegantly related This Earle of Darby a man of great worth and neere in blood to King Edward was afterwards by him created Duke of Lancaster the first Duke that ever was in England and left behind him no other issue but one daughter who being his sole heire was married to Iohn of Gaunt the Kings sonne and brought to him a large dowry together with the title of Duke of Lancaster b This wonderfull mortality which it pleased God in his wrath to send upon the wretched earth happened in the 22. yeare of King Edward immediately after the taking of Calleis a greater pestilence wee can scarce read of in any particular land or kingdome much lesse so great and with all so generall as this was For not onely England but France Italy and most of the Easterne and Southerne kingdomes were visited at that time and felt the rod most heavy and sad on them The fore-runner of this great sicknesse was immoderate raine for our Chronicles agree in generall that from Midsummer to Christmas it rained every day or night The yeare following it is noted that there dyed in London betweene Ianuary and the end of July seven and fifty thousand persons Other Cities and Townes suffered the like according to their proportions insomuch that some writers of those times were of opinion that halfe the inhabitants of the Land dyed for we must not beleeve Walsingham who sayes there was not above a tenth part of mankinde left alive As great a death of Cattell happened both that and the yeere following Thie was the greatest but not the onely plague which happened during the reigne of this King Edward For twelve yeeres after England was visited with another which our Chronicles called the second great Plague In that many of the Nobility dyed and among the rest that noble Henry Duke of Lancaster a chiefe actor in all the warres and victories of Edward and a maine Pillar of the state at that time THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD The fifth Booke Argument V. Prince Edward levyes forces to maintaine Against the French his right in Aquitaine The King wasts Scotland Poictiers field is fought From whence King Iohn of France is prisoner brought PHilip of France had left the earth and John The eldest Sonne as in his father's Throne So in his sad mis-fortunes does succeed Who what the Fates in vengeance had decreed Against his Realme by rashnesse hastens on And gainst all right on Charles his eldest sonne Conferres the stile of Duke of Aquitaine Great Edward bound in honour to maintaine His owne inheritance creates his Sonne Young Edward Prince of that Dominion Exhorts him bravely to defend his right And ' gainst the French for his just Title fight For which Prince Edward armes and with a traine Of valiant Lords prepares for Aquitaine Never did Fortune with more favour smile On any armes nor from this martiall Ile Did ever army crosse the Seas before That more triumphant did returne or wore A richer Garland from Bellona's tree There to maintaine young Edward's signiory Brave Warwicke armes who neare the Prince his side When Crescy field his mayden prowesse try'd Before had fought and Suffolke whose renowne
to Now does the day grow blacker then before The Swords that glister'd late in purple gore Now all distain'd their former brightnesse lose Whilest high the tragicke heape of slaughter rose Swords meeting swords and breaking lances sound Clattering of armed breasts that fall to ground And dying souldiers groanes are onely heard Horror in all her saddest shapes appear'd But long the fury of a storme so strong Could not endure nor Fortune waver long In such a tryall but at last must show Which way her favours were decreed to goe The English Swords with slaughter reeking all At last had carved in the Frenchmens fall Their way to victory who now apace Are beaten downe and strew the purple place Where like their owne pale-fading Lillies lye The flower of all the French Nobility What Muse can in this field of death declare Each private wound each fate particular Or pay the severall obsequies to all ' Mongst common souldiers slaughter'd Princes fall 'Twixt whom Death takes away the distance now While in one streame their bloods commixed flow There Alanson striving to cure in vaine The wound of France is beaten downe and slaine There dyes Majorca's King who from his home So farre had sail'd to find a forraigne tombe And dearely that alliance which he thought So safe to him in this fierce battell bought Lewis Earle of Flanders that to Philip's state Had beene so constant a confaederate Whom no conditions to King Edward's side Could ever draw on Edward s weapons dy'd Sealing in blood his truth to France to lye A wailed part of her calamity There Savoy's Duke the noble Amy lay Weltring in gore arriv'd but yesterday At Philip's haplesse Campe as short an ayd As Rhaesus prov'd to falling Troy betray'd The first sad night and by Tidydes hand Slaine e're his Steeds had graz'd on Trojan land Or drunke at all of Xanthus silver streame But most the warrelike Monarch of Boheme Old Lewis was fam'd Who on that honour'd ground Chain'd to the formost of his troops was found And charging at the head of all was slaine His cold dead hand did yet that Sword retaine Which living erst it did so bravely weild His hopefull sonne young Charles had left the field When he perceiv'd that Fortune quite was gone To Edward's side His Father blood alone Was too too great a sacrifice to be Bestow d on France whose dying valiancy Made all men more desire his Sonne to live And that the branch of such a tree might thrive There was the Noble Bourbon there Lorraine Aumall Nevers and valiant Harcourt slaine In vaine had Philip now whose Princely soule In all those deaths did bleed strive to controll By highest valour what the Fates would doe Wounds not in mind alone but body too Vnhorsed twice did th' active King receive As much asham'd no blood at all to leave In such a field although enforc'd to part Himselfe from thence at last his strugling heart Is to necessity content to yeeld And flyes with speed from that unhappy field With whom the Frenchmen all the fight forsake And o're the Countrey flight disordred take By this had Night her sable mantle spred Vpon the earth by whose protection fled The vanquish'd French with more security A most compleat and glorious victory The English had obtain'd yet would not now Dis-ranke themselves to chase the flying foe But in that field which they alone possest Resolve to give their weary'd bodies rest Till mornings light display those wealthy spoyles That must reward the conquering souldiers toyles Now great King Edward from the Windmill hill Came downe where his untouch'd Battalia still Had stood till all the fight below was done And in his armes embrac'd his armed Sonne Who now with blood and sweat was all distain'd Then gratulates his early honour gain'd In such a field of danger joy'd to see His blooming yeares thus flesh'd in victory Well did that day presage the future glory And martiall fame of this great Prince whose story With admiration after-times shall heare Like miracles his conquests shall appeare In France atchiev'd nor shall that kingdome bound His Swords great deeds whose fame shall farther sound And royall trophees of blacke Edward's praise Beyond the Pyrenaean mountaines raise Next morne mists fatall to the French arose To Crescy field where their encamped foes Stood now refresh'd were many troops of France Discerning not the former battels chance Like sacrifices come and fell there more Then had beene flaine in all the fight before Victorious Edward for so great a day To God's high Throne on bended knees did pay His true and humble thankes and briefly then Commend the worthy service of his men Who now the spoyles of that rich Army share As just reward of their victorious warre Annotations upon the third Booke a King Edward taking Caranton protested openly that he sacrificed it to the memory of these Gentlemen who had the yeere before beene uniustly massacred by King Philip and their heads now were standing upon the gates of that unhappy towne For King Philip of France the yeare before perceiving that a terrible tempest of warre was likely to fall upon him out of England waxed cruell in his iealousie and put sundry principall men of Normandy Picardy and Guyenne to death for no other crime but that they were English in affection Among whom are reckoned Sir Oliver de Cliâ—â—on Baco Persie and Geoffrey of Malestroict Knights of the best note Sir Godfrey of Harecourt brother to the Earle of Harecourt a man once in high favour with King Philip being upon this occasion also summoned to Paris fled to King Edward into England and became another Robert of Artois for his valour and counsels at this present invasion of France did much advantage King Edward's atchievements though two yeares after he forsooke the English and returned againe to the obedience of Philip his naturall Lord. b This great battell of Crescy where King Edward obtained so full and wonderfull a victory is at large recited in the Poem and therefore little shall need here to bee spoken of it but onely of the numbers which fought or dyed on both sides The English Army by generall consent of almost all Authors consisted of 30000. The French according to those that speake least together with their auxiliaries were about 60000. But many Authors of good credit report their number twice as many others agree upon an hundred thousand Upon that Saturday being the 26 of August 1346 when this great battell was fought the slaughter was great on the French side for none were taken to mercy upon that day for the Conquerors thought it not safe for themselves to take any Prisoners But the next morning presented new worke for a great mist arose that men could hardly see the distance of an acre of ground from them when as many troops of Frenchmen from Roan Beavicois and other Cities comming to joyne themselves with King Philip and not hearing of his discomfiture together with great
multitudes of such as had lost their way in the last flight lighted vnhappily upon the victorious English and were severely put to the Sword Among those that came with fresh forces to ayd the King were the Archbishop of Roan and the Grand Prior of France who were both slaine after a great and sore battell with the English for they brought a good strength with them The Earles of Northampton Suffolke and Norfolke had execution of the French which fled from this last overthrow for the space of nine English miles from the ground where they encountred And it is the generall consent of Authors that more of the French were slaine upon this second day then were the day before when the great battell was fought some Prisoners were then taken though none of great name for they were spent in the day before When the account was taken it was found that there dyed in all of the French side eleven great Princes of Earles Barons and gentry of high account about fifteene hundred of common souldiers above thirty thousand And to make the victory the more wonderfull there was not one man of honour or note slaine upon the English side of common souldiers so few that we finde no mention of the number THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD The fourth Booke Argument IIII. Calleis by Edward is besieg'd and wonne Great deeds in severall parts of France are done By Edward's souldiers whilest in England here The King of Scotland's taken prisoner FIve mornes had cleer'd the Earth with Phoebus light And from the Pole remov'd the dampes of night Since England's conquering King from Crescy gone Without controll of foes had marched on Through Picardy and now before the Towne Of Calleis sate with his strong Army downe Resoly'd in spite of all releefe or fence Till he had gain'd it not to rise from thence Impregnable was Calleis to be wonne Not by assault but length of siedge alone Where meagre famine Natures greatest foe And heavens fear'd plague must all th'atchivement doe For which great Edward had on every side His Campe entrench'd and strongly fortifi'd With timber-workes investing it by land The circuit round the Sea at his command Was wholly then where his strong Navy lay And brought his Campe provisions every way But while the siedge is yet but new begun Fortune presents a brave occasion To make King Edward s noble nature knowne That all the Countrey may as much renowne His minds brave sweetnesse as his Martiall fame And learne to love as well as feare his name De Vein the Marshall and Lord Dandregan That then commanded Calleis while they can Resolve to th' utmost to preserve so deare A pledge and nought but onely famine feare They therefore straight enforce out of the Towne The folke that now for warre are uselesse growne Full fifteene hundred heads to spare their store The lame the sicke the aged and the poore At mercy of the foe these wretches goe If to such wretches Edward were a foe But he remembers he 's a King and they Too weake alas to be the Lion's prey Instead of foes his bounty makes them guests And French by French forsaken Edward feasts With store of victuals and with money too He sends them thence who every step they goe Send backe a prayer for his prosperity And in their hearts acknowledge silently That he 's the lawfull Soveraigne of the land For when two titles thus in question stand Whose doe the people thinke should be the right But his whom first just heaven assists in fight And makes ' gainst odds a conquerour of his foes And who besides by his compassion showes Himselfe his Countries father as Kings are Those barricado'd strongest works of warre Which must in spite of Philip's forces stand Till Calleis keyes be given to Edward's hand Can these weake people find a passage through Which th'armed strength of France could never doe Nor loses Edward time in staying there For every day to his rejoycing eare Some prosperous newes from forreine parts is brought Of what abroad his conquering men have wrought How every action 's crown'd with high successe And all their conflicts adde some happinesse To his triumphant side as if that then Kind Fortune strove the name of Englishmen Even to the highest point of fame to bring Or that the Genius of so great a King Through all the lower parts diffused were To guide their deeds alike For wheresoe're They fight the Garland's wonne and every warre A Crescy proves where Edward's souldiers are From Guyenne first he heares the prosperous fights Of noble a Darby who with Gascoyne Knights And other Lords from Burdeaux tooke his way And o're the river of Garonne 'twixt Blay And that great City march'd through Philip's lands Faire Mirabell is yeelded to his hands Aunay and her strong Castle with Benon And Maraunt in Poictou by force are wonne Tailebourgh and Bourgh Saint Maximent they win Both by assault and Montrevill Bonin Nor with so small a power of Souldiers feares The warrelike Darby to assault Poictiers So large in circuit that he could not lay Round siege about it but one onely way Surpriz'd it by assault and many moe Atchievements high did his small army doe There many noble Prisoners did he take And march'd without controll to Burdeaux backe There breakes his Army up with thankes and home His souldiers fill'd with wealth and honour come As much true honour wonne the English name In Brittaines warres as radiant was their fame Where Charles of Bloys the great Competitour By valiant Dagworth and his English power Was overthrowne and taken Prisoner The odds so wondrous in their numbers were One Writer then amazed in his thought Among the deeds of th' ancient Worthies sought A paralell for Dagworth's victory Entituling him another Machabee But that which most secur'd great Edward's state Left English swords should prove lesse fortunate In England then in forraigne parts they were That Conquest was and royall Prisoner Which his brave men had in his absence gain'd Queene Philip sent the newes and there complain'd Of Copland's stout demeanour who to her Deny'd to yeeld the King his Prisoner For which to Calleis Copland sent for had So good excuses to great Edward made That for the service from his royall hand He gain'd a â—â—â—h reward The King commands Him to relate the battell and display Each circumstance of that victorious day Full well quoth noble Edward doe I know That most to God's Almighty hand I owe For preservation of my kingdome there What strength had you alas what forces were In readinesse what Army could you bring Against th' invasion of a warrelike King Whilest here our selfe with our chiefe Army lay At Calleis siedge the second was away As farre as Guyenne and the third then fought In Brittaines wars what were the hands that wrought This great atchievement but King David brake The truce he made with us that he might take With Philip's fortune Philip's falling side
is small and weigh'd with conquering Englands wars Shall be accounted slight and gentle scars Deepe as thy wounds shall thy dishonour be Alas how great a map of misery How long a tragicke field of warre shalt thou Rich France become the pride of Europe now But then the pitty of all neighbour Lands Oh doe not scorne at English Edward's hands On hardest termes a peace to entertaine Nor let King Philip strive ' gainst fate in vaine No force can there prevaile nor overthrow The Martiall fame that Destinies doe owe To Edward's high nativity for whom A glorious thread is spun such as their loome Was proud to see when those old Worthies came Into the world that with so loud a fame Have fill'd the eares of all posterity Such shall this active Edward prove as high And wondred at shall be his deeds of warre Although his stage cannot extend so farre Nor his small Kingdomes forces over-run Farre distant Lands as did the Macedon Or Romes proud Sonnes his deeds within the bounds Of France excepting Scotlands fatall wounds As mighty trophees and as great shall gaine As such a circuit ever did containe And for the severall actions of his warres Though I but dimly see particulars Within this spacious Continent where once Great Caesar govern'd those stout legions Whose strength could after over-come the power Of Rome it selfe and make him Emperour Let disadvantages of battels be Well weigh'd the past and present quality Of such a foe the stars to him do give As true a fame as Caesar did atchieve But such calamities this heart will bleed To see and therefore holy Sir with speed If a prevention can at all be had Let your high power be interposed sad Are all that heare the King's praediction And thinke which way they may the strife attone But while they thinke thus on the Ocean A mighty blow this fatall warre began Slight skirmishes had wounded either side And banish'd Peace nor must the cause be try'd By any judge but Warres uncertaine chance Edward already wore the armes of France And in his honour stood engag'd to gaine The Crowne he claim'd as Philip to maintaine That great possession in their owne estates Both strong both powerfull in confoederates And both alike incens'd But ere rich France In her owne bosome try the puissance Of warlike Edward she must weeping heare Her losses by him and be taught to feare Or Fortune else was purpos'd to declare How hot how aequall a desire of warre Both Nations had that in the middle way Would meet the tryall and disdain'd to stay Till either other should at home invade But with their armed Navall forces made Blew Neptunes face the first discolour'd stage Of warre and Scene of their incensed rage The Fleet of France so great it was esteem'd Invindible by Englands force and seem'd To beare command ore all those narrow Seas Proud of spoiles and wealthy pillages Which from sack'd Hampton they had brought away Betweene the Ports of Sluce and Blankebergh lay In three faire bodies led by three that then In navall fights were held the bravest men France had and did in all Sea-arts excell The stout Bahuchet with brave Kiriell And Barbenoire the Genois Admirall So show'd their Navy when conjoyned all Men would have thought some forrest mou'd from far When Winters rage the Pines proud tops did bare Or that the fam'd Aegaean Cyclades Torne from their roots had floated on the Seas Vpon that coast this haplesse Navie lay To intercept King Edward in his way To Sluce who now from England had put forth His Fleet though lesse in number yet in worth Fortune and courage greater then the foes Came sailing on When golden Phoebus rose Behinde the French and shooting forth his light Display'd the English Navy to their sight The royall Banners to their scouts appeare And notice give that Englands King is there At which the French are swelled with excesse Of joy though false with golden promises Flattring themselves How blinde are humane eyes How hidden are the path of Destinies Never did wretches not ordain'd to see The setting Sunne with vainer jollity Welcome their ruine and each other cheere They thanke the fates that had presented there The King of Englands person and so great A price that day had on their valour set That this great storme that proudly threatned France Was now committed wholly to the chance Of their Sea-fight that onely they should have The actions honour not alone to save Their land in warre but keepe it from a warre And cut off danger ere it came so farre Great Edward slowly brings his Navy on Waiting advantage wisely till the Sunne Declining Westward at his backe might be And dazle thence the face of th' enemy Although his Souldiers hardly brook'd delay So much they long'd for tryall of the day And in their courages were raised high To thinke they had so brave a witnesse by As was their King and such a King as he Who would as well their great example be As witnesse of their deeds This time of stay He spent to set his Fleet in faire array The middle body he himselfe maintain'd In which the great and tallest ships were mann'd Which choisest Archers held twixt every two Of whom one ship with men of armes did goe On either wing loose ships of archers lay On all occasions ' gainst the foe to play The wings themselves with gallant Lords were fill'd The Earles of Darby Pembrooke Gloster held The right where Huntington commanded all Of Englands Southerne fleet Lord Admirall Lord Morley Admirall of all the North The left wing had with many Lords of worth Northamptons Earle Lord Percy Delaware And Robert of Artois who th' honours bore Of Richmonds Earledome then with many moe Of honour'd name and noble service too Heröicke Edward when both Navies neere Had made approach 'gan thus in short to cheere His forward Souldiers It were needlesse now Brave Englishmen and valiant Lords to show How much depends on this great Navall fight That all the tryall of our royall right To France and your rich hopes are lost undone Are all designes unlesse this day be won This is the gate of our great enterprise This is that entrance where the danger lyes Which if we master now the future war Will prove more easie as more fruitfull farre And not a warre but a reward will be And recompence of this dayes victory Here let your valour sway warres future chance And though not conquer yet disharten France The Sunne and winde are both auspicious To us the channell advantagious With these let us in our owne cause appeare See what spectatours fortune gives us here Oh let our friends the Flemmings from the Bayes Of Sluce and Blankebergh now behold and praise Your deeds and viewing th English puissance Thinke themselves happy in forsaking France To side with us but I in vaine prolong The battels tryall and your valours wrong To keepe such eager spirits from action
bright Princesse and in words declares How just a cause excites him to the warres Besides the honour he from thence may gaine That Pedro is the true-borne Lord of Spaine And crowned Monarch that no vice what-e're Can wash away that sacred Character That Subjects may not put their Soveraigne downe Nor give Don Henry title to their Crowne But ought to leave that power to God alone Who can revenge at full what he has done Or else so clense him from the greatest crimes That Pedro's penitence in after-times May all his former impious reigne redeeme Like King Manasses in Ierusalem That it concern'd a true-borne Prince his right To take that part lest other Nations might Hereafter from a president so bad Vsurpe more freedome than they justly had Then taking leave of his deare wife he went To that which after prov'd by accident A fatall warre to England Where though he Obtain'd a great and glorious victory And present honour through all Europe gate Yet most unhappy to his future state The voyage was his treasures wast which cost Sad tumults and his French Dominions lost Besides his losse of health All which was sent Perchance to Edward as a punishment For ayding such a monster though true heire Nor long held Pedro his recover'd chaire Soone after th'English went from thence againe Depos'd and by victorious Henry slaine Thus all their punishments did undergoe Castile Don Pedro and Prince Edward too The Tyrant Pedro for his impious reigne Edward for lifting up the fiend againe And all Castile by England's conquering sword Scourg'd for deposing of their lawfull Lord. With noble Edward to this Spanish warre Young Iohn of Gaunt the Duke of Lancaster His brother marches to whose future state Castile shall prove a name more fortunate Who by the marriage of Don Pedro's heire The Royall title of that land shall weare With large revenues thence The Duke commands One of the three Battalia's with him stands Brave Sir Iohn Chandois who in warre before Had ever beene Prince Edward's Counsellor Now set to guide the youth of Princely Iohn With him young Beauchamp noble Warwick's sonne And stout Lord Dalbert with a gallant traine Of Gentlemen and Knights of Aquitaine The Prince of Wales himselfe commands the maine And middle Battell Pedro King of Spaine For whom the warre is made by Edward's side There marches on and English Chieftaines try'd In many a Battell then esteem'd to be The very flowers of Europes Chevalry With many Lords of high account and name That from Poictou from Maine and Guyenne came A Monarch leads the third Battalia on Iames of Mallorques King that in renowne Like th' ancient Caesars might blacke Edward stand And Kings not scorne to serve in his command There th' Earle of Arminacke leads on his power And English Knolls that expert warriour Thither the Lords of Dalbreth Piergort And many noble Knights and Squires resort With all his army thirty thousand strong The Prince sets forth from France to passe along The famous streights of Roncevall and through The kingdome of Navarre gets leave to goe By which with faithfull guides they passe as farre Before they meet th'approach of any warre As faire Victoria on the bounds of Spaine There some fore-runners of King Henry's traine Descry'd gave notice that the blow was neere But thrice as many as Prince Edward's were The troops that Henry of Castile had brought Besides the natives of the Land that fought To guard their new-elected King and free Themselves from Pedro's future tyranny Th'expertest souldiers of the Realme of France Come to encrease King Henry's puissance And Saracens from our invasions free Beare here a part in Christian enmity And ' gainst Don Pedro guard his brothers throne In three great bodies comes that army on The first and noblest where the French-men stand Is under Bertram of Cleâ—quy's command The greatest body in the midd'st the King Himselfe drawes up the last his brothers bring And now beside the towne of Naveret In faire array are both the battel 's set Renowned Edward to his men declares Th' undoubted justice of their present warres And that no odds of numbers he can feare When he beholds those men those Leaders there Who but ' gainst odds did never battell try Yet never fought without a victory As those that Sluces navall fight had seene That had in Crescy field and Poictiers beene And bids them now maintaine that old renowne They in so many honour'd fields had wonne As much does Bertram his French troops excite And briefly tells them they not onely fight King Henry's Crowne and honour to maintaine And winne fame there but to redeeme againe That dearest honour ' gainst the English hoast Which France of late had to that Nation lost But when King Henry whose great cause was try'd In that dayes hazard saw the English side Were marching on against him in array And that the warre admitted no delay He thus bespeakes his souldiers If a cause Of such great weight as to this battell drawes Your farre-engaged hands could need at all Th' inciting language of a Generall The wrongs of Spaine and brutish cruelty Our foe has us'd afford a scope to me Too large too sad to play the Oratour But well I know your Countries love has power Enough to raise your highest courages And bring you forward were our army lesse Than theirs in number as the odds is ours Vnlesse this battell make us Conquerors There can no people be so low as we No land so wretched as Castile will be T is not our wealth alone or lawes we lose Nor to be quite o're-runne by forreine foes Though every Nation have esteemed those The worst but Spaine must suffer greater woes ' Gainst her so fierce no forreine sword can be As her restored tyrants cruelty His who was once depos'd when to a mind Before so bloody sterne revenge is joyn'd If Spaine before could not endure his yoke How will she beare it now if by warres stroke Our conquering hands make not the action good Better the tyrant undisturb'd had stood What made old Marius when returned home With so much slaughter fill the streets of Rome Marius whose hand was once her best defence But that himselfe had beene exil'd from thence The prisons stinch the shackles that he bore The bread he begg'd on wasted Affrick's shore Which he himselfe before had overcome Made his returne so sad to wretched Rome And can we here feare lesse than Marius brought On Rome or than the Butcher Sylla wrought When not in warres but executions So many thousands were destroy'd at once If in this battell Pedro should o'recome But God avert from Spaine so sad a doome What sights would all her mourning Cities see But racks and gibbets blood and cruelty The land no place in such a peace could yeeld More safe from slaughter than this fighting field And tortur'd wretches that were left in Spaine Would call us happy who in warre were slaine But such a