Till from all air of France, he made their Lewis And fame herself, to him, so amply did apply, That when the most unjust Calicians had forethought, [brought, Into that town (then ours) the Frenchmen to have The king of England's self', and his renowned son (By those perfidious French to see what would be done)

Under his guydon march'd, as private soldiers there.

[were; "So had we still of ours, in France that famous Warwick, of England then high-constable that was,

As other of that race, here well I cannot pass; That brave and godlike brood of Beauchamps, which so long [strong, Them earls of Warwick held; so hardy, great, and That after of that name it to an adage grew, If any man himself advent'rous happ'd to shew, Bold Beauchamp' men him term'd if none so bold as he. [chers reck'ned be. "With those our Beauchamps, may our Bour Of which, that valiant lord, most famous in those days,

That hazarded in France so many dangerous

[and us,

frays: Whose blade in all the fights betwixt the French Like to a blazing star was ever ominous; A man, as if by Mars upon Bellona got. "Next him, stout Cobham comes, that with as prosp❜rous lot

[hand, The Englishmen hath led; by whose auspicious We often have been known the Frenchmen to command. [won, And Harcourt, though by birth an alien; yet, ours By England after held her dear adopted son: Which oft upon our part was bravely prov'd to do, Who with the hard'st attempts fame earnestly did woo; [stealth To Paris-ward, that when the Amyens fled by (Within her mighty walls to have enclos'd their

wealth)

Before her bulwark'd gates the burgesses he took; Whilst the Parisians, thence that sadly stood to look,

And saw their faithful friends so wofully bested, Not once durst issue out to help them, for their head.

[home "And our John Copland; here courageously at (Whilst every where in France, those far abroad do roam)

That at Newcastle fight (the battle of the queen, Where most the English hearts were to their sovereign seen)

Took David king of Scots, his prisoner in the fight. [might: Nor could these wars employ our only men of But as the queen by these did mighty things achieve;

So those, to Britain sent the countess to relieve, As any yet of ours, two knights as much that dar'd,

Stout Dangorn, and with him strong Hartwel honour shar'd;

"Edward III. and the Black Prince. ⚫ Bold Beauchamp; a proverb.

won,

And after the retreat, that famous battle done, Wherein rich spacious France was by the English [stow'd Five hundred marks in fee, that noblest prince beFor his so brave attempts, through his high courage show'd. [there

Which to his four esquires he freely gave', who Vy'd valour with their lord; and in despite of fear, [gap'd wide as Hell; Oft fetch'd that day from death, where wounds And cries, and parting groans, whereas the Frenchmen fell,

Even made the victors grieve, so horrible they [b'red here,

were.

"Our Dabridgecourt the next shall be rememAt Poictiers who brake in upon the Alman horse Through his too forward speed: but, taken by their force,

And after, by the turn of that so doubtful fight, Being rescu'd by his friends in Poictiers' fearful sight,

Then like a lion rang’d about the enemy's host : And where he might suppose the danger to be most, [dismay, Like lightning ent'red there, to his French foes' To gratify his friends which rescu'd him that day. "Then Chandos: whose great deeds found fame

came

Had all so over-aw'd, that by his very name
He could remove a siege: and cities where he
[belov'd,
Would at his summons yield. That man, the most
In all the ways of war so skilful and approv'd,
The prince at Poictiers chose his person to assist.
This stout Herculean stem, this noble martialist,
In battle 'twixt brave Bloys and noble Mountfort,
try'd

At Array, then the right of Britain to decide,
Rag'd like a furious storm beyond the power of
man,
[English wan
Where valiant Charles was slain, and the stern
The royal British rule to Mountfort's nobler name.
He took strong Tarryers in, and Anjou oft did tame,

"The honourable bounty of the lord Audley, 10 The Black Prince.

Gavaches he regain'd, and us Rochmador got. - Where ever lay'd he siege that he invested not?

"As this brave warrior was, so no less dear to us, The rival in his fame, his only æmulus, Renown'd sir Robert Knowles, that in his glories shar'd,

His chivalry and oft in present perils dar'd;
As nature should with time, at once by these

consent

[spent. To show, that all their store they idly had not He Vermandoise o'er-ran with skill and courage high:

Notoriously he plagu'd revolting Picardy:
That up to Paris walls did all before him win,
And dar'd her at her gates (the king that time
within)

A man that all his deeds did dedicate to fame.
"Then those stout Percies, John, and Thomas,
men of name.

The valiant Gourney, next, deservedly we grace, And Howet, that with him assumes as high a place, Strong Trivet, all whose ends at great adventures shot:

That conquer'd us Mount Pin, and castle Carcilot, As famous in the French, as in the Belgic war; Who took the lord Brimewe; and with the great Navarre,

In Papaloon, attain'd an everlasting praise. "Courageous Corill next, than whom those glorious days [swam. Produc'd not any spirit that through more dangers "That princely Thomas, next, the earl of [brought,

Buckingham,

To Britany through France that our stout English Which under his command with such high fortune fought [rose,

As put the world in fear Rome from her cinders And of this earth again meant only to dispose. "Thrice valiant Hackwood then, out-shining all the rest,

[prest

From London at the first a poor mean soldier (That time but very young) to those great wars in France,

By his brave service there himself did so advance That afterward, the heat of those great battles done

(In which he to his name immortal glory won) Leading six thousand horse, let his brave guydon fly. [bardy, So, passing through east France, and ent'ring LomBy th' greatness of his fame, attain'd so high command,

That to his charge he got the white Italian band. With Mountferato" then in all his wars he went : Whose clear report abroad by Fame's shrill trumpet

The use of th' English bows to Italy that brought; By which he, in those wars, seem'd wonders te have wrought.

"Our Henry Hotspur next, for high achievement meet, [sers' feet, Who with the thund'ring noise of his swift cour Astunn'd the earth, that day, that he in Holmdon's strife [Fife. Took Douglas, with the earls of Angus, and of And whilst those hardy Scots, upon the firm earth bled, [fled. With his revengeful sword switch'd after them that "Then Calverly, which kept us Calais with such

skill,

From us our ancient right unjustly did detain (T" let Bullen understand our just conceived ire) Her suburbs, and her ships, sent up to Heaven in fire;

Estaples then took, in that day she held her fair, Whose merchandise he let his soldiers freely share; And got us back saiut Mark's, which loosely we had lost. [most,

"Amongst these famous men, of us deserving In these of great'st report, we gloriously prefer, For that his naval fight, John duke of Exeter; The puissant fleet of Jean (which France to her did call)

Who mercilessly sunk, and slew her admiral. "And one, for single fight, amongst our martial

men,

Deserves remembrance here as 'worthily again; Our Clifford, that brave, young, and most courageous squire:

Who thoroughly provok'd, and in a great desire Unto the English name a high report to win, Slew Bockmel hand to hand at castle Jocelin, Suppos'd the noblest spirit that France could then produce. [Muse,

"Now, forward to thy task proceed, industrious To him, above them all, our power that did ad[France:

vance ;

John duke of Bedford, styl'd the fire-brand to sad Who to remove the foe from sieged Harflew, sent, Affrighted them like death; and as at sea he went, The huge French navy fir'd, when horrid Neptune roar'd, [pour'd

The whilst those mighty ships out of their scuppers Their traitorous clutt'red gore upon his wrinkled face.

He took strong Ivery in: and like his kingly race, 'There down-before Vernoyle the English standard stuck: [luck,

And having on his helm his conquering brother's Alanzon on the field and doughty Douglas laid, Which brought the Scottish power unto the Dauphin's aid; [death, And with his fatal sword, gave France her fill of Till wearied with her wounds, she gasping lay for breath. [abet,

"Then, as if powerful Heaven our part did there Still did one noble spirit, a noble spirit beget. So, Salisbury arose; from whom, as from a source All valour seem'd to flow, and to maintain her force. From whom not all their forts could hold our treacherous foes.

Pontmelance he regain'd, which ours before did lose.

The fame they got in France, with costly wounds that bought:

In Gascony and Guyne, who oft and stoutly fought. "Then valiant Matthew Gough for whom the English were

Much bound to noble Wales in all our battles there, Or sieging or besieg'd that never fail'd our force, Oft hazarding his blood in many a desperate course. He beat the bastard Balme with his selected band, And at his castle gate surpris'd him hand to hand, And spite of all his power away him prisoner bare. "Our hardy Burdet then with him we will compare,

Besieg'd within Saint James de Beneon, issuing out, Crying Salisbury, Saint George,' with such a horrid shout, [liant crew That cleft the wand'ring clouds; and with his vaUpon the envied French like hungry lions flew, And Arthur earl of Eure and Richmont took in fight: [fight: Then following them (in heat) the army put to The Briton, French, and Scot, receiv'd a general sack,

more.

As, flying, one fell still upon another's back;
Where our six hundred slew so many thousands
[swore
At our so good success that once a Frenchman
That God was wholly turn'd unto the English side,
And to assist the French the Devil had deny'd.
"Then here our Kerril claims his room amongst
the rest,
[best.
Who justly if compar'd might match our very
He in our wars in France with our great Talbot oft,
With Willoughby and Scales, now down, and then
aloft,

Endur'd the sundry turns of often varying fate;
At Clermont seiz'd the earl before his city gate,
Eight hundred faithless French who took or put to
sword;

And, by his valour, twice to Artois us restor❜d.

that got,

On the Savoyan side, that with our English shot Struck warlike Aisk, and Straule, when Flanders shook with fear. [were:

"As Howard, by whose hand we so renowned Whose great success at sea, much fam'd our English fleet:

That in a naval fight the Scottish Barton beat; And setting foot in France, her horribly did fright: (As if great Chandos' ghost, or feared Talbot's sp'rit Had come to be their scourge, their fame again to earn) [vearne, Who having stoutly sack'd both Narbin and DeThe castles of De Boyes, of Fringes, took us there, Of Columburge, of Rew, of Dorlans, and Paveere; In Scotland, and again the marches east to west, Did with invasive war most terribly infest.

"A nobler of that name, the earl of Surrey then, That famous hero fit both for the spear and pen (From Flodden's doubtful fight, that forward Scottish king [bring) In his victorious troop who home with him did Rebellious Ireland scourg'd, in Britany and wan Us Morles. Happy time that bredd'st so brave a man! [fall: "To Cobhain, next, the place deservedly doth In France who then employ'd with our great admiral,

In his successful road blew Sellois up in fire,
Took Bottingham and Bruce, with Samkerke and
Mansier.
[be hid,

"Our Peachy, nor our Carre, nor Thomas shall That at the field of Spurres by Tirwyn stoutly did. Sands, Guyldfard, Palmer, Lyle, Fitzwilliams, and with them,

Brave Dacres, Musgrave, Bray, Coe, Wharton, Jerningham,

Great martialists, and men that were renowned far At sea; some in the French, some in the Scottish [great command, "Courageous Randolph then, that serv'd with Before Newhaven first, and then in Ireland.

war.

翟

The long-renown'd lord Gray, whose spirit we oft did try; [high. A man that with dread Mars stood in account most Sir Thomas Morgan then, much fame to us that wan,

When in our maiden reign the Belgic war began: Who with our friends the Dutch, for England stoutly stood, [blood. When Netherland first learn'd to lavish gold and Sir Roger Williams next (of both which Wales might vaunt)

His martial compeer then, and brave commilitant: Whose conflicts, with the French and Spanish manly fought, [brought. Much honour to their names, and to the Britons "Th' lord Willoughby may well be reckon'd

with the rest,

Inferior not a whit to any of our best; [sprung. A man so made for war, as though from Pallas Sir Richard Bingham then our valiant men among, Himself in Belgia well, and Ireland, who did bear; Our only schools of war this later time that were. As Stanley whose brave act at Zutphen's service done [won. Much glory to the day, and him his knighthood "Our noblest Norris next, whose fame shall never die

restore

Whilst Belgia shall be known; or there's a Britany: In whose brave height of spirit, time seem'd as to [of yore. Those, who to th' English name such honour gain'd "Great Essex of our peers the last that ere we [new;

knew ;

The old world's heroes' lives who likeli'st did reThe soldier's only hope, who stoutly serv'd in France; [vance And on the towers of Cales as proudly did adOur English ensigns then, and made Iberia quake, When as our warlike fleet rode on the surging lake, T receive that city's spoil, which set her batter'd gate [state. Wide ope, t' affrighted Spain to see her wretched "Next Charles, lord Mountjoy, sent to Ireland [cess, The envious rebel there; by whose most fair suc

to suppress

The trowsed Irish led by their unjust Tyrone, And the proud Spanish force were justly overthrown. [bear, That still Kingsale shall keep and faithful record What by the English prowess was executed there. "Then liv'd those valiant Veres, both men of great command

In our employments long: whose either martial hand

Reach'd at the highest wreath, it fom the top to get, [set. Which on the proudest head, fame yet had ever Our Dockwray, Morgan next, sir Samuel Bagnall, then

Stout Lambert, such as well deserve a living pen; True martialists and knights, of noble spirit and wit. [fit, "The valiant Cecil last, for great employment Deservedly in war the lat'st of ours that rose: Whose honour every hour, and fame still greater grows." [song, When now the Kentish nymphs do interrupt her By letting Medway know she tarried had too long

Upon this warlike troop, and all upon them laid, Yet for their nobler Kent she nought or little said. When as the pliant Muse, straight turning her about,

And coming to the land as Medway goeth out, Saluting the dear soil, “O famous Kent," quoth she, [with thee, "What country hath this isle that can compare Which hast within thyself as much as thou canst wish? [fish? 'Thy conies, ven'son, fruit, thy sorts of fowl and As what with strength comports, thy hay, thy corn, thy wood: [good.

Nor any thing doth want, that any where is Where Thames-ward to the shore, which shoots upon the rise,

Rich Tenham undertakes thy closets to suffice With cherries, which we say, the Summer in doth bring, [Spring; Wherewith Pomona crowns the plump and lustful From whose deep ruddy cheek, sweet Zephyr kisses steals, [heals. With their delicious touch his love-sick heart that Whose golden gardens seem th' Hesperides to mock:

Nor there the damson wants, nor dainty apricock, Nor pippin, which we hold of kernel-fruits the king,

The apple-orange; then the savoury russetin : The pear-main, which to France long ere to us was known, [own. Which careful fruit'rers now have denizen'd our The renat: which though first it from the pippin came, [curious name, Grown through his pureness nice, assumes that Upon the pippin stock, the pippin being set; As on the gentle, when the gentle doth beget (Both by the sire and dame being anciently descended) [amended. The issue born of them, his blood hath much The sweeting, for whose sake the ploughboys oft make war: [water, The wilding, costard, then the well-known pomAnd sundry other fruits, of good, yet several taste, That have their sundry names in sundry countries plac'd:

Unto whose dear increase the gardener spends his life,

With piercer, wimble, saw, his mallet, and his knife; [root,

Oft covereth, oft doth bare the dry and moist'ned As faintly they mislike, or as they kindly suit: And their selected plants doth workman-like bestow,

That in true order they conveniently may grow; And kills the slimy snail, the worm, and labouring ant, [plant: Which many times annoy the graft and tender Or else maintains the plot much starved with the wet,

Wherein his daintiest fruits in kernels he doth set: Or scrapeth off the moss, the trees that oft annoy." [toy,

But with these trifling things why idly do I Who any way the time intend not to prolong? To those Thamisian isles now nimbly turns my song, Fair Shepey and the Greane sufficiently supply'd, To beautify the place where Medway shows her pride.

16

But Greane seems most of all the Medway to adore,
And Tenet standing forth to the Rutupian shore
By mighty Albion plac'd till his return again
From Gaul; where after he by Hercules was slain.
For earth-born Albion, then great Neptune's
eldest son,

Ambitious of the fame by stern Alcides won, [fight,
Would over (needs) to Gaul, with him to hazard
Twelve labours which before accomplish'd by his
might;
[his care)
His daughters then but young (on whom was all
Which Doris, Thetis' nymph, unto the giant bare:
With whom those isles he left; and will'd her for
his sake,
[would make :
That in their grandsire's court she much of them
But Tenet, th' eld'st of three, when Albion was to
go,
[so,
Which lov'd her father best, and loth to leave him
There at the giant raught; which was perceiv'd
by chance :
[France;
This loving isle would else have follow'd him to
To make the channel wide that then he forced was,
§. Whereas (some say) before he us'd on foot to
pass.

Thus Tenet being stay'd, and surely settled there, Who nothing less than want and idleness could bear,

Doth only give herself to tillage of the ground. With sundry sorts of grain whilst thus she doth abound, [by Wye, She falls in love with Stour, which coming down And towards the goodly isle, his feet doth nimbly To Canterbury then as kindly he resorts, ply. His famous country thus he gloriously reports: "O noble Kent," quoth he, " this praise doth

thee belong,

The hard'st to be control'd, impatientest of wrong. Who, when the Norman first with pride and horrour sway'd,

[laid; Threw'st off the servile yoke upon the English And with a high resolve, most bravely didst restore That liberty so long enjoy'd by thee before. §. Not suff'ring foreign laws should thy free customs bind, [kind, Then only show'dst thyself of th' ancient Saxon