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,[4]
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,
Honours reward, fame for a famous day,
Wonder of eares, that men halfe gods shall call:
And contrarie, a hopelesse certaine way,
Into a Tyrants damned fists to fall,
Where 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;
Whose volleys made the pittying skyes to melt,
Yet with their noyse, in Grinuiles heart 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,
When 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, and monsters from their sleep 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,
Walld round with wooden Castels on the waue,
Fiftie three Tygers greedie in their wrongs,
Besiedge the princelie 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 night,
And nothing visits them but Canons light.
Then vp to heauen he lifts his loftie hart,
And cryes, old Salon, I am happy made.
All earthlie thoughts cleane from 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 conqueror he would conquer all,
Or conquered, with immortall honour fall.
Neuer fell hayle thicker then bullets flew,
Neuer show'rd drops faster than showring blowes,
Liu'd all the Woorthees, all yet neuer knew
So great resolue in so great certaine woes;
Had Fame told Cæsar what of this was true,
His Senate-murdred spirite would haue rose,
And with faire honors enuie wondred then,
Cursing mortalitie in mightie men.
Whilst thus affliction turmoyld in this brall,
And Grinuile still imployed his Actor death,
The great San-philip, which all Spayne did call
Th' vnuanquisht ship, Iberias soule and faith,
Whose mountaine hugenes more was tearmed then tall,
Being twice a thousand tuns as rumour saith,
Came rushing in, becalming Grinuiles sailes,
Whose courage grew, the more his fortunes failes.
Hotlie on eyther side was lightning sent,
And steeled thunder bolts dinge men to hell,
Vnweldie Phillip, backt with millions lent,
Worse cracks of thunder then on Phaeton fell,
That with the dayes fier fiered 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.