that before their swords Did seize the French stood trembling thus an oke Shakes with that wind vshers the thunder stroke For they like thunder shot their furie through Where solidnes did most resistance make And crumble into dust what would not bow Whereon they stand and thence aduanced take Their stately flight on humbled backes we rise And on the wings of ruine conquest flies Thus Rome in a sedition was tooke VVhen Arnulph came there mutinies to quell His souldiers shoutings such amazements strooke That from the wall the startled Romans fell Their heapes were scaling ladders and their fall Made him the staires on which he clim'd the wall The Boheme King in head of all his men Encounters with dehruction and dares Death to a duell which did meete him then And with deepe cutts cancell his date of yeares Disarmd him not he still his weapon held As if his ghost should fight when he was kild Kings vpon whom many depend haue vs'd T' haue danger at a distance nor at all Tread within reach the Theban chiefe accusd Himselfe for being neere an arrows fall For Kings are those chiefe stones which arches knit Let one be dislocated all will flitt A loyall subiect hath nor life nor breath But what 's infus'd and breathed from the Prince Who if he rashly shall encounter death Stifles too cruellie his influeuce And 't is a problem whether thus to dye Or greater rashnes be or crueltie Leaders without disgrace haue sometimes fled He that did flye this day may next day fight Great Amurath had not beene vanquished Had not Huniades beene sau'd by flight Wherelife more than our death auailes the state Valour by flight may looke for better fate But where it doth not leaders must not moue But cope with danger here a Captaines flight Reads basenesse to his men and coward loue Of an ignoble life in such a flight A valliant Diomed will rather dye And scorne to stir though Nestor bids him flye Twice was the King of France beate off his horse By Henault movnted vp as oft did rise And acted to the height of single force He did so noblic fight so well aduise He seemd his armies hand and armies head He fought like Scaeua and like Cesar led The valliaut King still wrastles with his fate As if he would vntwist what that had weau'd Deeming the web of fate had beene like that VVith which the Grecian dame her loues deceiu'd Flesh cannot breake the threds the fates haue spun Like Narses web theirs cannot be vndone Nor Frances strength nor fortune can preuaile Fortune hath left no refuge but to flye The King turnd head and all his men turnd taile And leaue at once the field aud victorie Soone turnd the King the armie turnd as soone Thus a small rudder turnes a Galeone The King congratulates his sonne for this Faire earnest of his future victories And sealeth vp his language with a kisse VVith mute expressions the Prince replies Silence hath Rhetoricke and veiles are best To portrâ—â—â—t that which cannot be exprest Wars greater tempest had forgat to blow And horrors thicker clowdes were driu'n away But lighter mists and weaker blasts did now Appeare to dim the honour of the day Thus when a roring storme hath ceasd to raue A trembliug noyse still murmurs on the waue When the next morne had blusht to see the field Looke redder then her selfe in purple dight Some scatterd troopes as willing to be kild Came rather to a slanghter then a fight If the sound bodies of whole armes faile 'T is ruine for sore members to assaile For by the English breathing death they 're blowne Out of the field and day drawne out of night So many Lords of France were ouerthrowne That yet I ne'r could iudge if that I might Or a misfortune or an honour call That losse should alwaies on their nobles fall FINIS THE BATTAIE OF Poictiers vnder Edward Sirnanamed the Blacke Prince NOt in full orbe as yet his honour shines True honours orbs are fill'd by digits grow By orderlie addictions high designes Doe with Methodicall progression goe Tall Cedars by degrees aduance the top 'T is Mushrome honour in a night springs vp Nature the hand and instrument of heauen VVith sober pace aduanceth fairelie on Her peeces are produc'd by smooth and euen Degrees and grow by soft accession Nature by mediums workes leaps not at all And honour leapd to seemes vnnaturall But yet she stayes not but doth gently pace In her continued march and high borne sprights Worke 〈◊〉 Falcon to wring to her place Winns are by constant circlings not alights Macedoâ— heire could glory he did raise His name by expeditions not delayes Then on great Prince the eldest sonne of Fame Honours first borne continue still to add Items to vertues sum and weare a name Charg'd with more well-won titles than he had Contest for thy inheritance in fame More iust thy interest more faire thy claime France was the court wherein the case was try'd With title so apparant proofes so cleare His plea for honour could not be deni'd By iustice brib'd nay if more worlds there were And Philips sonne had triumpht on them all His suit for honours birthright here should fall But he that would court honour in the field And wed her noblie to his vertue must Hold passion in on a firme basis build And know the causes of his war be iust Great actions if not founded deepe will reele The greatest ship must haue the strongest keele To procure peace or keepe a foe at bay By warding iniuries call a warre iust But not to hug reuenge and make a way For brutish feritie but that Kings must Keepe Kings in good opinion that they know What a wrong is and how to vse a foe T' enlarge the â—iâ—ts of Kingdomes and extend An Empires armes a war may authorize The Prince whom sacred leaues doe most commend And by the style of heau'n is writt most wise Made all the people tributarie bee Were from Euphrates to the midland sea Or to recouer what our right hath beene And what 's deteind vniustly to regaine Where iustice ends there iustlie warrs begin Our Edward thus did war in Aquitaine Thus fierce Camillus taught th' insulting Gaule To weigh the treasure and restore it all King Iohn had setled vpon Charles his sonne Aquitaines Dâ—rchie which did owe her state To Englands Edward who confirm'd it on The Prince with charge his right to vindicate Kings doe marke Kings proceedings and to eye Their waies is politicke necessitie This was that Charles whom the French stories writ First Dolphin Vinbert broken at the chance Of 's onely sonnes decease did giue his right Of Dolphinie to Phillip King of France But with this coution conferd the same They should the heire of Franee the Dolphin name Goe vindicate thy right a word what can Effect a wonder on lame cowardise And teach it moue but to the Prince a man To picture prowes by it doth but this
a question whether Rome ought more To her owne fortitude or to this whore But France hath greater opposition here Than single fortune had we cowards beene She had imparkd vs like a heard of deere But in so few ne'r was more valour seene A multitude could neuer make a head Against feirce Lyons if by Lyons lead Whilst the French swolne with vaine sickish hope Of victory are ready now to burst In feaue'rish choler on the foe the Pope With fatherly prevention tried first It for such feavers any thing might be A soueraigne cure besides Phlebotomie To meditate betweene this mighty paire He sent two Cardinalls the French withstood With eares of proofe and fortified 'gainst prayer Their Crosier staues could here doe little good Nay if the herauld of the gods had come He might haue broke his rod and so flowne home We were too far gone in this maze to flye Nor humane iudgement could present a light To shew vs out Time and necessity Aduise the Prince leane to a Peace which might Be not inglorious and giue a blow Vpon his honour deeper then a foe But France presuming fatally there are Vpon her side matchles aduantages Will heare no musicke but the sounds of warre The hymnes of Peace are but dull aires to these Thus Semele the thundercracke will heare And dies with that which onely pleas'd her eare The Prince beset with strong obiections Of opposits can no euasion see Would therefore yeeld to faire conditions Nay yeeld vp all things but himselfe and he Cannot be guilty of such base controwle Whose body't selfe 's no prison to his soule Yet this and onely this can satisfie Their high desires Edward must basely yeeld Himselfe a pris'ner nay he 'le rather dye Than yeeld and liue nay fore he quits the field He 'le take their King t is iust he that will choose To take thy freedome should his freedome loose He giues conditions as if we were Now in his hands and really possest In 's ouerweening thoughts and doth not feare Our fortune and our valour but profest Hee 'd set vs Lawes but Edward thought it fit Those Lawes like Dracos should in blood be writ His articles at first did terrour strike And did our minds in darke suspenses hold But ended things to laugh at not vnlike The armed charets in the field of old Wherein both sithes and hookes and speares were borne Were first a terrour afterward a scorne To yeeld ones selfe and yeeld before a blow Calls indignation ftom a cowards brest He could not yeeld his honour to his foe For others had in it some interest He had deceiu'd country and King for he To them for 's honour must accomptant be His life and honour at the stake did lie Set to be throw'n at in this martiall game Hee 'l therefore vse his life couragiously To keepe from forfeit his vngaged fame And with a fearelesse progresse dangers meet Life not in length but in the vse is sweet The King of France an errour did commit And wars for errours scarce haue second roome Had he but tymd it and not ioyned yet We easely would to composition come Fortune 's a Market if a while you stand Things doe grow cheape and fall into your hand We could not with prouision be stor'd He might haue cut it off without a blow Famine had beene more forciue than the sword But he will fondly buckle with his foe And by his folly make our fortune great Serpents proue Dragons when they Serpens eate Great actions are not moulded on t of hand They aske their time for iust conception Least they should proue blind issues they deman A first and second agitation And are on arguments of Counsell tost Or on the waues of fortune they are lost When mature counsell hath concluded what Is to be done and how contriu'd wee need Dispatch the life of things to practise that Consult at leisure prosecute with speed Which Tytus by his emblem well descride A nimble Dolphin to an anchor ty'd King Iohn admits no consultation To ripen his designes as if 't had beene Too short a time for his perdition Grapling with dangers brings them sooner in Actions are weakned with too hasty speed Thus predigestion doth diseases breed He Kenns not precedents that went before But with erected and ambitious eye Thinkes on surmis'd aduantages to sore Nor minding what 's before him to mount high Thus a seeld doue with right vp mountures flies Because she sees not what before her lies If he had but his fathers legend read There had beene lectures to haue taught him wit The name of Crescey might haue strooke him dead To thinke like fortune might attend vs yet Heau'n destining a fall muffies the eyes And when it will destroy it stupefies When some did th' Emperour Charles the fourth aduise To dare the Turkish cressant he refusd 'Cause through the current of all histories He saw much blood was in those warres effusd The ancient times what is the best doe show The moderne teach what is most fit to doe When Zeuxis did his Iuno goe about From the choise shapes of th' Agrigentine Dames He culd the rarest of perfections out Thus Princes doe arriue at highest names For they the best of all examples take When they the Iuno of their power doe make Their former suffrings might instructions be T is best anothers madnesse to inioy They might their owne through other danger see And with what fate we did our shafts employ From fire which hath once burnt it to refreine Moues in the circle of an Infants braine When Archimedes engins once had feard And did at Siracuse the Romans maull Not one in all the leager once appeard But stood the space of danger from the wall If they a peece of rope or wood did spy Supposing it an engin they would flie From his owne losse hee 'l read instruction And try experience on himselfe they sing To a deafe rocke who tune perswasion The Card'nalls is dull rhet'ricke for a King Not to be forced is a glorious state But not perswaded is a dangerous fate Wise Chiefes would purchase were it to be sold A foes returne which made that worthy say If he will goe make him a bridge of gold No mettall is too deare to paue his way Vnwelcome oppositions will at length Create a sudden fury and new strength The Freneh well mounted did so firmely ride They seemd some monster made of man and beast Thus rid the Centaures by Enipus side Inuited to Peryth'ous bridall feast Nessus did fall by great Alcides Bow Thus the French Centaures haue their ouerthrow Iohn on his horse the confidence did lay And thinkes he sooner shall vpon their speed Allight at th' hope and honour of the day But this opinion did an errour breed An eye through water measures nothing streight Nor wisedome through the glasse of preconceit He sees not how the prince had layd his men Close in a bushie and vnequall ground His
THE BATTAILES OF CRESCEY and Poictiers vnder the leading of King Edward the Third of that name And his Sonne Edward Prince of Wales named the Blacke By Charles Allen sometime of Sidney Colledge in Cambridge Magnarum rerum etiamsi successus Non fuerit Honestus ipse conatus est Seneca LONDON Printed by Tho Purfoot for T. K. 1631. DOCTISSIMO AMICO SVO CAROLO ALEINO de nobili hoc Poemate SI quid victrices debebunt vatibus vmbrae Aevum mortali si dare musa potest Et decus aeternum praestare hos doctus honores Praestitit Alleinus Rex Edovarde tibi Gallorum domitor tibique inuictissime Princeps Cujus adhuc nomen saecula nostra colunt Felices animae laudes agnoscite vestras Carminaque eximios dignae sonare duces Maesta suas iterum lugebit Gallia clades Damnaque per calamum iam renovata tuum Sentiet infelix lugubria praelia damnans Temporaque Anglorum cum pharetrata cohrrs Rumperet hostiles horrenda strage catervas Gallaque Gallorum luxuriaret humus Sanguine pinguescens quae ne damnare tenebris Saecula vel possit perdere livor edax Hos patriae reddit meritos Alleinus honores Nec patitur regum fortia facta mori Thomas May. To his Friend Mr. Charles Allen vpon his learned Poeme THe noblest spurre vnto the sonnes of fame Is thirst of honour and to haue their name Enrold in faithfull History thus worth Was by a wise ambition first brought forth Blest Edward whom posterity shall know By this vnspotted worke to which we owe Our knowledge of thy Choisest deedes so iust Has bin my friend vnto thy reuerend dust Truth is the historians Crowne and art Squares it to stricter comelinesse each part Thou skilfully obseru'st whose learned slight Shall teach succeeding ages how to write Goe on t'improoue the world and scorne the harme That malice can find out desert's a charme Be fortunate as knowing may thy brayne Ioue-like bring forth valour and wit disdaine Those torturers of wit that stuffe these times With rude Composures and vnseason'd rimes It will be weakenesse to inlarge thy prayse Thy owne iudicious Poeme is thy bayes Iohn Hall To my Friend Mr. Charles Allen. CHarles by the muse Edward the Blacke seems faire The daring Sonne of an vndaunted Sire Liue not my hopes if I can iudge more rare Their Acts or thy expression To require An equall censure this with truth accords They giue thee matter thou afford'st them words John Lewis TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull and accomplished Sir John Spencer of Ofley Knight and Baronet Sir I Haue read said Cosmus a Duke of Florence that wee should forgiue our Enemies but no where that wee should forgiue our Friends It seemes by this Dukes doctrine that the transgression of an engaged obseruer is no veniall sinne Indeede the discontinuance of my seruice cries so loude that had I not much faith in your goodnesse I should not hope an attonement But your noble nature hath bespoke my confidence The figure of that deuotion long since set in my brest I heere delineate in this Dedication begging the noble charity of your construction that you would rather conceiue well of the patterne then too nearely examine the portraiture A diffidence wherof were an vnpardonable trespasse to your generous selfe to whom my study shall make good what your merits expect from the faith of his obseruance in whose Logicke to bee and to bee yours is conuertible Charles Allen. TO THE NOBLE and vertuous Ladie the Ladie Spencer of Ofley Madam IT may seeme a solecisme to match a Lady and a battaile for Trumpets and Fifes are harsh accents in a Ladies eare and a Battaile though but in arras is terrible But this makes the constuction good I see your virtue most Honourd Lady stand higher then your Sex and in that I know that the atcheiuements of actiue spirits are more welcome to a masculine vertue then a soft discourse Besides there hath euer beene a sympathie betwixt Ladies and Martialists and the Doues of Venus make their nests sometime in a Soldiers helmet Nay to passe true stories the bookes of Knight errantrie were but shrunken things if wee tooke out of them aduentures done for Ladies I hope the reconcilementis made if not your Ladiship is mercifull and though you detect an errour in my Iudgement you shall finde an infallibilitie in his deuotion who here laies his hand vpon your Altar for protection Charles Allen. THE BATTAILE OF CRESCEY T Is true my hand blacke Edward cann't enrowle In honors brasen leaues nor draw a line In his fam'd table vnlesse Homers soule Were made by wondrous transmigration mine I car'd not though Pythagoras did misse In all Philosophie if true in this Yet may I draw somenobler Genius forth Whose high-borne streines are privileg'd from time Who in the handling of a theame of worth Can drowne fames trumpet with a mighty rime And soaring notes impt with a muses wing High as the Bards that Agincourt did sing Let Tourney quake great Edward's at her gate And like a meteor menaceth her walls Tourney may glory in her better fate If by the hand of Edward Tourney falls For 't is a comfort by great hands to die And thus to fall is next to victory But now the enemy is on his way Navar the French and the Bohemian King To take the hungry Lion from his prey Three Kings but named might some terrour bring But titles neuer were by iudgement feard Had all the hoast beene Kings he had not car'd And that the French might know his perso'nall worth Hee dard De Valois to a single fight And if not that to draw a hundred forth That fewer slaughters might decide the right A good King knowes cause all depend on him To loose a subiect is to loose a limbe I will not question if a leader should Be personally seene in such an action It is enough for me that Edward would His precedent is reall satisfaction A King 's a God on earth and this I 'le call Edwards divinity one dye for all But such defiances are vaine to those Who more their numbers than their valour trust Now armie armie all shall all oppose The French will haue it so the English must Edward appoints a day 't is brauely done To tell thy foman when thou wilt come on T was genuine valour in our grand-sires who Proclaimed when and what they meant to doe And scornd like theeues to steale vpon a foe A foe vnwarned is vnarmed too By sculking out to beat an enemy Doth pilfer honour and steale victory The cloud of war was ready to dissolue To showers of blood the ayre affrighted feard The blowes it should receiue now all resolue To goe or send to death but all is cleard What was presaged blacke proues a faire day A Ladies breath dispelld the storme away Sister to Phillip mother to Edwards wife The Ladie Iane De Valois interceedes A cloistered Nun sets period to the strife Or else whole troopes had
is iustlie fir'd lesse shall be done Now by a Pope then had beene by a Nun. March on and now at Carentine they are Great Cliffons hands are naild vpon her gates This act shall make her feele th' extreme of war And wronged Cliffons hands shall spin her fates Like a Petar they make her gates to fly And ope a passage to her miserie But Carentine can now no longer hold For guilt is fearefull and the English are Like heards of wolues amidst a fleecie fold Wrong'd fauours turnd to furie will none saue For drams of Cliffons blood whole pounds are shed And hundreds are attonement for his head The walles that would haue garded them shall burne And cause they shard in guilt be razed downe Edward the buildings doth to atomes turne As if he would annihilate the towne For that his corpes they of its rites beguile The towne in flames is Cliffons funerall pile They take in Caen in Normandie and aduance Forward for no controlement yet bids stay Almost to Paris and the heart of France Whilst sword and fire doe vsher them their way Though fire was giuen but for the heate light Yet man can teach this element to fight And now t is tyme to bid the English stand Which is not done by bearding them in fight They tumble downe the bridges and command Th' impetuous stremes to counter check their might Edward must cumbat if he will passe o're Now against water as with fire before But whilst the English are in search to finde Where it is fordable and how they might Gaine to the other side the French diuind By weake coniectures that this stay was flight Thus doe we build assurance on a waue And easily beleeue what wee would haue Weake man the welstord shop of vanities Dreame of a shade and shadow of a dreame Erects presumptions on vncertainties And is in feares or hopes fondly extreme Thoughts airie castles in a breath doe fall And hopes which highest fly flag first of all But long the streame cannot there iourney bound Not with his winding armes the passage keepe On Blanch Laque vpon some the English found A ford which nature had not made so deepe For nature durst not be rebellious To stay whom heau'n would haue victorious Edward was first that entrd on the ford Like to great Philips greater sonne when he Fought against Porus with this mouing word He that doth loue me let him follow me It was a word so forciue that it might Make valour wonders doe and basenes fight Philip sixe thousand foot a thousand horse Sends to the ford whom Godmar lead along To lay a rub before the English course But opposition maketh strength more strong For vertue gathers heate by hauing foes Valour is dull'd and numb'd when none oppose As when the sea hath artificiall bounds And damms haue laid command vpon the waues Not rebellike to ouerrun the grounds More madded with these stops it wildlie raues And valours of that one ey'd Captaines mind 'T will make a passage if it cannot find Furie is not by full resistance tam'd Voyding must ward it he is mad will stay A beare or bull broke loose furie inflam'd Is violent on all that 's in its way What stands before is offerd to the eye In the true nature of an enemie And now S. George The French are mowed downe Like men ripe for the sword the English won The quitted bancke Godmar is ouerthrowne And when no hands to fight hath feet to run And least their armie should too great be thought Leades backe too thousand fewer then he brought The passage is theit owne for Crescey now Which in his mothers right was Edwards owne Crescey is famed for that ouerthrow Where horror in his deepest die was showne To be in view of that which is ones right Would make a heart for lesse than Edwards fight In three Battalias the King drew out His men by valliant commanders leade Wales her young lion in the vangard fought Which like a herse in forme was ordered It were enough to make a coward fly To see this emblem of mortalitie With him was Hare court Warwicke and La ware Beaucham and Bourchier worthies who knew well The vse of hand and head the next troopes are Lead by Northampton Rosse and Arundell Cheifs who like sowles could the dull spirits stir In the chill hart of coldest follower The third Battalia King Edward lead His soldiars might vnder his conduct be Prowd and secure so Mars stood in the head Of his robustious Thracian companie The three Battalias seemd as they did stand The three fork'd thunder in Ioues flaming hand The English armie is clos'd vp behind And barricadod that they cannot flye Their horses tooke away put them in mind That they were there to conquer or to dye 'T is policie to bar the meanes of flight Necessitie will make a coward fight Couragious Edward spurres their valour on And cheeres his sprightfull soldiars where he came His breath did kindle valour where was none And where it found a sparke it made a flame Armies of fearefull hearts will scorne to yeeld If lyons be their Captaines in the field Through all the armie this tenthworthy rid With a white rod in his victorious hand As if to chastise fortune if shee did But dare his vncontrold designes withstand ' Though fooles and cowards at the name do quake The wise and valiant their fortune make The King as strength ioyned with wisedom should Set targets in the front to saue his men From Genoan Crosbowes so wise Rome of old Gaue crownes to them that saued a citisen Offensiue rashnesse she did not commend 'T is the first act of valour to defend Which made the old King of Bohemia say The English marshalling speakes this intent Either to loose their liues or win the day To get a trophie or a monument A soldiar hath two aimes to win or dye A Coward two quickely to win or fly Now Sauois Earle to make the conquest full Brings in a thousand to the enemie To share in his hop'd fortunes and to pull A pinion from the wing of victorie But Amie heere â—is debt to nature paies And weareth Cypresse for triumphant bayes Blacke was the day the Chaos was thus blacke Before 't was said Let there be light the clouds Opend their watrie treasures which did cracke They were so full all is insable shrowds The symptomes of trew griefe were in the spheare As if it meant to be chiefe mourner heere The Sun at first halfe scared with the sight Behind the Moone with halfe his body lies So soone as he was quitted of this fright He shot his beames full on the Frenchmens eyes And 'gainst them let his raies like arrowes fly As if he sided with our archerie Then on a cloud an arch triumphall drew And lookt vpon that watrie lookinglasse That he himselfe might by reflection view Whether his late Eclips had changed his face Or else it was to let the English
know How much they were endebted to the bow The lightning cuts the ayre with flaming wing Willing to aide the Sunne in that darke day And heau'ns great shot doth in the welkin ring And with loud bellowings vshers the fray As if for those great Lords which here shall fall Heau'n ow'd a volly to the funerall Shoales of ill-boding Rauens as if the sky Had not beene darke enough a shadow made Darke as the clouds that though the glorious eye Of heau'n had shind they had beene in the shade Foules ioyntly met to feast vpon the dead The guests were tombes where men were buried The pikes are orderd ensignes are displaid And menace braue extremity the light Of glittering helmes and wauing streamers made A day seem cleere which before seemed night Pale feare had amorous lookes and all the while Terrour lookt Iouely and death seemd to smile The shafts headed with death and wingd with speed Now to the arched engine they apply Which as if hungry on mans flesh to feed With greedy certainty appear'd to flye Their bowes with such a certainty they drew As Phaebus did when he the Python slew We to the grey goose wing more conquests owe Than to the Monks inuention for then We cull'd out mighty armes to draw the bow Striplings oft serue vs now then onely men For these hot engins equall mischiefe can Discharged by a boy or by a man Bullets because they vndiscerned flie Worke lesse effects of feare but dangers seene If they cannot be fenc'd more terrifie At startled sence reason hath startled beene Amaz'd to haue so many shafts in sight In hope to ward them they forget to fight A well-selected Archer can let flye Thrice for one shot of the best musketeere And barbed arrowes gall more eagerly Where they once light they second fresh-wounds there And mad the Horse who will not forward stir More sensible of them than of the spur Who madded as they backard fly doe fall Foule on their owne and doe their seruice there Whilst their owne Horses their owne quarters mall They both themselues and enemies must feare Thus broke vvith an vnvvilling courtesie They ope a passage to the enemy The musketeeres discharge but in one ranke At once but whole squadrons of Archers may These wound at randome they but at point blanke And when both sides are now engag'd in fray At push of Pike behind the armed foot Though muskets cannot yet the Bowes may shoot At the fam'd Battaile of Lepanto when Valiant young Austria vvwas admirall The Turkish Archery did slay more men Than by our Peeces of all sorts did fall And the white faith of history cann't show That e're the Musket yet could beat the Bow The Genoan Bowes to make the French horse way In the first point are ranged but the showers Auxiliarie heau'n distild that day Corrupt the Genoan strings but hurt not ours Small things worke much where victory is due And onely hurt your foe though might hurt you Novv since their Bowes vnserviceable be The King commanded Allanson to rent And beate them from the point thus oft we see Actions condemnd for some ill accident Which may miscarry when t is not the crime Of him that did attempt them but the time Meane men are often in small faults impeacht Greatnesse aboue the clouds so high asshrind It cannot by Ioues greatest shot be reacht And laughs at the low vollies of the wind Wolfe-bane 'mongst roses leaues its deadly sent Faults amongst great men find no punishment But th' English of their strings more care did take VVhose winged pursivants deaths message beare Some through loues seat the liuer passage make As if our Archers had beene Cupids there Some strike lifes seat the hart so that you can Scarse tell if death did shoot them or a man As when the colder Region of the ayre Moulds Raine to haile-shot the relenting tree Of the plump God lusty before and faire Looseth her rubies with heau'ns battery Thus fell the French for shoot though in the darke T is hard to misse when the whole fieid's a marke The Genoan tempest is dispell'd their force Diuided wins no feare a mighty flood Cut in small rills is weakned in his course And parted strength is easily withstood Diuide and then you conquer for though none Can breake a sheafe of darts they may break one Disorder's next to ruine and destroyes Th' essence of creatures order did create Then by the rule of contrarieties T is a disorder doth annihilate By this ill shaped enemy doe fall Both bodies politicke and naturall Continu'd or collected bodies are Weakned by their disvnion but doe Get strength by vn'ty beames reflex'd are far More hot because they are vnited so We see in bodies lyâ—ened by a soule The vnion of the parts conserues the whole Divisions ruine Realmes the Monarchies Of Mars his Rome and Macedon thus fall Christendomes whip that now doth tyrannize Shall thus returne to her originall Factions those commas are that bring the state Of Kingdomes to their period and fate The hot Count Alanson with fiery horse Scoures o're the plaines with an impetuousnesse Which eas'ly made it a short-winded course As it was sayd of great Themistocles His heat was quickly cooled and did draw To a too sodaine end like fire in straw The generous-mettald courser as if we Had beene too slow on foot is taught to fight Wee borrow speed to meet our enemy And flie to our reuenge and to doe right Vnto the actiue French old Thessaly Won not more Garlonds than their Chevalrie Armies if we Iphicrates will heare Are of themselues dull bodies nor can weeld Their sullen weights vnlesse the horse be three Which are ihe feet indeed the horse at field Are best in actions of celeritie In expeditions and discouery But horse 'gainst resolute foot can littlewin The mounting is more firme the aimes more sure For footmen haue their mouing from within They from their horse yet horse are more secure In flight and haue as Xenophon did say But the aduantage when they run away The sprightly Count is quickly out of breath Like to heau'ns lightning as soone out as seene A gallant flash before the night of death Those edges soonest turne that are most keene A sober moderation stands sure No violent extremities endure A storme of Enhlish Arrowes breakes their course And routs their troopes stout Alanson's engaged VVithin the lists of death the furious horse Impatient patients of their wounds enraged Dismount their riders vext that they did beare Men that did spur them to those dangers there But carefull Phillip his Battalia brings To disengage his cousen and foresight And prouidence in Kings doth make them Kings Kingdomes are Chaoses without their light And in Niles mysticke characters the eye More than the scepter noted maiesty Suffolke as wary on his battaile drew To ayd his Prince and checke the King of France Whilst rusty horrour through the armies flew And dealt his dole of death indiff'rent
takes leaue of matiall feates The carefull Prince will not his men bestow In fields vnsheltred whilst the leagring cold And battring engins of chill ice and snow Assault the spirits and surprize their hold Who let their men i th field in winter lie Both combat nature and the enemie The Sun surrownding with a fleet carrere On the highway of the Eclipticke line Had inned in his winter signes that yeere And at the goale his mounture did decline Thus Edward to his winter Tropick came Aduancing through the Zodiacke of fame As when a fat and teemeing soile is growne Leane and o'respent and by its often birth Threatens a barren womb the moileing clowne Fallowes the acres of his languisht earth Thus chiefes indulge their weari'd soldiars rest And husband valour in their fallow'd brest Apollos yew is not at all times bent It sometime feriates and string is slackt The sinews of his lyre not alway rent With screwing torture nor with winding rackt These rests and stops with sweet varietie Tune all our actions to a harmonie Now had the Sun rid through his winter stage And lighted at the lusty ram the earth With hearbs as Aeson did renew her age And was impregnate with a numerous birth Flora to ope her wardrobe did begin As 't were to decke her at her lying in The constellation of the winged steed Rising with Sol attempereth the ayre To the radicall humour and doth breede Blood in the strouting veines and sprights repaire Soldiars in spring doublie their seruice can A man in winter is but halfe a man The Prince who had in winter seem'd to set Aduanceth forward with th'aduancing Sun Doth not his resolute designes forget Nor to consummate what he had begun Not to promote what we doe once comence Argues a weakenesse and a diffidence Vaines would be cram'pd the stream of blood would freeze In the old chanels should they longer lie And if they still should sacrifice to ease Valour would fall into alethargie Dull lakes are choakt with melancholie mud Motions doth cleare and cristallize a flood No body's 〈◊〉 healthfull without exercise Iust wars are exercises of a state Vertue 's in motion and contends to rise With generous ascents aboue a mate Princes in motion with the spheares contest Made more for veneration then for rest With vncontrowled march he did aduance Througb Bruges Perigort and Limosin And seizd the bosome of affrighted France The terrour of his acts vsherd him in The lowd report of his victorious name Did execution long before he came As when the nurses rod cannot appease The Child at th' hearing of some horrid name 'T is husht thus Turkey with Huniades Stilled their children saying that he came A frightfull name 's as forciue as a blow Both Edwards name and arme can ouerthrow For he like light diffused in the aire Spreads without opposition meets no stay To checke his faire proceedings nor impaire His smoother fortune wheeling on her way No lets encountred with his fortunes yet They ran as smoothly as Musaeus writ As yet ther 's no abatement of his power No blood expended they did nothing meet Whereby they might diegust the wars no sower As yet had beene attempeâ—d with their sweet Thus Arethusa slides through Neptunes bed And keepes her maiden streame vnrauished But whether march we are the armes of France Pinio'nd with feare What not a Caualleere That for his mistris sake dare try his Lance If not for 's country be a champion here Yes now their horsemen like a tempest come Acknowledgd then the flower of Christendome King Iohn such vnexpected hast did make His spirits heated with too quicke a fire He did the Prince at Poictiers ouertake He wingd his hope and imped his desire As if he would his hastie fates importune He might outrun his father in misfortune The King mistooke it for a chase and thought To ouertake were to surprize his foe As when a hownd with snufling long hath sought Through way lesse woods which way the game did goe Rouses by chance a Lyon for a deere And thus the French did rowse a Lyon heere Vnder the heauie burthen of their power They seem'd to make the groning earth to yeeld And with a clowd of men able to shower Distruction on the world darken the field A whirlewind scowring from the Northern waine Did ease th' oppressed cleare the darkned plaine They had the odds of number sixe to one A wonder by a sixth to be withstood So many Speares at once and lances showne Did in a champaine seeme to make a wood But I haue heard a wolfe did neuer feare A flock of sheepe how great so e'r it were Let fond Tigranes in a proud despight Scoffe at Romes handfull and in brauerie Brag to his men they were too few for fight And but too many for an embassie They chas'd this bragart and the conquest wou And made his honour set before the Sun They haue the odds of country the cause is Try'd in their court and we are forc'd to play In their owne alley nay they 're strain by this To fight they loose the country with the day But in inuasiue wars abroad we doe But loose our selues and not our country too Vpon the foyle where thou wert borne to flee Cryes bastard in thy face is it not iust To pay her life whch once did lend it thee Ner couldst thou better dye and once thou must Giue me a cocke that nere durst strick a blow Vpon his dunghill he will beat his foe Nay as if fortune had a patent lent For France t' ingrosse all the aduantages Odds in conceit conceit an instrument VVhich though pantasticke gets realities The pregnant mothers strong imagination Hath giuen her wombe a reall alteration The King of France his army did draw out And on a spacious plaine imbatteled His num'rous multitude he wheeld about Like the first mouer and the fields did spread With traine too long and wings too short to fly Vnto so high a pitch as victory His hopes had now impos'd on his beleife That he already had the victorie He thinkes that tedious which all else thinke briefe He meanes to â—â—â—ne his battaile presentlie Desires are haâ—â—ie and when hopes are strong Minutes are lazie and compendiums long They thinke to scourge our heros and with steele Whip this yong warriour who now was made Professor in his art and scornd to feele Checke or correction from the proudest blade It cannot come into their memories He had at Crescey fought his master prize Scorning the petty numbers which we brought They rate them pris'ners more then enemies And against light and truth of nature thought That efficatious force in number lies He is blind-hardy that will dangers slight For they grow heauy when they once seeme light If chance claimd not an interest in tents And schooles of Mars then the French numbers might Seeme in good eyes enforcing arguments For strong conclusions but she claimes such right That t is
sooner giue Valour and mercy are the fixed poles On which the spheare of Edwards honor rowles Kings are Gods pictures and their mercy lend Best life vnto the Peeces clemency And moderation doe best commend Their actions and their fortunes beautifie These glorious lustres are the varnish cast Which makes their acts not onely shine but last Mercy declard vnto a foe doth show W' are cit'zens of this world and would not be Cut off by ferity and le ts men know No sepâ—ratists are in humanity Here we maintaine communion for our hearts Are continents not Iles from other parts King Iohn with humble state is entertaind Not dealt with roughly as an enemy Edward by valour his first conquest gaind And wins a second by his courtesie Base wolues and beares still vrge a yeelding foe Edward's a Lion and he cann't doe soe In midst of triumph here the crier say Remember thou art man to moderate Thy fortune on a steep descent wee stay Our selues and horse thus in a high-raisd state We vse a moderation and begin On fortunes steepe to reine our pnssions in So many pris'ners at this battaile tooke Who did into the armes of mercy yeeld As might haue taken vs at the first looke They seemd enough to win againe the field Saue that these odds did for the English stand One keeper can ten prisoners command So many Noble Lords did write with blood And seale with wounds that France did loue her King As if the Nobles did not thinke it good The commons should their testimonie bring To ratifie that truth themselues will be Th' onely subscribers to this veritie Edward the heau'ns doth humblie gratifie Whose starrs had for him in their courses fought And leade him by the hand to victorie And like sure conuoies through his dangers brought Timotheus thriues not after he denies A share to fortune in his victories Then he bestowes rich larges on his men T' enflame their minds that if they did not loue Vertue for her owne selfe rewards should then Win their loues to her and their dulnesse moue Reward is the great pillar of a state Which doth support as strongly as her fate Then heightens them with commendations praise Is the reflexion doth from vertue rise These faire encomiums doe vertue raise To higher acts to praise is to aduise Telling men what they are we let them see And represent to them what they should be And they were worthy of it Rome ne'r saw An armie yet to which this hoast would yeeld Nor brauer Chiefe than Edward er'e did draw Her powerfull legions into the field Edward shall mate the proudest He of Rome Let Caesars selfe her great dictator come When Rome had conquerd all the world beside Then and but then she durst attempt the Gaules Gaules who before her powers did deride And oft had scourged her at her owne walls Rome neuer durst the stubborne Gaul defie Till she had not another enemie But England had another powerfull foe The hardy Scot to threaten from the North Incursions yet then did Edward goe From home and lead with him an army forth And spight of Oracle a conquest win Which said we should with Scotland first begin Victorious Cesar bed ezperienc'd men Custom'd as well to conquests as to fights Those whom heroicke Wales conducted then Were but meere nouices in Mars his rites New chang'd the whip for sword the share for sheild And Ceres fat for Mars his bloodie field The Gaules indeed were resolute in war Whom Cesar with his legions vanquished Yet were those Gaules inferiour by far Vnto the French for the French conquered The Gaules who could not then themselues defeÌ„d Eue'n when that Rome did them assistance lend Ariouistus with his Germans had The Gaules in slauerie a great allay To the best temperd spirits and had made Factions to take their soueraignetie away Seditions are the rills which at the length Weaken the current and maine streame of strength But now the French were free a setled state And fixt in the obedience to one Lord A King for fame and fortune wondred at Vnder his colours Kings did draw the sword A King for whom one did himselfe bereaue Of rule for loue and one for money leaue Against a state so strong and setled thus Edward durst come with an vnpractisd few The French had more aduantages of vs â—han Cesar of those Gaules he ouerthrew And yet there were more markes of valour madâ— In France by th' English than the Roman blade Then why hath history so copious beene In old Romes strength as if it meant to say Not what should win beliefe but wonder win Thus Alexander left in India So great an armour which should rather be T' amaze than to informe posteritie Mighty third Edward thou didst propagate Strength in thy children though we often see Their seed degen'rous and t is thought a fate The sons of Heroes should a blemish bee Pure was the graine when it at first was sowne But it hath many huskes when it is growne Who hath in vertues Zenith seated beene Swerues farthest in his fall a mighty spright Highly sublim'd is stranger to a meane Nor is it foild in sinne but falls downe right And for the sinnes which such great sires haue don The heau'ns haue oft tooke vengeance on the son And sometime too great men vxorious are So was Themistocles and let their wiues With too indulgent education mar The hoped fortunes of their childrens liues Children like water on a table spilt Are easely drawne into what shape thou wilt But noble Edwards fortitude descends Downe to his sonnes this royall Eagle breeds An airie of true Eaglets not commends Doues to the world a valiant race succeeds This valliant father ne'r could Heros vaunt Of two such mighty sonnes as Wales and Gaunt Now farewell Lords who seeme t' haue thrown despaire VpoÌ„ the world which feares while it shal last It hardly shall be crownd with such a paire For nature lost the moulds where they were cast Or else in making them she spent such store That she hath scarse materialls for more FINIS