The prince of Great Parma heard of her renowne, Who long had advanced for Englands faire crowne; Hee wooed her and sued her his mistress to bee, And offerd rich presents to Mary Ambree. But this virtuous mayden despised them all, 80 Then to her owne country shee backe did returne, 85 XX. BRAVE LORD WILLOUGHBEY. Peregrine Bertie, lord Willoughby of Eresby, had, in the year 1586, distinguished himself at the siege of Zutphen, in the Low Countries. He was the year after made general of the English forces in the United Provinces, in room of the Earl of Leicester, who was recalled. This gave him an opportunity of signalizing his courage and military skill in several actions against the Spaniards. One of these, greatly exaggerated by popular report, is probably the subject of this old ballad, which, on account of its flattering encomiums on English valour, hath always been a favourite with the people. 'My lord Willoughbie (says a contemporary writer) was one of the queenes best swordsmen: . . . . he was a great master of the art military . . . . I have heard it spoken, that had he not slighted the court, but applied himself to the queene, he might have enjoyed a plentifull portion of her grace; and it was his saying, and it did him no good, that he was none of the Reptilia; intimating, that he could not creepe on the ground, and that the court was not his element; for indeed, as he was a great souldier, so he was of suitable magnanimitie, and could not brooke the obsequiousnesse and assiduitie of the court.' (Naunton.) Lord Willoughbie died in 1601.-Both Norris and Turner were famous among the military men of that age. The subject of this ballad (which is printed from an old black-letter copy, with some conjectural emendations,) may possibly receive illustration from what Chapman says in the Dedicat. to his version of Homer's Frogs and Mice, concerning the brave and memorable Retreat of Sir John Norris, with only 1000 men, thro' the whole Spanish army, under the duke of Parma, for three miles together. THE fifteenth day of July, With glistering spear and shield, Were English captains three; The next was captain Norris, The other captain Turner, From field would never flee. With fifteen hundred fighting men, Alas! there were no more, 5 10 They fought with fourteen thousand then, 15 'Stand to it noble pikemen, And look you round about: And shoot you right you bow-men, you prove true to me, Says brave lord Willoughbèy. And then the bloody enemy And fought it out most furiously, The wounded men on both sides fell Yet nothing could the courage quell For seven hours to all mens view This fight endured sore, Until our men so feeble grew That they could fight no more; And then upon dead horses Full savourly they eat, And drank the puddle water, They could no better get. When they had fed so freely, For the favour they had found; The fight they did renew, The sharp steel-pointed arrows, Charge on most furiously; Then quoth the Spanish general, 'Come, let us march away, I fear we shall be spoiled all If here we longer stay; And then the fearful enemy And caught their forces quite; 60 65 Which ecchoed through the sky, 'God, and St. George for England!' 70 The conquerers did cry. This news was brought to England And soon our gracious queen was told 'O! this is brave lord Willoughbey, My love that ever won, 75 Of all the lords of honour 'Tis he great deeds hath done.' 80 To the souldiers that were maimed, And wounded in the fray, The queen allowed a pension Of brave lord Willoughbèy. 85 Then courage, noble Englishmen, And never be dismaid; If that we be but one to ten, We will not be afraid To fight with foraign enemies, And set our nation free. And thus I end the bloody bout 90 95 XXI. VICTORIOUS MEN OF EARTH. This little moral sonnet hath such a pointed application to the heroes of the foregoing and following ballads, that I cannot help placing it here, though the date of its composition is of a much later period. It is extracted from 'Cupid and Death, a masque by J. S. [James Shirley] presented Mar. 26, 1653. London printed 1653,' 4to. VICTORIOUS Men of earth, no more Proclaim how wide your empires are; And your triumphs reach as far As night or day; Yet you proud monarchs must obey, And mingle with forgotten ashes, when Death calls yee to the croud of common men. Devouring famine, plague, and war, Each able to undo mankind, Nor to these alone confin'd; He hath at will More quaint and subtle wayes to kill; 5 10 A smile or kiss, as he will use the art, 15 Shall have the cunning skill to break a heart. |