Michael Drayton- Collected Poetical Works

by Michael Drayton

Aym’d, whatsoeuer the successe befell

  That it no roomth should for a second leaue,

  More of this Title then in hand to tell,

  If so his skill him did not much deceaue,

  And gainst the King in publike should appeare;

  Thus frames his speech to the Assembly there.

  12: The Archbishop of Canterburies Oration, to the King &

  Parliament at Lecester, in the Eleuen following Stanzas.

  Pardon my boldnesse, my Liedge Soueraine Lord,

  Nor your Dread presence let my speech offend,

  Your milde attention, fauourably affoord,

  Which, such cleere vigour to my spirit shall lend,

  That it shall set an edge vpon your Sword,

  To my demand, and make you to attend,

  Asking you, why, men train’d to Armes you keepe,

  Your right in France yet suffering still to sleepe.

  13

  Can such a Prince be in an Iland pent,

  And poorely thus shutt vp within a Sea.

  When as your right includes that large extent,

  To th’either Alpes your Empire forth to lay,

  Can he be English borne, and is not bent

  To follow you, appoint you but the way,

  Weele wade if we want ships, the waues or climme,

  In one hand hold our swords, with th’other swim.

  14: The Crowne of France descended vpon Edward the third, from

  Isabell his Mother, Daughter and suruiuing heyre, to King Philippe of

  France named the fayre.

  What time controules, your braue great Grandsires claim,

  To th’Realme of France, from Philip nam’d the faire,

  Which to King Edward by his mother came,

  Queene Isabel; that Philips onely heire,

  Which this short intermission doth not maime,

  But if it did, as he, so yours repaire;

  That where his Right in bloud preuailed not,

  In spight of hell, yet by his Sword he got.

  15

  What set that Conqueror, by their Salique Lawes,

  Those poore decrees their Parliaments could make,

  He entred on the iustnesse of his Cause,

  To make good, what he dar’d to vndertake,

  And once in Action, he stood not to pause,

  But in vpon them like a Tempest brake,

  And downe their buildings with such fury bare,

  That they from mists dissolued were to ayre.

  16

  As those braue Edwards, Father, and the Sonne,

  At Conquer’d Cressy, with successefull lucke,

  Where first all France (as at one game) they wonne,

  Neuer two Warriours, such a Battaile strucke,

  That when the bloudy dismall fight was done,

  Here in one heape, there in another Rucke

  Princes and Peasants lay together mixt,

  The English Swords, no difference knew betwixt.

  17: Iames, Daulphine of Viennoies. The Dukes of Lorraine, and

  Burbon. The Earles of Aumerle, Sauoye, Mountbilliard, Flaunders, Neuers

  & Harecourt.

  There Lewes King of Beame was ouerthrowne

  With valient Charles, of France the younger Brother,

  A Daulphine, and two Dukes, in pieces hewen;

  To them six Earles lay slaine by one another;

  There the grand Prior of France, fetcht his last groane,

  Two Archbishops the boystrous Croud doth smother,

  There fifteene thousand of their Gentrie dy’de

  With each two Souldiers, slaughtered by his side.

  18: King Iohn of France and Philip his Son taken by the Black

  Prince at the Battaile of Poyteers, brought Prisoners to England.

  [Iohn of Cleumount.]

  [Peter of Burbon.]

  Nor the Blacke Prince, at Poyteers battaile fought;

  Short of his Father, and himselfe before,

  Her King and Prince, that prisoners hither brought

  From forty thousand weltring in their gore,

  That in the Worlds opinion it was thought,

  France from that instant could subsist no more,

  The Marshall, and the Constable, there slaine

  Vnder the Standard, in that Battaile ta’ne.

  19: Examples of such as haue aduanced thẽselues to the Crowne

  of France against the strict letter of the lawe Salique, in the two

  following Stanzas.

  Nor is this clayme for women to succeede,

  (Gainst which they would your right to France debarre)

  A thing so new, that it so much should neede

  Such opposition, as though fetcht from farre,

  By Pepin this is prou’d, as by a deede,

  Deposing Cheldrick, by a fatall warre,

  By Blythild dar’d his title to aduance,

  Daughter to Clothar, first so nam’d of France.

  20

  Hugh Capet, who from Charles of Lorayne tooke

  The Crowne of France, that he in peace might raigne,

  As heire to Lingard to her title stooke,

  Who was the daughter of King Charlemaine,

  So holy Lewes poring on his booke,

  Whom that Hugh Capet made his heire againe,

  From Ermingard his Grandame, claim’d the Crowne,

  Duke Charles his daughter, wrongfully put downe.

  21

  Nor thinke my Leege a fitter time then this,

  You could haue found your Title to aduance,

  At the full height when now the faction is,

  T’wixt Burgoyne, and the house of Orleance,

  Your purpose you not possibly can misse,

  It for my Lord so luckily doth chance,

  That whilst these two in opposition stand,

  You may haue time, your Army there to land.

  22

  And if my fancy doe not ouerpresse,

  My visuall sence, me thinkes in euery eye

  I see such cheere, as of our good successe

  In France hereafter seemes to Prophecie;

  Thinke not my Soueraigne, my Alegeance lesse

  Quoth he; my Lords nor doe you misaply

  My words: thus long vpon this subiect spent,

  Who humbly here submit to your assent.

  23

  This speech of his, that powerfull Engine prou’d,

  Then e’r our Fathers got, which rais’d vs hier,

  The Clergies feare that quietly remou’d,

  And into France transferd our Hostile fier,

  It made the English through the world belou’d,

  That durst to those so mighty things aspire,

  And gaue so cleere a luster to our fame,

  That neighbouring Nations trembled at our name.

  24

  When through the house, this rumor scarcely ran,

  That warre with France propounded was againe,

  In all th’Assembly there was not a man,

  But put the proiect on with might and maine,

  So great applause it generally wan,

  That else no bus’nesse they would entertaine,

  As though their honour vtterly were lost,

  If this designe should any way be crost.

  25

  So much mens mindes, now vpon France were set

  That euery one doth with himselfe forecast,

  What might fall out this enterprize to let,

  As what againe might giue it wings of hast,

  And for they knew, the French did still abet

  The Scot against vs, (which we vsde to tast)

  It question’d was if it were fit or no,

  To Conquer them, ere we to France should goe.

  26: Ralph Neuill then Warden of the Marches betwixt England and

  Scotland.

  [An old adage, He that will France winne: must with Scotland first beginne.]

  Which
Ralph then Earle of Westmorland propos’d,

  Quoth he, with Scotland let vs first begin,

  By which we are vpon the North inclos’d,

  And lockt with vs, one Continent within,

  Then first let Scotland be by vs dispos’d,

  And with more ease, yee spatious France may winne,

  Else of our selues, ere we our Ships can cleere,

  To land in France; they will inuade vs here.

  27: The Duke of Excester the Kings own vnckle.

  Not so braue Neuill, Excester replies,

  For that of one two labours were to make,

  For Scotland wholly vpon France relies;

  First, Conquer France, and Scotland yee may take,

  Tis the French pay, the Scot to them that tyes,

  That stopt, asunder quickly yee shall shake

  The French and Scots; to France then first say I,

  First, first, to France, then all the Commons cry.

  28: The first breach with France.

  And instantly an Embassy is sent,

  To Charles of France, to will him to restore

  Those Territories, of whose large extent,

  The English Kings were owners of before;

  Which if he did not, and incontinent,

  The King would set those English on his Shore,

  That in despight of him, and all his might,

  Should leaue their liues there, or redeeme his right.

  29: The Countries demanded by the King of England.

  First Normandy, in his demand he makes,

  With Aquitane, a Dutchy no lesse great,

  Aniou, and Mayne, with Gascoyne which he takes

  Cleerely his owne, as any English seat;

  With these proud France, he first of all awakes,

  For their deliuery, giuing power to treat;

  For well he knew, if Charles should these restore,

  No King of France was euer left so poore.

  30: The King and Daulphine of France, deriding the King of

  England.

  The King, and Daulphin, to his proud demand,

  That he might see they no such matter ment,

  As a thing fitter for his youthfull hand;

  A Tunne of Paris Tennis balls him sent,

  Better himselfe to make him vnderstand,

  Deriding his ridiculous intent:

  And that was all the answere he could get,

  Which more, the King doth to this Conquest whet.

  31: Henry the fift answered for the Tennis Balls.

  [The language of Tennis.]

  That answering the Ambassadour, quoth he,

  Thanks for my Balls, to Charles your Soueraigne giue,

  And thus assure him, and his sonne from me,

  I’le send him Balls and Rackets if I liue,

  That they such Racket shall in Paris see,

  When ouer lyne with Bandies I shall driue,

  As that before the Set be fully done,

  France may (perhaps) into the Hazard runne.

  32

  So little doth luxurious France fore-see

  By her disdaine, what shee vpon her drew:

  In her most brauery seeming then to be,

  The punishment that shortly should ensue,

  Which so incenst the English King, that he

  For full reuenge into that fury grew:

  That those three horrors, Famine, Sword, and Fire,

  Could not suffice to satisfie his ire.

  33

  In all mens mouthes now was no word but warre,

  As though no thing had any other name;

  And folke would aske of them ariu’d from farre,

  What forces were preparing whence they came?

  ‘Gainst any bus’nesse ’twas a lawfull barre

  To say for France they were; and ’twas a shame

  For any man to take in hand to doe

  Ought, but some thing that did belong thereto.

  34: Blades accounted of the best temper.

  Olde Armours are drest vp, and new are made;

  Iacks are in working, and strong shirts of Male,

  He scowers an olde Fox, he a Bilbowe blade,

  Now Shields and Targets onely are for sale;

  Who works for warre, now thriueth by his Trade,

  The browne Bill, and the Battell-Axe preuaile:

  The curious Fletcher fits his well-strung Bowe,

  And his barb’d Arrow which he sets to showe.

  35

  Tents and Pauillions in the fields are pitcht,

  (E’r full wrought vp their Roomthynesse to try)

  Windowes, and Towers, with Ensignes are inricht,

  With ruffling Banners, that doe braue the sky,

  Wherewith the wearied Labourer bewitcht

  To see them thus hang wauing in his eye:

  His toylsome burthen from his back doth throwe,

  And bids them worke that will, to France hee’ll goe.

  36: Armed at all points.

  [Armings for the thigh and legge.]

  [Armings for the arme and shoulder.]

  Rich Saddles for the Light-horse and the Bard

  For to be brau’st there’s not a man but plyes,

  Plumes, Bandroules, and Caparizons prepar’d;

  Whether of two, and men at Armes diuise

  The Greaues, or Guyses were the surer guard,

  The Vambrasse, or the Pouldron, they should prize;

  And where a stand of Pykes plac’t close, or large,

  Which way to take aduantage in the Charge.

  37

  One traynes his Horse, another trayles his Pyke,

  He with his Pole-Axe, practiseth the fight,

  The Bowe-man (which no Country hath the like)

  With his sheafe Arrow, proueth by his might,

  How many score off, he his Foe can strike,

  Yet not to draw aboue his bosomes hight:

  The Trumpets sound the Charge and the Retreat,

  The bellowing Drumme, the Martch againe doth beat.

  38: Great Ordnance then but newly in vse.

  Cannons vpon their Caridge mounted are,

  Whose Battery France must feele vpon her Walls,

  The Engineer prouiding the Petar,

  To breake the strong Percullice, and the Balls,

  Of Wild-fire deuis’d to throw from farre,

  To burne to ground their Pallaces and Halls:

  Some studying are, the scale which they had got,

  Thereby to take the Leuell of their Shot.

  39

  The man in yeares preacht to his youthfull sonne

  Prest to this Warre, as they sate by the fire,

  What deedes in France were by his Father done,

  To this attempt to worke him to aspire,

  And told him, there how he an Ensigne wonne,

  Which many a yeare was hung vp in the Quire:

  And in the Battell, where he made his way,

  How many French men he struck downe that day.

  40

  The good old man, with teares of ioy would tell,

  In Cressy field what prizes Edward play’d,

  As what at Poycteers the Black Prince befell,

  How like a Lyon, he about him layd:

  In deedes of Armes how Awdley did excell,

  For their olde sinnes, how they the French men payd:

  How brauely Basset did behaue him there:

  How Oxford charg’d the Van, Warwick the Reare.

  41

  And Boy, quoth he, I haue heard thy Grandsire say,

  That once he did an English Archer see,

  Who shooting at a French twelue score away,

  Quite through the body, stuck him to a Tree;

  Vpon their strengths a King his Crowne might lay:

  Such were the men of that braue age, quoth he,

  When with his Axe he at his Foe let driue,

  Murriain and scalpe downe to the teeth did riue.
/>   42

  The scarlet Iudge might now set vp his Mule,

  With neighing Steeds the Streetes so pestred are;

  For where he wont in Westminster to rule,

  On his Tribunal sate the man of Warre,

  The Lawyer to his Chamber doth recule,

  For be hath now no bus’nesse at the Barre:

  But to make Wills and Testaments for those

  That were for France, their substance to dispose.

  43

  By this, the Counsell of this Warre had met,

  And had at large of eu’ry thing discust;

  And the graue Clergie had with them beene set:

  To warrant what they vndertook was iust,

  And as for monies that to be no let,

  They bad the King for that to them to trust:

  The Church to pawne, would see her Challice layde,

  E’r shee would leaue one Pyoner vnpayde.

  44: Halfe the circuit of the Island, from the Spanish to the

  German Ocean.

  [Edward the third.]

  From Milford Hauen, to the mouth of Tweed,

  Ships of all burthen to Southampton brought,

  For there the King the Rendeuous decreed

  To beare aboard his most victorious fraught:

  The place from whence he with the greatest speed

  Might land in France, (of any that was thought)

  And with successe vpon that lucky shore,

  Where his great Grandsire landed had before.

  45

  But, for he found those vessels were to fewe,

  That into France his Army should conuay:

  He sent to Belgia, whose great store he knewe,

  Might now at neede supply him euery way.

  His bounty ample, as the windes that blewe,

  Such Barkes for Portage out of eu’ry bay

  In Holland, Zealand, and in Flanders, brings;

  As spred the wide sleeue with their canuase wings.

  46: The Sea betwixt France and England so called.

  [A Catalogue of the Ships in 12 Stanzas.]

  But first seauen Ships from Rochester are sent,

  The narrow Seas, of all the French to sweepe:

  All men of Warre with scripts of Mart that went,

  And had command, the Coast of France to keepe:

  The comming of a Nauie to preuent,

  And view what strength, was in the Bay of Deepe:

  And if they found it like to come abroad,

  To doe their best to fire it in the Road.

  47: The names of the Kings 7 Ships of War.

  [An Indian Bird so great, that she is able to carry an Elephant.]

  The Bonauenture, George, and the Expence,

  Three as tall Ships, as e’r did Cable tewe,

  The Henry Royall, at her parting thence,

  Like the huge Ruck from Gillingham that flewe:

  The Antilop, the Elephant, Defence,

  Bottoms as good as euer spread a clue: