The Battaile of Agincourt Part 3

[Stanza 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.

[Stanza 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.

[Stanza 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.

[Stanza 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.

[Stanza 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 Vambra.s.se, 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.

[Stanza 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.

[Stanza 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 b.a.l.l.s, 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.

[Stanza 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.

[Stanza 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 Ba.s.set did behaue him there: How Oxford charg'd the Van, Warwick the Reare.

[Stanza 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.

[Stanza 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.

[Stanza 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 p.a.w.ne, would see her Challice layde, E'r shee would leaue one Pyoner vnpayde.

[Stanza 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 sh.o.r.e, Where his great Grandsire landed had before.

[Stanza 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.

[Stanza 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.

[Stanza 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: All hauing charge, their voyage hauing bin, Before Southampton to take Souldiers in.

[Stanza 48]

Twelue Merchants Ships, of mighty burthen all, New off the Stocks, that had beene rig'd for Stoad, Riding in Thames by Lymehouse and Blackwall That ready were their Merchandize to load, Straitly commanded by the Admirall, At the same Port to settle their aboad: And each of these a Pinnis at command, To put her fraught conueniently to land.

[Stanza 49]

Eight goodly Ships, so Bristow ready made, Which to the King they bountifully lent, With Spanish Wines which they for Ballast lade, In happy speed of his braue Voyage ment, Hoping his Conquest should enlarge their Trade, And there-withall a rich and s.p.a.cious Tent: And as, this Fleet the Seuerne Seas doth stem, Fiue more from Padstowe came along with them.

[Stanza 50]

The Hare of Loo, a right good Ship well knowne, The yeare before that twice the Strayts had past, Two wealthy Spanish Merchants did her owne, Who then but lately had repair'd her wast; For from her Deck a Pyrate she had blowne, After a long Fight, and him tooke at last: And from Mounts Bay sixe more, that still in sight, Wayted with her before the Ile of Wight.

[Stanza 51: _The Bay of Portugall one of the highest working Seas that is known._]

From Plymmouth next came in the Blazing Starre, And fiery Dragon to take in their fraught; With other foure, especiall men of Warre, That in the Bay of Portugall had fought; And though returning from a Voyage farre, Stem'd that rough Sea, when at the high'st it wrought: With these, of Dertmouth seau'n good Ships there were, The golden Cressant in their tops that beare.

[Stanza 52]

So Lyme, three Ships into the Nauy sent, Of which the Sampson sca.r.s.e a mon'th before, Had sprung a Planke, and her mayne Mast had spent, With extreame perill that she got to sh.o.r.e; With them fiue other out of Waymouth went, Which by Southampton, were made vp a score: With those that rode (at pleasure) in the Bay, And that at Anchor before Portsmouth lay.

[Stanza 53: _A Country lying upon the east Sea bordring upon Poland._]

[_Famous for Herring fishing._]