For strangers. This was he, erected first
The trade of Clothing, by which Art were nurst
Whole millions to his service, and reliev'd
So many poor, as since they have believ'd
The golden Fleece, and need no foreign Mine,
If Industry or home do not decline.
To prove which true, observe what treasure here
The wise and seventh Henry heapt each year,
To be the strength and sinews of a War,
When Mars should thunder, or his peace but jar.
And here how the eighth Henry his brave Son
Built Forts, made general Musters, train'd Youth on
In exercise of Arms, and girt his Coast
With strength; to which (whose Fame no Tongue can boast
Up to her worth, though all best Tongues be glad
To name her still) did great Eliza add
A Wall of Shipping, and became thereby
The Aid, or Fear of all the Nations nigh.
These, worthiest Prince, are set you near to read,
That Civil Arts the Martial must precede:
That Laws and Trade bring Honours in and Gain,
And Arms defensive a safe Peace maintain.
But when your Fate shall call you forth to assure
Your Virtue more (though not to make secure)
View here, what great Examples she hath plac'd.
First, Two brave Britain Heroes, that were grac'd
To fight their Saviour's Battels, and did bring
Destruction on the Faithless; one a King,
Richard, surnamed with the Lions heart,
The other Edward, and the first, whose part
(Then being but Prince) it was to lead these Wars
In the Age after, but with better Stars.
For here though Cur de Lion like a Storm
Pour on the Saracens, and doth perform
Deeds past an Angel, arm'd with Wrath and Fire,
Plowing whole Armies up, with zealous Ire,
And walled Cities, while he doth defend
That Cause that should all Wars begin and end;
Yet when with Pride, and for humane Respect
The Austrian Colours he doth here deject
With too much scorn, behold at length how Fate
Makes him a wretched Prisoner to that State;
And leaves him, as a mark of Fortune's spight,
When Princes tempt their Stars beyond their light:
Whil'st upright Edward shines no less than he,
Under the wings of golden Victory,
Nor lets out no less Rivers of the blood
Of Infidels, but makes the Field a flood,
And marches through it, with St. Georges Cross,
Like Israels Host to the Egyptians loss,
Through the Red-Sea: the Earth beneath him cold,
And quaking such an Enemy to behold.
For which, his temper'd zeal, see Providence
Flying in here, and arms him with defence
Against th'Assassinate made upon his life
By a foul wretch, from whom he wrests the knife,
And gives him a just hire: which yet remains
A warning to great Chiefs, to keep their trains
About 'em still, and not, to privacy,
Admit a hand that may use treachery.
Nearer than these, not for the same high cause,
Yet for the next (what was his Right by Laws
Of Nations due) doth fight that Mars of Men
The Black Prince Edward, 'gainst the French, who then
At Cressey field had no more years than you,
Here his glad Father has him in the view
As he is entring in the School of War,
And pours all blessings on him from afar
That Wishes can; whilst he (that close of day)
Like a young Lyon, newly taught to prey,
Invades the herds, so fled the French, and tears
From the Bohemian Crown the Plume he wears,
Which after for his Crest he did preserve
To his Fathers use, with this fit word, I SERVE.
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But here at Poictiers he was Mars indeed.
Never did Valor with more stream succeed
Than he had there. He flow'd out like a Sea
Upon their Troops, and left their Arms no way:
Or like a Fire carried with high winds
Now broad, and spreading, by and by it finds
A vent upright, to look which way to burn:
Then shoots along again, or round doth turn,
Till in the circling spoil it hath embrac't
All that stood nigh, or in the reach to wast:
Such was his rage that day; but then forgot
Soon as his Sword was sheath'd, it lasted not,
After the King, the Dauphin, and French Peers
By yielding to him, wisely quit their fears,
Whom he did use with such humanity,
As they complain'd not of Captivity;
But here to England without shame came in.
To be his Captives, was the next to win.
Yet rests the other thunderbolt of War,
Harry the Fifth, to whom in Face you are
So like, as Fate would have you so in worth,
Illustrious Prince. This Vertue ne're came forth,
But Fame flue greater for him, than she did
For other Mortals; Fate herself did bid
To save his life: The time it reach'd unto,
War knew not how to give him enough to do.
His very Name made head against his Foes.
And here at Agin-Court where first it rose,
It there hangs still a Comet over France,
Striking their malice blind, that dare advance
A thought against it, lightned by your flame
That shall succeed him both in deeds and name.
I could report more actions yet of weight
Out of this Orb, as here of Eighty-eight,
Against the proud Armada, stil'd by Spain,
The Invincible; that cover'd all the Main,
As if whole Islands had broke loose, and swame;
Or half of Norway with her Firr-trees came,
To join the Continents, it was so great;
Yet by the auspice of Eliza beat:
That dear-belov'd of Heaven, whom to preserve
The winds were call'd to fight, and storms to serve.
One tumor drown'd another. billows strove
To out-swell Ambition, water Air out-drove,
Though she not wanted on that glorious day,
An ever-honor'd Howard to display
St. Georges Ensign; and of that high race
A second, both which ply'd the Fight and Chace:
And sent first bullets, then a fleet of fire,
Then shot themselves like Ordnance; and a tire
Of ships for pieces, through the Enemies Moon,
That wan'd before it grew, and now they soon
Are rent, spoil'd, scatter'd, tost with all disease,
And for their thirst of Britain drink the Seas.
The Fish were never better fed than then,
Although at first they fear'd the blood of men
Had chang'd their Element; and Neptune shook
As if the thunderer had his palace took.
So here in Wales, Low-Countries, France and Spain,
You may behold both on the land main
The conquests got, the spoils, the Trophies rear'd
By British Kings, and such as no blest heard
Of all the Nation, which may make t'invite
Your valure upon need, but not t'incite
Your neighbour Princes, give them all their due,
And be prepar'd if they will trouble you.
He doth but scourge himself, his sword that draws
Without a purse, a counseland a cause.
But all these spurs to vertue, seeds of praise
Must yield to this that comes. Here's one will raise
Your glory more, and so above the rest,
As if the acts of all mankind were prest
In his Example. Here are Kingdoms mixt
And Nations join'd, a strength of Empire fixt
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