A Mirrour to all that loue to follow the warres.
Go trudge my little booke,
Possesse ech willing hand,
And giue all leaue to looke,
That seekes to vnderstand,
The trauels of thy Knight,
Plead hard to hold his right:
Who finds thee may be bould,
His actions to vnfould.
LONDON, Printed by Iohn Woolfe, 1589.
To the honorable minded Souldier.
THese late frostie mornings (pleasing my humor) roused me sooner (then of custome) from my drowsie bedde, and with desire (pressing me) I went abroad to walke.
Where all alone, betrampling frosned ground,
Me thought to heare, some fierce and warlike sound:
For Phoebus then began his course in skies,
On rolling wheeles, his fierie wagon flies,
Most swift, to send blacke Pluto to his bed:
Who giuing place, left skie like blood as red.
This made me conceiue some discourse within my selfe, and wondering much, there came vnto mind, how God had pleased to blesse, and keepe our Queene, and land from the thundering and tempestious stormes of all our mortall, and furious enimies: with this conceit my ioy was much augmented, and did amase me greatlie to consider, how far from common expectation, the late rumors of wars, and the rage of those which wrought to destroy vs, were blowne ouer and gone from vs (with their owne confusion:) and we inrest still liuing (in all felicitie) ruled, and gouerned by Elizabeth our most blessed, and redoubled Princes. This seemed to my wonder most maruellous, and more moued me to muse, when stepping on a peece of broken Ice, I spurned forth a paper (rolled vp,) wherein when I had opened and read, appeared matter sitting my present deuise: which noting, by what chance and fortune, and in what season it came to my hands, sodenly resolued to haue it printed: yet not willing to be ouer rash in presenting vnto your viewes, what I knew not assuredly true, found after occasion of conference, with sundrie of good iudgement, who I knew had long frequented the Low countries (from whence they lately came) By whom vnder standing all [Page]was most true, and that they added much more honor vnto the Lorde Willughbie, (her Maiesties Lieutenant generall) whome this booke toucheth: I greatly longed (although I neuer did see his Lordships person) to haue his so noble indeuours (with all speed) published: which as it may worthelie be placed for a looking glasse, to such as woulde game fame, and honor: So with your good fauor and patience, I will be bould to name this short discourse, A Mirrour to all that loue to follow the warres: Whereby if any shall take profite (in imitating his Lordships so honorable desire) to purchase Englands good, it will aduance him, and his to a neuer ending fame. And our sacred Prince (by whom we liue most happie) shall reape sweete comfort (in her so blessed daies) when her florishing realme shalbe garnished, and stored with many such Lord Willughbies; who leaueth not both day and night to liue in restlesse toile and trauell, and ioyeth most when newes is brought, or meanes found, how hee may best spoile or incounter her Maiesties enemies. This onely do I craue, that with good construction you will (with fauor) reade what followeth, and yeelde but due right, where nought besides is demanded: and when by chance I finde the like of any one of you, I promise to performe as much, (and more) if so your actions merit, or deserue.
Yours in a greater matter at command, R. B.
P Praise worthie yeald to Mars his noble knight,
E Excellent fame, in world shines passing bright,
R Reporting still his valiant actes and deedes,
E Engraued be his name, so well he speedes,
G Gould is too base, his actions of more price,
R Registred are in hearts, by warres right happie thrice,
I In blessed time his life, did nature frame,
N None knowes his deedes, but will confesse the same,
E Except they hate, no man dare wrong his name.
L Lord by discent, the honour of his house
O O comfort great, to each good English hart,
R Reioyce, be glad, for now your noble men,
D Disdaines no toyle, nor flies from painefull smart.
W Will any man denie, that he is wise,
I I thinke not one mo good actes doth deuise,
L Let him stand vp, when honour bids him rise:
L Let him said I, nay sure he can not fall,
V Vpright he standes, whom valiant all men call,
G Giue him then duly right, that honored is of all,
H Heape shame on such, as wish thee ill to speede,
B By courage stout, make Princes foes still bleede,
Y Your God, & Queene, will recompence indeed.
A Mirror for Souldiers.
THose which in ought do well, deseru's some praise to gaine,
Yet not so much by farre, most will presume to thinke,
As he which still sustaines, a world of endlesse paine,
And that from taske him set, no toyle can force to shrinke:
Then yeeld him duly right, whom fame with trump cōmends,
That wisely, and with care, his countries cause defendes.
For learned and discret, most men do know him well,
That he is wise, and iust, report hath spred the same,
His actions, and desertes, no lesse abroad can tell,
He serues, and feares high Ioue: And reuerenceth his name:
His wit, his will, applyed, his learned skill, and all,
That nought but happie hap, to Englandes cause might fall.
His gallant Sprit appeard, when young to Danish king,
Was sent Ambassadour, from our most Royall Queene,
How grauely he declarde, and answere backe did bring
To trust reposde in him, Not better hath beene seene
Such care of common cause, did rule his liberall minde,
As king, and people there, most louing he doth finde.
Since he beganne to beare, the Martiall pearcing Lance,
And to the warres to bende, his well addicted will,
Himselfe before his men, he euer doth aduance,
With courage prest to fight, their mindes with ioy to fill:
His worthie heart vpstird, Soone breakes their brauest troup,
And Princes rightfull cause, makes all her foes to stoupe.
He chaseth them in feare, like Lion fierce with rage,
And leaues not off pursute, till all are pulled downe,
His courage makes him oft, himselfe midst them enrage,
And suffereth nought vnsought, to get or winne renowne:
Then Willughbie (in right) Lord worthie of great prayse,
For Countries cause maintainde, liues happie in these dayes.
How many men of Rome, And of the Grekish rout,
Had beene forgot (now dead) And smothered with the graue,
Of other Nations eke, (that valiant were and stout,
If whilst they liu'd some friend, their actions would not saue:
Or write them straight in bookes, as now this noble knight,
(For yeelding Countries due) deserueth in his right.
What man hath Parma found, in all this fower yeares warre,
More prest with will (then he) To meete him in the face,
With paine hath he not sought, to finde him neere and farre,
And often spoyld his men, with foule, and much disgrace:
He marcheth on with cheare, his friend Fortune doth stand,
And toyles like him that hath, his Princes cause in hande.
At Zutphen when the Duke, came to relieue the place,
This worthie Willughbie, did serue right well that day,
and surely mounted there, with gallant comely grace,
First brake his launce, and then, with sword he made his way:
Emidst his foes in place, And did bestirre him so,
As he whom Countries cause, made desperate on to go.
He passed on so farre, As all beganne to dread,
If God blest him not well, he would be take or slaine,
His Basses puld away, his plumes cut from his head,
His Armes broke with blowes: yet safe returned againe:
He Cariscio tooke, And prisoner brought away,
So iust was Countries cause, that no man could him stay.
No Conuoie could escape, From his victorious hande,
Nor enemie durst approch, nor come before the towne,
Of Burgen whilest he rulde, And gouernour did stande,
They doubted then so much, his greatnesse of renowne:
The garrison him lou'd, and honored him in heart,
For Princes cause and them, he could indure much smart.
His Challenge nobly made, oft times to brauest foe,
Declarde a courage stout, dispising cowardise:
He dared to the fight, (the letters yet to showe,)
of Guast Marquis right, that valiant was and wise:
But he refusde to cope, with him most worthie knight,
Whō countries cause made strong, & doubl'd force & might.
When th'erle of Leycester, by Princes straight behest,
For England should returne, And leaue those watres and toyle,
Lorde Willughbie (as fit) in honour eke the best,
Which on that side remainde, was thrust therein to moyle:
His good indeuours past, to further Countries right,
Made him soone to deserue, fauor of euerie wight.
Confirmed then in place, He entred straight in care,
And with vpright respect, regarding his great charge,
To end all troubles first, no trauell he did spare,
Those Countries were in picke, and furie went at large:
But such a course he tooke, the peoples heartes to gaine,
To fauour common cause, toyle was to him no paine.
The Commons were at strife, great discord did appeare,
Ech towne diuided was, one Prouince other hate,
To Armes they runne amayn, the helme fierce wrath then stird,
Ech thirst for others bloud, such was their heauie state:
But he by graue foresight, brake all this franticke fit,
And seekes for Countries good, their humors for to hit.
When States ensconsed round, the towne of Medinblicke,
Count Maurice ioynd with them, In hope poore Snoy to spoyle,
Such mallice rulde their braines, as none had seene the like,
And for to winne the same, they kept a maruellous coyle:
Till they with paine and cost, by this braue Lorde sustainde,
(For Countries cause in chiefe) to peace & loue were gainde.
When Gertruidenberge, in mutinie discontent,
Put Hollocke foorth their gates, with him the Captaines all,
Not dreading Count, nor States, for desperate all were bent,
To yeeld themselues and towne, And to the foe to fall:
The States in feare besought, Count Maurice then did pray,
For Countries common good, that he would worke a stay.
Wherein, though hard it seemd, to stoppe so mad a will,
From working some outrage, in hazard of the place,
Which for to gaine, the foe, lay pressing on them still,
Not sparing crownes, nor golde, to purchase such a grace:
Yet found this noble Lorde, such meanes as saued all,
And for his Countries cause, wrought to his will their fall.
Him gouernour they make, Th'inglish Crosse they beare,
And English Captaines take, to leade there horse and foote,
They chast th'italian troup, of launces, who for feare,
Fled to Breda amayne, his Lordship made them stoope:
And though he did but walke, vnarmed out of towne,
Yet zeale for Countries cause, them bloudie left on ground
When Parma prest to meete, the Spanish fleete at seas,
Lay houering at Dunkerke, with fortie thousande men,
In purpose to inuade, and England take with ease,
This lorde then well preparde, was readie (euen then)
To take the seas in hope, to meete him on the way,
And for his Countries cause, resolu'd to force him stay.
But when the Dukes great bragges, to smoke and wind did turne,
And when his hope had failde, and spanish fleete was gone,
He bended all his power, to Bargen fast they runne,
And gainst that town he makes, his chiefest force and head:
Thirtie thousande at least, his armie did containe,
Yet for our Countries cause, our men them do disdaine.
At first approch when he, did thinke to view the towne,
With cannon from the wall, amasde was made to stand,
The generall did shoot, two pages fell to ground,
Starke dead, such happie lucke, went with his noble hand,
Then sallied brauely foorth, at Steunberge port our men,
And for their Countries cause, the foe they further send.
No day almost did passe, but horse, or foote went out,
And skirmish braue with foe, to Englandes honour great,
Themselues confest our men, to be both bolde and stout,
And passing fierce (they sayde) if stirred vp to heate:
This noble Lorde went foorth, as formost as the best,
His zeale for Countries cause, eclipst his sleepe and rest,
And though the towne was weake, vnfurnisht for defence,
When Parma first approcht, and workes but new begunne,
And though the common voice, was he would neuer thence,
Vntill he tooke the same, no meanes his rage could shunne:
Yet so bestird all men, with wils to saue the place,
As care for common cause, made him part with disgrace.
Yet lay he at that 'that siedge, encamped on three sides,
Ten or eleuen weekes, his trenches brought harde by,
Not full Calliuer shot, wherein his men abides,
And vantage for to get, in them they close did lye,
But all in vaine they spedde, their trenches seru'd for graue,
For countries common cause, our men would not them saue.
But when his hope (by force) to take the towne was fled,
And that his paines and men, he dayly there had lost,
With coyne he thought corrupt, braue Grimston, & Red-head,
False Sligo, Simon was, his life the practise cost:
The North sconce by deuice, or force they thinke to take,
But zeale for Countries cause, their hearts enforst to ake.
Eight hundred men were slaine, and drowned with the tide,
For seeing themselues deceiued, with force they straight assaile,
Downe falles the Pallisad, and long at sault they bide,
But twice put to retire, their purpose thus did faile:
Lord Willughbie himselfe, with Russell did defend,
And for our Princes cause, their force against them bend.
Thus their deuise did proue, a plot their throats to cut,
For they by graue foresight, were drawen to the spoyle,
By Grimstone resolute, who forth of sconce was put,
To lead them on like sheepe, vnto this deadly foyle:
Where you may view deceipt, caught fast in his owne net,
For common zeale, and cause, their diuelish plot did let.
I wish no better happe, in treason may succeed,
Then many yeares haue chanst, To men of cursed minds,
Which sought by spightfull drifts, in purpose for to speed,
As Sligo did, but all, too late repentance finds,
Feare nought their treasons then, let courage buckler be,
And in your countries cause, their heart bloud you shall see.
Here may you see the works of mightie Ioue aboue,
Here may you eke behold, that foes build in the sand,
God will defend vs still, his people he will saue,
And gainst all furious fiends, will fight with strongest hand,
Who will not then reioyce, when wish succeeds to will,
And when their countries good, doth grow, and prosper still.
Would god our chiefest men, And men possest with welth,
Could frame their minds & meanes, as Willughbie hath done,
To seeke to gaine renowne, by working countries helth,
And some frequented toiles, would thereby leaue and shunne:
Then plentie of our foes, to England soone would seeke,
With honor to our cause, for mercie at our feete.
I meane not here such men, which countries cause do loue,
Nor those will seeme to blame, which haue no meanes, to will,
From these and such as serue, my thoughts I farre remoue,
And gainst the rest, which might, with plaints their eares Ile fil,
And crie, and call amaine, Let common cause in right,
Be still respected deere, and pretious in your sight.
We see the Pope procures, great Princes vs molest,
We see what armies huge, are raisde against our Queene,
We see how safe we are, when ech will do his best,
And our good God for vs, most strong hath still beene seene:
Let all then courage take, Of what sort or degree,
Our countries cause is iust, by proofe our foes may see.
Our Princes sacred power, anointed from aboue,
With harts, with hands, with liues, and with our dearest blood,
Shall still maintained be, The people feare and loue,
Let him in sorrow dwell, that would her not much good:
Long happie haue we liued, in her most blessed daies,
Her care for subiects all, hath much aduanst her praise.
Most mightie Ioue, who rules, and guides ech liuing thing,
And that from highest throne, dost keepe, and blesse our Queene
Protect, defend her right, Shame and destruction bring,
Vpon her cruell foes, and grant it may be seene.
Throughout the world (O God) that thy strong stretched arme
Herselfe, her cause, and land, preserues from hurt or harme.
THis knight deserues much more, then heere I write,
My verse so blunt, at full, cannot recite,
His wise and worthie acts, what fault you finde,
Excuse the same in me, and me you binde,
A friend (in power though small,) this grace yet giue
Lord Willughbies deseru'd good fame may liue;
Whose deeds his secret friend, would not leaue dead,
which done farewell; Ile go to hide my head,
Yet ere I flie, your pardons gentlie giue,
And then I hope from shame abrode to liue.
FINIS.
I. B.