And man well knowes, that one day he must end it,
Let him keep't well, defend, and brauely spend it.
O griefe to see how many stout men lye
Halfe rotten in their beds before they dye;
Some by soule surfets, some by odious whoring.
In misery lye stinking and deploring,
And e're a lingring death their sad life ends,
They are most tedious loathsome to their friends;
Wasting in Physicke which addes woe to griefe
That which should yeeld their families reliefe:
At last when wished death their cares doe cure,
Their names like to their bodies lye obscure.
Whereas the Souldier with a Christian brest,
Wars for his Soueraigues peace, and Countries rest:
He to his Makers will, his will inclines.
And ne're gainst Heauen impatiently repines,
He to his Sauiour sayes that thou art mine,
And being thou redeem'st me. I am thine,
That if I liue or dye, or dye or liue,
Blest be thy name whether thou take or giue,
This resolution pierces heauens high roofe,
And armes a Souldier more then Cannon proofe.
Suppose his life ends by some noble wounds,
His Soule to Heauen, from whence it came reb••unds:
Suppose blowne vp with powder vp he flyes.
Fire his impurity repurifies.
Suppose a shot pierce through his breast or head,
He nobly liu'd, and nobly he is dead,
He lyes not bedred stinking, nor doth raue
Blaspheming against him that should him saue,
Nor he in Physicke doth consume and spend
That which himselfe and others should defend,
He doth not languish drawing, loathsome breath,
But dyes before his friends doe wish his death,
And though his earthly part to earth doth passe.
His fame outweares a Monument of brasse.
Most worthy Country-men couragious hearts,
Now is the time now act braue manly parts,
Remember you are Sonnes vnto such Sires,
Whose sacred memories the world admires,
Make your names fearefull to your foes againe,
Like Talbot to the French, or Drake to Spaine:
Thinke on braue valiant Essex and Mounti••y,
And Sidney, that did Englands foes destroy,
With noble Norris, Williams, and the Veeres,
The Grayes, the Willing ••bi••s; all peerelesse Peeres,
And when you thinke what glory they haue won.
Some worthy actions by you will be done.
34. Battels fought in France by Englishmen since the Con∣quest. Henry the sixth.
Remember Poi••tiers, Cressy, Agincourt.
With Bullein, Turwin, Turnyes warlike sport.
And more (our honours higher to aduance)
Our King of England was crown'd King of France.
In Paris thus all France we did prouoake
T'obey and serue vnder the English yoake.
In Ireland 18. bloudy fields we fought,
And that fierce Nation to subiection brought,
Besides Tyroues rebellion which foule strife
Cost England many a pound, lost many a life,
And before we were Scotlands, or it ours,
How often haue we with opposed powers
In most vnneighboutly, vnfriendly manners,
With hostile armes, displaying bloudy banners:
With various victories on eyther side,
Now vp, now downe, our fortunes haue beene tride,
What one fight wins, the other loosing yeelds,
In more then sixescore bloudie foughten fields.
But since that we and they, and they and we
More neere then brethren, now conioyned be,
Those scattering powers we each gainst other lead,
Being one knit body, to one royall head.
Then, let this Iland, East, West, South and North
Ioyntly in these braue warres emblaze out worth
And as there was a strife that once befell
Twixt men of Iuda and of Israel:
Contending which should loue King Dauid best.
And who in him had greatest interest.
Long may contention onely then be thus
Twixt vsand Scotland, and twixt them and vs:
Stil friendly striuing which of vs can be
Most true and loyall to his Maiesty.
This is a strife will please the God of peace,
And this contending will our loues encrease.
You hardy Scots remember royall Bruce,
And what stout Wallace valour did produce:
The glorious name of Stewards, Hamiltons,
The Er••••kine, M••rayes, nd•• he Leuingstons,
The noble Ramseyes, and th'illustrious Hayes,
The valiant Dowglasses, the Grimes and Grayes.
Great Sir Iames Dowglas, a most valiant Knight.
Lead seauenty battels with victorious fight.
Not by Lieutenants, or by deputation.
But he in person wan his reputation.
The Turkes and Sarazens he ouercame,
Where ending life he purchast end lesse fame,
And his true noble worth is well deriu'd,
To worthies of that name that since suruiu'd,
The praise of Sir Iames Dowglas, in the Raigne of King Ro∣bert
Bruce, 1330. In 13. maine battel she ouercame Gods ene∣mies,
and as last was slaine.
Then since both Nations did and doe abound
With men approu'd and through all lands renown'd,
Through Europs and through Asia, further farre,
Then is our blest Redeemers Sepulchre.
Through all the Coasts of tawny Affrica,
And through the bounds of rich America,
And as the world our worths acknowledge must,
Let not our valour sleeping lye and rust;