men

In exercise of arms and girt his coast Nor lets out no less rivers of the blood With strength; to which (whose fame no Of infidels, but makes the field a flood, tongue can boast

And marches through it, with St. George's Up to her worth, though all best tongues cross, be glad

Like Israel's host to the Egyptians' loss, To name her still) did great Eliza add Through the Red Sea : the earth beneath A wall of shipping, and became thereby

him cold, The aid or fear of all the nations nigh. And quaking such an enemy to behold. These, worthiest Prince, are set you near For which his tempered zeal, see proto read,

vidence That civil arts the martial must precede : Flying in here, and arms him with defence That laws and trade bring honours in and Against th' assassinate made upon his life gain,

By a foul wretch, from whom he wrests And arms defensive a safe peace main- the knife, tain.

And gives him a just hire : which yet reBut when your fate shall call you forth mains t' assure

A warning to great chiefs, to keep their Your virtue more, though not to make trains secure,

About them still, and not to privacy View here what great examples she hath Admit a hand that may use treachery. placed.

Nearer than these, not for the same high First, two brave Britain heroes, that cause, were graced

Yet for the next (what was his right by To fight their Saviour's battles, and did laws bring

Of nations due) doth fight that Mars of Destruction on the faithless; one a King, Richard, surnamed with the lion's heart, The Black Prince Edward, 'gainst the The other Edward, and the first, whose French, who then part

At Cressy field had no more years than (Then being but Prince) it was to lead you ; these wars

Here his glad father has him in the view In the age after, but with better stars. As he is entering in the school of war, For here, though Cour de Lion like a And pours all blessings on him from storm

afar Pour on the Saracens, and doth perform That wishes can; whilst he, that close of Deeds past an angel, armed with wrath day, and fire,

Like a young lion newly taught to prey, Ploughing whole armies up with zealous Invades the herds, so fled the French, and ire,

tears And walled cities, while he doth defend From the Bohemian crown the plume he That cause that should all wars begin and wears, end :

Which after for his crest he did preserve Yet when with pride and for humane To his father's use, with this fit word, respect

I SERVE. The Austrian colours he doth here deject But here at Poictiers he was Mars inWith too much scorn, behold at length deed. how fate

Never did valour with more stream Makes him a wretched prisoner to that

succeed state;

Than he had there; he flowed out like a And leaves him as a mark of fortune's spight,

Upon their troops, and left their arms no When princes tempt their stars beyond way: their light:

Or like a fire carried with high winds, Whilst upright Edward shines no less than Now broad and spreading, by and by it he

finds Under the wings of golden victory, A vent upright, to look which way to

burn ; .. [The folio reads, "all the nations high,” Then shoots along again, or round doth which is probably correct.-F.C.)

sea

swam,

Till in the circling spoil it hath embraced I could report more actions yet of All that stood nigh, or in the reach to weight waste :

Out of this orb, as here of eighty-eight, Such was his rage that day ; but then against the proud Armada, styled by forgot

Spain Soon as his sword was sheathed, it lasted | The INVINCIBLE ; that covered all the not

main, After the king, the dauphin, and French As if whole islands had broke loose, and

peers, By yielding to him, wisely quit their fears, Or half of Norway with her fir trees came Whom he did use with such humanity, To join the continents, it was so great ; As they complained not of captivity ; Yet by the auspice of Eliza beat : But here to England without shame That dear-beloved of heaven, 3 whom to came in:

preserve To be his captives, was the next to win. The winds were called to fight, and storms Yet rests the other thunderbolt of war,

to serve. Harry the Fifth, to whom in face you One tumour drowned another, billows are!

strove So like, as fate would have you so in T'out-swell ambition, water air outworth,

drove ; Illustrious prince. This virtue ne'er came Though she not wanted, on that glorious forth,

day, But Fame flew greater for him than she An ever-honoured Howard to display did

St. George's ensign; and of that high For other mortals ; Fate herself did bid To save his life : the time it reached unto, A second, both which plied the fight and War knew not how to give him enough and sent first bullets, then a fleet of fire,

chase to do. His very name made head against his Then shot themselves like ordnance; and foes.

a tire And here at Agincourt, where first it rose, Of ships for pieces, through the enemies It there hangs still a comet over France,

moon, Striking their malice blind that dare That waned before it grew : and now they

advance A thought against it, lightened by your Are rent, spoiled, scattered, tost with all flame

disease, That shall succeed him both in deeds and And for their thirst of Britain drink the

race

soon

name.

seas.

serve

| Harry the Fifth, to whom in face you are Cycladas aut montes concurrere montibus So like, as fate would have you so in worth.) altas.

VIRGIL. Æneid. 8. I do not remember this particular taken notice of by historians, in their description of Prince

3 That dear-beloved of heaven, whom to pran Henry's person: the poet, however, would hardly have stretched the compliment so far, had it not The winds were called to fight, and storms been so in fact. --WHAL.

to serve.] Historians have not omitted to take It is noticed, though it escaped Whalley. The notice of the violent storm which the Spanish courtiers are said to have made the observa- Armada met with as it drew near the English tion with a view to please the Queen. This coast, which dispersed the fleet and destroyed is mere ill nature. At any rate, as far as per- many of its best vessels. This was at that time sonal beauty was concerned, Henry the Fifth apprehended as a providential interposal of might have taken the compliment without heaven, nor were the queen or nation wanting offence.

in their just acknowledgments: for a medal was Jonson has omitted the machinery, which struck which had on the reverse of it a navy in must have been very magnificent ; but it is pro- a storm with this inscription, Flavit ventis, et bable that Merlin pointed with his wand to some dissipati sunt. Our poet has expressed this cirmoving scenery, on which the events detailed by cumstance from Claudian : him were depicted.

O nimium dilecte Deo, cui fundit ab antro * As if whole islands had broke loose and Æolus armatas hyemes, cui militat æther, ram, ]

Et conjurati veniunt ad classica venti.
Pelago credas innare revulsas

WHAL

men

move.

The fish were never better fed than then, What can be done by power, and what by Although at first they feared the blood of love,

What should to mercy, what to justice Had changed their element, and Neptune shook,

All arts he can, and from the hand of As if the Thunderer had his palace took. Fate So here in Wales, Low Countries, Hath he enforced the making his own France, and Spain,

date. You may behold, both on the land and Within his proper virtue hath he placed main,

His guards 'gainst Fortune, and there fixed The conquest got, the spoils, the trophies

fast reared

The wheel of chance, about which kings By British kings, and such as noblest are hurled, heard

And whose outrageous raptures fill the Of all the nation, which may make to world.

invite Your valour upon need, but not to incite

Lady. Ay, this is he, Meliadus, whom Your neighbour princes, give them all

you their due,

Must only serve, and give yourself unto ; And be prepared if they will trouble you.

And by your diligent practice to obey He doth but scourge himself, his sword So wise a master, learn the art of sway. that draws

Merlin, advance the shield upon his

tent. Without a purse, a counsel, and a cause. But all these spurs to virtue, seeds of And now prepare, fair knight, to prove the

event praise, Must yield to this that comes. Here's one

Of your bold Challenge. Be your virtue will raise

steeled, Your glory more, and so above the rest,

And let your drum give note you keep the As if the acts of all mankind were prest

field.

Drum beats. In his example. Here are kingdoms

- Is this the land of Britain so renowned mixed

For deeds of arms, or are their hearings And nations joined, a strength of empire That none do answer ?

drowned, fixed Conterminate with heaven; the golden Mer. Stay, methinks I see vein

A person in yon cave. Who should that Of Saturn's age is here broke out again. be? Henry but joined the roses, that ensigned I know her ensigns now ; 'tis CHIVALRY Particular families, but this hath joined Possessed with sleep, dead as a lethargy : The Rose and Thistle, and in them com- If any charm will wake her, 'tis the name bined

Of our Meliadus. I'll use his fame. A union that shall never be declined.

Lady, Meliadus, lord of the isles, Ireland, that more in title than in fact

Princely Meliadus, and whom fate now Before was conquered, is his Laurel's act !

styles The wall of shipping by Eliza made, The fair Meliadus, hath hung his shield Decayed (as all things subject are to Upon his tent, and here doth keep the fade)

field, He hath new-built, or so restored that According to his bold and princely word ;

And wants employment for his pike and For noble use prefer it afore then :

sword. Royal and mighty James, whose name shall set

CHIVALRY, coming forward. A goal for all posterity to sweat, In running at, by actions hard and high : Chi. Were it from death, that name This is the height at which your thoughts would wake me. Say must fly.

Which is the knight? O, I could gaze a He knows both how to govern, how to

day save,

Upon his armour that hath so revived What subjects, what their contraries should My spirits, and tells me that I am longhave,

lived

men

even.

In his appearance.

Break, you rusty Doth often tempt his destiny beyond doors,

good. That have so long been shut, and from Look on this throne, and in his temper the shores

view Of all the world come knighthood, like a The light of all that must have grace in flood

you: Upon these lists, to make the field here His equal justice, upright fortitude, good,

And settled prudence, with that peace And your own honours, that are now called endued forth

Of face as mind, always himself and Against the wish of men to prove your worth!

So Hercules and good men bear up

heaven.

I dare not speak his virtues, for the fear THE BARRIERS.

Of flattering him, they come so high and After which MERLIN speaks to the

To wonders ; yet thus much I prophesy PRINCE.

Of him and his. All ears yourselves

apply. Mer. Nay, stay your valour,

You and

you, great king and wisdom high

queen, In princes to use fortune reverently. Have yet the least of your bright fortune He that in deeds of arms obeys his blood, seen,

near

'tis a

your other

1 This part of the solemnity is silently passed Court of Parliament: the fourth of June followover by Jonson ; and indeed he seldom entersing, being appointed for that solemne action, the at any length into the accompaniments of his Christmas, before which, his Highnesse, not Masques and Entertainments, unless for the onely for his owne recreation, but also that the sake of bearing witness to the merits of Inigo world might know what a brave Prince they Jones, Ferrabosco, Giles, and others associated were likely to enjoy, under the name of Meliades, in the embellishment of his labours. “Yet,” | Lord of the Isles (an ancient title due to the first says Warton, “while Milton gives only the borne of Scotland), did in his name, by some soliloquy of the Genius, and the three songs of appointed for the same of purpose, strangely his Arcades, in many of Jonson's Masques the attired, accompanied with drummes and trumpoet rarely appears amidst a cumbersome exhi- pets in the chamber of presence, before the King bition of heathen gods and mythology!” Todd's and Queene, and in the presence of the whole Milton, vol. v. p. 146. No sighs but of Jonson's court, delivered a challenge to all Knights of raising! Whoever is right, he is sure to be Great Britaine in two Speeches. found in the wrong. No absurdity is so gross, "Now began every where preparations to be no violation of truth so glaring, as not to be made for this great fight, and happy did he gladly received when the object

of it is to decry thinke himselfe who should be admitted for a his talents and injure his reputation. The false- defendant, much more assailant. At last, to enhood once hazarded, is repeated by every mouth; counter his Highnesse, with his six assailants, and the cause of literature is stupidly supposed 58 defendants, consisting of Earles, Barons, to be promoted by combining for the degradation Knights, and Esquires, were appointed and of one of its brightest ornaments.

chosen, eight defendants to one assailant, every To return to the BARRIERS. “The prince assailant being to fight by turns, eight several (says Arthur Wilson) now growing manly, being times fighting, two every time with push of pike in his sixteenth year, put forth himself in a more and sword, twelve stroakes at a time ; after heroic manner than was usual with princes of which, the BARRE for separation was to bee let his time, by Tiltings, Barriers, and other exer- downe untill a fresh onset. cises on horseback, the martial discipline of “This solemnity now approaching, his Highgentle peace.”-Life of Fames, P. 52. And it nesse did feast the Earles, Barons, and Knights appears from a very curious passage in the assailants and defendants, until the twelfth apprince's life, written by Sir Charles Cornwallis, pointed night, on which this great fight was to that a grand rehearsal of the present Tilt had be performed; which being come, his Highnesse, taken place some time before.

to the great wonder of the beholders, did admi“The 16 yeare of his age, being to come to rably fight his part, giving and receiving that the time of his investment in the Principalitie of night 32 pushes of pikes and about 360 stroakes Wales and Cornewall; he did advance his own of swords, which is scarce credible in so young title and right so farre, as with modestie he yeares, enough to assure the world that Great might : which presently was gently and lovingly Britaines brave Henry aspired to immortality." entertained, and granted of his Majestie, with -8vo. 1641, p. 12 et seg. the consent of the Right Honourable the High!

noon.

Which shall rise brighter every hour with And lance against the foes of God and time,

you. And in your pleasure quite forget the Nor shall less joy your royal hopes pursue crime

In that most princely maid, whose form Of change; your age's night shall be her might call

The world to war, and make it hazard And this young knight, that now puts all forth so soon

His valour for her beauty ; she shall be Into the world, shall in your names Mother of nations, and her princes see achieve

Rivals almost to these, Whilst you sit More garlands for this state, and shall high, relieve

And led by them, behold your Britain fly Your cares in government; while that Beyond the line, when what the seas

before Shall second him in arms, and shake a Did bound, shall to the sky then stretch sword

his shore.

young lord?

the

i While that young lord.] The Duke of York, must be confessed, and yet he has not always the unfortunate Charles I.

prophesied so well. Elizabeth is now 2 In that most princely maid.] The Princess mother of nations,”, and no sparing compliElizabeth, married a few years afterwards to the inent will be paid "her princes” by admitting Elector Palatine. The present royal family are them to be rivals of her brothers; for when the descendants of that marriage. There is every allowance is made, Henry and Charles something interesting in the language of this must be confessed to be no ordinary chaprediction. Merlin is not altogether correct, it racters.