Renowned for their deeds as far from home, Dear for her reputation through the world, Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame, With inky blots and rotten parchment bonds: That England, that was wont to conquer others, Hath made a shameful conquest of itself. Ah, would the scandal vanish with my life, How happy then were my ensuing death! 2. Unity Against the Foe [The speech of Faulconbridge, Shakespeare's King John] Bast. This England never did, nor never shall, Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror, If England to itself do rest but true. 3. England at War [From Shakespeare's Henry V, Act III] Enter Chorus Chor. Thus with imagined wing our'swift scene flies In motion of no less celerity Than that of thought. Suppose that you have seen The well-appointed king at Hampton pier Embark his royalty; and his brave fleet With silken streamers the young Phoebus fanning: Play with your fancies, and in them behold Upon the hempen tackle ship-boys climbing; Hear the shrill whistle which doth order give To sounds confused; behold the threaden sails, Borne with the invisible and creeping wind, Draw the huge bottoms through the fur row'd sea, Breasting the lofty surge: 0, do but think follow: Grapple your minds to sternage of this navy, And leave your England, as dead midnight still, Guarded with grandsires, babies, and old women, Either past or not arrived to pith and puis sance; For who is he, whose chin is but enrich'd With one appearing hair, that will not follow These cull'd and choice-drawn cavaliers to France? Work, work your thoughts, and therein see a siege; Behold the ordnance on their carriages, With fatal mouths gaping on girded Harfleur. Suppose the ambassador from the French comes back; Tells Harry that the king doth offer him Katharine his daughter, and with her, to dowry, Some petty and unprofitable dukedoms. [Alarum, and chambers go off And down goes all before them. Still be kind, And eke out our performance with your mind. [Exit SCENE I. France. Before Harfleur Alarum. Enter KING HENRY, EXETER, BEDFORD, GLOUCESTER, and Soldiers, with scaling-ladders. K. Hen. Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall up with our English dead. But when the blast of war blows in our ears, As fearfully as doth a galled rock O'erhang and jutty his confounded base, Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean. Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide, Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit To his full height. On, on, you noblest English, Whose blood is fet from fathers of warproof! Fathers, that, like so many Alexanders, Have in these parts from morn till even fought And sheathed their swords for lack of argument: Dishonor not your mothers; now attest you. Be copy now to men of grosser blood, yeomen, Whose limbs were made in England, show us here The mettle of your pasture; let us swear That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not; For there is none of you so mean and base, [Exeunt. Alarum, and chambers go off. [From Act IV] Enter Chorus Chor. Now entertain conjecture of a time The hum of either army stilly sounds, Each battle sees the other's umber'd face; Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs Piercing the night's dull ear, and from the tents The armorers, accomplishing the knights, The country cocks do crow, the clocks do toll, And the third hour of drowsy morning name. Proud of their numbers and secure in soul, Like sacrifices, by their watchful fires The morning's danger, and their gesture sad coats Presenteth them unto the gazing moon So many horrid ghosts. O now, who will behold The royal captain of this ruin'd band Walking from watch to watch, from tent to tent, Let him cry, "Praise and glory on his head!" For forth he goes and visits all his host, Upon his royal face there is no note A largess universal like the sun His liberal eye doth give to every one, With four or five most vile and ragged foils, SCENE III. The English Camp Enter GLOUCESTER, BEDFORD, EXETER, ERPINGHAM, with all his host; SALISBURY and WESTMORELAND. Glou. Where is the king? Bed. The king himself is rode to view their battle. West. Of fighting men they have full three-score thousand. Exe. There's five to one; besides, they all are fresh. Sal. God's arm strike with us! 'tis a fearful odds. God be wi' you, princes all; I'll to my charge: If we no more meet till we meet in heaven, Then, joyfully, my noble Lord of Bedford, My dear Lord Gloucester, and my good Lord Exeter, And my kind kinsman, warriors all, adieu! Bed. Farewell, good Salisbury; and good luck go with thee! Exe. Farewell, kind lord; fight valiantly today: And yet I do thee wrong to mind thee of it, For thou art framed of the firm truth of [Exit Salisbury valor. Bed. ness; He is as full of valor as of kind Let him depart; his passport shall be made, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named, And say, "These wounds I had on Crispin's day." Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, Familiar in his mouth as household words, Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd. This story shall the good man teach his son: And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day. BALLAD OF AGINCOURT MICHAEL DRAYTON 1 Fair stood the wind for France, When we our sails advance; Nor now to prove our chance Longer will tarry; But putting to the main, Landed King Harry. 13 Gloucester, that duke so good, 14 Warwick in blood did wade; Oxford, the foe invade, And cruel slaughter made, Still as they ran up. Suffolk his axe did ply; Beaumont and Willoughby Bare them right doughtily; Ferrers, and Fanhope. 15 Upon Saint Crispin's Day THE DEEDS OF ELIZABETHAN SEAMEN RICHARD HAKLUYT [From the Voyages, 1589] To harp no longer upon this string, and to speak a word of that just commendation which our nation do indeed deserve: it cannot be denied, but as in all former ages they have been men full of activity, stirrers abroad, and searchers of the remote parts of the world, so in this most famous and peerless government of her most excellent Majesty, her subjects, through the special assistance and blessing of God, in searching the most opposite corners and quarters of the world, and to speak plainly, in compassing the vast globe of the earth more than once, have excelled all the nations and people of the earth. For which of the kings of this land before her Majesty had their banners ever seen in the Caspian sea? which of them hath ever dealt with the emperor of Persia as her Majesty hath done, and obtained for her merchants large and lov ing privileges? who ever saw, before this regiment, an English Ligier in the stately porch of the Grand Signor at Constantinople? who ever found English consuls and agents at Tripolis in Syria, at Aleppo, at Babylon, at Balsara, and which is more, who ever heard of Englishman at Goa before now? what English ships did heretofore ever anchor in the mighty river of Plate? pass and repass the unpassable (in former opinion) Strait of Magellan, range along the coast of Chili, Peru, and all the backside of Nova Hispania, further than any christian ever passed, traverse the mighty breadth of the South Sea, land upon the Luzones in despite of the enemy, enter into alliance, amity, and traffic with the princes of the Moluccas and the isle of Java, double the famous cape of Bona Speranza, arrive at the isle of St. Helena, and last of all return home most richly laden with the commodities of China, as the subjects of this now flourishing monarchy have done? TO THE VIRGINIAN VOYAGE MICHAEL DRAYTON 1 You brave heroic minds, Worthy your country's name, Go and subdue! Whilst loitering hinds Lurk here at home with shame. 2 Britons, you stay too long; 3 Your course securely steer, 4 And, cheerfully at sea, |