Tryumph O England and reioyce,
And prayse thy God vncessantly
For thys thy Queene that pearle of choyse
Which God doth blesse with victory.
In Countryes strange both farre and neere,
All raging foes her force doth feare.
Yee woorthy wights that doo delighte,
To heare of Nouels straunge and rare,
What valore worne by a famous Knight
May please you marke I shall declare.
Such rare exploytes performde and doone
As none the like hath euer woone.
First call to minde howe Gedeon,
But with three hundred fighting men
The Medians hoste he ouercame
A thousand to eche one of them.
He did suppresse Idolatry
The Lord gaue him the victory.
So likewise by Gods mighty hande
Syr Frauncis Drake by dreadfull sworde
Did foyle hys foes in forraine lande,
Which did contemne Christes holy word.
And many Captiues did sette free
Which earst were long in misery.
Twenty fiue Ships were then preparde,
Fifteene Pinnasses braue and fine
Well furnished for his safegarde
Preuenting foes that would him tyne.
With Masters good and Marriners yare
As euer tooke charge I dare compare.
The best Nauigators in this lande
Conferde with him vnto thys ende.
By thys famous knight to vnderstand
Theyr valors to atchieue and wende
In Countryes straunge beyond the sea,
If God permit who can say nay.
The Bonauenture a shyp royall
Cheefe Admirall then of the fleete
Sir Frauncis Drake chiefe Generall
As by desertes he was most meete.
Most worthy Captaynes of hand and hart
In thys boon voyage then tooke hys part.
The Primrose next, Wize-Admirall
Appointed by theyr best deuise
Captayne Frobisher Wize Generall
A valiant Captayne ware and wyse.
Captayne Carelell they did ordayne,
Liefetenant Generall on the mayne.
The Ayde a royall shyppe and hotte
The Gallien wyll conuict her foes,
The Sea-Dragon she spares no shott
The Talbott barkes where ere she goes
The Whyte Lyon her foes wyll smart
And all the rest wyll take her part.
At Plimmouth they remayned a space,
Till all their Ships were furnished:
Their gouernment, good fame and grace,
Throughout the Realme is published.
Their sayles displaide the Seas t'atchiue.
September, Anno eighty fyue.
Before which month was fully doone,
At Bayon first they did ariue:
The Towne perforce they might haue wonne,
But they pretended not to striue,
By Parles then they did agree:
The Generall vsed them courteously.
The men of Vigo in raging ire,
Then made great bragges them to molest:
Yet in the ende at theyr desire,
He graunted them theyr owne request.
For he was loth these Townes to inuade:
For hindring of our Marchants trade.
Then setting sayle from thence in hast,
To the Canaries swift they flye:
Three hundred Leagues by count were past,
Ere they the Towne of Palme came nie.
These proude Townesmen enuying theyr fleete,
They shot at them in great despite.
Let not these Townesmen be to bolde,
I wish them not to bragge or vaunt:
Twas not theyr Gunnes nor force that could,
Once make our English harts to daunt.
If wynde and waues had not so wrought:
Full deerely they theyr pride had bought.
This famous fleete sayles on their way,
To Sancto Yuago they were bent:
Short of this Towne three leagues I say,
Twelue hundred men on shore were sent.
On Nouember the seauenteene day,
With Captaines stoute to keepe the way.
Their noble Generall sayles about,
But all the fleete rode neere the Towne:
Most valiant Captaines with souldiours stoute,
Then marching foorth through vale and downe,
To meete their Generall in the morne
As it was pointed earst beforne.
Their foes hauing intelligence
They were beset by sea and land:
They dare not prooue experience,
The Drake by force for to withstand.
They fled that night and durst not stay
Preuenting so theyr Enemies pray.
Then in the morne rathe as the sunne,
The towne they entred valiantly:
From place to place the Souldiours runne,
Seeking to finde commoditie.
Both coyne and plate some chaunst to find
Which they had hid and left behind.
Of victualles there they founde good store,
With wine and suger of the best:
Then quietly praise God therefore,
They made a worthy victors feast,
Their Masking robes of costly price
Our men for breeches did deuise.
Foureteene dayes they kept this towne,
With honour, fame, and victory:
Theyr Idoll gods eche where puld downe,
With all theyr fond Idolatry.
With brasse Ordenaunce of good weight:
They ballast their ships which were light.
Two little townes in the same Ile,
Th'one Domingo, th'other Pray:
These men theyr Fryers did beguile
They left theyr Townes and ranne away.
The Fryers thought they would haue fought
To holde theyr Masse, as they them taught.
For they had promist them before
If that they would fight for theyr masse:
For all theyr sinnes they had in store,
They should be pardoned more and lesse.
But they so sore did feare the Drake
They let theyr Fryers stand to stake.
The Marriners this while prouide,
For victuals and fresh water store:
All thinges were brought aboorde that tyde
As their Maisters wild them before.
To Partee then they did refuse,
Whereby they wrought theyr owne abuse:
The Generall minding to depart
Commaundes his men in hast aboorde
Then lifting vp both handes and hart,
Most thankfully they praise the Lord,
For giuing them such victory:
Without bloodshed or ieoperdie.
A long course then from thence they runne,
Nine hundreth Leagues or they did stay:
To one straunge Ile at length they come,
Where sauadge people bare the sway.
Though wyld and nakte, yet nothing straunge:
Theyr trifles for nifles faine would chaunge.
In fifty leagues sayling from thence,
Straunge Ilands more they did descry:
Then Hispaniola came in presence,
With Sancto Domingo presentlie.
The cheefe Citty for theyr behooue:
Where they their valor ment to prooue.
Their Generall then prudently,
Preuenting the perrill of his men:
The gaynest way for their safetie,
With discreete heads concluding then
One thousand men should martch by land
With Captaines stout to guide their band.
Taking leaue of their Generall,
After the court'sey of merry England:
On Gods most holy name they call,
To strength them with his mightie hande.
They martched foorth then in their way
Their Generall sayles about by Sea.
When neere this Towne our men were seene
A troupe of Horsemen issued out:
And vaunted brauely on the greene,
Minding to compasse them about.
Our fore winges helpe with their small shot:
Made them retire to saue theyr coate.
Their Ordenaunce plast amid their gate,
Whereas they thought our men would venter:
Though daungerous, no way saue that,
So easie was for them to enter.
Their foes discharge a peece or twayne:
Yet as God would but two were slayne.
Courage, courage, our Captaines crie,
Good Souldiours now lets fight like men:
Then all at once ranne valiantly,
Their shot discharged, with weapons then,
They lay one loade on either side:
Though fiue to one yet durst not bide.
Their Gunner priming of his peece,
Sawe them come running in a rage.
Let Linstocke fall, away he flees,
And all the rest as for a wage,
To saue theyr liues if it might bee:
Our English Souldiers made them flee.
Their Generall trusted all this while,
His shippes ancoring before the Towne:
His Gunners and theyr mates likewise,
With thundring shot then made them frowne.
They battered both at Towne and fort:
And in the fielde none dared to sporte.
Then for theyr Ladies helpe they pray,
Miserecordia how chaunceth this:
Our Fryars said no Masse to day,
For want of leasure they did misse.
Their Gods likewise they did desire:
But Saint Domingo could not heare.
Then sore afrayd they gan to trudge,
Some with fardle and some with packe:
Unto the Woods for theyr refuge,
To shroud themselues they did not slacke.
The General landes without annoy:
His Captaines then met him with ioy.
They entred the Towne then valiantly,
And tooke possession of the same:
And spred their Ensignes triumphantly,
Great valours they atchiue by fame
Then trumpets sound the Souldiours shift:
They prayse God for their Newyeeres gift.
Theyr enemies fled with such great hast,
They left their rostmeate on the spit:
Hennes and Chickins well crombd and baste,
Tables couered ready to sitte.
Wine and suger they found good store:
Their guests were come vnlooked for.
Their beds were made their Chambers drest,
The Curtines drawne braue and fine
Theyr parrell brusht and finely prest
Sir you shall choose but this is mine.
Some Iewels were hid in walles and chest,
Then some they found and some they mist.
By good aduise and gouernment,
Thys towne one month they then possest
Theyr famous dames by Rulers sent,
With costly presents of the best
Praying the Generall courteously
He would vouchsafe spare theyr Citty.
The Marriners the while prouide,
For victualles and fresh water sweete:
With other commodities beside,
Which was conuaide aboord the fleete.
Commaundement then was giuen straight way:
All men aboorde without delay.
Then presently they sayled thence,
To one ritch Iland they were bent:
But winde and storme turnd their pretence,
And other course then they inuent.
With Carthagena they set at last:
Where all theyr fleete their Anchors cast.
This towne was strong, well fenst about,
Foure hundred souldiours vnder pay:
Foure hundred Indians in a scoute,
Besides their townesmen in aray.
For they had newes the Drake would come:
And they thought sure to be his doome.
Theyr forte well mande and fortessed,
Fiue Scoures wherein good Ordenaunce was:
Three Gallies then were amplified,
With fifteene peeces of good Brasse.
Full little then they feared the Drake:
For they thought sure to make him quake.
One mischeefe more they doo deuise,
Whereby they thought to spoyle our men:
Many poysoned prickes in sundry wise,
Amidst their way they fastened then.
To pricke their shinnes they did purpose:
But the Lord God did that disclose.
Nine hundred men were set one land,
And marching foorth then all by night
Untill they came vnto the strandes,
Where prickes with poysoned heades were dight.
The water lowe as Gods will was:
Twixt strand and seas they safely passe.
Then in the morne before daylight,
They came full in theyr Enemies face:
Then all at once with force and might,
They ran vppon them in a race.
For all their force and thundring shot,
One of theyr Sconces soone they got.
As God shut vp the Lyons Iawes,
From noying his Prophet Daniell:
And eke preserued from tyrantes pawes,
The three children of Israell.
And saued them in the Ouen so hotte:
So he conuayd away their shotte.
Our Captaines then most valiantly,
To courage their Souldiours for to fight:
Did ieoperd themselues then formostlie,
Which made their enemies dread their might.
Boldned souldiours, put foes to shame:
To winne their countrie honour and fame.
From Sconce to Sconce then they retyre,
Theyr lofty harts right soone were quailde:
They left their holdes and fled for feare,
Then with theyr heeles they best preuaile.
And as they fled straung newes they tell:
These be no men but feendes of hell.
Their Ordenaunce and artillerie.
Which in their holdes did then remaine
Our men atchiue with victory
The Towne like case they won certaine
Their Ensignes then they did display
Upon theyr walles none durst say nay.
The Souldiours then seeke for their pray,
Some for their bellyes like wise did care
Though breakefast sharpe now care away,
Their dinners sweet and wholesome fare.
Bread and victuals they found good store:
With wine and suger as erst before.
They made a Sconce amidst the streete
And plast great Ordenaunce in the same
To charge the watch when't came to night
To daunt their foes their rage to tame.
Being shot of their thundring sound
So shooke theyr Church, the roofe fell downe.
This Towne also they kept a space,
And eke the Fryer ye there beside:
These Townesmen then with humble grace,
Besought the Generall at that tide.
To release their towne he would vouchsaue
And they would gyue what he would haue.
All things prouided orderly,
And brought vnto the waters side
Munitions and artillerie,
Was all imbarked at that tide,
The Marriners without delay:
These thinges aboorde with speede conuay.
The Generall with his company,
Then in a Frigat lie plaste:
And all his Souldiours in a route,
In Pinnasses with him then past,
The Castle which first did them annoy:
As they past by they did destroy.
Then when aboord their shippes they come,
They were receyued ioyfully:
A peale of Gunnes with thundring soune,
For one houre space euen pearst the skie.
Theyr Drumes strooks vp their Trumpets soud
Theyr victories which doo abound.
Their yardes a crosse hoyst at the toppe,
Theyr Anchors wayde then presently:
Theyr sayles displayd, their good ships loppe,
The Mariners standes their tackling by,
Eche Helme belayd with good respect:
As skilfull Maisters did directe.
Recording then their victories,
Which they had wonne by Gods great might:
And eke the sundry ieoperdies:
They had escaped day and night.
They yeeld God thankes most hartely:
Both for his ayde and victory.
Then homeward as their course did lie,
At sundry Iles they put a shore:
Their former wantes for to supply,
With victuales and fresh water store.
At Florida they did ariue:
Saint Augustine for to atchiue.
These townesmen trusting in their strength,
Then fiercely set against the Drake:
Yet he and's men preuaile at length,
When they were faine theyr to towne forsake,
Which when he had possest with fame:
Upon humble sute releast the same.
This towne they wan most valiantly,
As they did all the rest before:
The Lord was still their victory,
Whose name be praysed euermore.
And yeeld to Drake his due and right:
Let fame extoll this noble knight.
His rare attempts performed and doone,
With honour, fame and victory:
The like before who euer wonne,
That you can call to memorie.
Therefore I pray for Englandes sake:
The Lord preserue the noble Drake.
When siedge is layd to towne or forte,
And then the same bee yeelded straight:
The valour's then of small report,
And the exploites of no great waight.
But where with force they bide the brunt:
Theyr conquestes are of great account.
Vlisses with his Nauie great,
In ten yeeres space great valour wonne:
Yet all his time did no such feate,
As Drake within one yeere hath doone.
Both Turke and Pope and all our foes:
Doo dread this Drake where ere he goes.
After he had such valours wonne
And ouercame the enemie:
To merry England he would returne,
The pleasante land in Christientie
At Portesmouth then by Gods good grace:
With all his fleete in short space.
When tidinges came vnto the Courte,
Sir Frauncis Drake was new come home:
Her highnes hearing this report,
Her grace was glad that he was come,
And all her Lords with one accord
For hys safe returne praysed the Lord.
To Portesmouth then there did resort,
Right worshipfull from Citty and towne:
This Knight to welcome to the porte,
With honor, fame and great renowne.
His valiant Captaines and gentles bloode,
They welcomed home with ioyfull moode.
His entertainment at the Courte,
With his Captaines of worthy fame:
I neede not stand to make report,
Sith brute eche where hath spred the same.
Yet once againe for Englands sake:
Pray God speede well the noble Drake.
His valiant minde, his secrete skill,
By flying Fame eche where is spred:
His loyall loue his meere good will,
To Queene and Realme both seene and read,
Sith God is dooer of the same:
Let vs all prayss his holy name.
Through him he got great victories,
Through him he did his foes dismay:
Through him he scapt great ieoperdies,
And perrill both by Land and Sea.
Who hath preserued by his great might:
Our Queens and realme yeeres twenty eyght:
God saue our Queene of merry England,
His sacred word long to maintaine:
Her Graces Nauie and royall bande,
Through his good grace may long remaine.
Lord blesse her counsell and keepe them aye:
With all true Subiects night and day.

Finis