The Battaile of Agincourt Part 5

[Note i: _The Armes of the towne of Huntingdon, first so named of a place where Hunters met._]

[Stanza 70]

Northampton[k] with a Castle seated high, Supported by two Lyons thither came; The men of [l]Rutland, to them marching nie, In their rich Ensigne beare an Ermine Ram, And [m]Lesters.h.i.+re that on their strength relye, A Bull and Mastiue fighting for the game.

Lincolne[n] a s.h.i.+p most neatly that was lim'd In all her Sailes with Flags and Pennons trim'd.

[Note k: _The armes of the towne._]

[Note l: _From the aboundance of wooll in that tract._]

[Note m: _A sport more vsed in that s.h.i.+ere from ancient time, then in any other._]

[Note n: _For the length that it hath vpon the Germane Ocean._]

[Stanza 71]

Stout[a] Warwicks.h.i.+re, her ancient badge the Beare, Worster[b] a Peare-Tree laden with the Fruit, A Golden Fleece and[c] Hereford doth weare, Stafford[d] a Hermet in his homely sute, Shrops.h.i.+re[e] a Falcon towring in the Ayre, And for the s.h.i.+ere whose surface seems most brute, Darby, an Eagle sitting on a Roote, A swathed Infant holding in her foote.

[Note a: _The Beare and ragged Staffe, the ancient Armes of that Earledome._]

[Note b: _For the aboundance of fruit more there then in any other tract._]

[Note c: _The finenesse of the wooll of Lemster in that s.h.i.+ere._]

[Note d: _Many Hermites liued there in the woods in times past, it being all forrestie._]

[Note e: _Expressing the loftinesse of the mountaines in that s.h.i.+ere, on which many Hawkes were wont to airy._]

[Stanza 72]

Olde[f] Nottingham, an Archer clad in greene, Vnder a Tree with his drawne Bowe that stood, Which in a checkquer'd Flagge farre off was seene: It was the Picture of olde Robin Hood, And[g] Lancas.h.i.+re not as the least I weene, Thorough three Crownes, three Arrowes smear'd with blood: Ches.h.i.+ere a Banner very square and broad, Wherein a man vpon a Lyon rode.

[Note f: _That famous out-law liued much in that Country, and is yet by many places there celebrated._]

[Note g: _Accounted euer the best Archers in England._]

[Stanza 73]

A flaming Lance, the[h] Yorks.h.i.+ere men for them, As those for Durham neere againe at hand, A Myter crowned with a Diadem: An Armed man, the men of[i] c.u.mberland: So[k] Westmerland link'd with it in one Stem, A s.h.i.+p that wrackt lay fierd vpon the sand: Northumberland[l] with these com'n as a Brother, Two Lyons fighting tearing one another.

[Note h: _For their agillity with the Speare, and swiftnesse of their Naggs._]

[Note i: _Being ready stil in Armes against the Scots._]

[Note k: _Expressing the scite therof iuting out into those dangerous Seas, betwixt England and Ireland._]

[Note l: _Their terrible conflicts (many times) with the Scots, expressed in the fight between the golden and red Lyons._]

[Stanza 74]

Thus as themselues the English men had show'd Vnder the Ensigne of each seu'rall s.h.i.+ere, The Natiue Welch who no lesse honour ow'd To their owne King, nor yet lesse valiant were, In one strong Reg'ment had themselues bestow'd, And of the rest, resumed had the Reare: To their owne Quarter marching as the rest, As neatly Arm'd, and brauely as the best.

[Stanza 75]

[a]Pembrooke, a Boat wherein a Lady stood, Rowing her selfe within a quiet Bay; Those men of South-Wales of the [b]mixed blood, Had of the Welch the leading of the way: Caermardin[c] in her Colours beare a Rood, Whereon an olde man lean'd himselfe to stay At a Starre pointing; which of great renowne, Was skilfull Merlin, namer of that Towne.

[Note a: _Milford Hauen in Pembrookes.h.i.+ere, one of the brauest harbours in the knowne world, therefore not vnaptly so expressed._]

[Note b: _Partly Dutch, partly English, partly Welch._]

[Note c: _Merlin, by whose birth and knowledge that towne is made famous._]

[Stanza 76]

[d]Clamorgan men, a Castell great and hie, From which, out of the Battlement aboue, A flame shot vp it selfe into the skye: The men of [e]Munmouth (for the ancient loue To that deare Country; neighbouring them so nie) Next after them in Equipage that moue, Three Crownes Imperiall which supported were, With three Arm'd Armes, in their proud Ensigne beare.

[Note d: _A Watch Tower or Pharus, hauing the scituation where Seuerne beginneth to widden, as when Pirats haue come in to giue warning to the other Maratyne Countries._]

[Note e: _For the glory it hath attained, to be the Kings birth-place, and to expresse his princ.i.p.alities._]

[Stanza 77]

The men of [f]Brecknock brought a Warlick Tent, Vpon whose top there sate a watchfull c.o.c.k, Radnor,[g] a mountaine of a high a.s.sent, Thereon a Shepheard keeping of his Flock, As [h]Cardigan the next to them that went, Came with a Mermayde sitting on a Rock, And [i]Merioneth beares (as these had done) Three dancing Goates against the rising Sunne.

[Note f: _The Armes of Brecknock._]

[Note g: _Lying towards the midst of Wales, and for aboundance of Sheepe, liuing on those high Mountaines._]

[Note h: _Expressing the scituation of that s.h.i.+ere, lying on the Maratine part vpon the Irish Sea._]

[Note i: _For the aboundance of Goates, being on those inaccessible Mountaines._]

[Stanza 78]

Those of [a]Montgomery, beare a prancing Steed, Denbigh[b] a Neptune with his three-fork'd Mace: Flints.h.i.+ere[c] a Workmayd in her Summers weed, With Sheafe and Sickle (with a warlick pace) Those of Caernaruon not the least in speed, Though marching last (in the mayne Armies face) Three golden Eagles in their Ensigne brought, Vnder which oft braue Owen Guyneth fought.

[Note a: _The s.h.i.+ere breeding the best Horses of Wales._]

[Note b: _As opening it selfe to the great North or Deucalidonian Sea._]

[Note c: _Expressing the abundance of Corn and gra.s.se, in that little Tract._]

[Stanza 79]

The Seas amazed at the fearefull sight, Of Armes, and Ensignes, that aboard were brought, Of Streamers, Banners, Pennons, Ensignes pight, Vpon each Pup and Prowe; and at the fraught, So full of terror, that it hardly might Into a naturall course againe be brought, As the vaste Nauie which at Anchor rides, Proudly presumes to shoulder out the Tides.

[Stanza 80: _A Simile of the Nauy._]

The Fleet then full, and floating on the Maine, The numerous Masts, with their braue Topsailes spred, When as the Winde a little doth them straine, Seeme like a Forrest bearing her proud head Against some rough flawe, that forerunns a raine; So do they looke from euery loftie sted, Which with the Surges tumbled too and fro, Seeme (euen) to bend, as trees are seene to doe.