A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 2 — John Shaqi
A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 2
General
A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 2
English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
2. How then turnd the windes?
Why did this beauteous face of love in us
Put on so blacke a Visour of hate to them?
1. Oh, sir, doe but looke backe to Eighty Eight,
That _Spanish_ glasse shall tell you, shew each wrinckle.
_England_ that yeare was but a bit pickd out
To be layd on their Kinges Trencher. Who were their Cookes?
Marry, sir, his Grandees and great Dons of _Spaine_,
A Navy was provided, a royall fleete,
Infinite for the bravery of Admiralls,
Viceadmirall [sic], Generalls, Colonells and Commanders,
Soldiers, and all the warlike furniture
Cost or experience or mans witt could muster
For such a mayne designe.
2. Stay; Eighty Eight,--
Thirty eight yeares agoe: much about then
Came I into the world.--Well, sir, this fleete?
1. Which made the Sea fish wonder what new kingdome
Was building over theirs, beate downe the Billowes
Before them to gett thither. 'Twas such a Monster
In body, such a wonder in the eyes,
And such a[14] thunder in the eares of Christendome
That the Popes Holynes would needes be Godfather
To this most mighty big limbd Child, and call it
Th'Invincible Armado.
2. Thats to say
A Fleete of Shipps not to be overcome
By any power of man.
1. These were the Whales,
These were the huge Levyathans of the Sea
Which roaring came with wide and dreadfull Jawes
To swallow up our Kingdom, Shipps & Nation.
The fame of this Armado flew with Terrour
Riding on Envyes wing; the preparation
Was wayted on with wonder, and the approach
Shewd the grim face of horrour: yet gainst all these
Our Country and our Courages were armd.
2. _St. George_ for _England_!
1. And _St. George_ we cryde,
Albeit, we heard, the _Spanish_ Inquisition
Was aboord every ship with torture, torments,
Whipps strung with wyre, and knives to cutt our throates.
But from the armed winds an hoast brake forth
Which tare their shipps and sav'd ours.--Thus I have read
Two storyes to you; one, why _Spayne_ hates us,
T'other why we love not them.
2. Oh, sir, I thank you.
[_Exeunt_.
SCENE 3.
_Ent. Teniente, Don John, Henrico_.
_Ten_. I ever feard some ill fate pointed at
This Citty.
_Jo_. Makes the fleete this way?
_Hen_. _Buzzano_!
_Ten_. I did dreame every night of't, and the Ravens
With their unlucky throates never leave croaking
Some danger to us all.
_Hen_. Where's _Buzzano_? Villaine!
_Jo_. Be not discomforted.
_Ten_. Don _Fernando_, too,
Hath cut our strength off, taken away our swords
Should save our throates. I did preiudicate
Too rashly of the _English_; now we may
Yield up the Towne.--Sirra, get you up to th'highest _Enter Buzzano_.
Turret, that lookes three leagues into the Sea,
And tell us what you can discover there.
_Buz_. Why, I can tell you ere I goe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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