[Illustration: The Mercenary Souldier] I. No money yet, why then let's pawn our swords, [100.] And drinke an health to their confusion Who doe instead of money send us words, Lets not be subject to the vain delusion Of those would have us fight without our pay, While money chinks, my Captain i'le obey. II. I'le not be slave to any servile Groom, Let's to the Sutlers and there drink and sing My Captain for a while shall have my room, Come hither _Tom_, of Ale two douzen bring, Plac'd Ranke and File, Tobacco bring us store, And as the Pots doe empty, fill us more. III. Let the Drum cease, and never murmure more, Untill it beat, warning us to repair Each man for to receive of Cash good store, Let not the Trumpet shril, ere rend the ayre, Untill it cites us to the place where we May heaps of silver for our payment see. IV. I come not forth to doe my Countrey good, I come to rob, and take my fill of pleasure, Let fools repel their foes with angry mood, Let those doe service while I share the treasure: I doe not mean my body ere shall swing Between a pare of crutches, tottering. V. Let thousands fall, it nee'r shall trouble me, Those puling fools deserve no better fate, They mirth's Apposers were, and still would be, Did they survive, let me participate, Of pleasures, gifts, while here I live, and I _Care not, although I mourne eternally_. VI. I laugh to think how many times I have Whiles others fighting were against the foe, Within some Thicket croucht myself to save, Yet taken for a valiant Souldier tho, When I amongst them come, for I with words, Can terrifie, as others can with swords. VII. Damme you Rogue if thou provoke my wroth [1]I'le carve thee up, and spit thee, joynt by joynt There's none that tasted of my fury hath, But fear and tremble lest I should appoint A second penance from them, when my brow Is bent, marke how the rascalls to me bow. [Sidenote 1: Canes qui multum latrant, raro mordent.] VIII. Thus menacing I'm taken for to be A man indeed, when I should fear to fight With coward _Thersites_, and if that he Were my Antagonist, but I delight To fight and pash dame _Ceres_ treasure[2] To quaff _Lyen's_ bloud[3] I take great pleasure. [Sidenote 2: All manner of victuals.] [Sidenote 3: Wine.] IX. Proceed yee brethren, doe each other hate, And fight it to the last, _I wish the Wars May ever untill doomsday prosperate_, And time nee'r see a period of the jars: For I before like to a slave did live, Now like unto a _Lurdain_[4] doe I thrive. [Sidenote 4: An ignominious name given the _Danes_ by _English_ men, for their slothfull and lasie living.] X.