Great Britain -- History -- Poetry; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Sources
Nor yet could this his noble heart suffice,
But with more conquest to renowne his name,
Thirtie eight ships his valour did surprise,
Of which most part with fire he did enflame,
The rest he kept for trophies of his fame,
Which in the sight of Cales that loftie towne,
He brought away in triumph and renowne.
147.
And as a bellowing bull, that doth disdaine,
Amongst an heard of cattell grazing by,
That any other bull in all the plaine,
Should proudly beare his curled head on high,
But makes him basely yeeld, or fainting flie:
So did great _Drake_, as lord of all the deepe,
His foes on th’ocean in subiection keepe.
148.
And when of all great _Philip’s_ nauall might,
On the seas wildernesse none durst appeare,
_Drake_ to prouoke his heartlesse foes to fight,
With his whole fleet vnto the shore did beare,
Where three strong holds by him assaulted were,
With that faire castle of Cape Sacre hight,
All which did fall beneath his nauall might.
149.
From thence to seas with his triumphant sailes
He did returne, wafting vpon the waues
Before hight Lisbone, neere to easterne Cales,
Where of th’Iberians he the combate craues,
Though none amongst them durst interrupt his braues,
But fled into the ports and harbours by,
Where out of danger they might hidden lie.
150.
Yet thence he rouz’d them, while that heartlesse knight,
The marques of Saint Cruz lay wafting by
In his swift sayling gallies, in whose sight
_Drake_ burnt and spoil’d his ships and made them flie,
Who to his care for helpe did seeme to crie:
Yet durst he not come forth in their defence,
But suffred _Drake_ to lead them captiue thence.
151.
A hundred ships with furniture full fraught
For Spaine’s Armada, that world-wondred fleet,
He did dispoile, and some away he brought
As signes of victorie, which as most meet
He did subiect at faire _Elizae’s_ feet;
The praise of which with humble zeale and loue,
She offred vp to heau’n as due to Ioue.
152.
Such humble thoughts in such a noble mind,
Do beat downe pride in chiefe felicitie:
And such a noble mind in kingly kind,
With best aduice, doth teach true maiestie,
To shew it selfe in milde humilitie,
Such humble thoughts, such noble minde had she,
Which in her heart, heart-searching Ioue did see.
153.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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