O! true of heart, and brave as true! Illustrious Clio, turn thy view Afar the vast seas o’er; For deeds, in spite of fate abhorr’d, Than these more worthy to record Ne’er pass’d thy view before. To abase the wealthy Gades, see, From haunts of deep obscurity, The fellest Fury rise! And from her direful hand launch’d forth, Transform’d the forests of the North, She floating walls supplies. Her envy is the city fair Of Hercules, so proudly there, Couch’d on the Atlantic gates; Girt by the sea, that from the west Comes fraught with gold, and her behest Before her bending waits. With venal aid of hate assists Unfruitful England, throne of mists, Whose fields no sun behold; Which Flora with false smile has clad In sterile green, where flowers look sad, And love itself is cold. Greedy the poison gold to seize, They with the monster Avarice, The peace of Spain abhor; And by their horrid arts increased, Turn ev’n the treasures of the East To instruments of war. Their proud Armada, which the main Tosses to heaven, or threats in vain To engulf, they mustering show: Ye suffer it not, ye pupils brave Of the Basans, and to the wave Launch yours to meet the foe. As by conflicting winds close driven, The dark clouds o’er the vault of heaven Across each other fly; And troubling mortals with the roar, The electric fluids flashing o’er Dispute the sway on high, So from both sides the battle roll’d, The sails their wings of flame unfold, And ship to ship they close; Combined, O! day of hapless fame, Four elements with man proclaim The unequal war that rose. Who in the whirlwind of dense smoke, To Mars that in fit incense woke, From hollow ordnance sent, With iron flames, a countless host, Sounds that unhinging shaking cross’d The eternal firmament,-- Who in that lake of fire and blood, Midst crashing masts and raging flood Of havoc and its train,-- Who by the light the picture shows, May not your blood-stain’d brows disclose, O! noble chiefs of Spain? With crimson dyed, or with the brand Of sulphurous powder, firm ye stand, As in the conflict dire, The sacrilegious giants rear’d, Serene the shining gods appear’d, Midst rolling clouds of fire. Shouts forth your courage hoarsely high Bellona’s metal roar, the cry The combat to inflame; Nor fear ye mortals, when ye view The streams of blood the waves imbue, Your prowess that proclaim. With iron clogg’d the air, the breath Is drawn each with a dart of Death, Whose skeleton immense Rises exulting o’er the scene, To see such fury rage, and glean His devastation thence.