Many were captured fighting, many sank. This news they brought returned perforce, and left The Spaniards forging north. Themselves did watch The river mouth, till Howard, his new store Gathered, encounter coveting, once more Made after them with Drake. And lo! the wind Got up to help us. He yet flying north (Their doughty Admiral) made all his wake To smoke, and would not end to fight, but strewed The ocean with his wreckage. And the wind Drave him before it, and the storm was fell, And he went up to th' uncouth northern sea. There did our mariners leave him. Then did joy Run like a sunbeam over the land, and joy Rule in the stout heart of a regnant Queen. But now the counsel came, 'Every man home, For after Scotland rounded, when he curves Southward, and all the batter'd armament, What hinders on our undefended coast To land where'er he listeth? Every man Home.' And we mounted and did open forth Like a great fan, to east, to north, to west, And rumour met us flying, filtering Down through the border. News of wicked joy, The wreckers rich in the Faroes, and the Isles Orkney, and all the clansmen full of gear Gathered from helpless mariners tempted in To their undoing; while a treacherous crew Let the storm work upon their lives its will, Spoiled them and gathered all their riches up. Then did they meet like fate from Irish kernes, Who dealt with them according to their wont. In a great storm of wind that tore green leaves And dashed them wet upon me, came I home. Then greeted me my dame, and Rosamund, Our one dear child, the heir of these my fields-- That I should sigh to think it! There, no more.