The Battaile of Agincourt Part 8

I like our Forces their first course should hold, To skirmish with them, vpon euery stay, But fight by no meanes with them, though they would, Except they finde them forraging for pray, So still you haue them shut vp in a Fould, And still to Callis keepe them in their way; So Fabius wearied Hanibal, so we May English Henry, pleased if you be.

[Stanza 131]

And of the English rid your Countrey cleane, If on their backs, but Callice walles they win, Whose Frontier Townes you easly may maintaine, With a strong Army still to keepe them in; Then let our s.h.i.+ps make good the mouth of Seyne, And at your pleasure Harflew you may winne, Ere with Supplys againe they can inuade, Spent in the Voyage lately hither made.

[Stanza 132]

That day at Poyteers, in that bloudy Field, The sudaine turne in that great Battell then, Shall euer teach me, whilest I Armes can weeld, Neuer to trust to mult.i.tudes of men; Twas the first day that ere I wore a Sheeld, Oh let me neuer see the like agen!

Where their Blacke Edward such a Battell wonne As to behold it might amaze the Sunne.

[Stanza 133]

There did I see our conquered Fathers fall, Before the English on that fatall ground, When as to ours their number was but small, And with braue Spirits France ne'r did more abound, Yet oft that Battaile into minde I call, Whereas of ours, one man seemd all one wound, I instance this; yet humbly here submit My selfe to fight, if you shall thinke it fit.

[Stanza 134: _Young mens counsailes ofttimes proue the vtter subuersion both of themselues and others._]

The Marshall and the Constable about To second, what this sager Duke had said: The youthfull Lords into a cry brake out, Gainst their opinions, so that ouer-sway'd, Some seeming of their Loyalties to doubt; Alanzon as an Oracle obay'd, And not a French then present, but doth sweare To kill an English if ynow there were.

[Stanza 135: _The French King sendeth to dare the King of England to Battaile._]

A Herault posted presently away, The King of England to the field to dare, To bid him cease his spoyle, nor to delay Gainst the French power his forces but prepare: For that King Charles determin'd to display His b.l.o.o.d.y Ensignes, and through France declare The day, and place, that Henry should set downe, In which their Battailes, should dispose the Crowne.

[Stanza 136: _The King of Englands modest answer._]

This newes to Henry by the Herault brought, As one dispa.s.sion'd soberly (quoth he) Had your King pleas'd, we sooner might haue fought; For now my Souldiers much enfeebled be: Nor day, nor place, for Battaile shall be sought By English Henry: but if he seeke me, I to my vtmost will my selfe defend, And to th'Almighties pleasure leaue the end.

[Stanza 137]

The brute of this intended Battaile spred, The coldnesse of each sleeping courage warmes, And in the French that daring boldnesse bred: Like casting Bees that they arise in swarmes, Thinking the English downe so farre to tred, As past that day ne'r more to rise in Armes, T'extirpe the name, if possible it were, At least not after to be heard of there.

[Stanza 138: _A Simily of the rising of the French._]

As when you see the enuious Crowe espye, Something that shee doth naturally detest: With open throat how shee doth squall and crye; And from the next Groue calleth in the rest, And they for those beyond them bawling flye, Till their foule noyse doth all the ayre infest: Thus French, the French to this great Battaile call, Vpon their swords to see the English fall.

[Stanza 139: _Dauid Gam, a great Captain in that Warr._]

And to the King when seriously one tolde, With what an Host he should encountred be, Gam noting well, the King did him behold, In the reporting; Merrily (quoth he) My Liege I'le tell you if I may be bold, We will diuide this Army into three: One part we'll kill, the second prisoners stay; And for the third, we'll leaue to runne away.

[Stanza 140]

But for the Foe came hourely in so fast, Lest they his Army should disordred take: The King who wisely doth the worst forecast, His speedy martch doth presently forsake, Into such forme and his Battalion cast; That doe their worst they should not eas'ly shake: For that his scouts which forrag'd had the Coast, Bad him at hand expect a puissant Host.

[Stanza 141: _The Duke of Yorke._]

On which ere long the English Vanward light, Which York, of men the brauest, doth command, When either of them in the others sight, He caus'd the Army instantly to stand, As though preparing for a present Fight, And rideth forth from his couragious Band, To view the French, whose numbers ouer spread, The troubled Country on whose earth they tread.

[Stanza 142]

Now were both Armies got vpon that ground, As on a Stage, where they their strengthes must trye, Whence from the wydth of many a gaping wound, There's many a soule into the Ayre must flye: Meane while the English that some ease had found; By the aduantage of a Village nie, There set them downe the Battell to abide, Where they the place had strongly fortifide.

[Stanza 143: _The French scorning the English, being so fewe in respect of their mighty power._]

Made drunke with pride the haughty French disdaine, Lesse then their owne, a mult.i.tude to view, Nor aske of G.o.d the victory to gaine, Vpon the English wext so poore and fewe, To stay their slaughter thinking it a paine, And lastly to that insolence they grewe, Quoyts, Lots, and Dice for Englishmen to cast, And sweare to pay, the Battaile being past.

[Stanza 144]

For knots of corde to eu'ry Towne they send, The Captiu'd English that they caught to binde, For to perpetuall slau'ry they intend: Those that aliue they on the Field should finde, So much as that they fear'd lest they should spend Too many English, wherefore they a.s.signde Some to keepe fast those, fayne that would be gon After the Fight, to try their Armes vpon.

[Stanza 145]

One his bright sharpe-eg'd Semiter doth showe, Off'ring to lay a thousand Crownes (in pride) That he two naked English at one blowe, Bound back to back will at the wasts diuide, Some bett his sword will do't, some others no, After the Battaile, and they'll haue it tride: Another wafts his Blade about his head, And shewes them how their hamstrings he will shread.

[Stanza 146]

They part their prisoners, pa.s.sing them for debt, And in their Ransome ratibly accord To a Prince of ours, a Page of theirs they set; And a French Lacky to an English Lord; As for our Gentry them to hyre they'll let, And as good cheape as they can them afford, Branded for Slaues that if they hapt to stray, Knowne by the marke, them any one might slay.

[Stanza 147]

And cast to make a Chariot for the King, Painted with Antickes, and ridiculous toyes, In which they meane to Paris him to bring, To make sport to their Madames and their Boyes, And will haue Rascalls, Rymes of him to sing, Made in his mock'ry; and in all these ioyes, They bid the Bells to ring, and people crie, Before the Battaile, France and Victorie.

[Stanza 148]

And to the King and Daulphine sent away (Who at that time residing were in Roane) To be partakers of that glorious day: Wherein the English should be ouerthrowne, Lest that of them ensuing times should say, That for their safety they forsooke their owne: When France did that braue victory obtaine, That shall her lasting'st monument remaine.

[Stanza 149]

The poore distressed Englishmen the whiles, Not dar'd by doubt, and lesse appaul'd with dread Of their Arm'd Pykes, some sharpning are the pyles, The Archer grinding his barb'd Arrow head: Their Bills and Blades, some whetting are with Files: And some their Armours strongly Riueted: Some pointing Stakes to stick into the ground, To guard the Bow-men, and their Horse to wound.

[Stanza 150: _The Ryot in the French Campe the night before the Battell._]

The night fore-running this most dreadfull day: The French that all to iollity encline: Some fall to dancing, some againe to play: And some are drinking to this great Designe: But all in pleasure spend the night away: The Tents with lights, the Fields with Boone-fires s.h.i.+ne: The common Souldiers Free-mens Catches sing: With showtes and laughter all the Campe doth ring.

[Stanza 151]

The wearied English watchfull o'r their Foes, (The depth of night then drawing on so fast) That fayne a little would themselues repose, With thanks to G.o.d, doe take that small repast Which that poore Village willingly bestowes: And hauing plac'd their Sentinels at last, They fall to Prayer, and in their Cabins blest, T'refresh their spirits, then tooke them to their rest.

[Stanza 152: _Pondering in his thoughts, his Fathers comming to the Crowne by deposing the rightfull King._]

In his Pauillion Princely Henry lay'd, Whilst all his Army round about him slept, His restlesse head vpon his Helmet stay'd, For carefull thoughts his eyes long waking kept: Great G.o.d (quoth he) withdraw not now thy ayde: Nor let my Father Henries sinnes be heapt On my transgressions, vp the Summe to make, For which thou may'st me vtterly forsake.

[Stanza 153: _Henry the fift caused the body of King Richard to be taken vp, where it was meanely buried at Langley, and to be layde in Westminster by his first Wife Queene Anne._]

King Richards wrongs, to minde, Lord doe not call, Nor how for him my Father did offend, From vs alone deriue not thou his fall, Whose odious life caus'd his vntimely end, That by our Almes be expiated all: Let not that sinne on me his Sonne desend, When as his body I translated haue, And buried in an honourable Graue.

[Stanza 154]

These things thus pondring, sorrow-ceasing sleepe, From cares to rescue his much troubled minde, Vpon his Eye-lids stealingly doth creepe, And in soft slumbers euery sense doth binde, (As vndisturbed euery one to keepe) When as that Angell to whom G.o.d a.s.sign'd, The guiding of the English, gliding downe The silent Campe doth with fresh courage crowne.