CII. A BALLAD TO QUEEN ELIZABETH OF THE SPANISH ARMADA.
Reading edition
CII. A BALLAD TO QUEEN ELIZABETH OF THE SPANISH ARMADA.
(Ballade.)
Austin Dobson.—1840-
King Philip had vaunted his claims; He had sworn for a year he would sack us; With an army of heathenish names He was coming to fagot and stack us; Like the thieves of the sea he would track us, And shatter our ships on the main; But we had bold Neptune to back us,— And where are the galleons of Spain?
His carackes were christen'd of dames To the kirtles whereof he would tack us; With his saints and his gilded stern-frames, He had thought like an egg-shell to crack us; Now Howard may get to his Flaccus, And Drake to his Devon again, And Hawkins bowl rubbers to Bacchus,— For where are the galleons of Spain?
Let his Majesty hang to St. James The axe that he whetted to hack us; He must play at some lustier games Or at sea he can hope to out-thwack us; To his mines of Peru he would pack us To tug at his bullet and chain; Alas! that his Greatness should lack us!— But where are the galleons of Spain?
Envoy.
Gloriana!—the Don may attack us Whenever his stomach be fain; He must reach us before he can rack us, ... And where are the galleons of Spain?
He lives not best who dreads the coming pain And shunneth each delight desirable: Flee thou extremes, this word alone is plain, Of all that God hath given to Man to spell!
Andrew Lang.—1844. From Sonnets from the Antique.