*

BRAVE LORD WILLOUGHBEY.*

HE fifteenth day of July,

With glistering spear and shield,

A famous fight in Flanders

Was foughten on the field:

The most courageous officers
Were English captains three;
But the bravest man in battle
Was brave lord Willoughbèy.

The next was captain Norris,
A valiant man was he:

The other captain Turner,

From field would never flee.

Peregrine Bertie, Lord Willoughbey of Eresby, died 1601.

With fifteen hundred fighting men,

Alas! there were no more,

They fought with fourteen thousand then,

Upon the bloody shore.

Stand to it noble pikemen,
And look you round about:
And shoot you right you bowmen,
And we will keep them out:
You musket and callìver* men,
Do you prove true to me,
I'll be the foremost man in fight,
Says brave lord Willoughbèy.

And then the bloody enemy
They fiercely did assail,
And fought it out most furiously,
Not doubting to prevail :

The wounded men on both sides fell

Most piteous for to see,

Yet nothing could the courage quell

Of brave lord Willoughbèy.

* A kind of gun.

For seven hours to all men's view

This fight endured sore,

Until our men so feeble grew,

That they could fight no more;

And then upon dead horses

Full savourly they ate,
And drank the puddle water,
They could no better get.

When they had fed so freely,
They kneeled on the ground,
And praised God devoutly

For the favour they had found;

And beating up their colours,
The fight they did renew,

And turning tow'rds the Spaniard,
A thousand more they slew.

The sharp steel-pointed arrows,
And bullets thick did fly;
Then did our valiant soldiers

Charge on most furiously;