ANCIENT POEMS. 223 XX. BRAVE LORD WILLOUGHBY. Peregrine Bertie lord Willoughby of Erefby had, in the year 1586, diftinguished himself at the fiege of Zutphen in the Low Countries. He was the year after made general of the English forces in the United Provinces, in room of the earl of Leicester, who was recalled. This gave him an opportunity of fignalizing his courage and military skill in feveral actions against the Spaniards. One of thefe, greatly exaggerated by popular report, is probably the fubject of this old ballad, which, on account of its flattering encomiums on Englifh valour, hath always been a favourite with the people. 66 My lord Willoughbie (Jays a contemporary writer) was one of the queenes beft fwordjmen: : . Ibe was a great "mafter of the art military...... I have heard it spoken, "that had he not flighted the court, but applied himself to “the queene, he might have enjoyed a plentifull portion of "her grace; and it was his faying, and it did him no good, "that he was none of the REPTILIA; intimating, that he "could not creepe on the ground, and that the court was not "his element; for indeed, as he was a great fouldier, fo he was of fuitable magnanimitie, and could not brooke the ob"fequioufnefe and affiduitie of the court." (Naunton.) Lerd Willoughbie died in 1601.-Both Norris and Turner were famous among the military men of that age. 66 The fubject of this ballad (which is printed from an old black-letter copy may paffibly receive illuftration from what CHAPMAN Jay in the Dedicat. to his verfion of Homer's Frogs and Mice, concerning the brave and memorable Retreat of Sir John Norris, with only 1000 men, thro' the whole Spanish army, under the duke of Parma, for three miles together. THE HE fifteenth day of July, ΤΗ With gliftering fpear and fhield, A famous fight in Flanders Was foughten in the field: The most couragious officers The next was captain Norris, A valiant man was hee: The other captain Turner,' From field would never flee. With fifteen hundred fighting men, Alas! there were no more, They fought with fourteen thousand then Stand to it noble pikemen, And look you round about : And fhoot you right you bow-men, And we will keep them out: Do you prove true to me, Says brave lord Willoughbèy. |