THE INVINCIBLE ARMADA, 1588.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXX, Issue 8578, 4 September 1888, Page 6

THE INVINCIBLE ARMADA, 1588.

LBt Lewis Mobbis.l ’Tis a fair eve at midsummer, three hundred years ago, . „ . Drake and his hold sea captains all are out on Plymouth Hoe; They are hnsy at howls, brave gentlemen, with jovial mirth and jest. When watching eyes spy far away a sail upon the West.

A sail! ten sail! a hundred sail I nay nigh two hundred strong! And up tbe tea they swiftly climb in battle order long; Their nigh main-royals rake the skies, as in a crescent wide. like a thick wcod, full seven miles broad, they sail on side by tide.

There is swift nlaruuand hurry then, hut never a thought of fear. As the seamen, with the falling night, behold the Don draw near. “ Eing out the bells,” dies Hawkins, and across the darkling main, England peals out defiance to the gathered, hosts of bpain.

They do not fear the Don, not they, who on the Spanish main, Hav o fought his might and lowered his pride, again and yet again ; ‘ And yet 'tie fearful edds they face, when they tail forth to meet, Spain and her great Armada with the puny English fleet.

And tbe streets grow thronged with seamen, and the crowd s begin to shout. And quick oats dash and sails are set, before the stars come out; They weigh their anchors with a will, and out they speed to sea. Where up tho Channel, stately, slowly, forge the enemy.

Now St George for merry England, and St James for Papal Spain, Our seamen are onr chiefest hope, nor shall we trust in vain. We have quenched the fires of Smithfield, and no more, 'fora God, we swear. Shall they ever again flame upward, through onr sweet, free, English air. • •

Now when they neared the foeman, as he loomed across the sea. Lord Howard led the English van, a Catholic Lord was he. And his great Ark Boyal thundered out her broadsides loud and long. With Drake and Frobisher hard by, and heroes in a throng.

But never a gun the Spaniards fired, but silent pressed ana s ow. As some great herd of bisons on the rolling prairies go; And behind them close, like hunters swift, with hounds that snarl aud bite, The English squadrons followed through the breezy summer nigh c.

They could see the Dons’.-high lanterns, in a brilliant crescent flare. They could catch the black fiiars' moaning chant upon tee midnight air. All night they pressed them close, and ere the sun began to flame. Long miles away, by blue Torbay, the warring galleons came.

Soon as the dawn began to glow, the guns began to roar. All day the thundering navies fought along the Doisot shore, Till Portland frowned before them, in the distance dark aud grim. And ag«in tbe night stole downward, and the ghostly cliffs grew dim.

And already, praised bo God who guides the patriots' noble strife. Though not an English flag is lost, and scarce an English life, Do valdez yields his ship and sword, and into Weymouth bay. They tow OqaendPs burning barque, the galleon of Biscay,

Day fades in night, midst strops of fight, and when to waking eyes, Freshwater's ghostly seaclifff, and the atom-worn Needles rise, From a score of sheltered inlets on the smiling tolent sea, England comes forth to aid her sons, with all her chivalry.

There sails my Lord of Cumberland, and ho of Oxford too, Bravo Raleigh and Northumberland, and Grenville and Oorew. As to a field of hononr hasten knights of deathless fame, To meet the blue blood of Castile, the flower of England came.

Then with tho wind, the fee faced round, and hissing o’er tno blue. Forth from hta lofty broadsides vast his hurtling missiles flow; Long lime the light confusedly rrged, each man tor Ms own hand ; St George! protect our country, aud the freedom of our laud 1

Seo here round brave Eicaldes the English levied press! See there tho ships from London town, hemmed round and in uiatreas! Such thunder sure upon the seas was never heard before, As the great ordnance smite the skies with one unceasing roar!

Now when the fif£h day of the fight was come, St James’ Day, The era was like a sheet of g ass, the wind had died away. And from out the smoke clouds looming down, churuiog the deep to foam, Driven by three bundled oars the towering galliiißses come.

But ere they neared the English line, a furious iron hail Of chain-shot and of grape-shot crashed through mast and oar and sail. No more they could, they turned and fled, not yet upon tbe sea. Was seen such lurious hatred, or such stubborn bravery.

And upon the stoep white walla of cliff and by tho yellow sand. With pike and musket hurrying down tho sturdy praiants stand. And the trembling women kneel and call upon the Holy name, Aud watch the thick b’ack cloud which breaks in murderous of flame.

Now St George for our old England, for the Don has turned and fled, With many a strong ship sunk or burnt, and gallant seamen dead. And by the last day of the week, the warring squadrouo He, The teamen moored in Calais roads, tbe English ■watching by.

They sent for aid to Parma, for they were sore beset, But the Duke was at St Mary’s shrine, aud could not Guouoiir yet, For by Nieuwport and by Dunkirk, stern, immovable as Fate, With stalwart ships and ordnance strong, tho Dutchmen guard the gate.

Now that great Sabbath dawns at last, and from tbe foemen’s fl et, The deep mass-music rises, and the incense sicklysweet ; . And beneath the flog of England, too, with d iuntless hearts aad high, The seamen take tho broad and wine, and rise prepared to die.

Then came Lord Henry Seymour, with a message frr.m Her Grace, And Si*- Francis r«ad the missive with grave triumph ouhisfuce, And ho snare an oatb, that come wbat would, her orders should be done Before tbe early rose of dawn proclaimed tho coming sun.

And the summer da; light faded, and 'twas midnight ou tho wave. And among tho ciose-moored galleons all was silent as the grave. And the bright poop-lanterns roso aad fell with the breathing of the deep. And silent rode the towering halls, with tho weary crews asleep.

When two bravo men cf Devon, for Sir Francis bade them go. With all sail set before the wind, stole down upon tlio foe: And before tho drowsy watchmen woke, tho swift destruction came. As with a bkze ot wi dfire leapt the fireships into Annie 1

Then from the cloae.thronged ships ot Spain loud cries ot terror rise. As f om their burning ranks the glare flares upward to the skies. With cabb a out, and sails half set, they drift into the night. Ancl many are crushed, aad many burn, and somo arc sank outright.

Aud the watchers on the Dover Cliffs know well what thirg has been, And for noble England cheer aloud, nndforhor Maiden Queen. No ruore.no more, great England, shall thou bow thy head again Beneath the Holy Office and the tyranny ot Spam.

And tbe conquering English followed, and npon the Flanders shore, Hopeless tho shuttered galleons fought, trll fight they could no more j And some went down with all their crews, and some bout helplessly Upon the yeasty quicksands of the perilous Northern tea.

Then Sidonia with the remnant, shattered shins and wounded men. Tied Northward, with the foo in chase, hoping for Spain again ; But t y tbe Orkneys, lo ! the Lord blew with a mighty wind. And oil tno o.uol Irish West they left two score behind.

And the bsvuto kerns of Desmond, when the stormy wiudn were o'er, Eoblio ; the thronged corpses of tbe great, upon tho lonely shore. There, iu 1m gola-lacod satins, lay tho Prince cf Asculo, Mid friars, and penmen drowned and dead, and Doris of high degree.

Or faint with hunger and with thirst, though .rescued from the w* vo, The haugh'y Spaniard know in turn the misery of the rlbvc. i Thoy ate tiie captives’ bitter bread, they wh'o brief weeks ai:o Sailed forth in high diedain and pride to; lay our h'nglaud low.

And the scattered remnant labouring back to Spain and life again, ... . Left fourscore gallant ships behind, and twice tan thousand men; . And when in dole and misery this great emprise was done, There was scarce a palace in all Castile which did not mourn a son.

Let not their land forget the men who fought so good a fight! Still shall onr England keep undimmed their fame, their memory bright. And if again the foemeu come in power upon the main, May she find sons as strong ns thosewho broke the might of Spain!