An axtree, that with slight delivered from the toe Roots up the yielding earth; so that his violent fall Strook Neptune with such strength, as shouldered him withal;

That where the monstrous waves like mountains late did stand,

They leaped out of the place, and left the bared sand To gaze upon wide Heaven: so great a blow it gave. For which the conquering brute on Corineus brave This horn of land bestowed, and marked it with his

name;

Of Corin, Cornwal called, to his immortal fame.

*

*

*

Michael Drayton.

A

THE SPANISH ARMADA.

TTEND all ye who list to hear
Our noble England's praise!

I tell of the thrice famous deeds

She wrought in ancient days,
When that great fleet invincible
Against her bore in vain
The richest spoils of Mexico,
The stoutest hearts of Spain.

It was about the lovely close
Of a warm summer day,
There came a gallant merchant-ship
Full sail to Plymouth Bay;

Her crew had seen Castile's black fleet
Beyond Aurigny's Isle,

At earliest twilight, on the waves,
Lie heaving many a mile;

At sunrise she escaped their van,
By God's especial grace;

And the tall Pinta, till the moon,
Had held her close in chase.
Forthwith, a guard at every gun
Was placed along the wall;
The beacon blazed upon the roof
Of Edgecombe's lofty hall,
And many a fishing-bark put out
To pry along the coast,

And with loose rein and bloody spur
Rode inland many a post.

With his white hair unbonneted
The stout old sheriff comes;
Behind him march the halberdiers,
Before him sound the drums.
His yeomen round the market-cross
Make clear an ample space,
For there behoves him to set up
The standard of her grace.
And haughtily the trumpets peal,
And gayly dance the bells,
As slow upon the laboring wind
The royal blazon swells.
Look how the lion of the seas

Lifts up his ancient crown,
And underneath his deadly paw
Treads the gay lilies down!

So stalked he when he turned to flight,
On that famed Picard field,
Bohemia's plume, Genoa's bow,
And Cæsar's eagle shield;
So glared he when at Agincourt
In wrath he turned to bay,

And crushed and torn beneath his claws
The princely hunters lay.

Ho! strike the flagstaff deep, Sir Knight,
Ho! scatter flowers, fair maids,
Ho! gunners, fire a loud salute,
Ho! gallants, draw your blades;
Thou sun, shine on her joyously;
Ye breezes, waft her wide;
Our glorious Semper eadem,—
The banner of our pride!

The freshening breeze of eve unfurled
That banner's massy fold, -

The parting gleam of sunshine kissed
That haughty scroll of gold;
Night sank upon the dusky beach,
And on the purple sea,

Such night in England ne'er had been,
Nor e'er again shall be.

From Eddystone to Berwick bounds,

From Lynn to Milford Bay,

That time of slumber was as bright

And busy as the day;

For swift to east and swift to west

The warning radiance spread;

High on St. Michael's Mount it shone,

It shone on Beachy Head.

Far on the deep the Spaniard saw,
Along each southern shire,
Cape beyond cape, in endless range,
Those twinkling points of fire;
The fisher left his skiff to rock
On Tamar's glittering waves,
The rugged miners poured to war
From Mendip's sunless caves.

O'er Longleat's towers, o'er Cranbourne's oaks, The fiery herald flew ;

He roused the shepherds of Stonehenge,

The rangers of Beaulieu.

Right sharp and quick the bells all night
Rang out from Bristol town,

And ere the day three hundred horse
Had met on Clifton down;
The sentinel on Whitehall Gate
Looked forth into the night,

And saw o'erhanging Richmond Hill
The streak of blood-red light.
Then bugle's note and cannon's roar
The death-like silence broke,

And with one start and with one cry
The royal city woke.

At once on all her stately gates
Arose the answering fires;

At once the wild alarum clashed

From all her reeling spires;

From all the batteries of the Tower
Pealed loud the voice of fear;

And all the thousand masts of Thames
Sent back a louder cheer;

And from the farthest wards was heard
The rush of hurrying feet,

And the broad streams of flags and pikes
Dashed down each roaring street;
And broader still became the blaze,
And louder still the din,

As fast from every village round
The horse came spurring in;

And eastward straight, from wild Blackheath,
The warlike errand went,

And roused in many an ancient hall,
The gallant squires of Kent.
Southward from Surrey's pleasant hills

Flew those bright couriers forth;

High on bleak Hempstead's swarthy moor

They started for the north;

And on and on, without a pause,

Untired they bounded still;

All night from tower to tower they sprang, They sprang from hill to hill,

Till the proud Peak unfurled the flag

O'er Darwin's rocky dales,

Till like volcanoes flared to heaven

The stormy hills of Wales,

Till twelve fair counties saw the blaze
On Malvern's lonely height,

Till streamed in crimson on the wind