Warres, Warre VVarres.

Arma Virum (que) Cano.

Into the Field I bring,
Souldiers and Battailes:
Boeth their Fames I sing.
[figure]

Imprinted at London for [...]. G. 1628.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HVGH HAMERSLEY, Lord Maior of this Renowned City of London: And Co­lonell of the Artillery Garden. THE RIGHT WORSHIP­FVLL, AND WORTHY GEN­TLE-MEN, S r MAVRICE ABBOT, Knight; and M r HENRY GARRA­VVAY, Shriefes of the same Citty.

Honourable Praetor: Worthy Consuls.

THose Titles (taking both Des­cension and Deriuation from the Ancient Roman, Prae­torian, and Consular Dig­nities) are happy Honors, in that they [Page] are lent vnto you, from the noblest Na­tion, that euer carried Armes in the World. Your Places are High, Offi­ces Great; yet giue me leaue to sit at the Roote of your Glories, (like a Passen­ger on the way) and to lift vp mine eyes to your spreading Branches, leauing this poore Tablet hid amongst your Leaues, containing nothing but an Inscription of my Loue.

It was some ioy to me, to bee imployed in the Praesentation of your Triumphs, on the day of your Lordships Inaugura­tion; and it shalbe as great a happinesse to me now, if this my second Praesenta­tion, [Page] may from your Hands receiue a free entertainment.

What I offred vp then, was a Sacrifice Ex officio: Custome tooke my Bond for the Performance: And on the Day of Ceremony, I hope the Debt was fully discharged. This Oblation is volunta­ry, and shall prosper well enough, if it meete acceptance. A braue Company of Gentlemen in Armes, were Additions of much splendor, to that Day, (which of it selfe was bright enough) to grace your Lordship, being at this Time their Sole and Worthy Colonell: I come to you now, speaking still in their Warlike [Page] Language. Drums, Fifes, Ensignes, Pikes, and Shot, Marched before you, to your Gates: Drums, Fifes, Ensignes, Pikes, and Shot, doe now come Mar­ching into your Parlors: I know not how to handle either; yet I handle all. Trum­pets here sound a Charge, yet no noise heard: A Battaile is fought, but with­out Bloud shed: I am no Herald, yet I Crye, Warres, Warres, Warres: No Souldier, yet my Pen playes the Cap­tayne, and Drils a Company of Ver­ses on Foote, in a Field of white Paper. The Discipline I teach them, is so Prin­ted in their Memories, that vnlesse their [Page] Limbes be torne in peeces, the World cannot chuse but take notice of their Po­stures. What scorne, other men (out of Malice, rather than Iudgement) shall throw vpon these my Martiall darings, I will put by, with an Odi prophanum Vulgus, and not care what Canons they Plant against mee, so I may lye safely Intrenched, Sub Triplici Clipeo, Of your Three noble Defences. To which I prostrate, my Loue, Labour, and Ser­uice:

Resting, Deuoted euer To your Lordship, And Worships. THO. DEKKER.

To all Noble Souldiers.

IF (noble Spirits) as well you may, you wonder
How I, who ne're fir'd Cannon, speake in Thunder;
Your pardon easly thus vnties my Charmes.
He that wants legges, may be in loue, with Armes.

VVarres, Warres, Warres.
Arma virum (que) Cano.

BRaue Musicke! harke: The ratling Drum beates high,
And with the scolding Fife, deaffens the skye,
The Brazen Herald in a shrill Tone, tels
We shall haue Warres, (ring out for ioy, your Bels:)
[Page]We shall haue Warres, when Kingdoms are at odds,
Pitch'd Fields those Theaters are, at which the Gods
Look downe from their high Galleries of Heauen,
Where Battailes, Tragedies are, to which are giuen
Plaudits from Cannons, Buskind Actors tread
Knee deep in blood, and trample on the Dead:
Death, the graue [...]ame, of which is writ the story,
Keene Swords the Pens, texting (at large) the glory
Of Generals, Colonels; Captaines, and Commanders,
With common fighting Men, (the hardy standers
[Page]Against all Hellish Horrors.) Souldiers all,
And Fellowes (in that name,) to'th Generall.
O Warre! thou Shoole where honor takes degrees ▪
(Nobler then those are bought for Heralds Fees,)
Thou Hiue of Bees industrious, bringing [...]
Thighes laden with rich spoiles, which may become
The King of Bees to carry: Thou Refiner
Of drossie states; Mischiefes rare vnderminer!
Thou great Magi [...], whose inchanted rounds
Haue spirits, can bind Ambition within bounds.
[Page]Thou souereigne Chymist that art sent from heauen,
To cleanse the rancke-world, for to thee is giuen
The skill of Minerals, ( lead, iron and steele,)
Which can set Realmes vpright when they do reele.
By a strang Powders helpe, which strikes it dead,
What e're the Soare be, or how euer Bred.
O teach me ( all vnskilfull) how to sing
Some of thy Wonders on my vn-tun'd string:
For, my heart danceth sprightly, when I see
( Old as I am) our English Gallantry
[Page](Albeit no silken Downe playes with their Chin,
Being fa [...]d [...] like women, yet all man within,)
With new bloom'd Roses blushing on each cheeke,
To Plough vp seas, bright Fame (abroad) to seeke,
And ( found) neuer to leaue her, till she sets)
Plumes, rich and glorious in their Burgonets;
Whose actes, thē breaking forth in generous flames.
Mongst Turks or Spanish, each his worth proclaimes,
Else writes his faire deserts with his owne hands,
In bloudy letters 'mongst the Netherlands,
[Page]So folly, that their Stories shalbee read,
Whilst the proud Germaine Eagle reares a Head.
These men I loue, O these! who high Preferre
Before all stiles, the name of Souldier:
Which Title in a Diadem beeing set,
Addes glittring Dyamonds to the Coronet.
O see [...] the Armies glorious body mooues,
In whose proud front match vp so many Ioues:
As there are Leaders: How the Sunne, enuies
That from bright armors, and mens sparkling eyes,
[Page] Beames farre more dazling through the ayre are throwne
Than all those golden Rayes, which are his owne.
What sight ith' world (but Nauies on proud Seas,
Is so stupendious rare? or can so please?
Had Memphis cloz'd her wonders, all in One,
Las! they had lack'd that sweet Proportion,
Which a maine Army carries, that can fall
Into all Figures, Geometricall,
At turning of a Hand, to checke all stormes,
And yet, not Order breake, nor loose their Formes.
[Page]Faces about, the Captaine cryes; they doo't
In an eyes twinkling, changing scarce a Foote:
Then, as you were; tis done; double your Files,
To note the quicknesse, Time himselfe beguiles.
Come vp in maine Battalia; vp they come▪
In a proud dance, to'th Musicke of the Drum:
Diuide your selues in Squadrons; flye out in wings;
Now a halfe Moone; the word (but spoken) brings
Men into decent Postures, fit to fight
Gainst horse or foote; the left hand, or the Right:
[Page]All mooue like wheeles in clockes, some great, some lesse,
And numerous strings, do but one tune expresse.
But this is nothing, did they (but thus) still [...]
O harke! the Fight begins, for loud shoutes fill
Heauen with rebounding Ecchoes. Trumpets sound
A charge; Drums rattle, noise doth noise counfound,
Yet 'tis all-musicall: Barb'd Horses beate
Their hoofes through madnes, & their Riders sweat
With rage, because That moouing wall (of Pikes)
They cannot enter, for it guards and strikes,
[Page]Yet groues of Pikes, by groues of Pikes are shiuerd
Ten thousand Bullets from iron wombes deliuer d,
Flye whurrying in the Ayre: steele Targets clatter,
Swords clash, whilst Battle-axes, Helmets batter,
The Cannon roares; by thousands, men dye groning,
But Drums so cheere the rest; none minds their moning:
Gold lacde Buffe-ierkins drop; Feathers look pale,
Whilst tottred de sperue [...]wes, all stormes of Haile
Stand like tough Briers: Heads are for foot-bals tost:
Armes flye to seeke their Maisters, yet both lost,
[Page]Whose mangled Carcases (besmeet'd in gore;)
Troupes of Carbines in Tryumph trample o're.
Here may you see, hot spirits as fiercely meete,
As Whirle-winds do, whilst rocks or oakes they greet;
Yet by strong tugging when their Flames are spent,
Lye like deere friends (tho into wounds all rent,)
Whose streames gush out so fast, they o [...] are found
Suffring two deaths, and are both kild and drown'd.
A thousand windings, and a thousand wayes
The General beates (euen whilst the ordnance plaies)
[Page]To winne the Wind, the Sun, the Wood, the Hell,
None know what cares the noble Souldier fill.
Blacke fate! there's drop'd a Leader to the ground,
Courage he cryes yet (Souldiers) slights the wound;
And though death stare in's face, death him doth feare,
To fall (saith he) is Fortune de la Guerre.
As when a Ph [...]nix, to her death-bed comes,
She buildes a nest of spice, and odorous gummes,
Then in the Sunnes hot flames, clapping her wings
She burnes to Death: out of whose ashes springs
[Page]A second Phaenix ▪ So, when Leaders fall,
(E're the last gaspe) about them quicke they call
Their souldiers, whom they heat with their own fire
To fight it out, who seeing their soules retire
To heauenly Tents: Ten thousand Leaders rise
From them; and, On, a maine On, each man cries,
A fare-well vollied loud from one to one,
Thus Epitaph'd; There's a braue fellow gon.
Nor, (tho a hundred Captaines should lye slaine)
Run the rest head-long on: 'twere poore and vaine,
[Page]By quitting others Deaths, to meete their Owne,
No, euery Souldier when the Dice are throwne
Waites his owne Cast and wa [...]ebe [...] his owne Game,
The vpshot of all faire-play being true Fame.
For, as yong flowers make garlands for the spring,
As Coronets of Lillies, honor bring
To amorous Riuers: As those smells are rare,
Which Summers warme hand throwes into the aire:
As Incense, from the Tyrannizing Fire
Breaks in sweet clouds and more the flames conspire
[Page]To choake her odorous breath, with richer sent
Her Roseall wings fanne all the Firmament:
So mooues a Souldier in his constant Sphaere,
His great Desires still burning, sweete and cleare.
Nor seekes he blood but high deeds: rather Fame
Than a fought Battaile; for a nobler Name
Is grauen vpon the sword, that's dip'd in Oyle
Than that in blood, which does all brightnesse foile
When horror will spare none, 'tis Law, to Kill:
But Honor sayes, Tis better saue than spill.
[Page] Who then with lippes prophane dare curses lay
On Warre, who to all Glory beates the way,
Nay to all goodnesse? Downe the Court pride falls,
When He's in place, Church-Simony, no man calls
To a fat Benefice: Bribery dares not feele
The Lawyers pulse; nor Vsuries golden wheele
Whirle in the City: Country Foxes hide
Their ill got spoyles, which Warre can soone deuide.
Breake then (thou thunder) that foule bed of snakes.
Which a Luxurious peace, her darling makes,
[Page] Dandling the Plump Brood on her wanton knees.
Whose Braines War would beat out, & frō the Lees
Racke the pure wine, whose heate should kindle fires
For deeds Heroicall. Warre, more admires
One Bethlem Gabor, or one Spinola,
Than all the braue men on S t. George his Day.
But why doe I Out-Landish coyne thus raise,
When our own English stamps deserue more praise!
Giue me a stout Southampton and hi [...] Sonne,
A fiery Oxford who toth' Top would runne
[Page]Of the most dangerous, hottest, high designe,
An Essex, which does euen himselfe cut shine
In noble Darings: would I had a Pen,
To set the worths downe of the best of Men
The farre fam'd Warwicke, Holland, Willoughby,
Whose Actes too high a Pitch for me doe flye:
I am no Eagle to behold such Sunnes,
My humble Muse in her owne circle runnes.
And that's in thee (O Troynonant:) Old Rome,
Couldst thou thy gray head, lift vp from thy Tombe
[Page]Glorious, as when thy Browes were deck'd with Bayes,
Higher in fame, thy Sons thou couldst not rayse,
Then London now can here: Thy Citizens
Had not more honors from the Roman pens
Than ours now me [...]rit: Like a brazen well
Shee (should War thunder) vp braue spirits can call
To guard her towers and pinnacles, sonnes here bred,
Vnder her wing, and by her cherished.
Nor needs she send to Forraine shores for men
To lead her Troupes: How many a Citizen
[Page](Stood horror at the Gates) could fairely steere,
And in a rough storme, guide both Van and Reare:
But (aboue all the rest) why should not I,
The Fames sing of our twice Decemviri,
(Our twenty Citty Captaines,) Bond, Leate, Fen.
(A chiefe, yet Gound amongst our Aldermen:)
Stiles, Williams, Smith, & Andrewes, march vp here.
Lasher, and Henshaw, ith' next Front appeare:
Walker and Halsey then, with Rowdon lead
Their Companies stoutly on: lyes Milward dead!
[Page]No, with a brow vp-reard to'th Field He hyes;
Wallers and Langhams Drums, deafning the skies:
Lee, Fen, and Dichfield, come in braue array,
Whilst Wilde, and Marshall, striue to win the Day;
Win may they, other notes our Muse must sing,
And to the Sunne, play on a louder string▪

VVarre and the Sunne Compared.

WAr and the Sun are Twinnes; as the Sun rides
In's chariot (all of flames) which himself guides
Through heauen, the vast earth measuring inon day,
And of all Countries (so) takes full suruay;
Cheering all Nations, which his god-like eyes,
Who sets as he sets; rise as he does rise.
[Page]And in a yeare this princely Bridegroome shines,
Twelue times, in his 12. houses, (the 12 Signes.)
So War holds the whole world in Souereigne awe,
( His not the Common, but the Cannon Law.)
What Kingdomes are not glad to see him ride
On thunder, ( lightning lackying by his side?
Turkes, Tartars, Persians, Indians, all adore
The god of Warre; all dance to heare him rore:
The Pole, Russe, Hungar, Sweue, and yellow Dane,
English, French, Spanish, Dutch, waite on Wars traine,
[Page]And to such heigth, their Empires nere had brought,
But for the braue old battailes they haue Fought.
Warre and the Sunne you see then, may be Twins,
For dey being borne, Warres teeming Birth begins:
Nay, one perpetuall motion, they both keepe,
The Sunne still wakes and Warre can neuer sleepe.
Last, of the Sunne, that he no point may lacke,
Warre has found out a rare new Zodiacke,
With signes of selfe-same names, in which the Sunne
Does in his euerlasting Progresse runne.
Warre his Zodiacke.1. Aries.
WHen into horned Moones the Squadrons change,
Then the Battalia does in Aries Range:
Here the braue Van comes vp, (a Souldiers pride,)
Who dye here, Winne a Death that's dignified.
2. Taurus.
WHen like two stiffe-neck'd Buls, fell Armies meete,
Being goard quite through with wounds, from head to feete,
The bellowing Taurus is a lusty signe,
That souldiers, then, in Scarlet-triumphes shine.
3. Gemini.
HOnor and warlike Anger, single forth,
Troupes against Troupes, and Wings to shew their worth:
Men then with men, their masculine valours trie,
Which makes the Battaile mooue in Gemini.
4. Cancer.
HOt growes the Day, the strong, the weaker Beate;
Which seene, the wearied Van with soft Retreate
Giues backe; and in this polliticke Retire,
Cancer winnes time to kindle fresher Fire.
5. Leo.
LIghtning and Thunder then, bring vp the Reare,
And with it, Death, who playes the Murderer:
Hels Furies are the Marshalls for the Day,
For, Leo roares, and does his fanges display.
6. Virgo.
STill to bee Killing, is a Belluine Rage,
The thirst of Vengeance therefore to asswage.
Mercy puts forth a Hand and Prisoners takes,
And then milde Virgo from her Tent awakes.
7. Libra.
AS when two Dragons, breathlesse through deepe wounds,
Tis doubtfull, which the others life confounds:
So, twixt two Armies whilst coy Victory houers,
The hopes and feares of both, Libra discouers.
8. Scorpio.
PEl-mell, then too't agen; the chaine-shot flyes,
And sweepes downe lanes of Men; tossing i'th Skies
Armors and limbes, to shew that Scorpio throwes
His rancorous breath forth, poisoning where it goes
9. Sagitarius.
O Thou olde English Archer, ( Sagitary)
Now laugh'd at is the Bow which thou doest carry;
Thy gray Goose wing, which once braue battailes won,
Hangs loose; for bullets on thy errands runne.
10. Capricornus.
WHat Coward flyes the field! and wounds does feigne,
To saue himselfe out of Warres sulphurous raine,
For a few drops! off is the Pezant borne!
His signe shalbe the skipping Capricorne.
11. Aquarius.
WInter now comes, Heauens sluces powre out rayne;
Or, Fields are standing pooles through Armies slayne:
Else, a torne Country swims in her owne teares,
And then Aquarius vp his Standard reares.
12. Pisces.
BVt, when Pay slackes; and health with Victuals) [...]on,
Souldiers being forc'd to liue on dry poore Iohn;
Ye [...], two by two (like sharkes) themselues combine
For booties; Pisces, is this lucklesse Signe.
To All.
THus, Home at last, the Souldier comes,
As vselesse as the Hung-vp Drums:
And (but by Noble hands being Fed,
May beg hard; hardly yet get Bread.
Nulla salus Bello,
THough thus of War, a Paradox I write,
War is a Kingdomes darke and gloomy night,
Ecclipsing all her face: Peace is bright day,
That Sun shine send vs, keep [...] the [...]ight away.
Pacem, te posci nus on nes.

Because mention is made before of the City Cap­taines; their Lieutenants at that time not being in place. Here behold them.

The 20 City Lieutenants.

CAptaines without Lieutenants are like men
Borne with one hand (the right) Lieutenants then,
Serue for the Left, and when that Right is lame,
The Left workes hard to reare an Armies Fame:
[Page]In dangers they with Captaines crye halfe parts,
These, are their seconds, nay, are halfe their hearts:
Lieutenants are the Vshers in Warres schoole,
Captaines, head-masters; and they beare such rule,
As Viceroyes vnder Kings: Then, vnder these
(Our twenty London-leaders,) who so please
To reckon their Lieutenants, here they stand,
The Captains them, these honoring their Command.
[Page]Bring vp your wings, your squadrons then, & files,
And read what Story your owne worth compiles.
Lieutenant Tompson comes by order first;
Then Pierce, (a sonne vnder Bellona nurst;)
Yong lifts his head vp in the thickest throng:
Davies, and Hanson, I should doe you wrong,
Did not you step in heere, and claime your due;
Mannering, and Smart, the next voice cries vp you:
[Page] Couel, and Adams, walke their warlike Round,
Whilst Parker souldierlike, makes good his ground.
Close to him, Cuthbert labours to win Fame:
Forster, will nothing loose in Warres great Game.
Loud peales of Muskets, Slauey loues to heare;
Midst groues of Pikes does Normington appeare:
Cruso's heart dances, when the proud Drum beates;
Trauers cryes on; and scornes all base retreates:
[Page] Shepheard is like a Lyon in the Field;
Gawthorne, for skill and heart, to none will yeild:
Manby (though last but one) in worth not least,
With Phillips, marches vp with manly breast.
These Chiefes, and these Lieutenants, are the Ring,
Their Troupes, the Diamonds, fit to serue a King.
FINIS.

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