XX. BRAVE LORD WILLOUGHBY.
[_]
Peregrine Bertie lord Willoughby of Eresby had, in the year
1586, distinguished himself at the siege 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 signalizing his courage and military skill in several actions
against the Spaniards. One of these, greatly exaggerated
by popular report, is probably the subject of this old
ballad, which, on account of its flattering encomiums on English
valour, hath always been a favourite with the people.
“My lord Willoughbie (says a contemporary writer) was
one of the queenes best swordsmen: . . . . he was a great
master of the art military. . . . . . I have heard it spoken,
that had he not slighted the court, but applied himself to
the queene, he might have enjoyed a plentifull portion of
her grace; and it was his saying, 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 souldier, so
he was of suitable magnanimitie, and could not brooke
the obsequiousnesse and assiduitie of the court.” (Naunton.)
Lord Willoughbie died in 1601.—Both Norris and Turner
were famous among the military men of that age.
The subject of this ballad (which is printed from an old
black-letter copy) may possibly receive illustration from what
Chapman says in the Dedicat. to his version 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 fifteenth day of July,
With glistering spear and shield,
A famous fight in Flanders
Was foughten in the field:
The most couragious officers
Were English captains three;
But the bravest man in battel
Was brave lord Willoughbèy.
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
Upon the bloody shore.
Stand to it noble pikemen,
And look you round about:
And shoot you right you bow-men,
And we will keep them out:
You musquet and callìver men,
Do you prove true to me,
I'le be the formost 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 pitious for to see,
Yet nothing could the courage quell
Of brave lord Willoughbèy
For seven hours to all mens 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 eat,
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;
Which made the Spaniards waver,
They thought it best to flee,
They fear'd the stout behaviour
Of brave lord Willoughbèy.
Then quoth the Spanish general,
Come let us march away,
I fear we shall be spoiled all
If here we longer stay;
For yonder comes lord Willoughbey
With courage fierce and fell,
He will not give one inch of way
For all the devils in hell.
And then the fearful enemy
Was quickly put to flight,
Our men persued couragiously,
And caught their forces quite;
But at last they gave a shout,
Which ecchoed through the sky,
God, and St. George for England!
The conquerers did cry.
This news was brought to England
With all the speed might be,
And soon our gracious queen was told
Of this same victory:
O this is brave lord Willoughbey,
My love that ever won,
Of all the lords of honour
'Tis he great deeds hath done.
To th'souldiers that were maimed,
And wounded in the fray,
The queen allow'd a pension
Of fifteen pence a day,
And from all costs and charges
She quit and set them free,
And this she did all for the sake
Of brave lord Willoughbèy.
Then courage, noble Englishmen,
And never be dismaid;
If that we but one to ten,
We will not be afraid
To fight with foraign enemies,
And set our nation free:
And thus I end the bloody bout
Of brave lord Willoughbèy.
