University of Virginia Library

II A 11
John Harington to his Mother, 1540.

There was a battaill fought of late,
Yet was the slaughter small;
The strife was, whether I shulde wright,
Or send nothing at all.
Of one syde were the Captaynes names
Short Tyme and Lytle Skill;
One fought alone agaynst them bothe,
Whose name was Great Good-will.
Short Tyme enforst me in a straite,
And bad me holde my hand;
Small Skill also withstoode desyre,
My wryting to withstand.
But Great Good-will, in shew though small,
To wright encourag'de me,
And to the battaile helde on still,
No common thinge to see.
Thus gan theise busye warriours three
Betwene themselves to fight
As valiauntlye as though they had
Bene of much greater might.
Till Fortune, that unconstant dame,
Which rules soche things allwaye,
Did cause the weaker parte in fight
To bear the greatter swaye:
And then the victour caused me,
However was my skill,
To wright theise vearses unto you,
To shew my great good-will.