University of Virginia Library

For the sacred Memoriall of the Great, Noble and Ancient example of Vertue and Honour, the Illustrious and welbeloued Lord, Charles Howard, Earle of Nottingham, Iustice in Eyre of all his Maiesties Forrests, Parks and Chases on this side Trent; Knight of the Honorable Order of the Garter, and one of the Lords of his Maiesties most Honorable priuy Councell.

That yeere of wonderment call'd eighty eight,
When fraud and force did our destruction wait,
When Hell, and Rome, and Spaine did all agree,
That wee should vanquish'd and inuaded be,
Our foes at Sea thirty one thousand men,
With neere foure hundred ships and Gallies then,
Then this White Lyon rowz'd with irefull teene,
Defending both his Country and his Queene,
Like second Mars to battell braue he went,
God making him his worthy Instrument:
His Chieftaine, Champion and his Generall,
With sixescore ships, and Vessels great and small,
To conquer those that did for conquest come,
And foyle the pow'r of Hell, and Spaine, and Rome.
Then valour was with resolution mixt,
And manhood with true Honour firmely fixt,
When death and danger threatned euery where,
Braue Charles (all fearelesse) did encourage fear.
When roring cannons countercheckt heau'ns thunder
And slaughterd men their vessels keeles lay vnder,
The Sun eclips'd with smoke, skies darke and dim,
And batt'ring bullets seuered lim from lim,
When as that Sea might bee the Red Sea call'd,
Then he with dreadlesse courage, vnappall'd,
Like a bright Beacon, or a blazing Starre,
Approu'd himselfe a thunderbolt of warre,
Whose valour and example valiantly,
Pursu'd and wonne a glorious victory.

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And then by him (through the Almighties hand)
Preserued from inuasion was this Land.
So that who euer shall his Tombe passe by,
And shall enquire who there doth buried lye,
If answere be but made, He's in this Graue,
Who did in Eighty eight this Kingdome saue;
Then is the totall told, and seruice best,
Where with this little Land was euer blest.
At

1596

Cales likewise the Sea-fight we did win,
By his direction and graue disciplin
The Spanish ships soone from his force retir'd,
Some torne, some sunke, some taken, and some fir'd,
And whensoere he gaue the ouerthrow,
He nere insulted ore his conquerd foe,
But like a Noble Lyon, euery way
He scorn'd to prey vpon a yeelding prey:
With pitty, piety, and true remorce,
His clemency was mixt with manly force.
Vnto his foes a noble care he had,
Nor would affliction to affliction adde:
So that his enemies much cause did find,
To loue and honour his true noble mind.
Yet 'gainst offenders he was sharply bent,
Seuere in threats, and milde in punishment,
His iustice would condemne, and in a breath
His mercy sau'd whom iustice doom'd to death.
His aduersaries he did oft relieue,
And his reuenge was onely to forgiue.
He knew that well got honour nere shall die,
But make men liue vnto eternitie:
It as his greatest riches he esteem'd,
And Infamy he basest begg'ry deem'd.
He knew, through worthy spirits may be crost,
Yet if they lose no honour nothing's lost.
And those that haue afraid of enuy bin,
True honour or good fame did neuer win.
If he an auaritious mind had bore,
Of wealth no subiect then had had such store:
So many yeeres Englands high Admirall,
Fees, offices, and prizes that did fall,
With gifts and fauors from the Queene and State,
And other things, amounting to a rate:
That had he beene a mizer, close of hand,
No subiect had beene richer in this Land,
In deeds of pitty, and true charity,
Good house-keeping, and hospitality,
Bounty, and courteous affability:
He was the Brooch of true Nobility:
And for these vertues men shall scarcely find,
That he a fellow here hath left behind.
He knew that Auarice and Honour be
Two contraries that neuer will agree:
And that the Spender shall haue true renowne,
When infamy the Mizers fame shall drowne.
He euery way most nobly was inclin'd,
And lou'd no wealth but riches of the mind:
His pleasure was, that those that did retaine
To him, and serue, should by him thriue and gaine:
And he thought t'was enough for him to haue,
When as his seruants did both get and saue.
So amongst Nobles I think few are such,
That keepes so little, giues away so much.
His latest VVill did make it plaine appeare,
The loue which to his seruants he did beare.
To great and small amongst them, more or lesse,
His bounty did expresse his worthynesse:
To all degrees that seru'd him euery one,
His liberality excepted none.
And though base Enuy often at him strooke,
His fortitude was like a Rocke vnshooke.
He knew that Fortunes changing was not strange,
Times variation could not make him change,
The frothy pompe of Earths prosperity,
Nor enuious clouds of sad aduersity,
Within his minde could no mutation strike,
His courage and his carriage were alike:
For when base Peasants shrinke at fortunes blowes,
Then magnimity most richly showes:
His grauity was in his life exprest,
His good example made it manifest,
His age did no way make his vertue liue,
But vertue to his age did honour giue,
So that the loue he wan tis vnderstood,
Twas not for being old, but being good.
Thus like a pollish'd sewell 'mongst his Peers,
His vertue shin'd more brighter then his yeers:
For Wisdome euer this account doth make,
To loue age onely but for vertues sake.
Neere ninety yeeres an honoured life he led:
And honour's his reward, aliue, and dead,
For who so nobly heer his life doth frame,
Shall for his wages haue perpetuall same.
His meditations hee did oft apply,
How he might learne to liue, to learne to dye,
And dy, to liue and reigne in glorious state,
Which changing time can ne'r exterminate.
And therefore long his wisdome did forecast,
How he might best reforme offences past,
Order things present, things to come foresee,
Thus would his latter yeeres still busied be:
He saw his Sand was neer runne out his Glasse,
And wisely pondred in what state he was,
His waning yeeres, his body full of anguish,
Sense failing spirits drooping, force to languish,
The ruin'd cottage of weake flesh and blood,
Could not long stand, his wisdome vnderstood.
He saw his tyde of life gan ebbe so low,
Past all expectance it againe should flow:
He knew his pilgrimage would soone expire,
And that (from whence he came) he must retire.
Old age and weake infirmities contend,
Mans dissolution warnes him of his end:

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He knew all these to be deaths messengers,
His Calends, Pursiuants, and Harbingers,
And with a Christian conscience still he mark'd,
He in his finall voyage was imbark'd.
Which made him skilfully his course to steere,
(The whilst his iudgment was both sound & cleare)
To that blest Hauen of eternall rest,
Where he for euer liues among the blest.
He did esteeme the world a barren field,
That nought but snares, & tares, and cares did yeeld,
And therefore he did sow his hopes in heauen,
Where plentious encrease to him is giuen.
Thus was the period of his lifes expence,
Thus Noble Nottingham departed hence,
Who many yeeres did in his Countries right,
In peace and warre, successefull speake and fight,
Our oldest Garter Knight, and Counsellor,
And sometimes Britaines great Ambassador.