With flying keeles, plowe up the land with swordes ; Striving with Neptunes hills: you beare, quoth he, You follow them, whose swords successfull are, Over whose throne th' enemies of God Have thundred curst their vaine successes braves Yours, G. P. THOMAS THOMAS GREENE. I am induced to describe the following production of this author, because it has escaped the researches of Ritson, and because it celebrates the Naval Victorics of one of the most illustrious of our countrymen. TITLE PAGE. "THE TRUE AND PERFECTE NEWES of the woorthy and valiaunt Exploytes performed and doone by that valiant Knight, Syr Frauncis Drake, not onely at Sancto Domingo and Carthagena, but also nowe at Cales and uppon the Coast of Spayne. 1587. Printed at London, by J. Charlewood, for Thomas Hackett." It is dedicated "To the Right Honourable and hys singular good Lord George Clifford, Earle of Cumberland." In the Introductory Address to the Reader, the author, speaking of the claims of his hero to honourable mention, has these singular expressions. "At which time, heretofore, was there ever any English manne that did the like, as well for hys new navigation and long travel, and God be praysed praysed for hys good successe to the greate terror and feare of the enemie, he beeing a man of meane calling to deale with so mightię a monarke. The Poem commences thus: THE TRUE AND PERFECTE NEWES OF THE WORTHY AND VALIANT EXPLOYTES ATCHIVED AND DOONE BY THAT VALIANT KNIGHT, SIR FRAUNCIS DRAKE. Tryumph, O England, and rejoyce, And prayse thy God uncessantly, For thys thy Queene, that pearle of choyce, In countryes strange, both farre and neere, Yee worthy wights that doo delighte, First call to mind how Gedeon, But with these hundred fighting men, The Medians hosts he overcame, Josua, cap. 3 Se So likewise by Gods mighty hande, And many captives did sette free, Twenty five ships were then preparde, The best navigators in this lande, SIR FRANCIS HUBERT. THE name of this English Poet does not appear, either in the first or last edition of Phillips's Theatrum Poetarum, or in Ritson's Biographia Poetica. But the author of an Epic Poem, and that by no means contemptible in As therefore troth in time shall crave, L. 3. Ed. 1. L. 1. Ed. 1. L. 4. Ed. 1. Ed. 2. L. 5. Ed. 1. Ed. 2. STANZA 2. Such homely gift of your own man. STANZA 4. So synce I was at Cambridge tought. 1. 6. Ed. 1. Ed. 2. Expelled myrth, &c. STANZA 5. L. 5, 6. Ed. 1. And if I may my song avowe, No man I crave to judge but you Ed. 2. Which song if well I may avow, It will hardly be necessary to point out to the reader that the first eighteen lines are an Acrostic, and form the words THOMAS TUSSER MADE MË. GEORGE |