Harold's speech before the Battle of Hastings.
"SEE valiant War-friends yonder be the first, the last,
The agents of our Enemies, they hencefoorth cannot call Supplies; for weedes at Normandie by this in Porches groe: Then conquer these would conquer you, and dread no further
They are no stouter than the Brutes, whom we did hence
Nor stronger than the sturdy Danes, our victory ere while :
Not Saxonie could once containe, or scarce the world befide
Our fathers, who did sway by sword where lifted them to bide:
Then doe not yee degenerate, take courage by discent,
And by their burialles, not abode, their force and flight pre-
Yee have in hand your Countries cause, a conquest they pretend,
Which (were yee not the same yee be) even cowards would defend.
I graunt that part of us are fled and linked to the foe,
And glad I am our Armie is of traytours cleered so :
Yea pardon hath he to depart that stayeth mal-content:
I prise the mind above the man, like zeale hath like event.
Yeat truth it is, no well or ill this Island ever had,
But through the well or ill support of fubjects good or bad :
Not Cæfar, Hengest, Swayn, or now (which neretheles shall
The Nornane Bastard, Albion true, did, could, or can pre
But to be felfe-false in this Isle a felfe-foe ever is,
Yeat wot I, never traytour did his treasons stipend mis.
Shrinke who will shrinke, let armors wayte presse downe the
My foes, with wondring eyes shall see I over-prize my death. But fince ye all (for all, I hope, alike affected bee,
Your wives, your children, lives, and land, from fervitude to
Are armed both in shew and zeale, then gloriously contend, To winne and weare the home-brought spoyles, of Victorie
Let not the Skinners daughter Sonne possesse what he pretends,
He lives to die a noble death that life for freedome spends."
"TO live upon or lie within this is my ground or grave
(My loving Souldiers), one of twaine your Duke resolves
to have.
Nor be ye Normanes now to seeke in what you should be stout,
Ye come amidst the English pikes to hewe your honors out,
Ye come to winne the same by launce, that is your owne by
law,
Ye come, I say, in righteous warre revenging swords to draw.
Howbeit of more hardie foes no passed fight hath spead
Since Rollo to your now-abode with bands victorious lead
Or Turchus, Sonne of Troylus, in Scythian Fazo bread
yee.
Then worthy your progenitors yee Seede of Pryam's sonne
Exployt this Buiineffe, Rollons do that which yee wish be
Three peop'e have as many times got and forgone this shore,
It resteth now yee conquer it not to be conquered more:
For Normane and the saxon blood conjoyning, as it may,
From that conforted feede the Crowne shall never pafie away.
Before us are our armed foes, behind us are the seas,
On either fide the foe hath holdes of fuccour and for ease:
But that advantage shall returne their disadvantage thus,
If ye observe no shore is left the which may shelter us,
And so hold out amidst the rough whil'ft they hale in for lee,
Whereas, whil'it men securely sayle, not feldome shipwracks
What should I cite your passed acts, or tediously incence
To present armes; your faces shew your hearts conceive
Yea, even your courages devine a conquest not to faile. Hope then your Duke doth prophecie, and in that hope
A people brave, a terren Heaven, both objects worth your
Shall be the prizes of your prow's, and mount your fame
Let not a Traytor's perjur'd Sonne extrude us from our right:
He dyes to live a famous life, that doth for conquest fight."
Warner's Albion's Engl. 22 Chap. 4 B. 1602. Ed.
NORFOLK's Soliloquy before the Battle of BOSWORTH.
"IF all the Campe prove traytours to my Lord,
Shall spotlesse Norfolke falfifie his word?
Mine oath is past, I swore t' uphold his crowne,
And that shall swim, or I with it will drowne.
It is too late now to difpute the right,
Dare any tongue, since Yorke spread forth his light,
Northumberland, or Buckingham defame,
Two valiant Cliffords, Roos, or Beaumont's name,
5
Because they in the weaker quarrell die ?
They had the King with them, and so have I.
But ev'ry eye the face of Richard shunnes,
For that foule murder of his brother's sonnes:
Yet lawes of Knighthood gave me not a sword
To ftrike at him, whom all with joint accord
Have made my Prince, to whom I tribute bring:
I hate his vices, but adore the King.
Victorious Edward, if thy foule can heare
Thy fervant Howard, I devoutly sweare,
That to have sav'd thy children from that day,
My hopes on earthe should willingly decay;
Would Gloucester then, my perfect faith had tryed,
And made two graves, when noble Hastings died."
"MY fellow Souldiers, though your swords
Are sharpe, and need not whetting by my words;
Yet call to minde those many glorious dayes,
In which we treasur'd up immortal prayse.
If when I serv'd, I ever fled from foe,
Fly ye from mine, let me be punisht so:
But if my Father, when at first he try'd
How all his fonnes could shining blades abide,
Found me an Eagle, whose undazled eyes
Affront the beames, which from the steele arise,
And if I now in action teach the fame,
Know then, ye have but chang'd your Generall's name.
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