VVarres, vvarre[s,] vvarres

Warres , Warre Warres .

Arma Virumque Cano.

Into the Field I bring , Souldiers and Battailes : Boeth their Fames I sing .

Imprinted at London for ● . G. 1628.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HVGH HAMERSLEY , Lord Maior of this Renowned City of London : And Colonell of the Artillery Garden . THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL , AND WORTHY GENTLE-MEN , Sr MAVRICE ABBOT , Knight ; and Mr HENRY GARRAWAY , Shriefes of the same Citty . Honourable Praetor : Worthy Consuls .

THose Titles ( taking both Descension and Deriuation from the Ancient Roman , Praetorian , and Consular Dignities ) are happy Honors , in that they are lent vnto you , from the noblest Nation , that euer carried Armes in the World . Your Places are High , Offices Great ; yet giue me leaue to sit at the Roote of your Glories , ( like a Passenger on the way ) and to lift vp mine eyes to your spreading Branches , leauing this poore Tablet hid amongst your Leaues , containing nothing but an Inscription of my Loue .

It was some ioy to me , to bee imployed in the Praesentation of your Triumphs , on the day of your Lordships Inauguration ; and it shal be as great a happinesse to me now , if this my second Praesentation , may from your Hands receiue a free entertainment .

What I offred vp then , was a Sacrifice Ex officio : Custome tooke my Bond for the Performance : And on the Day of Ceremony , I hope the Debt was fully discharged . This Oblation is voluntary , and shall prosper well enough , if it meete acceptance . A braue Company of Gentlemen in Armes , were Additions of much splendor , to that Day , ( which of it selfe was bright enough ) to grace your Lordship , being at this Time their Sole and Worthy Colonell : I come to you now , speaking still in their Warlike Language . Drums , Fifes , Ensignes , Pikes , and Shot , Marched before you , to your Gates : Drums , Fifes , Ensignes , Pikes , and Shot , doe now come Marching into your Parlors : I know not how to handle either ; yet I handle all . Trumpets here sound a Charge , yet no noise heard : A Battaile is fought , but without Bloud shed : I am no Herald , yet I Crye , Warres , Warres , Warres : No Souldier , yet my Pen playes the Captayne , and Drils a Company of Verses on Foote , in a Field of white Paper . The Discipline I teach them , is so Printed in their Memories , that vnlesse their Limbes be torne in peeces , the World cannot chuse but take notice of their Postures . What scorne , other men ( out of Malice , rather than Iudgement ) shall throw vpon these my Martiall darings , I will put by , with an Odi prophanum Vulgus , and not care what Canons they Plant against mee , so I may lye safely Intrenched , Sub Triplici Clipeo , Of your Three noble Defences . To which I prostrate , my Loue , Labour , and Seruice :

Resting , Deuoted euer To your Lordship , And Worships . THO. DEKKER .

To all Noble Souldiers . IF ( noble Spirits ) as well you may , you wonder How I , who ne're fir'd Cannon , speake in Thunder ; Your pardon easly thus vnties my Charmes . He that wants legges , may be in loue , with Armes .

Warres , Warres , Warres . Arma virumque Cano. BRaue Musicke ! harke : The ratling Drum beates high , And with the scolding Fife , deaffens the skye , The Brazen Herald in a shrill Tone , tels We shall haue Warres , ( ring out for ioy , your Bels : ) We shall haue Warres , when Kingdoms are at odds , Pitch'd Fields those Theaters are , at which the Gods Look downe from their high Galleries of Heauen , Where Battailes , Tragedies are , to which are giuen Plaudits from Cannons , Buskind Actors tread Knee deep in blood , and trample on the Dead : Death , the graue ●●●ame , of which is writ the story , Keene Swords the Pens , texting ( at large ) the glory Of Generals , Colonels ; Captaines , and Commanders , With common fighting Men , ( the hardy standers Against all Hellish Horrors . ) Souldiers all , And Fellowes ( in that name , ) to 'th Generall . O Warre ! thou Shoole where honor takes degrees ▪ ( Nobler then those are bought for Heralds Fees , ) Thou Hiue of Bees industrious , bringing 〈◊〉 Thighes laden with rich spoiles , which may become The King of Bees to carry : Thou Refiner Of drossie states ; Mischiefes rare vnderminer ! Thou great Magi●●●● , whose inchanted rounds Haue spirits , can bind Ambition within bounds . Thou souereigne Chymist that art sent from heauen , To cleanse the rancke-world , for to thee is giuen The skill of Minerals , ( lead , iron and steele , ) Which can set Realmes vpright when they do reele . By a strang Powders helpe , which strikes it dead , What e're the Soare be , or how euer Bred. O teach me ( all vnskilfull ) how to sing Some of thy Wonders on my vn-tun'd string : For , my heart danceth sprightly , when I see ( Old as I am ) our English Gallantry ( Albeit no silken Downe playes with their Chin , Being fa●d● like women , yet all man within , ) With new bloom'd Roses blushing on each cheeke , To Plough vp seas , bright Fame ( abroad ) to seeke , And ( found ) neuer to leaue her , till she sets ) Plumes , rich and glorious in their Burgonets ; Whose actes , them breaking forth in generous flames . Mongst Turks or Spanish , each his worth proclaimes , Else writes his faire deserts with his owne hands , In bloudy letters 'mongst the Netherlands , So folly , that their Stories shal bee read , Whilst the proud Germaine Eagle reares a Head . These men I loue , O these ! who high Preferre Before all stiles , the name of Souldier : Which Title in a Diadem beeing set , Addes glittring Dyamonds to the Coronet . O see● the Armies glorious body mooues , In whose proud front match vp so many Ioues : As there are Leaders : How the Sunne , enuies That from bright armors , and mens sparkling eyes , Beames farre more dazling through the ayre are throwne Than all those golden Rayes , which are his owne . What sight i th' world ( but Nauies on proud Seas , Is so stupendious rare ? or can so please ? Had Memphis cloz'd her wonders , all in One , Las ! they had lack'd that sweet Proportion , Which a maine Army carries , that can fall Into all Figures , Geometricall , At turning of a Hand , to checke all stormes , And yet , not Order breake , nor loose their Formes . Faces about , the Captaine cryes ; they doo 't In an eyes twinkling , changing scarce a Foote : Then , as you were ; t is done ; double your Files , To note the quicknesse , Time himselfe beguiles . Come vp in maine Battalia ; vp they come ▪ In a proud dance , to 'th Musicke of the Drum : Diuide your selues in Squadrons ; flye out in wings ; Now a halfe Moone ; the word ( but spoken ) brings Men into decent Postures , fit to fight Gainst horse or foote ; the left hand , or the Right : All mooue like wheeles in clockes , some great , some lesse , And numerous strings , do but one tune expresse . But this is nothing , did they ( but thus ) still● O harke ! the Fight begins , for loud shoutes fill Heauen with rebounding Ecchoes . Trumpets sound A charge ; Drums rattle , noise doth noise counfound , Yet 't is all-musicall : Barb'd Horses beate Their hoofes through madnes , & their Riders sweat With rage , because That moouing wall ( of Pikes ) They cannot enter , for it guards and strikes , Yet groues of Pikes , by groues of Pikes are shiuerd Ten thousand Bullets from iron wombes deliuer d , Flye whurrying in the Ayre : steele Targets clatter , Swords clash , whilst Battle-axes , Helmets batter , The Cannon roares ; by thousands , men dye groning , But Drums so cheere the rest ; none minds their moning : Gold lacde Buffe-ierkins drop ; Feathers look pale , Whilst tottred de sperue●wes , all stormes of Haile Stand like tough Briers : Heads are for foot-bals tost : Armes flye to seeke their Maisters , yet both lost , Whose mangled Carcases ( besmeet'd in gore ; ) Troupes of Carbines in Tryumph trample o're . Here may you see , hot spirits as fiercely meete , As Whirle-winds do , whilst rocks or oakes they greet ; Yet by strong tugging when their Flames are spent , Lye like deere friends ( tho into wounds all rent , ) Whose streames gush out so fast , they o●● are found Suffring two deaths , and are both kild and drown'd . A thousand windings , and a thousand wayes The General beates ( euen whilst the ordnance plaies ) To winne the Wind , the Sun , the Wood , the Hell , None know what cares the noble Souldier fill . Blacke fate ! there 's drop'd a Leader to the ground , Courage he cryes yet ( Souldiers ) slights the wound ; And though death stare in 's face , death him doth feare , To fall ( saith he ) is Fortune de la Guerre . As when a Ph●●nix , to her death-bed comes , She buildes a nest of spice , and odorous gummes , Then in the Sunnes hot flames , clapping her wings She burnes to Death : out of whose ashes springs A second Phaenix ▪ So , when Leaders fall , ( E're the last gaspe ) about them quicke they call Their souldiers , whom they heat with their own fire To fight it out , who seeing their soules retire To heauenly Tents : Ten thousand Leaders rise From them ; and , On , a maine On , each man cries , A fare-well vollied loud from one to one , Thus Epitaph'd ; There 's a braue fellow gon . Nor , ( tho a hundred Captaines should lye slaine ) Run the rest head-long on : 't were poore and vaine , By quitting others Deaths , to meete their Owne , No , euery Souldier when the Dice are throwne Waites his owne Cast and wa●ebe● his owne Game , The vpshot of all faire-play being true Fame . For , as yong flowers make garlands for the spring , As Coronets of Lillies , honor bring To amorous Riuers : As those smells are rare , Which Summers warme hand throwes into the aire : As Incense , from the Tyrannizing Fire Breaks in sweet clouds and more the flames conspire To choake her odorous breath , with richer sent Her Roseall wings fanne all the Firmament : So mooues a Souldier in his constant Sphaere , His great Desires still burning , sweete and cleare . Nor seekes he blood but high deeds : rather Fame Than a fought Battaile ; for a nobler Name Is grauen vpon the sword , that 's dip'd in Oyle Than that in blood , which does all brightnesse foile When horror will spare none , 't is Law , to Kill : But Honor sayes , T is better saue than spill . Who then with lippes prophane dare curses lay On Warre , who to all Glory beates the way , Nay to all goodnesse ? Downe the Court pride falls , When He 's in place , Church-Simony , no man calls To a fat Benefice : Bribery dares not feele The Lawyers pulse ; nor Vsuries golden wheele Whirle in the City : Country Foxes hide Their ill got spoyles , which Warre can soone deuide . Breake then ( thou thunder ) that foule bed of snakes . Which a Luxurious peace , her darling makes , Dandling the Plump Brood on her wanton knees . Whose Braines War would beat out , & from the Lees Racke the pure wine , whose heate should kindle fires For deeds Heroicall . Warre , more admires One Bethlem Gabor , or one Spinola , Than all the braue men on St. George his Day . But why doe I Out-Landish coyne thus raise , When our own English stamps deserue more praise ! Giue me a stout Southampton and hi● Sonne , A fiery Oxford who to th' Top would runne Of the most dangerous , hottest , high designe , An Essex , which does euen himselfe cut shine In noble Darings : would I had a Pen , To set the worths downe of the best of Men The farre fam'd Warwicke , Holland , Willoughby , Whose Actes too high a Pitch for me doe flye : I am no Eagle to behold such Sunnes , My humble Muse in her owne circle runnes . And that 's in thee ( O Troynonant : ) Old Rome , Couldst thou thy gray head , lift vp from thy Tombe Glorious , as when thy Browes were deck'd with Bayes , Higher in fame , thy Sons thou couldst not rayse , Then London now can here : Thy Citizens Had not more honors from the Roman pens Than ours now me●rit : Like a brazen well Shee ( should War thunder ) vp braue spirits can call To guard her towers and pinnacles , sonnes here bred , Vnder her wing , and by her cherished . Nor needs she send to Forraine shores for men To lead her Troupes : How many a Citizen ( Stood horror at the Gates ) could fairely steere , And in a rough storme , guide both Van and Reare : But ( aboue all the rest ) why should not I , The Fames sing of our twice Decemviri , ( Our twenty Citty Captaines , ) Bond , Leate , Fen. ( A chiefe , yet Gound amongst our Aldermen : ) Stiles , Williams , Smith , & Andrewes , march vp here . Lasher , and Henshaw , i th' next Front appeare : Walker and Halsey then , with Rowdon lead Their Companies stoutly on : lyes Milward dead ! No , with a brow vp-reard to 'th Field He hyes ; Wallers and Langhams Drums , deafning the skies : Lee , Fen , and Dichfield , come in braue array , Whilst Wilde , and Marshall , striue to win the Day ; Win may they , other notes our Muse must sing , And to the Sunne , play on a louder string ▪

Warre and the Sunne Compared . WAr and the Sun are Twinnes ; as the Sun rides In 's chariot ( all of flames ) which himself guides Through heauen , the vast earth measuring inon day , And of all Countries ( so ) takes full suruay ; Cheering all Nations , which his god-like eyes , Who sets as he sets ; rise as he does rise . And in a yeare this princely Bridegroome shines , Twelue times , in his 12. houses , ( the 12 Signes . ) So War holds the whole world in Souereigne awe , ( His not the Common , but the Cannon Law . ) What Kingdomes are not glad to see him ride On thunder , ( lightning lackying by his side ? Turkes , Tartars , Persians , Indians , all adore The god of Warre ; all dance to heare him rore : The Pole , Russe , Hungar , Sweue , and yellow Dane , English , French , Spanish , Dutch , waite on Wars traine , And to such heigth , their Empires nere had brought , But for the braue old battailes they haue Fought . Warre and the Sunne you see then , may be Twins , For dey being borne , Warres teeming Birth begins : Nay , one perpetuall motion , they both keepe , The Sunne still wakes and Warre can neuer sleepe . Last , of the Sunne , that he no point may lacke , Warre has found out a rare new Zodiacke , With signes of selfe-same names , in which the Sunne Does in his euerlasting Progresse runne . Warre his Zodiacke . 1. Aries . WHen into horned Moones the Squadrons change , Then the Battalia does in Aries Range : Here the braue Van comes vp , ( a Souldiers pride , ) Who dye here , Winne a Death that 's dignified . 2. Taurus . WHen like two stiffe-neck'd Buls , fell Armies meete , Being goard quite through with wounds , from head to feete , The bellowing Taurus is a lusty signe , That souldiers , then , in Scarlet-triumphes shine . 3. Gemini . HOnor and warlike Anger , single forth , Troupes against Troupes , and Wings to shew their worth : Men then with men , their masculine valours trie , Which makes the Battaile mooue in Gemini . 4. Cancer . HOt growes the Day , the strong , the weaker Beate ; Which seene , the wearied Van with soft Retreate Giues backe ; and in this polliticke Retire , Cancer winnes time to kindle fresher Fire . 5. Leo. LIghtning and Thunder then , bring vp the Reare , And with it , Death , who playes the Murderer : Hels Furies are the Marshalls for the Day , For , Leo roares , and does his fanges display . 6. Virgo . STill to bee Killing , is a Belluine Rage , The thirst of Vengeance therefore to asswage . Mercy puts forth a Hand and Prisoners takes , And then milde Virgo from her Tent awakes . 7. Libra . AS when two Dragons , breathlesse through deepe wounds , T is doubtfull , which the others life confounds : So , twixt two Armies whilst coy Victory houers , The hopes and feares of both , Libra discouers . 8. Scorpio . PEl-mell , then too 't agen ; the chaine-shot flyes , And sweepes downe lanes of Men ; tossing i' th Skies Armors and limbes , to shew that Scorpio throwes His rancorous breath forth , poisoning where it goes 9. Sagitarius . O Thou olde English Archer , ( Sagitary ) Now laugh'd at is the Bow which thou doest carry ; Thy gray Goose wing , which once braue battailes won , Hangs loose ; for bullets on thy errands runne . 10. Capricornus . WHat Coward flyes the field ! and wounds does feigne , To saue himselfe out of Warres sulphurous raine , For a few drops ! off is the Pezant borne ! His signe shal be the skipping Capricorne . 11. Aquarius . WInter now comes , Heauens sluces powre out rayne ; Or , Fields are standing pooles through Armies slayne : Else , a torne Country swims in her owne teares , And then Aquarius vp his Standard reares . 12. Pisces . BVt , when Pay slackes ; and health with Victuals ) ●on , Souldiers being forc'd to liue on dry poore Iohn ; Ye● , two by two ( like sharkes ) themselues combine For booties ; Pisces , is this lucklesse Signe . To All. THus , Home at last , the Souldier comes , As vselesse as the Hung-vp Drums : And ( but by Noble hands being Fed , May beg hard ; hardly yet get Bread . Nulla salus Bello , THough thus of War , a Paradox I write , War is a Kingdomes darke and gloomy night , Ecclipsing all her face : Peace is bright day , That Sun shine send vs , keep● the ●ight away . Pacem , te posci nus on nes .

Because mention is made before of the City Captaines ; their Lieutenants at that time not being in place . Here behold them .

The 20 City Lieutenants . CAptaines without Lieutenants are like men Borne with one hand ( the right ) Lieutenants then , Serue for the Left , and when that Right is lame , The Left workes hard to reare an Armies Fame : In dangers they with Captaines crye halfe parts , These , are their seconds , nay , are halfe their hearts : Lieutenants are the Vshers in Warres schoole , Captaines , head-masters ; and they beare such rule , As Viceroyes vnder Kings : Then , vnder these ( Our twenty London-leaders , ) who so please To reckon their Lieutenants , here they stand , The Captains them , these honoring their Command . Bring vp your wings , your squadrons then , & files , And read what Story your owne worth compiles . Lieutenant Tompson comes by order first ; Then Pierce , ( a sonne vnder Bellona nurst ; ) Yong lifts his head vp in the thickest throng : Davies , and Hanson , I should doe you wrong , Did not you step in heere , and claime your due ; Mannering , and Smart , the next voice cries vp you : Couel , and Adams , walke their warlike Round , Whilst Parker souldierlike , makes good his ground . Close to him , Cuthbert labours to win Fame : Forster , will nothing loose in Warres great Game . Loud peales of Muskets , Slauey loues to heare ; Midst groues of Pikes does Normington appeare : Cruso's heart dances , when the proud Drum beates ; Trauers cryes on ; and scornes all base retreates : Shepheard is like a Lyon in the Field ; Gawthorne , for skill and heart , to none will yeild : Manby ( though last but one ) in worth not least , With Phillips , marches vp with manly breast . These Chiefes , and these Lieutenants , are the Ring , Their Troupes , the Diamonds , fit to serue a King . FINIS .