Hurrah! Hurrah ! a single field hath turned the chance of war, Hurrah! Hurrah ! for Ivry, and Henry of Navarre. 2 Oh! how our hearts were beating, when, at the dawn of day. We saw the army of the League drawn out in long array; flood, 3 The king is come to marshal us, in all his armour drest, And he has bound a snow-white plume upon his gallant crest. Henry of Navarre. Henry IV. was the son of the Duke of Ven. dome, first prince of the blood, who married the heiress of the kingdom of Navarre, and thus ob tained that kingdom. Navarre, in the north of Spain, now a province of Spain. V. 2. The League, a league of Roman Catholics formed in 1576 to put down Protestantism. It raised an army which fought at Ivry. Priest-led citizens. The priests zealously preached on behalf of the League. bles joined the League and fought King. fantry hired from it fought at Ivry. Egmont's Flemish spears. Count Egmont was an officer of Philip II. of Spain. He led, at Ivry, a body of lancers, sent from Flan ders, then a Spanish province. False Lorraine, the knights who served the House of Lorraine. The Dukes of Guise, the great enemies of Protestantism, are meant by the House of False Lorraine. Mayenne, the Duke of Guise's brother. He commanded the army of the League. Seine's em purpled flood. The river Seine at Paris is described as red with the blood oi Protestants murdered on the eve of St. Bar tholomew's day, 1572. Good Coligny, the Admiral Co ligny, leader of the Protestants. The King, Henry of Navarre. He wore a great plume of white fea. thers, He looked upon his people, and a tear was in his eye; King." ;-as fall full well he may, For never saw I promise yet of such a bloody fray,Press where ye see my white plume shine, amidst the ranks of war, And be your oriflamme to-day the helmet of Navarre.” 4 Hurrah! the foes are moving. Hark to the mingled din Of fife and steed, and trump, and drum, and roaring culverin. crest; And in they burst, and on they rushed, while, like a guiding star, Amidst the thickest carnage blazed the helmet of Navarre. 5 Now, God be praised, the day is ours !-Mayenne hath turned his rein! D'Aumale hath cried for quarter !-The Flemish count is slain ! V. 3. Oriflamme, the ancient royal banner of France. V. 4. Culverin, an ancient cannon. The fiery Duke, the Duke of Ne mours, who led the right wing of the army of the League. Guelders and Almayne, pro vinces of the Netherlands. Hireling cavalry. The cavalry of those times were often bands of riders who sold their services to any side, for pay. Golden lilies. The lily was the flower of France, as the rose is that of England V.5. D'Aumale, a younger bro ther of the Duke of Guise. The Flemish Count, Egmont. Their ranks are breaking like thin clouds before a Biscay gale; The field is heaped with bleeding steeds, and flags, and cloven mail. And then we thought on vengeance, and, all along our van, “Remember St. Bartholomew !” was passed from man to man. But out spake gentle Henry, “No Frenchman is my foe: Down, down with every foreigner, but let your brethren go.” Oh! was there ever such a knight, in friendship or in war As our Sovereign Lord, King Henry, the soldier of Navarre ? 6 Right well fought all the Frenchmen who fought for France to-day; And many a lordly banner God gave them for a prey. But we of the religion have borne us best in fight; And the good Lord of Rosny hath ta’en the cornet white. Our own true Maximilian the cornet white has ta’en, The cornet white with crosses black, the flag of false Lorraine. Up with it high; unfurl it wide; that all the host may know How God hath humbled the proud house, which wrought his church such woe. Then on the ground, while trumpets sound their loudest point of war, Fling the red shreds, a footcloth meet for Henry of Navarre. 7 Ho! maidens of Vienna; ho! matrons of Lucerne ! Weep, weep, and rend your hair for those whonevershall return. souls. Biscay gale, a gale in the Bay of Lucerne, capital of the Roman CaBiscay. tholic canton of Switzerland, of the St. Bartholomew, See note to v. 2. V. 6. The religion, Protestantism. Philip II., King of Spain and the Lord of Rosny. Rosny was a Netherlands. French Seigniory. Pistoles, Spanish coins worth about Cornet white, the flag of the 16s. each, Guises. Antwerp, capital of Philip's NeV. 7. Vienna, capital of Austria. therland dominions. same name. Ho! gallant nobles of the League, look that your arms be bright; Ho! burghers of Saint Genevieve, keep watch and ward to-night; For our God hath crushed the tyrant, our God hath raised the slave, And mocked the counsel of the wise and the valour of the brave. Then glory to His holy Name, from whom all glories are ! And glory to our Sovereign Lord, King Henry of Navarre ! - 39 THE ARMADA.' ATTEND, all ye who list to hear our noble England's praise ; I tell of the thrice famous deeds she wrought in ancient days, When that great fleet invincible against her bore in vain, The richest spoils of Mexico, the stoutest hearts of Spain. It was about the lovely close of a warm summer's day, 5 There came a gallant merchant-ship full sail to Plymouth Bay; Her crew had seen Castile's black fleet, beyond Aurigny's isle, At earliest twilight, on the waves lie heaving many a mile. St. Genevieve, Paris. of Spain to crush England, the great of Medina-Sidonia commanded. Mexico had been conquered by Cortes, 1519-21. Spain received an P immense wealth of gold, &c. from it. entered the English channel on with Aragon, by the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella, in 1474. Black Fleet. The ships were painted black. Aurigny, one of the Channel Islands. At sunrise she escaped their van, by Goi's especial grace, With his white hair unbonneted, the stout old sheriff comes ; 15 lay. Ho! strike the flagstaff deep, Sir Knight! ho! scatter flowers, fair maids! Ho! gunners! fire a loud salute: ho! gallants, draw your blades: Thou sun, shine on her joyously! ye breezes, waft her wide! Our glorious SEMPER EADEM! the banner of our pride! 30 10 Pinta, one of the ships of the Armada. Edgecumbe, near Plymouth. with a halbert or axe, at the back of which was a sharp spear-head. Yeomen, small farmers. Her Grace, Queen Elizabeth. 20 Blazon, Arms of England. Lilies, the royal emblem of France, formerly on the flag of England as a claim to that country. Picard field. Cressy, fought in 1346, by Edward III. and his son, the Black Prince. Bohemia's Plume, the plume of the King of Bohemia, killed at that battle. Genoa's bow, the Genoesearchers. Cæsar's, &c. The King of Bohemia was son to the Emperor, and, as such, had an eagle for his arms. 25 Agincourt, fought Oct. 25, 1415. 30 Semper eadem, always the same. > |