Classic Poem

You noble Brittaines bold and hardy,
That justly are deriv'd from Brute,
Who were in battell ne're found tardy,
But still will fight for your repute;
'Gainst any hee,
What e'r a' be,
Now for your credit list to me,
Two Welchmens valour you shall see.

These two undaunted Troian worthies,
(Who prized honour more then life,)
With Royall Charles , who in the North is,
To salve (with care) the ulcerous strife;
Which frantick sots,
With conscious spots,
Bring on their soules; these two hot shots,
Withstood full fifteene thousand Scots .

The manner how shall be related,
That all who are King Charles his friends
May be with courage animated,
Unto such honourable ends;
These cavaliers,
Both Musquetiers,
Could never be possest with feares,
Though the Scots Army nigh appeares.

Within their workes neere Tyne intrench'd
Some of our Soveraignes forces lay;
When the Scots Army came, they flinched,
And on good cause retyr'd away;
Yet blame them not,
For why the Scot ,
Was five to one, and came so hot,
Nothing by staying could be got.

Yet these two Martialists so famous,
One to another thus did say;
Report hereafter shall not shame us,
Let Welchmen scorne to runne away;
Now for our King
Let's doe a thing
Whereof the world shall loudly ring,
Unto the grace of our off-spring.

The vaunting Scot shall know what valour,
Doth in a Britains brest reside;
They shall not bring us any dolour;
But first we'll tame some of their pride.
What though we dy,
Both thee and I?
Yet this we know assuredly,
In life and death ther's victory.

With this unbounded resolution,
These branches of Cadwalader ;
To put their wills in execution,
Out of their trenches would not stir,
But all might lay,
And would not stray,
Out of the worke, and oth' next day,
The Scots past o'r in Battell aray.

The hardy Welchmen that had vowed,
Like Jonathan unto his David ;
Unto the Scots themselves they showed,
And so couragiously behaved
Themselves that they
Would ne'r give way,
But in despite oth' foe would stay,
For nothing could their minds dismay.

Even in the Jawes of death and danger
Where fifteene thousand was to two,
They still stood to 't and (which is stranger)
More then themselves they did subdue.
Courage they cry'd;
Lets still abide,
Let Brittaines fame be dignifi'd,
When two the Scottish hoasts defi'de.

At length (when he two Scots had killed)
One of them bravely lost his life,
His strength and courage few excelled;
Yet all must yeeld to th' fatall knife.
The other hee,
Having slaine three,
Did Prisoner yeeld himselfe to be,
But now againe he is set free.

This is the story of these victors,
Who as they sprung oth' Troians race,
So they did shew like two young Hectors;
Unto their enemies disgrace;
Hereafter may,
Times children say,
Two valiant Welchmen did hold play,
With fifteene thousand Scots that day.

His Maiesty in Princely manner,
To give true vertue its reward;
The man surviving more to honour,
Hath in particular regard.
Thus valiant deeds,
Reward succeeds,
And from that branch, which valour breeds,
All honourable fruit proceeds.

Now some may say (I doe confesse it)
That all such desprate attempts
Spring only from foolehardinesse; yet
Who ever this rare deed exempts,
From valour true,
(if him I knew)
I would tell him (and 'twere but due)
Such men our Soveraigne hath too few.

For surely tis a rare example,
Who now will feare to fight with ten,
When these two lads (with courage ample)
Opposed fifteene thousand men,
Then heigh for Wales ,
Scots strike your Sayles,
For all your proiects nought prevailes,
True Brittains scorne to turn their tayles.