html.skin-theme-clientpref-night @media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os }Loud did the various Instruments of warre,
The dreadful time of Battel now declare,
Musick the brave delight, and oft inspires
The tim'rous hearts and ears with Martial fires,
Thus British Trumpets, and Romes Cornets sound,
Their piercing Clamours Ecchoes did rebound
Which distant hills, and sounding valleys take,
Mounting the furious noise to skies they make,
Then forlorn hopes, their dreadful onsets speed,
Which for the Princes, did Darander lead,
A hardy Chief, whose Prowess bore a Name
In Arthus Camp, so much renown'd by Fame.
As fierce a Leader had Romes Consul chose,
His daring onset boldly to oppose;
Hoping success would on his side begin,
Since valour's ne'r too late, that last must win.
Quick as a thought, incounter now these Foes,
Or burst on each, as kindled clouds dispose
Their swiftest lightnings, when the North or East,
Send forth their flames, to combate with the West.
Then do their more important bodies move,
Hoping this Prowess nobly to improve;
Though from the first Incounters, judg to pay
The dearest cost of a victorious day.
And thus the Princes forces swiftly lead,
Where Roman Pow'rs their dreadful Eagles spread;
While from their Standards their great figures show,
With fair Bonduca's Scepter'd Image too.
O'r whom a glor'ous Canopy is plac'd,
Like guilded Clouds with morning beams are grac'd;
To whose bright Figure All devotion pay,
As Stars are courted for a prosp'rous day.
By whom within this Standards mighty Frame,
Are lively imag'd, such past Kings did fame
Each Royal Lin'age, with their Battels fought,
Since first Dominion Trojan Brute here sought.
And here the Romans to their dread behold
Victor'ous Battels, Brittains fought of old;
With their great Chiefs, and warlike Consuls slain,
That Ages toyl'd in blood, this Isle to gain:
Thus fam'd Cassivellans stern Power does stand,
Confronting Romes Great Julius high Command;
And as their Bodies joyn, here singly fight,
Whence Cæsar, and his Power, submit to Flight.
Then Theomantius, Cunoblin the Bold,
With Cœlus story'd are, Kings dearly sold
Their Brittain Conquests; more my Muse could name,
But these enough denote this Isles past Fame.
This great Device a Sable Field display'd,
In which a monstrous Dragon's breathless lay'd;
Who through his Jaws had gloomy poysons sent,
Like blasts, that Ætna's fiery Bowels vent:
Next whose vast bulk, did gasping Gyants lye,
Great as our Antient Stories History;
Their beamy Spears, couch'd by each owners side,
Whence crimson streams the burthen'd earth had dy'd.
O'r whom in Triumph mighty George does shew,
Whose Prowess these, and that huge Serpent slew;
Though hence our Copies faintly now express,
Some glor'ous Reliques of this fam'd success.
While from our Crown his day receives a Name,
The high, and sacred Record of his fame;
Which tells enough, his Deeds were great, and more,
Than e'r had Brittish Blood renown'd before.
Opposing this from a vast Banners height,
Was seen Romes then known Cæsars Martial sight:
His Portraiture, in Purple stately plac'd,
With all past Trophies that Great Name had grac'd.
These vast Triumphant Char'ots stately drew,
And Conquer'd Kings, but their rich Lackeys shew;
While Rome her Superstitions to express,
Figures Divinely, Altars in their Dress.
Before which Eastern Monarchs prostrate lye,
Forc'd to adore this bold Divinity;
Their choicer Incense, spent as common smoak,
And in their Gems, now shackl'd, mourn their yoke.
Here dext'rous Parthians yield their wounding Bows,
Born with their Quivers in triumphant Shows;
There Gauls, and Germans quit their mighty Swords,
While Brittish Armes fight these Imperial Lords.
From which high Signals these fierce Battels joyn,
With all the spacious wings, that each confine;
Who, as rough waves, now one another force,
Which tydes, and winds opposing, fight their course.
Like matchless Rivals, Brittains Chiefs contend,
Which shall most Foes to death by Prowess send;
And from their Princely Leaders Patterns take,
How each may more renown'd, their valours make.
With fierce Darander bold Corinus vyes;
With Torringer, Clarinus bravely tryes,
How to repress their death-despising Foe;
As far does Troylus, and Androgeus go.
Then Vortiger, through wings of mighty Horse,
Conducts his Troops, a bold victorious course;
Where fierce Alvatrix did his Gauls array,
And like to lightning, force their speedy way.
Which soon the Gallick onset heat had tam'd,
Which makes their Passion more than valour fam'd;
Whose first Assaults, than Manhood more express,
And but resisted, Women force not less.
On these the Brittains constant virtues gain,
That Wars encreasing fury still maintain;
As if for Mars alone their Tempers were,
Whose highest dangers can't impress their fear.
With like success, Martianus put to flight,
The other wing, where hardy Romans fight;
As for his late defeat they now must pay
The Expiations of this Bloody Day.
But Romes vast Body yet unshaken stands,
Ribb'd by prov'd Legions, and Triarian Bands;
That oft had taught the worlds stern Pow'rs to fly,
Or else had dar'd them, foot to foot, to dye:
Hence darken'd was the Air by Mists of Pyles,
While clouds of Arrows shew the Brittains Toyles;
Which Roman Targets loaded now did bear,
As they in Helmets did their Jav'lins wear.
Soon Albianus had this Body fought,
And in the thickest dangers Ennius sought;
Who in a well-form'd Posture does receive
The wounds, and terrors, which his on-sets give:
As a tall Oak with shiver'd limbs does stand,
Towring his head against the winds Command;
'Till his strong bulk more powerful blasts do cleave,
And Avenues for their rough passage leave:
Thus rooted seems this Body, whose bold fight
The Consuls lofty Conduct does incite;
Hoping by these to save his mighty fall,
And each Centurions furious aid does call.
Recounting how their Julius Cæsar stood
The Nervian Armes, when Rome had spent more blood;
As ev'n its Nation, in that day were lost,
Hoping this will, as dearly Brittains cost.
What though our Wings, (now imp'd with Gauls) do fly
That cann't from Romans learn to stand, and dye?
Let not your Eagles their Example take,
While here your Armes may such a Quarry make.
And now these Bodies do so closely meet,
That arme with arme, encounters, feet with feet;
Scarce having space their wounding swords to sway,
As both sides seem, fierce wrastlers for the Day.
Here Chief with Chief, by wond'rous deeds contend,
Which shall receive from each a bloody end;
There num'rous Militants their force imploy,
Who most heroick shall a Foe destroy.
Then Albianus with stupend'ous might,
Forces this strong Battal'ons dreadful fight;
As from the North a mighty whirlwind blowes,
Breaking defences its high rage oppose:
Some by his Steed are trampled to the ground;
Others his stately Spear gives deaths last wound;
Or on its point does toss them out his way,
And thus kills such his arme disdains to slay.
While this high act, his bolder Troops pursue,
As waves in crowds through narrow breaches flow,
Until the Seas swift pow'r more room does gain,
And leads its battail'd billows o'r the Plain.
To wide this entrance, Brittish Chariots speed,
Which bold Corinus did to wonder lead;
Whose furious motions Roman Pow'rs confound,
And seem like thunder, rowl'd in clouds to sound.
Whose wondrous[errata 1] speed no strength of Foes could stay,
Not if the Grecian Phalanx, their swift way
Had with Romes Powers oppos'd, or Punick Might,
Whose Rankes with Elephants, were lin'd in fight,
Fix'd to their Axes, mighty Sithes that Mow
Their way through Legions, nor by them a Foe,
Entirely dies, some limbes, from limbes divide,
Others Men sever, who in halfes here dy'd.
No less the Cavalry, their fight annoys,
Whose Horse, as variously their Force destroyes,
Amazing Foes, with their strange way of fight
Sometimes out-driving Winds, or in their Flight
Quick as a Thought, Amongst their Foes could stay,
And thence, make Glorious Sallies for the day,
Which being done, as nimbly they retreat,
And on their loaded Teams in order meet;
Whence as they drive, they each way Arrows send,
Missing no mark, their dextrous aims intend,
This way of fight, if we may credit Fame;
With Trojan Heroes to this Isle first came:
By which their Prowess wonders had atchiev'd,
Though scarce so great, as this day Brittains did.
And thus amaz'd, the Romans had beheld
Their mighty Pow'rs, by these fierce drifts o'rwhelm'd;
While Albianus in each on-set won,
Such fam'd success, as their best Legions run.
Yet now Heroick grief does wound his breast,
To see Foes dye, thus bravely did resist;
And Princely mourns the Price this Day had cost,
As he beholds such warlike Brittains lost.
How will the harmless Tillager complain
In after Ages, of this dismal Plain?
When limbs of Heroes, shall affright his toyles,
And his encrease enricht from bloody spoyles?
While Romans hence record a fatal Day,
As when they bled at lost Pharsalia;
Or left Great Crassus for a Parthian Boast,
With all the Glories of his yielding Hoast.
More to encrease their terrors, does appear
The bold Favonius, whom Bonduca here
Had sent with stout Reserves of London Horse,
Who their broke Pow'rs, with renew'd slaughters force
And Royal Vortiger does now return,
With warlike Martianus, whose hearts burn,
To finish Conquest on the Body too,
As they did gloriously the Wings pursue,
While Phœbus Radiant Chariot had possest
The setting Evening Glories of the West,
And nights black Curtain vail'd the guilded sky,
As Brittish Armes determin'd Victory.
This Instant well the subtle Ennius knew,
Must something aid his past misfortune too;
Who now his broken Pow'rs retreating fights,
And, to his Camp in Kent, conducts their flights.
Like to some Lion, that too bold did prey,
Fears next his courage might himself betray;
And weary'd with his furious toyles, does then
Retiring, seek his advantageous Den.