In the deserued honour of my honest
and worthie Captaine, Iohn Smith,
and his Worke.
html.skin-theme-clientpref-night @media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os }CAptaine and friends when I peruse thy booke
(With Iudgements eyes) into thy heart I loooke:
And there I finde (what sometimes-Albyon) knew)
A Souldier, to his Countries-honour, true.
Some fight for wealth; and some for emptie praise;
But thou alone thy Countries Fame to raise.
With due discretion, and vndanted heart,
I (oft) so well haue seene thee act thy Part
In deepest plunge of hard extreamitie,
As forc’t the troups of proudest foes to flie.
Though men of greater Ranke and lesse desert
Would Pish-away thy Praise, it can not start
From the true Owner: for, all good-mens tongues
Shall keepe the same. To them that Part belongs.
If, then, Wit, Courage, and Successe should get
Thee Fame; the Muse for that is in thy debt:
A part whereof (least able though I bee)
Thus heere I doe disburse, to honor Thee.
Rawly Croshaw.