ELIZABETH AT TILBURY


September: 1588

Let them come, come never so proudly,
O'er the green waves as giants ride;
Silver clarions menacing loudly,
'All the Spains' on their banners wide;
High on deck of the gilded galleys
Our light sailers they scorn below:--
We will scatter them, plague, and shatter them,
Till their flag hauls down to their foe!
For our oath we swear
By the name we bear,
By England's Queen, and England free and fair,--
Her's ever and her's still, come life, come death:--
God save Elizabeth!

Sidonia, Recalde, and Leyva
Watch from their Castles in swarthy scorn,
Lords and Princes by Philip's favour;--
We by birthright are noble born!
Freemen born of the blood of freemen,
Sons of Crecy and Flodden are we!
We shall sunder them, fire, and plunder them,--
English boats on an English sea!
And our oath we swear,
By the name we bear,
By England's Queen, and England free and fair,--