cannot help placing it here,

is of a much later period.

Death

tho' the date of its compofition It is extracted from cc Cupid and

a mafque by J. S. [ James Shirley] prefented "Mar. 26. 1653. London printed 1653., 4to.

VIctorious men of earth, no more

Proclaim how wide your empires are;

Though you binde in every fhore,

And your triumphs reach as far

As night or day,

Yet you proud monarchs must obey,

And mingle with forgotten afhes, when

Death calls yee to the croud of common men.

Devouring famine, plague and war,

Each able to undo mankind, Death's fervile emiffaries are;

Nor to thefe alone confin'd,

He hath at will

More quaint and fubtle wayes to kill;

A fmile or kifs, as he will use the art,

Shall have the cunnig fkill to break a heart.

10

15

The Subject of this ballad is the taking of the city of Cadiz, (called by our failors corruptly 1596, in a defcent made on the coast command of the lord Howard admiral, general,

Cales) on June 21. of Spain, under the and the earl of Effex

The

The valour of Effex was not more distinguished on this occafion than his generofity: the town was carried Sword in hand, but he stopt the Slaughter as soon as possible, and treated his prisoners with the greatest humanity and even affability and kindneß. The English made a rich plunder in the city, but mist of a much richer, by the refolution, which the duke of Medina the Spanish admiral took of Setting fire to the Ships, in order to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy. It was computed, that the loß, which the Spaniards Sustained in this enterprize, amounted to twenty millions of ducats. See Hume's Hift.

The earl of Essex knighted on this occafion not fewer than fixty perfons, which gave rise to the following farcasm,

A gentleman of Wales, a knight of Cales
And a laird of the North country;

But a yeoman of Kent with his yearly rent
Will buy them out all three.

The ballad is printed from the Editor's folio MS. and Seems to have been compofed by some perfon, who was concer ned in the expedition. Most of the circumstances related in it will be found Supported by history.

LONG the proud Spaniards had vaunted their con

quests,

Threatning our country with fire and fword,
Often preparing their nayy most sumptuous
With as great plenty as Spain could afford.
Dub a dub, dub a dub, thus ftrike their drums,
Tantara, tantara, the Englishman comes.

To

1

To the feas haftily went our lord admiral,

With knights couragious and captains full good;
The brave earl of Effex, a profperous general,

With him prepared to pass the salt flood.
Dub a dub, &c.

At Plymouth speedilye, took they ship valiantlye,
Braver fhips never were feen under fayle,

10

With their fair colours fpread, and ftreamers o'er their

head,

Now bragging Spaniard take heed of your tayle.
Dub a dub, &c.

Unto Cales cunninglye, came we most speedilye,
Where the kinges navy securelye did ride;

Being upon their backs, piercing their butts of facks,
Ere any Spaniards our coming defcry'd.
Dub a dub, &c.

Great was the crying, the running and ryding,
Which at that feafon was made in that place;
The beacons were fyred, as need then required;
To hyde their great treasure they had little space.
Dub a dub, &c.

15

20

25

There you might fee their fhips, how they were fyred fast, And how their men drowned themselves in the fea; There might you hear them cry, wayle and weep piteously When they faw no fhift to fcape thence away.

Dub a dub, &c.

The great St. Phillip, the pryde of the Spaniards,
Was burnt to the bottom, and funk in the fea;
But the St. Andrew, and eke the St. Matthew,
Wee took in fight manfullye and brought away.
Dub a dub, &c.

30

35

The

The earl of Effex moft valiant and hardye,

With horsemen and footmen march'd up to the town; The Spanyards, which faw them, were greatly alarmed, Did fly for their fafety, and durft not come down. Dub a dub, &c.

Now, quoth the noble earl, courage my foldiers
Fight and be valiant, the spoil you fhall have;
And be well rewarded all from the great to the small,
But fee the women and children you fave.

Dub a dub, &c.

40

45

The Spaniards at that fight, thinking it vain to fight,
Hung out flags of truce and yielded the towne;
We marched in prefentlye, decking the walls on high,
With English colours which purchas'd renowne.

Dub a dub, &c.

Entering the houfes then, of the most richest men,
For gold and treafure we fearched each day;
In fòme places wè did find, piès baking left behind,
Meate at fire rofting and folk run away.

Dub a dub,* &c.

Full of rych merchandize, every fhop catch'd our eyes, Damafks and fattens and velvets full fayre;

50

$5

Which foldiers measured out by the lenght òf their swords; Of all commodities each had his share.

Dub a dub, &c.

Thus Cales was taken, and our brave general

Marched to the market place, where he did ftand; There many prifoneres fell to our several shares, Many crav'd mercye, and mercye they fonde.

60

65.

When

When our brave general faw they delayed all,

And would not ransome/their towne as they said, With their fair wanfcots, their preffes and bedsteds, Their joint-ftools and tables a fire we made; And when the town burned all in a flame, With tara, tantara, away we all came.

XXII.

THE SPANISH LADY'S LOVE.

This beautiful old ballad most probably took its rife from one of those defcents made on the Spanish coafts in the time of queen Elizabeth: in all likelihood from that which is celebrated in the foregoing ballad.

Printed from an ancient black letter copy corrected in

part by the Editor's folio MS.

WILL you hear a Spanish lady,

How fhe wooed an English man?

Garments gay as rich as may be

Decked with jewels fhe had on.

Of a comely countenance and grace was fhe,

And by birth and parentage of high degree.

As his prifoner there he kept her,
In his hands her life did lye;
Cupid's bands did tye them fafter

2

To favour him in any thing fhe was not coy.

But