Classic Poem

Captaine couragious, whome death cold daunte,
beseeged the Citye brauelye, the citty of gaunt!
they mustered their soliders by 2 & by 3:
& the fformost in Battele was Mary Aumbree!

When braue S i r Iohn Maior was slaine in tha t fight,
tha t was her true louer, her Ioy & delight,
shee swore his death vnreuenged shold not bee;
was not this a braue, bonye lasse, Mary Aumbree?

The death of her trueloue shee meant to requite
w i th fire & ffamine [&] sword shining bright,
w hi ch lately was slaine most villanouslye;
was not this a braue, bonnye Lasse, Mary Aumbree?

Shee cladd her selfe from the top to the toe
in buffe of the brauest most seemlye to show,
& a faire shirt of Male slipped on shee;
was not this a braue, bonye lasse, Mary Aumbree?

A helmett of proofe shee tooke on her head,
& a strong arminge sword shee wore by her side;
a goodly fayre gauntlett on her hand put shee;
was not this &c.

Shee tooke her sword & her targett in hand,
bidding all such as wold, wayte on her band.
to waite on her p er son there came 1000 ds : 3:
was not this a braue &c.

" My soldiers, " shee saith, " soe valiant & bold,
now ffollow yo u r Capt ain w hi ch you doe beholde;
in the fight formost my selfe will I bee! "
was not &c.

Then cryed out her souldiers, & loude the did say,
" soe well thou becomes this gallant array,
thy hands & thy weapons doe well soe agree,
there was neu er none like to Mary Aumbree! "

Shee cheared her good souldiers tha t foughten for life,
w i th the cominge of Ancyents, w i th drum & w i th fife,
that braue sonding trumpetts w i th ingines soe free,
att last the made mention of Mary Aumbree.

" Before tha t I doe see the worst of you all
come in the danger of yo u r enemyes thrall,
this hand & this sword shall first sett him free; "
was not &c.

Shee forward went on in Battaile array,
& straight shee did make her foes flye away;
7 houres in sckirmish continued shee;
was not &c.

The skyes shee did fill w i th the smoke of her shott,
in her enemies bodyes w i th bulletts soe hott;
for one of her owne men, a sckore killed shee;
was not &c.

Then did her gunner spoyle her intent,
pelletts & powder away had he sent:
then w i th her sword shee cutt him in 3,
was not &c.

Then was shee caused to make a retyre,
being falsely betrayd, as itt doth appeare;
then to saue her selfe into a castle went shee;
was not &c.

Her foes the besett her on eu er ye side,
thinking in tha t castle shee wold not abyde;
to beate downe those walls they all did agree;
was not &c.

Shee tooke her sword & her targett in hand,
shee came to the walls, and vpon them did stand,
their daring their Captaine to match any 3,
was not &c.

" Thou English Capt ain , what woldest thou giue
to ransome thy liffe w hi ch else must not liue?
come downe quickly, & yeeld thee to mee! "
then smiled sweetlye Mary Aumbree;

" Good gentle Capt ain , what thinke you by mee,
or whom in my likenesse you take mee to bee? "
" a k nigh t, sir, of England, & Capt ain soe free,
tha t I meane to take away prisoner w i th me. "

" Good gentle Capt ain , behold in yo u r sight
2 brests in my bosome, & therfore no knight;
noe K nigh t, S i r, of England, nor Capt ain soe free,
but eue[n]e a pore bony Lasse, Mary Aumbree. "

" If thou beest a woman as thou dost declare,
tha t hast mangled our soliders, & made them soe bare;
the like in my liffe I neu er did see;
therfore Ile honor thee, Mary Aumbree. "

" Giue I be a woman, as well thou doest see,
Capt ain , thou gettst noe redemption of mee
w i thout thou wilt fight with blowes 2 or 3. "
was not &c.

God send in warrs, such euent I abide,
god send such a solider to stand by my side!
then safely p re serued my p er son wilbe;
there was neuer none like to Mary Aumbree!